Top Ten

I've got two different Yahoo e-mail addresses: one which gives me a U.S. interface and another one which is convinced I'm French. So what? I can manage. But just for your edification, here are the top ten popular searches listed yesterday on each site:

U.S.

1. Mel Gibson
2. 21 Gun Salute
3. Alex Rodriguez
4. Pulmonary Embolism
5. Turducken
6. Robert Pattinson
7. E. Coli
8. Leo Frank
9. Flu Prevention
10. Tower of London Beefeaters

If you don't know what a turducken is, I suggest you listen to NPR's Morning Edition on Thanksgiving Day (available on-line for those not in the U.S.) as they traditionally run a segment on this culinary novelty.

France

1. Kylie Minogue
2. Identité Nationale
3. Plan cancer 2009-2013
4. Mel Gibson
5. Yannick Noah
6. Elton John
7. Perm-36
8. Sidney Govou
9. Nadine Morano
10. Louis Nicollin

I had to do a bit of sleuthing to learn that: Perm-36 is a former Soviet gulag; a writer for the Le Monde is doing a series on it. Sidney Govou is a French footballer (soccer player to my fellow Yanks). Nadine Morano is one of President Sarkozy's ministers. Louis Nicollin is a businessman and president of the Montpellier soccer team.

Personally I'm just thrilled to know that interest in Mel Gibson may be the one thing to keep 200 plus years of Franco-American friendship going.