Sunday 17 October 2010

Hilda Ogden and the Google Search



Earlier today I was updating my football blog - http://www.ontheterracing.blogspot.com/ - and thought I would try and search for a new photograph for the banner heading. The best web search engine - so I've been told - is Google so I entered the words 'Scottish football in the 1970s' and clicked on the image icon on my computer toolbar. I waited for hundreds of images of Scottish footballing icons of three decades and more ago  - but some of the results were rather perplexing.

In no particular order, alongside the likes of Graeme Souness, Kenny Dalglish and Denis Law were:

Alf Ramsay - that Scottish football icon
Gordon Brown (a long haired Brown from the early 1970s)
Jimmy Reid, Trade Union leader who sadly recently passed away
Daybreak presenter Lorraine Kelly
Bart Simpson in a Rangers top
German legends Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Muller
A team photograph of Elgin City - from 1936
Richard Branson in a swimming costume
Hilda Ogden (a former soap star in the UK)
Penelope Keith
Elliot Gould
John Cleese as Basil Fawlty
Tony Curtis (God rest his soul) and Roger Moore as television's The Persuaders
and, perhaps  most disturbingly of all, porn star Linda Lovelace (I had to find out who this person was - honestly, mother...)

Interestingly, alongside a photo of an Aberdeen player who was a hero of the 1970 Scottish Cup Final - Derek 'Cup-tie' Mackay - was a black and white photo of a Soviet Union nuclear warhead.

Now, I find Google a useful tool for research purposes. But when I type in the words Scottish and football I don't expect to come across Hilda Ogden and Penelope Keith. Yes, they were stars in the 1970s - but I can't recall them performing at Tynecastle...

It may well just be me, of course. When I typed in 'Scottish heroes' I got a photo of Clint Eastwood and Donald Sutherland - Google had ignored the Scottish bit and gone for an image from the film Kelly's Heroes.

The next time I think I'll try and outsmart Google by typing in the word Morrissey i.e. the ex lead singer of The Smiths. One of his famous lyrics went 'please, please, please let me get what I want - this time...'

5 comments:

Stuck At Hame said...

Yes, Google is a joy at times... but is also a worry when searching!

It at times seems to search every single word you have in the phrase as opposed to... well the phrase and you do come up with some crackers at times.

Anonymous said...

Hilda Ogden may have been more effective for Aberdeen on Saturday than several of the team who took the pitch.
'leave it to me, Zander me chuck. I'll sort that Kyle out for you'

Sausage said...

I hope that is not what Scottish women look like now? I may stay in Florida.
Cheers, Sausage...

Mike Smith said...

Ken - you might have been better with Stan Ogden. Anyone calling themselves 'Zander' and who squeals like a bairn will incur the wrath of Special K...

Joanna Jenkins said...

Linda Lovelace and football? Wonder how they came up with that one.
Have a great weekend, jj

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