Cassowaries Rant

Vanity searching

I did a Google for my surname and got the following interesting results:

• Google turns up 15 300 results. I have no intention to go through all of them at this time of night, so there will no doubt be stuff missing.
• There is a reference to me on the first, second and third pages. I take a break on the fourth and fifth pages, but return with two on the sixth. The first reference to my webpage is on page three, with the next on page seventeen. Contrast this with the 1 170 pages a google for tristan mcleay turns up, where you have to go to the fourth page to find one not me. Obviously I’m not very popular on the web. My older sister, Emilly, also gets a mention on the sixth and seventh.
• There is an Amerind by the name of Don Mc Leay who carves totems.
• Mc Leay Geological Consultants of Canada have, since 1976, been providing the petroleum industry with geological services.
• There is a reader in biological sciences at Waikato University named Dr Lance Mc Leay. He is probably insane, and got his PhD at Melbourne University.
• There is a lecturer in mathematics education at University of Wales, Bangor named Dr Heather Mc Leay. She is clearly insane.
• The Hon. Leo McLeay, the Labor MP from NSW, rates a mention on the second and third pages. He’s related to me.
• Also at the University of Wales, Bangor, there is a Professor Stuart Mc Leay. In the event that that page is down, here is the google cache of the page. He is in the division of financial studies there, and has held a position at La Trobe University (where I go).
• There is an 18- or 19-year-old Canadian skier by name of Dustin Mc Leay who won his first gold medal in January last year. Perhaps Kieran won’t be the only sporty Mc Leay.
• Mc Leay and Sons have been selling carpets in South Australia for four generations.
• In 1828, R. brought a case of libel against the Hon. Alexander Mc Leay, a Colonial Secretary.

That gets you up to the fourth or fifth page. I might add some more later, but don’t hold your breath.

Incidentally, the google.com.au server is located in the US, and it takes more hops to get to it than to straight google.com from my Bigpond broadband connection.