Gangsta isn’t our word with the most increased searches this week, but it definitely has the best backstory!
Up in searches by 220%, gangsta cost a Jeopardy contestant $3200 dollars this week. In response to the prompt: “A song by Coolio from ‘Dangerous Minds’ goes back in time to become a 1667 John Milton classic,” Nick Spicher replied “gangster,” instead of “gangsta,” and lost the money. However, even Coolio himself said he should have won the point.
Quantum was up by 584% in searches this past week. Quantum physics made the news as theories are being rewritten due to the recent discovery of new quantum materials that can’t be explained by traditional physics. According to Newsweek, quantum physics “seeks to explain how life works at the subatomic level.” So, what does that mean to the rest of us?
Well, sciencetrends.com says “the discovery might contribute to the development of technology used in quantum computers. It also means that new materials could be developed, which could revolutionize how we engineer energy transmission technology, thanks to the fact that Weyl fermions can conduct electricity with very little energy loss.”
In other less important news, the creator of Quantum Leap said he has a movie script ready to go . . . .
There was quite a lot to be perturbed about this week, as most of us know since the the word increased in searches by 260%.
However, there is one story that perturbed the whole state of Oregon: a new self-service gas law. Oregonians may now have to pump their own gas at select gas stations . . . the horror! The Mercury News reprinted an article from the Washington Post in which it stated: “Some were angry and perturbed by the possibility of having to pump their own gas in the cold, while those from other states scoffed. ‘I don’t even know HOW to pump gas and I am 62, native Oregonian . . . I say NO THANKS! I don’t like to smell like gasoline!’ one woman wrote.”
The fact of the matter is that Oregon will still have full-service pumps and just an addition of several new self-service ones . . . .
Plough increased in searches by 50%, and we’re sure those of you on the east coast know why. However, an interesting story came out this week as the snow ploughs worked to clear the roads in both the US and the UK; some ploughs have now been fitted with cameras.
And, these cameras are capturing unique images to alert drivers of road conditions via Twitter. That’s real-time conditions taken to a new level.
Up by 23% in searches this past week, we’re pretty sure this one is because of you, Apple. From their statement released about lithium-ion batteries on their website:
“A battery with a high impedance is unable to provide power quickly enough to the system that needs it. A battery’s impedance can increase if a battery has a higher chemical age. A battery’s impedance will temporarily increase at a low state of charge and in a cold temperature environment. When coupled with a higher chemical age, the impedance increase will be more significant.”
Well, that’s technical and confusing. We don’t think you diffused the situation with this statement.
Even though it sounds sweet, cutie pie (up 238%) may be on our list due to Chris Matthews and the sexual harassment allegations against him. Apparently, he is known to have called female guests “cutie” and “sweetie pie,” among other things (there’s even complaints that date back to 1999).
And, his workplace attitude has been called out as well as many of his staff members have also accused him of verbal abuse and a hostile work environment.
With New Year’s Eve in our recent past, many revelers (up 33%), or those who partake in boisterous merrymaking, were out and about ringing in the new year. And, many news outlets made use of this word to report about them.
“New Year’s reveler accidentally struck by celebratory gunfire in San Leandro”
D@mn . . . was up 30% in searches this week.
Firstly, it was d@mn cold on the east coast this past week, and a lot of people (including athletes in the NFL) are complaining about it.
Next, The New York Times described Trump’s presidential style as as “no-holds-barred, crystal-breaking, us-against-them, d@mn-the-consequences blasts borne out of gut and grievance.”
And, Forbes told us to stop giving a d@mn about the Star Wars box office numbers because expecting each new film to be the biggest one yet is doing the franchise (and us) no favors.
On January 1st, “the January full moon arrived at perigee, its closest point to Earth in an orbit” (space.com). And, “our lunar companion reached an extreme perigee distance of 221,559 miles (356,565 kilometers). When these events coincide (a full moon at perigee), some people refer to the event as a ‘supermoon.'”
Pretty far out.
Treason was up 216% in searches this past week. Steve Bannon could have caused this, as he described Donald Jr.’s meeting with a group of Russians as treason. Or, maybe it was this HuffPost article: “Treason for Dummies, A Republican Handbook.” Ouch.
Treason isn’t a new accusation for the GOP though, especially for those within the Trump administration.
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