Doggedly searching for the crux of the biscuit.
As you probably know, AOL had a major security breach and created the most entertaining online activity ever, all in one fell swoop.
Out of more than 36 million search queries that hundreds of thousands of AOL users typed into AOL's Internet search engine from March to May, here is the term most queried: Google.
That so many customers would use one search engine to find another is among the odd truths being mined from AOL's public release of search data. The company last week called the incident involving 658,000 users' queries a "screw-up" and apologized. But for better or worse, the data offer the first widespread public glimpse of how people search the Internet, of what they are interested in. Of how people think.
In just a week, the breach has spawned a cottage industry of Web sites and online commentary devoted to analyzing and parsing the data, which include Social Security numbers and potentially embarrassing searches, such as "bad breath could it be an infection in one of my teeth."
While acknowledging concerns about privacy, researchers said it is an opportunity to study how people search for information in a limitless universe of data.
And how. Dontdelete.com is a great place to do your own spelunking, and just hitting the random button really will keep you entertained for a long, long time. However, if you'd like a more directed approach, the Poor Man notes that entering user ID 711391 produces "the greatest character study in literary history." Also, a commenter on that thread notices that user 317966 has a very close relationship with his mother-in-law. Or wants one, anyway. Also of note is this SomethingAwful thread that distills some winners down a bit.
TrackBackOh, man. 711391 is really something. 1288319 from the Something Awful thread makes me sad. So does 7979497, but for different reasons.
Posted by: mrh at August 17, 2006 03:20 PMWow... I just read 711391 and I want a shower. I want a shower so bad.
Posted by: Robust McManlyPants at August 17, 2006 03:36 PMYou do have to wonder how the cryosurgery turned out.
Posted by: LizardBreath at August 17, 2006 03:37 PMAnd is 'pink porn' a term of art, or what? I suppose if I googled it I'd know, but I'm at work. Seems like lots of things you'd see in porn are pink -- it doesn't narrow it down all that much.
Posted by: LizardBreath at August 17, 2006 04:02 PMWell, they ended up at pinkpornstars.com, so maybe. The funnier one, though, is searching for "the woman i was with was so hot she made me orgasm so fast" and ending up at counterpunch.org.
I'm guessing it didn't answer the question.
Posted by: apostropher at August 17, 2006 04:11 PMthe term most queried: Google.
That is *so* cute. They're learning to escape AOL!
Posted by: Jackmormon at August 17, 2006 04:19 PMLB: He's not called "Cockburn" for nothin'.
potentially embarrassing searches, such as "bad breath could it be an infection in one of my teeth."
Feh. I had someone arrive at my blog by searching for "what is making my facial skin stink?"
Posted by: dagger aleph at August 17, 2006 05:04 PMda, I get at least a few hits every month off some variation of "how to find a clitorious" [sic].
Posted by: apostropher at August 17, 2006 05:21 PMFor a bit more amateur psychology, look up things like "Toby Keith tickets" or "liberal liars" and see what else comes up.
Posted by: Cangrejero at August 17, 2006 07:43 PM3348270 is one hell of a party animal
Clearly, clam chowder is the real gateway drug.
Posted by: apostropher at August 18, 2006 12:52 AMCool:
[The Clownæ tries and fails to paste in a series of search queries from the user 'Postropher links above -- they naturally contain terms which 'Postrophers spam tracker rightly rejects, even going so far as to wish Ebola upon the Clownæ -- they showed user 3348270 getting depressed about his mail-order drug company failing to send him an order form.]
Posted by: Clownæsthesiologist at August 18, 2006 07:54 AM