Yes, we’re giving in to some end-of-year silliness…know what I mean? Shall we deconstruct this and find deeper meaning, or relevance to design, subtext, artifice — nah! Nudge nudge wink wink, say no more.

As an evolution to its Uniqlock, Uniqlo offers this hypnotic, lyrical and interactive calendar. We’re trying to figure out how we can quit our 9-to-5 jobs so we can watch this all day instead. Click on the video and you’ll see how amazingly clever this doodad is.

Though we do love a good spreadsheet, FreeAgent has truly set us free. It helps manage time spent and billed per project, expenses, invoicing, bank accounts and taxes including VAT, plus a running total of the company profits. And when we really want to open Excel, it easily backs up as a spreadsheet.

Looking to be more efficient, 2-5 seconds at a time? The green curve shows your new faster life via Google Instant. What we find especially fascinating are the results for each single letter of the alphabet — it’s a real snapshot of our times. Amazon, Best Buy, Craigslist…

Here’s one for the Yankees: Twinkie Twinkie, how I wonder what you are. After seeing a Twinkie deconstructed into its ingredients, you will not only stop wondering – you will never dare look at one again. Back to basics, please!

Boo, banks? Shake up the status quo with this new paradigm: social lending which sidesteps the banks. Without the middleman, lenders and borrowers alike get better rates. One Zopa, please.

This internet Tardis will take you right back, nearly to the dinosaurs — at least it will feel like that when you see Google’s 1998 beta. Pre-Twitter, pre-Facebook: was that the Age of Innocence? Type your favourite website into the Wayback Machine and find out for yourself.

We just got back from a Laura Marling show and we are bigger fans than ever of this folk pop singer-songwriter. She has just turned 20 but her lyrics are age-old, poetic and poignant. Think Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez. Current fave song: “Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)”.

Artist Lisa Congdon shares one collection per day — most are real and vintage, but some are imaginary and illustrated. (We do have a soft spot for one-a-day projects.) You can also tour her inspiring and surprisingly uncluttered apartment. Thanks to Yanyan for the wink!

The Hoax Slayer website is definitely not up for a design award, but hey we’re not design snobs, are we? Forget look and feel and find out if that really is the most colourful river in the world or a good Photoshop jobbie!