Google Zeitgeist

[Undertoad]

http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist.html

Google provides a snapshot of what is in the popular culture. After looking at it for a while, a few terrifying/marvelous conclusions come to mind.

I was going to say that Google knows everything about everyone, but it doesn't, really. It doesn't know anything about YOU. It knows *everything* about certain groups to which you might belong. Windows 95 users, for example. It could tell you the most popular bathroom paint color amongst Windows 95 users.

Its information is really valuable. Millions of dollars are spent chasing that kind of marketing information. Nobody else will know what is more popular and when that interest started and when it ended.

The most terrifying conclusion is that American sex symbols have worldwide appeal. Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and Christina Aguilera take the top three in the UK and Germany, beating out homegrown, uh, "talent". Britney also wins the top spot amongst all women in Spain, France, Norway, Finland and Sweden. We ask: why does Europe hate the US so much? But if even French guys are whackin' it to Brit, I suspect the actual street opinion is incredibly and strangely diverse. "Zee AmeriCANS, zey are zo brash and uglee, but excusez moi whal I dream of spunking zees Breetnee baytween heer heaving AmeriCAN breasts."