Thank You, Internet

How the Internet won 2013: Otters, Oona and, of course, Miley

For the past 20 years (give or take), the Internet has been blessing us with a multitude of gifts. Some we love, and some will never leave us, no matter how hard we try. (I’m looking at you, Rickrolling.)

Thankfully, 2013 didn’t disappoint online; from Blurred Lines to Duck Dynasty, it was a real mixed bag. But what were the biggest moments? We combed the Interwebs for the cyber hits and misses of the past year so you don’t have to. You’re welcome.

THE CUTE

It’s an inarguable fact that cuteness supersedes most things on the web. Yes, there is still an abundance of cat videos. But plenty of other squeal-worthy mammals got some face time in ’13.

Theo and Beau
It’s hard to really imagine anything cuter than a puppy, except for maybe a sleepy toddler. Throw the two together, and it’s an ovary-exploding combination just yearning for a daily click.

Mom Jessica Shyba now uploads photos of the drowsy duo daily on her Instagram account, so count on this to scoop you out of the afternoon sads well into 2014.

Oona Morrissey
Jezebel readers are no doubt familiar with editor Tracie Egan Morrissey, who gave birth to a 10-plus-pound baby girl two years ago. Well, baby Oona has grown, and her parents aren’t shy about documenting her childhood online.

Her Tumblr page, billed as “the most photographed baby in Brooklyn,” boasts photos of baby side-eye, amazing hand-knit sweaters and much more.

Otters
Sloths are so 2012. This year, everyone’s favorite hand-holding sea cuddlers are on top, thanks mostly to Buzzfeed. As Denis Leary once put it: “They lie on their backs and do cute little human things with their hands.” What’s not to like?

THE GREAT

Camp Gyno
Who says becoming a woman has to be embarrassing? This video sure doesn’t.

Bat Kid
Oh, Bat Kid, star of the video that caused all of the feelings. Miles got the day of a lifetime when the Make-a-Wish Foundation granted the boy, now in remission, a chance to be his hero: Batman.

His whole hometown seemed to get involved in transforming itself into Gotham City, complete with a special edition of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Beyoncé
Is there anything this woman can’t do? On December 13, Queen Bey quietly released a brand-new album exclusively on iTunes. The Internet, naturally, went nuts. Plus, she has the most elusive child around, and she wears pizza outfits while acting as a vegan.

THE BAD

Some things we just can’t forget. Even if we want to.

The Harlem Shake
Early February was dominated by this earworm that spawned a thousand memes. It seems everyone got in on the trend, including Justin Timberlake. We’ll forgive you, JT, but only because you’re you.

“What Does the Fox Say?”
What does the fox say? It says get this damn song out of my head. Seriously, it was funny for a minute, but it’s hard to imagine a song more likely to have you humming it in a business meeting than this Ylvis “gem.”

Miley Cyrus
Oh, Miley. What will the Internet do without you? From your ever-parodied “Wrecking Ball” video to that VMA performance, you gave us a lot to talk about in 2013. Plus, we all got to explain to our grandmother the concept of twerking. Never change, girl.

THE UGLY

Sometimes, things just don’t go as intended. And thanks to the World Wide Web, they don’t go away, either.

Justine Sacco
It’s too bad that spell check doesn’t include a stupidity filter. New York City PR executive Justine Sacco got herself into a real tidal wave of hot water after tweeting, "Going to Africa. Hope I don't get AIDS. Just kidding. I'm white!" from the air of her South Africa-bound flight.

Her employer, InterActive Corp, issued a public apology and promptly terminated Sacco — but not before the #hasjustinelandedyet hashtag caught fire.

Kimye
2013 wasn’t just the birth year of the spawn of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West — the unfortunately named and ever meme-able North West. It was also the year that gave us the incredibly enjoyable video for “Bound 2” and the Seth Rogen/James Franco parody that resulted.

You stay classy, Kanye. Or should we say, “YOU STAY CLASSYYYYYYYYY!!!!!”

Healthcare.gov
You win some, you lose some, right? Well President Obama’s overwhelmingly talked-about and highly anticipated healthcare rollout came with a whimper, thanks to a bug-plagued website, which allowed a measly six people to sign up on its first day live.

Jon Stewart said it best on his October 31 show: “HealthCare.gov is 1 month old. And like most 1-month-olds, it is still just lying there pooping its pants ... and angering anyone that it is not related to.”

Cats aren't the only cute animals on the Internet, ya know.

Wikimedia Commons

Cats aren't the only cute animals on the Internet, ya know.

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San Antonio leads Texas on ending horse-drawn carriage rides by 2030

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Horses will no longer pull carriages on the streets of downtown San Antonio.

San Antonio has pulled off something that the rest of Texas has yet to do, but it didn't come without some contentious conversations. City Council has unanimously voted (with one abstention) to phase out the use of horse-drawn carriages over the next five years. That means by January 1, 2030, there will be none on the streets at all; instead, there will be electric carriages.

These plans have been in the making since 2022 — if not always at the same level of intensity — when District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and District 3 Councilmember Phyllis Viagran wrote up some concerns about the horses' wellbeing. A special session at the end of October 2024 hinted to San Antonians that the end for this practice was neigh — sorry, nigh — and the final vote was made on December 12. In addition to accepting the plan, it extended its timeframe by two years.

The initial proposal included worries about the horses' exposure to traffic and pollution, as well how their presence might exacerbate those issues for the environment at large by slowing traffic. It also raised concerns about the effects of standing or walking on hard surfaces for too long, or spending time in extreme weather.

At the December 12 meeting, San Antonians gave impassioned speeches about animal welfare — both to call attention to the need for better conditions and to defend the reputations and jobs of current horse drivers — but it wasn't the first time the council heard from the public about the issue.

In a prior city survey, 50,476 respondents weighed in. Of those respondents, 51.98 percent said they liked the idea to "Transition horse-drawn carriages to electric carriages and pedicabs and ban horse drawn carriages completely." There were alternative solutions listed, but respondents were less drawn to them.

A cultural divide emerged in the data and continued in the December meeting: some people avoided the carriages because they worried about the treatment of the horses, while others enjoyed them because of their historical echoes and living legacy. Many speakers in favor of the plan used this to form their argument, raising questions about history versus progress.

More tangible objections to the plan hinged on the businesses — specifically five companies — and jobs that would be lost, which was the main factor behind extending the adjustment period.

Discussions about the particulars of the electric vehicles are still to come, as confirmed in the discussion near the end of the meeting. Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez addressed concerns about what would happen to the horses, mentioning the Brady Hunter Foundation as a future partner in finding them rescue homes.

Some council members also brought up rhetorical questions about animal exploitation by groups like Sea World, the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, military and police forces, and even various groups in the Fiesta parade, although these did not come with a formal motion to pick the issues up.

This decision could have a ripple effect on other Texas cities. Dallas has recently considered a similar ban, but it appears to have stalled; Austin's attempts at a ban have been unsuccessful, but according to the Austin-American Statesman, only one operator is permitted to bring horses downtown. She declines to do so because the long hours are unfair to her and the horses. Houston does have horse-drawn carriages, and there seems to be little conversation about banning them.

Cities like Chicago and Salt Lake City have led the charge in the United States with some of the most prominent successful bans. Other cities around the world with bans include Brussels and Guadalajara, which both switched to electric models. Bans that have been around for years, like Guadalajara's and Prague's, still aren't out of the woods — people are still pushing back on the decision, so it sounds like San Antonio still has much work cut out for it.

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San Antonio leads Texas on ending horse-drawn carriage rides by 2030