Dear readers of Yahoo! Picks,

We're sorry to say that Picks has stopped updating. After 12 years, we're moving on to new projects and fresh ways of highlighting cool sites across the Web. We'll still be here in different guises, like on Yahoo! Green writing about eco-friendly sites, or Yahoo! Answers calling out cool questions, or on the Yahoo! Buzz Log, sifting through what people are searching for online. And the Yahoo! Picks archive will remain available to anyone who wants to wander in. Thanks for your support and attention all these years.

We leave you with Airborne Cats, one of our favorite Flickr photo collections—and a past Pick.

All best,
Yahoo! Picks

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As 2007 comes to a close, we're marking 12 years of Yahoo! Picks. To celebrate, we've called up some of our favorite features from the past dozen years. In 2006, we wrote about Long Awkward Pose. A year and a half later, the site's still slaying us. Here's our write-up:

It's a universal human experience: Your pal picks up a camera, and you obligingly assume a posing-for-the-picture stance. How long do you hold the frozen grin, though, before suspicion creeps into your mind? How long before you wonder: Hey, what's going on here? Shutterbug and comedian Katie Dippold reveals the hilarity that ensues when people start thinking that way. Katie has hoodwinked friends and pranked family. Now she invites you in on the hoax. "Tell your loved ones you would like to take their photo," she coaxes, and "then secretly videotape them." The clips she presents made us cry with laughter, and begged more questions than they answered:

• How many times will a husband say "cheese"?
• How long will a friend pose holding a football?
• And when will a man begin to say demandingly: "Do you really know what you're doing?"

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As 2007 comes to a close, we're marking 12 years of Yahoo! Picks. To celebrate, we've called up some of our favorite features from the past dozen years. Today's Pick, for Starship Dimensions, dates back to May 13, 2003. Four and a half years later, this mind-boggling sci-fi site remains dedicated to the belief that size really does matter:

"Hollywood has given us all sorts of mock starships, but if they were really built to scale, how large would they actually be? Jeff Russell rescues sci-fi fans by creating a site that uses a pixel-to-meter gauge for over 200 ships from "Star Trek," "Babylon 5," "Star Wars," and more. An enormous Boeing 747 dominates the 10x page—even the giant Plasma Bug from Starship Troopers is dwarfed by it. On the 1x page, you can drag down Star Trek's Galaxy class starship and place it next to the "Trek" Constitution class to compare the ships captained by Picard and Kirk, respectively. Things start to get really big at the -10x page. The Island Two space colony (a proposed NASA project) overwhelms even the giant Super Star Destroyer and the Borg cube. In the background of the -2000x page is the Earth's Moon. Only the Zentraedi Fulbtzs Berrentzs-class Home Base from the Robotech cartoon series can compare. The painstaking research behind this site certainly puts things like a Klingon Bird of Prey in its proper perspective."

Also check out our votes for the Best Picks of 2007. Enjoy!

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As 2007 comes to a close, we're marking 12 years of Yahoo! Picks. To celebrate, we've called up some of our favorite features from the past dozen years. Today's Pick, Kiddie Records Weekly, originally ran May 24, 2005. Except for the occasional addition to the bonus recordings section, the site is no longer updating. But its content is all available, and free, and as delightful (or Bozo silly) as ever:

"Before PlayStations, kids indulged in alternative media formats—like listening to albums. The mid 1940s to early '50s marked the golden age of children's records and saw releases such as "Hopalong Cassidy" and "Bugs Bunny in Storyland," which provided media companies with early cross-platform entertainment franchises while delighting youngsters. This collection of transferred 78s includes "Baby Snooks," played by famed comedienne Fanny Brice, and the controversial "Tales of Uncle Remus." Many of the records were meant to accompany picture books, which you'll also find here. Kiddie Records posts a new album each week, so don't forget to check back for such classics as "Woody Woodpecker and His Talent Show" and "Bozo Under the Sea." (That can't be good for hair.)"

Also check out our votes for the Best Picks of 2007. Have fun, kids!

