When Search Engines Rank ( and other ambiguities )

Where are the ontologists when we need them!

Here's what happens when search engines rank by prevalence and popularity because they can't recognize features and prioritize multiple contexts.

I wanted to see a video of people dancing The Frug - never mind why. As some of you know, The Frug was a dance from the sixties. I was sure that I would find a video of people.... well just dancing The Frug.

Here's what Google's video search (which is, oddly, very similar to youtube search) provided for the search term "the frug" (quotes used here only):

1. Rilo Kiley singing "The Frug", a current, pleasant, made for an iPod ad song.

2. Someone unabashedly pretending to be Rilo Kiley. Apparently one of the principles of web 2.0 establishes equal value for doing and copying. . Anyhow, this copy is not so hot.

3. Rilo Kiley again.

4. "Rich Man's Frug", a Bob Fosse number from "Sweet Charity". A stylized interpretation. Nice but no cigar.

5. Rilo Kiley again.

6. And here's where it gets interesting, "Mexico's Drug War".

7. "The Pulse of Drug Development".

8. "Better Know a Lobby. The Drug Lobby".

9. "Meth: The World's Most Dangerous Drug 2 of 3".

I don't know why the avid tech press never mentions stuff like this. Guess they'll wait until Steve Jobs invents crappy search.

I'm sure that I'll eventually find a video of the plain old Frug. But it aint easy - or maybe "how to paint easy" - same difference.