Dear Google.

The Sweeper

Dear Google

Since you don't seem to have a feedback email address where I can rant at you, I'm going to have to post this on an internet bulletin board and hope that you stumble across it at some point.

Long have I loved you Google, you're the homepage on every device I use to access the Internet. I dreamed of one day working for you, just so I could say I'm a Googler. I have rarely been as impressed as by the rapidity with which you've become a widely-recognised verb. Your Goliath struggle with Microsoft has inspired me.

But today Google, I fired up teh intarwheb, and you've let me down.

Your main page decorations for the christmas period are, in a word, shite.

What's the deal Google? What's the story? Have you jumped on the ridiculously misguided American bandwagon and decided it's better to offend Christians than anyone else? And since when has Christmas - the commercial, branded, familiar Christmas - really had anything to do with religion?

I'm not surprised your "Happy Holidays" mouse is hiding behind the tail of the 'g' - I'd be bloody terrified if I was the second-rate two-bit replacement for red hats, snow, christmas trees and jingling lights. None of which, might I add, have anything to do with Christianity.

So here's the thing Google - if I can respect the guy who sits across from me and not have soup at my desk during ramadan, if I can make sure a restaurant will accommodate kosher before I book a table for me and my mates, if I can get excited because it's the Winter Solstice and the year turns tonight, then why the hell can't I have snow-topped letters on my Google homepage?

Thank you for trampling my traditions - I will expect to not see Halloween decorations, Easter decorations, Chinese New Year decorations and assume that Independence Day will go unremarked, all to be replaced by some skinny-assed mouse and a wish of "Happy Holidays".

Bah, humbug.

Kernel

You're right, it truly is ****e from google. I hate this current trend to compromise our own cultural identity in order to prevent offending ultra-conservatives from other cultures or religions.

Peace

Merry holidays everyone, and and happy new year.

IvaBigWun

*checks Google*


All Im getting is a mouse in da house? www.google.ie

Keyzer

What a waste of time to read that you loser...

monkeyfudge

Kernel wrote:

You're right, it truly is ****e from google. I hate this current trend to compromise our own cultural identity in order to prevent offending ultra-conservatives from other cultures or religions.

But it's a worldwide site.

I like it. I'm sick to death of all the xmas cliches at this stage... although it does make me feel slightly guilty as I've killed so many mice in my home this winter... I was almost in tears watching an old episode of Bagpuss last night.

Also, it looks like there is a second part of this to come.

Beruthiel

amen sister majd
how that mouse could be mistaken for something to do with christmas is beyond
what exactly have mice to do with christmas anyways??

Kernel

monkeyfudge wrote:

But it's a worldwide site.

Yeah, but most of it's demographic would be western/Christian I'm sure. And how many non Christians would get pissed off over a bit of snow/Christmas trees or something on the main page? Only idiots would.

Kernel

Beruthiel wrote:

what exactly have mice to do with christmas anyways??

You've never heard of Squeeks the Christmas Mouse?!!? :eek:

IvaBigWun

Beruthiel wrote:

what exactly have mice to do with christmas anyways??

Thats what I was wondering? I didnt think I was seeing MAJD's point cos I couldnt get onto the .com version of the site, just the .ie one.


A bleedin' mouse ........... and Chritsmas? WTF?

dbnavan

Originial poster has far too much time on their hands, I have no problem with it,

Minesajackdaniels wrote:

Have you jumped on the ridiculously misguided American bandwagon and decided it's better to offend Christians than anyone else? And since when has Christmas - the commercial, branded, familiar Christmas - really had anything to do with religion?

So Christmas isnt comerical in Ireland, no? grow up, it doesnt offend this christian!!

Merry Christmas to everyone!

zAbbo

http://www.google.ie/doodle10.html

Happy Doodle?

Earthhorse

Beruthiel wrote:

what exactly have mice to do with christmas anyways??

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...

Ozzy

Woh calm down.. it's not mouse's fault, he's/she's just earning his/her cheese! He/she looks like he's/she's up to something anyway.

