Google Power

In my last post I mentioned that I would be following Google’s plans for world domination very closely, and I have done just that. Google has been all over the news recently for various reasons, including their failed attempt at their social network “Buzz”.

Through all the mess of Google Media (I should pitch that idea), I finally found something worth being concerned over. The FERC, or Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, has granted Google Energy the right to buy and sell energy at bulk cost, essentially giving Google Energy the right to not only cut their cost of paying for energy down to at cost rates (wish I could do that), but also granting them the ability to sell consumers energy as if a utility company. On the surface, and without much in the way of research, I originally thought it was simply a ploy to reduce company cost of operation, seems like a perfectly capitalist thing to do right? As it turns out I am sadly mistaken, a recent article from Cnet paints a pretty telling story.

2007: Google dedicated more money than Michael Jackson acquired after he died, towards scientists in attempts to create a platform that can generate 1 Jigglywatt of clean energy and make it cheaper than, well technically carbon dirt. 1 Gigawatt-hour (meaning a platform capable of generating 1GW and maintaining that power for an hour) could power roughly 750,000 to 1,000,000 homes for an hour.

2008: Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google and former board member of Apple, presented a plan to save the US billions to trillions of dollars on energy cost by switching to clean energy, and could eventually get to 100% clean energy use from renewable energy sources.

Google has invested in everything from Wind to Hybrids in the energy market and doesn’t show any signs of slowing that attempt, Google has been “going green” for a long period of time now, something I could consider commendable, they have also released software to help consumers track their energy use.

Google has also been gobbling up start-up energy companies and started running a few tests of it’s own. eSolar, a company that google funded from IdeaLabs, has already created a few “energy plants” producing clean energy.

All of this clean energy talk makes me want to frolic in sun flowers and daisy fields. Don’t get me wrong, clean energy and going green is nothing to take lightly, it’s something we can all benefit from. However, do you want to pay your monthly utility bill to google? Maybe they will create a universal billing software so all your bills will be lumped into one sum and sent to you via text and email. Or maybe it would just be easier for them to already own every company you may be billed from.

Recent Google activities are starting to all clip together in one giant eWorld capitalist companies version of communism. Google is currently in court for Google’s book scanning venture, with attempts being made to monetize the entire project by using Orphan Works, works that the author is unknown, or MIA. Google is still going forward with it’s ISP idea, as well as laying it’s own fiber trails. Google is still working with the NSA, which is starting to frighten others a bit (good!), but that has yet to have a real impact on anything.

Overall our Google eWorld (another good one I should take to Google) is looking like it may just come to fruition. They widely control the interwebs, are going to control Power, and our ISP (which it’s looking like telecom companies are considering switching to data only and using VoIP services instead of phone lines, this includes cell phone companies). Next they will be selling us hybrid cars, planes, boats, and anything else they can place a hybrid engine in. Why go to sears when you have google?

I’ll provide more on our eWorld as it starts to unfold later.

Our country ‘tis of… Google?

I’m a fan of Google, always have been, but even I can tell that Google is well overstepping it’s bounds lately. First was the Google – China issue (which is still underway), you all remember that from my little bet right? This seemingly appears as a front for an NSA – Google partnership. Obviously since the NSA is involved not much information is available about the true intents and possible deals made with that little infringement on freedom. There is plenty of speculation, as well as many government conspiracy theories. This was one partnership that even got me thinking, but like a good little Google monkey, I pushed my fears aside on this one, even though the entire thing prompted EPIC to start an investigation into this matter.

Even more recently, Google has announced, and launched, “Buzz”. Buzz is Google’s new attempt at breaking into the social networking market, and they seem to be purchasing a few new companies as well as integrating existing social networks to help boost their success. Google Profiles is being pushed as well, a new way to use Google search to search through your friends Social networks and information just in case they might have posted somewhere something of value pertaining to your search. The idea of Google profiles isn’t bad, but the real world use is a bit asinine.

Next in line for Google is Google’s news about needing faster internet in the US and proposing a 1Gb fiber optic network and possibly entering in the ISP wars in order to push this. I’m extremely happy that finally someone is trying to push for fiber to home networks and not just sticking with the “last mile” fiber motto. However, the more concerning thing is Google becoming an ISP.

Gmail, Buzz, Google Voice, Google Wave, Google Profiles, Google Web-pages, Google Blogging service, Google IM, Google docs, Google Calendar, Google checkout, Google Phones, Google Books, Google Chrome (web browser and soon Chrome OS), Google web search with logging history which is also under fire and being asked for 2 years of data logging, and many many more. Google effectively controls and house’s more than it’s share of information and communications online, of which most is free for user’s. I appreciate and use many of the services Google offers, however I make no preconception that any of it truly is private. By itself, that is not that big of an issue for me, I’ve nothing much to hide and I realize how truly unsecure most information through any web provider or service really is. But that doesn’t mean there is information I want to be public or controlled by any one source.

Google’s partnership with the NSA is now becoming more alarming, as Google is heavily pushing to be become the world’s information storage bin, granting any rights to the NSA that’s not already in effect and scary enough, is truly just asking for problems. It’s pretty commonly recognized that National Security for any nation, especially Cyber Security, requires extraordinary and brilliant individuals. Most of the cyber criminals we hear about are Pirates and Hackers, usually bypassing copy-right protection, or hacking into servers like Twitter and launching DoS attacks. The type of guys hired by outfits like the NSA and the Chinese Government are the ones you don’t hear about. They are the people that develop the software and control many Botnet’s or find ways to hack TPM chips with house hold cleaners and rust removers. Providing people with any access to our Google Information as dangerous - even in a controlled industry like NSA - as these hackers is beyond scary.

Again I will recount, I was willing to let that ride unless more information became known, until I heard that Google was going to get into the ISP market. By their count, it’s only for a “testbed” and they are not intending to compete, but what kind of company puts down 1.3 billion for a fiber network and enters in a “test” ISP scenario without intent and staying there. Especially when ALL information used, obtained, viewed, or submitted online MUST first go through an ISP. We have come to realize that Google is all about information, and the control thereof. Selecting them as the gateway for this information, while having the NSA lurking in their bed, really is a rather frightening thought.

I’m not huge on conspiracy theories, even though I do like to embellish a bit. However it’s not hard to come to the conclusion that Google is entering worlds that would require FCC and FTC investigation and quite possibly go directly against their “do no evil” motto. Take from that what you will, but it looks ugly.

Google is going to be hard-pressed to remain on the good side, and keep their innocent appeal with the general public. They have started a “human rights” agenda and brought Google, the US government, and now Iran into the mix. Their Internet Freedom line of defense is extremely subjective while their are tempting fate with the NSA and jumping into the ISP market. I will be closely following this outbreak of information Nazism and look forward to watching Google walk this extremely fine line. With Apple watching and exacerbating every move Google makes I’m not sure how much of their business deals will remain secret.