Sigh

Dear Readers,
I have apparently taken an unannounced and extended hiatus. School got hard, life got busy, and my heart fell off the beaten path. I still find joy in discovering online things.

It's hard to maintain a truly daily blog by yourself. One person.

I've had one person offer to make regular contributions. A group blog might work better.

I want to return Dec. 15th. Meanwhile, I'm trying to decide if I should keep TOTI at blogspot or try a re-inacarnation as a tumblrblog. Comments below, votes on the side bar.
Love,
WEB du Blag

(From )

How To Find A Masculine Halloween Costume For Your Effeminate Son

How To Find A Masculine Halloween Costume For Your Effeminate Son is an Onion News Network video spoofing anti-gay parents' worst fears on Halloween. Lovely.


(From Guy>)

The Rent Is Too Damn High Party

The Rent Is Too Damn High Party is a political (?) party running in the upcoming General Election for the City of New York and County of New York. Hands down, it's the most awful website in the history of websites. It was made by a time-traveller from 1996, complete with bursting firework gifs. Precious.

However, what makes it awesome is their ridiculous song on loop. You can't not not not love it. A+.

(From Dave H.)

This Peanut Looks Like a Duck

This Peanut Looks Like a Duck is a website about things in the shape of a duck. If you spin and squint real hard. Love it.

The splash page is really classy, and once you get in it's really trashy. The huge ads atop, the clutter at the bottom. Still, some nice duck-looking images.

(From Kian M.)

Raptor Hoodie Shirt

Raptor Hoodie Shirt is the cutest kid's shirt ever. OMG. Why didn't I think of this before?! 

(From Boing Boing)

All about beards

All about beards is a self-explanatory website. According tot he authors, its purpose is to "increase awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the beard. The intended audience is anyone who has any interest in or curiosity about beards. It is also intended for anyone who has an opinion about beards, whether good, bad, or neutral. Whatever your opinion on beards, I hope a visit to these pages will improve it to some degree. This site is an informal experimental project in beard research. "

The design is pretty awful, but the gallery is pretty entertaining. I don't know why, I like the short cropped beard look. Enjoy!

(From Buzz)

Unfortunately Named Professionals

Unfortunately Named Professionals is a totally juvenile list-article on Buzzfeed about professionals with funny names for their situation. I am so totally 12.

(From Buzzfeed)

Memoir of a former abortion addict

Memoir of a former abortion addict is an LA Times news story about Irene Vilar, now a mother of two, who wrote a memoir of about led her to have 15 pregnancies ended.

Exerpt:

"She describes her abortions as part of a misguided quest to free herself from the burdens of a complicated and tragic family, then as part of an immensely dysfunctional dynamic with her first husband, a professor of Latin American literature whom she met at Syracuse University when she was 16 and he was 50.

'We could be a couple as long as I relinquished my desire for children,' she said of her husband, 'a disturbingly handsome man" who taught her that 'families are nests of suffering" and informed her that he preferred young women because they are "unformed . . . unfinished, with not too many wounds.' Children, he told her, were incompatible with freedom. (Her ex-husband, Pedro Cuperman, did not respond to an e-mailed request for comment.)

Again and again during their 11-year relationship, she rebelled: 'Forgetting' her birth control pills, she would get pregnant, feel the thrill of self-determination, then panic that she would lose her husband, seek an abortion and collapse in relief and despair.
...'I can completely understand the discomfort that some feminists feel,' said feminist author Robin Morgan, who wrote the book's foreword. 'There is a perfectly human tendency to say we can't afford ambiguity, we can't afford nuance. I am afraid it comes from years of being pummeled by the extreme, anti-choice right. The truth is that it's a complicated issue.' "

Pretty crazy.

(From Buzzfeed)

I Love xkcd

I Love xkcd is a cute internet video by noamR based on the comic strip "xkcd Loves the Discovery Channel." It's kind of whimsical and darling.

(From Metafilter)

Checkmates

Checkmates is an Upright Citizen's Brigade comedy sketch original where, "a good-girl chess player falls for a bad-boy checkers player from the streets." Way ludicrous. A+.
(From Justin and Wilmar)

uPlaya

uPlaya is an online service where independent music artists can upload their songs and be given an automated score of the hit potential of that song. Boom. You no longer need humans to run record lables. Or something.

I dislike how the "success stories" section has no success stories. Okay, I want song examples, people. 

Also, best question from the FAQ: "Isn’t music supposed to be art?"

Also, one metafilter commenter notes,

"This strikes me as a high tech version of the old songwriting competition / modeling agency scam, the kind of thing where almost everyone is assured they are primed for success, and they have some fees you can pay to enter contests for a chance to make it big. I feel like a rube just for giving them my email address.

This is snake oil. We have been uplayed®." 

(From Metafilter)

Someone Else's Money (part II)

Someone Else's Money (part II) is a follow-up of the two-part This American Life co-production with NPR News on the health insurance industry. I'm amazed at the cost of medications, and how hidden those figures are.

