Check Your Location Before Your Assignation
August 9, 2015 1:59 PM Subscribe
Cabin.
That isn't ominous at all.
posted by louche mustachio at 2:02 PM on August 9, 2015 [11 favorites]
That isn't ominous at all.
posted by louche mustachio at 2:02 PM on August 9, 2015 [11 favorites]
Especially not in Wisconsin. Nope.
posted by louche mustachio at 2:03 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by louche mustachio at 2:03 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
Why are people putting OIL in their dating profiles??
Or is it just a coincidence, and people in oil-rich states are really into massage and engine maintenance?
posted by EndsOfInvention at 2:04 PM on August 9, 2015 [6 favorites]
Or is it just a coincidence, and people in oil-rich states are really into massage and engine maintenance?
posted by EndsOfInvention at 2:04 PM on August 9, 2015 [6 favorites]
Wait, is NJ known for its many popular lounges? Was I Sheltered as a child?
posted by The Whelk at 2:06 PM on August 9, 2015
posted by The Whelk at 2:06 PM on August 9, 2015
What's up with MO? Zoo? Is the STL Zoo really that great?
Also, surely the most common word in dating profiles is "I." They're filtering out some candidates...
posted by axiom at 2:08 PM on August 9, 2015
Also, surely the most common word in dating profiles is "I." They're filtering out some candidates...
posted by axiom at 2:08 PM on August 9, 2015
Presumably not actually the most popular word, but the word whose popularity in that state is greatest relative to its nationwide popularity.
posted by escabeche at 2:09 PM on August 9, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by escabeche at 2:09 PM on August 9, 2015 [6 favorites]
Come lounge with me in Dirty Jersey, baby.
(shudder)
posted by kimberussell at 2:09 PM on August 9, 2015 [4 favorites]
(shudder)
posted by kimberussell at 2:09 PM on August 9, 2015 [4 favorites]
I live in a Hike state.
I really need to be living in Columbus, Georgia, on the Alabama border.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:10 PM on August 9, 2015
I really need to be living in Columbus, Georgia, on the Alabama border.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:10 PM on August 9, 2015
This is a frustrating kind of way to present data because it makes no distinction between mathematical significance and analytic or human-level significance; e.g., does "museum" appear in NY profiles just a little bit more than other words? If so, maybe the fact that it appears the most isn't actually significant to people. Also, if "museum" appears on average, I don't know, 2.8 times in any given profile, but "divorce" and "commitment" appear 2.6 and 2.5 times, respectively, then it's probably fatuous to infer that people care much more about museums than about about those things.
In other words, without knowing how these state-level verbal modes relate to the structure of speech, in which we use words at varying rates for reasons that are probably more complex than internal indices of what we care about or think about the most, this information is sort of meaningless.
posted by clockzero at 2:14 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
In other words, without knowing how these state-level verbal modes relate to the structure of speech, in which we use words at varying rates for reasons that are probably more complex than internal indices of what we care about or think about the most, this information is sort of meaningless.
posted by clockzero at 2:14 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Amusement? What a weirdly generic word.
posted by octothorpe at 2:14 PM on August 9, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by octothorpe at 2:14 PM on August 9, 2015 [4 favorites]
Is it just the tweet? Where did this come from? Which dating sites did they sample?
And yeah, the obvious thing is it's not "the" "a" or "I" over and over, so there'd have to be some sort of correction for commonly used words to find those that are much more common in some states than others.
posted by RobotHero at 2:15 PM on August 9, 2015
And yeah, the obvious thing is it's not "the" "a" or "I" over and over, so there'd have to be some sort of correction for commonly used words to find those that are much more common in some states than others.
posted by RobotHero at 2:15 PM on August 9, 2015
Sorry, maybe I should have put a disclaimer, "For Amusement value ONLY." I mean... I sort of took it as a joke, and its funny because it could be so true...
