HALLIE: Sometimes, just to amuse myself while I'm waiting at the supermarket, I look at People and count the famous people I'd never recognize if they were standing behind me in the checkout line. The ratio of unknowns to knowns gets higher each year.So it was with interest that I wiled away some time on this long lazy New Year's weekend exploring Google Zeitgeist 2010 where a year of Google searches by users everywhere are analyzed.
Fastest rising search terms in the US in 2010? Like the cover of People Magazine, I have no idea what almost half of them are. I'm not saying which, just wondering if this is definitive evidence that for all of 2010 I was only half here.
Have a look. Does this list make you feel like you slept through the year, too?
Fastest rising search terms in the US in 2010:
- ipad
- chatroulette
- iphone 4
- world cup
- justin bieber
- myxer
- grooveshark
- glee
- mocospace
Not surprisingly, I bat much higher with the fastest falling search terms of 2010:
- swine flu
- wamu
- cash for clunkers
- new moon
- susan boyle
- circuit city
- myspace
- michael jackson
- stephanie meyer
- northwest airlines
Poor Myspace. And Susan Boyle. And Stephanie Meyer? Really??
Any predictions (or wishes?) for what the 2011 list will look like? Fastest falling? Fastest rising? It's time to weigh in... we can look back in a year and see how we did.
I had to google grooveshark (it's a music-sharing option.) And I did google chatroulette months ago, when it was hot, but if you have to google it are you uncool for not already knowing what something is? And where is Lady Gaga or is she already so famous no one googles her anymore? Like Yogi Berra's statement - "no one goes there anymore, it's too crowded"?
ReplyDeleteI make no predictions. I am the least "of the moment" person I know.
Last thing I googled (before grooveshark) - vajazzle. Did everyone know what this was and I didn't?
vajazzle? Sounds dirty. Or fun. Or both.
ReplyDeleteI guess Lady G isn't rising or falling. She's just there...everywhere
it seems.
The search term I hope will be falling most next year is JOBS. Because I hope most of us will have found one.
Oh no Ro, I'm certain that I'm less "of the moment" than you are. Especially when it comes to fashion--though we have Hank to lead us there too!
ReplyDeleteBut don't you think it's a little uncool to try too hard to be cool, when you're of a certain age?
Happy new year everyone! I'm going off to practice writing 2011...
Hunh. I didn't recognize myxer or mocospace. But it sounds as though I don't need to, really.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't vajazzle mean to Bedazzle the pubic area? I think it does. But really, why? If that area isn't already dazzling enough, then why would you want someone who needs that sort of added incentive? Oy.
Oy is right. But I'm not going to look it up. Happy not to know. I think.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Hallie, there are all kinds of famous people I have NO idea who are. But I figure--I'll wait, and it won't matter anymore.
But did you see Facebook gets more hits now than Google? So that means users are more interested in people they already know than in finding out something they DON'T know. Maybe.
I knew five on the first list and nine on the second.
ReplyDeleteWho searches all this stuff anyway?
Since I have a son who just lost his job (second downsize in two years), I'm with Hallie on JOBS being on the falling list for 2011.
I'm with Roberta on the writing 2011. Started by new challenge chart yesterday and today I have to admit I went to the Internet first. My bad.
Hank, I heard on the news that Facebook out did Google for hits. Personally, I check it when I remember to check it. I probably use Google more...I guess that makes me 'out of date or the times'. Either way, I don't care as long as Googlie is there when I need it.
I really don't understand some of the private things people put on Facebook. Why do people feel a need to tell other their personal info, thoughts, and worse actions? I guess it's me...I'm not cool.
According to one of my English friends, vajazzling (can that possibly be a verb? Anybody want to conjugate?) is very cool in Essex (which is sort of the Brit equivalent of New Jersey.) You gotta love the English language . . .
ReplyDeleteJan, I hope you're going to explain the writing challenge again. I need a big rocket-powered first of the year boost!
I am so not into pop culture obviously. I just about know who lady gaga is, and don't think I have googled any of the things on the lists.
ReplyDeleteOn the plane yesterday a 10-year-old boy sat behind me and quizzed the 11-year-old boy beside him about whether a had a Facebook page and what apps he had on his iPod. I guess he knew everything on both lists