The Buzz Log What’s hot on Yahoo! Buzz™ (and why)...

Our crack team of editors takes a closer look at the hottest trends on Yahoo! Buzz.

  • A nice-looking turkey

    A nice-looking turkey

    Myths and Facts About Thanksgiving

    by Mike Krumboltz

    3 hours ago

    Thanksgiving is a uniquely North American holiday. But are those "facts" we learned in school really true? Is Plymouth Rock an actual, well, rock? Did the pilgrims really eat turkey and pumpkin pie? And who made the holiday "official"? The Buzz Log investigates some of the myths and realities of the beloved holiday.

    Was there really a Plymouth Rock?
    Kids are taught that when the pilgrims arrived in America, they landed on Plymouth Rock. Well, it might not have gone down like that. According to George Mason's History News Network, the Plymouth Rock theory rests on the "dubious testimony" of one man. Historians argue that pilgrims first landed at Provincetown (not Plymouth). Still, one can visit Plymouth Rock if so inclined. According to the Plymouth Rock Foundation, the rock once weighed thousands of pounds. Over the years, the rock split and parts washed out to sea. Pilgrim Hall Museum writes that the world's most famous rock weighs around several tons, a big drop since its heyday. Today, the remains of the rock are housed in a special building so tourists can gawk from a safe distance.  Photos aren't exactly awe-inspiring.

    Did the first Thanksgiving have turkey?
    Probably not. The Christian Science Monitor hosts an excellent article on the first Thanksgiving that happened back in 1621. According to the journals of several of the colonists, deer and large amounts of "fowl" were enjoyed by the pilgrims. However, instead of that being turkey, it's more likely the hunters brought back duck or geese. So why did turkey become associated with the holiday? According to Slate, price may have been a chief reason. "Among the big birds, turkey was ideal for a fall feast. Turkeys born in the spring would spend about seven months eating insects and worms on the farm, growing to about 10 pounds by Thanksgiving." Additionally, they were cheaper than geese. Good news for geese, bad news for the turkey.

    Who made Thankgiving official?
    Ladies and gentlemen, let's give it up for President Lincoln! That's right, Honest Abe is responsible for making Thanksgiving an official holiday in 1863. National Geographic hosts a blog on some surprising facts about the holiday and notes that Lincoln may have been swayed by magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale, the author of "Mary Had a Little Lamb." Historians say she was a big proponent of making Thanksgiving a national holiday. Mr. Lincoln apparently agreed.

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    1 Vote
  • Old Dogs

    Old Dogs

    Old Dogs, The Road, Ninja Assassin: Critic Roundup

    by Mike Krumboltz

    6 hours ago

    Good news for folks looking to escape "family time" and take in a movie — you'll have plenty of options this week. There are several new films opening in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, and the critics are weighing in with their takes on whether or not Hollywood's efforts are worth your money. Here's the scoop...

    Based on its critical reception, Disney's "Old Dogs" looks destined to play dead at theaters. The film garnered atrocious reviews. The Chicago Tribune granted the film 0 stars and explained that the movie is "a great opportunity to gather family members you clearly think are stupid." Online critic James Berardinelli granted the movie half a star out of four and wrote that "there are some experiences no one should be subjected to even in the name of science." And the carnage didn't stop. Entertainment Weekly gave the film an "F" and lamented the disappearance of Robin Williams' dignity. Moviegoers — you have been warned.

    Reviews for Oscar contender "The Road" were much more positive. The film, based on a Cormac McCarthy novel about the end of the world, isn't exactly uplifting, but critics applauded the film's largely CGI-less look of muted grays and stark landscapes. Also getting much acclaim — Viggo Mortensen, who plays a man desperate to protect his son from the horrors of a post-apocalyptic world. Deborah Young of The Hollywood Reporter called it "bleak but intense." A.O. Scott of The New York Times also praised the movie, but did note that the film's score seems to be too sentimental at times.

