the buzz log
Buzz Week in Review
Not all was about financial lows and jittery panic this week. Good news slipped in among the black yawning chasm of bad news, as celebrities made pitches for motherhood, college football fans exulted in pigskin hotspots, and lawmakers got to yell at Wall Street executives. Here now is the week in Buzz.
The Economy Just Needs a Mud Bath
Timing is everything. The Buzz Log reported an incensed surge for "aig spa" searches, but no, not for recommendations. AIG, which may have to dip back in taxpayer pockets after last month's $85 billion bailout, was handed a clue during this week's Senate hearing, when lawmakers chewed out execs for a $440,000 spa trip to reward "top-performing" life insurance agents. The Wall Street firm cancelled another junket and the plan to pay for pricy ads to apologize. Now free: $400/night rooms available at the Ritz Carleton in California's Half Moon Bay. Still wanted: Apology.
Hot Magazine Mamas
Motherhood isn't just sexy, it's high fashion. Halle Berry, the Oscar winner who also tortured audiences as Catwoman, now wears the Esquire crown of Sexiest Woman Alive. Berry's acceptance essay pondered hip dysplasia, the ripe smell of her man's (Gabriel Aubry) car, and how she feels sexier after motherhood. Meanwhile, 2004 honoree Angelina Jolie has received props from advocates like La Leche League International for being W magazine's breastfeeding cover woman for November. No essay, but she talks up pregnancy and her beau Brad Pitt.
Something to Cheer About
At least there's always college football. USA Today lowered its head and ran with its list of "10 great places to stand and cheer college football." Among the stadiums, Neyland got kudos for passion, Husky for its views, and Camp Randall for its deep-fried cheddar balls.
Also buzzing this week ...
• A 92-year-old tradition ended in a sad pun when Mother's Cookies baked its last Circus Animal cookies. Even NPR couldn't resist the crumbling metaphor, when the private equity firms that bought the company three years ago now declared it bankrupt.
• Markets may fall, but the two wheels keep turning: The Economist reports pumped-up bike sales worldwide, thanks to gas prices and the battle of the bulge.
• Forget staycation. People hankering to get away from the madding crowd found budget travel sites devoted to the cause of relaxation.
Filed under: Football, Finance, Business, Celebrities, Transportation, Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, Week in Review, Cookies, Wrap Up
September 2008 Buzz Wrap Up: Landfalls, Financial Falls, Political Pitfalls
From Olympic highs to financial lows, "fall" took on a whole new meaning this harried September. Among the many events that befell Search, hurricanes hit fragile coasts, politics went into overdrive, and bailouts tried to stop a sinking market. Glumly mull over what the world was searching for in September.
Path of Resistance
Like the grotesque nursery rhyme of the old lady who swallowed a fly,
it seemed inconceivable how formerly redoubtable Wall Street firms had
to be swallowed up by fellow firms or the government itself. As names
like Lehman Brothers, AIG, and Goldman Sachs rippled into everyday consciousness, it was Washington Mutual's
teetering collapse that truly captured people's online attention and
brought uncertainty into the pocketbook. People keep close tabs on a
proposed massive bailout and the man behind the plan (+14,762%), and introduced the dread phrase "u.s. financial crisis" into the Search vernacular.
Path of Glory
Mother nature and father finance disrupted the presidential campaigns, so people really had to rely on the Web to keep track on the candidates, the debate, and most importantly whether Republican vice presidential pick Sarah Palin was indeed Tina Fey's alter ego.
The countdown to the Nov. 4 elections dropped into mere double-digit
days, pressuring searches to investigate rumors, media appearances,
family members, religious affiliations, voting records, personal
history, and porcine make-up tips.
Path of Destruction
Hurricane Ike followed closely behind Tropical Storm Hannah, but he gave fair warning of his category 4 visit. People monitored the impending disaster and its "projected path" (top 500 searches), but still its sheer, kinetic intensity resulted in a death toll of 67 and a devastated Texas coastline. A hopeful but critical eye turned to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (+23,989%) and searches popped up for food stamps and other aid. Many organizations, private citizens, former presidents and undocumented laborers came to clean up what was left behind. Small miracles did surface, from a single Gilchrist house withstanding the impact to a mystery ship unearthed, and a lionness seeking sanctuary.
September 2008 Fastest Movers in Search
Search Terms with the Biggest Percentage Changes
- Hurricane Ike (Mega Mover! See above.)
- Hurricane Ike Projected Path (Mega Mover! See above.)
- Sarah Palin Tina Fey (See above)
- Don LaFontaine (+80,143. The deep-throated trailer guy spoke his last.)
- Shackle (+64,991%. The lionness sought refuge from Ike in a church.)
- Jerry Reed (+45,657%. The country singer died Aug. 31)
- Eva Longoria Parker (+36,182%. Pregnancy rumors surround the actress, but it could be just lots of M&Ms)
- FEMA.com (+23,989%. See above)
- New iPod Nano (+21,843%. Its slim figure debuted at Apple's developer conference.)
