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I think the linguistic conventions governing search engines and typical conversation differ is all. Dan Send a noteboard - 07/05/2011 04:00:38 AM
Remember that they're not asking a person,they're entering a query into a research database. They would want to frame their question as broadly as possible. Now, I tend not to frame searches in phrases, let alone questions, but I don't know if the typical teenager does that. I know that I recently googled House Windsor amidst the recent fanfare just for general information, and I could definitely see myself formulating the initial search as an interrogative.




I'm gonna cite that link to Poes Law Stephen posted the other day everywhere. Lotta deadpan though, especially the one calling themselves retarded. ;)
All it says is that teenagers make up two-thirds of the people who entered the "who is Osama Bin Laden" search. It doesn't say anything about the actual number of informed vs. uninformed teenagers. It's just stating that out of everyone asking that question, it was mostly teenagers. It makes sense that out of all the people asking that question, teenagers would be the ones to be asking it the most, since they were quite young when 9-11 happened. Not to mention that the question itself is ambiguous. My guess is that most of them new the name and had a general idea, but wanted more information. As far as the tweets go, I'm betting much of them were just deadpan jokes.
I know I've been bemoaning ignorance of history, especially recent history, a lot lately, but how can you NOT know who Osama bin Laden was? It hasn't even been a decade since the World Trade Center was destroyed (I'll wait for those up late on a school night to google that... good, now where were we?) We're not talking about some yak hunter in the middle of Tibet somewhere (actually, they probably all know who he was). We're talking about people who are clearly well connected to the rest of the world, especially including the internet, if they made "Who is Osama bin Laden?" the fifth most popular Yahoo search on Sunday. They have access to knowledge, just not the KNOWLEDGE. Among those 13-17 (or 4-8 when the WTC went down), people asking who he was outnumbered those asking how he died two to one. I promise you that when the Ayatollah Khomeini died I didn't have to ask anyone who he was, notwithstanding the fact I was only 14. Geez, people... I dunno... if there's actually a demographic where more people know who Justin Bieber is than know who bin Laden was maybe the West HAS gotten too decadent.... :rolleyes:

I don't fault them for asking questions; they asked plenty of good ones, but asking who he even was doesn't seem like one of them. Taking a question to mean the asker doesn't know the answer takes some extrapolation, but not much in this context.
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OK, Once and for All, WTF Is WRONG with Kids Today? Joel - 04/05/2011 01:28:52 AM 1582 Views
Cool story bro. *NM* Ghavrel - 04/05/2011 01:35:29 AM 477 Views
Clearly not. Joel - 04/05/2011 02:16:08 AM 999 Views
Re: Duh. Winning. *NM* Gaps - 04/05/2011 01:46:39 AM 515 Views
The SEALS won. Joel - 04/05/2011 02:17:41 AM 844 Views
They read Boing Boing. *NM* Chas - 04/05/2011 01:57:17 AM 545 Views
And use Yahoo, apparently. Joel - 04/05/2011 02:20:36 AM 1045 Views
I guess I have a pretty bright Child. and a good school district. StarrBecca - 04/05/2011 04:28:24 AM 885 Views
Hopefully, and presumably respectable parenting skills. Joel - 06/05/2011 01:32:02 AM 1066 Views
You really have to wonder if our culture is decadent? *NM* Panorphaeon - 04/05/2011 06:24:25 AM 495 Views
Not at all, but it does make me wonder if we're TOO decadent. Joel - 06/05/2011 01:38:42 AM 906 Views
I agree. *NM* Panorphaeon - 09/05/2011 10:36:40 PM 578 Views
Hope for the best and plan for the worst, I suppose, but that's what unnerved me here. Joel - 10/05/2011 03:14:24 AM 946 Views
