the buzz log
Barney, Gina, and Octomom: Buzz Week in Review
Forget about money and love — if you ask us, conflict is what makes the world go 'round. And if it seemed like the earth was spinning a little faster than normal this week, there's a reason: There were fights, squabbles, and disagreements all over the Web. Put up your dukes — it's the Buzz Week in Review.
Barney Frank has a question
Congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts (D) engaged in a town hall meeting on health care this week. Not surprisingly, the meeting had its share of contentious moments. The most memorable occurred when a woman asked Rep. Frank why he supports health care reform, referring to it as a Nazi policy. An exasperated Frank responded, "On what planet do you spend most of your time?" The exchange caused a ruckus in the Search box — lookups on "barney frank town hall" and "barney frank meeting" both surged. Jon Stewart also chimed in with his take, complete with an inspired list of "yo mama" jokes.
And down goes Carano
It was a highly anticipated and hugely hyped fight, but it didn't last as long as people hoped. Gina Carano, the popular female star of the MMA circuit lost in the first round to Cris "Cyborg" Santos. The battle still caused no small amount of buzz. Searches on Ms. Carano surged an incredible 2,341%, far exceeding the level of interest in her victorious rival. Numerous recaps of the fight scored as well, including this piece from Sports Illustrated on the various winners and losers from a night full of fights. Oh, and by the way, Carano earned $125,000 despite the lopsided loss. Cyborg pocketed just $25,000.
Octomom speaks, world shrugs
You would think Nadya Suleman and Kate Gosselin might be good friends. After all they've both been through similar ordeals. But that ain't the case. This week, Octomom (that's Nadya) called out Ms. Gosslin, saying that Kate's body can't compare with her own. Daaaaang! Naturally, the premptive dis moved the search needle. Queries on "octomom vs kate" and "octomom rips kate gosslin" both screamed like a crabby toddler. The rip was heard on Octomom's Fox documentary. Surprisingly (or not, depending on your level of Octomom overload), it was one of the few moments folks found interesting. Overall, the program wasn't a "ratings behemoth."
Also buzzing this week...
• NFL star Plaxico Burress was sentenced to two years in prison.
• Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" opened to strong reviews.
• Michael Jackson's burial date was changed yet again.
Filed under: Recaps, Week in Review, Wrap Up
Squeaky, Mona Lisa, and MPGs: Buzz Week in Review
Another busy week in the Buzz. An infamous prisoner was released, the world's most famous painting was attacked, and an impressive MPG claim was challenged. Come one, come all — it's the Buzz Week in Review.
Squeaky Fromme released
One of the most infamous criminals in the country finally left prison this week. Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme was released after more than three decades behind bars. Her notoriety stemmed from her association with the Manson family and her attempted assassination of President Gerald Ford in September, 1975. During the trial she was memorably carried into court after refusing to walk. News of her freedom pushed searches on Ms. Fromme up an astounding 1,435%. Also posting big gains: "manson family members," "president ford assassination," and "squeaky fromme pictures." As for the nickname, she apparently earned it due to her high-pitched voice.
Mona Lisa attacked
OK, so maybe the Mona Lisa is a little overrated, but that doesn't mean you have to throw things at it. In a fit of rage, a Russian tourist tossed a cup at the Louvre's most famous resident. Fortunately the attack was unsuccessful — the painting is protected by a bullet proof shield that could withstand a lot worse than fine china. In the aftermath, folks sought out information on why Leonardo da Vinci's work was attacked. According to CNN, the woman, who suffers from mental health issues, was upset that she'd been denied French citizenship. Searches on "mona lisa attacked" and "cup thrown at mona lisa" both surged, as well as "mona lisa stolen," a reference to a famous heist that went down in 1911.
230 MPG? Really?
The soon-to-be-released Chevy Volt caused a huge stir this week when it was revealed that the electric car will get an astounding 230 miles per gallon. But are those numbers really accurate? In a popular article, U.S. News and World Report outlined the questions surrounding the claim. Bottom line, according to U.S. News: "Your mileage... will vary greatly based on how far you drive." The car's battery-only range is about 40 miles. So, if you commute 40 miles or less per day, you "could expect an infinite number of miles per gallon." However, if you drive more than 40 miles per day, expect a number that's substantially smaller than infinity.
Also buzzing this week...
• "District 9" opened to rave reviews. Eat your heart out, "G.I. Joe."
