BlogPulse Spotlight

Another Whiz-Kid College Inventor

2006-04-11T12:28:49-05:00

Among today's most-discussed personalities is one Ori Allon, a 26-year-old student whose algorithmic discovery has cuaght the attention -- and lured dollars rumored to be in the millions -- from Google. Following in the footsteps of the founders of such namestays as Google, Napster and Apple computers, he's another whiz kid whose brainiac idea paid off, literally. He's today's fourth burstiest person in the blogosphere. Google Blogoscoped provides some discussion.

It's a Giant, Non-Movie Rabbit, Gromit

2006-04-10T11:51:25-05:00

If it also had a hankering for cheese, the giant rabbit invading some English gardens would be almost too real for words, but as it is, the storyline from Wallace and Gromit's lastest movie, Curse of the Were-Rabbit, is too real for some of the English gardeners whose veggies are being nibbled by what they say is an oversized rabbit in Felton, UK. That's the gist of one of the weekend's most-cited news stories (No. 7) in the blogosphere. Demon rabbit or Easter Bunny? wonder a few LiveJournalers. An international plot or a job for MacGyver wonders a fellow LiveJournaler? Where's Anti-Pesto when you need them? asks another LiveJournaler, referring to the name of the pest control firm the two Claymation figures operated in the summertime blockbuster movie. Maybe the folks in Fenton can borrow the bunny vacuum from the movie studio?

Polluting the Mac Identity...or Shrewd Mac Move?

2006-04-07T12:31:05-05:00

It sounds as serious and hard-working as it might be: Apple Boot Camp, which this week has been one of the most-discussed issues in the blogosphere. When Apple announced mid-week that it opening its new Intel-powered computers to run Windows applications through a download called Boot Camp, the industry shifted, paradigmically speaking (is that a word?). The first blog buzz, captured by BlogPulse citations to the Boot Camp news, is definitely hefty and international in flavor. Is this the beginning of Bill & Steve's Excellent Adventure? Will diehard PC users consider switching? The Unofficial Apple Weblog examines another motivation for the long-discussed marriage of the two platforms: the education market.

An Old Crooner Who Sang of Young Love

2006-04-06T11:09:23-05:00

Singer Gene Pitney, whose own hits included "Town Without Pity," "Only Love Can Break a Heart" and "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart," and the man who penned the Roy Orbison hit "Hello, Mary Lou," was found dead in a hotel room in Cardiff, Wales, this week at age 65 while on a tour of the UK. He's today's burstiest person in the blogosphere. According to the BBC, Pitney's endorsement of the Rolling Stones also helped that band break into the U.S. market. Captain Lucy called Pitney "one of the truly great voices in rock and roll music." And MetaFilterobserved, "I can't think of anyone who as effectively communicated the emotional excesses of young love." Sigh...

Chocolate Salty....Conscience?

2006-03-15T12:11:11-05:00

Isaac Hayes, the man who made "Shaft" a household song (shut your mouth!) and then became the mouth of "Chef," the libidinous cafeteria cook on Comedy Central's "South Park," is today's second most-blogged-about personality for quitting the show (today's top news story). Because creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker dared to poke fun at (take your pick) religion, specifially HIS practice of Scientology. And boy, are bloggers taking off. No more Chef AID, points out Coalition of the Swilling. Is it a case of extreme victimization, asks Currency Lad? TVGasm files the news in the "are you kidding me?" edition. Well, children, that's just the way it is.

Do You Suppose His Face is Red?

2006-03-13T12:55:19-05:00

From the "say it ain't so" department comes word that the Red Ranger from the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is still kickin', in a way. Austin St. John has been spotted in flagrante delecto, as they say, in what might call movies that are sexual in nature. OK, porn, (language warning), as chronicled by the strangevisitor blogger in today's No. 7 top blog post. Other bloggers chime in, mostly to mourn their now-tarnished childhoods. Pow!

Like Anyone was SURPRISED???

