the buzz log

It was a rough week in the Buzz. Impeachment proposals, dirty laundry, contaminated foodstuffs, and thunderous skies were just a few of the stories that got people talking.

Bushwhacking
President George W. Bush suffered more legal and political setbacks this week, after the Supreme Court ruled that Guantanamo detainees had a right to "prompt habeas corpus hearings." That same day, the House sent an impeachment resolution to the Judiciary Committee. The resolution will likely die, but that didn't stop Huffington Post readers from buzzing it up. Meanwhile, Salon cartoonist Scott Bateman's comic rendering of Dennis Kucinich's charges also drew votes. "Bush impeachment" searches were more than double those for the president himself, and surged into the top 750 terms.

Midwest Floods
Unrelenting rain across the Midwest has resulted in what the National Weather Service calls a "historic hydrological event." In Cedar Rapids alone, the deluge created a 10-mile lake that engulfed 100 city blocks and threatened dams. Swamped agricultural fields have already translated into higher corn prices, inflating food and ethanol costs even further.

Tomato Scare
A recall of certain varieties of tomatoes (red plum, red Roma, and round red) due to the rare "Salmonella Saintpaul" made the tomato scare a huge story in Buzz. Updated estimate say more than 200 people suffered food poisoning. The Food and Drug Administration has cleared tomatoes from 38 states, but smaller farmers fear consumers will still stay away. Newsweek doesn't answer if locally grown tomatoes are safer, but the news magazine does explain how contamination occurs.

Also spiking in the Buzz...
•The sudden death of Tim Russert at the age of 58 catapulted the newsman into Friday's top searches. The well-respected Russert had been in the public eye beyond his "Meet the Press"  hosting role, including his time with the Valerie Plame case and his performances in the presidential debates.

•The Hogan family may be the most unlikely candidates for a Greek tragedy, but their public disintegration has mesmerized readers. A tactless jailhouse phone call to son Nick, who's imprisoned for a car accident that left his friend incapacitated, led to Hulk Hogan's explanation on "Larry King Live." Meanwhile, readers sought out details on ex-wife Linda Hogan's "cougar" relationship with 19-year-old Charlie Hill. Freaked daughter Brooke, one grade ahead of Hill in school, seeks anti-cougar inoculation.