Daily Cup O Google

Your day according to Google: Happy Festivus! Yes, it is Dec. 23, the time to air our grievances, according to Frank Costanza. And where better to start than with the top two Google searches this morning? The first is "Brittany Murphy autopsy photos," showing that the unhealthy obsession with the dead actress shows no sign of abating. The second search is for "driven media," one of those inquiries that seems to make no sense whatsoever. There are three public relations/advertising agencies named Driven Media, but they're not in the news. Search results for this string gave few clues as to what the hubbub is all about. It could also be a resurgence of an old scam wherein people sign up to drive a car for free that's wrapped in advertising. Long story short: Nothing in life is free. Texas A&M senior Derrick Roland suffered a horrific broken leg during a basketball game against Washington; he broke both his tibia and his fibula after landing awkwardly and the video will probably go down as one of the most gruesome sports injury vids in history.

Target stores are getting smart about search engine optimization, popping up first under searches for "exercise bike clearance;" Allanah Benton-Wells, a former teacher in Michigan, was found guilty of having sex with a 12-year-old boy and faces 25 years in prison; and an obscure ailment called "Shy Drager disease," a rare neurological disorder, made the top ten list. There doesn't seem to be any news associated with it, but it's the sort of thing that would be mentioned on the Howard Stern Show during a discussion of transvestites with stage fright. But that's just a guess.

Long-forgotten actors continue to throw off their mortal coils; today, it's Arnold Stang who has passed on at the age of 91. He was the voice of "Top Cat," which was reportedly some 1960s cartoon. Teresa Heinz, Sen. John Kerry's wife, is being treated for breast cancer. Singer Carrie Underwood is engaged to hockey player Mike Fisher. And an American Airlines flight crashed in Jamaica, injuring 40 passengers.

Last but not least, the top-of-the-hour refresh had Kevin Michael Connolly at the top of the search heap, blessedly knocking Brittany and her autopsy off the pedestal. Connelly was born without legs, but has led a life of adventure without them. The photographer, skier and hiker was on The Today Show to promote his new book, "Double Take."

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About this dscriber.com column: Like a horoscope, but applicable to anyone with an Internet connection, Daily Cup O'Google reaches into the collective consciousness of frequently googled search terms each morning to predict, at a glance, what conversations will dominate your day and shape the 24-hour news cycle.

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