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by Jon Brooks

This weekend, the long anticipation over Black Friday ended, the BCS picture became a little clearer, and users turned to the Web to monitor the tragic events in India. Read all about it in this week’s Buzz Weekend Recap.

Black Friday is over
To read the news, never before has the health of the nation’s economy rested on your desire during one 24-hour period to buy a big-screen TV. Yes, the Black Friday buzz has lasted many hours beyond that last cash register ring. Sales increased 3% over last year, but profits were harder to come by. And while shoppers earn an A for effort, they get an F for decorum, as evidenced by the stampeding tragedy at Wal-Mart. Starting now, it’s all about Cyber Monday, and the Buzz is filled with online resources for consumers to exploit. And since you just shopped till you dropped, you can click till your sick. But try to minimize the repetitive stress injuries. 

The Sooners the better
BCS has been big in Buzz for awhile now, but interest really heightened this weekend. After No. 2 Texas whipped Texas A&M and No. 3 Oklahoma beat Oklahoma State, the teams and their fans waited for the polls and computers to render a verdict. On Sunday, they had one: Oklahoma had leapfrogged Texas to move into the No. 2 spot and gain a berth in the Big 12 championship. 12 -0 Alabama remains No. 1, with final standings released next week.

India tragedy
The terrorist attacks in India and their aftermath have sent millions to the Web in search of information, and coverage of what some are calling that country’s September 11th continues to populate Buzz. NPR, The Wall St Journal, Salon, Agence France-Presse, and the Times of India are just a few of the sources that Web users have turned to. Yahoo! News also provides ongoing coverage.

Also buzzing this weekend…

• Stories abounded on New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress accidentally shooting himself in the leg.
• The buzz on “Twilight” and its star Robert Pattinson is starting to wane, but just ever so.
• Ready or not, here comes Hillary.
  

by Vera H-C Chan

Thirty days hath November, and every moment seemed fraught with anticipation. Who would win the election? Why did militants take Mumbai? Would the economy stumble even more? How much hope would be pinned on Black Friday? As 2008 approaches its end, review the historical dramas and prosaic concerns that rocked November searches on Yahoo!.

Hitting the Ground Running

And it all came down to this—it being the run to be the 44th president of the United States, and this being the Election Day victory for Democratic candidate Barack Obama. American citizens knew before midnight who would be the new White House tenant for the next four years. Before month’s end, Obama unveiled bit by bit what the nation hoped will be his dream team—which includes many familiar faces. No word on the family dog yet. To review Nov. 4, see the day unfold in slices in this Buzz Log.

The Benefits of Carpooling
The benefits got extended for the unemployed, Secretary Treasurer Henry Paulson took a woman’s prerogative and changed his mind about buying bad assets, and Big 3 automaker executives found that taking jets to ask for a bailout was a baaad public relations maneuver. As politicians and taxpayers split over whether GM, Ford and Chrysler deserved to be at the feeding trough, the three worked to improve their pitch and travel plans.

Thanks for this Bounty and Discounts

Not that there wasn’t already plenty of distractions this month, but Thanksgiving coming a little later this year delayed celebrants’ planning, at least online. Stories also reported higher food costs and less traveling. What didn’t make America’s holiday more low-key was retailer anticipation of whether Black Friday would be its financial savior. Good news and bad news: Sales proved 3% higher than 2007, but the rise was slower compared to last year’s 8.3% jump and could portend a weak shopping season.

November 2008 Fastest Movers in Search

Search Terms with the Biggest Percentage Changes

1. Wal-Mart Black Friday 2008 (+20,775%. Many retailers slashed and burned to make post-Thanksgiving sales.)
2. CMA Awards 2008 (+61,253%. George Strait hit a record 22 trophies on the 42nd country music show.)
3. Michael Crichton (+60,183%. The author of science fiction thrillers like “Jurassic Park” died on Election Day.)
4. Obama Cabinet (+42,899%. See above)
5. Green Bean Casserole Recipe (+35,219%. See above)
6. Karolina Kurkova (+29,146%. The Victoria Secret model got the top vote for the world’s Sexiest Woman.)
7. Tony Dow (+27,045%. The former “Leave it to Beaver” star sold sculptures and stirred up nostalgia.)
8. Minnesota Senate Race (+26,984%. Al Franken’s senate challenge to Norm Coleman still remained unresolved.)
9. Cornbread Dressing (+24,024%. More Thanksgiving feast classics.)
10. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (+21,331%%. It must be Oscar season, as this Holocaust film joins many other critical plaudits.)

