# There are some things you just can't Google. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 17, 2010, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945 "2010-11-17T04:42:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/1 "2010-11-17T04:42:53Z")
My 12-year-old son has an assignment to read a book that is a favorite of a parent or teacher. He asked me about some of my favorite books from when I was his age. I actually sat down to figure out what phrase I could use to Google what were my favorite books. Just for a second. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/2 "2010-11-17T05:02:25Z")
All in good time…the day when Google analyzes your cumulative search history and figures out what your favorite books were at any given age can’t be too far around the corner. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/3 "2010-11-17T05:54:13Z")
See, I’d Google “children’s books of the (insert relevant decade here)” to see if anything jogged my memory and go from there. [For example…](http://www.best-childrens-books.com/best-selling-childrens-books.html#childrens-best-sellers) ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/4 "2010-11-17T08:20:50Z")
On the other hand, I’m amazed at some of the things you _can_ Google. Not only have I found children’s books from my childhood this way ([http://www.amazon.com/Just-You-Little-Critter-Look-Look/dp/030711838X](http://www.amazon.com/Just-You-Little-Critter-Look-Look/dp/030711838X)) but just last night a friend was trying to remember the name of a restaurant in London. All she knew was the area and that it began with G. I put “restaurants starting with G in Camden” into Google, and lo and behold, first link! I was flabbergasted. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/5 "2010-11-17T08:25:41Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > See, I’d Google “children’s books of the (insert relevant decade here)” to see if anything jogged my memory and go from there. > > [For example…](http://www.best-childrens-books.com/best-selling-childrens-books.html#childrens-best-sellers) And, for a moment, I thought you were claiming to be over 110 years old. The link starts with the 1900s, and I wasn’t going to read any further. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/6 "2010-11-17T08:46:50Z")
When I was 12 I devoured all the James Bond novels. I don’t think my parent knew how much sex was in them. I guess this is kind of off-topic:cool: ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/7 "2010-11-17T11:21:24Z")
You also can’t, say, Google the contents of your house to figure out where you left something. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/8 "2010-11-17T13:14:28Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > You also can’t, say, Google the contents of your house to figure out where you left something. I had a vivid dream once wherein I could Ctrl + F life. It was awesome. I was a P.I. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/9 "2010-11-17T13:30:14Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > My 12-year-old son has an assignment to read a book that is a favorite of a parent or teacher. He asked me about some of my favorite books from when I was his age. > > I actually sat down to figure out what phrase I could use to Google what were my favorite books. Just for a second. :eek: I can’t remember where I first heard or saw this, but some guy was introducing his older mother to computers and the internet. He brought up the site Ask Jeeves and said, “Mom, you can ask it anything you want and it will give you the answer.” Mom: “Ask it how Aunt Martha’s doing.” mmm ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/10 "2010-11-17T14:35:41Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > You also can’t, say, Google the contents of your house to figure out where you left something. Just wait for Google Earth 9.0 with neutrino analysis, coming soon… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/11 "2010-11-17T14:46:50Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Just wait for Google Earth 9.0 with neutrino analysis, coming soon… 😃 Actually, they’re prepping the alpha of Google Household now. Expect a team with cameras to show up at your door around the middle of next year. Google Livehouse will be offered as an affordable premium service with cameras strategically mounted in your house. ETA: Just make sure to read the fine print in the EULA and keep your privacy settings up to date. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/12 "2010-11-17T14:55:35Z")
I’m willing to bet that the Hilton hotel in Paris is difficult to locate on Google. (But I’m not going to experiment.) ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/13 "2010-11-17T14:59:27Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I’m willing to bet that the Hilton hotel in Paris is difficult to locate on Google. (But I’m not going to experiment.) Nope. Even “Paris Hilton” comes up with an actual hotel on the first page of results. “Hilton, Paris” and “Hilton hotel, Paris” do even better. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/14 "2010-11-17T16:00:49Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I’m willing to bet that the Hilton hotel in Paris is difficult to locate on Google. (But I’m not going to experiment.) This intrigues me. I may be being dim, but why should this be difficult? And why do you not want to experiment? ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/15 "2010-11-17T16:11:46Z")
I would google, [Books for 12 year old children](http://www.google.com/search?q=books%20for%2012%20year%20old%20children) Then take what comes up and see if you remember reading any of them ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/16 "2010-11-17T16:15:15Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > I had a vivid dream once wherein I could Ctrl + F life. It was awesome. I was a P.I. I’ve screwed something up in real life and my first thought was to ‘ctrl z’ it. It was very depressing to realize that there’s no ‘undo’ in real life! ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/17 "2010-11-17T16:15:43Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > This intrigues me. I may be being dim, but why should this be difficult? And why do you not want to experiment? Do a google image search on “Paris Hilton.” make sure safe search is off. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/18 "2010-11-17T16:25:23Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Nope. Even “Paris Hilton” comes up with an actual hotel on the first page of results. “Hilton, Paris” and “Hilton hotel, Paris” do even better. That’s weird - I’m sure Google used to ignore word order and punctuation in searches, so “Paris Hilton” and “Hilton Paris” and “Hilton, Paris” would all give the same results (as long as they weren’t entered in quotes, of course). Now, it seems not. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/19 "2010-11-17T16:26:53Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Do a google image search on “Paris Hilton.” make sure safe search is off. Ah - thank you. I did ‘Hilton Paris’, and all that came up on the top half of the page that was visible were hotels. I didn’t think of the strumpet. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945/20 "2010-11-17T17:40:12Z")
It think it was a “Pearls Before Swine” strip where they were talking about Google. The conversation was something like this: “Wow, is there anything Google doesn’t know?” “I don’t know. Google it.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-are-some-things-you-just-cant-google/560945.md?page=2)