Just you wait and see, Google won't let us down! Why would they just put a mouse there for Christmas? That would be stupid.. It just wouldn't make sense! And what's this "2. ???" business?


I agree about 'Happy Holidays' though.. they can shove that PC poop up their ass and have a Merry Christmas.

IvaBigWun

If someone says "Christmas" to you whats the first image that comes into your head?

If its a bleedin' mouse then you grew up in a very strange house and/or Dardale

Beruthiel

Earthhorse wrote:

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...

yes, I know that one, but isn't that reaching?
and no Kernel I've never heard of squeeks

dbnavan

IvaBigWun wrote:

If its a bleedin' mouse then you grew up in a very strange house and/or Dardale

Wheres Dardale?

ballooba

I hate the way google has a setFocus() function on the search box.

i.e. If you have google as your homepage, the cursor automatically goes into the search box as soon as the page loads. So those of us who don't touch type are banging away feverishly at the keyobard only to look up and see that half of the web address is in the address bar and the other half is in the google search box.

Grrrrrrr.

Ozzy

I think it's on the Orthside?

Keyzer

dbnavan wrote:

Wheres Dardale?

Its right beside Bllymn

Nevyn

Look I get the fact that we do like seeing all the trapping of winter and the solstice,
and that we would prefer to see an inclusive greetings like this one


Merry Christmas, Yuletide, Ramadan, Winter Solstice, Chanaka, Kwanza

But the fact is for half of the world it is not winter, for many people in many
countries they do not know what snow is or christmass.

www.google.com is a gobal site.

I do think that a string of nondemoninational festive lights would be nice esp
on the www.google.ie site which is more country specific.

dbnavan

People trying to slag off people from places should really first off know how to spell it, and if it is Darndale he meant, one of the most well paid and educated men I know grew up there. So try finding something intelligent to say before mouthing off please

BuffyBot

Apart from anything else, I suspect it's one in a series of a couple to come...something to do with "The Night Before Christmas" maybe?

Mossy Monk

i agree

Kernel

Thaedydal wrote:

Look I get the fact that we do like seeing all the trapping of winter and the solstice,
and that we would prefer to see an inclusive greetings like this one


Merry Christmas, Yuletide, Ramadan, Winter Solstice, Chanaka, Kwanza

But the fact is for half of the world it is not winter, for many people in many
countries they do not know what snow is or christmass.

www.google.com is a gobal site.

I do think that a string of nondemoninational festive lights would be nice esp
on the www.google.ie site which is more country specific.

You're part of the problem, pagan! If I had my way, the stakes and kindling would be fired up again, then we'd have less people moaning about Christmas.
:mad:

Nondenominational festive lights.. pffft! :rolleyes:

monkeyfudge

I'd only be happy if it was a monkey and not a mouse.

But oh well...

Merry Mousemas everyone!

IvaBigWun

dbnavan wrote:

People trying to slag off people from places should really first off know how to spell it, and if it is Darndale he meant, one of the most well paid and educated men I know grew up there. So try finding something intelligent to say before mouthing off please

Would you get off your bloody high horse. It was meant as a joke!

Pighead

IvaBigWun wrote:

Would you get off your bloody high horse. It was meant as a joke!

What are you trying to say IvaBigWun, are you saying that everybody from darndale travel around on horses? Hope dbnavan doesnt read that.

Santa Claus

Here here.
I mean they couldn't have got any more twee with their St Patricks day banner so how come they've gone all PC over christmas (OK to slag the irish but not christians??)

Here's the offending St Pat's banner (I mean come on, a leprechauns hat!?!?!) and also a time when google had more Christmas spirit !

IvaBigWun

Pighead wrote:

What are you trying to say IvaBigWun, are you saying that everybody from darndale travel around on horses? Hope dbnavan doesnt read that.

lol

b3t4

Minesajackdaniels wrote:

Dear Google

Since you don't seem to have a feedback email address where I can rant at you,

They do have a forum though...

http://www.google.ie/contact/

And as you see from one post to the forum you aren't the only one that is a bit miffed at the Happy Holidays.