October 2008 Top 5 Events

Happenings with the Most Searches Overall

1. Black Friday (+1,068%)
2. Twilight (+208%)
3. Dancing with the Stars (+71%)
4. Thanksgiving (+158%)
5. Electoral Votes (+48%)

 

1. Barack Obama (+90%)
2. Britney Spears (-7%)
3. Beyonce (+95%)
4. Taylor Swift (+90%)
5. Jessica Alba (+88%)

by Vera H-C Chan

(A note to Broadway fans: Our apologies for taking liberties with the Broadway classic, “Fiddler on the Roof.”)

A president in waiting…sounds crazy, no? But here in our little country of America, you might say every one of us is in waiting, looking to the future and change, hoping not to collapse into debt.

It isn’t easy. You may ask, how can we stand waiting for the next few weeks, when things are so tough all over right now? Well, we stand it because America is our home.

And there is something to keep our hopes up, something that I can encapsulate in one word: transition!

Because of the presidential transition, people have been conducting many related searches. As Barack Obama builds his team, there are transition searches for:

  • “barack obama economic team” (off the charts)

  • “obama appointments” (+554%)

  • “barack obama’s cabinet” (+229%)

  • “obama’s cabinet picks” (+225%)

  • “biden transition team” (+128%)

Not all appointed Cabinet members will be new. For instance, Robert Gates will likely continue as defense secretary. And of course, many Cabinet appointments will be throwbacks from a previous era.

You may ask, when will these appointments be announced? I’ll tell you: I don’t know. But to keep track of Obama’s predicted picks (again, with apologies to “Fiddler on the Roof“), we’ve set four of the Cabinet positions to the tune of “Tradition,” so that every one of us knows who they might be, and what Obama expects them to do.

(Why these four? Because they fit the revised lyrics the best.)

Transition

What chief of staff must manage the agenda,

Put a staff together, run interference,

And who has to serve master of the White House

Who has the final word of all?

The Rahmbo, the Rahmbo! Transition!

The Rahmbo, the Rahmbo! Transition!

Who must know the way to make a secure home,

A border safe, a FEMA work?

Who must keep the citizens from any harm

Obama’s guard against emergencies.

Janet Napolitano! Transition!

Janet Napolitano! Transition!

‘93, she was a first lady, and then was senator.

She missed on the presidency, got top diplomat.

Hillary Clinton! Transition!

Clinton! Clinton! Transition!

And who does press outreach, to mend and tend and spin

Delivering the message, and take it on the chin?

Robert Gibbs! Robert Gibbs! Transition!

Robert Gibbs! Robert Gibbs! Transition!

by Vera H-C Chan

Thanksgiving is no respite, some moment of rest in a hectic holiday season. Rather, America’s recognition of its New World roots stands out as a centerpiece that at once honors family and the nation. The year so far has been delirious, exhilarating, frightening and exhausting in so many aspects. Today’s the day to appreciate what the country has gone through in 2008 and for the past few hundred years.

So, how have celebrants come to prepare for this day? Take a look at the preparations in the past 7 days, as seen through the prism of searches:

To remember those who won’t be able to come to the family table this year, take a look at these photos of:

 
• Soldiers in Baghdad.

  • A homeless center.

  • What the astronauts will eat.

  • Football teams, like the Seattle Seahawks, who play on Thanksgiving.

