the buzz log
Boom or Bust, The Fireworks Show Must Go On
Ready to celebrate the Fourth, old-school style?
First, declare war on Britain (ok, you can Tweet it if you prefer). Get some people to sign on, set a bonfire on the lawn, burn some King George III effigies, and stock up on rum, applejack, and salted meat.
If it's a bit too late to get the applejack on short notice, a fireworks compromise will do. The recession has forced cities and sponsors to cut back on the pyrotechnics this year, but sellers actually believe sales will boom thanks to backyard celebrations.
If that's the case, here is what you need to know...and some things you don't, but it's interesting anyway...and stay safe:
- Check your area for rules. Some places crackdown on some types of sizzers, if not all. The American Pyrotechnics Association site has a good roundup of laws by state (but in PDF documents).
- Leave pets, from Fido to Black Beauty, indoors (or stalls) so they don't freak out during the ruckus, advises LiveScience. Tying them up may not work: They could go into a frenzy and choke themselves. Some critters may have to be sedated.
- Your kids asking why fireworks go kablooey? Tell them to read this article that runs down the ingredients. The Orange County Register explains the why behind all the colors.
- Ecofriendly fireworks exist, but they're pricy and hard to get.
- Yahoo! Food lists the best sites for a picnic show.
Filed under: Holidays, Fourth of July, Fireworks
Barack Obama, Puppet Leader
Given the continued Search interest, amusement parks will a Fourth of July weekend destination for many. Those headed to Orland's Magic Kingdom on Independence Day might want to stop by a revamped Hall of Presidents, where an animatronic Barack Obama—AKA Robobama—makes his debut.
Animatronics is, as HowStuffWorks puts it, a "mechanized puppet." The administration apparently is so tickled by this honor, the White House blog posted a "behind-the-scenes video" of the president reading the oath of office and a Disney-penned speech— tinkered a bit, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
The Florida newspaper also reports that Obama's standing with good company (Abraham Lincoln) and represents the "most advanced figure," although "not a completely new generation." Who knew Disney imagineers were pundits?
Filed under: Amusement Parks, Disney, Presidents, Barack Obama
Madoff, Sanford, and FSU: Buzz Week in Review
Nothing moves the search needle like scandals. This past week, it wasn't so much the scandals themselves, but how people reacted to them that stirred the Web. Read on for the scoop on three big transgressions. Here's hoping next week is a bit more honorable.
Ruth breaks her silence
While many may find comfort that Bernie Madoff will die in prison, others couldn't help but wonder what his wife thinks of his spectacular fall from grace. Until this week, Ruth Madoff had kept silent. Some interpreted that as meaning she didn't care about the victims of her husband's crime. Not so, says Mrs. Madoff. On Monday, she released a statement that reads "not a day goes by when I don't ache over the stories that I have heard and read." Searches on Mrs. Madoff soared 2,754% over the past seven days, due in large part to the $2.5 million of shared assets the government is letting her keep. According to insiders, she tried for the fur coat, but the feds said no dice.
All eyes on Jenny Sanford
Mark Sanford's wife Jenny may have forged a new path for spouses of unfaithful politicians. Following her husband's press conference in which he admitted an affair, Mrs. Sanford said that "his career is not a concern of mine. He's going to have to worry about that." Then, after the governor's most recent admission that he had crossed lines with other women, his wife issued another statement that said that in the "spirit of forgiveness, it is up to the people and elected officials of South Carolina to decide whether they will give Mark another chance..." In other words, she forgives him, but don't for a second think she's going to forget. Queries on "jenny sanford biography," "jenny sanford photos," and "first lady jenny sanford" all posted breakout gains in Search.
A tomahawk chop to the win column
Florida State University made some noise in the Buzz after claiming that the NCAA sanctions over the school's academic cheating scandal are just too darn tough. The NCAA had elected to punish the Seminoles by taking away wins from some of Florida State's athletic teams, including 14 victories from football coach Bobby Bowden. Why does Florida State care so much about past wins? The fact that Mr. Bowden is currently one victory behind Penn State's Joe Paterno for all-time victories is likely contributing to the outrage. Queries on "fsu scandal" and "bobby bowden wins" both spiked this week. This article from Sports Illustrated offers an in-depth explanation of the hubbub.
