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

It's a date that only comes 'round once every hundred years, so we braved the fire and brimstone to take a closer look at all the online interest in 6/6/06. Searches on the date are burning up, but we're not sure if it's because people are afraid of impending Armageddon or just amused by how the numbers line up.

Well, a handful of doom-and-gloomers looked for "will the world end on 666" and "666 end of the world." However, many more people played it straight, searching on just the number "666," dialing the number of the beast up 94% over the last week. Other 666 searches scorching the Buzz lately include "666 satan," "666 number of the beast," and "meaning of 666."

The man to blame for all of these apocalyptic concerns? None other than Satan himself! Searches on Lucifer jumped 20% yesterday as folks sought info on the scapegoat for the world's woes. Other Satanic queries heating up the Buzz recently included: "church of satan," "satanic symbols," and "satanic cults." We just hope Ol' Scratch is too busy downstairs recording backward messages on his dusty collection of Judas Priest albums to take note of the date.

Filed under: Calendars, Devil