Twitter buzzing about Star Wars Day

Some Twitterers are waking up this morning to an unusual top trend: "Happy Star Wars Day."

Between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. local time in London, there were more than 1,500 "Star Wars" tweets. Most came from early-risers in Europe, but others were tweeting as well.

Some were confused, but quickly caught on to the significance of May 4 being Star Wars Day, thanks to Twitter:

1. 
   gmsarli (Denton, Texas) Happy Star Wars Day! (Why today, you ask? "May the 4th be with you!" Nyuk nyuk nyuk!) 04 May 2009 from TwitterFox
2. 
   brightondoll (U.S.A.) And so it was... awake at 4 am giggling over how I just now got the whole "Happy Star Wars Day - May the 4th be with you" Nerdy & I like it! 04 May 2009 from web
3. 
   lelro (England) oh oh? star wars day? EPIC. happy star wars day, meng 04 May 2009 from web
4. 
   KingTutsWWH (Leeds, U.K.) Happy Star Wars Day to one and all, especially to my geeky other half. Might be celebrating with a little lightsaber combat later on...hehe 04 May 2009 from web
5. 
   Hux333 (Australia) Apparently it's Star Wars day, so for all my fellow nerds, Happy Star Wars day!!! (Why do i even bother?!?) 04 May 2009 from web
6. 
   LolaLalau (Shanghai, China) Who knew today is Star Wars Day? May the 4th be with you... 04 May 2009 from web

Twitter buzzing about Star Wars Day

Ashton Kutcher becomes first on Twitter to 1 million followers

American actor Ashton Kutcher (@aplusk) became the first Twitter user to reach 1,000,000 followers, beating out CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) and Britney Spears (@britneyspears) to the mark in a race closely watched by the Twitterverse in recent days.

The race to one million had been monitored by hundreds of blogs and news outlets, including TechCrunch, VentureBeat, CNN, and ABC News.

Kutcher will celebrate the milestone live on the Oprah Winfrey Show on Friday. He has said that Oprah will send out her first ever tweet during the broadcast using the Twitter name @Oprah.

Kutcher passed CNN for the first time Thursday before CNN regained the lead after an on-air shout-out by personality Anderson Cooper. But Kutcher fired back with this tweet and his own broadcast via UStream.TV:

1. 
   aplusk I'm am live on ustream now if CNN is gonna fight it out on tv I'll fight it out on the web http://ustream.tv/ashton 17 Apr 2009 from web

Here's a screenshot from the UStream broadcast of Kutcher watching with wife Demi Moore when he had reached 995,000 followers.



The Twitterverse celebrated the milestone.

1. 
   berryanarchy @aplusk This is kinda exciting and it's good to see a celeb be a real person on webcam too 17 Apr 2009 from web
2. 
   petervizel Hey @aplusk CONGRATULATIONS!! You DID IT!! You ARE the MAN on the MOON!!!! (Ashton Kutcher Live > http://bit.ly/xEu6c) 17 Apr 2009 from web
3. 
   PaulJGorzkowski @MCHammer @kingsthings @aplusk CNN didnt stand a chance. Congrats Ashton! 17 Apr 2009 from web in reply to MCHammer
4. 
   justicenathan Hey @aplusk goosebump time! twitter revolutionised! (Ashton Kutcher Live > http://bit.ly/xEu6c) 17 Apr 2009 from web
5. 
   johnhall702 Hey @aplusk CONGRATS!!! (Ashton Kutcher Live > http://bit.ly/xEu6c) 17 Apr 2009 from web

Ashton Kutcher becomes first on Twitter to 1 million followers

Madonna loses second adoption bid

Per AfricaNews, Malawi’s High Court has barred U.S. pop singer Madonna from adopting a second child, Mercy James. The court said there was no proof that the girl’s orphanage -Tikondane - was not keeping her well to warrant her adoption into a foreign country.