posted by WalkerWestridge at 2:20 PM on August 9, 2015
posted by WalkerWestridge at 2:20 PM on August 9, 2015
And none of them have the most frequently used word in my own dating profile ("exsanguinate").
posted by kyrademon at 2:22 PM on August 9, 2015 [20 favorites]
posted by kyrademon at 2:22 PM on August 9, 2015 [20 favorites]
Proud not to be living in the NASCAR state!
posted by oceanjesse at 2:23 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by oceanjesse at 2:23 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Museum. On account a we're CLASSY, got it? F*** the desert.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 2:32 PM on August 9, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 2:32 PM on August 9, 2015 [4 favorites]
The STL Zoo is that great; it also has free admission and is in the heart of Forest Park, which is terrific as well. Five years ago it probably would have been "City Museum".
posted by Elementary Penguin at 2:34 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Elementary Penguin at 2:34 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
Looking at the twitter account overall, it's a mixture of things that are kind of goofy (Celsius vs. Fahrenheit, Heavy Metal bands per 100,000 people, The world as New Yorkers see it) and things that I don't think you'd make up for a joke. (Where countries import the most from, Percentage of European ancestry around the World, Standard time zones)
posted by RobotHero at 2:36 PM on August 9, 2015
posted by RobotHero at 2:36 PM on August 9, 2015
2 smokes and one lobster same as in PEI.
posted by srboisvert at 2:37 PM on August 9, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by srboisvert at 2:37 PM on August 9, 2015 [4 favorites]
The ones that say 'oil', EndsofInvention, are probably single males out there working on oil fields hoping, praying, for some companionship.
posted by ZaneJ. at 2:37 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by ZaneJ. at 2:37 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
Well, I've found where it comes from. Looks like the data come from Match.com, but I'm not sure they've actually released them, just their take on them...
posted by howfar at 2:40 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by howfar at 2:40 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
I think this is the source article at Mashable: "Match.com gave us the most unique descriptive word that online daters in each state use in their profile." (Edit: Sorry, I gotta learn to preview.)
posted by bentley at 2:44 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by bentley at 2:44 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
kyrademon: "And none of them have the most frequently used word in my own dating profile ("exsanguinate")."
Are you a fan of Trent L. Strauss?
posted by wcfields at 2:59 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Are you a fan of Trent L. Strauss?
posted by wcfields at 2:59 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm kind of disappointed that none of them say "van".
posted by George_Spiggott at 3:07 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by George_Spiggott at 3:07 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
♫ Lookin for love in Ala-wrong-bama, lookin for love... ♫
posted by Sys Rq at 3:17 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Sys Rq at 3:17 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
TIL there are plenty of states I can't identify
In other words, without knowing how these state-level verbal modes relate to the structure of speech, in which we use words at varying rates for reasons that are probably more complex than internal indices of what we care about or think about the most, this information is sort of meaningless.
Oh, it's not meaningless. It's not, like, the fuckin' psychic core sample we sometimes pretend this kind of stuff is. But it's not random. The structure it depicts is definitely structure in the world, a lot of it pretty easy to interpret (e.g., "military," "oil", and "farm" trends are all driven by the major employers in those states).
posted by grobstein at 3:23 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
In other words, without knowing how these state-level verbal modes relate to the structure of speech, in which we use words at varying rates for reasons that are probably more complex than internal indices of what we care about or think about the most, this information is sort of meaningless.
Oh, it's not meaningless. It's not, like, the fuckin' psychic core sample we sometimes pretend this kind of stuff is. But it's not random. The structure it depicts is definitely structure in the world, a lot of it pretty easy to interpret (e.g., "military," "oil", and "farm" trends are all driven by the major employers in those states).
posted by grobstein at 3:23 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
I've had plenty of museum dates. I want a surf date dammit.
posted by cazoo at 3:32 PM on August 9, 2015
posted by cazoo at 3:32 PM on August 9, 2015
And none of them have the most frequently used word in my own dating profile ("exsanguinate").
