Ever since Google realized that 12% of the population would consult Google prior to seeing a doctor, which was followed by a British Medical Journal editorial suggesting that one of the natural next steps for Google would be some kind of medical database for personal use, rumors have been circulating that "Google Health" would be the next addition to the Google stable. Last week the rumors were proven to be true.

Unveiled as just one part of the Google Co-Op, the del.icio.us-like new tagging system that was one of the top items on the agenda at the annual Google Press Day, Google Health is the product of volunteer Web-aware activist MDs like Dr. Enoch Choi, who was asked by Google to help compile a list of the URLs to improve the result sets of health-related searches on Google. These labels will appear at the top of Google search results for search queries regarding any health-related term.

The whole Google Health initiative shows the invisible hand of Google's Adam Bosworth, who recently wowed the audience not only live at the Real-World AJAX Seminar in San Jose but also asynchronously worldwide via SYS-CON.TV (http://sys-con.tv/read/category/1260.htm).

Bosworth explained, in the course of the recent AJAX Power Panel (http://ajax.sys-con.com/read/211578.htm), which also looked at numerous "Web 2.0" issues, the Google approach to things:

Our approach to technology at Google is very simple. We launch a new feature or application and then watch it very, very closely. If users like it, then we add more of that type of feature or functionality, and if they don't like it then we add less of it.

From which one can readily infer that, even if it doesn't take MDs out of the loop completely, which obviously it won't, the traction for Google Health-type initiatives is almost certain to bring it to the top of Google's do-list in terms of fine-tuning, widening, and deepening.

On to JavaOne 2006 and Scott McNealy's Top 10 List
"All the big announcements have been made. I'm the warm-up act for James Gosling," quipped former Sun CEO Scott McNealy on the final day of JavaOne 2006 in San Francisco. "This is what post-CEO life is like!" he added, as he announced the winner of "Bike to Work Week." But he was still able, wholly justifiably, to bask in the reflected glory that is Java. And so he did, with complete humility and with his characteristic zeal and zest for helping the technology future arrive more quickly and apparently undiminished.

Plus he was still able to make the audience laugh.

"There are some changes going on," he said, understatedly, before adding, "All of us in the leadership group are desperately trying to grow a pony tail."

McNealy then presented one of his now-ritual Top 10 Lists. "Here are the Top 10 things about not being CEO," he said:

10.  I don't have to apologize for things I say to Wall St. Jonathan does.
9.  I'm no longer on the "Most Overpaid CEO" List.
8.  I get to just say, "See Jonathan on that."
7.  I get to read hockey news without guilt.
6.  I need to shave even less often.
5.  I don't have to sign the SoX report any more.
4.  I have someone to blame now.
3.  I can sell my last business suit.
2.  Jonathan doesn't play golf, but there are still many Sun customers who play golf, so...
1.  My new office is very close to the men's room.