If you want a true cute overload this afternoon, check out Jenblossom's Flickr set of photographs of a cat named Stumpy and her babies that have taken over her Brooklyn backyard. In fact, Jenblossom and her family created an amazing duplex for the new feline family to live in. But she especially wants to make sure the four kittens find good homes. more ›

There is an awesome NY Times Styles article about lawyers who represent pets... or, more technically, the people who love them. With issues like "dog bites, custody battles, pet trusts and veterinary malpractice" entering into the legal world, many law schools - including Harvard and Columbia - offer classes in animal law. Which does raise some concern over excessive lawsuits, but here in the city, animal law can be a part of something very critical - the right to live in your apartment.

Limitations on the value of pets discourage many from suing for veterinary malpractice, pet lawyers say. But those facing eviction from rent-stabilized apartments because of their pets are more willing to spend money on a pet lawyer, said Darryl M. Vernon, a partner in the Manhattan law firm of Vernon & Ginsburg, who specializes in housing cases stemming from pet ownership. more ›

Perhaps in anticipation of the dog days of summer, New York magazine is investigating happiness - why some people are very happy while others aren't so much, as in New Yorkers. It's a long piece, and we need some more time to read it, but essentially it looks at whether our nature as New Yorkers prohibits us from happiness, crossed with a lot of other research. There are also some suggestions for New Yorkers to be happier, like "Fire your therapist if he so much as mentions your childhood" and "Don't go to law school" or "Don't watch the Knicks." All excellent advice, but what makes us happy is a subway that arrives right when we get to the platform, a sunny-but-not-humid-day and a hilarious photograph of Mayor Bloomberg. And when Gothamist needs a pick-me-up, we search for pictures of pandas, cats, and other animals on Flickr or anything on Cute Overload. Happiness is in the heart of the beholder, you see.
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- Doubt that we'll be seeing a fuzzy lobster on Cute Overload, but it's interesting anyway more ›

We've been looking for a way to discuss the newly opened Buffalo Exchange in Brooklyn. The vintage chain just opened recently for all of your thrifty needs. They're also a bunch of do-gooders, teaming up for the next few months with the Humane Socieity to give the fur back to the animals! more ›

It's so obvious that the NY Times wishes New York City had pandas of its own, because they resorted to putting a HUGE photograph of DC's own Tai Shan on the front section of the Science Times today. And to justify this act, Natalie Angier wrote an article about "The Cute Factor," explaining what Gothamist has secretly suspected: People love round, fat things. Babies? Check. Pandas? Check. Baby pandas? Check. Extra zeros on a paycheck? Check. There's the obligatory mention of the Japanese "kawaii" phenomenon and scientists explaining why people like cute things.:

Observing that many Floridians have an enormous affection for the manatee, which looks like an overfertilized potato with a sock puppet's face, Roger L. Reep of the University of Florida said it shone by grace of contrast. "People live hectic lives, and they may be feeling overwhelmed, but then they watch this soft and slow-moving animal, this gentle giant, and they see it turn on its back to get its belly scratched," said Dr. Reep, author with Robert K. Bonde of "The Florida Manatee: Biology and Conservation." more ›

In honor of our mayor-for-another-four-years' favorite food, Gothamist presents this awesome picture, via Cute Overload! ;) (emoticon is theirs - so cute!). Of course, putting a dachsund puppy in a sesame-seeded bun is wrong in about fifty different ways, but it's so right in one way (it's cute!), it all evens out. more ›

In this weeks regular installment of cute, we here at Gothamist would like to introduce you to our new fave hookup for a cute fix, Cute Overload [via Defamer], by showing you adorable pictures from said site: more ›