When you picture me sitting at my computer, typing away about Internet videos, Web sites and local bands, you probably picture me listening to ’90s grunge music, gangsta rap or some combination of the two. Basically, you probably think I’m really “down” or “street.”

Or maybe you don’t. Just go with me here.

Well, I’m going to admit something that may surprise you. Most of the time, I’m listening to National Public Radio. Shocking, I know, but it’s true. Instead of shredding guitar licks and profanity laced lyrics, I’m listening to “Talk of the Nation,” “Fresh Air” or “Day to Day.”

NPR is perfect because if you don’t want to listen, it can magically just melt into the background and become white noise. However, if something interesting crops up, your mind latches onto a word and tells your ears to start listening. It’s actually like being in training for selective hearing.

With enough training on NPR, you can phase out what your girlfriend is saying until she says something like “Are you listening to me?” or “What do you think?” Then you can give a vague, generalized response and stay out of trouble.

But seriously folks, NPR does have some interesting material, it’s just often delivered with the energy and speed of a dying turtle soaked in molasses. With that in mind, I’m here to direct you to the online version of NPR, where you can cherry pick the interesting stories and leave stories about 80-year-old strippers and oatmeal in the dust.

NPR’s podcast section is also great, simply because the podcasts are extensive and specialized. There are 52 different podcasts under “Arts and Entertainment” alone, while “Music” and “Movies” have sections all to themselves. There are also podcasts about the environment if you care about stuff like that.

http://www.npr.org/

Have you ever seen a photomosaic? These are large pictures comprising smaller pictures that come together to form one image. I still have no idea how people put these things together and I really don’t want to know. I’m afraid it would ruin their effect, which is incredible.

This site provides some little seen photomosaics, including ones featuring Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bono. If you’re not interested in stuffy political figures involved in crappy bands, the site also has Jim Morrison and Michael Phelps. These images make great desktop backgrounds, so go get one.

http://www.quazen.com/Arts/Visual-Arts/15-Astonishing-and-Extraordinary-Photomosaics-of-the-Famous.226441/1

We’ll finish things off this week by showing you a really stupid yet oddly amazing tattoo. It’s amazing because the artwork is unparalleled, but it’s stupid because whoever decides to get it is basically ruining their life.

The unfortunate tattoo depicts a Spiderman suit bursting out from underneath human skin. That’s right, this tattoo makes it look like the recipient is wearing a costume underneath their torn skin.

If you get this tattoo, not only are you telling people that you’re a comic dork big enough to get a full body Spiderman tattoo, but you’re also telling them that you’re the type of guy who doesn’t mind getting a grotesque tattoo that depicts torn, bloody skin.

This week, we need to make sure the guys at Planet Comics don’t get a copy of the Be.

http://www.bigshinyrobot.com/reviews/archives/218

URBAN DICTIONARY WORD OF THE DAY

Tattoo (n.) – For many people, a permanent reminder of a temporary feeling.