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As 2007 comes to a close, we're marking 12 years of Yahoo! Picks. To celebrate, we've called up some of our favorite features from the past dozen years. Today's Pick originally ran August 6, 2002. Here it is again, still tracking that glorious mix of American star wattage and Japanese products:

"This site defines a Japander as "a western star who uses his or her fame to make large sums of money in a short time by advertising products in Japan that they would probably never use." Watch Hollywood stars from Dan Aykroyd to Catherine Zeta-Jones shill for Japanese drinks, cars, and other products. Madonna wields a samurai sword and claims she's "pure" in support of some clear, drinkable product. A half-naked Harrison Ford hangs out in a steam room and praises the taste of a good, cold frosty beer. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays mah-jong to promote "Genki" drinks. Leonardo DiCaprio pushes credit cards and cars. Winona Ryder gets giggly in bed with her Caffe Latte packaged drink. And there are three full pages of Brad Pitt—most clips find him hawking Edwin, which, we suspect, is a brand of jeans given how much the camera lingers on Pitt's posterior. Some might call them sellouts; we just call them entertaining."

Also check out our votes for the Best Picks of 2007. Enjoy!

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In honor of the past dozen years of Yahoo! Picks, we're calling up favorites from the archives. This feature originally ran December 25, 2005. Two years later, the slideshow is even more packed with images of jolly old men in red velvet suits—and open-mouthed tykes who aren't having anything of it:

"Nothing says Happy Holidays like... sweet little toddlers screaming at Santa." And with that, the chuckling elves at The Chicago Tribune, SouthFlorida.com, and Sun-Sentinel.com have collected, once again, a sack-full of evidence that Santa's "ho ho ho" does not always inspire merry Yuletide cheer. Before children learn to sit up and grin gamely for the camera, they reveal the true nature of being clutched by a guy who lurks behind a blanket of white ringlets. Little Mark Williams barely suppresses the tears. Open-mouthed Amy Hennessy attempts a daring break, only to be restrained by her elder siblings. And perhaps our favorite, Pamela Mendrick lets loose a "Category 5 scream" while never, ever, losing hold of her candy cane.

Also, check out our votes for the Best Picks of 2007. Happy holidays, one and all!

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In honor of the past 12 years of Yahoo! Picks, we're calling up favorites from the archives. This feature originally ran November 18, 2003. It's still singing along today. If you need help with the Christmas carols, here's where to turn:

"Do you have an original musical composition bouncing around in your noggin? Maybe you have some lyrics scribbled on a sheet and dream of the day when Celine or Barbra will breathe sweet life into your words. If you're eager to hear a rough estimate of how your tune might sound, this site delivers the goods. Just type in your purest poetry and hear it sung by some of the most recognizable voices in the music business. The best part is that you don't even have to come up with a song—you can type in any message, listen to it, and then mail your masterpiece to a friend. "I hate you" works just as well as "I love your sexy ears," but those are just a few examples to get you rolling. If you type in a word not yet in the site's sound dictionary, you'll be prompted to add a song that features the missing word. Not just for the musically inclined, this fun site will be a major time sink for anyone looking for a way to express themselves through song."

Also, check out our votes for the Best Picks of 2007. Now if only someone would croon "I love your sexy ears" to us...

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In honor of the past 12 years of Yahoo! Picks, we're calling up favorites from the archives. This feature originally ran the week of February 2, 1998, a time when Picks published weekly and wrapped everything up in a theme, or maybe that should be "a theme."

We quote from this particular week's missive:

"The State of the Web, 1998

Ladies and gentlemen, this week, in lieu of our regular feature, we are honored to present the annual State of the Web Address, a tradition dating back to early 1998. This formal address is mandated in Article XXXII, Paragraph IV of the Yahoo! Charter:

IV. In the first week of February of each year, the men and/or women who write Yahoo! Picks of the Week shall address the State of the Web. They shall then check the copier for paper jams."

And on we went to feature, among other sites, The Castro Speech Database, as compiled by the Latin American Network Information Center. It includes such dillies as the beginning of this 1996 address: "Dear comrades: Can you hear me clearly? We will talk as a family, okay? This will not be a speech on occasion of your departure, when there is plenty of love, kisses, good wishes, and patriotism. Talking as a family means analyzing realities, in private, not in front of the stairs as you are about to board the plane. Besides, the sun is very hot, and it is scalding, so it would not be the best place to say a few things."

Also, check out our votes for the Best Picks of 2007, which does come to you with love, kisses, good wishes, and patriotism.

