Feeling Froogle

Google is useful. It is the Magic Eight-Ball of this culture that can be called upon to answer any question posed. No matter how unanswerable it may in fact be.

The other day I noticed the "Froogle" link. Ha. Clever! (pun).
I clicked to see what online buying, goooooogling style, might be like.

Going to the page automatically generates a short sampling list of the 25 items "recently found with Froogle" that are for sale. In some ways I thought the selection wasn't dissimiliar to the sort of things for sale at our house yard sale a month back. (Some things I thought would go didn't --handmade craft wooden yo-yo $.50, while other things were bought, I know not why --used phone that has broken #2 and #4 buttons).

So Froogle. What was there to be had at my first moment of glimpsing into this flea market? The snapshot could reveal something interesting about this life we are living out. Or really maybe not.

THE LIST of 25:

The items appeared in the order below. as did the following thoughts(most = variously interchangeable; a number = quite sincere; too many = 'clever').

DeWalt Belt Sander
-- Ok. very useful.
USB CD Writer
-- Used computer electronics online...? No.
Swingline Stapler
-- Swingline does make the best stapler, but who is going to buy? Perhaps I'm naive, but it seems something akin to selling individual pencils online.
piano lamp
-- Very specific device. interesting...
Golf Bag
-- I understand our modern desires to both package and be mobile, but a bag for your Volkswagen? seems a bit excessive.
Leg Warmers
-- Hm. I wonder what color and pattern they are. I welcome a comeback.
Pregnancy Test
-- When you really need to know, is it best buy one from a stranger off the internet?
High Chair
-- I think someone got a little over enthusiastic after buying the aforementioned pregnancy test. Package deal.
Guitar Amp
-- Cool. I admire electric guitars, and Sonic Youth playing them.
Electric Razor
-- I once had one myself but sold it to a pawn shop upon moving abroad.
Mouth Guard
-- My hopes this isn't a "previously used" item.
Cigar Cutter
-- This is so mid 90's . I guess the seller realized this.
Eyelets
-- Are these just many tiny eyes? *this* could be very useful.
Eternity Cologne
-- Cologne that could last forever would be great. no need to buy a new bottle! definitely a thrifty and "froogle" find.
Arm Chair
-- I actually haven't found a good one in years. but the shipping?
vitamin E
-- Dietary supplement or skin revitalizer, it is unclear. could this be code for ecstatic "E"? Everything is considered a natural supplement these days.
Chalkboard
-- Does this signal the rising dominance of the "whiteboard?" or "dry-erase board"? No,no,no.
Pot Rack
-- Truly a flea market item.
Topiary
-- I really, really want to know what this is. perhaps a giraffe? a lion? teapot-shaped shrubs?
Little Black Dress
-- I n d e e d. succinct. mysterious. Poetry meets alluring advertising.
Autometer
-- Does this measure how automatic something is? If so, does it do it automatically?
Kiehl's Breadmaker
-- I know only one person who still uses their's. it makes great bread. I hope this isn't the one.
HP Deskjet
-- Everything is moving faster, why wouldn't desks.
Hulk Hands
-- Yes! As bizarre as they are, I love to see people with these things on. another excellent/virtual flea market item.

----

And something else on the online sell::
I noticed that CNN's website is using this "smart technology" that generates adds to go with articles based on the keywords it finds in them. As they write:

Content Match pairs its listings with related content on CNN.com article pages and section fronts. The listings are determined by the relevancy of keywords, which advertisers bid on, to the content of the specific CNN.com page."

Thus, an article about W. stumping in Wisconsin had accompanying ads for "Free Sheboygan County Foreclosure Search" and "Wisconsin Buyer 1st Realty - Excusive Buyer Broker" (Excusive? are they making excuses? if so, I'm not buying them. (thank god some other people's typos are worse than my chronic own)). The implication seems to be that "keywords" = "meanings," a notion that is no less lame-O for being so very popular and widely assumed. (Didn't Wittgenstein put a close to this matter? I think "Liberal Senator from Massachusetts" is a good example of a recent "keyword/codeword" travesty...)

After the 'W. in Wisconsin' article I clicked on another, this one on the Russian space capsule, Soyuz, and its tricky docking to the space station some days back: "Soyuz Docks with ISS After Fast Approach."

And the "Content Matched" ads embedded in this article?

Buy Cellular Docking Stations $129.99
The Dock-N-Talk allows you to dock your cell phone and use your normal corded or...www.cellamericas.com

USB 2.0 Docking Stations
Plug into your laptop/notebook to add USB 2.0, PS/2, Serial, Parallel, USB file...www.byterunner.com

Docking Station Items on eBay
Visit eBay Electronics for "docking station" items. Discover great deals on new...www.ebay.com

Hmm.

The ole Soyuz crew seem to do a better job matching this-to-a-that than advertisers can (and they aren't even floating weightless in space).


Keywords? ...amateurs.