Keyword Search Counts Predict the Future?

I recently read an article on Yahoo Buzz about using search counts for the new Simpson’s movie as a predictor of the success of the movie. While I am not convinced that low search counts will translate into an unsuccessful film, I began to think about how else search trend data could be applied. Could keyword search trend data be used to demonstrate presidential candidate popularity and therefore the winner of the election? If I did an analysis of blu-ray and hddvd search counts, would it be possible to know what format will come out on top?

In his book “The Search”, John Battelle refers to the search engine’s data as the “database of intentions.” Never before has mankind had such a window into the collective brain and desires of our fellow earthlings…what are some other possibly applications of this data?