    For adrenaline junkies, there's "Ninja Assassin." The action film, produced by Andy and Larry Wachowski of "Matrix" fame, scored mixed reviews. Some critics were surprisingly positive. Chris Nashawaty of EW gave the film a "B" and applauded the film's "very cool" fight scenes. Other reviewers were a bit more tepid. David Thomas of Filmcritic.com awarded the film two out of five stars, noting that it will "likely disappoint action fans with excessive CGI gore." Unless she herself is a ninja, you may want to leave Grandma at home.

    3 Votes

  • "Princess and the Frog" from Disney

    Disney Debuts First Black Princess

    by Claudine Zap

    6 hours ago

    The new Disney fairy tale movie, "Princess and the Frog" has a familiar storyline. (Girl kisses frog. Weird stuff happens.) But the look is new: The debut of Disney's first African American princess. Ever. The animated musical opens this week in New York and Los Angeles (and everywhere next month) and already Web searches on Yahoo! have grown over 100% in the last 30 days.

    The story is set in Jazz Age New Orleans, with this princess-in-the-rough working as a waitress. She is only royal in her mind, and dreams of opening a restaurant in the French Quarter. Check out the preview.

    Aside from breaking a race barrier (Disney's own), the animated flick is a throw-back to another era: The movie is hand-drawn, with zydeco-style songs by Randy Newman and stars Broadway singer Anika Noni Rose as the princess, Tiana, and queen of daytime Oprah Winfrey as the voice of her mom. And, of course, there are the toys. NPR reports that Tiana toys are already extremely popular with the kids. A new cash cow for Disney, perhaps?

    Early reviews are positive. Time magazine calls the holiday offering a "start-to-finish delight." Entertainment Weekly glows that the G-rated movie is "a fresh twist on the classic fairy tale." Filmcritic.com notes that while the cartoon is a visual feast, it serves up little along the theme of race or class. However, images might speak stronger than words in this case. As Filmcritic puts it, "If they're not careful, 'like a Disney movie' might once again cease to be a pejorative phrase."

    3 Votes
  • Zhu Zhu Pet: Must-Have Holiday Toy

    Zhu Zhu Pet: Must-Have Holiday Toy

    Zhu Zhu Pets, Side Dishes, "Seinfeld": What's the Buzz

    by Claudine Zap

    11 hours ago

    Our top picks from the day's hottest searches.

    1. Zhu Zhu pet hamster (Searches increased by 3,205%). The motorized pet is a top gift this holiday season. The toy's story starts with, what else, inspiration from YouTube.
    2. Easy Thanksgiving side dishes (+500%). With so many harvest veggies to choose from, you could skip the turkey altogether.
    3. Goldman Sachs (+368%). The investment firm that profited from both the housing bubble and the bailout, has a serious PR problem.
    4. Large Hadron Collider (+305%). The world's biggest atom smasher is back up.
    5. "Seinfeld" (+200%). The reunited cast that turned up on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" finished up with the season finale.
    1 Vote
  • Black Friday

    Black Friday

    Stay Safe this Friday

    by Mike Krumboltz

    27 hours ago

    A typical shopping trip doesn't result in broken bones and injuries. No need for strict safety measures 364 days a year. But on Black Friday? That's when an ounce of prevention can save you a pound of flesh at the emergency room.

    After last year's tragic death during a shopping stampede at a Wal-Mart, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued some safety tips for getting through Black Friday in one piece. The guidelines are aimed at retailers responsible for providing their employees with a safe working environment. That can be a tall order on a day when thousands of sleep-deprived shoppers are desperate to grab rare deals.

    So what are the guidelines? The OSHA recommends retailers have security personnel or police officers on site, but that's not all. Stores expecting big crowds should use barricades, make sure local emergency services are aware of the event, use bullhorns to address the crowd, and be aware of the building's maximum occupancy. This year, expect more stores to let shoppers in at a slow and steady pace rather than all at once.

    Web searches on "black friday safety" have climbed steadily over the past week. There are also numerous articles and blog posts on the risks shoppers and employees face on Black Friday. MSNBC reports that Wal-Mart for one has implemented many changes. Hopefully all retailers can keep their employees and shoppers safe and out of the ER.

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    14 Votes