How is it the kids' fault that they are not taught (to care) about recent history? *NM* Helene - 04/05/2011 06:54:16 AM 475 Views
I just asked my son, and he said he was a boss of a criminal organisation who was responsible for Helene - 04/05/2011 06:56:18 AM 878 Views
Good enough for me, thanks. Joel - 06/05/2011 01:59:40 AM 897 Views
Yes and no, but I'd think an international network trying to kill you would motivate self education. Joel - 06/05/2011 01:57:06 AM 1001 Views
Good teachers don't allow overeager students to monopolize the classroom. Ghavrel - 06/05/2011 02:52:27 AM 1025 Views
We covered the material. Joel - 06/05/2011 02:57:52 AM 1040 Views
Which means... not a good teacher. Ghavrel - 06/05/2011 07:02:44 AM 818 Views
Good luck with that. Joel - 06/05/2011 11:51:48 PM 929 Views
If they don't know about the terrorist organisation to begin with, why would they self educate? Helene - 13/05/2011 08:06:07 AM 889 Views
If completely ignorant of terrorism itself, they wouldn't, but if not I'd expect they'd get informed Joel - 14/05/2011 03:01:37 AM 865 Views
What?!? There are terrorists roaming the US, killing kids in their beds?!? Helene - 14/05/2011 07:45:27 AM 1008 Views
They're certainly trying. Joel - 14/05/2011 10:43:48 AM 917 Views
Oklahoma city bombing was by American citizens, completely unrelated to Al Qaeda... Helene - 15/05/2011 08:02:11 AM 1106 Views
They were both terrorist attacks. Joel - 15/05/2011 02:53:51 PM 1044 Views
Obesity is a much bigger killer than terrorists Helene - 15/05/2011 04:01:51 PM 891 Views
Sure, but obesity covers a lot of ground. Joel - 15/05/2011 04:19:51 PM 908 Views
Obesity is a new problem Helene - 15/05/2011 06:09:33 PM 911 Views
I gave you my explanation, but can reiterate it. Joel - 15/05/2011 08:00:03 PM 967 Views
For god's sake... I didn't attribute all of obesity to sugar addiction. Helene - 15/05/2011 08:10:44 PM 786 Views
No, you blamed advertising and bad schools, too. Joel - 15/05/2011 08:20:32 PM 859 Views
That's because you are incredibly annoying and I am wondering if you will ever not reply Helene - 15/05/2011 08:26:12 PM 934 Views
An odd reason to stereotype the third most populous nation on Earth. Joel - 15/05/2011 08:52:57 PM 903 Views
only about a third of the home schooled kids are home schooled for religious reasons random thoughts - 16/05/2011 09:35:36 PM 993 Views
Fair enough... I can imagine wanting to avoid a crappy school. Helene - 17/05/2011 06:04:11 PM 894 Views
getting your kid in the right school can be a challenge random thoughts - 17/05/2011 06:18:04 PM 781 Views
how many times have i told you "it's the internet, it's not real life"?? *NM* moondog - 04/05/2011 07:43:01 AM 505 Views
Sure, but in this case they intersect. Joel - 06/05/2011 02:02:19 AM 956 Views
I met a lady who didn't know who Justin Bieber was. I told her I was very impressed random thoughts - 04/05/2011 06:49:49 PM 971 Views
You should be? Joel - 06/05/2011 02:09:47 AM 995 Views
He may have been dreaming about killing them but he was actually doing anything *NM* random thoughts - 06/05/2011 03:09:49 AM 534 Views
The short answer is "yes". Joel - 06/05/2011 03:19:31 AM 875 Views
you would of have had to know who he is to know he was doing that though *NM* random thoughts - 08/05/2011 06:16:39 PM 455 Views
Yes, and the fact he WAS doing that is why I expected nearly everyone to know who he was. Joel - 08/05/2011 07:12:41 PM 904 Views
I am not saying they shouldn't know who he is just that is isn't that shocking that some don't random thoughts - 09/05/2011 02:35:02 PM 771 Views
I get that, it's the size of the "some" that kinda floors me. Joel - 09/05/2011 05:02:46 PM 892 Views
Rumsfeld was a bit of a tool but he was right about a lot of stuff random thoughts - 09/05/2011 05:05:56 PM 833 Views
I did think he took heat unfairly for that comment; he's an interesting figure. Joel - 09/05/2011 05:59:58 PM 999 Views
