Google Zeitgeist Seeks Olympic Gold

Google Announces Top 15 Gainers for the Week Ending February 13

Winter sports are one thing, but the occasion of the Winter Olympics every four years raises interest in snow-bound athletics to even higher peaks, as evidenced in this week’s Google Zeitgeist. U.S. Google users sought out information on events generally (torino games) as well as some of the American superstars who are competing (Sasha Cohen, Bode Miller) -- and who were hoping to compete (Michelle Kwan). That other winter sport, the TV awards season, also garnered mindshare from fans, whether they were looking for programs (Super Bowl commercials, Grammys, Arrested Development) or celebs on the tube (Teri Hatcher, Sly Stone). And a week doesn’t go by without some curiosity-seekers wanting news on headline stories (Vanity Fair, face transplant, Haiti).

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 February 6-13.

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

Google.com Gainers

1. torino games - 17 days of the XX Olympic Winter Games got underway in Turin, Italy on Feb. 10
2. janet jones - hockey star Wayne Gretzky’s wife has been in the spotlight for placing illegal sports bets
3. grammys - annual music awards fest was held Feb. 8 in Los Angeles
4. vanity fair - annual Hollywood mega-issue of culture-tracking mag was released Feb. 8, featuring nude photos by Annie Leibovitz of stars including Keira Knightley, Scarlett Johansson
5. superbowl commercials - the entertainment doesn’t stop, even after the big (Feb. 5) game ends
6. michelle kwan - champion skater withdrew Feb. 12 from Olympics due to injury
7. teri hatcher - Desperate Housewife wowed the Grammy crowd Feb. 8 in her rather sheer gown
8. zillow - new online home valuation tool buckled under heavy traffic when it launched (and had lots of press coverage) on Feb. 8
9. sasha cohen - rising star in figure skating is ready to take center stage at the Winter Olympics
10. haiti - a week after elections, supporters of Aristide ally and candidate Rene Preval call for a recount, apparently hoping to avoid a March 9 runoff vote
11. face transplant - Isabelle Dinoire, the French woman who survived a dog mauling and received the world’s first face transplant, appeared before reporters Feb. 6 to recount her story
12. sly stone - for the first time in 19 years, the elusive 70s funk star played at the Feb. 8 Grammys
13. bode miller - downhill skier contending for gold at the Winter Olympics; was disqualified from the men’s combined event on Feb. 14
14. arrested development - after three seasons, cult favorite (but low-rated) Fox sitcom aired its last episode on Feb. 10
15. valentines day - Feb. 14 is the annual lovefest brought to us by Cupid

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