Also buzzing this week...
• Johnny Depp's "Public Enemies" sparked renewed interest in bank robber John Dillinger.
• The world's obsession with Megan Fox continued unabated.
• Obama's White House released the salaries of all its staff.
Alien Invasion Video Stirs the Web
Okay, humans. This is not a drill. It's the summer movie season and the aliens are upon us: Time to pick a side.
The alien invasion flick "District 9" produced by Peter Jackson isn't out for another month. But a video warning of aliens on earth has hit the Web, sending humans searching for more details. You can see the "safety alert" video here. (Stick around to try out the video game, too.)
The documentary-style movie preview shows the aftermath of a non-human invasion into South Africa. Freaked-out humans speak directly into the camera about the fear of the alien life that's shacked up in the slums of their city. Seems that everyone can agree, the aliens should just pick up and go home. You can view the eerie trailer here.
One-day searches soared an other-worldly 262% for "district 9." Queries on other unearthly topics also peaked for "district 9 movie," "district 9 wiki," and "district 9 trailer." We assure you that we will also be monitoring the situation and will alert you should other signs of non-human invasions (or movies of said non-humans) appear. Buzz Log out.
Filed under: Movies, Movie Trailers
Hot Dogs and Pachyderms: Must Be Fourth of July on Coney Island
Independence Day is the time to come together with kin and community, to admire the bravery of America's founders, and to eat like there is no tomorrow.
The economy may have dampened travel and pyrotechnic shows, but the hot dog-eating contest will go on. Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest (now that's a mouthful) is the crown jewel of Major League Eating. If you don't believe it's a $10-mil industry, read the Forbes article.
In case the sight of men and women gorging on meat tubes doesn't satisfy, organizers have made a circus show of out of this year's competition. Literally. Circus elephants Bunny, Susie, and Minnie will face off with human gurgitators Juliet Lee, Gravy Brown, and Patrick Bertoletti in what's being billed as the "First-Ever Cross-Species Eating competition." (Apparently, the organizers don't count the "Man vs. Beast" FOX special when a Kodiak bear crushed then-hot dog eating champ Takeru Kobayashi.)
The six-minute pachyderm appetizer event takes place July 3. In concession to elephants' dietary restrictions (they're herbivores), contestants will only be eating the buns. Animal rights activists feel nauseous over the elephantine event, and at least one "mindful eating" proponent's not thrilled about the human involvement either.
But, as sure as illegal firecrackers on a neighborhood street, the Coney Island hot dog tradition will go on, with defending champ Joey Chestnut trying to hold his own against former six-time champ Kobayashi. ESPN will again air the gullet-guster at noon (ET) on July 4. Don't forget the mustard-flavored popcorn.
Filed under: TV, Holidays, Food, Contests, Fourth of July
top movers
| Rank | Subject | 1-Day Move |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Karl Malden | Breakout! |
| 2 | Alexis Arguello | Breakout! |
| 3 | Danielle Deleasa | Breakout! |
| 4 | Burmese Python | Breakout! |
| 5 | Williams Sisters | Breakout! |
| 6 | Kevin Jonas | 2543% |
| 7 | Jeremy Mayfield | 2346% |
| 8 | Diana Reyes | 2229% |
| 9 | Diana Ross | 1865% |
| 10 | Diana Krall | 1622% |
top leaders
| Rank | Subject | Move | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Jackson | -101 | 924 |
| 2 | Debbie Rowe | +184 | 224 |
| 3 | -3 | 206 | |
| 4 | Kellie Pickler | +152 | 167 |
| 5 | Neverland Ranch | +75 | 163 |
| 6 | Megan Fox | -52 | 158 |
| 7 | Wimbledon | +40 | 156 |
| 8 | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | -2 | 148 |
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.
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