This clip will just have to stand on its own.
The Proper Way to Link-Whore
A look at sitemeter tells Me I've had 23,467 visitors to this point.
For a blog in existence eight months that is hardly impressive, and in the great blogging scheme of things I am, as the song goes "A-1 on the Jukebox But Nowhere on the Charts."
But that's fine. I never went into this to be a star. I write what I like, some people respond to it. It works for Me.
But one does have to have some readers, else having a blog doesn't make a whole bunch of sense. And of course, getting readers is largely the result of being linked to. And getting linked to is largely a function of linking to others.
Thus, link-whoring.
Starting out, I realized in short order that I needed some damn links . . . in order to hopefully start getting some inbound links.
So I started out, plugging some search terms into Blogger and reading what came up that seemed remotely relevant. Fortunately, since all bloggers understand the importance of link-whoring, most blogs I found had many links . . . well, that tree quickly gets out of hand but out of that process I did find a number of good blogs. So I linked to them.
OK . . . step 1 of the whoring process complete -- "putting out." Now, as is sometimes the case in real whoring, step 2, getting paid, is a lot harder than putting out.
1. The blog you're linked to has to know you've linked to them.
2. The owner of that blog has to then take the affirmative step of linking back to you.
Well, as to Item #1. One could just go into the blog owner's profile, e-mail them all nice and friendly like, and hope for the best. A la:
"Hi . . . just read your blog and I love it! I'm really picky about who I link to but I enjoyed your writing and insights so much that it was a no-brainer! I've linked to you now. Keep up the good work -- I can't wait until your next update!"
Now, note that nowhere in there is there an actual request for a reciprocal link. But, by pointing out that "I'm really picky about who I link to," you make the recipient feel like someone special, and make yourself seem like not an abject link-whore at all. The downside of this approach is that the recipient might actually visit your blog and see that you have 452 links there. But for a first approach it's not too bad -- you might be perceived as an airhead but not as an abject link-whore.
But subtlety is like single-malt Scotch -- wasted on most people. A more direct approach might be called for . . . .
"Hi . . . just read your blog and I really enjoyed it. I don't usually do this, but I've added a link to your blog on my own (http://www.will-suck-cock-for-links.com) . . . I'd appraciate a reciprocal link, since I think we have convergent readerships and a really powerful synergy could develop."
Note the touches here. The lack of !'s immediately lends a more serious air to the message.
"Convergent readerships" and "synergy" really crank up the scholarly quotient; it's obvious to anyone reading that you are truly interested in the intellectual benefits of blogging and most definitely not an abject link-whore.
The other way to let the blog owner know you've read/linked to his or her blog is by leaving a comment. These can vary from the extremely unsubtle to the truly sublime. It's important to be careful here so as not to strike the wrong note. For example:
Bigger Breasts in Three Weeks!
http://www.will-suck-cock-for-links.com
Isn't likely to get a reciprocal link no matter how much the blog owner wants bigger breasts.
This one isn't much better:
Great site! Where can I get the layout for mine?
http://www.will-suck-cock-for-links.com
The important thing about the comment, of course, is getting the reader to look at, and, hopefully, link to you. (Well, ok, forget the readingpart, that's optional -- you want the damn link.) But leaving a comment with no substance but your blog address makes you look like, yes, an abject link whore. And the single most important thing about being an abject link whore is: Not looking like an abject link- whore. So your comment must:
a) Show that you actually read the post in question. Think of it like the reading comprehension section of the SATs. It might be painful but actually stick it out and read the blog post you're going to comment upon.
b) Add something to the discussion. When in doubt, go for a little humor. Doesn't matter if it's funny or not . . . make a little joke, drop your link, and get the hell out.
c) Not contain the phrase: "I am an abject link-whore -- please link to me!"
Carefully applied, you'll get in-links, readers, and general admiration for "doing it the right way," i.e., not coming off like an abject link-whore.
For a blog in existence eight months that is hardly impressive, and in the great blogging scheme of things I am, as the song goes "A-1 on the Jukebox But Nowhere on the Charts."
But that's fine. I never went into this to be a star. I write what I like, some people respond to it. It works for Me.
