Big Brother Google?

I have been reading some articles about how much personal information Google collects, and how few safeguards there are against abusing this information. The whole article can be found at CNN. Effectively, between Gmail, logging searches, its IM client, and all of the various services Google provides, they could, in theory, create a complete profile of many people. There is no evidence that they have done this, but it does seem clear that they have the data to do so.

Don't worry, though, Google's motto is "Don't be evil," and according to the CNN article linked above, Google "only shares personal data with outsiders in certain cases -- such as when a user agrees, or to comply with the law, detect fraud, or have data processed." They really do have a good track record for not abusing their power, but I am wondering if that power is too much for any company, no matter how well run, to resist indefinitely.

I am not advocating any government intervention nor that you stop using Google's services. I use Gmail and I use Google for most of my searches as well as many of their other services (the irony of blogging this on a site owned by Google is not lost on me). I do think that you need to be aware that Google does keep track of virtually everything that their services are used for - even if they do no more than store the data, it is still there.

How great of a privacy concern is Google's data? Right now, not much of one. However, Google's data does have the potential to be used and abused to an extent unrivaled by any private organization in history - and rarely surpassed by governments. So, basically, be careful when you use the internet. Google is watching.

The Great Pyramids

I read a very interesting article about the Great Pyramids recently. The full text is found on Yahoo News. Basically, though some investigation, some scientists have come to the conclusion that the Great Pyramid in Egypt is not made from limestone blocks quarried, dragged, and carved to the site, but were actually cast (like cement). Apparently however they cast these blocks so well done that it is extremely hard to tell them from natural limestone without the use of a Scanning Electron Microscope. There was even some indication of nanotechnology in the blocks!

Isn't it amazing how a "primitive" culture like the Egyptians 4,000 years ago could have had such technology? How could they have had cement, or the ability to lift such heavy stones so long ago? Honestly, is it really such a mystery that men 4,000 years ago were as smart as we are today, or even smarter? When you assume that we did not evolve, the "mystery" of the pyramids is not nearly as mysterious. I think it is very exciting to see how people really were smart back then. How they really were just as intelligent and human as we are. God gifted mankind with this will to create and learn and build. The Pyramids may not have been made to glorify Him, but they do exemplify how well He created us.

I'm back... For the Most Part

Wow, it has been a long time since I've written anything! I managed to survive my Junior year, so I should, in theory have a little more free time.

Lately I have been pondering what the purpose of my life is, what my driving force is and should be. The simple answer is that my purpose is the same as every other believer: to bring Glory to God. This simple mandate is the direction to head in, however, I wanted to look into a bit more deeply than a simple phrase so easily sidelined in daily life. When I really looked into it, I had to ask myself what passion the Lord has placed into my heart, and how it fits into His character. While I still don't have a full answer of where I am going or what I should be doing. I have seen so many problems, so much injustice, so much wrong in the society in which I live that I cannot simply ignore it.

There really is so much more to life than simply getting along - just making a living, going to church and little else. There is a real need for the Church of Christ to rouse itself in this country, to begin to not just pray and give money, but to act. God has changed the course of a nation countless times with only a few or even just one devoted servant. There millions of people in America who claim to be Christians, why are we not acting? Why is our society going downhill so quickly? The body of Christ has to take a stand in this country, we have to confront and transform our culture before it is lost.

The Fowlstien Letters, Letter 3

It was at this point that letters sent to Dr. Fowlstien's Nephew began to appear along with those sent to the board of trustees. I have included the letters in chronological order of when they were dated. Unfortunately few replies from this nephew were found. I have removed his name to preserve his anonymity.

August 9, 1953

My Dear Nephew,

I bring you greetings. I apologize for the great breadth of time since I last wrote. I have been oft away on expeditions, and unable to write. I am having trouble convincing the board to fund my next expedition, they claim that I have not shown any substantial progress towards the major discovery I promised. Have they not read my letters? I have told them of Swooprren and Basili, and yet they still deny me the assistance I need to continue my research. It is like they care nothing for the study of ancient civilizations!

It reminds me of the last time I was in Italy, tracing the final days of Chickentopia. Their society had grown to gargantuan proportions, and bureaucracy seemed to have taken over the intellectuals. Just an example of this is one of the widely accepted theories of the era. Some so called scientist had come up with the idea that all life had started in a pile of filth, and that the first creature to draw breathe on the planet was a dung beetle. One of the most notable of these scientists, a bird named Charwing, wrote a synopsis of his theory which I uncovered near Venice.

The evidence is clear, there is no question any more that the theory of the origin of fowls is fact. There was naught but dung when the world began, as the pile shifted at random over countless moons, beetles were formed when the pieces fell together just right. These first creatures on our planet, the noble Dung Beetles, are the foundation of life. As they bred and multiplied, they began to move the dung, and over many more countless moons, other creatures were formed when the dung was, by chance, configured just right. Long after such mundane creatures and cows, hawks, and humans were formed, a very special pile of dung was somehow formed. Out of this pile, the greatest of all creatures sprung, the Chicken. We have all come from the dung heap, and must respect it as an equal, not exploit it and destroy the very environment from which we arose.

It was theories like these, and the fact that birds like Charwing pushed them so hard, that I believe led to the destruction of Chickentopia. We should take warning from this, and be careful to avoid such absurd mob mentality, ever fearful of new, or unusual ideas.

I shall try again to write to the board, this time explaining the language of the chickens, and how I have been able to decipher it only through such generous support as that which I am begging of them. Thank you for listening, I shall make an effort to visit you before I leave for my next expedition.

Always yours,

Uncle Theodore