  • One lucky turkey who won’t be at the table.

by Vera H-C Chan

What’s a Thanksgiving without the Sexiest Man Alive? While Hugh Jackman got the honors from People magazine this year, who’s really the hottest celebrity ticket of the Buzz Multiplex? To level the playing field a little bit, let’s take a look back at the past 30 days of searches.

1. Nicole Kidman. Sorry Jackman, but your fellow countryperson has a tad more online appeal—as in, she pulls in a third more searches this month. She’s not just “nicole kidman hot,” but “nicole kidman hot hot.” She and co-star Jackman get to speak in their native tongues in the romance-war epic “Australia” (PG-13), but the real question is — will she want to speak ever again onscreen?

2. Hugh Jackman. Even without his come-hither title, the Aussie has always been a popular man, but the distinction does give him a fighting edge: Online queries into his wife, his films, and workout routine bubbled up.

3. Tim McGraw. The busy country singer now turns to honing his funny bone, what with a hosting gig last week on “Saturday Night Live” and his role as a cage wrestler in “Four Christmases. If humor isn’t sexy enough, how about money: Forbes put him and wife Faith Hill at No. 4 among Hollywood’s top-earning couples.

4. Reese Witherspoon. The indie standout-turned-mainstream sweetheart has always been irresistible, and the latest Search numbers don’t lie. Not only is she coveted for her brains and body, but also for her hairstyles (+94%). Her comic pairing with Vince Vaughn in “Four Christmases” don’t make a dream team for critics, though: AP thinks “slapsticky physical comedy doesn’t suit Witherspoon at all.” Back to the Oscar drawing board.

5. Jason Statham. “Transporter 3” (PG-13), which will likely do boffo at the box office, has inspired a Search flurry for its star’s past films, including his Guy Ritchie gigs. Statham is often better than some of his movies, and the latest New York Daily News review can attest this outing’s no different. New York Magazine, who crowns him as this generation’s “gruffly charismatic star of various gritty, hand-to-hand combat action flicks,” does take care to point out a scene with a “twisted striptease” while fighting a dozen thugs. Now there’s fodder for fantasy.

Other actors opening in a movie this week who are getting online attention: Kristin Chenoweth (”Four Christmases”), James Franco (”Milk,” limited release), Vince Vaughn (”Four Christmases”), Sean Penn (”Milk”), and Josh Brolin (”Milk”).

by Vera H-C Chan

The Christmas music may already be playing, but Thanksgiving elbows its way in with an air of gratitude and family warmth.

Ah, but now that the presidential elections are over and some people are feeling too economically fragile to shop, what’s left to do? Yes, there’s always football (playing flag or watching the boob tube)…but what’s left to talk about over the stuffed turkey and quivering dish of ambrosia?

Lucky for you, eternal battles are always waged in Search—you know, could Mortal Kombat character Baraka beat Batman, or is the high-definition field rate of 1080p really that much better than 1080i video quality.

In other words, ‘versus’ comparisons continue in high gear this past week. People are checking out the face-offs in sports, music, technology and games. “Zune vs. ipod” (+44%) smacks of holiday gift-giving implications, while “affect vs. effect” (+31%) signifies age-old language struggles. (FYI, think of the “a” in affect as action verb, while effect is usually employed a noun. Hope this helps a little.)

And nothing induces a rousing discussion better than taking sides in a match-up, no? So, peruse the categories below to choose your conversational gambit. (Sure, some of these contests—like the UFC fight—are already resolved…but one can always throw in what-ifs and next-times.)

If you have your own ‘versus’ scenario you want entertained, throw it in the comments below and see what comes up. Just remember to play nice.

