We’ve been promoting the heck out of this thing, and, in addition to an incredible site, created some really awesome launch invitations and a sweet splash page (below and below) to get people as excited as we are (impossible) for the launch. So far, the positive feedback has been pouring in and the team has been beaming (like a bunch of new parents, we are!). So stop by for a click, check it out, and if you like what you see, drop us a line. Don’t like something? We still want to hear about it. (But please, after all this work, we’re fragile, so take it easy. Maybe sandwich the bad news between two compliments. Just a thought.) ‘Til then, we’ll take our pat on the back with a double shot of tequila, please; it’s been a long road and while the payoff is HUGE, we could definitely use a drink or two.

(And our super awesome splash page we created to match the invitations and keep anxious party-goers up to date on the progress of the site!)

Turns out, there’s an app for that, and answering that question took all of about 11 seconds: according to YouTube for iPhone, the Top 10 Most Viewed videos of All Time are:

1. Charlie bit my finger – again ! 224,593,765 views
2. Evolution of Dance – By Judson Laipply 150,770,951
3. Pitbull – I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) 140,248,229
4. Hahaha 135,077,762
5. Jeff Dunham – Achmed the Dead Terrorist 118,099,137
6. Miley Cyrus – The Climb -Official Music 106,823,959
7. Lo que tu Quieras Oir 102,409,740
8. An experiment 102,041,738
9. thigh massage video 97,503,559
10. Tootin’ Bathtub Baby Cousins 90,912,384

Mystery solved, and pants of smartness awarded to me, right? Not so fast. I get home and hit YouTube again, just to check my facts². Turns out youtube.com has a different Top 10 Most Viewed of All Time:

1. Justin Bieber – Baby ft. Ludacris 306,188,935
2. Lady Gaga – Bad Romance 270,634,841
3. Charlie bit my finger – again ! 224,593,765
4. Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) 170,584,933
5. Miley Cyrus – Party In The U.S.A. 152,219,847
6. Evolution of Dance – By Judson Laipply 150,770,951
7. Pitbull – I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) 140,248,229
8. Hahaha 135,101,713
9. Miley Cyrus – 7 Things # 130,351,835
10. Lady Gaga – Just Dance ft. Colby O’Donis 120,562,793

Initial reaction: Holy crap! Statistically speaking, YouTube doesn’t know their ass from their elbow. Slower, somewhat more calculated reaction: Hmmm. It must have something to do with rights management. This stood to reason since, A) the hit counts for items appearing on both lists are essentially identical, and B) the recording industry is known for maintaining tight control of their product. since all of the additions are professionally licensed music product³. Yet more analytic analysis: Huh. Except Miley Cyrus is on both lists. What gives?

And actually, I don’t have time to dig into it right now — we’re trying to launch a website, and I’m getting the stink eye for not being more productive. Clearly it has something to do with Apple and their relationship with Justin Bieber’s and Lady Gaga’s rights holders, which surely means it’s complicated and will take time to resolve through peaceful courtroom negotiation. But if anyone has any insights, feel encouraged to share ‘em here.

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¹ By You I of course mean You who also know the glory and privilege of living in symbiosis with Apple Inc.

² As all responsible journalists should. Fox take note.

³ Musicians, I’d like to apologize on behalf of the Music industry for their use of the same word to describe your work that food companies use for fake cheese.

So by now we’ve all seen (and most likely, not by choice) the I Can Haz Cheeseburger cats (also known as Lolcats) found here. While they do have some funny photo/caption pairings, the whole concept is really getting old (did I actually just say, ‘getting’?). BUT CAT PEOPLE ARE INSATIABLE and so to quell your thirst for all things funny cat-ish, I bring you two wonderful cat sites – an oldie, but goodie, and more of a newbie (at least to me) that is just starting to gain real momentum.

Let’s start with the classic. Meet zefrank.com – a blog that, admittedly, I didn’t know much about until fellow MMemes blogger Moxx told me about it this morning. One section of his blog, My Cat Annie, is all about – you got it – his cat, Annie, and their zany antics together. Do I find it odd that a grown man has THIS much time on his hands and such a strong desire to play with his cat so much – yes, of course. But, never one to judge, I’m more than willing to enjoy the product of his lack of a social life plus his unwavering dedication to his kitteh. And really, who wouldn’t enjoy the inspiration for this…

Simon’s Cat is basically the animated (and much funnier, IMHO) version of My Cat Annie. Here, our host, Simon, cleverly and cutely illustrates some of his cat’s neurotic behaviors – because all cats have them – and he so adeptly captures the many nuances our beloved feline friends have that I often feel like I’m watching a clip of one of my very own kittehs. My personal favorites are Cat Man Do, Fly Guy, and TV Dinner (go to the ‘Films’ section to see them all), but each and every one got a least a few chuckles out of me. I know I’m hooked and I’m pretty sure you will be too. Just don’t tell your cats – Lord knows they already think the world revolves around them.