• Hillary Clinton snapped at a student, who asked her what Bill would do.
• Madden 2010 hit store shelves. Girlfriends, you have been warned.
Filed under: Recaps, Week in Review, Wrap Up
Birthers, the Butterfly, and Airbrushing: Buzz Week in Review
Public humiliation. It's no fun. But hey, some would say: You put yourself out there, expect what's coming. This week: A major talk-show host gets taken down on his own turf. A swimmer gets his golden mojo back after getting his come-uppance. And Kelly Clarkson is OK just the way she is...isn't she? These stories and more in the Buzz Week in Review.
Lou Dobbs: Just Stop Talking
Long after major media organizations had reviewed and dismissed the "birther" movement's accusations that President Obama is not a natural-born citizen, CNN talk-show host Lou Dobbs was still talking a stale story. Even right-winger Bill O'Reilly called Dobbs to task for the nutty focus, although defended his right to speak his mind. But now Dobbs has met his match, in an ad campaign from liberal media watchdogs "Media Matters." The organization has bought ad time on CNN, telling the news host to stuff a sock in it already. Searches surged this week on "lou dobbs controversy," "lou dobbs controversy birth certificate," and "lou dobbs controversy bill o'reilly."
Michael Phelps: Not All Washed Up
We know, we have high expectations of half-man, half-fish Michael Phelps. But after the Beijing Olympics, isn't it hard not to? The U.S. swimmer came home with eight gold medals. Then he took six months off, and when he got back in the game, he was promptly hung out to dry by German freestyler Paul Biederman. Then Phelps came back. He won the 100-meter butterfly in record time. He also won the 200-meter butterfly and three relay golds, for good measure. Searches on the swimmer surged over 400% as the golden boy got his groove back.
Kelly Clarkson: Self-Acceptance
If anyone embodies the ideal of being comfortable in her skin, it would be Kelly Clarkson. The singing sensation oozes confidence from every pore, even if it's not coming from a super-skinny bod. Her fans love it, but Self magazine? Not so much. Or so it seemed, when the September issue appeared with a cover featuring what bloggers griped looked to be an overly Photoshopped, slimmed-down version of the singer. Searches on the songtress soared over 100%, with the fans clearly on Clarkson's side, whatever size that may be.
Also buzzing this week...
•Bill Clinton works his magic in North Korea.
•Twitter's takedown is apparently politically motivated.
•Everyone hunkers down for swine flu.
Filed under: Recaps, Week in Review, Wrap Up
Beer, Birthers, and Clunkers: Buzz Week in Review
Forget Hollywood — the past seven days were all about Washington, D.C. The president hosted a highly anticipated get-together to talk about race relations, while the birther community set out to prove that the commander in chief wasn't born in the United States. Both events caused a stir in Search and on the Buzz. Join us for a look back at those stories and more with the Buzz Week in Review.
A cold one with the president
A few weeks ago, Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. was arrested at his own home by Cambridge police officer James Crowley. Gates, who is black, insisted that the arrest was racially motivated. Crowley, white, denied the charge. The arrest received such publicity that President Obama stepped in and suggested that the police had "acted stupidly" in arresting Gates. Obama later apologized for his remark, and to help smooth things over, he invited Gates and Crowley to the White House to drink a beer and talk. Unofficially known as the "beer summit," the afternoon get-together sparked tremendous searches on the key participants, as well as the various beer brands each person had chosen to drink. Crowley's choice (Blue Moon) drew the most searches, but Gates' pick (Red Stripe) also bubbled up. As for the president? No microbrews for him — he sipped on a Bud Light.
What the heck's a birther?
A birther is a person who doesn't believe that President Obama was born in the United States (and thus, not eligible to be the big boss). The birthing movement has taken Search by storm over the past several weeks, despite many feeling the community has few facts to stand on. This past week, the movement got hit with a jolt of cold, hard proof. In a 378-0 vote, Congress found that Obama was born in Hawaii. Still, a blogger from the Huffington Post writes that the movement won't likely go away any time soon. Searches on "birthers" were up 421% over the week, and related lookups on "where was obama born," "obama home state," and "obama birth conspiracy" also enjoyed some solid gains.
Cash for Clunkers out of gas?
