the buzz log
Service En Espanol
Just when you thought the Obama administration had exhausted every possible idea for a government website, there's one more. And it's in Spanish. Say "hola" to servir.gov, the Spanish-language version of the volunteer website serve.gov.
You may remember that Michelle Obama helped kick off the volunteering website for a summer of service just a few short months ago. The idea is that there are enough local needs out there that one or two could tempt a budding volunteer to point, click, and serve.
The site has grown considerably since it launched. There are now 250,000 volunteer opportunities. With unemployment numbers looking bleak, volunteering could be good way to help out the community and fatten that resume.
With Michelle Obama set to plug the new Spanish version of the website in a video during the ABC ALMA awards, searches on "serve.gov" have shot up.
The new site in Spanish opens up an entirely new audience of potential volunteers. Muy bien.
Filed under: Government
Your Mileage May Vary, and Other Clunker Bumps
The Cash for Clunkers swap is underway, making auto recyclers "leery" and aggravating some clunker would-be buyers. At least dealers should be happy.
The federal program began with the greenest of intentions. Critics, including the original senators who proposed the idea, have decried the stripped-down version that got approved. Scrap dealers, for their part, don't find much sense in the requirement to destroy perfectly good engines. (That's to prevent scammers from returning clunkers to the road.)
And, in a classic case of the left hand slapping down the right hand, the Environmental Protection Agency's last-minute changes of vehicles' fuel economy got the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's project off to a clunky July 24 start. People have been tracking the fine print ("cash for clunkers details”) to see if their ol’ jalopy qualifies, but those ready to dump their formerly eligible cars are experiencing some roadster rage.
Overall, however, consumers have hankered after this program since March (when "cash for clunker" searches started taking off on Yahoo!). Not surprisingly, searches for many types of models are up.
With only a billion to spare for this program, which automakers will clear their lots first? This Search ranking from the past 7 days might give some clues:
1. Chrysler Cash for Clunkers
2. Ford Cash for Clunkers
3. GM Cash for Clunkers
4. Dodge Cash for Clunkers
5. Toyota Cash for Clunkers
True, the above queries could mean, for instance, that people want to unload their Chryslers, but drivers may also be warming to the manufacturer's double incentive (additional $3500-$4500 rebates or zero percent financing on top of the federal moneys). Savvy consumers know about the “double cash for clunkers.”
Incidentally, Ford’s second-place status could be recognition for its independent nature: A Rasmussen poll said buyers respect Ford for abstaining from any bailout money, and 46% claimed they’d shop there over GM and Chrysler.
As for what cars might be on the roads in the next few weeks, some models zooming through the Search box:
Most Searched Model: Honda Civic
A Few of the Fastest Moving Models: 2009 Ford Focus, Chrysler Jeep, 2010 Dodge Charger, 2010 Honda Insight
Leading Hybrids: Ford Escape Hybrid, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Honda Civic Hybrid
Filed under: Autos, Finance, Government
You've Been Served: A Summer of Service Awaits
So, what are you planning to do this summer? Watch re-runs? Catch up on your gaming? We thought so. And guess what: Your government is on to you. Which is probably why Michelle Obama is behind the launch of a summer service project. You can find all the details on the government's new website, serve.gov.
The first lady kicked off a summertime initiative for local DIY service projects that you, yes, you, can start up or join in. The site is powered by organizations as diverse as UCLA, Huffington Post, and All For Good, which worked together to create a "craigslist for service."
The idea is that there are enough volunteer options in your area that one or two could tempt you to point, click, and serve. Or, if you're inspired to start your own volunteer effort, the site helps connect you to resources to get going on your idea. Searches on "serve.gov" immediately surged on the news.
The timing of the project seems remarkably in tune with the gloomy economic outlook, especially for college grads who face a tight job market. Heck, think of volunteering as a viable fall-back position. OK, so the pay is nill, but at least you'll feel good building a playground or cleaning up the neighborhood.
