26 October 2006

George Bush embraces the power of "the Google"

On those drab, autumnal days spent looking out over the lawn at the White House, George W Bush's thoughts often take a short break from the job on hand and inevitably wander to the ranch back in Texas. Luckily, Google Earth provides the President with a birds-eye view of the home he loves without him having to leave his office: he simply has to access "the Google" (as quoted by CNBC news) and its satellite images.

George Bush embraces the power of 'the Google'

In his own words - "It reminds me of where I wanna be sometimes" - Google fulfils the President's request within the blink of an eye, taking him to the ranch just outside Crawford, Texas, albeit seen from above. It must be a warming thought that he can still be at work and yet keep tabs on the ranch staff.

As President of the United States, a country at the forefront of world technological innovation, it may seem strange to some that President Bush chooses to view his beloved ranch through the eyes of Google, since Google Earth quite openly admit that the satellite and aircraft images they use to make-up their mosaic of the world may be up to three years old. Surely, if he so desired, President Bush could easily phone up the military and ask them simply to take an aerial snap of the ranch the next time an air force pilot flies over Texas, to provide him with a more accurate glimpse of his esteemed home.

Nevertheless, people at "the Google" must feel tremendously proud to count the US President among their massive user-base. Sadly, President Bush doesn't seem to be an all-rounder when it comes to the internet. Emails, it seems, are "not his bag", as he puts it, primarily because there is no way of determining the content of what may be emailed to him, and the repercussions of failing to reply to an email that may be deemed important.

Reading between the lines, it is perhaps not hard to discern that the White House staff do not, generally, hold any Gmail accounts; and nor do they indulge in the odd Froogle search for the ideal gift for the First Lady - that's probably left up to the President's closest advisers.