Mr. Pop – This Week In 2007. Week Of December 23, 2007. Goodbye To Netscape Navigator And Much More…

December 31, 2010

Two suicide bombs kill at least 24 and injure 100 others north of Baghdad.

President Bush signs a $555-billion spending bill that will pay for a large share of government operations in 2008

Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, who had promised to restore democracy in Pakistan is assassinated, setting off a nationwide wave of grief and fury in the area.

Bill Clinton praises the Democratic field of presidential contenders, noting that as president he had close ties to almost all of them. But he said there was no doubt his wife would make the best president.

A tiger escapes from its enclosure in the San Francisco Zoo on Christmas day and mauls a man to death – and leaves two others seriously injured.

The national housing market plunges deeper into despair with sales of new homes plummeting to their lowest level in more than 12 years.

Analysts say gas prices will be going up next year – and could go to $4.00 a gallon.

U.S. retailers’ holiday sales rose 3.6% over the previous year, barely reaching the lower end of projections, helped by a late-season spending surge on some items.

Sports television –
In an unprecedented decision the NFL announces that CBS, NBC and the NFL Network will simulcast the game between the patriots and New York Giants.

Technology –
Goodbye Netscape – Netscape Navigator, the world’s first commercial Web browser, the launchpad of the Internet boom, will be pulled off life support Feb 1 after 13 years. AOL has decided to kill further development and technical support to focus on growing the company as an old advertising business. Netscape’s usage dwindled with Microsoft Corps entry into the browser business, and Netscape all but faded away after the birth of its open-source cousin, Firefox. You’ll be able to download Netscape, but AOL will stop releasing security and other updates Feb. 1.

Warner Music Group says it will sell digital songs without anti-piracy protection through Amazon.com. The pressure is on as CD sales are falling and Warner Music reported profit had plunged 58% in its fiscal fourth-quarter.

Brand new for X-Box – “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock” and “Guitar Hero II” and “Rock Band.’

Music news –
Rapper Yung Joc fails to show up at his Cleveland (OH) arraignment of carrying a concealed weapon and is now considered a fugitive.

Soulja Boy’s “Crank It” is the biggest novelty tune of 2007 and it all began as a Youtube video.

Rapper Jay-Z has his 10th No.1 hit on the national charts – tying with Elvis Presley. Only the Beatles have more at 19.

Television news –

Don’t miss Kelly Ripa and Regis Philbin in the annual Walt Disney World Christmas day Parade on ABC.

This week – “Elmo’s Christmas Countdown” as Elmo and friend Abby Cadabby go on a quest to find the 10 magical numbered boxes that will restore the Elves’ defunct Christmas Counter-Downer. Also appearing – Sheryl Crow, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson and Anne Hathaway and Jamie Foxx.

Actress Mischa Barton – former star of “The OC” is arrested on suspicion of drunk driving in Hollywood.

The Commerce Department begins accepting applications for coupons worth $40 off a no-frills converter box to allow older televisions who use antennas and not cable – to receive digital broadcast signals. The complete conversion to broadcast digital happens in February 2009.

Writer’s strike be damned – Come early January – the late night TV comics will return to the air. David Letterman begins January 2.

Wednesday night television –
CBS –Criminal Minds, 30th Annual Kennedy Center Honors, David Letterman, Craig Ferguson
NBC – Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order, Special Victims Unit, Tonight, Conan O’Brien
ABC – Pushing Daisies, Private Practice, dirty Sexy Money, Nightline, Jimmy Kimmel
MyNet – Movie-Touch of Fate
Fox – Christmas with the Kranks
CW – Crowned: The Mother of all pageants, Gossip Girl
PBS – Wired Science, Oprah’s Rots, Tavis Smiley, Charlie Rose
HBO – Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel

New Year’s Eve music shows -

On “Dick Clarks’ Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2008” – Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Fergie and One Republic. Co-hosted by Ryan Seacrest. On ABC.

“New Year’s Eve Live” – Jordin Sparks, Blake Lewis, Lifehouse and Fall Out Boy. Cat Deeley hosts on Fox.

Tila Tequila’s New Year’s Eve Masquerade 200” – Mary J. Blige, Kid Rock, Fabolous, Paramore, Good Charlotte, Wyclef Jean and Flo Rida. On MTV.

“NBC’s New Year’s Eve With Carson Daly” with Lenny Kravitz and Alicia Keys.

