]]> http://whatstrending.com/2012/05/jane-lynch-fills-maddow-jokes-gay-marriage-job-growth/feed/ 0 http://whatstrending.com/2012/05/watch-special-solar-eclipse-weekend/ http://whatstrending.com/2012/05/watch-special-solar-eclipse-weekend/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 17:30:09 +0000 Greg Ferenstein http://whatstrending.com/?p=14547 People in the western part of the United States will get a special treat this Sunday: a solar eclipse, often only visible to a small portion of the world, will be visible to some parts of United States, including California, Nevada, and Arizona, but not the East Coast. And, remember, if you are watching the eclipse, make sure to use a pinhole project or some other kind of safety beyond normal sunglasses, otherwise you could go blind.

Ohanian’s Reddit boasts more than 2 billion page views and 35 million unique visitors, so it’s easy to see why he felt like it’s been “Internet year” rather than a week for the UVA alum.

“I guess it’s nice to take out a special week and say ‘hey Internet, it’s awesome,” Hainan said.

Being able to talk and interact with the community at large is one aspect Karp enjoys about Internet week. No doubt he probably met people whom use his site; it now hosts more than 42 million blogs, and is valued at more than $100 million.

“Last years we saw what looked to us like real mainstream adoption in the U.S.,” Karp said about people using his site. “Now for the first time, we are seeing that sort of traction overseas.”

Both agreed that traditional media can take advantage of their platforms, and keeping relationships with them is key, especially when a site like Reddit frequently links to traditional media pages.

On Tumblr, Karp said that the “Hunger Games” created a Tumblr in coordination with the release of its feature film, giving people in-depth information into the movie’s fashion.

“Traditional media is extraordinary,” Karp told Shira. He says his team meets with people in traditional media, as he admits that traditional media are harnessing platforms like Reddit and Tubmlr successfully to intertwine both traditional and non-traditional media.

One of the most talked about news during Internet week and indeed all over the web community is the launching of the Facebook IPO. Here the two wunderkinds differ in their opinions.

“Facebook has made some privacy decisions that I think have users very, very worried, including me,” Ohanian told Shira.

Ohanian said he will not be investing because of these privacy concerns, which include Facebook signing on to bad legislation like SISPA and added that that respecting people’s due process is important.

“My concern from an investment standpoint, is that in the long-term, if Facebook continues to make bad decisions about user experience…you have the potential for this to become something else like the social networking fads of yesteryear. The value of a site that is community-driven is in the community,” Ohanian said.

Karp said that Ohanian nailed some points on some of Facebook’s more troubling policies, but he supports the IPO, even calling Facebook “the poster child,” of a successful internet business.

“I think everyone in this business should be rooting for them to prove that the Internet can generate $100 billion-businesses. They built a really meaningful business, and they have achieved a scale like nothing that’s ever existed before.”

An ex-con, Brown traded some cigarettes for a guitar in prison and once he was released, he dabbled in music groups to explore this passion for tunes.

In 1966, Brown formed his own band, the Soul Searchers, topping the R&B charts with the go-go hit “Bustin’ Loose” in 1978. He was also revered for early jams like “We Need Some Money,” as well as go-go-styled revampings of songs such as “Go-Go Swing” and “Run Joe.” He invented an infectious performance style, amped with call-and-response routines as he played DJ with a hybrid of Latin, funk, and disco sounds.

Despite his Washington-based successes, Brown wasn’t nominated for a Grammy Award until 2011 – for best rhythm-and-blues performance by a duo or group with vocals for “Love,” in collaboration with Jill Scott and Marcus Miller.

Towards the end, Brown was also honored with a Lifetime Heritage Fellowship Award from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2005. He leaves behind a musical legacy and a segment of Seventh Street in the District, formally named “Chuck Brown Way.”

Want a sample of his direct influence in today’s hip-hop scene? Check for pieces of Brown’s “Bustin’ Loose” in Nelly’s 2002 hit “Hot in Herre.”

The two rap/hip-hop powerhouses have a lot to make up for, with Minaj’s new album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded being an overproduced earsore for fans and critics — and her bizarre “Starships” video not helping matters much. Meanwhile, it’s no secret why many feel Chris Brown should be shunned from the industry after his abusive relationship with Rihanna.

Regardless, the two are chugging along and they’ve dished out a new vid for us.

What do you make of the musical pairing?

Or, if you’re searching for Leonardo de Vinci, Google might suggest other renaissance painters, because it assumes that you may alone know one famous painter.

Check out the video below for more explanation:

Sharing his seemingly infinite wisdom, Chopra was the first guest during the special show, and he told Shira about his involvement in using technology to engage communities.

“I think technology is an extension of the human mind, and right now what you’re seeing is the laying down of a global brain. A neural network, that’s going to change our identity. We are all going to acquire a global identity through technology.”

His existential musings continued after he told Shira that technology is neither good nor evil, but it does have the abilities to cause great harm. It’s all up to us, even adding that the creation is civilizations is possible, he said.

“We can heal the planet,” he said. “We can get rid of war. We can create a sustainable civilization. We can create peace, conflict resolution.

In speaking of how humans end up using technology, he said that it all depends on our evolution. Yet he pointed out that in the big scheme of things, it doesn’t truly matter what we do, delivering an enlightening and humbling statement: “We are a speck of dust in a huge infinite void somewhere in the junkyard of infinity.”

