the buzz log

What does the future hold?

Well, some searchers aren't willing to wait. During the transition period from 2008 to 2009, people have already been doing some advance scouting to prepare for the year ahead. Tradition still prevails, with lookups for next year's calendar leading the "2009" queries, especially regarding holidays. The occasion popping up the most is Chinese New Year; based on the lunar calendar, the Year of the Ox will actually come relatively soon on the Gregorian date of January 26—so if any resolutions have already failed, jump-start them then.

The automobile industry may be stuck in a rut, but shiny new four-wheeled toys still elicited dreams in "2009" queries this past week. Among them, the Audi A4 sedan, which has been redesigned and given what WSJ calls a more "aggressive" look. Rowr! Also, score two for an American automaker: revivals of the Camaro and the Dodge Challenger muscle cars, the latter deemed "impractical," "aggravating," and "fun to drive." Yep, sounds like an American car.

On the news front, the inauguration will unfold a new chapter in historic presidential terms. Impatient searchers clearly agree on what should be at the top of Obama's to-do list: a stimulus package, with maybe some new checks in the mail for voters. In other economic-related searches, members of the armed forces are reviewing the latest pay charts and basic allowances for housing (BAH).

After a mind-altering, stomach-churning, soul-searching 2008, it's doubtless that many of us are looking forward (albeit with trepidation) to next year. That means checking the horoscope: According to one Year of the Ox prediction, markets will recover, the world will unite in the latter half of the year, and Barack Obama will enter a "peak luck cycle." Whether it's good for him to peak that soon, we'll soon see. 

Peruse the top 2009 searches in the past 7 days (below). What are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comment area below.

1. 2009 Calendar , lifestyle
2. 2009 NFL Mock Draft, sports
3. 2009 Audi A4, autos
4. Super Bowl 2009, sports
5. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009, games
6. Presidential Inauguration 2009, government
7. Honda City 2009, autos
8. 2009 Pro Bowl, sports
9. 2009 Horoscope, lifestyle
10. Chinese New Year 2009, holidays
11. Easter 2009, holidays
12. 2009 Military Pay Chart, economics
13. Antivirus 2009, tech
14. 2009 BAH Rates, economics
15. 2009 Camaro, autos
16. 2009 Stimulus Check, economics
17. Transformers 2 Movie 2009, entertainment
18. 2009 Dodge Challenger, autos
19. Mardi Gras 2009, holidays
20. 2009 Year of the Ox Predictions, holidays

Filed under: Sports, Politics, Autos, Astrology, Calendars

Dear Pisces,

We know you're sensitive and blessed with mercurial emotions, so forgive us if our birthday greeting offends. We cherish our piscean friends and loved ones, even though you always seem a little depressed, a tiny bit paranoid, and can't make a decision to save your life. Really, we do.

We know you're big dreamers. You boast the likes of Albert Einstein, Dr. Seuss, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning among your brothers and sisters—clearly imagination is your forté. So we hope all your wishes come true this year. Our own humble gift to you is a list of the top 10 "pisces" searches...

And because we know many pisceans are interested in (obsessed with?) love, here are the top searches for Pisces paired with other signs of the Zodiac.

Filed under: Astrology

Perhaps it's the new year or the constant stream of "truthiness" from our elected leaders, but searchers are on the hunt for their fortunes. Buzz on "palm readings" spiked yesterday, and interest in "predictions" and "nostradamus predictions" swept upward in the past month.

It doesn't stop with palmistry either. Demand for such alleged mystical authorities as "tarot," "i ching," "kabbalah," and, steady your hand, "ouija board" also rose. Meanwhile, "numerology" counted a 10% rise yesterday, and "horoscopes," the warhorse of the predictions racket, continues to hold its own in our top 125 searches.

It wouldn't be the Web without this parade of tea-leaf readers, snake charmers, and astral projectionists ready to pocket your change and predict your future. But in our book, nothing compares to the psychics. And the astounding number of queries seeking cheap celebrity clairvoyants deserves a moment of its own. Think we're kidding? Check out the top otherworldly connections your friends and neighbors searched for this past week. John Edward, eat your heart out.

Filed under: Astrology, Psychics, Mysticism