by Vera H-C Chan
The Declaration of Independence has made a comeback.
Not that the founding statement of breaking from the Mother Country ever went out of fashion. However, dramatic readings of the 1,337-word document have returned, just like in the late 1700s.
The History Channel website gives a detailed overview of how the declaration came to be written, first from Richard Henry Lee's resolution to cut ties to the British Crown, to Thomas Jefferson hunkering over his handmade portable desk, to the arguments over changes and cuts—among them, criticism over the "execrable commerce" of the slave trade.
Incidentally, the National Archives in England just announced unearthing another original copy of the historical document. A researcher came across the find months ago, and by accident, but the Brits conveniently timed the news for the American holiday. As if they could hog all the attention.
The U.S. government archives has electronic copies, for people who want to do their own readings from the almost-real thing. For those who prefer being read to, NPR continues its tradition—now going on 21 years—of airing a reading by its newscasters, accessible here.
by Vera H-C Chan
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:
by Vera H-C Chan
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?
by Mike Krumboltz
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.
by Claudine Zap
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.
by Vera H-C Chan
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.
by Mike Krumboltz
Remember the videogame Asteroids? Hollywood does, and they've decided to make it into a film. For the scoop on the dubious decision, check out this article from MovieChopShop.
by Claudine Zap
Our top picks from the day's hottest searches.
by Claudine Zap
It's the time of year when thoughts turn to summer getaways. According to a TripAdvisor survey, travelers would rather go to New York, San Francisco, and Miami over, well, Cleveland. That metropolis was voted "most boring city" by vacationers who would prefer even the windy city of Chicago over a boring one.
Cleveland does have some notable aspects that could draw tourists: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is there. And now, so is basketball great Shaquille O'Neal, who recently joined the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Cleveland residents should take heart. The Midwestern locale could have been voted "dirtiest" (Detroit), "most annoying accent" (Boston), or "least healthy (Detroit again).
Travelers are a fickle bunch. New York City earned the title of "favorite city" but also won out in the category of "least friendly and helpful." Could vacationers be gluttons for punishment? Maybe after a few more doses of the rude Big Apple, boring won't sound so bad after all.
by Mike Krumboltz
Michael Jackson died less than a week ago, but the battle over his fortune is well underway. The will was recently released, and folks are eager to know more about some of the key players in the King of Pop's financial saga...
Nona Paris Lola Ankhesenamun Jackson: Claiming to be Michael Jackson's widow, the woman recently filed a claim in Los Angeles Superior Court. Fans of Jackson have heard of Ms. Nona Paris before. She caused a stir by insisting that she married the King of Pop, despite there being no evidence to back up the claim. Most laugh off her statements, but searches on the woman are red hot.
John McClain: Not to be confused with the tough talking cop from "Die Hard," this John McClain is a co-executor of Michael Jackson's estate. According to the AP he is a music executive, and along with lawyer John Branca, he aims to see Michael's wishes carried out "with dignity and respect." Searches on McClain spiked 351%, while queries on Branca surged 198%. A third co-executor, Barry Siegel, apparently "resigned from the position in 2003," according to the New York Times.
Diana Ross: OK, so you probably already know who Ms. Ross is, but you might not know that she is named in Jackson's will. Michael's mother, Katherine, was awarded custody of Michael's three children. However, if she were "incapacitated or died," then Ms. Ross would gain custody of the kids. Queries on "diana ross will," "diana ross pictures," and "how old is diana ross" all hit high notes in Search. Oh, and for the record, she's 65.
Cherilyn Lee: Ms. Lee, a registered nurse who worked with MJ, made headlines and inspired big searches after saying that Mr. Jackson had "begged" her for a sedative the days before he passed away. ABC reports that Lee says she "refused to help him obtain Diprivan, a sedative used mostly in hospitals."
by Claudine Zap
While the price of ignorance is high, the cost of college—not to mention graduate education—has become astronomical. A government initiative aims to change all that.
It's a simple concept called Income-Based Repayment, which reduces student loans so they aren't more than 15% of income. (Some people making very little income won't owe a cent.) After 25 years of repayment, debt is wiped out. If you're a teacher or work at a nonprofit, more good news: Your debt will be cleared after 10 years.
About 1 million people are expected to participate in the program. To see if you qualify, you can use the calculator here. U.S. News & World Report blog has some helpful tips for anyone who wants to apply.
News of the loan program sent searches soaring on the Web. Queries for "new student loan law" jumped to the head of the class with a whopping 8,800% increase. Other popular lookups included "consolidate federal student loans," "new law for student loans," "government help with student loans," and "department of education student loans."
See, now you can tell your parents it was a smart move to get that philosophy degree after all.
by Mike Krumboltz
Golden Globe-winning actor Harve Presnell has passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 75. As Entertainment Weekly points out, Mr. Presnell may have been best known for his role in "Fargo." He played William H. Macy's tough-talking father-in-law, who loved watching hockey and undermining his son-in-law, though not necessarily in that order.
by Mike Krumboltz
One-time insurance giant AIG has announced a 1-for-20 "reverse stock split." Folks have raced to the Search box to figure out what exactly that means. Short answer: If you had 100 shares valued at $1.00 each, you now have 5 shares valued at $20.00 each. Yay? For more on the move and why companies do it, check out this article from Investopedia.
by Mike Krumboltz
Hell hath no fury like a geek scorned. The Sci-Fi Channel's decision to change its name to "Syfy" has outraged some of the channel's longtime devotees. Still, the station plans to go ahead with the switch on July 7. Will this rebranding appeal to a broader audience? Or will the "shrewd move" go down as the TV equivalent of "New Coke"? Sound off and leave a comment below.
by Mike Krumboltz
Sacha Baron Cohen may be shameless, rude, and disgusting, but he's also sensitive... well, a little bit, at least. The comedian behind the upcoming "Bruno" film has elected to cut a scene that features LaToya Jackson out of respect for the Jackson family. We're just as shocked as you are.