(From my iPod subscription)

They Shoot Porn Stars, Don't They? [NSFW]

They Shoot Porn Stars, Don't They? is a Not Safe For Work 10-page self-published essay written and photographed by Susannah Breslin. She wrote it for a publication, but it got pulled, and so she self-published. Normally I hate it when stories are split into pages, but with the photos atop I didn't mind so much. Plus, the site design is by Chris Bishop whose crowning achievement is the "Obama Rides a Unicorn" shirt.

The first page is... shocking. The whole essay is kind of... interesting. It reminds me of this sex and the law class I once took as an undergrad. Enjoy?

Highlights:

A long time ago, I asked Jim why he makes the movies that he does. He told me that when he was a teenager he had wanted to see what happened to the girl in the horror movies when the camera cut away from the action. What he had wanted was more. Hardcore, at least for a while, took him there.
...
If “2 Girls 1 Cup” is water cooler talk, what is offensive?
...
Among the potentially obscene videos were Powers’ “American Bukkake 11,” in which 83 men ---------------- a woman named Cotton Candy, and Butts’ “Tampa Tushy-Fest,” in which a woman can be seen ---------------- another woman and exclaiming, “Fuck yeah, that’s girl power!”
...
"Anybody that comes into this business, for the most part, is a broken toy.”
...
“If you want to have sex with Tori Black and don’t have chloroform, this is your next best option.” [Ugh.]
...
How far will we go if we are pushed to our limits?

PS: Pg. 5 made me wonder, has punk rock really always been associated with half-naked, bound, and kneeling female figurines? Weird.

(From Boing Boing)

T Pain Obama Auto-Tune

T Pain Obama Auto-Tune is a Youtube video of a T-pain digital short on Jimmy Kimmel Live.  Basically, they introduce the iPhone app where you speak into your iPhone and it autotunes it to make you sound like Cher/T Pain. (You can actually buy this app, so I slapped a "commercial" tag on this TOTI entry.)

They took a few Obama snippets and made it sound funny.  I'm not sure why they didn't even mention the Autotune the News folks, when clearly, this is their bag.  I mean, T-Pain even went on Autotune the News #8, so it's not like he wasn't aware of it. Whatever, I didn't watch the original Jimmi Kimmel live episode to know precisely if he mentioned it or not. 

I was also uncomfortable with the twinkling grills at the end... but less guilty about the amputation joke. Does this make me a bad person? 

Boop. Enjoy!

(From J. Pae)

Beyonce's Single Ladies covered by Pomplamoose

Beyonce's Single Ladies covered by Pomplamoose is a Youtube video cover of Beyoncé's hit Single Ladies.  I had seen this on Youtube but held off on it. I wasn't sure it was TOTI material, but then I saw it on Kottke, and it's gotten more than a million hits since... so why not. Looks like I missed a scoop. ANYWAY.

Pomplamoose describes it as,

"This cover is a VideoSong, a new medium with 2 rules:
1. What you see is what you hear (no lip-syncing for instruments or voice).
2. If you hear it, at some point you see it (no hidden sounds)."

Charming.  Deconstructs it, breaks it down, makes it look way simpler than it is. 

And now, obligatory comment:

YO Pomplamoose, Imma let you finish but... This is the best acoustic blues version ever. Enjoy!

(From YouTube, Kottke)

Dan Gilbert: Why are we happy? Why aren't we happy?

Dan Gilbert: Why are we happy? Why aren't we happy? is a Ted Talk by Dan Gilbert, author of "Stumbling on Happiness", who accordign to TED, challenges the idea that well be miserable if we dont get what we want. Our "psychological immune system" lets us feel truly happy even when things dont go as planned.

Basically, when we are given a choice between two paintings or photos, we can be unhappy with our decisions, but when one is foisted upon us, we manufacture happiness out of it. Seems surprising but plausible--at least for small decisions. I really still have a hard time believing in making a case for arranged marriages. Althought dating makes me miserable.

Bonus: The 2005 talk by Dan here.

(From EK)

Greeting Card Emergency Episode 6: Four Coming-Out Cards

Greeting Card Emergency Episode 6: Four Coming-Out Cards is a humorous Youtube video featuring David Ellis Dickerson, who makes greeting cards for unmet markets. Solid beginning, kind of overwrought, excruciating ending. Nonetheless, A+ for the cards.

(From Jelena J.)

391: More Is Less

391: More Is Less is an episode of This American Life. It's a two-parter, this week and next week, on the current health care crisis/reform.   Kind of dry, kind of awesome.   

Also the medscape news alert tells me that, "The Senate Finance Committee today passed a massive healthcare reform bill — mostly along partisan lines — that would eventually reduce the ranks of the uninsured by more than half."  Whee!

Edited for accurate links.

(From my iPod subscription)

The 10 Best Things That Have Ever Happened Behind A News Reporter’s Back

The 10 Best Things That Have Ever Happened Behind A News Reporter’s Back is a video list on Buzzfeed about the funniest reporter videobombs.

My favorite is the video above. Apparently, traders are very juvenile. Probably not safe for work.
(From Buzz )

Homeopathy & Nutritionists vs Real Science!

Homeopathy & Nutritionists vs Real Science! is a stand-up routine by Dara O'Briain about the public understanding of biological and health science.  

