the buzz log

If months had psychological disorders, January 2009 would either go down as manic depressive or schizophrenic. In the United States, it was in one era and out the other as a new Oval Office tenant moved in. Inauguration highs however fell to wrenching lows, as pink slips flew like New Year's Day confetti paper. People couldn't even turn to some comfort foods, due to a peanut butter recall. But at least, in one of the coldest winters in years, one man showed just doing his job was enough to be a hero. Here's a quick rundown of January Buzz, and a peek ahead to February.

Welcome, No. 44 and Family
The most searched event of this month, and one of the most closely watched occasion in recent history, was the 2009 Presidential Inauguration, which came on the heels of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Frigid climes couldn't keep an estimated 1.8 million away, and everything from the inaugural address, the oath stumble (and later do-over), and Dick Cheney in a wheelchair drew millions to television sets and the Web to watch. After a night of partying, Barack Obama got to work in short order with executive orders, calling world leaders and wooing Republicans -- who promptly voted against his stimulus package.

Unexpected Twists
Many stories took unexpected turns. As if it weren't tragic enough that John Travolta's son, Jett, died of a seizure during a family Bahamian vacation, three people tried to extort the family ... In another shocking case, Brazilian model Mariana Bridi da Costa's urinary tract infection was misdiagonosed as kidney stones, and her hands and feet were amputated before she finally died of sepsis; the death also triggered searches for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the bacteria that caused the sepsis ... Meanwhile, to add insult to salmonella, the Georgia peanut processing plant responsible for a peanut butter recall knew its food was contaminated, plus had mold and roaches ... Finally, a seemingly happy—if extravagant—octuplet birth spurred ethics discussions with reports that the single mother already had six kids, and still got fertility doctors to implant lots of embryos.

The Event of the Water Landing
Amidst seeming bedlam in politics, weather, and snacktime, one hero pilot emerged when Chesley B. Sullenberger III piloted a US Airways air bus onto the Hudson River ... and the crew and passengers emerged safe. The Web rallied around the captain, especially as his work in aviation safety emerged. For his day's work, Sullenberger got invited to the presidential inauguration, attended a rally in his California hometown, and received an Super Bowl honorable mention, along with his crew.

January 2009 Fastest Movers in Search
Search Terms with the Biggest Percentage Changes

1. Jett Travolta (off the charts.)
2. Peanut Butter Recall (off the charts.)
3. UPCAT Results 2009 (+52,476%)
4. Helena Christensen (+40,766%)
5. New 7 Wonders of Nature (+37,100%)
6. 2009 Detroit Auto Show (+31,216%.)
7. 2010 Ford Mustang Concept (+28.883)
8. Federal Tax Return (+23,981%)
9. Malia Obama (+23,880.)
10. Salmonella Symptoms (+21,924%%)

1. Britney Spears (-14%)
2. Jessica Alba (+4%)
3. Barack obama (+133%)
4. Beyonce (+95%)
5. Jessica Simpson (+62%)

Filed under: Health, Recalls, Celebrities, Aviation, Food, Monthly Wrapup, Recaps, Adult Swim, Death, Heroes, Presidents

It was Saturday night on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, and all was well. Vatican-bashing vampires stalked humanity, soul-sucking ghosts battled a mop-haired 15-year-old, and buzz was sparking all over the place.

Two Japanese anime series, "Trinity Blood" and "Bleach," made their American debuts on the late-night programming block over the weekend. Judging by Search (and belying some of the "adult" in "adult swim"), they were warmly embraced by a wide swathe of the country's teens.

"Trinity Blood," the post-apocalyptic tale of "extremist vampire factions," scored a 500% jump in Buzz. Searches for "trinity blood anime," "trinity blood characters," and, even better, "trinity blood characters vampires" sprang off the chart. Predicting its popularity with the kids—or its trouble with the grownups—the show's official site happily proclaims: "The Vatican versus vampires: Holy hell!"

Following the papal rabbble-rousers in the Adult Swim line-up, "Bleach" logged a smaller 38% rise. However, the series, which stars a teenage boy who not only sees dead people but fights them, still netted a spot in our top 800 movers. Searches on "bleach wallpaper," "bleach characters," and "bleach manga" also spiked. Impressively, so did "kurosaki ichigo," the ghost-quashing young man himself. Thankfully, he has nothing whatsoever to do with Bruce Willis.

Filed under: TV, Anime, Adult Swim