Did you know Google's corporate mascot is a T-rex named "Stan" -- the "moralosaurus"

In "Google's tar pit," an article in the Atlantic about how Google's market dominance is attracting antitrust scrutiny in Washington -- much like Microsoft did before it -- provides us a new "image" or "word picture" of Google.

The article starts with this wonderfully telling scene-setter: "

• "The lawn outside Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, is dominated by the imposing visage of “Stan”—tail thrashing, jaws agape, a full replica of the largest Tyrannosaurus rex fossil ever discovered. Stan mysteriously appeared on the lawn one morning several years ago, and is presumed by Google employees to have been a gift from the company’s quirky founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin."

So what does Google's choice of a T-rex as its corporate mascot tell us about Google?

First, non-Google paleontologists have gotten it all wrong about the T-rex.

• Despite its sabre-sized teeth and "thunder lizard" moniker, the T-rex has really been badly mis-understood through the ages.
• In Google's retelling, the T-rex was really much more like... a golden retriever puppy... cute, good-hearted, and playful -- you would have just wanted to cuddle a T-rex.
  • Who could resist a game of "fetch" or "tug-of-war" with "Stan" the T-rex?
• When asked about whether "Stan" was ever a predator, Google spokesperson, Brandi Sparkles, said there is no proof, none, that the T-rex was the most vicious predator and killing machine to ever walk the earth.
  • Ms. Sparkles challenged reporters to find one witness, one picture or one video as proof. "There is none, and we should know, because we have a copy of all the world's information." said Ms. Sparkles.

Second, the T-rex, was the first of a previously unknown dinosaur species, the "moralosaurus" that did no evil.

• Google paleontologists at GoogleDirt, have discovered that the media-shy moralosaurus lived by a strict moral code:
  • No living beings were to be eaten until all of their belongings were copied; and 
  • It never discriminated, the moralosaurus would simply eat or step on whatever was in its path.

Third, GoogleDirt also tells us why the moralosaurus ultimately became extinct.

• Other dinosaurs became so impressed with the moralosaurus' complete and total superiority, that the moralosaurus' head grew so big that its body could no longer hold it up.
• Tragic, but true.     

Bottom line: Google's choice of "Stan" the Tyrannnosaurus rex as its corporate mascot tells us no one has anything to fear from Google.

• What's not to love about a T-Rex?