Basically, teehee. Especially after my CAM class on homeopathy. For the uninitiated, that's a field whereupon people think that "like cures like." They make healing potions by diluting something to or beyond avogadro's number... and shake the hell out of the bottle (calling it "succussion"). Then they call that an elixir and sell it to you. 

The routine is precious. 

(From Boing Boing)

The Drugging And Gang Rape Of A KBR Employee! Senator Al Franken

The Drugging And Gang Rape Of A KBR Employee! Senator Al Franken is a poorly titled youtube video (from C-SPAN2!) showing Al Franken presenting his amendment. This is dry but important!

Boing Boing explains,

"Al Franken successfully introduced legislation that denies federal contracts to companies that have policies -- anywhere in the world -- that punish employees for complaining about rape or discrimination on the job. This is in response to a KBR/Halliburton employee in Iraq who was drugged and gang-raped by co-workers and denied justice or even medical treatment, then locked in a storage container for 24 hours and told that she'd lose her job if she left the country to get medical help. She was also prohibited from suing or seeking criminal justice because her Halliburton contract forbade seeking any justice apart from private arbitration.

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) tried to block the amendment, saying that it was a 'a political attack directed at Halliburton.' Franken replied, 'This amendment does not single out a single contractor. This amendment would defund any contractor that refuses to give a victim of rape their day in court.' "

Yes. Violence against women makes me ANGRY. GAAAAAAAH!!!!111!

(From Boing Boing)

One Nation Under Cthulhu

One Nation Under Cthulhu is a parody follow-up image to Jon McNaughton's One Nation Under God.

(From Reader Darc_Oso)

Star Wars Baby Costumes Gallery

Star Wars Baby Costumes Gallery is a picture/list/article on Gizmodo about nerd parents and their dressed-up nerd babies. Six outfitted toddlers, it's the cutest thing ever. What's not to love?

(From Buzzfeed)

One Nation Under God

One Nation Under God is a painting by Jon McNaughton.

Random first thoughts as I perused the painting with the mis-aligned magnifying glass:
1) Huh. So THIS is what would happen if Thomas Kinkade and Mel Gibson mated to produce viable offspring.

2) The artist appears to have a problem with Gibbons v. Ogden (presumably for defining federal Congressional law as supreme over state law), and yet no problems with glorifying Alexander Hamilton. Or James Madison. Or John Jay. OKAY!

3) He also presumably has a problem with judicial review (Marbury v. Madison) but no problem with Alexander Hamilton. EXCELLENT.

4) "Seperationist." Nice. Let's leave conlaw out of art, shall we?  
(From MJG, T. J.)

Go Girl

Go Girl is a commercial product that allows women to shoot pee out of a flexible funnel while camping. Charmingly available in pink.

Highlights according to my friend JenK: "Also the 'how to use it' section is really funny. 'Don't feel discouraged if you dribble.' "

I also noted the claim, "European women have used female urination devices for years." IS THIS TRUE? They have a different world across the pond that I never knew about. Comments please.

Amay-may.
(From JenK, TOTI's perennial toilet-matters advisor)

Sesame Street: Mad Men

Sesame Street: Mad Men is a spoof of the TV show "Mad Men" by Sesame Street.

Yes, why yes I am having a hard time keeping up with this daily blog. Second year is busy. Thanks for asking.
(From JenK)

Secret Girlfriends Throughout History

Secret Girlfriends Throughout History is a shameless picture/list/article on Buzzfeed.com, where they gathered up pictures of 8 modern-ish mistresses and 2 historical ones.

I had no idea about Claire Danes being a homewrecker. They should have a made a short-lived sitcom about THAT.
(From the Buzz )

He Wolf [probably NSFW]

He Wolf is a shot-by-shot remake of Shakira's music video She-wolf, but with a gay UW student. I don't know what's funnier, the word "lycanthropy" in a pop song or that guy piling into a single bed with his partner.

Enjoy!
(From Court)

So you think you can tell Arial from Helvetica?

So you think you can tell Arial from Helvetica? is a quiz on Ironic Sans that challenges you to distinguish between Arial and Helvetica. They display famous logos in both typefaces and ask you to decide which one is the original.  Geek-tastic. 

(From Metafilter)

Church Store Fail

Church Store Fail is an unintentionally humorous image from the failblog, showing the least appropriate thing to name a church goods store. Or most appropriate. Commenters, you decide. In any case, this image is appropriate for my finds today. Fail-tastic.

(From TM)

The Friends Theme and Sugar Ray

The Friends Theme and Sugar Ray is a video of Rob Paravonian doing stand-up. "Rob Paravonian uses the theme from Friends and the Sugar Ray song Every Morning to show that if you listen to the lyrics of a pop tune, it becomes really difficult to enjoy it anymore." True. This video is a blast from the past my friends.

Though I did always think that Sugar Ray guy sounded fratty and douchey. Wait, did I just say the same thing twice? Sorry.
(From my AIM profile. For realz.)

Deezer

Deezer is one of those old-fangled interweb radio sites. It used to be called blogmusik.net. It's french. And I found it by looking at my AIM profile (I hadn't checked that since 2007!) There you go.