Also the use of the word holidays isn't very global as for some countries this time of year is not a holiday.

A.

monkeyfudge

Happy Holidays sounds very American... that's why I use Season's Greetings. I streched as far as sticking up some holly on website in work... I know... I know... I'm a maverick.

The Sweeper

Good point on the global site vs seasonal thing, but the .co.uk and .ie sites could look better...

tonymontana

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/12/20/poll.season/index.html

Yeah that pissed me of no end this morning when I saw it, the same with the poppy back in November, you would think they'd be a little more considerate to their Irish base seen that their European operations are based here in Dublin and that they are avoiding millions in tax from being here. And there complaints service is dismal, one of the leading internet companies in the world and you can't email them!

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2005/1118/83001043HM1GOOGLE18.html

stevenmu

tonymontana wrote:

And there complaints service is dismal, one of the leading internet companies in the world and you can't email them!

Any contact details you need to make a complaint to them, would be included with copies of any invoices you've received from them.

larryone

"Seasons Greetings" "Happy holidays"
I see no difference. Both are very American. Both are cop-outs.
I dont hold any signifigance to the whole birth of christ thing, but I'll still wish people a happy christmas...

So there's a mouse there. May I ask what exactly is the big feckin deal?

tonymontana

stevenmu wrote:

Any contact details you need to make a complaint to them, would be included with copies of any invoices you've received from them.

???

aidan_walsh

Dear MADJ,

How right you are, how silly of us. Tommorrow we shall replace the scene with a complete Nativity scene, which we shall build upon with timely updates according to the time line as told. Of course, since nobody knows when Jesus was actually born, we may just use an image of an empty stable.

We are also considering using a crucifixion scene at Easter, instead of our usual imagary of Easter themed scenes such as eggs, or the Easter Bunny. Mr. Whang was wondering if you would prefer the crying mob to the left or the right of our dying Lord.

Yours in anticipation,
Google.

EDIT: Even Google looks things up wrong, sometimes.

Doper Than U

Kernel wrote:

You're part of the problem, pagan! If I had my way, the stakes and kindling would be fired up again, then we'd have less people moaning about Christmas.
:mad:

Sure, Christmas is originally a pagan ritual anyway, just the f*ckin' Christians stole it. Back to paganism I say!! Burn the thieving Christians!

WhiteWashMan

i ask....


waht did the romans ever do for us.......?

stevenmu

tonymontana wrote:

???

Am I to understand it then that you have not actually purchased anything from Google and want to complain about their free search engine service ? It's simple really, they offer a free service, if you like it use it, if you don't, find another one you do like.

Tar.Aldarion

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/25/messages/576.html

thaedy wrote:

have a nice day

Thanks, I will

jaggeh

roads

thejovialhost

The Aquaducts

Kernel

Law, and the Plebians.

Tar.Aldarion

jaggeh wrote:

roads

A civilisation before the romans are responsible for roads.
Keep up to date man!

aidan_walsh

WhiteWashMan wrote:

i ask....


waht did the romans ever do for us.......?

They gave us Easter?

monkeyfudge

aidan_walsh wrote:

They gave us Easter?

haha... I think you mean Good Friday... and it sucks!

Easter was when Jesus came back as some sort of zombie.

RuggieBear

tonymontana wrote:

Yeah that pissed me of no end this morning when I saw it, the same with the poppy back in November, you would think they'd be a little more considerate to their Irish base seen that their European operations are based here in Dublin 18[/url]

What have they got to be considerate to us about? Pray tell?

zAbbo

tonymontana wrote:

???

the old, its free go fcuk yourself argument

fly_agaric

Earthhorse wrote:

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...

Yep. It's only Dec. 21st. They'll probably change it to something more traditionally Christmassy nearer the day for those who care so much about it.

http://www.google.ie/doodle10.html