That fits well with quite a few of the states on the map -- "cabin," "hunting," and "grilling" are all companion activities for the exsanginary-minded.
posted by Dip Flash at 3:46 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
That fits well with quite a few of the states on the map -- "cabin," "hunting," and "grilling" are all companion activities for the exsanginary-minded.
posted by Dip Flash at 3:46 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Is the STL Zoo really that great?
Got the St. Louis Zoo
Just as Zoo as I can be
Zookeeper's got a heart
Like monkey poo cast into the sea
Or else he would not have taken that Panda from me
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:02 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Got the St. Louis Zoo
Just as Zoo as I can be
Zookeeper's got a heart
Like monkey poo cast into the sea
Or else he would not have taken that Panda from me
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:02 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
I recently moved from Lounge to Casino.
Maybe I should have stayed put.
posted by BWA at 4:05 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Maybe I should have stayed put.
posted by BWA at 4:05 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
I split my childhood between kayak and one of the other kayaks (no, not that one).
posted by idiopath at 4:06 PM on August 9, 2015
posted by idiopath at 4:06 PM on August 9, 2015
Amusement? What a weirdly generic word.
Lots of great amusement parks in Pennsylvania. Besides Hersheypark, there's Kennywood, Knoebel's, and Idlewilde. I mean, it's not Orlando or anything, but lots of folks in the Northeast states cherish their annual PA amusement park road trips. These parks sprung up in the 20th century as solid working class entertainment for the Rust Belt population.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:14 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
Lots of great amusement parks in Pennsylvania. Besides Hersheypark, there's Kennywood, Knoebel's, and Idlewilde. I mean, it's not Orlando or anything, but lots of folks in the Northeast states cherish their annual PA amusement park road trips. These parks sprung up in the 20th century as solid working class entertainment for the Rust Belt population.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:14 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm not surprised by 'international' for DC whatsoever.
posted by codacorolla at 4:17 PM on August 9, 2015
posted by codacorolla at 4:17 PM on August 9, 2015
Both oil and casino are probably a nexus of people describing where they work. What the heck is up with Gospel though, that's the one that doesn't make any sense. And I never would have guessed bonfires for one let alone two states.
posted by Mitheral at 4:18 PM on August 9, 2015
posted by Mitheral at 4:18 PM on August 9, 2015
I was all set to be outraged by "casino" in my current state, but then realized "lookin" was an option and immediately felt better. Dating is so goddamn hard, you guys. I send platonic fist bumps to those of you still putting yourselves out there.
posted by Diagonalize at 4:19 PM on August 9, 2015
posted by Diagonalize at 4:19 PM on August 9, 2015
Cool Papa Bell: I really need to be living in Columbus, Georgia, on the Alabama border.
No, you really don't.
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:20 PM on August 9, 2015 [3 favorites]
No, you really don't.
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:20 PM on August 9, 2015 [3 favorites]
Lots of great amusement parks in Pennsylvania.
But then park would be the most cited word. (Assuming there are more solo uses of "park" than there are of "amusement." )
Oh wait, the sentence "I pour beers on Giants fan's heads for my own amusement" probably crops up a lot in SE PA profiles.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 4:26 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
But then park would be the most cited word. (Assuming there are more solo uses of "park" than there are of "amusement." )
Oh wait, the sentence "I pour beers on Giants fan's heads for my own amusement" probably crops up a lot in SE PA profiles.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 4:26 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
But.. but.. none of these are obscene! Internet, you're letting me down!
posted by davros42 at 4:38 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by davros42 at 4:38 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
But then park would be the most cited word. (Assuming there are more solo uses of "park" than there are of "amusement." )
I think they go by the most cited unique word. But I like your explanation, too!