More Awkward Political Family Photos

More Awkward Political Family Photos is a picture list article on Buzzfeed that shares a collection of awk-sauce first family photos. Pretty Ace. The Sarkozys win for prettiest AND most non-awkward.

Awkward Yearbook Signatures

Awkward Yearbook Signatures is a tumblr blog about awkward yearbook signatures. THey have scans of the signatures, time and date, and a running commentary. Example:

"Give me my money back or I'll kick your ass."

--Longfellow Middle School, McLean, VA, 1994
“Gym class was great”? “You really cracked me up in science”? “Never change”? All such niceties go out the window when it comes to the end of the year and someone still owes you a petty amount of cash.

Incidentally, this site is 20x better when you listen to that one Ben Folds song as a soundtrack.

(From Buzzfeed)

[NSFW?] Beautiful Cervix Project

Beautiful Cervix Project is a website that features pictures of different cervices. There is one that shows the same cervix every day for a whole month. Other images include a post-menopausal cervix, an IUD cervix, and a pregnant cervix. If you're not ready to see pictures of such things, wander away now.

Don't know quite what to make of the site. Enjoy?

(From Boing Boing)

100 GREATEST HITS OF YOUTUBE IN 4 MINUTES

100 GREATEST HITS OF YOUTUBE IN 4 MINUTES is a meme-fest video. It joins together a bunch of snippets from recent web memes. It's sadly itself not that great.

(From Buzzfeed)

Missed Connections

Missed Connections is a blogspot blog that illustrates missed connections postings.

"Monday, August 17, 2009
- m4w - (greenpoint)
asked myself why the letter 'n' all night long, then you were gone before i got a chance to ask. also, i saved you a piece of cake.
do you always sit in a circle of asian girls? and sit at the top of the stairs so everyone gets a crush on you when they get to the roof?"
(From Kottke)

The Asian Spanish Teacher

The Asian Spanish Teacher is a comedy video about Señor Chang, a Greendale Spanish instructor who challenges and confronts your Asian stereotypes.
(From T. J.)

Internet Refill

Internet Refill is an image from juliasegal.tumblr.com. This is where I went today, when I ran out of interwebs. There was nothing good on the interblags today.

(From Buzzfeed)

Will Ferrell stands up for the real health care victims

Will Ferrell stands up for the real health care victims is a pro-health care reform satire PSA.

It features Will Ferrell, Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde, Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, Masi Oka, Jordana Spiro, Linda Cardellini, and Donald Faison.  Pretty heavy-handed, pretty awesome.

(From Chels)

15 Famous People Who Have “Fiveheads”

15 Famous People Who Have “Fiveheads" is a vapid picture-list-article on Buzzfeed that made me actual-laugh-out-loud. Only because I'm self-conscious about my four-and-a-half-head. I digress. 

Buzzfeed totally made up the following term: "For those unfamiliar with the term, a 'fivehead' is when a person's forehead is so big, that it's more like a 'five'head."  

Very informative article. For example, I learned the following fact: Christina Ricci's face is 90% forehead.

(From Buzzfeed)

Dating Montage

Dating Montage is an 80's video-dating video on Daily Motion. Amazing.

So many questions & comments!
--Did that guy just seriously say, "no hamsters"?
--I'm interested in *no* phases of data processing.
--Oh Fred.

From Metafilter:

"WTH is a Donna Juanita? My best two minutes of googling come back with this. That seems a very specific dislike if that's what the guy at 2:55 is talking about. posted by mindless progress"

"Whoa, the guy at 2:43 is 25?! 25 going on 42?
posted by geoff".

"I do consider myself a 'refined valley dude.'
Something about the way he says it.... you can actually hear the quotes.
posted by Afroblanco"

"mindless progress: 'WTH is a Donna Juanita?'
A female Don Juan, ie. a smooth operator, seductress, a woman out to make a sexual conquest.
posted by idiopath"

"Oh, God, what is that word that's the opposite of schadenfreude? The one for the shared shame of seeing someone embarrass themselves? posted by maudlin "

(From Metafilter)

TRAILER: Michael Moore's 'Capitalism: A Love Story'

TRAILER: Michael Moore's 'Capitalism: A Love Story' is the trailer for the newest Michael Moore film. The consensus seems to be that the film appears dated, and that Moore should re-release Sicko isntead.

Still probably going to see it.
(From Facebook)

Slow Jam the News: Health Care Reform (9/14/09)

Slow Jam the News: Health Care Reform (9/14/09) is a self-explanatory video from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, where Jimmy and the Roots jam about health care.

Accordign to the Huffpo, "Jimmy Fallon and the Roots sexualized the health care debate last with a sensual slow jam about reform. 'Bipartisanship means everyone can partay,' they crooned.

Jimmy, of course, cracks up through the entire thing. It's incredibly juvenile. And sexey.

Highlights:
"Let's do it with the lights on" [crack up]
"...diaphanous... I don't mean to be too pedantic."
Enjoy!
(From )

I'm Not Here to Make Friends!

I'm Not Here to Make Friends! is a YouTube video showing a montage of reality TV stars uttering the now-cliché line, "I'm not here to make friends." It was mentioned on This American Life.

This week's TAL talks about frenemies.

