what can one search tell us?
all the topics we look for are below. most of the lights are off: a single search contributes only a small, randomized slice of this vocabulary. five attributes are considered for each search: the closest match and four chosen at random. each is checked against the search, then independently randomized before anything is counted. matching attributes survive 65% of the time; nonmatching attributes survive 25% of the time. only survivors are counted, and the preimage is discarded. even the closest match can disappear.
live searches are checked locally using keyword rules and common synonyms. no external classifier receives your search. the illustration below uses examples with one matching attribute.
- coffee
- tea
- breakfast
- lunch
- dinner
- bakery
- groceries
- takeout
- vegetarian food
- food trucks
- shared meals
- clothing
- shoes
- household goods
- hardware
- electronics
- books
- gifts
- secondhand goods
- locally made goods
- repair services
- recycling drop-off
- recycling pickup
- electronics recycling
- battery recycling
- glass recycling
- composting
- bulky-item disposal
- hazardous-waste disposal
- donation
- reuse
- public transit
- walking
- bicycling
- rideshare/taxi
- parking
- airport transportation
- intercity travel
- vehicle rental
- EV charging
- vehicle repair
- hotels
- short stays
- camping
- visitor information
- luggage storage
- public restrooms
- showers
- laundry
- drinking-water refill
- places to sit
one slice looks like noise. a bale has shape.
each thin strip represents a slice taken from a search. use the slider to stack more slices and watch for a vertical density to emerge.
scrub through 1 → 10 → 100 → 500 → 2,300 slices.
example slices consider one matching topic and four random attributes, then independently include each with probability 65% if true or 25% if false. these results are generated from example data, this chart does not display live searches.