the buzz log

Lots of other pressing news piled up this week in the Buzz. Take a moment to cross out some must-reads and catch up on the afterlife, an A-list donation to save gay marriage, and how a 12-year-old took one small step toward saving the world.

Figure Out the Afterlife: Check.
Time magazine ventures to ask how researchers at the aptly named Human Consciousness Project will study "out-of-body" experiences. The study, even more aptly named project AWARE (AWAreness during REscuscitation), will have scientists interviewing approximately 1,500 heart-attack survivors about their experiences during the time they were dead.

Donated $100K to Gay Marriage: Check
Brad Pitt—LEGO figure, blogger, and humanitarian. After he and Angelina Jolie gave $2 million to an Ethiopian health center, the actor kicked over $100,000 to the campaign against Proposition 8, which seeks to overturn same-sex marriages in California. The cash chunk prompted the New York Observer to recall Pitt's conditions for his own wedded bliss.

Solve Energy Crisis Before Puberty: Check.
Buzz readers felt a little bit proud and inadequate at the same time after finding out how 12-year-old William Yuan refined a superduper solar cell. The Oregonian boy genius received a Davidson Fellow Award worth 25 grand for his research, entitled "A Highly-efficient, 3-Dimensional Nanotube Solar Cell for Visible and UV Light." (In case anyone's worried he might be bullied for his brains, Yuan has a youth black belt in tae kwon do.) Feel inspired, or green with envy? Either might motivate you to to try Treehugger's DIY tips on homemade solar panels from eBay damaged goods.

Also buzzing this week ...
 • By sending junior out of the kitchen, could you be encouraging fussy eating habits? The New York Times points out six parental food mistakes.
 • Shades of Hoovervilles: The Associated Press reports the rise of homeless encampments, or "tent cities," across the U.S.
 • "Babar the Elephant" ... imperialist propaganda? A New Yorker report on a Babar books exhibit gives a sweet family history of Babar's creators, and addresses pesky leftists who see the stories of the four-legged mammal as an "allegory of French colonization."

Filed under: Literature, Celebrities, Food, Recaps, Books, Death, Brad Pitt, Environment, Energy, Wrap Up

Leading June's fastest moving searches, newsman Tim Russert's unexpected death triggered an astonishing outpouring online. His passing was followed by comedian and cultural commentator George Carlin.

The international soccer tournament besieged Search, while Tiger Woods bogged down Internet traffic during his knee-buckling win. Meanwhile, Gina Gershon moved from entertainer to newsmaker with the stroke of one Vanity Fair article and much political buzz.

In the entertainment world, "Battlestar Galactica" paused midway in its fourth and final season, but launched hysteria over actress Katee Sackhoff. Here are the terms that attracted searches and moved fast in the month of June. 

June searchers also followed Mother Nature's rampage as she turned from Asia to the American Midwest. Look-ups surged for "iowa dot" and towns under siege like Cedar Rapids (+5,799%), Waterloo (+1,355%), Ames (+806%), and others including Burlington, Coralville, Dubuque and Waverly. The reflex to blame climate change shifted to point to modern practices of depleting wetlands and other natural protections.

Another chapter of history closed when Senator Hillary Clinton ended her campaign to be the first female president, and Senator Barack Obama continued his quest to be the first biracial Commander in Chief. Another political figure making the top 500 terms—not Republican contender John McCain, but Michelle Obama, whose image revamp included an appearance on "The View."

Filed under: Politics, Celebrities, Monthly Wrapup, Recaps, Entertainment, Death, Africa, Wrap Up

They say famous people die in threes. Sure enough, this past week, a trio of legendary figures past away. Though the departed men came from three very different fields, each man's death had a similar effect on the Buzz.

Conservative icon William F. Buckley was perhaps the most prominant of the three. Lookups on "william f. buckley essays," "who is william f. buckley," and "national review," the magazine Buckley founded, each made huge strides in Search.

Less political, though just as popular was Boyd Coddington. The car-building legend who hosted the reality show "American Hot Rod," passed away at the age of 63. Fans raced over to the Search box, redlining queries on "boyd coddington bio," "boyd coddington tv show," and, of course, "boyd coddington cars."

Finally, there's Myron Cope. The beloved ex-announcer for the Pittsburgh Steelers died at the age of 79. Naturally, folks in the Steel City were most interested in his passing, but Mr. Cope had fans from all over. Cities from Los Angeles to Miami searched on the man, as well as his lasting contribution to American culture—the Terrible Towel.

Filed under: Death, Dead Celebrities