Kirk's blog

The hashtag #thatawkwardmomentwhen has become a Twitter institution. The Tweet organizer in question is dedicated to the hallowed modern concept of the “awkward moment,” a tag for venting and celebrating the uncomfortable tensions between human beings attempting to interact. If you do a quick search on the hashtag, there’s evidently a lot of awkwardness to celebrate. A few of my personal favorites: #thatawkwardmomentwhen you say “Goodbye!” to someone but you both walk off in the same . . . [continue]

Jeff Bethke’s spoken word viral diatribe “Jesus > Religion” is a YouTube sensation, up to almost 14 million views as of today. In the past week, I have read a number of response articles, the one referenced here, one here, a decent one here, and my personal favorite by an Orthodox priest here. All of these articles (and there are quite a few others out there as well based on a quick Google search) have the same general complaint against the main thrust of Bethke’s video: pitting . . . [continue]

Memes are strange, sporadic, and unpredictable. Some Internet uploads go viral while others don’t, often without much good explanation as to why. But if you stare down the dark well of Internet memes long enough, your eyes eventually adjust to the light. In looking at the weird world of meme in 2011, certain patterns became apparent as to what makes memes hit or miss, stay or leave. Here are my scattered thoughts on these certain attributes of memes that go meme. They are disconnected ideas, t . . . [continue]

More changes to our beloved Facebook are being forced upon us by the trampling hordes of social media developers, the programmers who seek to uncaringly pillage our consistencies and set fire to our comforts. This time they call it “Timeline.” If you haven’t checked out Timeline, you should. This update is big — perhaps the biggest one to date — mainly because of what it seems to signify. Timeline represents a major shift in Facebook’s philosophy of what it is supposed to be and do. . . . [continue]

George Takei (best known as Sulu of the original Star Trek series) has issued a statement to the warring tribes of Trekkies and Star Wars nerds. (The clip should undoubtedly have a PG rating, so FYI if you want to watch.) In this newly viral video, he calls for a cease-fire, saying “each [series] is wonderful in its own special way.” Takei hopes to broker peace, for “there is an ominous, mutual threat to all science fiction.” And what is this ominous threat? “It’s called Twiligh . . . [continue]