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To mark the past 12 years of Yahoo! Picks, we're calling up favorites from the archives. This feature originally ran the week of January 13, 1997, a time when Picks published every Monday and wrapped everything up in a theme.

This particular seven-day stretch, we were busy "delving deep into our psyches and pondering profound philosophical questions." We were especially willing to spend long stretches of time mulling the sultriest "crime fighting damsel" of all, Batgirl. We're pleased to see that Yvonne Craig's site is still up and running today. Drop by now to find out how she went "from ballet to the Batcave and beyond." Pow!

Also, check out our votes for the Best Picks of 2007. Work, who needs it?

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To celebrate the past 12 years of Yahoo! Picks, we're calling up favorites from the archives. This feature originally ran March 8, 2005. Here it is again, in all its Jessica, Jennifer, and Jacob glory:

"So, there's a little nipper on the way. Other than "little nipper," what will you call her? Along with boxes of hand-me-down toys and gift certificates to Baby Gap, parents-to-be now have a new tool in their arsenal: NameVoyager, an interactive chart that allows you to track the trendiness of thousands of names over the last century. If you're the methodical sort, start by typing one letter, and the chart's many hues divide to illustrate the rise and fall in popularity of names starting with that letter. Then add more letters, and watch the chart narrow its focus. If you're like us, you'll just want to explore on your own, looking for the most popular girl and boy names in the 1900s (Mary and John) and in 2003 (Emily and Jacob). Equal parts psychedelic and fascinating, NameVoyager should help new parents welcome little Aidan or Shakira with confidence they've picked the perfect moniker."

Also, check out our votes for the Best Picks of 2007.

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In keeping with our celebration of 12 years of Yahoo! Picks, we're calling up favorite from the archives. This feature originally ran on March 14, 2006. Here it is again:

"Polar Inertia is on the move, documenting the diverse "nomadic and popular culture" around the globe. In its manifesto, this photographic magazine promises to tell "the story of the highway, mobile home, fast food chain, suburbanite, truck stop, and industrialized landscape." And it does so in spectacular installments every two months. The newest issue showcases portraits of lifeguard stands on Los Angeles beaches, an anatomy of Hong Kong noodle shops, a view into a polar ice station on Rudolf Island, and a visit to the "ephemeral cities" that line the Spanish coast. Regular readers of Picks may recognize one feature; we highlighted Polar Inertia's paean to Quonset Huts last year. It's long past time that we tipped our hats to the journal as a whole for its fantastic offerings."

Also check out our votes for the Best Picks of 2007.  Enjoy!

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As 2007 comes to a close, we're marking 12 years of Yahoo! Picks. To celebrate, we've decided to call up some of our favorite features from the past dozen years. Today's Pick originally ran the week of June 25, 2001. All these years later, these bewhiskered men still look like they know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. We tip our hats to them:

"This one's fairly self-explanatory—lots and lots of photographs of men who look like Kenny Rogers. Jaimie Muehlhausen explains: "You see them at the mall, the state fair, restaurants, even at the new car lot. They look like Kenny Rogers and sometimes it's downright spooky. Sometimes it's spooky for the right reasons and sometimes for all the wrong reasons." Check out the amateur file, the impersonator collection, the celebrity portfolio, or the Kenny of the Month. Browse the suggestions of good places to spot men who look like Kenny Rogers, or go ahead and pick up tips on how to look like Kenny Rogers yourself."

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Just any scraggly covering of the upper lip won't gain you full entry into London's Handlebar Club. The moustache in question must be "a hirsute appendage of the upper lip, with graspable extremities." Sprout such clutch-worthy growth, though, and you will be welcomed into this fellow hood of facial fuzz. (Good news for ZZ Top: Beardos are welcomed as "friends," just not official members.)

Even those unwilling, or unable, to cultivate exuberant whiskers or make it to the U.K. for the monthly meetings can still enjoy the mustachioed charms of the group's website. Wander through the gallery and say howdy to present and past club members. Peruse the FAQ page and uncover the answers to questions like "will a handlebar moustache suit me?" (yes) and "should I use a moustache curler?" (sure, but with caution).

Finally, delve into the picture archive, which goes back to the group's beginnings in 1947. Here, you will find such amusing lines as: "Passers-by stared in surprise at Brighton Station yesterday when five men with large moustaches stepped into a battered sports car and whirled away with their moustaches fluttering in the breeze."

