Yup! Our biggest vote in life is where we put our feet and where we spend our money. It has always been this way but it is more important than ever that people learn to think this way.
I just don't get why they didn't go with OVH in Montreal or something like that. Odd to switch to EU in my opinion. I'm currently using OVH in Montreal for many years and never had any issues.
> The breathtaking speed with which Google Maps happily gets on board with this lunacy
Something interesting I learned at National Geographic is that they have a geographer (titled: "The Geographer", which always seemed impossibly cool to me) and that the geographer maintains several maps of certain areas so that their field photographers and agents are aware of where they are in relation to "the real world", to know when they're in contested territories, and also to be able to theoretically show the wrong map if they get in trouble to show "It wasn't me, blame my shoddy map!" to provide cover
Nothing I know about Google informs me that anyone there is thrilled about the change either, but it's probably one of the easier compliance-swaps they have to engage in, despite how inane it surely is
Ok, but the president's executive order does not officially change the name of a place or feature. In the US, that function is overseen by the Board on Geographic Names. While they did enact a change for the Gulf of Mexico (now the Gulf of America in US documentation), it doesn't happen immediately. While I imagine the BGN will update Lake Ontario eventually as well, Google tips their hand as being eager to please the admin by updating their maps before there is a corresponding change from the appropriate governing authority.
We can't even accuse Google of consistency, because they show Türkiye as Türkiye, for example, even though (as far as I can tell) the US Gov still uses Turkey.
I'd argue showing Türkiye as Türkiye was consistent; in this case it's the Turkish government that's more likely to kick up a fuss and make life difficult for Google if their preferred nomenclature isn't respected
its been fun to watch the resurgence of mapquest. first their refusal to rename the gulf of mexico, and now lake ontario, has absolutely skyrocketed their popularity (currently showing as the #1 free app on the apple app store)
If you want to retaliate against this US administration avoid buying stuff exported by red states. The rest of us can't wait for this admin to be over.
I don't think we can be that reductive. Plenty of the US technology industry is concentrated in blue states like California, Washington, and New York. Likewise, I don't think all blue states can be considered equally resistant to the excesses of the federal government. I'm not going to go so far as to say "never buy American," but I am going to say that as with any boycott it takes research and diligence to decide who does and doesn't align with your values.
Why shouldn't a country have the right to change the name of something in it's own vocabulary? We change names of streets all the time. If the US wants to call it Lake America or Lake Donald the God Emperor of Mankind or something else that's their problem not the Canadians.
a previous administration where everything under the sun gets renamed..now a few small ponds get renamed and everyone is acting like they can't function
I feel the best way of fighting immaturity is with more immaturity. Just imagine the meltdown to be induced if, for example, the Scottish government were to issue a statutory instrument formally renaming a certain international golf links course in Turnberry the Epstein Links Golf Course...
FUCK TRUMP! Love to see individuals taking a stand like this. I’m in California but my god I get so juiced when I see people in Canada, EU, Mexico, etc. shit on Mr. Piggy and his pathetic cronies.
Can someone clarify for me: This isn’t actually something a president can do or compel, right?
There is no act I’m aware of that makes the President the Geography Czar.
I picture the next Dem president (God willing), not changing it back, but issuing a statement saying that the name never actually changed just because the last twat said so.
Exec branch has the authority to direct the U.S. Board on Geographic Names as it's under the US Dept of the Interior.
That does mean the U.S. Gov't / federal depts have to use the recommendation from the board I believe as they control the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), and it cascades from there.
So technically yes. That being said, I think Trump had the Board undo some of the changes the board enacted under Biden so it will likely just flow back.
Here [1] is a document (there is a PDF link on the page, since it's on AWS I don't think the direct link is persistent) describing how the BGN sources the names, the relevant part for you is this:
"Geographic names and their applications specifically established by an act of Congress,
Executive order, Treaty, or Federal proclamation are official by law."
I'm still trying to figure out who is dangling the keys in front of whom. Trump is dangling them in front of MAGA, but who is dangling them in front of Trump?
Trump is dangling them in front of his opponents and the public.
"Lake America" is a literal nominal change that will have no lasting impacts that anybody actually cares about. But because it's so wild and outrageous, it captures so much attention that you probably haven't heard about the following:
"The strategy came to public light after [former Trump chief political strategist] Bannon told Michael Lewis in 2018 that "The Democrats don't matter... The real opposition is the media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with shit".
I was all set to come and give Google the benefit of the doubt that they were just subscribed to the GNIS database[1], and that if the executive branch issued an order, then other governmental agencies were required to adhere to them. But when I popped open the GNIS[2] map, and it still shows Lake Ontario on the map image, even if searching "Lake America" shows a bunch of pins on the US side. Kinda wild.
I get that the renaming of the lake from the US perspective is annoying. Yet, it remains whatever Canada wants to call it on their side.
Geographical place-names get renamed all the time. It’s not extraordinary. You can search for recently renamed place names in Canada. There are quite a few. Canadians don’t get upset over it. Even in the US there is a constant renaming of places, roads, parks and schools. No one gets mad that mapping services update them promptly or that places get renamed…
I think the "speed" is because this change probably just shows up in Google by virtue of changes propagating in the GNIS feed [1]. It showed up in the feed Aug 27th with a note on the executive order [2].
