1. Gaddafi

Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi, or more commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi, was the official ruler of Libya from 1969 to 1977. In 1977 he stepped down from his official Executive position but maintained control of the country until February 2011, when riots against his leadership began. On October 20, 2011, Gaddafi’s convoy was attacked by NATO, where he was then captured and executed. He was 69 years old.

2. Paranormal Activity 3

It’s like the new Blairwitch Project: terrible camera angles, horrible plot, and predictable jump scare scenes. Sounds like 90 minutes of spine tingling Halloween season goodness.

3. Battlefield 3

Released on October 25, this multiplayer first-person shooter has the 3 G’s: guns, grenades, and gore. If this game is half as good as Jordan Sparks’ song “Battlefield”, it is going to be epic!

4. World Series

What do you get when you cross a cardinal and a stallion? The world series of course. Albert Pujols may have played his last game in a Cardinals uniform. Next up for him is Dancing with the Stars.

5. Lindsay Lohan

She was caught making out with her mother in a club. I’ll spare you the details. She also accepted a 1 million dollar offer to pose in a not-so-PG magazine. Again, no comment.

6. Powerball

The betting-man’s tax… err, I’m sorry, I mean the Powerball jackpot, is now 180 million dollars. You’re a fool if you think you can win… I’ve already picked the winning numbers, I can feel it in my soul.

7. Batman Arkham City

An action adventure video game developed by Rocksteady Studios. Personally, I haven’t had much luck with superhero video games. If I don’t get to play as the Joker, I’ll pass.

The most popular “all hallows eve” costumes this year are Captain America, Nicki Minaj, and Angry Birds. Angry Birds seems to make every most popular list there is.

9. Dan Wheldon

He was an Indy car racer who was fatally injured during the 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship. He passed away doing what he loved the most.

10. The Walking Dead

Is back for season two. Are you surprised? They already died once. What’s to stop them from coming back with a second season?

A look at the top searches on Google last week:

1. 27 Club

Musicians who have died at the age of 27.

2. Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse dominated 6 of the top 10 search results this week and her YouTube music videos are still rising.

3. Norway Shooting

A terrorist killed over 76 people in a national tragedy this week in Norway.

4. Captain America

Another comic classic comes to the big screen.

5. Debt Ceiling

Our government is still working this one out… why should you care?

4th Week of July Top YouTube Videos:

A look at the top searches on Google last week:

1. Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have split up, rocking the world of… well… people who follow TMZ all day.

2. Spotify

Spotify tops the charts for another week with its focus on music access vs. ownership.

3. Carmageddon

No, not the 1997 video game… but a masssive false scare of terrifying Los Angeles traffic this past week.

4. Alex Morgan

The US may not have won, but  Hope Solo and Alex Morgan got some heavy press this week.

5. Borders

After filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year, Borders is officially liquidating their inventory… cheap books for all!

6. Breaking Bad

After a year long hiatus, this AMC tv show is coming back on the air.

7. British Open

Darren Clarke won the 140th Open Championship for the first time over Phil Mickleson and Dustin Johnson.

8. Insidious

Paranormal meets haunted house in this week’s horror movie from the makers of the SAW franchise.

3rd Week of July Top YouTube Videos:

A look at the top searches on Google last week:

1. Betty Ford

Elizabeth Ann Bloomer Warren Ford passed away this past week leaving behind a strong legacy.

2. Hugh Hefner Dead

There are quite a few celebrity death hoaxes going around… my favorite thing about this one is the response that the rumors are “greatly exaggerated”… he’s only a little bit dead.

3. Jaycee Dugard

Jaycee just published A Stolen Life based on her 18 year captivity.

4. Spotify

A Pandora competitor came to the US market from overseas this week. Sign up here

5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Reviews

Talk about long tail keywords…

6. Hope Solo

The US women’s soccer goalie “blew up” this week.

7. Derek Jeter

Mr. Jeter sat out of the All-Star Game this week.

8. Shuttle Launch

NASA preps for the last space shuttle launch.

2nd Week of July Top YouTube Videos:

A look at the top searches on Google last week:

1. Casey Anthony Verdict

Publishers aren’t looking interested in a Casey Anthony book deal.

2. Fireworks

Do you have a fireworks store in your area?  Or, as Stephen Colbert calls them, “Shabby cash-only roadside shacks that sell Chinese explosives to drunk people.”

3. Google+

The battle between Google+ and Facebook is on!  But the real question is… why are we doing this?

4. Planking

It’s back and bigger than ever… even US Celebs are doing it.

5. Copa America

It is time for some good old fashioned Fútbol.

6. Kobayashi

Takeru Kobayashi was not allowed to participate in the recent Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest again… similar to last year when he was arrested… but I’ll never forget this.

7. Mega Millions

$250,000,000.00 was won by a West-Virginian… that’s a lot of zeros.

8. Transformers 3

$97 million opening weekend and growing!