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:40 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Second-most popular, across all states? "FUCKIN"
Hikes fuckin
Amusement fuckin
Museum fuckin
Disney fuckin
Hunt fuckin
Kayak fuckin
Farm fuckin
Lounge fuckin
You know the rest.
posted by turbid dahlia at 4:51 PM on August 9, 2015 [3 favorites]
Hikes fuckin
Amusement fuckin
Museum fuckin
Disney fuckin
Hunt fuckin
Kayak fuckin
Farm fuckin
Lounge fuckin
You know the rest.
posted by turbid dahlia at 4:51 PM on August 9, 2015 [3 favorites]
Wait, is NJ known for its many popular lounges? Was I Sheltered as a child?
Well, it is the setting for Leisure Suit Larry In the Land of the Lounge Lizards..
posted by ocschwar at 5:07 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Well, it is the setting for Leisure Suit Larry In the Land of the Lounge Lizards..
posted by ocschwar at 5:07 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
This FPP should link to the Mashable post instead, right?
posted by Joseph Gurl at 5:23 PM on August 9, 2015
posted by Joseph Gurl at 5:23 PM on August 9, 2015
Oh, Indiana...you never fail to live down to your reputation.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:37 PM on August 9, 2015
posted by Thorzdad at 5:37 PM on August 9, 2015
What's up with MO? Zoo? Is the STL Zoo really that great?
Yes. It's regularly considered second only to San Diego in the whole country, it's right in the middle of the city and it's free.
posted by saul wright at 5:53 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Yes. It's regularly considered second only to San Diego in the whole country, it's right in the middle of the city and it's free.
posted by saul wright at 5:53 PM on August 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Ontario isn't on there, so extrapolating from our neighbours, I'm assuming it would be a Bonfire Amusement Museum.
posted by Capt. Renault at 6:07 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Capt. Renault at 6:07 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
I wonder what the results broken down by gender would look like.
posted by TedW at 6:09 PM on August 9, 2015
posted by TedW at 6:09 PM on August 9, 2015
Mo-o-om! can we go to the Bonfire Amusement Museum?
posted by The Underpants Monster at 6:12 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 6:12 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
(and the Chamber of S'morrors?)
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:04 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:04 PM on August 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
I can't that believe Idaho's is Tegan and Sara
Ontario's would be 'canoe'
posted by Flashman at 7:14 PM on August 9, 2015
Ontario's would be 'canoe'
posted by Flashman at 7:14 PM on August 9, 2015
Museum? That better be Corning glass, because otherwise NYC is messing with our statistics again. We really need to make The City its own state already.
posted by yeolcoatl at 7:35 PM on August 9, 2015
posted by yeolcoatl at 7:35 PM on August 9, 2015
What the heck is up with Gospel though, that's the one that doesn't make any sense.
Yeah, Delaware should be like, "speed traps." Or "bylaws" or some shit.
posted by grobstein at 8:25 PM on August 9, 2015
Yeah, Delaware should be like, "speed traps." Or "bylaws" or some shit.
posted by grobstein at 8:25 PM on August 9, 2015
I've had plenty of museum dates. I want a surf date dammit.
Shall we switch? I've had plenty of surf dates, and never a museum date.
posted by kanewai at 8:55 PM on August 9, 2015
Shall we switch? I've had plenty of surf dates, and never a museum date.
posted by kanewai at 8:55 PM on August 9, 2015
This is a frustrating kind of way to present data because it makes no distinction between mathematical significance and analytic or human-level significance; e.g., does "museum" appear in NY profiles just a little bit more than other words?
Word rank distributions are usually Zipfian, meaning there's an exponential drop off in usage as you move down the rankings. So it wouldn't be unreasonable to just scan down the ranked words in each state until you find the first word which is unusual. (And then you get to define 'unusual'. Maybe it's a word that doesn't appear at a higher ranking in at least K other states...)
posted by kaibutsu at 10:25 PM on August 9, 2015
Word rank distributions are usually Zipfian, meaning there's an exponential drop off in usage as you move down the rankings. So it wouldn't be unreasonable to just scan down the ranked words in each state until you find the first word which is unusual. (And then you get to define 'unusual'. Maybe it's a word that doesn't appear at a higher ranking in at least K other states...)
posted by kaibutsu at 10:25 PM on August 9, 2015
I laughed when I saw HIKES for Washington. If you wanted to make a generic Washington dating profile it'd be something like:
"I love to laugh and also to go out with my friends or stay in. I spend weekends doing hiking or kayaking or yoga."