Chopra also spoke about The Chopra Well, a new YouTube channel he’s created to help expand people’s thoughts about love, success, relationships, health and well being and higher consciences. He’s even gotten his family involved, using one a social medium created by his daughter.

Currently working on his 65th book, the latest being ‘Spiritual Solutions’, he said it seems that he’s compulsive and neurotic about his writing. He writes on his blackberry, sending his prose via email. His work ethic is impressive; he said he rarely watches films or TV, choosing instead to mediate or write or read. When asked if there was a guru whom he admired, he responded with the following:

“Spell the word ‘guru,’” he told Shira. “Slowly.”

“G-U-R-U,” Shira told him.

“That’s it,” he said. “There’s no guru out there, it’s all within you U.”

Image courtesty of Rachel Knopfler.

A free app allowing live video broadcasting on smartphones through Facebook called “Color” will be giving people a behind-the-scenes look at the season finale of SNL this Saturday.

The app was originally launched back in March 2011, and was relaunched two weeks ago. Color is currently available only to Verizon subscribers. On Saturday, the app will showcase SNL cast members as they prepare for the show, which will be hosted by Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones. The app will allow 30-second snippets to be broadcast live. Verizon has already launched a special TV spot on the SNL gig, which you can view on Facebook.

“There’s the magic of the unpredictable and the unexpected when you see things live, especially when you think about what the whacky cast is up to back stage when the cameras aren’t rolling,” says John Kuch, a spokesperson for Color.

Kuch says he hopes he hopes audience and fans of the show get an incredible and unique way to experience a the beloved show, in addition to having “a really cool way to share it with friends.”

The app is available in the App Store and on Google Play.

Here’s a short video on how Color works:

Also, we’re incredibly excited to announce our partnership with Samsung Hope for Children. Join us on June 4th live at 6:30pm ET from the American Museum of Natural History in New York as we interview some of the
biggest stars anywhere as they come together to raise awareness for charities focused on children’s
health, education and sustainability.

And if you haven’t seen it, a year in memes in one minute!

We launched What’s Trending a year ago this week because we didn’t feel like there was anyone covering our online culture from our culture. We wanted to get behind the trending videos and stories that we were all sharing and talking about.

Over the last year, we’ve produced 45 episodes of What’s Trending, interviewing everyone from Richard Branson to will.i.am, Robert Rodriguez to Snoop Dogg talking about the biggest trends online. We’ve discussed internet culture with Steve Wozniak, Tony Hsieh and Dennis Crowley; geeked out with Zach Levi, Kevin Pereira, Chris Hardwick, and Felicia Day; and shared insights about the future of online video with YouTube stars Jenna Marbles, Kassem G, Shay Carl, iJustine, Hannah Hart.

We’ve also covered every important trend from revolutions in the Middle East to Facebook parenting and every meme imaginable from planking to owling to tebowing.

Don’t forget to catch our anniversary special from Internet Week NY tomorrow, Wednesday May 16 9am pt/12pm et with special guests Deepak Chopra, Tumblr Founder David Karp, Reddit Founder Alexis Ohanian and YouTube stars Buck Hollywood and Hannah Hart. Watch live at http://bit.ly/iwnylive

Also, we’re incredibly excited to announce our partnership with Samsung Hope for Children. Join us on June 4th live at 6:30pm ET from the American Museum of Natural History in New York as we interview some of the
biggest stars anywhere as they come together to raise awareness for charities focused on children’s
health, education and sustainability.

In honor of a year together, our team at What’s Trending created a retrospective of the top 60 memes of the past year in a minute. Thanks for your continued support! Sharing is caring!

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In honor of What’s Trending one year anniversary, Flula puts on his very special future glasses to see what the lies ahead. What will he see?

When quizzed about pop culture, and 50 Shades of Grey, he didn’t know the title of a “controverial” sex book that was on millions of womens bedside tables. “I don’t know that, but I’ll ask Michele when I get home.”  Classic.

CBS – CSI: Miami, A Gifted Man, How to Be a Gentleman, NYC 22, Rob, Unforgettable.

NBC – Are You There, Chelsea?, Awake, Bent, Best Friends Forever, Free Agents, Harry’s Law, The Playboy Club, Prime Suspect, The Firm.

FOX – Alcatraz, Allen Gregory, Breaking In, The Finder, House, I Hate My Teenage Daughter, Napoleon Dynamite, Terra Nova.

ABC – Charlie’s Angels, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, GCB, Man Up, Missing, Pan Am, The River, Work It

Are you going to miss any of these?

This week, Brett Register takes us through a second record-breaking box office weekend in a row, highlights the movies coming home for you to own, and brings attention to the very best trailers of the week!

For more go to: http://whatstrending.com/movies

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Flash memory is a lot faster than a traditional drive. Check out a video comparison below:

Will you be selling an organ…er, saving up, to buy the Macbook Pro?

And, for kicks, the original ShamWow

Superhero reunion flick, The Avengers smashed box office records and neatly surpassed the $1 billion dollar mark, just 19 days after it debuted. And, a record-breaking $207.4 million on opening weekend sure did help, so did $103.2 million its second weekend.

For added kicks, The Hollywood Reporter found that the hypothetical damage done to New York in the film would have cost $160 billion, based off of computer models that estimated the physical damage of an alien invasion would be $60-70 billion and the economic and cleanup costs would be another $90 billion. In comparison, “the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks cost $83 billion, Hurricane Katrina cost $90 billion, and the tsunami in Japan last year washed away $122 billion.

It should be unsurprising, given the financial and media success, a sequel is already being planned.