Viral Forecast: Debt Ceiling Deadline, Amy Winehouse, And Back-T0-School

We've got all the weekend's top news and viral trends on this week's BuzzFeed Viral Forecast!

Going Viral On BuzzFeed

This morning's absolute must-see viral post is a clip from TLC's Strange Addictions.

Debt Ceiling Deadline Draws Closer

Weeks into stale negotiations, the unresolved issue of raising the debt ceiling remains a huge story as the August 2nd deadline looms ahead.

The Huffington Post reminds, Debt Ceiling Deadline Looms As Obama, Republicans Clash.

The Atlantic asks if we're close to making Progress Toward A Debt Deal.

And Gothamist looks to Bill Clinton with Original First Black President Thinks Obama Should Use Debt Ceiling Loophole.

Remembering Amy Winehouse

huffingtonpost.com

Pop singer Amy Winehouse passed away in her bed on Saturday at the age of 27. Although the cause of death is officially "unexplained," many have voiced their lack of surprise, not only given her public struggles with drugs but citing lyrics from one of her songs.

Amy Winehouse music videos saw a huge boost in shares following news of her death, with "Tears Dry On Their Own," "You Know I'm No Good," and "Back To Black" each accruing more than 140,000 shares within just the last 24 hours.

Oslo Mass Murderer Media Saturation

Searches for "The Knights Templar" have been among the fastest-growing Google search trends this morning in connection to the self-authored manifesto from the mass murderer in Oslo, Norway.

Intense media coverage of the story has led to widespread public knowledge of the tragic event, and trolls on 4chan's /b/ board have been working hard to turn the murderer into an anti-hero and a meme.

Rather than show or explain anything about that, I'm deferring to a video Charlie Brooker made in 2009 criticizing media coverage of mass murderers.

Less Search For Travel And Recreation, Arts, Society, And Science Coming Back

This time of year always marks a transition in people's search trends as summer begins to wind down.

Expect searches for Travel and Recreation-related content to slump as searches for stories relating to the Arts & Humanities, Society, and Science stories to pick up traffic as students prepare for a new school year.