This is seen as a major blow to the singer who made headlines worldwide with the case. How do Madonna’s tweeter fans worldwide feel about this latest development:

1. 
   danaluv judge turns down Madonna's adoption petition for 2 y o Malawi girl.. 03 Apr 2009 from mobile web
2. 
   zeropointseven Madonna's adoption...rejected! take cover, citizens of Malawi. this can't end well. 03 Apr 2009 from web
3. 
   designerdiva65 Is kinda feeling sad for Madonna being denied adoption in Malawi. Especially after she had that party planned n everything!!! 03 Apr 2009 from web
4. 
   TopGossip Gossip Girls >> Madonna: Denied Adoption in Malawi: She tried her best to adopt a second ch.. http://tinyurl.com/cdkp6l 03 Apr 2009 from twitterfeed
5. 
   alanteck is sad that his Malawi adoption fell through. I was really convinced that Madonna would be a great mother for me. 03 Apr 2009 from web

Also, major news sources used Twitter to break the news:

1. 
   africanewsfeed Malawi: Madonna loses adoption case: Malawi's High Court has stopped US sensational pop singer Madonna from adop.. http://tinyurl.com/db3tkl 03 Apr 2009 from twitterfeed
2. 
   allafrica Malawi: Judge Rejects Madonna Adoption Bid: http://allafrica.com/stories/200904030566.html 03 Apr 2009 from Perl Net::Twitter
3. 
   LePost Madonna: le Malawi dit non à une deuxième adoption: Pourtant, la star, déjà maman de David, un petit malawite, é.. http://tinyurl.com/cldnuu 03 Apr 2009 from twitterfeed
4. 
   eyewitnessabc7 Malawi rejects Madonna's adoption bid: A judge has rejected Madonna's request to adopt a second child from Malawi. http://tinyurl.com/dbmn7l 03 Apr 2009 from twitterfeed
5. 
   afra_news Malawi Rejects Madonna Adoption: Malawi Rejects Madonna Adoption By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: April 3, 200.. http://tinyurl.com/dghtmx 03 Apr 2009 from twitterfeed
6. 
   euronews24 Malawi court rejects Madonna adoption request http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Euronews24/~3/LmeJWd7z8iI/ 03 Apr 2009 from PingVine

Madonna loses second adoption bid

Madonna battles Malawi adoption laws

Per AfricaNews, human rights organizations in Malawi argue that U.S. pop star Madonna cannot adopt a second child because that is against local laws.

The organizations said the southern African laws clearly state that a single parent in the case of Madonna cannot adopt a child hence it would be wrong for her to go ahead with her adoption of Mercy James.

Twitter users all over the world are adding their voices to Madonna's plan:

1. 
   tama_ann @spygun At least Madonna is not in our faces all the time (in the U.S.) as Angelina is. I am so tired of her. Adoption is not a sport. 01 Apr 2009 from web in reply to spygun
2. 
   bengani Madonna’’s second Malawian adoption bid ‘confirmed’: Madonna has reportedly been told that her appli.. http://tinyurl.com/demwtj 01 Apr 2009 from twitterfeed
3. 
   EnergyGossip http://tiny.cc/ken3 Marie Osmond Comments on Madonna's Adoption News 01 Apr 2009 from twitterfeed
4. 
   CameroonTV Malawi: Madonna's Adoption Plan Stirs Controversy http://ow.ly/1QQP 01 Apr 2009 from HootSuite
5. 
   CanDrugStore Apparently Madonna is 'following adoption rules' : http://adjix.com/7i9q 01 Apr 2009 from Adjix
6. 
   adoption_uor New Blog: Ethica Statement on Madonna's adoption of Mercy James. Politically Incorrect, Me... http://bit.ly/KTAs 01 Apr 2009 from web

Madonna battles Malawi adoption laws

Madonna Malawi adoption concerns

Per New York Times, Madonna has petitioned to adopt a second child from Malawi. The 14-month-old girl, named Mercy James, comes from the same orphanage as Madonna’s son, David Banda, 3, whom she met in 2006 and whose adoption was completed last year.

BBC News reports however, that charity Save The Children has urged Madonna to rethink the adoption process, saying the girl should be cared for by her extended family, and only taken abroad as a last resort.

The Twitterverse reacted to the news.

1. 
   amjhenry (Malawi) Also, word on the street is that Madonna is in town. 28 Mar 2009 from txt
2. 
   avikm (Malawi) Yes, Madonna is here. No, I haven't met her yet. 28 Mar 2009 from web
3. 
   thefoxguy (Location undisclosed) And I don't understand why Madonna extended her tour thru summer and she wants to adopt another child? Stay home and be a mom! 28 Mar 2009 from Tweetie
4. 
   PattiCooke (Texas, USA) Grandmother of Malawi girl wants to adopt her to stop Madonna from "stealing" her- http://tinyurl.com/cx8xpy 28 Mar 2009 from web
5. 
   adamkaveney (London, U.K.) Save The Children have "urged" Madonna not to adopt more kids. How bad a mother do you have to be for that to happen? 28 Mar 2009 from web
6. 
   frostfire (Location undisclosed) Should single mother Madonna be allowed to adopt again? 28 Mar 2009 from TweetDeck
7. 
   Mrs_Penguin (West Midlands, U.K.) What is Madonna trying to achieve when she adopts another child from Malawi? I think it's ridiculous. 28 Mar 2009 from Power Twitter

Madonna Malawi adoption concerns

Ireland's Naked Prime Minister

Per Irish state broadcaster RTE, a guerilla artist has displayed two pictures of Ireland's Taoiseach (Prime Minister) in Dublin galleries. The pictures show Brian Cowen naked.

The BBC reports the Garda (Irish police service) are investigating to see if a crime has been committed by the artist.

Irish twitterers were quick to jump into the debate:

@RTEcraic (Ireland) Guerilla artist hangs nude Cowen paintings: Nude paintings of Taoiseach Brian Cowen were snuck into two of Dubli.. http://tinyurl.com/cozo2m



@phil_revahealth (Dublin, Ireland) Did you see the "well hung" paintings of Brian Cowen on RTE News? That sub editor deserves an award! http://short.ie/kpikx8 (Click on [2])



@AndrewParnell (Dublin, Ireland) HIlarous - look away now if you don't want to see Brian Cowen naked. http://bit.ly/vxrk



@sineadgleeson (Dublin, Ireland) Wondering who painted those naked pictures of Brian Cowen and snuck them into two galleries? http://tiny.cc/EyZap



@JamesCarroll09 To be a bit more philosophical on Twitter - what do you all think of the picture in the National Gallery of Brian Cowen? Bit crass+sad??



@ananelson (Dublin, Ireland) Never thought I would have reason to google "naked taoiseach".

Ireland's Naked Prime Minister

UK reality TV star dies

Per Sky News, British reality TV star Jade Goody has died after a battle with cancer. Goody first gained notoriety as a contestant on channel 4's "Big Brother" show. She later went on to have an arguably very successful career as a media personality - appearing in other TV shows, starting a business (with cameras following), launching a perfume, and publishing books.

Per BBC News, Jade Goody died on Britain's Mother's Day, and her battle with cervical cancer has boosted the number of women in their 20s going for cancer screening.

Jade Goody's death is the lead story on both BBC News and Sky News on Sunday morning. There are also two Jade Goody hash tags trending at the top of Twitter search.

@Voneron (London, England) Feel very sad about Jade Goody. She was brave and she was human, and people attacked her because she made them see their own faults. RIP. x




@jennyhughes85 (London, England) really sad about Jade Goody. Some people have been writing such horrible things about her. How can people be so cruel? Love to her sons x



@funkymakeupgirl (Leeds, England) Is sad to hear that Jade Goody has died. Especially on Mothers Day. Them poor boys that have been left behind :( x



@Ketch (London, England) Sad news to hear of Jade Goodys death - a dedicated mum - who until recently I had judged very wrongly.


@aaron24wood (Edinburgh, Scotland) I'm as sad for Jade as any human should be, but pleased, since it means the mewling over-blown publicity surrounding her dying is ending.



@MandyPandy32 (Kent, England) Not sure if it's desperately sad or poignantly apt that Jade Goody died on Mother's Day. R.I.P Jade x

UK reality TV star dies

YouTube music videos blocked in U.K.

Per Times Online, YouTube will block British users from watching official videos from all major music publishers and independent labels.

The unprecedented action resulted when PRS for Music, a U.K. licensing body, and the popular video-sharing site owned by Google, Inc. failed to reach an agreement over a royalties dispute on Monday.

YouTube claims that PRS demanded a “prohibitive” hike in license fees, while PRS said that YouTube’s exponential growth meant that musicians were being paid considerably less per viewing under the old licensing agreement, according to the article.

U.K. Twitter users react:


@MyInfoMatrix (Manchester, U.K.): Bad news: shows music industry cannot adapt to the times



@minifig (Streatham, London): So Youtube are going to block all music videos to the UK on the label's request? Unlikely I'll ever see a music video again. I'll cope.



@janefinette (London): YouTube to block UK music videos - shape of things to come?


One Twitterer suggested an alternative to YouTube:


@CJDesignTweets (Undisclosed): YouTube to block music videos? Foolish --- bring on Hulu to the UK


MSN U.K. Entertainment, meanwhile, invited Twitterers to watch videos on their site instead:


@msnents: MUSIC: YouTube block music videos, so watch them on MSN's Music Jukebox... http://events.uk.msn.com/video/music/

YouTube music videos blocked in U.K.