At the movies –
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Alvin and the Chipmunks
I Am Legend
Aliens Vs. Predator – Requiem
The Great Debaters
June
The Water Horse
Charlie Wilson’s War
P.S. I Love You
Sweeney Todd

Top DVD’s for 2007 –
High School Musical: Encore Edition
Tom and Jerry’s Greatest Chase
The Office: season One
Planet earth: The Complete Series
Family Guy: Volume Four
The Office: Season Two
Grey’s Anatomy: Season One
24: Season One
Grey’s Anatomy: The Complete Second Season
Hannah Montana: Living the Rock star Life!
What’s New Scooby Doo? Safari So Good
FireFly: Te Complete Series
24: Season 5
That So Suite Life of Hannah Montana
Hannah Montana: Pop Star Profile

Top albums for 2007 –
The Dutchess – Fergie
Daughtry – Daughtry
Konvicted – Akon
Some Hearts – Carrie Underwood
Hannah Montana – Soundtrack
All the Right Reasons – Nickelback
Futuresex/Lovesounds – Justin Timberlake
High School Musical 2 – Soundtrack
Now 23 – Various Artists
Minutes to Midnight – Linkin Park
Graduation – Kayne West
B’day – Beyonce
Love – The Beatles
Me and My Gang – Rascal Flatts
The Sweet Escape – Gwen Stefani
Hannah Montana 2 / Meet Miley Cyrus
Not Too Late – Norah Jones
Awake – Josh Groban
Taylor Swift – Taylor Swift

Top hit artists For 2007
Akon
Fergie
Justin Timberlake
Beyonce
t-Pain
Daughtry
Carrie Underwood
Avril Lavigne
Timbaland
Rihanna
Gwen Stefani
Nelly Furtado
Nickelback
Fall Out Boy
Maroon 5
Plain White T’s
Mims
Pink
T.I.
Kanye West
UNK
Ludacris
Shop Boyz
The Fray
Ciara
Ne-Yo
San Kingston
Soulja Boy Tell’em
Lloyd
Hinder
Bow Wow
Jim Jones
Christ Brown
Linkin Park
Rascal Flatts
Jay-Z
My Chemical Romance

Top pop artists for 2007 –
Fergie
Justin Timberlake
Akon
Avril Lavigne
Daughtry
Timbaland
Rihanna
Nelly Furtado
Beyonce
Nickelback
Gwen Stefani
Pink
T-Pain
Fall Out Boy
Maroon 5
Carrie Underwood
Plain White T’s
Ludacris
Sean Kingston
Mims
Hinder

Top Country This Week In 2007 –
So Small – Carrie Underwood
Firecracker – Josh turner
Don’t Blink – Kenny Chesney
More than a Memory – Garth Books
Our Song – Taylor Swift
Fall – Clay Walker
How ‘Bout them Cowgirls
Star – Sugarland
What Do Ya Think About that – Montgomery Gentry
Winner At a Losing game – Rascal Flatts

Hip Hop This Week –
Kiss Kiss – Chris Brown
No One – Alicia Keys
Can’t Help But wait – Trey Songz
Until the end of Time – Justin Timberlake
Duffle Bag Boy – Playaz Circle
Just Fine – Mary J. Blige
Shoulda Let You go – Keyshia Cole
I’m So Hood – DJ Khaled
Like You’ll Never Se Me Again – Alicia Keys

Hot Hits This Week –
Apologize – Timbaland
No One – Alicia Keys
Apologize – Timbaland
Low – Flo Rida
Clumsy – Gergie
Bubbly – Colbie Caitiat
Hat That I Love You – Rihanna
Crank that – Soulja Boy Tell’em
Tattoo – Jordin Sparks
Paralyzer – Finger Eleven
The Way I Are – Timbaland
Stronger – Kayne West
Cyclone – Baby Bash
Bed – J. Holiday

Top albums this week in 2007 –
Nice! – Josh Groban
Now 26 – Various Artists
As I Am – Alicia Keys
High School Musical 2 – Soundtrack
Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus – Miley Cyrus
The Ultimate Hits – Garth Brooks
Taking Chances – Celine Dion
Exclusive – Chris Brown
Christmas Song – Mannheim Stemroller
Mothership – Led Zeppelin
Taylor Swift – Taylor Swift
Jonas Brothers – Joana Brothers
American Gangster – Jay-Z
Coco – Colbie Caillat
Enjoy the ride – Sugarland

Top Modern Rock –
The Pretender – Foo Fighters
Big Casino – Jimmy Eat World
Fake it – Seether
Empty Walls – Serj Tankian
I Get It – Chevelle
Shadow of the Day – Linkin Park
Bleed It Out – Linkin Park

-

By Mr Pop History | Posted in This Week In History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

This Week In Pop And News History – Week of December 22, 2006. Five Years Ago.

