Today is Earth Day, and you don't have to look any further than the home pages of the top Internet companies to see it. Green is the politically correct color of choice for firms that want to score cheap environmental points online.
The bias is most blatant at Google and its video-sharing subsidiary, YouTube. Google's logo has gone completely green, and the television screen within YouTube's logo is a snapshot of the earth.
YouTube also has turned over the prime real estate on its home page to earth-friendly videos, with headlines like "5 Easy Ways To Save The Planet" and "Veggie Cars." Oh, and don't forget, "Paris Hilton Is Greener Than You."
But Google and YouTube aren't alone in toeing the environmental line online this Earth Day. Yahoo, MSN, AOL and Amazon.com are playing the green game, too. Even the Weather Channel, whose founder in March made the case for suing Al Gore to expose "the fraud of global warming," is making a big deal out of Earth Day.
This is par for the course in the technology world. As the former editor of National Journal's Technology Daily, I watched with a mix of amusement and disdain the past several years as tech firms rushed, like Kermit the Frog, to embrace their inner greenness.
It's part of their lingo now. "Green technology" is all the rage in Silicon Valley, the promise of bundles of a different kind of green in the industry's wallets for years to come.
The assumption in the world these days is that if you call something green, it's good. No debate allowed. All skeptics shall be ridiculed into silence and conformity.
That's good to know because these days, I'm the executive producer of Eyeblast.tv, a new video-sharing site designed in part to rival the bias that too often rears its head at YouTube and other sites. Our logo is green at Eyeblast this Earth Day, too -- but that's because it's green year round.
Unlike the chameleons you'll see running everywhere else online for the next several hours, we don't change our colors in order to pander to the pet cause of the day. When the rest of the Web turns back into a pumpkin at midnight, we'll be the same carriage full of conservative video as we were yesterday and today.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Google does not link to the communist mass murderer?
April 22, 2008 - 10:53 ET by PopularTechUsually Google highlights what the day is about when you click on the logo and it is April 22! How can Google ignore the birthday of the great communist mass murderer, Vladimir Lenin?
Earth Day - This Earth Day Celebrate Vladimir Lenin's Birthday! (Capitalism Magazine)
The Anti 'Man-Made' Global Warming Resource
How dare these businesses
April 22, 2008 - 10:57 ET by balboaHow dare these businesses adopt earth-friendly p.r. tactics!
algore & green
April 22, 2008 - 11:03 ET by SouthJersey1953yes, shouldn't they show a picture of their "hero" (god?) algore holding hand fulls of 'green' (as in cash - the only kind of green algore really cares about)
Balboa, Why are you
April 22, 2008 - 11:33 ET by futbolisgreat1Balboa,
Why are you Liberals such simple minded fools?
If Google is truly interested in saving the Planet (according to the Liberal mantra ), why don't they shot down their operations for a day? no electricity, right? why didn't they stay home for a day and not turn on one light bulb?
Oh! that's right just like Al Gore, Google wants to shove down the throat of Americans a life style that they are not willing to adhere to.
Poor Liberals, such hypocrites
Not sure you understand the
April 22, 2008 - 13:22 ET by balboaNot sure you understand the whole "going green" concept, but I appreciate the insult nonetheless.
Balboa, You are welcome
April 22, 2008 - 16:29 ET by futbolisgreat1Balboa,
You are welcome Balboa, someone has to tell you who and what you Liberals are, simple minded hypocrites.
I know, since the MSM doesn't tell you this, you don't believe it.
But go ahead, explain it for all of us. What does the "going green" concept mean?
Maybe you can do a better job than Al Gore and the rest of the Liberal elites at double talk and preachiness.
C'mon, don't be shy, take a jab at it.
Does going green mean living like John Edwards, like Al Gore, like Leonardo DiCaprio???
Does it mean keeping rooms, after rooms of servers going to earn your company and your stock holders millions and preaching to the rest of the world to change their life style?
c'mon my little Balboa....maybe the world will listen to you more than they have listened to your demagogues on the left.
Maybe going green is using the halogen bulbs that Al Gore has been pushing, that cost more to make, buy and are full of mercury and pollute way more than regular bulbs.