But one does have to have some readers, else having a blog doesn't make a whole bunch of sense. And of course, getting readers is largely the result of being linked to. And getting linked to is largely a function of linking to others.
Thus, link-whoring.
Starting out, I realized in short order that I needed some damn links . . . in order to hopefully start getting some inbound links.
So I started out, plugging some search terms into Blogger and reading what came up that seemed remotely relevant. Fortunately, since all bloggers understand the importance of link-whoring, most blogs I found had many links . . . well, that tree quickly gets out of hand but out of that process I did find a number of good blogs. So I linked to them.
OK . . . step 1 of the whoring process complete -- "putting out." Now, as is sometimes the case in real whoring, step 2, getting paid, is a lot harder than putting out.
1. The blog you're linked to has to know you've linked to them.
2. The owner of that blog has to then take the affirmative step of linking back to you.
Well, as to Item #1. One could just go into the blog owner's profile, e-mail them all nice and friendly like, and hope for the best. A la:
"Hi . . . just read your blog and I love it! I'm really picky about who I link to but I enjoyed your writing and insights so much that it was a no-brainer! I've linked to you now. Keep up the good work -- I can't wait until your next update!"
Now, note that nowhere in there is there an actual request for a reciprocal link. But, by pointing out that "I'm really picky about who I link to," you make the recipient feel like someone special, and make yourself seem like not an abject link-whore at all. The downside of this approach is that the recipient might actually visit your blog and see that you have 452 links there. But for a first approach it's not too bad -- you might be perceived as an airhead but not as an abject link-whore.
But subtlety is like single-malt Scotch -- wasted on most people. A more direct approach might be called for . . . .
"Hi . . . just read your blog and I really enjoyed it. I don't usually do this, but I've added a link to your blog on my own (http://www.will-suck-cock-for-links.com) . . . I'd appraciate a reciprocal link, since I think we have convergent readerships and a really powerful synergy could develop."
Note the touches here. The lack of !'s immediately lends a more serious air to the message.
"Convergent readerships" and "synergy" really crank up the scholarly quotient; it's obvious to anyone reading that you are truly interested in the intellectual benefits of blogging and most definitely not an abject link-whore.
The other way to let the blog owner know you've read/linked to his or her blog is by leaving a comment. These can vary from the extremely unsubtle to the truly sublime. It's important to be careful here so as not to strike the wrong note. For example:
Bigger Breasts in Three Weeks!
http://www.will-suck-cock-for-links.com
Isn't likely to get a reciprocal link no matter how much the blog owner wants bigger breasts.
This one isn't much better:
Great site! Where can I get the layout for mine?
http://www.will-suck-cock-for-links.com
The important thing about the comment, of course, is getting the reader to look at, and, hopefully, link to you. (Well, ok, forget the readingpart, that's optional -- you want the damn link.) But leaving a comment with no substance but your blog address makes you look like, yes, an abject link whore. And the single most important thing about being an abject link whore is: Not looking like an abject link- whore. So your comment must:
a) Show that you actually read the post in question. Think of it like the reading comprehension section of the SATs. It might be painful but actually stick it out and read the blog post you're going to comment upon.
b) Add something to the discussion. When in doubt, go for a little humor. Doesn't matter if it's funny or not . . . make a little joke, drop your link, and get the hell out.
c) Not contain the phrase: "I am an abject link-whore -- please link to me!"
Carefully applied, you'll get in-links, readers, and general admiration for "doing it the right way," i.e., not coming off like an abject link-whore.
Quick Hits
This and that . . .
--New Link: A Spanking Good Time . . . thanks for the link, Tiggr.
--Everything's really good . . . the girls are great, work is well, work, but it could always be a lot worse.
--Tiggr: I have a number of thoughts about the question you posed but don't necessarily want to share them with the world. Click on the profile link and e-mail Me, and I'll reply by e-mail.
--The chat room currently is experiencing one of those periods of lower popularity. Which is really good, in one way, since it allows Me to focus better on the girls and other things. These things come and go; we ride them out and find what there is to enjoy in each phase.
