The “Gala” trend, in plain English (and a bit of opinion)

Some trends glide by. Gala basically waved at me until I paid attention. Sometimes a trend is a breaking-news echo. Sometimes it’s pure vibe. What I saw people linking to Gala Retail Is Searching For Ireland’s Best Baker – Could It Be You? (www.checkout.ie) Gala Retail’s Search is On for the Nation’s Best Baker (Meath … Read more

I saw “Chinese Aircraft Carrier Liaoning” trending and did a double take

I came for the headlines and stayed for the curiosity: Chinese Aircraft Carrier Liaoning. The interesting part is the mix: curiosity, concern, entertainment, and the need to know ‘right now’. What I saw people linking to Chinese aircraft carrier sailed through Taiwan Strait, Taipei says (Reuters) Chinese aircraft carrier ‘closely monitored’ sailing through disputed waters … Read more

On “Desmond Morris”: the headline version and the human version

Not everything trending earns a post, but Desmond Morris felt worth a pause. I can’t help noticing how different generations search for different reasons. What I saw people linking to Desmond Morris obituary: natural world expert (The Times) Desmond Morris, zoologist behind bestselling studies of human behaviour from The Naked Ape to Manwatching (The Telegraph) … Read more

I keep seeing “Amy Winehouse” – so here’s a quick take

I keep a soft eye on trends, and Amy Winehouse jumped out immediately. If you squint, trending topics are basically a public pulse-check. What I saw people linking to Amy Winehouse's dad loses court case over auction (BBC) Amy Winehouse’s father Mitch loses high court battle against her friends (The Guardian) Father of Amy Winehouse … Read more