the buzz log

File this under the Halloween Tricks or Treats: Once again, three politicians made the top 10 most searched personalities this month. Considering all the campaign spending and debating and "Saturday Night Live"-ing they had to do, they deserve it.  Ponder also how the Dow proved manic-depressive and baseball pitted underdog against underdog, in this overview of October searches on Yahoo!.

Debates, Infomercials, and Plumbing Issues
When a political candidate calls his own 30-minute ad an infomercial, you know we're near the end of the slog. October politicking, however, started with a long-awaited meeting of the minds—okay, a rubbernecking event to see which political vice presidential pick would implode first. More bickering followed, in which one name stood above all: Joe the Plumber. The media lavished attention on the undecided, but searches surged for "early voting," "absentee ballots," local polling locales, and last-minute registration.

Losing Interest
Bailouts turned into multiple rescue plans this month, as the U.S. government made an unprecedented move to inject cash into banks. A benumbed public had the energy to summon up one more burst of outrage against AIG's spa retreat, and triggered the beleaguered company's profile to leap 656% into the top 300 searches. Meanwhile, the Dow whipsawed historic turnabouts. The Fed cut the interest rate to 1%, but at least one blogger is zeroing in on nothing.

Willies Over the Phillies
What a game, watching the Chicago Cubs go against the defending Red Sox champions, in a match that... excuse me, what? Um, so this season's performance will be brought to you by the understudies. The boys from Philadelphia and Tampa played a nice, albeit lopsided game. Blame it on the rain, but the series made trivia as the lowest-rated in history. Online nostalgia meanwhile pumped up for series 1906 and 1956.

October 2008 Fastest Movers in Search
Search Terms with the Biggest Percentage Changes

1. If I Were a Boy (+67,708%. Beyonce takes on gender issues in her newest single.)
2. Sophie Okonedo (+441,537%. The Oscar-nominated actress opened in "The Secret Life of Bees.")
3. Early Voting Locations (+41,706%. See above.)
4. Kristin Scott Thomas (+39,463%. The actress got critics' tongues wagging with her prison take in the French release "I've Loved You So Long")
5. 2008 World Series Schedule (+535,864%. See above)
6. Howard Stern Wedding (+26,706%. The radio show host exchanged rings with galpal at a New York restaurant)
7. Pumpkin Seed Recipe (+22,437%. Halloween hysteria monopolized searches this month, as did gourd recipes.)
8. Bernard Hopkins (+19,125%. Another scrappy Philly, "The Executioner" proved 43 can still be tough when he schooled 26-year-old Kelly Pavlik.)
9. Pumpkin Designs (+18,166%. Even Jack-O'-Lanterns went political this season.)
10. California Fires (+18,111%%. The annual Santa Ana winds spread wildfires in southern California.)

October 2008 Top 10 Personalities
People with the Most Searches Overall

1. Sarah Palin (+13,527%)
2. Britney Spears (-20%)
3. Obama (+42%)
4. Jennifer Hudson (+448%)
5. Miley Cyrus (-40%)
6. Gina Carano (+112%)
7. Angelina Jolie (+84%)
8. Jessica Alba (+8%)
9. Kim Kardashian (-2%)
10. John McCain (+8%)

Filed under: Politics, Boxing, Monthly Wrapup, Baseball, Elections, Presidents, Wrap Up, World Series

George Steinbrenner appeared in Yankee Stadium yesterday to an ovation from the All-Star crowd and a warm embrace from the old-timers on the field.

The cameo was brief, and the big guy wore his shades the whole time. But where Steinbrenner goes, buzz is sure to follow—and last night was no different.

In articles that climbed the Buzz charts, the New York Post described the Yankee owner's "weepy cameo" while The New York Times painted a picture filled with "hugs, kisses." Both papers commented on the 78-year-old's advanced years and his ailing health. They weren't the only ones who noticed.

After the pre-game ceremonies, searchers turned to the Web for more on the baseball executive's physical state. Demand for "george steinbrenner health" and "george steinbrenner health rumors" both surged.

After that, thoughts turned to new developments for the Bronx Bombers—both "yankee stadium" and "new yankee stadium" posted gains at the Search box. Somehow, we think The Boss might like that.

Filed under: Baseball

Already a fast food folk hero, Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury bashed the Buzz this weekend after helping his team win the World Series. It was Ellsbury's stolen base in Game 2 of the Series that earned every person in America a free taco, and his thievery led to big spikes for the cheesy chain. Searches on "taco bell," "taco bell locations," and "taco bell free taco" are still sizzling in Search thanks to Ellsbury's basepath derring-do.

In games three and four of the Series, the young Sox star busted out his bat and etched his name into postseason lore. The 24-year-old rookie played like a seasoned vet and scored with folks curious about his backstory. Searches on the speedy outfielder jumped 160% after the Red Sox clinched the crown. Female fans are curious about his love life. We weren't able to track down any hard evidence of a lady friend, but undaunted searchers looked for "jacoby ellsbury girlfriend."

Red Sox Nation's cult hero of 2007 also owns another unique claim to fame. He's the first person of Navajo descent to play in the majors, and his heritage led to queries on "jacoby ellsbury navajo" and "jacoby ellsbury bio."

And with searches on "jacoby ellsbury shirtless" and "jacoby ellsbury jersey" on the rise, we can tell that the man who earned tacos for a nation has also earned a permanent spot in the hearts of searchers.

Filed under: Sports, Baseball, MLB, Baseball Players