Is this what it means to go green?
or maybe going green is like John Kerry who during his Presidential run told a group of voters in Seattle that he didn't drive SUVs and he then turned around went to Detroit and showed off his American made SUVs?
or maybe going green means taking private jets to countries all over the world, like Al Gore, and once you are there, trashing your own country, like Al Gore. What do you think?
or maybe going green is preaching about going green, but not actually doing anything about it, but shoving down the throats of Americans "green" laws that will destroy our economy.
Hey, if I am wrong, by all means, my young padwan, do tell me. Point out the errors of my way and tell me how wrong I am about Kerry, Gore, Edwards and the rest of the Liberals hypocrites that you adore and love so much. Maybe for you this is what going gree means.....OHHHH...I am sorry little Rocky.
OK, I'll tell you. But only
April 22, 2008 - 17:21 ET by balboaOK, I'll tell you. But only if you insult me, first.
I'll tell you for free what going "green" means...
April 23, 2008 - 11:11 ET by PopularTechGoing "green" means you can still use as much energy as you want so long as you change your business logo color to green and buy your carbon credits from Al Gore:
Gore's 'carbon offsets' paid to firm he owns (WorldNetDaily)
The Anti 'Man-Made' Global Warming Resource
On this Earth Day...
April 22, 2008 - 11:05 ET by AgentAmerican...I would like to say that my attitude hasn't changed. As George Carlin used to say..."the earth isn't going anywhere...we are!"
I'm probably more environmentally conscious than Al Gore, since I don't own a fuel-guzzling private aircraft. I would love to see new alternatives to transportation (big electric proponent here), and clean air, cleaner streams and lakes, thick lush forests, lots of fishing! You wouldn't want to go camping in a dirty area!
Conservatives are more faithful to being green in a positive, non-political way, unlike our friends on the left who probably have never gone camping and have hijacked the green movement simply because of some hanging chads in Broward County.
Until the day internal combustion engines are replaced by electric ones...
Drill ANWAR and Go Nuclear (see, France).
Google Going Green?
April 22, 2008 - 11:18 ET by geoff.galeGoogle sucks down enough juice powering their distributed server farms to power the lights in all those small towns so that bitter Americans can see to read their Bibles and clean their guns.
"All that is necessary for the trimuph of evil is that good men do nothing."
- Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)
www.conservativeboot...
geoff.gale, EXACTLY!!!!
April 22, 2008 - 11:42 ET by futbolisgreat1geoff.gale,
EXACTLY!!!! but you know those greedy Liberals.....do as they say, not as they do.
shutting down their website for a day or two will cause them a few million dollars, that's a lot more than a Liberal millionare can afford to lose.
More on Greedy Modern Libs
April 22, 2008 - 13:27 ET by geoff.galeOne correction though - Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin aren't millionaires - they're billionaires.
Like you I wonder if Google would be willing to sacrifice their insidious ad revenues for twenty-four hours in order to really support some kind of "green" agenda like powering down all those server farms. Highly unlikely!
"All that is necessary for the trimuph of evil is that good men do nothing."
- Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)
www.conservativeboot...
This Earth Day - Reflect on the Father of Earth Day's view...
April 22, 2008 - 11:32 ET by Gary HallOn this Earth Day - Reflect on the Father of Earth Day's view... a little something that the MSM would never mention - notably, not even on Earth Day.
Here's a Earth Day
April 22, 2008 - 11:58 ET by Ruths husband BenHere's a Earth Day thought:
Drilling for oil in ANWR would be like lyposuction for Mother Earth. She has been looking a little overweight lately, don't ya think?
“There’s nobody (white) on my staff who would still be working for me if they made a comment like that about anybody of any (other) ethnic group.” -Obama (talking about Imus)
(parentheticals added for clarity)
There's a movie out called
April 22, 2008 - 12:32 ET by HelenSThere's a movie out called "The Snow Walker". It's actually a pretty good movie. However, I am here to tell you that there is nothing pristine or desirable about ANWR or similar locales if this movie is any indication.
From what I could tell, it is just mile after mile after mile of pot-holes filled with a gazillion mosquitoes (especially noticeable in the special features).
What is worth preserving about that?
"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war" - Shakespeare
I'm glad they have their prioritized list of holidays....
April 22, 2008 - 12:27 ET by PeevedGuyI wonder exactly where Memorial Day falls?
lgf: Google Ignores Memorial Day
I've no doubt that Earth Day is Numero Uno
PGuy, The gouls over on google hold halloween # uno
April 22, 2008 - 13:04 ET by upcountrywaterA link if you want
<gaia/love>SAVVVE The Whales N' Earth; conserve N' recycle !