With annual championships and a growing presence on photo-sharing sites like Flickr, the legion of magnificent moustaches appears to be on the rise. We reviewed the site back in 2002 for Picks. Recently, we emailed Steve Parsons, secretary of The Handlebar Club, to find out more about the group, its webpage, and life with a glorious 'stache...

How have people responded to the site? Has anything about their reaction surprised you?

Most people love it! As secretary my email address is on the website, which means that I get most of the emails sent to the club—actually a great pleasure. I am contacted from all over the globe with questions and comments on the club, requests for moustache growing advice, and questions about moustache wax.

I have been sent poems about facial hair, photos of whole primary school classes wearing fake moustaches in tribute to the club, and even an email from a girl in the Midwest U.S. about her "finger moustache tattoo"—a tattoo of a handlebar moustache on the inside of her finger so she can put her finger under her nose and "wear" her moustache whenever she wants.

I don't recall any negative comments at all.

Do you have a favorite distinguished 'stache from the members gallery?

Yes, Bruce Roe (to be found in the overseas section), a good friend, all round lovely guy, president of the Whisker Club and World Beard & Moustache Association, and owner of a fabulous moustache (that caused me severe moustache envy the first time I saw it!).

Tell us about your hirsute history. When did you realize that you wanted to sport a handlebar?

I started experimenting with facial hair as a student. (Don't most blokes?) I have sported full beards, goatees, sideburns, and moustaches. However, through all the different phases the Handlebar has been in there somewhere, I don't know why, I suppose I'm just a bit of a show off!

Do people stop you on the street to ask you about your marvelous moustache? Is there a common misperception about handlebar moustaches that you come up against?

Yes, people are always stopping me in the street to talk 'taches and 99% of the time the conversation starts with a smile. People often think that facial hair wearers are hiding behind the face fungus or too lazy to shave but seriously how could I hide with this moustache - I don't exactly blend into the background and shaving the upper lip would be a piece of cake compared with caring for this hairy monster.

How long have you been on MySpace?

A couple of years I think. It's been great for making contact with moustache fans and recruiting new members for the Handlebar Club.

How did you do at the World Beard and Moustache Championships? We love the competition's Flickr stream.

I came fourth this time (although I won my category last time in Berlin and am still current European Champion). What was more important this time around was making the event a success and the £12,500 we raised for charity at the event.

Full-face whiskers are strictly prohibited in the Handlebar Club. Has a bearded man ever attempted to muscle his way into the group?

We have a category of membership called "Friend" that was designed for our bearded (and clean shaven) pals who wanted to join our exclusive band—everyone is welcome. Incidentally, I'm often asked if we are a sexist men's only club.

Actually, although we don't have any female members at the moment women are free to join, they just have to have a "hirsute appendage of the upper lip with graspable extremities" surprisingly none have come forward yet!

Well, some of us are now considering it. Thanks for talking to us, Steve! Long may you stay mustachioed!

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Jonathan Harris, creator of such stylish charts of the Web's emotional and intellectual life as Lovelines, 10x10, and Phylotaxis (and—disclaimer—the Yahoo! Netrospective), now relates his own experience spearing two whales with Inupiat Eskimos in Barrow, Alaska.

The "experiment in human storytelling" unreels like a lush, cinematic sequence. Using a camera on "plodding sequence," Jonathan documents the trek through photographs taken every five minutes. The taxi drive to the airport and the long flight west set up the astonishing vistas of snow and sky; the appearance of the whales; the long haul of the beasts on to the ice; and the ruddy, warm faces of Jonathan's Inupiat hosts.

Skip ahead or shift backwards using the bar graph or various modes at the bottom of the screen. (Need more evidence of Jonathan's design finesse? Check out the "pinwheel" option.) If you don't want to dive in to the photos immediately, explore the endeavor's highlights and interface. Jonathan's statement relates his intent to craft a modern chronicle of this ancient hunt. He succeeds, superbly.

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Consumers Union, the non-profit publisher of Consumer Reports, has launched a webpage devoted entirely to the issue of product safety and the most recent recalls for lack thereof. Here are a few facts we learned from the site:

• 80% of all toys sold in the U.S. are now manufactured in China.
• The Consumer Product Safety Commission inspects less than 1% of imported goods.
• The FDA inspects about 1% of imported food.

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