Wheels of Fortune

FREE DAILY TRENDS

2 MAY 2013

Today’s Headlines

Social media apps allow users to transform their feeds into video news

23 APR 2013

Dive-Ins

Aquatic cinemas are making a splash worldwide

27 MAR 2013

Better off Read

Municipalities are reinventing libraries for the digital age

7 MAR 2013

Art Speaks Volumes

As hard-copy reading fades, books become objects of art

25 FEB 2013

Screen Savers

Experiential cinema is poised to reinvigorate moviegoing

15 JAN 2013

Mix Max

Music remix innovators cater to the creative class

14 DEC 2012

Back to Boom Bap

The snare-driven sound of old-school hip hop returns

3 DEC 2012

Second Shooters

New photography gadgets go beyond the smartphone camera

28 NOV 2012

Mix It Up

Digital mixing tools socialize music creation

14 NOV 2012

Lost and Sound

Geotagging apps put music on the map, literally

22 OCT 2012

Stranger Than Fiction

Adult fans are driving the popularity of teen literature

30 AUG 2012

Busk a Move

A new wave of street performers earn currency in unexpected ways

17 AUG 2012

Going for the Gold

Our Cassandra Speaks community’s favorite Olympics-related marketing campaigns

26 JUL 2012

Instrumental Change

Artists and designers discover innovative ways to make music

19 JUL 2012

Radio Active

Talk radio reinvents itself for a new generation of listeners

13 JUL 2012

First Fridays: Celestine Maddy, founder of Wilder Quarterly

Q+A with the creator of the pub that's inspiring a movement of "contemporary cultivators"

27 JUN 2012

In the Fold

Origami arises as an inspiration for artists and designers

25 JUN 2012

Caught on Tape

Nostalgia for the VHS format seems to be on the rise

17 MAY 2012

Tall Tales

New platforms cater to consumer passion for storytelling

1 MAY 2012

Going Long

Curated digital publications mark the return of the long-form, non-fiction narrative

Riding our bikes to work across the Brooklyn Bridge and through the congested streets of Manhattan often feels more like a form of intense entertainment than a means of transportation. For some, however, watching angry cyclists shout at innocent tourists clogging up the bike lane or feeling stuck in a live game of Frogger is not enough cycling amusement, as bicycles are taking center stage in a number of entertainment, um, vehicles.

Bike Messenger Movie: Coasting fearlessly through traffic in a manner similar to how surfers ride waves, NYC bike messengers rarely receive much accolade. Enter Premium Rush (due in January), a thriller that promises to give those outside the Big Apple a look at the art, and perils, of urban cycling. The film, written and directed by David Koepp, is about a NYC bike messenger who’s being chased by a crooked cop. Based on reports, star Joseph Gordon-Levitt and the movie’s cast of actor-messengers received exhaustive coaching so that they could rival Kevin Bacon’s famous turn in the ’80s. Whether it’s the next Quicksilver remains to be seen, but we hope the tricks at least live up to the early ’90s legacy of The X Men.

Bike Messenger TV: The last time we remember a bike messenger getting TV airtime was in 1994 when Puck’s stinky feet raised havoc in the The Real World: San Francisco. Though the wild man may have tarnished the reputation of his profession, an upcoming TV series may set the record straight. Travel Channel is currently in production on a “docu-reality” series, set to premiere in March 2011, about bike messenger culture in NYC. (Coincidentally, one of the show’s key cast members, North American Cycle Courier Champion Austin Horse, serves as a stunt double in Premium Rush.) Those who can’t wait for the show’s debut should be able to stave off anticipation with a viewing of the annual Crazy Bike Messenger NYC Race.

Bike Trick YouTube Star: If you think the tricks flaunted by the local BMX crew in your neighborhood are impressive, you haven’t witnessed the feats of Scottish trick bike rider Danny MacAskill. The 24-year-old former mechanic has become a bona fide YouTube star. His first video, “Inspired Bicycles,” has received nearly 22 million views since it was uploaded last year. His new video, “Way Back Home,” sees Danny on a journey from Edinburgh to his hometown Dunvegan (on the Isle of Skye), during which he introduces his urban bike antics to the Scottish highlands. Having received more than 2 million views within its first week of release, the video is one hell of a homecoming.