IranianUranium<sleep>New/Infrastructure/repair?/ROFLMAO
Ah, the hipocrisy of
April 22, 2008 - 13:36 ET by DraglineAh, the hipocrisy of liberals. It reminds me of this lady I sometimes am stuck behind while driving into work. Her bumper sticker reads "Keep Alaska Wild". Yet, she has no problem throwing her cigarette butts out the window.
Yes, the hipockratcy. It's
April 22, 2008 - 13:47 ET by balboaYes, the hipockratcy. It's owtradgus.
Good catch, balboa. I bow
April 23, 2008 - 08:01 ET by DraglineGood catch, balboa. I bow down to your superior intellect. Spelling a word wrong by one letter definitely warranted your reply, especially when you have nothing on the actual topic being discussed.
Ah, the hipocrisy of
April 22, 2008 - 13:55 ET by sr4402My trouble with all of this is the preachiness of it. It's so pervasive I can't get away from it. It's in the movies, the news, the schools, most of the government. Barf.<P>
Wonder why the lamestream media and network news is dying. It's not just hipocrisy. It's that folks are getting tired of being preached at and going elsewhere for entertainment and news.
Public school earth week
April 23, 2008 - 11:28 ET by MaximusBraveheartHere in Plano XT (secret code for TX) the kids were suposed to wear different color shirts for each days earth theme. I don't recall but like green for trees, blue for water. That is a guess because I threw it out before reading it closely.
Google. The hypocricy never ends.
April 22, 2008 - 14:05 ET by Dave in TexasNow, now. Google is performing a very valuable service. They're making sure they get their electricity as cheap as possible, so we all get to pay more for ours. That gives us an incentive to use less:
Keyword evil: Google's addiction to cheap electricity
"With energy prices soaring, the Bush Administration had floated the idea of privatizing the BPA, which would raise the cost of electricity to market rates. After a conference call between Google, the BPA, and Representative Greg Walden (R., Ore), the congressman pledged to the press that privatization would be blocked."
Now, I'm sure you could fill a library with examples of every corporation imaginable pressuring every government in the history of America for special treatment and getting it. I just thought that Google was supposed to be different. Guess not.
You Tube list
April 22, 2008 - 14:10 ET by SarahAnnieParis Hilton is definitely blanker than me, but I don't think the correct term is greener.
Nebraskans for War: Peace through Strength
"Paris Hilton Is Greener
April 22, 2008 - 14:30 ET by fitzfong"Paris Hilton Is Greener Than You."
Well, I guess that's what VD will do for you.
YES!
April 22, 2008 - 16:08 ET by sunandsteelROFLMAO. Thats funny, I dont care who you are.
What doesn’t kill you, only makes you pissed off. -Children of Bodom
Danny Glover, i just went over to visit my youtube account.
April 22, 2008 - 14:33 ET by upcountrywaterIn the old days when youtube was NOT owned by google, they had the courtesy to tell you that they deleted one of your favorites. Not anymore just gone; poofff.
Out of sight out of mind!!
Now that you are running eyeblast.tv post; Geert Wilders "Fitna" That video had over a million views on YT.
<gaia/love>SAVVVE The Whales N' Earth; conserve N' recycle !
IranianUranium<sleep>New/Infrastructure/repair?/ROFLMAO
Is there anyone that is not
April 22, 2008 - 14:41 ET by bassndudeIs there anyone that is not greener than I? I think not.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
bass... ROFL! "Never
April 22, 2008 - 14:45 ET by bigtimerbass...
ROFL!
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
Overreaction just a bit?
April 22, 2008 - 19:17 ET by NewHavenYikes, I think everyone just needs to calm down. I don't have an issue with
Google's logo...Just because they choose to highlight the day's significance doesn't mean
that they are hypocrites for not shutting down their servers or some liberal wacko. That makes
absolutely no sense. It's a FREAKIN' Search Engine people!
That they are...a search
April 22, 2008 - 19:28 ET by bigtimerThat they are...a search engine with a green agenda alright, a leftist one at that that loves the green of $$$$ and capitalism....and loathes the conservatives.
Go figure.
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill