GeekSugar

Internet Famous Class: A Real Class, Not Just the Name of a New Viral Video

GeekSugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 09:10:25 PST

You don't have to cut off a body part to become "Internet Famous," but if you're desperately training your camera on your kid, pet, or friends in hope that they'll do something so compelling as to end up in the category that is viral, well, you can go to school for that. Internet Famous at Parsons New School for Design is a graduate-level class for students and declares itself the first class ever "where software will award each student a grade based on a quantitative measurement of their web fame."

To learn more about this cool class and site,

read more Sites like Digg, Del.icio.us, Flickr, YouTube, and Google will help measure each student's popularity, and grades are algorithmically determined - and they get an A through F grade, depending on their Internet popularity. People watching, commenting, and making reaction videos/responses to the class's projects add to the grade, as do people befriending them on MySpace and linking to them. How postmodern. Although I'm guilty of enjoying and forwarding new and hilarious viral videos and posts to my friends, I can't help but think that for every Dramatic Chipmunk, there are 8,000 epic fails. And even though I still ask my boyfriend to not tase me, bro, the fame the Internet brings is more ephemeral and fleeting than the 15-minutes of fame cliche that used to exist in traditional media. Remember Tay Zonday? Me neither.

Security Tips For Data Privacy Day!

Anna Monette Roberts — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:30:34 PST

It's Data Privacy Day, so we're here to give you 10 tips to keeping your computer safe, secure, and totally private. Nothing is worse than having your computer hacked into, your personal information stolen, or becoming a victim of fraud. We've rounded up all of our best tech advice to help keep your computer protected and free from hacker malice. If you haven't implemented these 10 tidbits yet, today is the perfect day to begin to take charge of your computer's safety.

Avoid fraud: Be wary of emails, calls, and log-in screens that ask you to verify all of your information. Always air on the side of precaution when sharing more sensitive information like banking passwords. If a company reaches out to you (rather than you personally reaching out to them), don't give your personal information out. Redial the number or email the company using the information posted on their website.
Set up a hack-proof password: When logging in to websites, come up with difficult and different passwords for each site, using a variety of letters, numbers, and symbols. Change it every couple of months for additional safety.
Double-check your firewall: Most computers have a built-in firewall that protects your computer by stopping hackers and malicious software from accessing your computer via the Internet. Make sure to keep your firewall setting on, and you could even customize what websites, domains, and IP addresses you want to access from your computer.
Forget about free public WiFi: Hackers often create fake networks, titling them "Free Public WiFi" in hopes of stealing your personal data. Even if the WiFi is legit, it's still dangerous to access private information in an unsecured network. Always opt to pay the small fee for a service that requires you to log-in to an official network.
Safely search for celebrities: Googling your favorite celebrities can be a dangerous business if you don't recognize the sites you are clicking on. Many Google results of famous celebrity names lead to infecting your PC with malware and viruses.

See more tips to better privacy.

6 Questions to Find the Best City For Generation Y

Kiplinger — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 03:05:51 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

As young adults, many of us enjoy a unique time in our lives when we can relocate wherever we like. We’re often free from any significant ties, such as kids or a mortgage, that can tether us to a certain location. Plus, with the technological advances of the past decade, we need not fear losing touch with family and friends; we can stay connected with the touch of a button - regardless of distance.

So when the world is your oyster, how do you decide in which part to settle? Here are six questions to ask when figuring out which city is best for you:

Will I find good work there?

In today's tough market, Generation Y has had a particularly difficult time finding and keeping a job: While the job market struggles to regain its footing, with the national unemployment rate at 9.5% as of June, 25- to 34-year-olds suffer joblessness at a 10.3% rate, and 20- to 24-year-olds are unemployed at a staggering 15.3% rate. But some areas have held up better against the recession. Austin, Tex., Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C., for example, have experienced lower unemployment than the rest of the country.

Jobs in certain industries are more prevalent in some areas. For example, if you’re interested in politics, the nation’s capital is the obvious choice. Or if you aspire to “make it work” as fashion’s next hot designer, the Big Apple might suit you best. If you have no particular trade in mind yet, look to big cities with opportunities in a wide range of fields. (For career ideas that promise a bright future, see 13 Careers for the Next Decade.)

Read on for more.

Chevron Prints For Your Gadgets

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 04:21:03 PDT

Didn't get a chance to swoop up some of the Missoni for Target gadget collection that you so desperately wanted? Don't stress - the chevron style Missoni is famous for is so hot right now, and the Internet is just teaming with stylish alternatives for your gadgets. Click through the gallery for proof.

Justin Timberlake Defends Britney and Says He's Not the Friends-With-Benefits Type in Playboy

Lindsay Miller — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:27:00 PDT

Justin Timberlake opened up in the latest issue of Playboy about his Summer movies, Bad Teacher and Friends With Benefits, and his past and present loves. JT has been linked to sexy starlets from Olivia Wilde to Mila Kunis since his split from Jessica Biel a few months ago. He seems to be staying single for now, but Justin explained to the magazine that it's almost easier for him to date fellow famous people despite the attention and press that goes along with it. The former boy-band leader seemed at ease talking about his early life and career, including his days as a teen heartthrob and ex Britney Spears. JT even admitted to smoking pot and also shared sweet sentiments that revealed why he's really a romantic at heart. Justin Timberlake told Playboy:

On the viral video comparing Britney's old performances to her new ones: "The Internet is a cruel place. What a f*cked-up thing to do. I don’t have too much to say about her situation. I can’t remember the last conversation I had with her. But this thing that happens online bothers me - these anonymous commenters. People think they can say anything, and it doesn’t matter to people. I’d love to see the people who comment about Britney online say those things to her face, because they couldn’t. Also, in Britney’s defense, if you pulled up a video I did from 2003, I couldn’t do the sh*t I did then either."
On whether it would just be easier to date a nonceleb: "Technically, I guess. But you can’t help who you have feelings for. If you turn it off because someone is famous, then you’re being unfair to yourself. You could walk down each of those roads and find pros and cons. The girl from the dry cleaners is not going to understand how I feel about the work schedule and pressures I have. You probably gravitate toward people who understand your scenario. At the end of the day, you just want someone who gets you, who can be a friend. That’s kind of the point of Friends With Benefits. As corny as it sounds, the 'friends' part counts just as much as the 'benefits' part, if not more."
On if he thinks casual hookups between friends can work: "God, I’m the worst person to ask about that. I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve ever had that type of relationship. I get hooked on every level when I get close to someone. If you build enough chemistry to want to be intimate like that, someone’s going to catch feelings, and usually it happens quickly."

Link Time - What Makes a Feminist Boyfriend?

TresSugar — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:00:13 PDT

Pass this on to the men in your life: how to be a feminist boyfriend - Huffington Post
13 famous bald ladies - The Frisky
5 reasons men don't call back - YourTango
Count down to hump day: 10 reasons Wednesday is the best day to get laid - Em & Lo
Simple tips to boost your creativity this week! - SavvySugar
Would you rather give up sex or the Internet for a month? - Glamour
The most eligible movie men - College Candy
50 Cent is writing a YA book about bullying - Flavorwire
Sex advice from gay dads - Nerve
Becoming a Playboy bunny in 1978 - The Hairpin

How Marilyn Monroe Handled Her Nude Photo Scandal

Annie Scudder — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:30:45 PDT

Whether or not the nude photos making the rounds on the Internet are actually Blake Lively (she says they're 100 percent fake), the young actress can take solace in the fact that similar scandals have rocked past glamorous superstars, including Marilyn Monroe.

Even before the days of iPhone cameras, sexting, and computer hackers, naked snapshots of the bombshell captured the public's attention in 1952 when they were featured in a calendar, and later in the inaugural issue of Playboy. Everyone speculated that the woman looked an awful lot like Marilyn, and as her movie studio contemplated how to deal with the crisis she suggested she admit she posed for the prefame photos in 1949 for $50. So Marilyn gave an interview in which she copped to going nude for the camera because she needed the money to pay her rent. Suddenly the former struggling actress was sexy and sympathetic.

Marilyn's response may be a PR lesson for today's starlets. She admitted that the photos were of her, while leveraging them to further her career. And she owned the heightened sex appeal they brought her, famously responding to a reporter's question about what she wears to bed with this cheeky answer: "Why, Chanel No. 5, of course."

Does Technology Make You a Better Lover?

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 07:03:18 PDT

Technology is improving our lives in many ways, but does that also include our sex lives? The thrice updated Dr. SexyTime App (which is now available on both the iOS and Android platforms) previously promised to help coach you through famous movie sex scenes, but now is getting down to the science of sex. Providing sexual education through "homework assignments" and step-by-step instructions on how to perform in the bedroom (aka, The Choreographer), this app is said to take you from zero to hero in no time. Though, I'm not sure how well your partner would feel about your obsessive phone habits while you're getting busy. Studies have shown that technology is disrupting our relationships in other ways as well. Not only is social media cited for everything from infidelity to divorce, but trends indicate that Twitter users don't even bother finding a sexual partner and tend to satisfy themselves more often. On the other side of the coin, the Internet has widened our relationship reach and allows more people to find love online. What do you think - are our sex lives getting better or worse thanks to technology?