Link About It: This Week’s Picks
The art of ping pong, a pickled dinosaur brain and the joy of “sploshing” in our look around the web
1. Best Dressed at the Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade
From the adorable to absurd and awkward, the 2016 Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade in NYC brought out all kinds of pooches (and owners) who delighted the crowds this past weekend. Among a few Harry Potters, aliens and Princes, there were also some Game of Thrones references, and (perhaps the weirdest and best) even a “Human Centipede” costume that has to be seen to be believed. Take a look at some of the sweetest pups at Gothamist’s gallery.
2. Sweden Rewards Citizens for Not Taking Part in “Throw-Away” Culture
As the Western world seems to get deeper and deeper into “Throw Away” culture, there are small “fixer” movements working on the opposing side—encouraging people (and making it easier) to repair rather than replace everything from phones to shoes and beyond. In a fantastic move, Sweden is hoping to push the idea further and will begin offering citizens who give bikes, apparel and shoes to repairers a tax break. They will “pay 12% in VAT tax, instead of the standard 25%, if new legislative proposals are approved”—not only would this decrease waste, it will also create jobs. Hopefully it’s approved, and other nations follow suit. Read more at Quartz.
3. Medical Marijuana Delivery Company Scores $13 Million in Funding
SF-based medical marijuana delivery business Eaze has just announced it’s received $13 million in series B funding, making it the highest funded marijuana technology company thus far. Eaze—led by Keith McCarty—launched in 2014 and already delivers to 100 California cities and is now able to expand. The service is simple, as Mashable’s Sasha Lekach says, “Californians with a medical marijuana card can order various products through the site or app, browse through the many varieties, pay for it online and have a delivery person drop it off in about 20 minutes.” Read more on Mashable.
4. The Art of Ping Pong
With bright, bold and oftentimes wacky art adorning them, the ping pong bats that are available in 2016’s Art of Ping Pong auction were created by super-talented artists. With work from Jon Burgerman, Studio Moross, Kai & Sunny, Thierry Noir and more, it’s hard to choose a favorite (though we’re definitely drawn to David Shillinglaw’s goofy, sweet smiley face piece). Still, it’s a comfort to know that no matter which one you bid on, the profits from all sales go to charity. This year, it’s the Alzheimer’s Society. To see the bats in real life, head to the exhibition (at 71A Gallery, 71 Leonard St, London) from 3-8 November, or take a look online where the auction opens soon.
5. David Bowie’s Ettore Sottsass and the Memphis Group Collection is Being Auctioned
Best known for being a musical and style icon, David Bowie was (of course) a lot more. One of those unsung attributes happens to be a good design eye, noticeable through his appreciation of Ettore Sottsass and the Memphis Group design. A collector of all kinds of bold, daring furniture and decor, Bowie’s collection is up for auction next month in London. Come 11 November, Sotheby’s will be selling off some of Bowie’s prized possessions and the estimates are surprisingly affordable, with some pieces set to cost around £200. See the collection online at Sotheby’s.
6. Tailoring Wine to Your DNA
Joining forces with Helix (which is backed by the world’s biggest DNA sequencing company), wine delivery service Vinome is claiming they will tailor your wines according to your genetic make-up. The Californian company will apparently choose “‘great wines that are perfectly paired to you’ based on an analysis of 10 genetic variants in your DNA, collected via saliva samples,” but several scientists and public health experts think not only is it nonsense, but also concerning. Find out why at StatNews.
7. First-Ever Fossilized Dinosaur Brain Found
The first-ever fossilized dinosaur brain has been discovered in England, and the preservation is so incredible that paleontologists and paleobiologists believe it was essentially pickled. While it may look like a rock, the find is actually the fossilized brain of an Iguanodon—an herbivore that would have measured around 33 feet long and weighed over three tons. The soft-tissue fossil is very rare, and it’s said to be similar to that of modern-day reptiles, but “because it wasn’t a complete brain, the researchers can’t say for sure how intelligent this animal may have been.” Read more at Quartz.
8. Bompas & Parr and Jo Duck Explore the NSFW World of “Sploshing”
In case you weren’t already aware, Sploshing is a “wet and messy fetish” (aka WAM) which essentially consists of a substance (usually food) being poured, smeared and/or splashed onto naked flesh. While it might sounds odd to some, it’s actually more common than one might think, and British experience designers Bompas & Parr decided to explore the fetish with photographer Jo Duck. The result is called “Cake Holes” and it’s a collection of quite delightful and playful images of people sitting on fancy-looking desserts. See more at It’s Nice That.
Link About It is our filtered look at the web, shared daily in Link and on social media, and rounded up every Saturday morning.