And admit it, you've seen those re-runs too many times anyway.
Filed under: Government
Going Up: Price of First-Class Stamp
Procrastinators, take note. Neither rain nor snow will stop the post office from raising its stamp price on Monday, May 11 by an extra two cents, giving the first-class stamp a hefty 44-cent price tag. (The post office estimates this price increase will cost the average family an extra $3 a year.)
At least the USPS had the class to wait until after Mother's Day (ahem, this Sunday) for people to send out their cards before jacking up the price of first-class mail. (Though the post office reviews, and usually increases, postage price every year around now.)
And while there's no stopping the march toward the new higher rate, you can at least keep the price of a stamp at its relatively lower rate of 42 cents by running out to snap up "Forever" stamps. Those stamps have no denomination printed on them, so they're honored, well, 'til the end of time—as long as you use them on one-ounce letters. But should you wait until Monday to purchase your Forever stamps, they'll be at the new rate of 44 cents.
Don't say we didn't warn you.
Filed under: Government
USS Freedom: Quicker, High-Tech and Pirate-Proofed
Pirates, quiver in your skiffs. Put down your rocket launchers and run. The USS Freedom has just landed. Or launched. Whatever, just be afraid.
The high-seas bandits' advantage had long been in their nimbleness in a huge ocean. Now, however, the United States Navy is touting the USS Freedom, the lead mothership in its class of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS, and littoral means coastal).
Specifically designed for the "Global War on Terrorism," the 378-foot craft aims at pirates and oh so much more. According to a fact sheet, Freedom can also defy "asymmetric 'anti-access threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface crafts." So seafaring villains thinking of trading in the crafts for submersible diesels, forget about it.
The rip-roaring Freedom has been called the Navy's corvette, but it runs on Rolls-Royce MT turbines, as pictured here. Other Freedom factoids:
- 3,000 tons
- 45 knots (52 mph)
- Staffs smaller crews (Blue and Gold crews, 40 members each)
- Has a helicopter launch pad
- Feels like a submarine.
- Can discharge manned or unmanned boats attached to its sides. Yeah, kind of like Transformers...but not really.
- Packs Raytheon RAM missiles, guns, and decoy launching systems
Its success isn't just the boat itself, but a faster shipbuilding process (by about half) and lower materials cost. That may have helped stave off 300 planned or considered layoffs for Marinette Marine: The shipyard that built Freedom received a contract for a second LCS ship.
When it's not cruising around Somalia or any other dangerous waters, USS Freedom will be hanging in San Diego. So beware, beach bums... Dude, don't even think about boarding without an invite.
Filed under: Military, Government
top movers
| Rank | Subject | 1-Day Move |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nidal Malik Hasan | Breakout! |
| 2 | Fort Hood Shooting | Breakout! |
| 3 | Tyrannosaurus Rex | Breakout! |
| 4 | Fort Hood | 43518% |
| 5 | Tropical Storm Ida | 4377% |
| 6 | Willie Aames | 3325% |
| 7 | Shannon Dedrick | 3299% |
| 8 | Gretchen Rossi | 2702% |
| 9 | Epic Mickey | 2583% |
| 10 | Lee Harvey Oswald | 1907% |
top leaders
| Rank | Subject | Move | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danica Patrick | +194 | 207 |
| 2 | Fort Hood | +185 | 185 |
| 3 | Angelina Jolie | +114 | 164 |
| 4 | Rihanna | +39 | 157 |
| 5 | New York Yankees | +54 | 154 |
| 6 | Alicia Keys | +139 | 153 |
| 7 | +1 | 153 | |
| 8 | NFL | +6 | 138 |
what's the buzz?
A subject's buzz score is the percentage of Yahoo! users searching for that subject on a given day, multiplied by a constant to make the number easier to read. Weekly leaders are the subjects with the greatest average buzz score for a given week.
For more detailed information, visit our FAQ.