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Tedium. The newsletter all your other newsletters look up to.

Since 2015, Ernie Smith's Tedium has been hunting for the end of the long tail, and we've yet to find it. But we'd sure love it if you followed us on our journey. Especially now that we're ten friggin' years old and we're still using a Street Fighter II slogan as our subscribe button. Validate the use of obscure video game slang as a successful subscription strategy. Click the button.

 

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Divisible By 5
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Divisible By 5

That feeling of dread that you’re feeling about 2025 doesn’t need to need to define the way you approach the world. Perhaps you need a push.

By Ernie Smith • January 2, 2025
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Detecting Parasites

Our year-end award for best blog post goes to a niche website known for its air purifier reviews. But the post reached way beyond its traditional audience—and may have helped change the way Google operates.

By Ernie Smith • December 31, 2024

Data-Driven Deception

A story directly exposing how automakers were selling consumer driving data that ended up in the hands of insurers made a true ripple that drivers will benefit from in the years to come.

By Ernie Smith • December 30, 2024

The Calm Voice Of Chaos

This year’s Tedium awards start off with a shout-out to a prevalent voice that brought protest music back to the masses: The endlessly prolific Jesse Welles.

By Ernie Smith • December 27, 2024

Christmas on Repeat

Despite often being terrible, we watch the same holiday movies every year. Why's that? Well, it's not often about the movies—it's about our memories.

By Ernie Smith • December 22, 2024

The Thrill Was Never There

A famous punk-music personality reveals he was in it for the money—a revelation that has upset fans. But to be fair, it was the algorithm that pushed him in that direction.

By Ernie Smith • December 20, 2024

Stupidest Drama Ever

An apparent extortion scheme involving famous writers and entrepreneurs lit up Bluesky the other night. It raises some important questions about whether Bluesky is up to the task of moderation.

By Ernie Smith • December 17, 2024

Guided By Gifts

Tedium’s annual last-minute gift guide is here to buy you a little extra time around the holidays—plus it gives us an excuse to highlight our year.

By Ernie Smith • December 15, 2024

Guitar, Synthesized

When a synthesizer takes on the traits of a guitar, are you opening up new soundscapes or making musical compromises? Here’s what I’ve learned.

By David Buck • December 15, 2024

Pressed

This week’s preliminary injunction in the WordPress/WP Engine saga clears a lot of air for the CMS space. But does it clear enough?

By Ernie Smith • December 14, 2024
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