Fastest Moving “Versus” Searches

Sports

1. Alabama vs. Auburn, football (off the charts)
2. Mexico vs. Honduras, soccer (+604%)
3. Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma, football (+471%)
4. Manny Pacquiao vs. De La Hoya, boxing (+35%)
5. Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Couture video, mixed martial arts (+471%)

Tech

1. 1080i vs. 1080p (+206%)
2. Blackberry Storm vs. iPhone (+123%)
3. Plasma vs. LCD (+73%)
4. Zune vs. iPod (+44%)
5. PS3 vs. XBox 360 (+26%)

Gaming

1. Bleach vs. Naruto Game (+295%)
2. Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (+73%)
3. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 (+17%)
4. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 (+13%)
5. Marvel vs. Capcom (+2%)

Entertainment

1. Naruto vs. Orochimaru, anime, (off the charts)
2. Undertaker vs. Big Show , WWE entertainers (off the charts)
3. Ti vs. T.I.P., music (+237%)
4. Freddy vs. Jason 2, movies (+74%)
5. Alien vs. Predator 2, movies (+22%)

by Vera H-C Chan

Are tattoos private?

The obvious answer is: Depends on where you ink them. In-your-face skin art tends to be on one’s face, neck, or arms. Fashionable marks show up on the ankle, and peekaboo tats get lower-back placement. Anywhere else, well, only bikini season can tell.

But with so many celebrities baring their latest ink art to anyone who’ll ogle, tattoos don’t seem like a hidden message … unless you’re Brad Pitt, abashed by an inquisitive Oprah Winfrey fan. His refusal to answer what tattoos he had where during an “Oprah” episode has inadvertently launched a Search probe for “brad pitt tattoos.”

Even though the show aired Nov. 19, people are still trying to uncover his alleged skin modifications of “otzi the iceman” and a quote from the late journalist Daniel Pearl, who inspired the movie “A Mighty Heart,” starring Pitt’s partner Angelina Jolie.

So far, no mainstream source verifies the Pearl quote, but reports of Pitt’s tattoo of 5,000-year-old mummy Otzi, who bore at least 57 tattoos, are more than a year old (and had inspired comedian Stephen Colbert to accuse Pitt of being involved in Otzi’s demise). The latest Web reaction to Pitt’s bashfulness about baring his “personal and special” tattoos has been either flabbergasted or charmed (as well as the usual “who cares”). With more people getting skin modification these days and reality shows on the whole business, tats have sort of lost the exotic tribalism or counter-cultural edge of days past.

Plus, of course, Jolie is notorious for using her body as a canvas, as searchers knew back in 2006. In fact, she still ranks among the top 5 most-searched celebrities inked in the past 7 days. (Oh, Pitt would be no. 6.)

Most-Searched Celeb Ink

1. Megan Fox Tattoo
2. Angelina Jolie Tattoo
3. Scarlett Johansson Tattoo
4. Rihanna Tattoo
5. Heidi Klum Jolie Tattoo

Incidentally, since the holidays are nigh upon us, if all this inspires you to give the gift that keeps on giving, consult the below list for tattoo design searches that have jumped in popularity. And if you don’t want to commit, consider the faux tattoo sleeve, which has perked up 7% in the past 7 days. No fuss, no muss. 

Fastest Moving Tattoo Design Searches

1. Celtic Tattoo (off the charts)
2. Wings Tattoo (+90%)
3. Tribal Tattoo Designs (+16%)
4. Heart Tattoo (+3%)
5. Cherry Blossom Tattoo (+1%)

by Gordon Hurd and Vera H-C Chan

When the legend of capitalism is studied millennia from now, will future economists recognize discount sales as the slippery slopes that they are? After all, once you knock 50% off a price tag, it’s going to take that and then some to get shoppers to come back again.

And don’t retailers know it. Every year they churn out massive discounts and incentives to inspire the increasingly crazy shopping that occurs once we’ve stopped eating turkey.
This time around, though, consumers and retailers have been playing a game of chicken in this woeful economy.

So far, needy desperation had led to discounts well in advance of the holiday season, leading to spikes for that awkward term, “pre-black friday sales.” Black Friday may sound like the title of a low-budget holiday slasher flick, but in this sequel not all buyers have fallen victim to incremental cuts, and many may be holding out for the bitter final markdown.

Indeed, intense online vigilance continues to show a pent-up need to buy: Cumulative searches for sale-related terms (”day after thanksgiving sale“, “walmart black friday“) and sites tracking them (”theblackfriday.com,” “tgi black friday“) are 38% higher than the same 2007 shopping period.