- Atom Smasher (+20,949%. Flouting doomsday predictions, the world's largest debuted to Search fanfare, then promptly got glitches.
September 2008 Top 10 Personalities
People Commanding the Most Searches Overall
(parenthetical refers to percentage change in searches compared to previous month)
- Sarah Palin (+138%)
- Britney Spears (+24%)
- Obama (+32%)
- Jessica Alba (+38%)
- Lindsay Lohan (-15%)
- Kim Kardashian (+7)
- Miley Cyrus (-36%)
- John McCain (+91%)
- Paris Hilton (-9%)
- Lil Wayne (+7)
Filed under: Politics, Monthly Wrapup, Recaps, Money, Hurricanes, Elections, Wrap Up, Economics
The Buzz Week in Review
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
August 2008 Buzz Wrap Up: Political Pomp and Olympian Pageantry
August really began on 08-08-08, and made up for the doldrums of summer with political pomp and Olympian pageantry. Yet even as firsts were made on both fronts, the Search buzz was assaulted with the specter of Cold War, shocking passings, and natural disasters. Take a look back at what captivated the Web over the past 31 rushed days of summer.
Olympian Records, Herculean Efforts, and Chinese Aesthetics
Environmentalists watched the skies and activists watched the streets, but Olympic fans were out in phenomenal force to watch the Beijing opening ceremony (+19,435% in searches) unroll with cinematic precision. The amateur contest engaged millions, many who wondered about rules and gamesmanship, and asked an awful lot of questions.
Of all the spectacular athletes, Michael Phelps dominated screentime, medals and searches. Paraguayan model Leryn Franco placed 51st in the javelin contest but second in Web searches, thanks to her pairing of beauty and sharp sticks. Gymnasts Shawn Johnson, Alicia Sacramone, and Nastia Liukin rounded up the top five. In sports queries, everything from the badminton to judo to marathon buzzed, but redemption vaulted "olympic basketball" to the top, followed by gymnastics and volleyball (beach, naturally). Ending after a mere two weeks, fans looked forward to the next fix, winter in 2010 and summers 2012 and 2016.
Unconventional Politics
The medal count had barely been tallied up before the Democrats started mugging for the cameras from sweltering Denver. Barack Obama secured the top politico spot in searches, as people researched his platforms ("obama tax plan," "obama gun control"), sought out jokes (yes, as in "So Barack Obama walks into a stadium..."), and to find his speech.
The royal families Kennedy and Clinton captured the buzz, but a Republican did manage to snare some Search light: Republican vice presidential pick Sarah Palin (+13,527%) gallivanted into history and into the top 100 search terms. Next up, RNC in the Twin Cities.
Gone Too Soon, Others Sticking Around
Comedian Bernie Mac and singer Isaac Hayes died within a day of one another. The shock of Hayes' passing made the influential singer the fastest moving search this month. People poured over the details of his life: music, his contribution to the film "Shaft," his wives, and his time with "South Park."
Yet it was the Mac's premature death from sarcoidosis that hit mourners much harder, almost seven times harder. His show had established him as a family man, and his death at 50 drew people to seek out his survivors and family photos, as well as his creative history.
Bad news also came with the death of Dr. Dre's son, Andre, and Dave Freeman, author of "100 Things to Do Before You Die." Fortunately, another Freeman—actor Morgan Freeman—survived his August 3 car crash, although people monitored his condition for days. And despite the odd swell of rumors claiming their demise, Dolly Parton and Lil Wayne's daughter are just fine.
Here below, a couple lists of what captivated searches this busy, busy month.
August 2008 Fastest Movers in Search
Searches with the Biggest Percentage Changes
- Isaac Hayes (+96,545%)
- Real Bigfoot (+86,563%. Georgians—of the state, not the invaded nation—presented "evidence" of the mythical creature.)
- Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (+71,770%)
- Michael Phelps Girlfriend (+71,481%. No, not as far as anyone knows.)
- Luciana Barroso (+52,657%. Actor Matt Damon's wife gave birth to a second daughter)
- Goblin Shark (+43,173%. Footage of the deep-sea crawler buoyed its buzz.)
- Laurence Fishburne (+41,176%. Actor will head "CSI.")
- Melissa Lawson (+33,116%. Won "Nasville Star.")
- Tuatara (+27,607%. An 111-year-old dinosaur descendent successfully mates after decades of abstinence.
- Tom Cruise Tropic Thunder (+27,596%. The actor's cameo held up in the comical film.)