We head to deep inside the natural habitat of frenemies: reality TV. Rich Juzwiak is a full-time blogger for VH1 and his own pop-culture blog which means he's spent a lot of time watching and dissecting reality TV shows. And last year, he noticed that one sentence seems to repeat an awful lot in the frenemy friendships that happen on reality TV.

It's fantastic.
(From This American Life)

The world's most patient cat

The world's most patient cat is a Youtube video showing an impatient baby trying to kick away a lazy cat. According to Buzzfeed, the baby hates the cat, but the cat doesn't care. According to me, there was nothing good on the internets today.

(From Buzzfeed)

Zach Braff & Donald Faison talk health care reform

Zach Braff & Donald Faison talk health care reform is a Youtube political PSA by the two scrubs guys, encouraging young people to be mroe vocal about the need for American health care reform. I couldn't agree more, so here I am, being vocal in my small way. Way to go guys. Healthcare is a right. YOU SHOULD GO THERE. SPEAK UP.
(From EA)

Today's Web Crush -- Peggy Wang, Blogger and Musician

Today's Web Crush -- Peggy Wang, Blogger and Musician is an article on Asylum about the best senior editor at Buzzfeed: Peggy Wang. Apparently, she moonlights as the keyboardist and backup vocals singer for an indie band called The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Who knew?! A+.

PS: yes, I know the picture is ill cropped. ARTSY!
(From Buzzfeed, immodestly)

FIGHTING DIRTY IN SCRABBLE

FIGHTING DIRTY IN SCRABBLE is a video about how win dirty. I don't play enough scrabble to comment on the merits of this video. According to the author, "Scrabble isn't a game of who can get the best 6 letter words. It's a game of points and squeezing 2 letter terms into corners."

I've been playing it wrong all along.

(From Kottke)

Internet Stats

Internet Stats is a website for stats about the internets. Pretty dry, unless you're into geeky web stuff.

By election day, fully 25% of people who pulled the lever for Obama were already connected to his campaign electronically.New York Magazine, January 2009

Social media use has taken off in the UK. eMarketer estimates that 39% of UK Internet users - more than 15.4 million people - will use social networks at least once per month in 2009.eMarketer, April 2009

According to Nielsen, 67% of the global online population visited a "member community" site in Dec 2008.Nielsen, March 2009

20 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute.YouTube, May 2009

Although men and women follow a similar number of Twitter users, men have 15% more followers than women.HarvardBusiness.org, June 2009

In mid-2008, social networking accounted for around 10% of worldwide online time. This is a category that didn't exist 3 years ago.Nielsen, March 2009

Social networks have a penetration of nearly 75% among European Internet users.Comscore, February 2009

5% of all time online is spent on Facebook.Comscore, April 2009

Of the 282.7 million European Internet users age 15 and older who went online via a home or work computer in December 2008, 211 million visited a social networking site – representing a penetration of 74.6%. Comscore, February 2009

eMarketer estimates that 39% of UK Internet users - more than 15.4 million people - will use social networks at least once per month in 2009. By 2013, the social networking population will reach 21.9 million and represent 50% of UK Web users.eMarketer, May 2009

Globally, social networks have enjoyed a 25% growth in unique visitors in the last year. Some sites have doubled their user base.Comscore, August 2008

In May 2009, YouTube reached 15.4 million unique users in the UK.Nielsen, May 2009

93% of Brits are making major financial cutbacks in the home to survive the economic turmoil. The top 5 ways to beat the downturn are: 'buying cheaper food' (65%), 'savvy initiatives to keep fuel bills down' (65%), 'cutting down on takeaways/eating out' (50%), 'switching energy suppliers' (39%) and 'shopping around for cheaper home insurance' (32%).Legal & General Report, November 2008

In January 2009, JP Morgan estimated that 2008 worldwide retail eCommerce spending, excluding travel, totaled $438 billion - of which one third ($152m) was in Europe.JP Morgan, January 2009

41% of Europeans claim to have changed their mind about what brand to buy as a result of researching choices online, according to EIAA's latest Mediascope survey.Mediascope Europe, November 2008

In the UK, searches for "discount vouchers" grew by 94% between November and December 2008.Google Insights for Search

In the past year, UK female Internet users have made an average of 17 online purchases of products/services and spent an average of £600.eMarketer, February 2009

97% of UK female Internet users research products online and 92% of UK female Internet users buy products online.eMarketer, February 2009

In February 2009, Eurostat reported that 32% of citizens in the EU-28 had purchased an item over the Internet during 2008. (Figures for big markets: UK 57%, FR 40%, DE 53%, IT 11%, ES 20%).Commission of the European Communities, February 2009

According to Forrester, nearly 45% of European Internet users say that in the past three months they have researched a product online and then bought it in a shop.Forrester, March 2009

33% of shoppers in the UK shop a lot more online since the recession.Media & Marketing, March 2009

Online spending in the UK grew 25% to £18.4 bn in 2008, outperforming the 2.1% increase in total retail.Verdict Research, May 2009

Price has become a less significant determinant in online purchasing: online shoppers citing price as the deciding factor in choosing a retailer has fallen to 44.0% in 2008 from 50.0% in 2007.Verdict Research, May 2009