see that is why political comedy isn't really comedy random thoughts - 10/05/2011 02:15:48 PM 854 Views
He was a college offensive lineman. Joel - 12/05/2011 01:47:52 AM 931 Views
It was the media tqaking offense not just internet nutjobs random thoughts - 13/05/2011 04:16:34 AM 1004 Views
You're "the media" now? Joel - 13/05/2011 10:27:42 PM 1012 Views
you live in a fantasy world *NM* random thoughts - 16/05/2011 02:27:20 PM 466 Views
Not a rebuttal. Joel - 16/05/2011 09:10:33 PM 902 Views
I am trying to be more concise and that summed it up *NM* random thoughts - 16/05/2011 09:26:32 PM 468 Views
Concise is nice, but that response was solely about me rather than my arguments. Joel - 18/05/2011 11:30:38 PM 875 Views
No it was about your reply I am just to lazy to break it down random thoughts - 19/05/2011 12:54:38 AM 818 Views
"You live in a fantasy world" is 100% about me. Joel - 19/05/2011 01:53:07 AM 712 Views
OK *NM* random thoughts - 19/05/2011 03:15:04 PM 422 Views
Check. Joel - 20/05/2011 12:08:24 AM 1165 Views
13-17 year olds. Kronin al'Sulc - 05/05/2011 01:51:27 AM 1082 Views
Call me crazy, but I tend to notice people who want to kill me when they've shown the ability. Joel - 06/05/2011 02:53:26 AM 910 Views
Re: Call me crazy, but I tend to notice people who want to kill me when they've shown the ability. callandor1000 - 06/05/2011 09:21:10 PM 970 Views
As I asked below, did you click the link? Joel - 06/05/2011 11:35:45 PM 780 Views
Re: As I asked below, did you click the link? callandor1000 - 09/05/2011 05:37:29 AM 809 Views
And yet you found a way; full marks for effort. Joel - 09/05/2011 07:50:32 AM 1091 Views
Re: And yet you found a way; full marks for effort. callandor1000 - 11/05/2011 02:52:45 PM 1069 Views
Well, based on the consensus, I can't really argue with that first line. Joel - 11/05/2011 11:33:53 PM 973 Views
well then, let us who've somewhat recently been educated as to internet searches assure you... LadyLorraine - 11/05/2011 11:41:54 PM 837 Views
Educated about how to conduct them, or how they ARE conducted? Joel - 12/05/2011 01:13:25 AM 865 Views
Re: Educated about how to conduct them, or how they ARE conducted? callandor1000 - 12/05/2011 04:50:23 AM 866 Views
So we're back to criticizing claims of superiority I've never made? Joel - 14/05/2011 07:06:10 AM 1134 Views
Thanks for the mis-analogizing. Kronin al'Sulc - 10/05/2011 06:26:40 AM 1285 Views
Not a mis-analogy, but perhaps ambiguous. Joel - 10/05/2011 07:02:31 AM 900 Views
Re: Not a mis-analogy, but perhaps ambiguous. Kronin al'Sulc - 10/05/2011 04:58:59 PM 929 Views
Re: Not a mis-analogy, but perhaps ambiguous. Joel - 12/05/2011 01:22:38 AM 864 Views
Re: 13-17 year olds. callandor1000 - 06/05/2011 09:14:47 PM 890 Views
What are you doing to earn a living now? *NM* Urza - 05/05/2011 03:04:28 AM 486 Views
Jeg øver norsk, men ikke mer nå. Joel - 06/05/2011 02:54:44 AM 867 Views
Debt collection is kind Urza - 06/05/2011 07:16:53 AM 842 Views
Just don't repeatedly say you're seriously buying tickets to come kill them. Joel - 06/05/2011 11:40:51 PM 809 Views
Theres a reason you're banned from skype chat. Dont be a cunt Urza - 07/05/2011 02:22:30 AM 860 Views
You threadjacked me to take a potshot, so I don't want to hear it. Joel - 07/05/2011 03:57:47 AM 927 Views
it must be a very good reason if they haven't banned you as well random thoughts - 09/05/2011 05:09:07 PM 854 Views
Joel decided it would be fun to blackmail us with filing a false poilce report. *NM* Urza - 10/05/2011 12:07:46 AM 510 Views
I sent Skype the log; they said to contact the police. Joel - 10/05/2011 03:54:51 AM 1010 Views
Re: I sent Skype the log; they said to contact the police. Camilla - 15/05/2011 11:55:23 AM 841 Views
I think most of the relevant details have been covered here. Joel - 15/05/2011 04:06:09 PM 944 Views
Silly laptops.... *NM* Joel - 15/05/2011 04:11:38 PM 497 Views
Now I am certainly not going into skype chat. Camilla - 17/05/2011 10:36:04 AM 840 Views