When the Cash for Clunkers program got started, some wondered if it would actually inspire anyone to buy a new car. After all, the rules were pretty strict, and it stands to reason that anyone who owns an old jalopy probably wouldn't be able to afford a new car, anyway. How wrong those doubters were. After just a few days, the program was in danger of running out of funding. Congress, in a breath of fresh air, acted quickly and approved $2 billion in additional funding to keep the party going. Searches stayed strong on "cash for clunkers rules" and "cars.gov," the official government website that explains the program.
Also buzzing this week...
• Kevin Federline showed off his huskier physique.
• William Shatner recited a Palin-like poem on "The Tonight Show."
• Next season, Jon and Kate will date. Greaeeaaaat.
Filed under: Recaps, Week in Review, Wrap Up
Solar Eclipse, New Dragon Species, and a Prehistoric Blast: Buzz Week in Review
Corruption probes, presidential regrets, and other breaking news occupied headlines this week, but a mighty big science phenomena dwarfed those earthly concerns. After a busy seven days, take a look at the latest—and some ancient news, too—in the Buzz Week in Review.
An eclipse to remember
Earthlings won't see another solar eclipse like the one that darkened Asia this week for another 123 years, but that's soon enough for some. Millions ventured outside to enjoy the six-minute plus blackout, with astronomy experts gathering in Shanghai (which reportedly offered the "best views"), Japanese party planners setting up a music festival for the occasion, and passengers chartering a plane in India for a closer view. The prospect of being submerged in darkness, though, unleashed old superstitions, as some shut themselves indoors, cleansed their sins in the Ganges River, or prayed against bad omens. The event may have come and gone, but video and photos abound.
Another new Dragon species?
The Komodo dragon has had a busy year. First, studies of its venomous bite upgraded the lizard to an elite poisonous group occupied only by the Gila monster and the Mexican beaded lizard. Now the Komodo's got new kin: German scientists stumbled upon a new (to human beings) species of mangrove monitor lizard in the Talaud Islands. The discovery of the Varanus lirungensis (which is also related to the crocodile monitor) points to a huge predator diversity in Indonesia. So watch where you step!
The other big bang?
The theory about space rocks wiping out Ice Age species just got another boost: It turns out the first human inhabitants may have also been hit. Rare "nano-sized diamonds" that form under extremely hot fires are evidence that space rocks hit the North American continent about 13,000 years ago. Unfortunately, some pygmy mammoth (a smaller version of the woolly mammoth) and a group called the Clovis people happened to be in the line of fire. The galactic slam, plus "overhunting and climate change," created what one researcher called a "perfect storm" that wiped out the Ice Age population. The findings swelled searches on Yahoo! for the prehistoric "clovis people," so named because of artifacts first found in Clovis, New Mexico. For more on the mastodon hunters and the first Americans, check out this 2007 LiveScience article.
Also buzzing this week...
- China's been busy, caring for the first panda born from frozen sperm and making mice from connective tissue.
- The world's biggest telescope: Coming in about a decade to a Hawaiian volcano near you...
- Did a modern human accidentally kill a Neanderthal? The investigation continues...
Filed under: Animals, Science, Astronomy, Week in Review
top movers
| Rank | Subject | 1-Day Move |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nidal Malik Hasan | Breakout! |
| 2 | Fort Hood Shooting | Breakout! |
| 3 | Tyrannosaurus Rex | Breakout! |
| 4 | Fort Hood | 43518% |
| 5 | Tropical Storm Ida | 4377% |
| 6 | Willie Aames | 3325% |
| 7 | Shannon Dedrick | 3299% |
| 8 | Gretchen Rossi | 2702% |
| 9 | Epic Mickey | 2583% |
| 10 | Lee Harvey Oswald | 1907% |
top leaders
| Rank | Subject | Move | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danica Patrick | +194 | 207 |
| 2 | Fort Hood | +185 | 185 |
| 3 | Angelina Jolie | +114 | 164 |
| 4 | Rihanna | +39 | 157 |
| 5 | New York Yankees | +54 | 154 |
| 6 | Alicia Keys | +139 | 153 |
| 7 | +1 | 153 | |
| 8 | NFL | +6 | 138 |
what's the buzz?
A subject's buzz score is the percentage of Yahoo! users searching for that subject on a given day, multiplied by a constant to make the number easier to read. Weekly leaders are the subjects with the greatest average buzz score for a given week.
For more detailed information, visit our FAQ.