Google has tried to emulate the best of both Twitter and Facebook with this application. Which brings a completely different set of questions about a search engine who controls the web, stepping into a service role… but I digress…

What do you think, Should they be scared?

Debate it Yourself at Polemics

Does Google Buzz Threaten Facebook or Twitter?

The search engine giant we all love to use, gathers more information about our online activities that we know! Sure, they have a very detailed privacy policy, but how many people have actually read, or even understand the contents? The depth of knowledge Google stores on us is overwhelming… and rather frightening!

• When you visit a website with Google Ads – They now track you!
• If you visit Whitehouse.gov and watch a YouTube  Obama Speech – They now track you!
• If you use Gmail – They know EVERYTHING about you!
• If you simply visit Google and search for something – You gave them permission to track you for many years!
• Have you seen Google Street View? Use Google maps to lookup YOUR address… don’t be too shocked!
• This list goes on and on…

Take a quick jump over to the Google Watch Cookie tracker, and see just how many years you didn’t even know you agreed to!

Finally, The Patriot Act…

• By Rule of the Patriot Act – it is illegal to disclose you have been contacted with a request for information! in other words, if the Gov’t DID request information (Which they do daily) it is against the law to reveal it! We would never know!
• By Rule of the Patriot Act – the Gov’t has full and complete rights to request search engine and web browsing data from anyone! including Google and your ISP.

Lets Face It – Google Knows MORE About Us than the Government – Or at least we like to Think So!

Have your Say Below…

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Google & NSA Team Up for Security – Are You Scared?

Massachusetts Sen.-elect Scott Brown on Wednesday demanded to be seated immediately, saying that while he is set to be sworn in Feb. 11, “there are a number of votes scheduled prior to that date.”

What do you think? Is there good merit to get him into office a week early, or should he just wait it out like anyone else would usually have to do?

Have your say below…

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Should Brown Be Seated Immediately?

According to the CNN article, with very few exceptions, no employee will be paid more than $500,000 in “base compensation” this year in cash and/or stocks.

It all begs the question… should the US Gov’t have any say-so in this matter, or should the companies prove fiscal responsibility and police themselves?

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Are Government Mandated Salary Caps Acceptable?

I help alot of folks with websites and such… the Realtors I help out have all said that the situation with them is dire. People with great credit being turned away due to lack of a 30% down payment, etc.

How has the Economic Stimulus Bill Helped You?

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Economic Stimulus Plan – Is It Helping You?

There appears to be a fairly narrow split on whether this is supported by consumers or not. Those on one side of the aisle say: You, the Consumer, should have read the print a bit further and known ahead of time how your personal credit would be effected if certain conditions occur. Over on the other side, people are crying foul play from the credit card companies with all sorts of horror stories about accounts being closed, rates doubling after 1 late payment etc.

What do you think?

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Will Credit Card Reform Help Ease the Economic Crisis?

Do you think the Dollar will Collapse?

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Is the US $ Dollar on the Verge of Collapse?

A Few Keys to the New Obama Foreclosure Plan

One of the most important and likely positive keys to the new foreclosure plan, is that our Government will subsidize mortgage payments along with the banks who own your note! That’s right… Along with a reduced interest rate, the lenders will be asked to kick in a little toward your house payment and the taxpayers will match the same amount!

Along with the newly subsidized mortgages, the Obama Foreclosure Plan also calls for a Restructuring of the Current Bankruptcy Laws, allowing the Judge to modify your mortgage on the fly and be excluded from the settlement! Under current laws, once you file for bankruptcy protection, your home loan cannot be modified! As you can imagine, banks and lenders are not too keen about this idea, since homeowners can realistically just go broke, and not be held liable to their obligations!

What do You Think about the New Foreclosure Plan?

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Obamas Foreclosure Plan – I Will Pay for Your Home!

Why It Might Work

Microsoft still holds a very large percentage of the home computer market and many people use their software daily! If they position the Microsoft Retail outlets as a service and training company versus a retail software chain, they have a much better chance of reaching people and business. They can load the store with their software of course, but having consumer techs and more importantly, small business solution technicians in place to not only assist with issues, but helping people envision HOW the software will benefit them, they might just make it work!

It has been my own experience in 15 years of working around the PC, 99% of the problems people experience are user or training related. If they meet that need, they might have something!

Why it Won’t Work

It will be easier to complete this section, since IMO, this is going to be a HUGE money pit from day 1! Microsoft Retail Stores… what are they going to actually sell? Operating systems? Office Software? Of course… BUT what makes them any different than your neighborhood Best Buy or Online Discount seller? Unless they align themselves with a hardware manufacturer that is NOT already present in the warehouse stores, why bother going there?

Why would you visit a Microsoft Retail Store that offers 1-2 products, versus going to Best Buy with hundreds?

Do YOU Think it will Work?

Vote in the Poll and leave your Comments below!

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Microsoft Retail Stores – Would You Go There?

What do you think about Marijuana and its criminal effects, that have helped contribute to the overcrowding of prisons… based on a drug that is widely accepted as safer than alcohol consumption!?

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Smoking Pot – Should the US Gov’t Decriminalize Marijuana?