Stereotypes exposed through Google suggestions
Submitted by Steve Nelson on Sat, 2010-04-10 14:11. Culture | google | Search | stereotypes
Caralee showed me an interesting window onto world psyche. Google suggests possible searches whenever you start typing in the search box. These suggestions are actually based on what what real people are most frequently typing in when they search using Google.
What stereotypes exist about countries, religions, races, species?
Just start typing "Why are" and follow it by a group name. You don't even need to click the "Search" button to find out what people already consider that group to be, and are just asking "Why?"
Try it out for yourself with different groups.
From Berkeley to Honolulu via Google Maps, Good Shoes and a Paddle
Submitted by Steve Nelson on Tue, 2009-06-16 09:46. berkeley | google | kayaking | walkingI asked Google Maps the quickest way of getting from Berkeley to Hawaii, and it suggested an interesting route of driving from Berkeley up to Seattle and then kayaking to Honolulu. Why drive, I thought, so here is the route from the Clear Ink office to Honolulu via foot and paddle. Click the link at the bottom that says "View Larger Map" to see the exact route. I love the disclaimer: "Use caution – This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths."
View Larger Map
I'm not sure why it doesn't start me out at the Berkeley Marina which is about two blocks away.
View Larger Map
I'm not sure why it doesn't start me out at the Berkeley Marina which is about two blocks away.
BananaSlug Long Tail Search - One Searcher's Story
Submitted by Steve Nelson on Mon, 2009-03-09 10:32. bananaslug | google | Search
In the nearly six years that I've been operating the BananaSlug search engine, I've tried to explain why you'd want to mess with Google's obviously finely-honed search results. When your Google search returns tens of thousands of pages, you need a dose serendipity to dip into the long tail of results and see some pages that include your search term but you would otherwise overlook.
This leads me to this blog post that does a great job telling the BananaSlug story, along with how this particular searcher found it useful and entertaining.
Google Election Twitter Map Mashup
Submitted by Steve Nelson on Fri, 2008-10-24 12:52. cool | election | google | mashup | politics | twitterGet it? This is pretty cool.
Rewriting Sarah Palin and Katie Couric: News in the Internet Era
Submitted by Steve Nelson on Wed, 2008-10-01 13:57. blogs | Couric | elections | Facebook | google | jouranlism | news | Palin | politics | twitter | youtubeAs an Internet marketer, watching the difference between 2004 and 2008 is like watching your kids grow up gradually, day-by-day, versus your nieces and nephews you see every four years. The advancement and difference in the latter is remarkable and stunning, even though you really have seen the progress, a bit each day, with the former.
One difference this year is the use of YouTube to immediately spread rich records of interviews, segments, opinions, rejoinders, and evidence that has become part of the new cultural fabric of politics, and the body politic is still learning how to respond. A recent clip of Katie Couric’s interview with Sarah Palin is a good example. Couric asks Palin what newspapers she reads, and Palin’s answer varies from most, to all, to any of them. This clip has spread by wildfire via YouTube, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
But in the Internet age, most, all, and any really could be legitimate answers, and in a nonpartisan spirit, I’d like to offer Governor Palin a slightly different answer, in case she’s asked again:
One difference this year is the use of YouTube to immediately spread rich records of interviews, segments, opinions, rejoinders, and evidence that has become part of the new cultural fabric of politics, and the body politic is still learning how to respond. A recent clip of Katie Couric’s interview with Sarah Palin is a good example. Couric asks Palin what newspapers she reads, and Palin’s answer varies from most, to all, to any of them. This clip has spread by wildfire via YouTube, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
But in the Internet age, most, all, and any really could be legitimate answers, and in a nonpartisan spirit, I’d like to offer Governor Palin a slightly different answer, in case she’s asked again:
Couric:
What newspapers do you read?
Palin:
Oh, Katie, that’s such a quaint old-timey question – news “papers†- that’s like asking me what “records†I listen to or what “evening news show†I watch.
Well, I do still get the newspaper from my hometown of Wasilla every week – it’s good to stay connected to my roots, to see what is happening at the community level, and to support the small town business.
And I read the Anchorage Daily News – I am still the Governor of Alaska, after all. Most days I read it online, but I get the Sunday edition delivered to my house because my kids (and Todd!) like to read the Sunday funnies the old-fashioned way.
But that’s about as much “paper†as I’m willing to consume just to get the news.
Of course I have news sources beyond the Alaskan border, Katie. If you were to hack into my Google Reader account (please don’t!) you’d see I have it set up with many feeds, not just from traditional “newspaper†sites, but from a variety of sources with a variety of outlooks, including cable news sites and the best of the blogs. That way I can scan the headlines, read the articles, easily see how the same story is reported from different points of view, and form my own opinions.
And, like many Americans, I have my Google Alerts set up to bring me news on specific topics, and I’m constantly updating it with topics that deserve my attention and consideration as a candidate for Vice President. I don’t know how I managed without that one!
So, how about you, Katie. What "newspapers" do you read?
