Smoke, mirrors and Google's privacy policies

Hi, my name's Cringely, and I am powerless over my Google addiction. ("Hi, Cringely.")

If there actually were a 12-step group called Googler's Anonymous, I think millions of us would join -- as long as it wasn't run by Google.

Last week, with the grace and solemnity of a god descending to earth to bestow favor upon us puny humans, Google announced changes to its data retention policy: Starting next year the search giant would now only hold onto all of your search data and your IP address for 9 months instead of 18 months. And thus the bowing and scraping in the mainstream press began: All hail mighty Google, lord of all data.