1^st Week of July Top YouTube Videos:

A look at the top searches on Google for June 2011:

1. Anthony Weiner & Southwest Airlines – When will people learn that everything is recorded in this day and age.

2. Ryan Dunn – A tribute video was made and released on Youtube – see below.

3. Casey Anthony – A major trial ends in a not guilty verdict.

4. Father’s Day Gift Ideas – This word peaked on a Saturday, the day before father’s day… don’t you searchers know what your father did for you?

5. Super 8 & Green Lantern – These popular movies hit theaters in late June.

6. LulzsSec – After joining forces with Anonymous and some intra-hacker attacks from rival hacker groups, LulzSec calls it quits.

7. Miss America 2011 – Although it was the Miss USA Competition, searchers were looking for Miss America.  What’s the difference?

8. Lunar Eclipse – Did you know Greece used eclipses to estimate the dimensions of our solar system?

9. US Open – This year the US Open drew 230,000.

RIP Clarence Clemons, Ryan Dunn, Leonard Stern

June 2011 Top Youtube Videos:

UPDATE:

As mega-fans of the E Street Band, we here at SearchShots felt it only just to include a special tribute to Clarence Clemons.  May he forever keep in the hearts of New Jerseyans and fans worldwide:

Who Spiked The Search

A look at the top searches on Google for the last week of May:

Memorial Day – A tribute to the fallen

Indy 500 – A close race brought excitement back to an event slowing in popularity

NBA finals schedule – Finals are heating up for these mavericks

Hangover 2 – $30 million on opening night, this sequel does it again

Scott McCreery – American idol 2011… the show must go on and on and on

Kris Humphries – What makes you more famous… the NBA or marrying a Kardashian?

Randy Savage – RIP… and Snap into a Slim Jim!

Harold Camping – I have a feeling this isn’t the last time we’ll see Mr. Camping in our results

Buster Posey – A shot to the ankle could be the end of this MLB star’s career

Oprah – 25 years of Oprah have ended… what’s next?

Week of May 30th, Top Youtube Videos:

A look at the top searches on Google Last Week:

1.   Rapture – Looks like May 21^st wasn’t the day.  Sorry it didn’t work out Harold.

2.   Arnold Schwarzenegger – A sad week for many fans of The Terminator.

3.   Angry Birds– Angry Birds comes to PC as a Google Chrome app.

4.   Planking – A new form of prank is sweeping the world… see the embedded video below.

5.   Jon Stewart Bill O Reilly – a highly-watched debate on Common @ the White House.

This Week’s Youtube Top Four:

1. Ultimate Dog Tease – When did talking animals get so popular?
2. Evan Longoria – Great Catch – Was it real or just a Gillette promo?
3. Jack Sparrow (feat. Michael Bolton) – SNL Digital Short.
4. Greatest Marriage Proposal Ever – Impressively done sir!

A look at the top searches on Google:

Last Week:

1.   Kentucky Derby 2011 – Animal Kingdom wins the race, and no not the Disney park.

2.   Martha Graham – An animated Google doodle for a Contemporary Dance pioneer’s birthday.

3.   Roger Hargreaves – Another Google doodle tops the charts for the inventor of Mr. Tickle and many others.

4.   Cinco de Mayo – Happy 5^th of May!  Wondering what all the celebration was about?

5.   May 21st – Nothing ushers in Summer like a good end of day theory

This Week’s Youtube Top Two:

1. The Chromebook has arrived. – Will the Chromebook compete with the iPad, Tablets and netbooks or is this a completely new web experience?
2. High Five for First Kiss – Way to go kid!

Week Ending on April 29th:

1.   Royal Wedding – Kate Middleton and Prince William tied the knot and all of England was cheering them on (even some who waited in the streets overnight just to watch them drive by)!

2.   Osama Bin Laden – An ending to a long search for the world’s most wanted man.

3.   Mothers Day 2011 – For those of you who forgot Mother’s day, Father’s day is June 19^th.  There’s nothing like a brand new power drill for dad.

4.   NFL Draft – Strap up Jocks… Check out ESPN Draft Coverage if you missed it.

5.   UFC – An octagon, beefy dudes and head bashing… cauliflower ear anyone?

Last week’s Youtube top two:

1. Obama roasts Donald Trump
2. Seth Meyers roasts Trump, Obama and America

Taco Bell. You complete some people. Others, you tear apart. Mentally, physically, and metaphysically.

However, mere jeering and joking becomes a serious threat when your consumers take up a class action lawsuit against your company. You have to respond. Silence can be the determinant of guilt.

How do you prevent your company from continuing the downward spiral?

How do you educate consumers on the truth?

How do you manage your reputation?

Search.

Paid Search can protect your brand and direct consumers to accurate information. This reputation management campaign can be live in a matter of hours.

So, when your brand meets the press and consumers begin searching for answers…

When millions of search queries are pointed at your brand…

Respond with Search.

Respond with the right message.

And, right the ship with reputation management. Well done, Taco Bell. Well done.

As for the lucky questionable bunch at Razorfish Search in NYC… we are still alive and kicking after all this.

For now…