Top news from the site this month:

1. The "YouTube revolution" grips Iran
As conflict flares up again in Iran, YouTube continues to provide a window into what ordinary citizens are experiencing on the ground. These videos are the voice of the people — unfiltered, unedited and with a single, sometimes disturbing point of view. Read more in our blog.

2. What you watched and searched for in 2009
For the first time we shared our official Most Watched lists and some of the fastest-rising search terms on YouTube. If you haven't seen the lists yet (over half a million people have already checked them out), click here.

3. Most memorable videos of the year
Sponsored by Samsung, this channel features an advent-calendar-style countdown revealing some of the don't-miss clips uploaded in '09. Use it as a cheat sheet to get up-to-speed on the core people and videos that defined YouTube this year.

4. Unknown filmmaker gets Hollywood funding
Uruguayan filmmaker Federico Alvarez Mattos recently made headlines when his special-effects-laden YouTube video, "Ataque de Panico (Panic Attack!) 2009," caught the eye of Hollywood bigwigs, who offered him $30 million to bring his talents to the large screen under the tutelage of director Sam Raimi. Hear about his experience firsthand in the Creator's Corner blog.

5. Viral Video of the Month...
...is of this irresistibly cute 5-year-old uke player from Japan.

Posted by Mia Quagliarello, Product Marketing Manager, Editorial/Community

Catch up on essential news and videos.

1. Healthcare heats up YouTube
The healthcare debate was one of the hottest news topics this summer, and Americans turned to YouTube to voice their discontent or approval with the White House's proposed plan for reform. Watch the videos from healthcare townhalls across the country to get a firsthand dose of the visceral emotion sparked by the debate. For videos and more details, click here and here.

2. Nigahiga in the lead
First, he surpassed Fred for the distinction of having the most subscribers of all time on YouTube; then he uploaded "Ninja Melk," a 25-minute ninja flick that garnered nearly 2 million views. So what's the secret to Nigahiga's uber-popularity? "My strategy is to always change up the type of video, that way my subscribers never know what they're in for," Ryan Higa told us. "I try to upload at least once a week, but some videos take much longer to create than others. [I] get the word out about my videos through Twitter, Myspace, [YouTube] subscriptions, and, best of all, people spreading the word."

3. The Guild's first music video
With the geek-tastic music video "Do You Wanna Date My Avatar?", directed by Jed Whedon, award-winning online series The Guild branched into a new form. This catchy video premiered at Comic Con in July and got the Internet in a tizzy once it hit YouTube: over 3 million people saw it, it became a trending topic on Twitter, and did some damage on the iTunes video chart. So if you didn't already have a crush on Guild writer and actress Felicia Day, you will now. You might even want to date her -- but, alas, her avatar will have to do.

4. Amazing stop-motion LEGO video
This tribute to classic video games by unsigned Swedish act rymdreglage took 1,500 hours to create, but the effort clearly paid off: "8-bit trip" was one of a few viral sensations to dominate YouTube in August.

5. Guy Catches Laptop With His Butt
Another video that will make you rub your eyes in disbelief, this ad for computer manufacturer MSI makes the point that its laptops are so slim, that...well, you can probably guess the rest judging from the video's title. A clever parody of similar viral marketing videos (such as Levi's "Guys backflip into jeans"), this one is essential for watercooler chatter.

Posted by Mia Quagliarello, Community Manager