True, the Sacramento Bee claims “big early markdowns could rob Black Friday of some of its traditional oomph.” Then again, the New York Post reports that shopping centers expect Thanksgiving sales to be higher… but profit margins smaller. Search activity may be leaning towrds the Post’s slightly more optimistic outlook: Would-be shoppers have been scouting out way more stores in advance than last year, such as:

  • Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, Sears, Target, Circuit City, Kmart, Menards, Macy’s, Meijer, Apple, Amazon, Fry’s, Kohl’s, Home Depot, Office Depot, Shopko, Best Buy, Lowes, Staples, Sam’s Club, JC Penney, Old Navy, Costco.

Naturally, part of this increased online activity could due merely to savvier consumer behavior about checking for sales info online (especially finding those ads so conveniently “leaked” in advance).

Or perhaps consumers realize that this year, they don’t have to pay the real Black Friday prices: nasty crowds, dwindling inventories, and mall overload. Instead, they can bide their time or, as they’ve been already doing, walk away entirely. In this game of chicken, the retailers have already blinked, and may be preparing for the crash as well.

by Claudine Zap

When times are tough, the tough get crafty. If Yahoo! Search is an indicator, you should expect lots of hand-knit socks, fruitcakes, and other homemade delights this season. Of course, who needs more store-bought stuff when we already have three iPods, seven TVs, and a garage full of unused gadgets from holidays past.

Sometimes something that says “made with love” is the best statement of all. And if you’re cheap, even better. Check out some of the top “do it yourself” searches that are getting all kinds of creative juices going. Our favorite: “do it yourself caribou hunt.” Hint, hint!

by Jon Brooks

There was a lot to stimulate Buzz aficionados this weekend, including “Twilight” and the Stephen Colbert Christmas special. But that’s nothing compared to the stimulus that President-elect Obama has in mind. Buzz clues you in…

Boy, is it ever the economy, stupid
Barack Obama on Saturday outlined an economic recovery plan with the intent of creating 2.5 million jobs over the next two years. The broad stimulus package will cost far more than he proposed during the campaign. How much? Some economists are throwing around numbers like $500–$700 billion. The plan calls for middle and lower-income tax cuts as well as spending on infrastructure and other projects. One thing it probably won’t include, apparently, is a rollback of the Bush tax cuts for those making over $250,000. So go forth and stimulate, rich people!

Entering the “Twilight” zone
In case you’ve been hiding under a grave lately, “Twilight” is the first in a young adult series of books about the most forbidden kind of mixed relationship — you know, she’s alive, he’s dead. Now, the vampire romance story has transformed itself into a movie. Some stats:The film notched a bloody big $35 million opening day and $70.6 million opening weekend, making it the best debut ever for a movie with a female director (Catherine Hardwicke). News articles and searches on both “Twilight” and on teen heartthrob Robert Pattinson, who plays vampire dreamboat Edward Cullen, took off like a bat out of hell. And bad vampire metaphors soared 12,000%.

And more good news for those teeming legions of pubescent girls who put a stake in the heart of any “Twilight” doubters: Summit Entertainment announced it will film the second book in the series, “New Moon.” Happy Fangsgiving, girls!

Colbert owns Christmas
Some Stephen Colbert fans just couldn’t wait until Sunday night to unwrap their “A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!” video clips. The show, broadcast on Comedy Central, featured guest stars John Legend, Toby Keith, Elvis Costello, and Colbert partner-in-crime Jon Stewart, who warbled out a tune about Hanukkah.
In all truthiness, Jon could use a little voice work. But still, a merry ironic Christmas special was had by all.

Also buzzing this weekend…

• Uh-oh. Citigroup’s in trouble.
• Bargain hunters continued to scour the Buzz for Black Friday ads.
• Guns N’ Roses released their long-awaited  Chinese Democracy album.
• Alabama is No. 1 in the AP and USA Today polls and the BCS standings. Florida, Texas, and Oklahoma are all vying for the No. 2 spot.