--This girl: Was sooooooooo sad to read what I read. I wish you all the best . . . hang in there and don't hestiate to e-mail/IM Me if you want to talk . . . hugs . . .
--I am really very impressed with people, in general. About three(?) months ago I put that link up that shows My Yahoo IM status, and in all that time I've not recieved one inappropriate contact. Obviously I have a pretty high-class readership . . . (in truth I never doubted it).
--I can't speak for all of you out there, but I always play the piano in lingerie and boots.
--Taylor: Thanks for adding Me . . . your blog brightens My day.
OK, that's it. Have a great weekend. More incisive analysis, thought-provoking humor, detective fiction, and general obscurity soon. Kisses and hugs to all the usual suspects . . .
YouTube Tuesday: Lego Gangsters
Lots of people are doing lots of creative, funny, and sometimes truly sick stuff with Legos. Thankfully a lot of those people are also recording their work and sharing it with the world.
Today's youtube Tuesday presents a nicely-done "trailer" for a video game that really should exist -- Grand Theft Auto: Lego City. The director has done a really nice job of hitting many of the "high notes" from the much adored/villifed/feared/praised/played Grand Theft Auto series of video games. And, just to rein in the surrealism a bit, bear in mind that there actually is a video game, based on Star Wars, that uses Lego characters.
Legos. Video game thuggery. Perfect match.
Today's youtube Tuesday presents a nicely-done "trailer" for a video game that really should exist -- Grand Theft Auto: Lego City. The director has done a really nice job of hitting many of the "high notes" from the much adored/villifed/feared/praised/played Grand Theft Auto series of video games. And, just to rein in the surrealism a bit, bear in mind that there actually is a video game, based on Star Wars, that uses Lego characters.
Legos. Video game thuggery. Perfect match.
Grabbing On
I've written several times on the importance of a submissive moving from an orientation of holding on to an orientation of letting go. I write about it often because it's crucial, ultimately, not only for the deepening of submission and for the value of the reationship for both parties, but also for the overall emotional health of the submissive in question.
But nothing has value in a vacuum, so it's important to discuss the converse. Namely, that the Dominant has a responsibility to "grab on" when S/He feels the submissive let go.
Properly motivated, a submissive can handle almost anything. But one thing that no submissive can handle and remain submissive for very long is that feeling of being adrift. That horrendous feeling in the pit of the stomach when the realizatoin hits that one has put something very big out there, at great emotional risk, and there is no converse feeling flowing back from the Other.
It's surprisingly easy for the Dom/me to miss it, too. I know. I've missed it at times. And too often missed, it starts a slow cycle of deterioration wherein the submissive, despite his or best intentions, begins to drift away, disengage. The Dominant either wises up and puts the hammer down, and probably thus saves the situation, or doesn't, and then things are doomed.
But there is a very fine line. For a D/s relationship to function long-term, it cannot become "mercantile." I mean by that the Dominance and submission can't be seen as "transactions." Often in life, we adopt this mentality. "I did X for her . . . I am entiteld to Y in return," etc. Whether or voiced or not, those sorts of thoughts are the root cause of much of people's unhappiness in life, because people are forever not following through with what we think we've got a right to expect. And in a D/s relationship that transactional mentality is deadly.
However there are going to be expectations. It's unavoidable. And this letting go/grabbing on area is one where the submissive is entitled to expect that the Dom/me will, well, do the Dom/me thing and take what's being offered up. In fact, if the Dom/me sees/feels what's being let go of and can't/won't grab it, then that's a fairly strong indicator that the two people are mismatched on a basic level in D/s terms.
But nothing has value in a vacuum, so it's important to discuss the converse. Namely, that the Dominant has a responsibility to "grab on" when S/He feels the submissive let go.
Properly motivated, a submissive can handle almost anything. But one thing that no submissive can handle and remain submissive for very long is that feeling of being adrift. That horrendous feeling in the pit of the stomach when the realizatoin hits that one has put something very big out there, at great emotional risk, and there is no converse feeling flowing back from the Other.
