the buzz log

The sun hid from view for much of Asia, a pop king's memorial brought out mourners, and a misdemeanor ended with a White House beer bash. Below, a look at July's searches and buzzy stories.

Spaced Out
Darkness descended for about six minutes across much of Asia, as a rare solar eclipse brought out revelers and drove the superstitious indoors. The U.S. missed out on the fun, but celebrated the moon walk's 40th anniversary instead.

Dearly Departed
All things Michael Jackson continued to reverberate through the Web, from the memorial to the will, to the latest raid on the attending physician. Mourners also honored Walter Cronkite, whose death recalled a media heyday, and two sports figures—footballer Steve McNair and boxer Arturo Gatti—who died too soon. 

Crime Watch
Sonia Sotomayor applied for her Supreme Court Justice robes this month, but violations of rights occupied the Search docket. Henry Louis Gates became known beyond academic circles after a Cambridge police office arrested the Harvard scholar at his home. The local issue turned national after Obama weighed in, but a peace of sorts was brokered with a White House beer bash. No suds for Erin Andrews: A video shot through a peephole of the ESPN broadcaster, taped unawares, went viral. News outlets who posted screen grabs of the illegal video spurred accusations of hypocrisy all around. There was some justice: People who tried to download the video may have got a virus.

Other big buzzers
Cash for Clunkers translated to a lot of firm handshakes in dealer showrooms ... Sarah Palin handed over her gubernatorial duties to the runner-up... Lance Armstrong did pretty well, but Alberto Contador is Tour de France's indisputed champ... and now for the top 10 lists