*pictures of them standing on a rock in the middle of nowhere, doing That Fucking Yoga Pose on the beach somewhere, drinking from a wine glass*
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 12:02 AM on August 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
"I love to laugh and also to go out with my friends or stay in. I spend weekends doing hiking or kayaking or yoga."
*pictures of them standing on a rock in the middle of nowhere, doing That Fucking Yoga Pose on the beach somewhere, drinking from a wine glass*
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 12:02 AM on August 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
The ones that say 'oil', EndsofInvention, are probably single males out there working on oil fields hoping, praying, for some companionship.
What are your favourite hobbies?
I like drilling for oil and, OH GOD THE WELL'S BLOWN! THERE'S OIL EVERYWHERE!!
What sort of person are you looking for?
I'M COVERED IN OIL! SEND HELP! SO MUCH OIL
Do you want children?
OIL
posted by EndsOfInvention at 2:43 AM on August 10, 2015 [11 favorites]
What are your favourite hobbies?
I like drilling for oil and, OH GOD THE WELL'S BLOWN! THERE'S OIL EVERYWHERE!!
What sort of person are you looking for?
I'M COVERED IN OIL! SEND HELP! SO MUCH OIL
Do you want children?
OIL
posted by EndsOfInvention at 2:43 AM on August 10, 2015 [11 favorites]
Well East coast girls are hip
I really dig their chic loungewear
And the Southern girls with the way they grill
They fill me up when I'm down there
The Mid-West farmer's daughters
Really make you feel alright
And the Northern girls with the way they hunt
They keep me on the run all night
I wish they all could be California girls
The West coast has the hiking
And the girls all climb big rocks
I dig a French bikini on Hawaii island
They like to surf - now there's a shock
Now, the New York girls, they like to go
Look at old stuff under glass,
Colorado girls slide around in snow
Till you fall and bust your ass.
I wish they all could be California girls
A girl from Texas is a yellow rose
She'll oil you up and check your brakes,
And New England gals'll lose you in the woods
Before they dump you in the lake.
Now I've seen all kinds of girls, it's true
'Cause I've been all 'round this land
Yeah, but I couldn't wait to get back to my state
Back to the girls who like the sand
I wish they all could be California girls
posted by The Underpants Monster at 10:51 AM on August 10, 2015 [6 favorites]
I really dig their chic loungewear
And the Southern girls with the way they grill
They fill me up when I'm down there
The Mid-West farmer's daughters
Really make you feel alright
And the Northern girls with the way they hunt
They keep me on the run all night
I wish they all could be California girls
The West coast has the hiking
And the girls all climb big rocks
I dig a French bikini on Hawaii island
They like to surf - now there's a shock
Now, the New York girls, they like to go
Look at old stuff under glass,
Colorado girls slide around in snow
Till you fall and bust your ass.
I wish they all could be California girls
A girl from Texas is a yellow rose
She'll oil you up and check your brakes,
And New England gals'll lose you in the woods
Before they dump you in the lake.
Now I've seen all kinds of girls, it's true
'Cause I've been all 'round this land
Yeah, but I couldn't wait to get back to my state
Back to the girls who like the sand
I wish they all could be California girls
posted by The Underpants Monster at 10:51 AM on August 10, 2015 [6 favorites]
I came here expecting "assignation" to be on the map.
posted by changoperezoso at 12:40 PM on August 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by changoperezoso at 12:40 PM on August 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
« Older Ferguson Remembers | Their mission is far from over. Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by clavdivs at 2:02 PM on August 9, 2015