Ad Age just released its 2006 Fact Pack [.pdf] and there’s a ton of interesting statistics on internet usage listed on there:

• myspace was the number 1 search for four weeks in September. Though the time span is small, it seems like this is probably a pretty common thing, because I don’t remember any news spikes about myspace during the time. This is interesting mostly because of the lack of technicality: Why would you “search” for myspace when you know the url — “myspace.com”? This is only reiterated by the #2 search: “myspace.com”.
• An “eye-scan” study was conducted to see where most users look on search pages — It’s not surprising that Google is considered to be the search site with the “most-relevant results.” They’re calling the area where people’s eyes gravitate to “The Golden Triangle.”
• If ever you had any doubt that our society is attracted to the morbid, just check out the top user videos searched for on YouTube. I don’t know why, but this reminds me of seeing the little person dressed up and dancing a Michael Jackson routine in the subway yesterday. Remember when all the media called him “Jacko?” I can’t think of any other reason they would dub him that other than that it rhymes with “whacko.”

There’s lots more interesting information on there, including the top search engine agencies as rated by revenue. This is where the MLS’s that make mad money work, I bet.

The weather here wavers between cold and crisp and cold and rainy, and then the occasional surprising Indian Summer day (Halloween). The leaves are turning now, but I’m told by resident plant expert, Ma Owl (I’m tempted to grant her the blog nick, Mao, but that’s a little… I dunno, communist?), that leaves turning is a symptom of environmental stress, and the harder it is, the more vibrant the color. I’m not sure if I got that right, it was a long time ago I was told that.

I do know, from last weekend’s visit (pictures will be up as soon as either brl send me my cord, or I get to the store for a card reader, I like the latter option better, because it’s a good excuse to get one), that the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is beautiful in the Fall. I’m not quite sure why it’s not called the “Botanical” Garden instead of just plain “Botanic,” but that’s beside the point.

I also know now — more knowledge garnered from the Owl Family, that most cities have male trees, so as not to have to deal with fruit. The BBG did not have this luxury, however, and had female gingko trees, whose fruit smells like dog poop. Wikipedia has another description:

…but the seed coat contains butanoic acid and smells like rancid butter (which contains the same chemical) when fallen on the ground.

Regardless, it was a great time, and I saw at the very least, five children dressed up as Tigger.

Lastly, brl sent me this earlier this week, and damn if it isn’t a great song. But then I started thinking, where have I heard this song before? I kept looking trying to find it, and finally today I put it together. A little searching (google’s blog search tool is essential), and I found this version, which is the one I heard first. The original is great, too, but you know what I’m a sucker for.

Again, credit to brl: in the meantime we’ve got it hard / second floor living without a yard.

Have a good weekend, and say hi sometime, will you?

But good luck with people. For the most part, anyway.

We had to drive to Queens last night to pick up a package my mom had sent via UPS. The UPS drivers tend not to leave packages on our doorstep, which is probably a good thing, seeing as people can probably grab whatever it is on our porch then head downstairs into the subway. The drive was long and uneventful — battling 295 traffic is no cakewalk but we were in a time crunch and low on gas, meaning having the anxiety of the gas light come on mid-way on our journey.

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