2006-03-09T13:31:41-05:00

The big head was only one of the tipoffs that Giants outfielder Barry Bonds might be using illegal substances. Today's No. 15 most-cited news story, from Sports Illustrated, provides the evidence that has everyone saying, "Yup, coulda toldja but never had the proof." The piece provides excerpts from a new book, Game of Shadows, which details Bond's steroid use. "The streak. The juice. The legend"...that's how the blogger at Black Marks on Wood Pulp describes the "revelations." Says Ghost in the Machine: "No joy in Mudville (but plenty of juice)." Barry, take your needles and go home," says one disappointed former fan.

"Crash" Crashes the Oscar Party

2006-03-08T10:20:41-05:00

Personally, I think the best movie won, but lots of folks were surprised that "Crash" beat out "Brokeback Mountain" for best movie during the weekend Academy Awards ceremonies, which bloggers noted for, among other things, a nice acceptance speech by actor George Clooney. A BlogPulse Trend Graph shows how closely the two movies tracked...right up until the moment when the statuette went to the "Crash" crew:

Stewart as the Oscar MC: The Review Spectrum

2006-03-06T12:19:27-05:00

Was he nervous? A bit unimpressive? Or a master of ceremonies god? All of the above, according to random blog commentaries today on comedian Hon Stewart's first-ever hosting of the Academy Awards. Stewart's today's No. 2 most-cited blog personality, and one MySpacer hopes he's back next year. Life is a Tri had harsher words for the audience than for the MC ("cataonic...prissy, over-dressed twits"), and CatfishandCollards blogger liked the added effect of the Oscar-tilted attack campaign ads. When Billy Crystal sets the standard, it's a hig hurdle regardless...

Oscar's Leading Men...and Women

2006-03-03T12:26:51-05:00

This is it...the weekend when Academy Award fever breaks out all over the film world. And rather than guess, or speculate, and without any attention at ALL to what anyone's wearing and which designers are hot this year and who's dating who and who just ditched her for him (and vice versa), we'll let a BlogPulse trend graph look at buzz about the men nominated for Best Actor....

And the women nominated for Best Actress...

We'll check back on Monday....when we know who the winners are.

Can an MC Upstage The Oscars?

2006-03-02T10:28:56-05:00

Can't say that I'm one to gather around the TV on Oscar night , waiting with bated breath for each painstakingly built-up-to Academy Award announcement. Frankly, sometimes the masters of ceremonies at the Oscar shows are as good as, or better than, any of the performances that occur elsewhere on stage, and this year's MC duties by "The Daily Show's" Jon Stewart might just be enough to convince me to tune in at 8 p.m. Sunday. So how many others might do the same? And how does Stewart stack up against some of this year's other leading hunks? Holding his own quite well, thank you...

For Best Foreign Film, The Oscar....Is Unclear

2006-03-01T10:55:18-05:00

Granted, maybe bloggers don't talk about foreign films as much as they talk about bigger-name, big-screen flicks. A BlogPulse trend graph that tracks discussion about the five films nominated for this year's Best Foreign Language Film, to be decided Sunday night, shows definite spikes when nominees are announced but no clear patterns for determining which flick might win, although "Paradise Now" manages a few discussion spikes:

Oscar Countdown: Who Will Win Best Director?

2006-02-28T10:02:29-05:00

In the final-week countdown to Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony, BlogPulse takes a look at building buzz around the nominess for best actor. For now, the leading contenders seem to be Ang Lee of "Brokeback Mountain" and George Clooney of "Good Night, and Good Luck." But who knows? Only Oscar knows for sure, and he's not telling until Sunday:

And the Oscar (Might) Go To...

2006-02-27T12:57:09-05:00

One week from today, the world will be abuzz (perhaps) about which movies and personalities walked off the Academy Award stage the night before, an Oscar trophy in hand. Which movie will it be? Will "Brokeback Mountain's" sociological impact take it over the top? Will "Crash" unexpected crash the party? A BlogPulse trend graph catches up with week-before buzz about the movies nominated for best film:

Web Site? Let Google Do That, Too

2006-02-24T11:52:26-05:00

Who knew it was that easy? Sign into Google with a gmail account, and voila! You can start building your own web site with Google's new Page Creator service (still in testing phases, and the subject of today's most-cited BlogPulse link). The site will be hosted by Google, too. Software and Tools bloggers, despite the headline, finds it more than just another Google service. The BlogHerald tried it out ("geocities, the 2006 version") and came up with a web page in 10 seconds (and frankly, it shows).