August 2008 Top 10 Personalities
Sentient Beings with the Most Searches Overall
- Miley Cyrus (-40%)
- Bernie Mac (+2,943%)
- Michael Phelps (+2,759%)
- Britney Spears (-20%)
- Sarah Palin (+13,527%)
- Lindsay Lohan (-15%)
- Bigfoot (+2,672%)
- Leryn Franco (off the charts)
- Shelley Malil (off the charts)
- Paris Hilton (+15%)
Filed under: Movies, Politics, Music, Celebrities, Monthly Wrapup, Cryptozoology, Hillary Clinton, Presidents, Barack Obama, Olympics, Wrap Up, John McCain
July 2008 Buzz Roundup
July is supposed to be about barbecues, vacations, and leisure. Instead, high gas prices meant people were stuck at home (if they weren't foreclosed, that is), focusing on money savings, dark knights, and celebrity babies. Here are a few items that blew through Search this month.
Tossing Oil and Money into the Wind
So for an 80-year-old guy, oilman T. Boone Pickens's windy talk about energy resources moved quickly (+67,360%) up the Search charts. His Pickens Plan aims to wean America off foreign oil, and suckle on domestic crude and wind instead.
Change may or may not be in the air, but energy costs and the overall economy plagued July searches. We logged spikes on everything from "energy savings" and "how high will gas prices climb" to "fdic insurance" and "credit card debt consolidation." Will Pickens be a dark knight or the joker? Stay tuned.
Baby Boom
History will mark these moments: tea-party independence, men on the moon, and the twins of actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. The paparazzi-fueled saga dragged out the gestation period to soap opera lengths, but Jolie finally delivered, literally, fraternal twins (as per the latest celebrity trend).
The double coming resulted in a Jolie family reunion and a huge charity benefit, which rumors so far point to People magazine as the main $10-$15 mil contributor. While the Jolie-Pitt offspring overshadowed newborns from Nicole Kidman/Keith Urban and Matthew McConaughey/Camila Alves, searches went on overload for baby photos of Thomas "Pregnant Man" Beatie's little girl. Price to publish photos of a medical miracle? A rumored steal of $300K.
Other searches that buzzed in July...
- Dame Diana Rigg (+17,157%), who immortalized Mrs. Peel in the 1960s British camp spy series, turned 70 this month.
- Space Agency NASA (+25%) marked its mid-century of existence. Just in time, Dr. Edgar Mitchell—man number six on the moon—said aliens indeed existed.
- Cancer claimed two well-known personalities this month: Carnegie-Mellon professor Randy Pausch's passing once again fueled searches for his lecture (see chart). Former journalist and White House press secretary Tony Snow lost to a second bout of colon cancer.
- As expected, "dark knight" cast its bat shadow, with Heath Ledger getting the last laugh as the Joker... and as "keith ledger," perhaps the most popular misspelling of the month.
Fastest Movers in July Searches
1. Thomas Beatie Baby Photos (+infinity). See above. 2. T. Boone Pickens (+67,360%). See above.
3. Daisy Lowe (35,881%). Supermodel dating producer Mark Ronson, brother to DJ Samantha Ronson who's linked to Lindsay Lohan. Get all that?
4. Abigail Adams. Wife of 2nd U.S. president John Adams, mom to number 6 John Quincy Adams, and subject of an HBO miniseries.
5. Riyo Mori (+22,139%). The outgoing Miss Universe gave up her crown to Miss Venezuela.
6. American Teen (+21,799%). The Sundance Festival documentary favorite keeps it real, and opens in some theaters this Friday.
7. William Sisters (+21,552%). Venus finally beat younger Serena in a Wimbledon match-up, and they teamed up to win doubles.
8. James Haven (+19,986%). See above.
9. Dara Torres Maxim. (19,923%). Aiming for Olympics number five, the gold medalist's element is water, but for fans it's glossy paper.
10. Randy Pausch, the Last Lecture Video (+19,748%). See above.
Filed under: NASA, Celebrities, Monthly Wrapup, Recaps, Gas Prices, Space, Money, Babies, Wimbledon, Pageants, Wrap Up
top movers
| Rank | Subject | 1-Day Move |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oddest Jobs | Breakout! |
| 2 | Vivienne Marcheline And Knox Leon | Breakout! |
| 3 | Shwayze Song | Breakout! |
| 4 | Cell Phone Etiquette | Breakout! |
| 5 | Your Home Page | 17280% |
| 6 | W Magazine | 8647% |
| 7 | Christie Brinkley | 8361% |
| 8 | Selma Blair | 5953% |
| 9 | Nashville Star | 2758% |
| 10 | Neiman Marcus Christmas Book | 1365% |
top leaders
| Rank | Subject | Move | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leryn Franco | +244 | 456 |
| 2 | Holly Madison | +288 | 351 |
| 3 | Halloween Costumes | -17 | 222 |
| 4 | Hi-5 | +8 | 220 |
| 5 | Kellie Pickler | +101 | 200 |
| 6 | Jamie Lynn Spears | +80 | 180 |
| 7 | NFL | +0 | 136 |
| 8 | Barack Obama | -1 | 119 |
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.