Despite the recession, UK online shoppers had spent an average of £10 more per site visit in April 2009 than this time a year ago. (April 08 to April 09)NMA, May 2009

34% of Brits spend a whole day trying to find the best holiday deal online.Greenbee.com survey, January 2009

20% of Brits will spend at least 8 hours trawling the Internet for a cheap travel-related deal. Greenbee.com survey, January 2009

YoY from the 2007 to 2008 Christmas Sales period, online sales increased by 31% while in-store sales decreased by 1.3%.Retail Week, January 2009

50.1% of online shoppers who placed items in their shopping carts did not go on to place an order.Core Metrics, March 2009

With online sales up 13.3% in 2009 and 10.9% in 2010, the Internet will take further share from the high street.Verdict Research, May 2009

51% of Internet users purchased a new Financial Services product in the past year.GFK, February 2009

Remote (home) shopping has grown three fold in a decade - from £9.7bn to £26bn. Growth fuelled by the Internet accounts for 74% of the market, compared with 4% in 1998.Verdict Research UK, 2009, December 2008

UK Internet visits to the Insurance category increased by 43% over the quarter.Hitwise, January - March 2009

Moneysupermarket.com received the most traffic from searches in 6 out of our 8 featured insurance and finance product ranges over the quarter.Hitwise, January - March 2009

Searches for health insurance increased by 165% over the quarter.Hitwise, January - March 2009

Searches for ISA’s increased by 176% over the quarter.Hitwise, January - March 2009

Searches for mortgages decreased by 19% over the quarter.Hitwise, January - March 2009

Over 1 in 3 (34%) UK adults have researched a brand that they have seen advertised online.TGI Net Q109 (Oct 07 - Sept 08), Q2 2009

41% of shoppers use search engines to identify new websites.Verdict Research, May 2009

According to the European Commission, cross-border eCommerce remained stable between 2006 and 2008, despite EU consumers shopping online increasing from 27% to 33%.Verdict Research, May 2009

Average spend per head in the UK was £691 in 2008… and is forecast to reach £895 in 2013.Verdict Research, May 2009

For the third successive year it is those aged 25 - 34 who are the most frequent online shoppers.Verdict Research, May 2009

Over half (51.0%) of consumers are using the Internet before making a purchase in shops, educating themselves on the best deals available.Verdict Research, May 2009

Over 8 million people used the Internet for arranging the purchase of a new financial product in 2008.GFK, February 2009

A reported 28% of TV viewing time by UK broadband users (aged 16-55) is now on demand (either recorded for later viewing or using an on-demand TV service or watched on the Internet).TNS/YouTube Media & Audience Study (broadband users aged 16-55), December 2008

The big screen continues to do well in the recession as Cineworld, the UK's second-biggest chain, announced box office takings have risen 19% in the 17 weeks preceding April 17. Cineworld's results follow figures released by the Film Distributors Association UK in March showing admissions rose 1.1% to 164.2m in 2008 with box office takings rising 3.7%. The rise in cinema takings comes as consumers continue to desert UK pubs and clubs. Traditionally the leading place for consumers to spend money socialising, rising taxes and a growth in home drinking have led many pubs to struggle. This was underlined by figures released by PRS for Music, the organisation that collects royalty payments for musicians. It said its takings in pubs and clubs were down 2% to £39.7m for 2008 and blamed this on the recession forcing many venues out of business.Film Distributors Association, March 2009

Many people are forgoing expensive nights out, but are instead willing to pay more for home entertainment. The number of customers using “video on demand” services, which allow customers to watch films on a pay-as-you-view basis, almost doubled last year with an average 45m views a month, according to Virgin Media.Enders Analysis, September 2008

In the three months to the end of December 2008, sales of premium high-definition (HD) TV subscriptions doubled on the previous three months, according to Sky, 39% owned by News Corporation, owner of The Sunday Times. Charlie Ponsonby at price comparison service simplifydigital.co.uk said: “It’s taken a while, but high-definition TV is going mainstream in the UK, with over 1m UK homes now enjoying a high-definition service.”Enders Analysis, December 2008

39% of UK broadband users (aged 16-55) watch TV programmes on the Internet. Among those that watch TV online, on average 16% of their total viewing of TV programmes was on the Internet.TNS/YouTube Media & Audience Study (broadband users aged 16-55), December 2008

Nearly three in five (57%) of youth consumers logged on to YouTube to watch a music video in the last 12 months, compared to 56% who watched a music TV channel.Ipsos MediaCT, March 2009

In 2008 the digital music business internationally grew by around 25% to $3.7Bn. Digital platforms now account for around 20% of recorded music sales, up from 15% in 2007.IFPI, 2008, January 2009

There are 1.5 million business searches daily on YouTube, making it the second-most-visited destination for business searches, behind Google.Google, Forbes, BtoB, June 2009, June 2009

64% of C-level executives conduct six or more searches per day to locate business information.Google, Forbes, BtoB, June 2009, June 2009

76% of UK adult Internet users find out about local services online.Ofcom, August 2008

76% of Internet users said they had looked up news online in the past month according to a TNS survey of 30,000 Internet users in 16 countries in late 2008. TNS, December 2008

1 in 3 YouTube users are DIYers.TGI Net, April 2007-March 2008

In May 2009, Google had over 4.0 billion search page views in the UK.Nielsen Netview, May 2009

There you go.
(From Guy)

Cheese or Font

Cheese or Font is a self-explanatory game where you get to guess if the word is a cheese or font.