It's surprisingly easy for the Dom/me to miss it, too. I know. I've missed it at times. And too often missed, it starts a slow cycle of deterioration wherein the submissive, despite his or best intentions, begins to drift away, disengage. The Dominant either wises up and puts the hammer down, and probably thus saves the situation, or doesn't, and then things are doomed.
But there is a very fine line. For a D/s relationship to function long-term, it cannot become "mercantile." I mean by that the Dominance and submission can't be seen as "transactions." Often in life, we adopt this mentality. "I did X for her . . . I am entiteld to Y in return," etc. Whether or voiced or not, those sorts of thoughts are the root cause of much of people's unhappiness in life, because people are forever not following through with what we think we've got a right to expect. And in a D/s relationship that transactional mentality is deadly.
However there are going to be expectations. It's unavoidable. And this letting go/grabbing on area is one where the submissive is entitled to expect that the Dom/me will, well, do the Dom/me thing and take what's being offered up. In fact, if the Dom/me sees/feels what's being let go of and can't/won't grab it, then that's a fairly strong indicator that the two people are mismatched on a basic level in D/s terms.
YouTube Tuesday: Financing Your Project?
Today's youtube offering is a "trailer" for a movie that hasn't yet been made. In the comment introducing the clip, the author writes:
"Preview trailer for 'sexually-infused murder mystery.' We are seeking funding or a Sugar Daddy to make the rest of this Indie."
Now, I'm sure youtube isn't the most efficient way to go about finding financing for an artistic endeavor, and maybe right now youtube's demographics aren't conducive to the "right" people seeing the pitch, but in the coming disintermediated world, maybe this is the cutting edge of movie financing. Maybe someone who could make film happen sees this, and finances it. Or maybe 25 people out of the thousands that will see it and each put up a little $$ and the thing gets made that way. Or perhaps a studio hates the filmmakers but loves the concept and script and buys the project up. Etc.
The sky's the limit.
"Preview trailer for 'sexually-infused murder mystery.' We are seeking funding or a Sugar Daddy to make the rest of this Indie."
Now, I'm sure youtube isn't the most efficient way to go about finding financing for an artistic endeavor, and maybe right now youtube's demographics aren't conducive to the "right" people seeing the pitch, but in the coming disintermediated world, maybe this is the cutting edge of movie financing. Maybe someone who could make film happen sees this, and finances it. Or maybe 25 people out of the thousands that will see it and each put up a little $$ and the thing gets made that way. Or perhaps a studio hates the filmmakers but loves the concept and script and buys the project up. Etc.
The sky's the limit.
A Wonderfully Difficult Week
I've been absent from here the past few days . . . but for a very good reason.
About 2 1/2 months ago, My girl sorceress asked for her release. I reluctantly, sadly, granted it.
This past week, she asked Me to take her back.
Even thought I'd never stopped loving her, I went into a long think about her request. I've written before about how for Me, love is an essential ingredient in relationship D/s, but I've also written a lot more (implicitly) about how love in and of itself isn't enough.
And looking back on the two-plus years we'd been together, there were problem areas. And those hadn't improved in late June when sorceress asked to be released. So there was a lot to think about.
For three days I rolled this over in My mind, really examined everything. her failures, and just as importantly Mine. We had, some important ways let each other down." The issue now was how would it be different, if I took her back? Would I be capable of what I for whatever reason wasn't totally capable of before? For her part, the same questions . . . would she be able to get over certain hurdles that in the past were serious stumbling blocks?
I am process-oriented. That is, I seek a defineable path, at least on the strateic level. The actual tactical steps to be taken can be devised/adjusted as the situatoins dictate. So, I tried to define a process for this. Perhaps for Me, the mere existence of a process was more important than the actual contents of the process, as it allowed Me to start to consider the big questions in a calmer, more rational way.
The process itself was very simple.
1. she made a formal request to be taken back.
2. I then had her write Me an e-mail, addressing the following questions:
a. What had gone wrong?
b. Why?
c. How would things be different this time?
d. Is it reasonable to expect that improvement could be achieved?
3. I would then give her My answers to the above questions.
4. We would then discuss the oue answers to those questions at length.
5. At the conclusion of that process I would make My decision.
The process was valuable for her, too -- she needed a structure in which work through this, too.
