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Traditional January Pastimes Dominate Google Weekly Zeitgeist

Announcement
January 12, 2006

Google Announces Top 15 Gainers for the Week Ending January 9

The past week tells the story of news emanating from the U.S. in early January: football, giant expos about cars and consumer electronics, and a major January birthday commemoration. People searching on Google.com sought out information on the biggest post-New Year’s game (Vince Young, Texas Longhorns, USC), immense annual trade shows (CES, Detroit Auto Show), and the upcoming recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King. Of course, regardless of the season, there’s always a desire to stay current on celebrity news (Emily Stern, Lindsay Lohan, Marcus Vick, Drake Bell, Lou Rawls) too, or to check out a new DVD release (Wedding Crashers, Isla Fisher).

For breaking news and obscure information alike, people around the world search on Google. Below is a summary of the Google Zeitgeist results for the top 15 gainers on Google.com when comparing search queries that have risen by a significant percentage for the week of January 2-9.

For more information, visit the Google Zeitgeist at www.google.com/zeitgeist.

Google.com Gainers

  1. vince young – University of Texas quarterback won big in the Rose Bowl Jan. 4, is opting to go pro with the NFL
  2. texas longhorns – UT team’s first national championship in 36 years was the Rose Bowl win, 41-38
  3. emily stern – daughter of Howard quit off-off Broadway play "Kabbalah" Jan. 3, fearing her father’s critics would focus on her nude performance
  4. dancing with the stars – reality series gained in ratings with premiere of new season Jan. 5
  5. marcus vick – former Va. Tech quarterback arrested on firearms charges Jan. 9, just 3 days after dismissal from Hokies for Gator Bowl "unsportsmanlike conduct"
  6. CES – massive Consumer Electronics Show engulfed Las Vegas and news reports starting week of Jan. 9
  7. lindsay lohan – teen star was briefly hospitalized in Miami Jan. 5 for asthma attack
  8. wedding crashers – popular 2005 comedy starring Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughan released on DVD Jan. 3
  9. martin luther king – civil rights leader will be remembered on U.S. federal holiday celebrated Jan. 16
  10. bird flu – recent human outbreaks reported in Ukraine, Turkey increase concern
  11. USC – favored Rose Bowl team was bested in an upset by Texas on Jan. 4
  12. isla fisher – actress with small part in "Wedding Crashers" receives fresh praise for her performance based on DVD release and reviews
  13. detroit auto show – new makes and models are the focus of the giant annual car expo which began Jan. 9
  14. lou rawls – velvet-voiced singer died of cancer Jan. 6 in Los Angeles at age 72
  15. drake bell – Nickelodeon star ("Drake & Josh") recovers at home after surviving a serious Dec. 29 car accident

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