(From MT, who got it from Serious Eats)

Obama Health Reform Address Close - "The Character Of Our Country"

Obama Health Reform Address Close - "The Character Of Our Country" is the Youtube video clip of the last bit of Obama's Health Care Reform Speech that aired on C-Span.

If you didn't swoon, you better get that checked out--you don't have a heart. Fact. I'm going to be a great doctor.

PS: Who is the speechwriter? I would like a date with them, thx.
(From RE, TV)

New Gladwell book: What the Dog Saw

New Gladwell book: What the Dog Saw is an entry on Kottke.org that talks about the new Malcolm Gladwell book. It's a collection of his New Yorker writings, which are already available online for free... But you know. Laid out in nice book format.

Anyway, the kottke link has an index with all of the stories linked. I've read probably 75% of them. Particularly enjoyed "John Rock's Error - What the inventor of the birth control pill didn't know about women's health. (Mar 13, 2000)."

Enjoy!

Sinead's Hand

Sinead's Hand is an Irish pro-marriage equality PSA. Very cute (both conceptually and the actor-wise!).

(From Kian)

Snacks and Shit

Please welcome our semi-regular music contributor, Cambopants. --WEBdB
Today on the (Musical) Interwebs brings you Snacks and Shit, a NSFW website that provides pages upon pages of ridiculously terrible rap lyrics that question how these rappers can be considered legitimate. In the words of the writers:

This blog is about rap and hip-hop lyrics that are absolutely absurd, ludicrous, nonsensical, ridiculous, basic, basically stupid, basically bad, basically basic, or preposterous. We also take some lines and examine them literally. In the words of one of our critics, we are "willfully obtuse". Call it what you want. Hopefully we don't get capped. You have to understand that we really do love rap and all of these artists that we kid about.

I give them two thumbs up for being able to listen to any rap songs and able to discern any words from the song as I usually hear a slew of beats and slurs of words. If you can get past the homophobic, sexist, and/or derogatory lines, there are some gems. My favorite include:

"Put that mayonnaise on your child." -Plies
"I'm a choo-choo." -DJ Quik
"I like breathing." -Dr. Dre

(From Cam and my ability to troll the web for music news)

The Uniform Project

I'd seen this project when it launched, but they didn't have enough dresses/variation to justify posting.
The Uniform Project is a part art, part sustainability and part charity project where Sheena Matheiken, founder and creative director, re-invents a single dress for a whole year. That's not entirely accurate. In her own words,

"Starting May 2009, I have pledged to wear one dress for one year as an exercise in sustainable fashion. Here’s how it works: There are 7 identical dresses, one for each day of the week. Every day I will reinvent the dress with layers, accessories and all kinds of accouterments, the majority of which will be vintage, hand-made, or hand-me-down goodies. Think of it as wearing a daily uniform with enough creative license to make it look like I just crawled out of the Marquis de Sade's boudoir."

She does this with the help of Eliza Starbuck, dress designer and creative partner on the project.

According to the FAQ, "the Uniform Project foundation is a registered non-profit and we are currently in the process of acquiring 501c3 status. This may take a few months, but your donations will be tax deductible retroactively."

So there you go.
(From Cambo)

Idsgn

Idsgn is a blog about design. In their own words:

"We like to talk about graphic design, branding, typography, and sometimes we might post a video or two...

We love to hear from you. Please send submissions, links, and news tips to blog@idsgn.org. If you are sending images, please make them at least 980 pixels wide (where possible)"

Recent posts discuss the IKEA change from tailored Futura to Verdana (!), the Kayak.com logo facelift, and redesigning Craigslit.

Solid.

(From M.A., MD )

Fucking Delicious

Fucking Delicious is a cute website that shows pictures of adorable animals eating laced with profanity. For example, this picture is captioned "What? I’m not the one who’s been stealing your fucking peanuts."

A+.

(From T. J.)

Auto-Tune the News (feat. T-Pain)

Follow-up!Auto-Tune the News (feat. T-Pain) is the 8th episode of Auto-tune the news (previously).

This one actually features T-pain himself! Skip to 2:32 for the cameo.

(From Kottke)

The Unlikely Writer

The Unlikely Writer is a Harvard Magazine profile of surgeon-cum-writer extraordinaire  Atul Gawande. (Tehee). Atul caused a stir earlier this year by writing "The Cost Conundrum," a piece for the New Yorker about the best and worst uses of our health care dollars.

Atul is one of my many literary crushes. SWOON. Pretty stellar.

(From Kottke)

People of Walmart

People of Walmart is a website devoted to mercilessly mocking Walmart customers of questionable fashion tastes. The site has gone viral and crashed a few hours ago, but since I checked it was back up.