December 23, 2010

Christmas Eve – Rome – Pope Benedict XVI ushers in Christmas at midnight mass, saying that the image of the baby Jesus born in a manger should remind everyone of the plight of poor, abused and neglected children.

Iraq – Four U.S. troops die during insurgent attacks…In Samawah – nine are dead after clashes with police…The execution of Saddam Hussein will come within 30 days – so says an appeals court… Saddam Hussein is put to death by hanging. He declined to wear a hood. His last utterance was the word, “Muqtada.”… After the execution – 78 die in area unrest.

Disarmament talks with defiant North Korea take a recess without any progress.

Just back from Iraq – Defense Secretary Robert Gates meets with President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and others at Camp David. Looks like he’ll recommend more troops in the area.

No isolation – Shiites in Iraq say they want extremists in the national government, that the country should govern itself with the help of anti-U.S. firebrand Muqtada Sadr.

The U.N Security Council votes to impose sanctions on Iran – to curtail their nuclear program.

At least 260 people are killed when a gasoline pipeline ruptured by thieves, exploded into an inferno as neighborhood residents scavenged the spurting fuel.

New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi resigns and pleads guilty to a felony for using a state employee as his wife’s chauffeur.

Mogadishu – Somalia’s beleaguered capital – falls to Ethiopian and Somalian government troops.

In Durham, NC – the DA abruptly dropped rape charges against three Duke University lacrosse players. They still face kidnapping and sexual offensive charges.

Indonesia rushed tents, food and other emergency aid to flood-ravaged parts of Sumatra and the U.N. pledged $2 million to help survivors.

Nevada Gov.-elect Jim Gibbons will not be prosecuted on allegations that he assaulted a cocktail waitress in a parking garage three weeks before the election.

Passing – Gerald R. Ford – the 38th president of the United States. He was 93. Memorials will be observed in Palm Desert, continue in Washington and continue to Grand Rapids where he’ll be buried.

Technology –
Microsoft Windows Vista – the newest operating system – and one the company says is the most secure ever – has a flaw that might let hackers gain full control of vulnerable computers. Microsoft says though – that a hacker must already have access to the vulnerable computer in order to execute an attack.

Bad trend – It’s called “Ghost Riding the Whip” where a driver gets out of his car and dances around and on top of the vehicle – while its moving. Ghost rider is of course, the absence of a driver and “the whip” is urban hip-hop speak for “your car.” It was introduced to the mainstream by rapper E-40 with his “Tell Me When To Go” video and lyrics (how to lyrics that is). If you YouTube ghost riding – you get all kinds of videos.

The stock market closed out a great year – its best since 2003 as the Dow gained 16% for the year. The Nasdaq was up 9.5% as were other important indexes.

Sports –
Long game – The NY Knicks outlast the Detroit Pistons in three overtimes. Final – 151-145. The Knicks’ Richard Hamilton had a career-high of 51 points.

Radio news –
Danny Bonaduce is set to join Adam Corolla on his morning West Coast radio show.

Entertainment news –
The American Film Institute (AFI) proclaims Clint Eastwood a national treasure. Also – AFI called the emergence of YouTube as “the awakening of an age when the audience is both producer and distributor.”

Since she debuted on “The View” in September, Rosie O’Donnell has stirred the pot. She accused Kelly Ripa of homophobia and said that Oprah and Gayle King were typical of gay relationships – among others. But the show’s ratings are up – about 3.3 million per show – up 13%.

But wait – this week – Rosie blasts Donald Trump about the near-firing of Miss USA – Tara Connor, because of her underage drinking. O’Donnell said the twice-divorced Trump had no right to be a “moral compass” for Connor. Trump fired back saying such things as: “She (O’Donnell) is a very, very unattractive woman who really is a bully.”

Head to head – Both Carson Daly and Ryan Seacrest will be back for their second New Year’s specials (duels). Both cite Dick Clark as a huge influence – but Daly says he has his own producing ideas.

Relaunching – Britney Spears will usher in the New Year in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace. She’ll be toasting from a $100,000 bottle of Champagne. Is this her comeback?

New Year’s – Jessica Alba, Hilary and Haylie Duff will co-host the DKNY Jeans party at the Setal Hotel in Miami.