Can't say I blame you, but that's always a possibility online. Joel - 17/05/2011 05:07:23 PM 838 Views
Re: Can't say I blame you, but that's always a possibility online. Novo - 19/05/2011 12:59:14 AM 1107 Views
For people who categorically objected to all bans of any kind ya'll embraced them very abruptly. Joel - 19/05/2011 01:50:26 AM 1257 Views
You failed to respond to the main thrust of my argument, but, whatevs. Novo - 19/05/2011 03:01:07 AM 885 Views
I did, but will try again; then I'm done with this subject and rebutting Adams false accusations. Joel - 19/05/2011 03:51:24 AM 798 Views
I joked to Roh "If I kill him will you be my alibi... Great, I'm pricing tickets on travelocity now! Urza - 17/05/2011 12:02:28 AM 931 Views
That sounds ridiculous. *NM* Helene - 17/05/2011 06:06:39 PM 460 Views
When did I ask for attention, niceness or an apology? Joel - 18/05/2011 11:28:12 PM 937 Views
It is nice to see even without chat the chat drama still seems to bleed into the main pages *NM* random thoughts - 10/05/2011 02:17:11 PM 528 Views
And that is your analysis? Really. Kids sure are dumb to ask questions and do research. Vivien - 06/05/2011 10:15:41 PM 802 Views
I wish there were an applause smiley. Ghavrel - 06/05/2011 11:02:01 PM 885 Views
No, but any kid whose research beings by finding out who he even WAS is dumb, period. Joel - 06/05/2011 11:31:08 PM 860 Views
Any kid whos research doesnt start by finding out who he was must have been born with the knowledge. Urza - 06/05/2011 11:39:56 PM 996 Views
Finding out, yes; finding out by actively searching, no. Joel - 06/05/2011 11:42:34 PM 873 Views
You and I turned on CNN one morning to see the WTC burning. *NM* Urza - 07/05/2011 02:05:26 AM 522 Views
Again I cite the attempted "Christmas bombing" in 2009. Joel - 07/05/2011 04:01:27 AM 864 Views
Any rational person wouldn't do a yahoo search. Other than that, the questions you posed are Helene - 15/05/2011 11:28:02 AM 811 Views
So their search engine makes them dumb, but their questions are OK. Joel - 15/05/2011 02:57:27 PM 788 Views
By gods, you are hopeless to talk to. *NM* Helene - 15/05/2011 03:56:27 PM 464 Views
I repeat, one of us certainly is. Joel - 15/05/2011 04:20:07 PM 927 Views
If you learned people are sometimes flippant Helene - 15/05/2011 06:13:52 PM 862 Views
I'm sometimes flippant, too, but have always been adherent of Poes Law. Joel - 15/05/2011 08:11:04 PM 807 Views
So quipping that rational people wouldn´t use a certain search engine is really about terrorism?!? Helene - 15/05/2011 08:14:59 PM 850 Views
Terrorism, and knowledge of it, was the subject of the thread. Joel - 15/05/2011 08:38:35 PM 908 Views
I don't think the article says much of anything at all. Dan - 07/05/2011 03:28:35 AM 765 Views
Maybe; I don't always appreciate deadpan jokes online.... Joel - 07/05/2011 03:43:51 AM 962 Views
I think the linguistic conventions governing search engines and typical conversation differ is all. Dan - 07/05/2011 04:00:38 AM 847 Views
Hopefully that's all it is. Joel - 07/05/2011 04:17:21 AM 822 Views
actually, search engines are getting better towards "questions" now LadyLorraine - 11/05/2011 11:06:42 PM 803 Views
Fair enough then, if surprising; objection withdrawn. Joel - 12/05/2011 01:17:28 AM 951 Views
I think you're reading too much into this Isaac - 10/05/2011 12:58:20 AM 913 Views
Possibly; I really hope so. Joel - 10/05/2011 04:01:50 AM 825 Views
Re: Possibly; I really hope so. Isaac - 10/05/2011 05:18:43 AM 928 Views
Again, fair enough. Joel - 12/05/2011 01:52:07 AM 874 Views
Re: Again, fair enough. Isaac - 12/05/2011 02:04:53 AM 905 Views
Acknowledged. Joel - 12/05/2011 02:41:38 AM 876 Views
HA! Vivien - 12/05/2011 10:50:50 PM 1085 Views
Re: I'm more disgusted by this thread than by its original topic of conversation. *NM* Gaps - 15/05/2011 09:41:43 PM 496 Views
Just as well; I conceded on the original topic ages ago. Joel - 15/05/2011 11:10:20 PM 808 Views
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