Top trends

Google recently released its annual list of top-trending searches, Year in Search 2022, which summarises data from the search engine to offer insight into the things that intrigued people throughout the year.

According to Google, “Wordle was the top trending search globally, as guessing five-letter words every day became a way of life... We saw pop culture continue to leave its mark as we searched for ‘how to become a fighter pilot’ thanks to ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ and how to learn new languages, specifically Minion, High Valyrian and Klingon. Most of us also couldn’t seem to get songs from hit TV shows out of our head, with Ali Sethi’s ‘Pasoori’ becoming the top global Hum to Search song.”

The global search results show that the 10th most searched query was the Indian Premier League. Apart from its huge fandom in India, the finding indicates the extensive impact of cricket across the globe. Similarly, India vs the West Indies was the seventh most searched query whereas India vs England was the second highest, right after Wordle.

Google breaks down the search trends based on country, region and popular topics. In the US, after Wordle, election results and Betty White were the second and third most searched items, respectively. The three most searched recipes in the US were for Sugo, Cincinnati Chili and Marry Me Chicken; Paneer Pasanda was the single most searched recipe globally.

Wish granted

The season is all about granting wishes. The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control has issued its first-ever rare animal licence to a six-year-old girl, allowing her to keep a unicorn in her backyard, should she find one. The girl, identified as Madeline, wrote a letter to the county requesting approval for her to own a unicorn.

The director of the county, Marcia Mayeda, obliged the girl but added a few conditions that she must follow: the unicorn must be fed watermelon — one of its favourite treats — once a week, its horn must be polished at least once a month with a soft cloth, it must be covered with only non-toxic and biodegradable sparkles and given regular access to sunlight, moonbeams and rainbows.

The department issued Madeline a heart-shaped tag with the words “Permanent Unicorn Licence” emblazoned on it and also gave her a stuffed unicorn to look after. Mayeda stated that this is the first time the department has received a request for a licence for a mythical creature in her more than two decades of working there.

Royal visit

n Members of the British royal family visiting the US always creates a lot of buzz. Two weeks ago, Prince William and Kate Middleton visited Boston for three days. It was their first trip to the country since 2014 and their first international trip as the Prince and Princess of Wales.

They visited Boston City Hall for the annual Earthshot Prize Ceremony that felicitates people from around the world for their contributions to mitigating the climate crisis. “Together we can achieve a sustainable future for generations to come. Together, we will change the future of our planet,” William said in his opening remarks. A large crowd had gathered in the cold and rain to catch a glimpse of the royal couple and erupted in cheer when they appeared. The event was also attended by David Beckham, Billie Eilish, Rami Malek, and Ellie Goulding among others.

Thereafter, William and Kate attended an NBA game, watching the Boston Celtics play against the Miami Heat from courtside seats at the TD Garden. While William wore a casual denim button-down with a navy blazer, Kate was dressed in a blue tweed double-breasted jacket from Chanel’s 1995 fall collection.

Significantly, the trailer for the new documentary by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry dropped on Netflix during William and Kate’s trip.

Dynamic delivery

Although Black Friday and Cyber Monday are behind us, holiday shopping is far from over. Given the current inflationary trends, shoppers have been looking out for deals and discounts on social media. Inperson shopping and online purchases are not lagging behind either.

The e-commerce giant, Amazon, piloted a programme allowing customers to tell their Alexa device, “thank my driver”, which then sends a $5 tip to the driver who delivered their most recent package. Amazon is going to be paying out the tips for the first one million “thank you’s” received. The five drivers who get the most “thank you’s” will be rewarded with $10,000 and another $10,000 to a charity of their choice. The programme started on December 7 for American drivers only and received one million “thank you’s” within a few days.

Footnote

Amidst widespread layoffs, a new job posting with a whopping six-figure salary has been created by the New York City administration — the director of rodent mitigation or ‘rat czar’. It is no secret that NYC is infested with rats, which worsened after the pandemic. The city has been trying to crack down on the rodent population. According to the listing, the salary for the city’s lead rat authority ranges from $120,000 to $170,000. “[T]he rats don’t run this city. We do,” said the NYC Sanitation Commissioner in a recent news conference.