It was founded by "three friends" after an "inspirational trip." The authors explain the purpose:

"This is purely for entertainment purposes and strictly limited to the outrageously bad / ugly / creepy / crazy shoppers. We don’t need to see pictures of you and your dumb friends dicking around at Walmart. There is no reason to send us pictures of people that are seriously and unfortunately handicapped so don’t be an asshole. We are trying to have some fun here and there is a difference between someone who is mentally challenged and a person who has a fu Manchu and is still rocking MC Hammer pants."

Enjoy!

PS: Why is there a Busted Tees advert in every single viral comedy site? Every single one.

(From MTMcC, who saw it at TIME.)

Learn Something Every Day

Learn Something Every Day is a submission-fuelled website that illustrates trivia in thick black line drawings set to monochromatic bright colors. (Though sometimes they use white on black).

They ask for submissions (fact@learnsomethingeveryday.co.uk) and the best fact is be made into a super special poster at the beginning of each month, with the winner getting a free poster. The site runs on Cargo (web publishing and community-building platform.)

(From Peggy Feed)

Blogs.com Top Ten

This is the most meta article ever.  Especially considering that 10 lb. weight banner I chose. (I picked it because I leave on the past 10 TOTIs. Also, because I happened to photograph a 10 lb. weight.) I digress:

Blogs.com Top Ten is a running list of top ten lists. That's right. They feature lists such as: "Top 10 Web 2.0 Blogs," "Top 10 Trading and Investing Blogs," and "10 Popular Blogs about Blogging."

Whoa. Think about that.  This is so meta it's practically evolved cognition.  

(From Justin, who's on fire!)

World Science Festival 2009: Notes & Neurons, Part 4 of 5

World Science Festival 2009: Notes & Neurons, Part 4 of 5 is a video about music and the brain.
In their own words,

"Is our response to music hard-wired or culturally determined? Is the reaction to rhythm and melody universal or influenced by environment? Join host John Schaefer, Jamshed Barucha, scientist Daniel Levitin, Professor Lawrence Parsons and musical artist Bobby McFerrin for live performances and cross cultural demonstrations to illustrate music’s note-worthy interaction with the brain and our emotions."

In my friend Justin's words, "music + neuroscience + a capella + audience participation = awesome. (This is part 4 of 5 - with the other parts being either music theory heavy or neuro heavy.)"

Enjoy!
(From Justin)

Pregnant Women are Smug

Pregnant Women are Smug is a cracked.com video showing a singing duo Riki "Garfunkel" Lindhome and Kate "Oates" Micucci.  It takes a jibe at clichés women use when they're pregnant.

This song is true. 

Excep for my friend Lolita. She's a warrior.  

(From mjg)

Death to All But Metal

Death to All But Metal is a music video by Steel Panther. I'm just posting it here because of 1) why stop the juvenile jokes and 2) the Sarah Silverman bit at the end.

According to wikipedia, Steel Panther (formerly known as Danger Kitty, Metal Shop and Metal Skool), is,

"a Los Angeles, California parody glam metal band.
Originally formed as Metal Shop, they have the longest running heavy metal show on the Sunset Strip. Onstage, the band both pays tribute to and lampoons the heyday of 80's glam metal. The band's between-song comedy includes jests at conflict between band members, discussions of drugs, sex, and improvised humor with the crowd."

(From mjg, bb, rl )

Because everything's funnier. In The Butt.

"Because everything's funnier. In The Butt." is a tumblr blog that shows various public signs defaced with an orange sticker that says, "in the butt." Because everything is funnier... in the butt.

According to my friend Stef, the best entries are "July 2, May 15, May 8."

Yeah, it's totally immature, and probably not safe for work. Unless you work... in the butt.

(From my equally immature and awesome friend, Stef)

OMG, how embarrassing: Lamebook

OMG, how embarrassing: Lamebook is an entry on the omgblog that is probably fake but entertaining nonetheless. Basically, a schmoe replies to all and admits infidelity to a string of acquaintances.

(From Buzzfeed Week)

Awkward Jamie-Lynn Sigler Interview

Awkward Jamie-Lynn Sigler Interview is a video on Break.com of a disastrous ABC interview.

Lazy day, I'll let Buzzfeed explain:

"This ABC reporter decided to interview Jamie-Lynn Sigler about her Entourage plotline (in which she dates Turtle, the 'fat' guy), not knowing that she is dating Jerry Ferrara (who plays Turtle) [in real life]. This is the most entertaining thing Entourage has yielded in 4 seasons."

(From More Buzz)

Personas

Personas is an MIT website that shows your footprint on the web. According to the authors, it's how the interwebs sees you. You type in your name (kind of like googling yourself) and pretty colors flash showing what the interwebs can piece together about you.

For me, nothing came up, but it pegged several of my more accomplished friends rather well. You can also try it with famous people.
(From Justin)

Health Care Explained on the Back of a Napkin

 By Dan Roam.

Health Care Explained on the Back of a Napkin is a slide show that explains what all the hullaballoo on health care is all about. There are 4 parts, and it's painful but worth the reading. Like your vaccinations! READ IT.

(From Buzzfeed)

If The Internet Named Movies

If The Internet Named Movies is a college humor picture/photoshop article about how movies would be titled if the interwebs had a say in it. Requires some knowlege of movie posters, interwebs speak.

Lovely.
(From Buzzfeed)