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Nov. 22nd, 2009
The honesty of the search box
Nov. 22nd, 2009 12:28 pmThe Rhetoric of the Google Search pt 1 and part 2
To quote Ben Casnocha, "When you type a query into Google it will suggest the most popular completions to the given prefix.
There are some remarkable contrasts, Slate found, between "dumb" searches and "smart" ones. People who start their search "how 2" are more likely to search "how 2 get pregnant" or "how 2 grow weed." People who start their search "how one might" are more likely to search "how one might discover a new piece of music" or "how one might account for the rise of andrew jackson in 1828."
The most fascinating contrast is between "is it wrong to..." vs. "is it ethical to." One change in word generates very different suggestions."
Namely, "is it wrong to" searches generally involve sexuality ("is it wrong to sleep with your sister?") while "is it ethical to" searches involve business and finance ("is it ethical to sell customer information?")
To quote Ben Casnocha, "When you type a query into Google it will suggest the most popular completions to the given prefix.
There are some remarkable contrasts, Slate found, between "dumb" searches and "smart" ones. People who start their search "how 2" are more likely to search "how 2 get pregnant" or "how 2 grow weed." People who start their search "how one might" are more likely to search "how one might discover a new piece of music" or "how one might account for the rise of andrew jackson in 1828."
The most fascinating contrast is between "is it wrong to..." vs. "is it ethical to." One change in word generates very different suggestions."
Namely, "is it wrong to" searches generally involve sexuality ("is it wrong to sleep with your sister?") while "is it ethical to" searches involve business and finance ("is it ethical to sell customer information?")
(no subject)
Nov. 22nd, 2009 10:02 pmI just watched The Happening while grading some quizzes, and boy, what a terrible, terrible movie.
I mean really, it was terrible.
The worst part is I don't get is *why* it had to be so terrible. Admittedly, the premise is a hard sell, but the movie doesn't even try to sell it. In fact, there are numerous scenes where Shyamalan seems to be making fun of his own movie. The man's practically turning to the camera and shouting "heh - you see this? This doesn't make sense either!" Yeah, we know, Shyamalan. And MSTK3ing doesn't work well when a) the movie is deliberately bad b) it's your own movie, you dumbass.
I feel like watching The Birds to cleanse my mental palate and remind myself how "When Nature Attacks!" films *should* be done.
I mean really, it was terrible.
The worst part is I don't get is *why* it had to be so terrible. Admittedly, the premise is a hard sell, but the movie doesn't even try to sell it. In fact, there are numerous scenes where Shyamalan seems to be making fun of his own movie. The man's practically turning to the camera and shouting "heh - you see this? This doesn't make sense either!" Yeah, we know, Shyamalan. And MSTK3ing doesn't work well when a) the movie is deliberately bad b) it's your own movie, you dumbass.
I feel like watching The Birds to cleanse my mental palate and remind myself how "When Nature Attacks!" films *should* be done.