This week's Lycos 50 is highlighted not by the topics that make the list, but rather by the topics that narrowly miss the list.
Start with Eminem. After 68 weeks on the Lycos 50, rap's biggest star falls off the list with a #53 finish. He entered the list in May 2000 and peaked at #4.
Eminem had been ready to fall off two months ago until the release of a new album by his posse, D-12, gave him a bit of extra life. Eminem hasn't announced a new solo album, so it may be a while before his popularity gets a big rebound.
NO CIGAR: Two other gentlemen came close to making the list this week, but just missed.
Last year, on the 23rd anniversary of his death, Elvis Presley made it to #45 on the Lycos 50. This year, he was a bit less popular, getting only as high as #59.
The second is radio host Rush Limbaugh who made news this week when it was leaked that he has been discussing a contract with CNN. This move would be quite surprising because Limbaugh, like most right-wingers, has long derided CNN for leaning too far to the left. Limbaugh finished #55 this week.
No word on whether Fox News would counteract this move by adding a famous lefty to their current "fair and balanced" lineup of 500 right-wing commentators, 400 ex-GOP congressmen, and Mort Kondracke. Perhaps they could look into hiring James Carville. Better yet, perhaps they could lock Bill O'Reilly and famous lefty Michael Moore in a room until only one came out. Or, they could lock them in a room and leave and throw away the key so neither would come out.
HOLIDAZE: Turning back to items that did make the list, Dragonball has now topped the Lycos 50 for 14 straight weeks, and 16 out of 17 weeks. But with the big fall holidays approaching, its time remaining at the top grows short.
The first fall holiday arrives this week with Halloween debuting at #50. That sounds shocking -- do you know of anyone who is thinking about Halloween yet? -- but it is actually one week later than its debut in 2000.
OR THIS: The other topic that could dethrone Dragonball is Britney Spears (#4). Her new album comes out one week after Halloween, but it was recently announced that she will debut the song on the MTV Video Awards September 6.
The song is called "I'm a Slave 4 U," proving that Britney continues to be a strong role model for young girls, both in the areas of female empowerment and spelling. No word yet whether Britney's likely performance outfit of thong and shackles will be available in junior miss sizes.
TIGERLESS: The PGA Championship (#42) seems to be much less popular than golf's other majors. July's British Open was #5, June's U.S. Open was #13, and The Masters was (were?) #8 in April. Could these results be party due to the slump by Tiger Woods?
SHORT SUBJECTS: More than half the searches for NFL (#9) were for the league's website? As predicted last week, the fall of some other topics means Viagra (#43) can make its first appearance on the Lycos 50? Big Brother (#16) keeps on falling? Though they both fell off the Lycos 50, the Sircam virus tops the Code Red virus 55 percent to 45 percent.
NEW THIS WEEK: Blink-182, PGA Championship, Viagra, Howard Stern, Barbie Halloween
DROPOUTS: Sircam and Code Red viruses, Star Trek (barely), Star Wars, recalled drug Baycol, Eminem.
BIGGEST RISE: Powerball lottery, up 28 spots to #20. Nobody has won the jackpot yet, so it now stands at $175 million for tomorrow night.
BIGGEST DROP: Mariah Carey, down 24 spots to #47. I hope she doesn't get too depressed about this.
TOMORROW: A look at searches for the Middle East conflict.
