In a week of topsy-turvy movements on the Lycos 50, one thing can be sure: people love Christmas.
Christmas maintained its hold on #1 this week with double the searches of last week. Christmas received triple the searches of Dragonball Z (#2).
Christmas fever also brings The Grinch (#9) into the top ten and means more searches for Santa Claus (#11), Christmas trees (#24), and toys (#21).
(Note: like last year, we have chosen to include only searches for the exact word "toys" in this count. Individual toys like Barbie (#39) are counted separately.)
The big toy fad of 2000 is the scooter, and searches for Christmas gifts boost scooters (#49) into the Lycos 50 as well.
December is extra-festive this year, with three other major holidays. The Muslim holy month of Ramadan began November 27 and lasts until December 25. Muslims fast during sunshine hours of each day in order to heighten spirituality and practice self-restraint. In addition, upcoming holidays Hannukah and Kwanzaa each saw searches triple this week compared to last week.
Other key points from a really interesting Lycos 50:
A LOVE SUPREME: Interest in the presidential election (#5) was back up this week, although searches which specified the Florida recount dwindled. This week's hot topic was the U.S. Supreme Court (#20), which makes its first-ever Lycos 50 appearance with about eight times as many searches as a normal week.
The Florida Supreme Court last week, the U.S. Supreme Court this week - it seems that the judicial branch is riding an unprecedented wave of popularity. Could this be the way for celebrities to help their flagging careers? Coming soon: Kevin Costner is a newly-widowed Supreme Court justice and Jennifer Love Hewitt is his attractive young law clerk in A Love Supreme?
WE LOVE GORE: Al Gore (#22) shot back up this week, but George W. Bush once again can't make the Lycos 50. Maybe this says something about the public's position on the recount issue.
WE HATE GORE: Then again, maybe not. The Republican anti-recount slogan Sore Loserman nearly made the Lycos 50 itself (it was #58). Lycos users seem about as split by the current conundrum as the rest of the country.
BOY BATTLE: Two weeks after releasing Black and Blue, the Backstreet Boys go ahead of boy band rivals 'N Sync for the first time since February 8. The Backstreet Boys got a bump in searches from fans looking for tickets for their recently announced world tour. Still, it shows 'N Sync's popularity that they are still neck-and-neck with the Backstreet Boys even though their album is eight months old.
THE MOST CAKE: The new Miss World (#47), Indian student Priyanka Chopra, was crowned this week in London. Lycos is host to the official Miss World clubs.
TOO MUCH: This week was just overflowing with new topics, so we had to create a special extra page. Click here for information on human popsicle David Blaine, a Canadian special, a goodbye to a long time friend, and news on what Santa is putting in your stocking this year.
SHORT SUBJECTS: Guess it was the short school week that knocked them off, because academic topics science fair projects (#18), Greek mythology (#38), and the periodic table of the elements (#44) are all back? Martha Stewart falls off the list - is she more popular for Thanksgiving ideas than Christmas ones?? It didn't make the Lycos 50, but searches are back up for 1999's big online fad Elf Bowling thanks to a newly released sequel.
NEW THIS WEEK: Magician David Blaine, Canadian election, science fair projects, U.S. Supreme Court, toys, Christmas trees, Powerball, NASA, Ramadan, Greek mythology, Titanic, periodic table of the elements, Miss World, scooters.
DROPOUTS: Thanksgiving, turkey recipes, Florida Supreme Court, Martha Stewart, Nascar, political website Drudge Report, pecan pie, Japanese animes Gundam Wing and Sailor Moon, snowboarding, South Park, rock band Limp Bizkit, NBA, Florida Recount.
BIGGEST RISE: Al Gore, up 26 places to #22.
BIGGEST DROP: Playboy cover girl Carmen Electra, down 39 places to #50.
ONE YEAR AGO: The Australian Women's Soccer team appeared at #41 after releasing a controversial nude calendar featuring 12 of their players, and Christmas made its first appearance at #1, topping Pokemon.
COMING SOON: Tomorrow we start our countdown of the web's most popular searches of 2000 with the year's top music groups. You can post your guesses as to who will make the list on our message boards.
