google search completion as a window to the collective mind
Web search result counts are interesting in that they can show you how many sites contain a certain phrase. They can be combined to give revealing measures about mind share (Einstein vs Kardashian), which can even be tracked over time and space, to teach us much about the world around us and human culture in particular. SEO manipulations aside, it allows us to quantify what information is being sent, and there is something to be learned from that.
Also see: http://xkcd.com/715/
Web search completion allows us to type less, but also offers some interesting insights into the paths most travelled. It allows us to see what information others need. This, of course, is tied to what is important to people in every day life. It is a window into our collective soul, wrinkles, pests, and all.
Slight rephrasing of the search query gives us a larger sample, allows us to see how variation in need is tied to phrasing. This, it turns out, is often unexpected, poignant, and funny.
Also see: http://xkcd.com/1256/