Spotted – Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were in Panama City – spotted at a souvenir shop.

An AP-AOL poll places Oprah Winfrey as the best celebrity role model for 2006. The worst was Britney Spears. Second worst – Paris Hilton.

Music news –
James Brown’s lawyer says the late soul singer and his partner were not legally married and that she was locked out of his South Carolina home for estate legal reasons. Brown’s partner, backup singer Tomi Rae Hynie – was already married to a Texas man in 2001 when she married Brown, making the marriage null.

Irish rocker Bono will receive an honorary knighthood from the British ambassador to Ireland, David Reddaway – on New Year’s Day.

Michael Jackson sues his former accountants claiming they withdrew $2.5 million a year from his bank accounts and did not pay his bills.

Police are called to the Paul McCartney estate where his estranged wife, Heather, reported the theft of oil paintings. They were valued at almost $20 million and included a Renoir and a Picasso.

Television news –
Passing – Frank Stanton – pioneering TV executive and a major force behind the success of CBS in its early TV years. He was 98.

TBS presents “Funniest Commercials of the Year” with Kevin Nealon.

Christmas Day – Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa return to host the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade. Look for performances by Beyonce, Andrea Bocelli and cast members from “High School Musical.”

On “Saturday Night Live” – Jack Black hosts with musical guest Neil Young. The following Saturday – Matthew Fox with musical guest Tenacious D.

“The Knights of Prosperity” debuts this week on ABC – and the plot centers on a group of guys robbing Mick Jagger – to burglarize Jagger’s fictional $52 million Central Park West apartment.

New Year’s Eve television -
ABC – “Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rock Eve 2007” – into “Rockin New Year’s Eve 2007.” With Dick and Ryan Seacrest. Performers include Christina Aguilera, Fergie, Natasha Bedingfield, Meat Loaf, Rihanna, Rascal Flatts and KT Tunstall.

NBC – New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly. Featured – Panic! at the Disco and more!

Fox – New Year’s Eve ’06. Featured – Daughtrey and Toni Braxton.

MTV – MTV Goes Gold: New Year’s Eve 2007.

At the movies –
Night at the Museum
The Pursuit of Happyness
Rocky Balboa
The Good Shepherd
Charlotte’s Web
Eragon
Dreamgirls
We Are Marshall
The Holiday
Happy Feet

By Mr Pop History | Posted in Pop Culture History, This Week In History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

When Dick Clark Went Up Against Ryan Seacrest – Different Specials. Pop Culture Trivia.

November 18, 2010

Q: Ryan Seacrest has been in the Dick Clark camp for sometime – especially with Clark’s ABC-TV New Year’s Eve specials. Didn’t Seacrest compete with this very same show?

Mr. Pop History – Yes. Let’s go back to the year 2004 – New Year’s Eve. Clark had just had his stroke – and would you believe – Regis Philbin was asked to take his place that year? Actually – ol’ Rege did pretty well. But – look over at Fox-TV where Ryan Seacrest was doing the same type of show.  Here are those listings, plus other competition that night:

Dick Clark prime time – Regis Philbin fills-in for ailing Dick Clark with Catherine McCord and Mike Richards. Ashlee Simpson is the West Coast host.

Carson Daily – Conan O’Brien, Brian Williams, Tina Fey, Amy Phehler, Jill Hennessy, Dule Hill, Kathy Griffin and Donald Trump. With performances by Maroon 5, Avril Lavigne and Duran Duran.

Fox-TV – Ryan Seacrest (New Year’s Eve Live From Times Square)– Hoobastank, Evanescence.

MTV New Year’s Bash – hosted by Damien Fahey, La La Vasquez, Quddus, Hilarie Burton and Vanessa Minnillo. With Green Day, Snoop Dogg, Ja Rule, Fat Joe, Jimmy eat World, Ryan Cabrera, Lindsay Logan, Destiny’s Child, Blink 182, Good Charlotte, Fabolous, Ludacris, Ying Yank Twins, Simple Plan.

By Mr Pop History | Posted in 2000's, Pop Culture History, This Week In History | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

From Sonja T – “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” w/Regis Philbin was off the air for a few years, then came back?

January 3, 2010

Mr. Pop History – Yes. The original debuted in 1999 and was thoroughly burnt out by its 2002 cancellation. But wait: ABC needed another idea. Two years later – it upped the ante to $10 million, and brought back Regis in “Super Millionaire” – and succeeded in burning that one out quickly.

By Mr Pop History | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Comments (0)