[2] 'Secretary's Order 3453 directs the Board on Geographic Names ("BGN") to immediately rename Lake Ontario to Lake America and to update the Geographic Names Information System to appropriately reflect the change. This Order implements President Trump's direction in Executive Order 14420 "Honoring the American History of the Great Lakes and Renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America," that the name be changed. The variant name, "Kaniatarí:io Lake", is a Mohawk name which translates to: "nice lake".'
Well, to some of us in Europe, Trump is just the true face of America. The vanity, the arrogance, the greed, the vindictiveness, the kiss-the-ring shit - none of it is truly new for anyone who looks at american foreign policy through the lens of one of its recipients. With him, it's just finally focused in one person.
It’s astonishing to me that no one pointed out what a self-own changing the “O” in the acronym of Great Lakes to an “A” would be. Every school child is going to learn SHAME until this is reverted or further changed.
Thou shalt honor the "Epstein Distraction Act of 2025"
Haven't heard of it?
It's on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard’.”
Everything, everything, everything since Jan 2025 is meant to distract from his involvement with Epstein, and quite a few bigwigs. You might have a new CEO when all this leaks, and civil suits are hot on the money trail.
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[ 0.23 ms ] story [ 19.3 ms ] threadSomething interesting I learned at National Geographic is that they have a geographer (titled: "The Geographer", which always seemed impossibly cool to me) and that the geographer maintains several maps of certain areas so that their field photographers and agents are aware of where they are in relation to "the real world", to know when they're in contested territories, and also to be able to theoretically show the wrong map if they get in trouble to show "It wasn't me, blame my shoddy map!" to provide cover
Nothing I know about Google informs me that anyone there is thrilled about the change either, but it's probably one of the easier compliance-swaps they have to engage in, despite how inane it surely is
It's the corporate equivalent of lacking boundaries and failing to maintain emotional maturity.
Everybody has to say 'no' sometimes in order to be awesome and capable. Corporations need to say 'no' to governments far more often than they do.
We all have fears that saying 'no' to a narcissist will lead to retaliation; having boundaries despite that fear is what keeps us healthy.
Oh, at least a few people are thrilled: https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/420aa69/214...
We can't even accuse Google of consistency, because they show Türkiye as Türkiye, for example, even though (as far as I can tell) the US Gov still uses Turkey.
Retaliatory tariffs need to apply to blue states too.
- Google updated their maps faster than the USGS. https://apps.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ shows Lake Ontario
- Google made this decision, there is nothing automated about this
- Apple will do this as well
- Nothing requires either of them to do this.
- This is the same as Cook giving gold to Trump, tech CEOs showing up at the inauguration, ballroom donations etc. That is, simple open bribery.
- While Googlers are probably against this, their opinions are moo (like a cow's opinion). Sergey and Sundar love this.
That does mean the U.S. Gov't / federal depts have to use the recommendation from the board I believe as they control the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), and it cascades from there.
So technically yes. That being said, I think Trump had the Board undo some of the changes the board enacted under Biden so it will likely just flow back.
"Geographic names and their applications specifically established by an act of Congress, Executive order, Treaty, or Federal proclamation are official by law."
1. https://www.usgs.gov/media/files/us-board-geographic-names-p...
"Lake America" is a literal nominal change that will have no lasting impacts that anybody actually cares about. But because it's so wild and outrageous, it captures so much attention that you probably haven't heard about the following:
* https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/08/31/trump-say...
* https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/31/politics/homeland-security-vo...
* https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/aug/31/trump-plans...
* https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/why-the-editor-of-stars...
* https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/20...
* General Iran War stuff
* The failure of American-Canadian tariff negotiations that precipitated the lake rename
"The strategy came to public light after [former Trump chief political strategist] Bannon told Michael Lewis in 2018 that "The Democrats don't matter... The real opposition is the media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with shit".
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_Names_Information_S...
2. https://edits.nationalmap.gov/apps/gaz-domestic/public/searc...
Geographical place-names get renamed all the time. It’s not extraordinary. You can search for recently renamed place names in Canada. There are quite a few. Canadians don’t get upset over it. Even in the US there is a constant renaming of places, roads, parks and schools. No one gets mad that mapping services update them promptly or that places get renamed…
[1] https://www.usgs.gov/tools/geographic-names-information-syst...
[2] 'Secretary's Order 3453 directs the Board on Geographic Names ("BGN") to immediately rename Lake Ontario to Lake America and to update the Geographic Names Information System to appropriately reflect the change. This Order implements President Trump's direction in Executive Order 14420 "Honoring the American History of the Great Lakes and Renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America," that the name be changed. The variant name, "Kaniatarí:io Lake", is a Mohawk name which translates to: "nice lake".'
Haven't heard of it?
It's on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard’.”
Everything, everything, everything since Jan 2025 is meant to distract from his involvement with Epstein, and quite a few bigwigs. You might have a new CEO when all this leaks, and civil suits are hot on the money trail.