Thus My absence from here. It was very difficult to blog, to even think about much else the past few days.
And the process was valuable, regardless of the result. In thinking over the questions above, I had to examine My own handling of certain situations and emotions, and My entire approach to Dominace as a result. I've written before about a Dom/me's humility; this exercise was humbling in a very good way. Becasue I was able to see (to re-establish to Myself, as it were) that:
1. I'm not perfect (of course), but
2. I'm pretty darn good.
The process also reinforced a number of other themes I"ve written about here, both practical and spiritual. So it was highly benefical, even if the original reason for it (sorceress leaving) was painful and horrendous in the extreme.
But, as the saying goes, the world doesn't care about the labor pains . . . they just want to see the baby. So I know the results of the process are of interest more than are the details of said process.
I have taken her back. I am so incredibly joyful that she is back. Words honestly can't express how joyful.
she has been re-named. she is natahsa now.
Welcome back home, natasha. I love you so incredibly much.
About 2 1/2 months ago, My girl sorceress asked for her release. I reluctantly, sadly, granted it.
This past week, she asked Me to take her back.
Even thought I'd never stopped loving her, I went into a long think about her request. I've written before about how for Me, love is an essential ingredient in relationship D/s, but I've also written a lot more (implicitly) about how love in and of itself isn't enough.
And looking back on the two-plus years we'd been together, there were problem areas. And those hadn't improved in late June when sorceress asked to be released. So there was a lot to think about.
For three days I rolled this over in My mind, really examined everything. her failures, and just as importantly Mine. We had, some important ways let each other down." The issue now was how would it be different, if I took her back? Would I be capable of what I for whatever reason wasn't totally capable of before? For her part, the same questions . . . would she be able to get over certain hurdles that in the past were serious stumbling blocks?
I am process-oriented. That is, I seek a defineable path, at least on the strateic level. The actual tactical steps to be taken can be devised/adjusted as the situatoins dictate. So, I tried to define a process for this. Perhaps for Me, the mere existence of a process was more important than the actual contents of the process, as it allowed Me to start to consider the big questions in a calmer, more rational way.
The process itself was very simple.
1. she made a formal request to be taken back.
2. I then had her write Me an e-mail, addressing the following questions:
a. What had gone wrong?
b. Why?
c. How would things be different this time?
d. Is it reasonable to expect that improvement could be achieved?
3. I would then give her My answers to the above questions.
4. We would then discuss the oue answers to those questions at length.
5. At the conclusion of that process I would make My decision.
The process was valuable for her, too -- she needed a structure in which work through this, too.
Thus My absence from here. It was very difficult to blog, to even think about much else the past few days.
And the process was valuable, regardless of the result. In thinking over the questions above, I had to examine My own handling of certain situations and emotions, and My entire approach to Dominace as a result. I've written before about a Dom/me's humility; this exercise was humbling in a very good way. Becasue I was able to see (to re-establish to Myself, as it were) that:
1. I'm not perfect (of course), but
2. I'm pretty darn good.
The process also reinforced a number of other themes I"ve written about here, both practical and spiritual. So it was highly benefical, even if the original reason for it (sorceress leaving) was painful and horrendous in the extreme.
But, as the saying goes, the world doesn't care about the labor pains . . . they just want to see the baby. So I know the results of the process are of interest more than are the details of said process.
I have taken her back. I am so incredibly joyful that she is back. Words honestly can't express how joyful.
she has been re-named. she is natahsa now.
Welcome back home, natasha. I love you so incredibly much.
YouTube Tuesday: Tivo For Everyone
A lot of the videos out on youtube are clips, and in some cases, entire episodes of various TV programs from around the world. Miss something on TV the first time around? Or just feel like sampling what the rest of the world thinks is good TV? It's out there on youtube. It's kind of like having access to a gigantic (albeit somewhat random) TiVo that's free and searchable.
Technically, I'm sure, none of this should be out there, of course. But either the rights-holders don't know (increasingly unlikley as youtube's popularity escalates), or, more likely, they know but don't care all that much, since no one's charging for it, and really, having a hundred "trailers" for your program(s) out there accessible to the whole world anytime isn't really such a terrible thing.