While its content rates at best a ‘meh minus’, Meme Generator itself isn’t half bad: they’ve made a meme out of making memes. Crappy ones, sure, but they seem plenty aware of that. That’s thing with, say, opening a Kinko’s: it’s not about High Art, it’s about blanketing the entire world in a thin coat of your, ummm, output². According to siteluck.com, it’s approximately the 50,000th most popular site on the internet³.

Anyway, I wasted invested the better part of an hour finding the best of the PG-13/SFW content Meme Generator had to offer. Here’s what I found:

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¹ As such,you may want to go here instead.

² Innuendo unintended at the beginning of that metaphor, but left in anyway.

³ As compared to this one, which ranks more than 12 million rungs further down the ladder)

Anyway, as it’s playing, and all I can think of is this video, which I’d make fun of if it didn’t beat me to the punch:

Anyway, it occurs to me that one of the lasting memories of my young adult life is this scene from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure²:

At more or less that point, MsWriteNow says from elsewhere in the room, “This song always makes me thing of that scene from Old School.” I saw Old School, but didn’t remember the Bill & Ted song being in it, but You Tube found it in about 11 seconds:

What’s interesting is that she had no idea what I was talking about with the whole Bill & Ted thing. I imagine there’s a group of kids a few years her junior who hear the song and immediately think of this video:

Ladies and gents, what we have here is a generational meme gap³: three different tokens of collective consciousness divided from one another by about a decade. Which, I suppose, can’t be all that uncommon. Certainly, popular culture is defined by an urge to recycle, be it with movies, music, fashion or what have you. But it’s kind of fascinating to watch when you’re aware of it happening right before your eyes: The Wizard of Oz begins as a book, evolves into a play, into a big budget movie, into a satirical book, into a big Broadway musical, into a new movie based on the play⁴. In this context, it doesn’t matter if this sort of cultural regurgitation is lazy or inspired, good or evil, yadda yadda or yadda. What’s interesting is that each incarnation will be its own thing to its audience; for a certain group of people, each will be the definitive version and the rest will feel like imposters.

At least, I think so.

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¹If they’d toss us a couple of bucks for the plug, I’d be happy to name it as 104.3 JACK-FM, available to Chicagoans and anyone with iTunes.

²Apologies for the low quality of the video; it was the only one I could find that got right to the important part. If it makes you sea sick, here’s a longer clip.

³Or, if you prefer, a memetic generation gap.

⁴Not to mention the meme-blending Dark Side of the Rainbow.

I’m having a hard time making decisions today and it feels like no matter what decision I do end up making, it’s the wrong one. Like this morning, I couldn’t decide if I should wake up and work out or sleep for another hour. I chose the extra sleep and instantly gained 10 pounds and then all my muscles atrophied. Then, I was trying to decide if I should make a run for it underground to the PATH in case a NYC-bound train was waiting, but then decided it probably wasn’t and it was really hot and sticky and so I leisurely meandered as usual. Turns out, the train was sitting there, waiting for me like a good train should, but when it caught wind of my laziness, it decided to spite me and pull away just as I got downstairs. Fail number two. And most recently in my trail of poor choices was lunch – I had to make a snap decision between delicious, but not-so-healthy, pasta leftovers or a wholesome turkey sandwich for lunch. I chose the latter and now, a mere 45 minutes after eating, I’m already completely famished, slowly withering away with the ticking of the clock. Well the bad decisions stop here!!! And so today, after wrestling with my blog topic of the week – which fun, quirky, awesome link to share with you all – I bring you… ALL OF THEM! Enjoy my little bloglings… you’re welcome.

Awesome link #1: What The F*ck Is My Social Media Strategy – it’s like the Internet is doing all of your work for you!

Awesome link #2: Extraordinary Ambidextrous Drawing Skills – because I can barely draw with one hand, and this guy is doing it with both… at the same time… upside down.

Awesome link #3: How To Quit Your Design Job – ok, so it’s not as funny as, let’s say, a screaming, profanity-laced tirade on a plane, followed by some beer hijacking and ride down the inflatable emergency slide, but this is still pretty damn ballsy if you ask me.

Take a close look at this photograph – what do you see? Pencils? Look again. Those are 26 pencils carved into the letters of the alphabet, and this little collection took sculptor Dalton Getty two and a half years to complete. Talk about dedication!

This 45-year-old artist has faithfully dedicated the last 25 years of his life to his series of pencil sculptures, working only one and a half hours a day to save his eyesight (and, likely, his sanity!) and sometimes spending several months on one piece. While the sculptures don’t require much in the way of tools – a blade, a sewing needle, and a bright light – they require a level of patience that most of us can barely fathom. Undoubtedly, Getty’s persistence and fortitude are incredibly admirable, but what, IMHO, is most unique about this artist is his creativity in taking what is typically the tool to create art and making it the art itself. His attention to detail – all without the use of a magnifying glass – is utterly astounding and requires second, if not third and fourth, looks to be wholly appreciated.

Getty’s interest in carving began around age eight, when he would carve things out of wood, soap, and chalk, and eventually changed to carving the graphite part of pencils due to their soft and not-too-grainy texture. In a world where everyone wants things to be done quicker and faster than before, Getty hopes that his sculptures force people to stop and stay, get a closer look, and appreciate the small – but still beautiful – things in life.