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Comment by somewhat | Hacker News Reader

Why is "Google" the default shothand for "silicon valley"? And not just in this case.

Because they are the most visible and get the most press. It is very much like every article with "Apple" in the title. Apple is too old to be the poster child for the valley, so Google takes the hit. Plus, Google is visible in this scenario due to their buses and outspoken executives.

If I'm not mistaken Apple, Facebook, and twitter also shuttle employees via buses. I don't get the "outspoken executives" comment, specially in this context.

Google is the biggest web company and Eric Schmidt likes to make a lot of newsworthy statements.

Not about this stuff. Also "newsworthy" is your definition, I don't think it's accurate.

Every time he says something about privacy or drones, it hits the front page of every news website. That would be newsworthy. Doesn't really matter that he hasn't said anything on this issue, just as it really doesn't matter that Apple is not the only tech company using Chinese manufactures that have histories of employee abuses. It is what gets attention.

Google has some sins of its own. The airplane fuel deal was seen as a sign of taking advantage of the taxpayer. It is a big company and will make headlines in this regard.

Yeah they're a big company, but there are other big companies. If the press is out to "get" Google or merely is catering to an audience that would click on any headline with the word "Google" in it, that doesn't mean that they are right or that their reporting is accurate, and there is no need to try to twist reality to suit them and needlessly blame the victim.

It is fairly easy and still truthful to include Google in these headlines. In this case it is very easy since Google runs buses, Google's uses public bus stops and protesters protested Google's buses.

I am sure we will get some inaccurate reporting, but it happens to a lot of groups (e.g. Occupy, Tea Party, Apple), and this particular article is actually very sympathetic towards Google[1].

"blame the victim"

Under even the most generous eyes, I fail to see how Google is a victim. If we were talking the fraud the protesters tried, then yes, Google is the victim, but not for the buses in the first place.

1) quote: "The frustration with Google's buses is misplaced"

Larry isn't very outspoken at all. Are you referring to Eric? He's just on the board of directors now (chariman) and isn't involved in the day to day.

"He's just on the board of directors now (chairman)"

Chairman of Google's Board of Directors makes for a fine headline and suggests his opinions might have an effect on Google's policies.

Possibly because they have by far the most corporate shuttle traffic in the city:

http://sfist.com/2012/09/25/behold_the_secret_corporate_shut...

Sort of like calling a tissue a Kleenex, I suppose. The shuttles for other tech giants pale in volume compared to Google.

Cool question. My theory: I think it's because they have phenomenal market penetration- so many people use Google search, Gmail, Google Maps. The term Google (to me, at least) elicits a microcosm of the Valley at large. Do they have the most employees, or the most political will? I'm thinking of "Washington" as the shorthand for "USA", or "Wall St." as shorthand for "New York"... maybe I'm wrong, but it's an interesting thought experiment to sit and evaluate all these "X is the default shorthand for Y" statements that get thrown around.

I'm not American or from SF, but interestingly from the the shuttle routes posted by @potatolicious I would say nearly all those companies on that list - Apple, eBay, Facebook, Yahoo - have just as high a market penetration. I'm surprised theyt didn't get targeted too BUT this may well just be for the sake of coordination for now.

The word you're looking for is metonym.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_metonyms

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