Chuck Norris Facts Meme

huck Norris Meme

“Chuck Norris was once bitten by a rattlesnake while hiking. After six hours of excruciating pain, the rattlesnake died.”

“Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird.”

“They once made a Chuck Norris toilet paper, they soon had to discontinue it because it wouldn't take shit from anybody.”

“Chuck Norris was born in the house he built with his own two hands.”

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“They once tried to carve Chuck Norris’ face into Mount Rushmore, but the granite wasn’t hard enough for his beard”

                           
                                                                     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDUQW8LUMs8&feature=youtu.be

            Chuck Norris jokes are facts about the greatness of Chuck Norris. It lists the various accomplishments (or presumed accomplishments) of Chuck Norris. They often show Chuck Norris as being a man’s man. His accomplishments, feats of bravery, and vitality are something incomparable to us mere mortals. One example of this is “Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird.” Another thing to show up repeatedly in these facts is Chuck Norris’ beard. It is said that “Chuck Norris doesn't have a beard on his face. Chuck Norris' beard has a face.” In short these jokes make Chuck Norris seem to be the greatest man on earth. They often contain ingenious ways in which he accomplishes amazing feats. (Uncyclopedia)

“Chuck Norris counted to infinity...Twice.”

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\Bottom of FormChuck Norris Facts began during the end of 2005 when a similar meme was becoming wildly popular(Wikipedia). At that point in time Mr. T and Vin Diesel jokes had become wildly popular and had reached their peak in popularity (Knowyourmeme). When looking at the Google Insight graphs you can actually see the Chuck Norris meme was started when Vin Diesel Jokes had already reached their max popularity. Chuck Norris jokes came when a refresher was needed.  As the Chuck Norris Jokes were becoming more wildly popular they were quickly replaced the Vin Diesel facts in popularity. The facts started around November 2005 and became wildly popular quickly. In the graph shown Chuck Norris jokes rise in popularity is similar to an exponential graph. Chuck Norris Facts were popular for about seven month after its birth. However it never seems to have truly died away as it still has its faithful supporters.

This meme has become an inspiration for other memes as well. The most notable one is in India where Rajnikanth jokes are a big hit(Wikipedia). For those that don’t know Rajnikanth is india’s biggest star (and overall badass). This meme sprang to life in the middle of July 2010 and quickly rose to fame.

Google Insight:
a. Regional Interest:
1. United States            2. Slovenia               4. Norway

b. Top searches:
1. Chuck norris jokes        2. funny facts      3. google chuck norris

c. Rising searches:
1. chuck norrise fact       2. chuck norris jokes         3. chuck norris list

*Thanks goes to http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com/ which provides an extensive list of user reported facts.

Planking

  



Planking is an internet "meme" in which pictures are posted of people lying face down in bizarre, creative locations. The person (or people) in the photo is lying down with their hands against their sides, in a rigid plank-like fashion, and the aim is to have "planked" in the most absurd, peculiar, and/or amusing place. 

The exact origin of Planking is uncertain and disputed, however most sources site a pair of Englishmen (Gary Clarkson and Christian Langdon) as the inventors, who in their teens would perform what they called the “Lying Down Game” in the late 1990’s simply to amuse each other and confuse onlookers.
In 2007, the two men created a Facebook group for planking, and from then on the fad grew steadily in the UK. They had thousands of followers, and photo submissions began to come in from around the world. The fad name changed from the “Lying Down Game” to “Planking”reportedly in 2008 when Paul Carren, a New Zealander living in Australia, coined the term.
In 2009 planking gained international attention when the press covered a story about a group of hospital workers in the UK who were suspended for planking while on the night shift and posting the photos to Facebook.
In 2011, planking reached its peak of popularity, and a huge movement began in Australia where the Facebook page gained over 130,000 members within a week in April 2011. Interest spiked in May 2011, especially after the death of a 20 year old Australian man attempting to plank on a 7^th story balcony.

Comedian Tom Green claims to have created planking back in 1994 when the former MTV host did a segment on his Canadian TV show of him lying face down on the ground in the middle of a busy street to see if anyone would help him: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csS_oySjfjU&feature=player_embedded

The reason why Planking became so popular include:

Global Planking

1. It gives starter a sense of accomplishment and a sense of freedom
2. For most Planking doers, they post their photos on instant social media and social networking website such as Facebook and Twitter to gain a lot of comments and recognition. This can also be another form of sense of accomplishment or identity
3. Instant gratification and attention via the web
4. Another kind of freedom of expression, just like street dance or graffiti
5. Many celebrities posted pictures of themselves
planking on their Twitter/Facebook accounts.  



MEMEs that emerged from Planking:
1. Virtual Planking
-the blog Slactory posted an article titled "Virtual Planking"
-a hipster e-honda planking image is posted
-other examples of planking include video game character from Call of Duty, The SIMs, etc

                         

2) “Pu Kai girls” (仆街少女)

These two Taiwanese girls named themselves “Pu Kai girls”. They opened a group and attracted over 115K people to join on Facebook(https://www.facebook.com/pkgirls?ref=nf). They plank around significant places in Taiwan, Macau, and Hong Kong. They uses this way to promote the places; and they also arouses social attentions in the public. 

This photo is taken in front of the Hong Kong Central Government office.

Taken in front of the Giant Buddha in Hong Kong

                                                                                                                 

3) Fishsticking
-Vertical Planking meets Sturgeon Face :o
"If you are a fish and want to be a fish stick, you have to have very good posture" - Mitch Hedberg

4)Teapotting
Teapotting consisted of bending the arms in a shape of a teapot in reference to the children's song "I'm a Little Teapot". This variation was created by teachers in Mortlake College as an attempt to create a new 'craze' after viewing the amount of attention planking received. (Wikipedia) 
5.) Owling
- imitating the perched position of an owl, photos are posted of people looking off into the distance.

Google Insight:According to Google insight:
A. Ranking of regional interest at planking:1. Paraguay   2. Philippines    3. Austrailia

B. Interest over time
-A surge from mid-2010 to mid-2011
-Interest topped during July 2011, when many youths were on summer break.

C. Top seaches about planking:
1. What is planking    2. Planking pictures    3. Planking facebook

D. Rising searches:
1. best planking     2. owling     3. owling planking

Group contact list

Group: lurkeratvirtualblog

Chin Wing Li (Leigh)       chinwingli1026@berkeley.edu     (Admin)
Jill Schwocho                jillschwocho@berkeley.edu
Chandra Hipple            chipple@berkeley.edu
Aysha Raja                  aysharaja@berkeley.edu
Omar Raja                  xfehyr@gmail.com
Yin Ling Lee, Elaine     elainelee0425@hotmail.com
Lee Dennis Nga Ching  leedennis@berkeley.edu
Irene Wing Sze Chan    chanwingsze11@berkeley.edu
Jung Youn Huh            nuoygnuj@berkeley.edu
Cynthia Cheung           cynxrain@hotmail.com

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LI Chin Wing

CHAN, Irene Wing Sze

                                                             LEE Dennis Nga Ching

Cynthia Cheung

Omar Raja

Aysha Raja

                                     
                                                                   Lee, Yin Ling, Elaine

Jill Schwocho

Jungyoun Huh

Chandra Hipple