Predictive analytics has been gaining traction beyond its traditional base of late. Interesting post detailing how predictive models are used to predict the outcomes of a wide array of events, from financial markets to World Cup results.
It seems as if this Google-China row is indicative of a larger trend taking shape: the divorce of Western capitalist enterprises and the Chinese government. There was an article saying as much in yesterday's Wapo (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03...). It will be interesting to see how this affects other Western companies suffering under censorship issues there--I heard something about Godaddy possibly pulling out of there as well.