For this week's offering a hot little clip from "The L Word."
Technically, I'm sure, none of this should be out there, of course. But either the rights-holders don't know (increasingly unlikley as youtube's popularity escalates), or, more likely, they know but don't care all that much, since no one's charging for it, and really, having a hundred "trailers" for your program(s) out there accessible to the whole world anytime isn't really such a terrible thing.
For this week's offering a hot little clip from "The L Word."
Of Depression and Giant Sausages
Funny how the stupidest little things can shake One out of a funk.
I pretty much hate Labor Day. The childhood experience of it, the last hurrah of summer vacation, the gateway to the numbing repetition and regimentation of the educational process, has never left Me, I suppose. So I was feeling pretty blah.
A baseball game in on the TV . . . The Brewers and Dodgers. Baseball at least survives Labor Day, like a defiant Indian Summer it blazes on into October, its heat rising with each passing day, a stark counterpoint to the suddenly chilly evenings and the slowly-fading green.
And, in baseball games played in Milwaukee they have a quaint custom. At a certain point between innings, mascots dressed liked a hot dog, a Polish suasage, an Italian sausage, and a Bratwurst race around the field, much to the delight of the crowd. (In the interest of diversity, Chorizo will be added next season. I kid you not.)
Just now, before resuming live action, they showed a little snippet of the just-concluded sausage race. And, amazingly, stupidly, confoundingly, just seeing that little bit of completely unrepressed goofiness has lightened My mood considerably.
Now, some would stop and think about that, to really try to get at "why." Not Me. "Why" is the question of gift-horse dentists. I'll pass, and simply enjoy the improvement in My mood.
Hope everyone is doing well. Kisses and hugs to all the usual suspects.
I pretty much hate Labor Day. The childhood experience of it, the last hurrah of summer vacation, the gateway to the numbing repetition and regimentation of the educational process, has never left Me, I suppose. So I was feeling pretty blah.
A baseball game in on the TV . . . The Brewers and Dodgers. Baseball at least survives Labor Day, like a defiant Indian Summer it blazes on into October, its heat rising with each passing day, a stark counterpoint to the suddenly chilly evenings and the slowly-fading green.
And, in baseball games played in Milwaukee they have a quaint custom. At a certain point between innings, mascots dressed liked a hot dog, a Polish suasage, an Italian sausage, and a Bratwurst race around the field, much to the delight of the crowd. (In the interest of diversity, Chorizo will be added next season. I kid you not.)
Just now, before resuming live action, they showed a little snippet of the just-concluded sausage race. And, amazingly, stupidly, confoundingly, just seeing that little bit of completely unrepressed goofiness has lightened My mood considerably.
Now, some would stop and think about that, to really try to get at "why." Not Me. "Why" is the question of gift-horse dentists. I'll pass, and simply enjoy the improvement in My mood.
Hope everyone is doing well. Kisses and hugs to all the usual suspects.
What Al Gore Intended?
Very late one night, a policeman was walking his beat and saw a man, looking a bit tipsy, furtively searching around the base of a lamppost. He asked what the man was doing.
"I lost my keys," the inebriated man said. The policeman wondered, "well, is this where you dropped them?" The man said "no, I lost them over there," pointing down the dark street. The policeman somewhat incredulously asked "then why aren't you looking over there?" The man, slightly exasperated, replied "because the light's better over here."
--Old Story
A recent post on Sugarbank points out that half of the top 10 most-read articles on Wikipedia in August had to do with sex. The top 10 list:
Going to the ultra long-term view, here are the top 10 search terms of the last 10 years, from Lycos:
1. Pamela Anderson
2. Dragonball
3. Pokemon
4. Britney Spears
5. WWE
6. Tattoos
7. Las Vegas
8. NFL
9. September 11
10. Christmas
Not a porn search in the bunch. (Although some might consider the entire top 10 list "pornographic" in the larger sense.) But 10 years is way too long a timeframe. The net and its usage patterns have changed too much over that time.
