The Paris Hilton zeitgeist

Backpackers often wax boring about how living in a country allows one to tune your mindset to the local one. Understanding the whims and fancies of the people and gaining understanding of the culture. For me the easiest way to do this is to scan Google’s statistics page which can tell you the most popular search terms by country, and by time. I don't have to polute the air by using a plane and I thankfully don't have to talk to foreigners. The most current international statistics (November 2005) give insight into what foreigners like. Many seem to like the same thing – Paris Hilton.

She comes fourth for the horny Aussies, who’s top 15 also includes Jessica Alba, Hilary Duff, and Michellle leslie (yes they predominantly typed three l’s – idiots). There must be something in the air down under, as she only drops a place to fifth for the Kiwi’s. Paris in Poland is also fifth, beating the indigenous blondie Suknie Ślubne by two places. She’s Germany’s highest search for an individual at sixth although one suspects that they’re actually searching for a Hotel in France. Dropping another place in Sweden she at least beats Britney. As the eighth highest search term here in the UK, beating our very own abortion of a celebrity Katie Price. In fact us Brits were more concerned with the Mayo Clinic Diet (our #1) - probably cause we are all fatties. Importantly though, France doesn’t give a fuck about Paris, and if you were to go there you would understand why.