Oddities of Google Ads

I was reading about the English soccer fans being attacked by hooligans, and I thought, hooligans, what an interesting word that we never use here in the U.S. Those using it would be sued by the ACLU as being too inflammatory and offensive. So we use 'gangs' instead. Less provocative.

Anyway, I looked it up on my trusty merriamwebster.com and interestingly enough under the definition of 'hooligan' are Google ads, and the ads were:

Germany 2006; Poland Soccer Team; Soccer Bracelet; Youth Soccer; Used Cars and Trucks.

So it seems the word hooligan is directly linked to soccer. And used cars and trucks; which no doubt could be an ad for those whose cars were burned by Paris hooligans . Except the article calls the Paris hooligans youths.

This was getting fun. So I entered 'liberal' and guess what the Google ads were?

Hilarious Anti-Bush Gear; Liberal T-Shirts; Anti-Bush Shirts & Gear.

Let's see what Google ads were for the word 'conservative':

Conservative Party, Conservative Blacks, Conservative Book Club.

How about: Truth is Inconvenient for Liberals; Global Warming's Just Hot Air; No Hilary! in '08? Still too soon for any conclusions, but this doesn't look very even-handed to me.

On a roll now.

Typed in 'homophobia' and Google comes up with:

God Loves & Accepts Gays; God Accepts you "As Is"; God & Homosexuality.

'Marriage':

Georgia Divorce & Custody; Marriage; L.A. Psychotherapist.

That last ad cracked me up. If you're married you need therapy? No ads for "God Instituted Marriage" or, "God loves married people"?

'Sharia': Webster had no definition, but Google still took advantage and ran three ads -

Guidance Financial Group (Get competitive Islamic home financing...); Afghanistan Peacebuilding; Free Ringtones for your cell phone.

No idea what ringtones have to do with shari'a.

'Insurgents':

Replace Bush, Is Bush Doing a Good Job?; Iraq War.

Well, I could do this alll morning, but more important tasks are calling.

(Trackbacks being stubborn: MBMc of Port McClellan weighs in with his Best of the Blogosphere and links to this humble port.)

Posted by Mutti at June 21, 2006 08:06 AM
Comments

Google ads are always fun. That's what I put 'em in for.

Posted by: Macabee at June 21, 2006 09:17 AM

What precisely does a Sharia ringtone sound like? I'm almost tempted enough to Google it myself, follow the link and find out...

Posted by: The Random Yak at June 23, 2006 10:17 AM