There’s been so much talk about “vibes” in programming lately that it gave me an idea for a Wikipedia tool. If you accept the idea that Wikipedia page view data can be used as “fossilized attention” (indicators of public interest in a topic) then you can use information extracted from page view data — like […]
Video: How to Use US Local News Search
If you’ve got two minutes and seventeen seconds to spare, I can teach you how to use the US Local News Search. Enter in a city and state and discover the TV stations which serve that city as well as the newspapers and NPR stations which serve the state. Select up to 25 sources from […]
SearchTweaks.com Updated – 16 Free Tools for Better Web Search
I learned so much overhauling WikiTwister that I immediately came up with several ideas for improving SearchTweaks, my collection of 16 web-based tools for making your web search better/easier/more interesting. After a very busy few days I have uploaded the new version and I’m delighted to share it with you. SearchTweaks is free to use […]
A 3-Minute Video on How to Use Wikipedia Seismograph
EDIT: Someone asked me if this video is on YouTube. It is, right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8XxxvQ6alY . I wanted to make sure I provided it in a format that didn’t automatically come with advertising, which is why I didn’t share that link first. I have a phobia about doing videos because I have a goofy voice […]
Expanding Wikipedia Seismograph Into a Related Concept Explorer
Before, Wikipedia Seismograph used Wikipedia page view spikes to create date-bounded Google News searches, but I added in a bunch of different APIs and functionality. Now it’s a concept-exploring machine and I’ve barely gotten started adding stuff to it.
My Dream RSS Reader is Working WAY Too Well
In late November I put together a homebrew RSS reader to address some of my challenges in trying to keep up with thousands of RSS feeds. I knew at the time that I wasn’t going to immediately get a sense of how well it worked because we were heading into the December holidays. I’d have […]
Using Google Books for Web Search: Concept Compassing
I’ve been spending my weekend playing with how Google Books could guide Web search after someone asked me about #3 in Five Ways Google Could Improve Search In 2025 That Have Nothing To Do With AI. How could Google Books make search better? I had some ideas and I applied JavaScript to them. After a few days of doodling around I’m at that point where I’ve got something that works so well I keep falling down rabbit holes playing with it. 
Five Ways Google Could Improve Search In 2025 That Have Nothing To Do With AI
You might have read that Google is planning to go hard on AI in 2025. I’m not surprised, but I am disappointed. Google doubling down on AI tech while its search results get less and less useful is frustrating. More frustrating is the fact that there are ALL KINDS of things Google could do to […]
A Reddit Search Which Offers Paths, Not a List
Recently, I’ve been following a lot of Internet culture news stories and discovered that Reddit has a lot of useful information and backstory that I’ve missed. I decided to create my own Reddit search tool, Reddit Paths. Since I had access to full search results *and* I didn’t have to pay for them, I further decided to do a little experimenting and stunting.
Looking at the Honey Scandal Via Wikipedia Seismograph
I’ve been fascinated with the Honey scandal as it’s spread around YouTube. Both the video by MegaLag that touched everything off (I urge you to go watch it unless you’ve got blood pressure problems, because it might make you pretty damn angry) and the reactions as YouTube influencers learn that they’ve been scammed (I am […]