the buzz log

Ever get that sinking feeling, say, two football fields long? That pretty much encapsulates the week of news that was in Buzz.

Another Cyclone?
The tragedy of the Myanmar cyclone hit on many levels: its potential avoidability, its actual devastation, and rejected assistance. Days before the military junta's impending referendum, 120-mph winds tore open what critics called the country's despotic and ineffective governance. Any natural disaster these days also brings up global-warming issues, which USA Today pursued, although one scientist pointed out that removing "protective vegetation" is the bigger environmental mistake. The long-suffering country may have more to fear this monsoon season. Even in such horror, however, the citizens of Myanmar may see divine intervention for change.

Another Child?
An Arkansas woman who has already conceivably gone more than 11 years without seeing her feet is pregnant again. Michelle Duggar will determinedly push out child number 18 on New Year's Day. The Discovery Health cable network has returned to film the run-up to the Duggar family's latest addition. And Barack Obama thinks it's a big deal to pick up nine more superdelegates.

Another Tax Return?
Cindy McCain has gained in public scrutiny and Search curiosity, as her husband, John, prepares to represent his party in the presidential race. Her refusal to release her tax returns, which she files separately, has already added the odd "cindy mccain beer" query to the usual ones posed about her age, biography, and wedding. (The beer relates to her shares in a Phoenix beer distributorship.)

Also spiking in Buzz this week...
• Blogs continued to embrace an ESPN story of good "sportsgirlship" in the NCAA softball playoffs. Searchers followed up on one Sara Tucholsky (+109%), who tore a knee ligament before she could finish her first and only career home run. However, it was home run queen and opposing team member Mallory Holtman who got a 21,492% boost in searches for helping to carry Tucholsky around the bases, so she could savor her victory.

• Of all the breathless stories swirling around the union of Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon, NY Mag's Daily Intel reassured rumormongers that the couple's "breakneck" courtship didn't dint Mariah's biz savvy. Carey required a prenup. Just like the McCains.

• "Harold and Kumar" aside, teens and marijuana can become lethal mix, especially when depression is added to the mix, according to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Filed under: Weddings, Politics, Pregnancy, Disaster, Recaps, Week in Review

There's a man in Oregon who's eating for two. Thomas Beattie, a transgender male, lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife, Nancy. When Beattie went through the process of becoming a man, he kept his female reproductive parts. Now, he's pregnant with the couple's baby—and Buzz is aglow with the news.

On Monday, a Boing Boing post on the story surfaced in Buzz. It quotes Beattie and offers a photo of him with what looks like an expectant (and hairy) belly. Today, The Huffington Post covered the fertile tale. The author, Verena von Pfetten, linked to other instances of male pregnancy. "Think this is strange?" she queried, "Think again." It turns out seahorses do it all the time.

Finally, ABC emerged with an article. The piece investigates the story, interviews Thomas Beattie's surprised neighbors, and confirms that, yes, Virginia, this is possible.

All this topsy turvy procreation has sparked the interest of searchers. Yesterday, we logged spikes in "pregnant man" and "oregon man pregnant." Frankly, that's enough for us. We don't need to see "man morning sickness" or "oregon man stretch marks," thank you for much. The baby is due in July. Congratultions, Thomas!

Filed under: Pregnancy