Comments on: A Little Vanity Googling Never Hurt Anyone…Except Me

By: Julie

Julie — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:35:55 +0000

Soultravelers3:

Thanks for your comments. I understand your choices, and I think that when we’re talking about kids…all bets are off. Personally, I’d hate to think of the effects of Google on today’s 5 year olds 20 years from now: “Joe Bob Smith started going to school at the age of 2 and pooped in his pants too often.”

With a name like mine, though, I’ve just kind of given up.

That’s why I’ve got to Google myself every so often.

By: soultravelers3

soultravelers3 — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:32:51 +0000

Interesting thoughts! Google is one reason we do not use our names, as a way to protect our daughter as we travel the world. ( Keeping her safe and stalkers are the other reason as is recommended for kids on the web).

If your name is joe smith it is less of a problem, but if you have an unusual name, it seems like something to take into consideration ( at least with a young child).We thought long and hard about this choice. My child has a very unusual first and last name.

My name has hundreds of pages on google, many of them inaccurate or in languages I can not read.They are mainly from a public career that I had retired from long before google was invented!

One can not help but wonder about the big brother aspects of Google and Facebook and such. Who knows where it will lead or what the best tact is.

By: julie

julie — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 16:34:24 +0000

Sarah-

I google other people too. Let’s stick with curious. Sounds a lot better! I’m going over to your blog now. How was school? The hurricane didn’t get you, did it?

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 16:31:11 +0000

I don’t think I’m significant enough in the Blogosphere to merit a google search just yet…my hit counter is usually about 5-6 a week, and most of those are me!
On the other hand, I DO find myself googling other people…college friends, former teachers and conductors, authors I like. Not sure if that makes me curious or a stalker. I’ll go with curious.

By: Cuba » A Little Vanity Googling Never Hurt Anyone…Except Me

Cuba » A Little Vanity Googling Never Hurt Anyone…Except Me — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:52:48 +0000

[...] A Little Vanity Googling Never Hurt Anyone…Except Meand (2) a rather heated–and, if I may say so, not so well-informed–response to an article I wrote on July 4 about why travel (and travel to Cuba, specifically) is the most patriotic act an American can make. … [...]

By: julie

julie — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:55:34 +0000

Hi, Traca-
Thanks for visiting & thanks for your comment. I CAN, unfortunately, believe that you got the Toastmasters blackball for visiting Cuba. Anti-Cuba sentiment is so powerful that it is perhaps one of the most effective political and social organizing tools in modern times. Sad but true. Keep coming back to visit!

By: Traca

Traca — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:08:18 +0000

Julie…A) Love the photo above B) Can’t wait to read your piece on Cuba. I went to Cuba during Clinton’s administration…when artists, students, athletes, and journalists were allowed visas. So I was legal, but everyone from the locals to other Americans were astonished I went. (One guy at a Toastmaster’s meeting voted against me joining the group because I’d been to Cuba…Can you believe it? And I was there…legally!) So glad I found your blog.

By: Chuck Afflitto

Chuck Afflitto — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:09:46 +0000

Hello Julie, I am sorry about the miss understading on my behalf. I am sad that some fearless mind have took my comment negative. Another attack from those that feel they are allways right on. I don’t go down that low road and jump people for there mistakes. I see frustrated people don’t understand or have a grip on the real meaning of human nature.
Chuck

By: julie

julie — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:50:14 +0000

Christine- Funny! About a year ago I learned that I’m not the only Julie Schwietert– there’s another one! She lives in Chicago and she’s a hotel manager. I’ve never gotten any e-mails for her though.

By: Christine Gilbert

Christine Gilbert — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:39:37 +0000

Hi Julie!

I’ve had my share of negative comments, and it’s never more frustrating than when the person misses the point of what you’re saying. I think it was a beautiful piece, that challenged what Americans have had drummed into them: Cuba is the other, and the other is bad. There was a real humanity to your article. Unfortunately, the ability to leave semi-anonymous comments online has given certain people a bravado they wouldn’t normally have.

I’ve searched for my name, and for a few years I had my maiden name listed as a contact for a communist group. I was at college, went to a talk, apparently filled out some sign in sheet, and then for 10 years later I was the contact at my college for their organization. It was weird.

I also share the same name with the current minister of education in the UK. I have get about 1 email a week from principals asking me to come to their event or help some student. I’ve also gotten emails from a think tank in Washington where a certain PhD has sent me full reports, asking me to review before publication. Oops!