Google has an interesting site called Google Trends, that measures the popularity of search terms.
Below is a graph comparing the popularity of the search terms "porn" and "terrorism."
The blue line represents porn, the red line, terrorism. The top chart is relative searches, the bottom chart is relative news references. Strikingly, terrorism is in the news a lot more than porn is, but people are searching for porn a whole lot more than they are for terrorism. (The letters represent the dates of (apparently) randomly selected news items about terrorism).
Well, in turns out that that doesn't necessarily prove too much. The following terms all trumped terrorism handily in searches:
Mircosoft
Biology
Spyware
Coffee
Diabetes
And so it goes. Substituting "current events, "current affairs," or "politics" for "terrorism" yields similar results. And it's not just news, per se. Porn and the above terms were searched for a lot more than investments, health care, Democrats, Republicans, Congress, etc. (For what it's worth, the search volumes of "porn" and "weather" run pretty much neck and neck over the last 2-plus years. Make of that what you will.)
But the Internet, it would seem, is not so much "for porn" as it is a convenient place to look for it. If one wants to know about terrorism, one has multiple sources for that -- most cable subscribers have access to three or more 24-hour news channels, for instance. Porn's harder to get at anywhere else. Similarly, the term "mp3" is searched on more than "porn" is. Another item where the Internet is the primary place to look.
People look for stuff where they can find it and quickly become efficient at it. The stuff they can find elsewhere (or are exposed to without their necessarily requesting to be exposed to it), they're less likely to go and find the streetlight to look under.
"I lost my keys," the inebriated man said. The policeman wondered, "well, is this where you dropped them?" The man said "no, I lost them over there," pointing down the dark street. The policeman somewhat incredulously asked "then why aren't you looking over there?" The man, slightly exasperated, replied "because the light's better over here."
--Old Story
A recent post on Sugarbank points out that half of the top 10 most-read articles on Wikipedia in August had to do with sex. The top 10 list:
- Wikipedia
- Pluto
- United States
- List of gay porn stars
- Sexual intercourse
- Wii
- Wiki
- List of sex positions
- Kama Sutra
- Pornography
Going to the ultra long-term view, here are the top 10 search terms of the last 10 years, from Lycos:
1. Pamela Anderson
2. Dragonball
3. Pokemon
4. Britney Spears
5. WWE
6. Tattoos
7. Las Vegas
8. NFL
9. September 11
10. Christmas
Not a porn search in the bunch. (Although some might consider the entire top 10 list "pornographic" in the larger sense.) But 10 years is way too long a timeframe. The net and its usage patterns have changed too much over that time.
Google has an interesting site called Google Trends, that measures the popularity of search terms.
Below is a graph comparing the popularity of the search terms "porn" and "terrorism."
The blue line represents porn, the red line, terrorism. The top chart is relative searches, the bottom chart is relative news references. Strikingly, terrorism is in the news a lot more than porn is, but people are searching for porn a whole lot more than they are for terrorism. (The letters represent the dates of (apparently) randomly selected news items about terrorism).
Well, in turns out that that doesn't necessarily prove too much. The following terms all trumped terrorism handily in searches:
Mircosoft
Biology
Spyware
Coffee
Diabetes
And so it goes. Substituting "current events, "current affairs," or "politics" for "terrorism" yields similar results. And it's not just news, per se. Porn and the above terms were searched for a lot more than investments, health care, Democrats, Republicans, Congress, etc. (For what it's worth, the search volumes of "porn" and "weather" run pretty much neck and neck over the last 2-plus years. Make of that what you will.)
But the Internet, it would seem, is not so much "for porn" as it is a convenient place to look for it. If one wants to know about terrorism, one has multiple sources for that -- most cable subscribers have access to three or more 24-hour news channels, for instance. Porn's harder to get at anywhere else. Similarly, the term "mp3" is searched on more than "porn" is. Another item where the Internet is the primary place to look.
People look for stuff where they can find it and quickly become efficient at it. The stuff they can find elsewhere (or are exposed to without their necessarily requesting to be exposed to it), they're less likely to go and find the streetlight to look under.
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