Link About It: This Week’s Picks
Lego DeLoreans, Hobbit Homes, Bees On A Plane and more in our weekly look at the web
1. The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek
Last February a severe avalanche occurred just outside Stevens Pass
Ski Resort in Washington state, killing three industry veterans.
Included in the lost was Stevens’ marketing director Chris Rudolph,
the man who was to be our guide on a media trip scheduled the
following week. With the year in reflection this week The New York Times
produced an excellent multi-part series on the incident
and its triggers. The eerie tale is eye-opening to say the least.
2. World’s Best Beer
Hailed by many aficionados as the best beer in the world, Westvleteren XII is also one of the hardest to come by. The limited edition brew recently landed stateside, but only so the Belgian Trappist monks who produce it could make enough money to build a new abbey.
3. Bees On A Plane
For some unknown reason thousands of bees swarmed the wing
of an NYC-bound Delta airplane while preparing to depart Pittsburgh
International Airport. While the spectacle was fun for some, killing
the critters is illegal, leaving passengers with little to do but idle
as a master beekeeper professionally removed the bees.
4. Hobbit Homes
If you find yourself inspired to live like a Hobbit after seeing Peter Jackson’s new movie, check out these ten Bilbo Baggins-esque Hobbit Homes available for rent. Whimsical and small, these houses make a charming retreat for those with dreams of second breakfast and dragons.
5. Chrome & Flesh
In an interview with Rhizome, video artist Mark Leckey provides some thought-provoking insights into our physical relationship with digital material, the role of the amateur in art and his notion of “Touchy-Feely.”
6. Lego Gets Back To The Future
Arguably a few years late to the game, but Lego is finally producing a Back To The Future Lego set which includes our favorite character, the DeLorean.
7. Oliver Jeffers
Oliver Jeffers, whose acclaimed work ranges from children’s books to fine art, recently released his first monograph, “Neither Here Nor There.” For the occasion, Gestalten.tv caught up with the author and illustrator in a video that profiles Jeffers’ thoughts on kids as critics, storytelling and quantum physics.
8. i-D Magazine Merges With Vice
Surprising news but likely a smart move, i-D’s Twitter announcement let us know that “After more than 32 years as an independent publisher, i-D has joined forces with Vice to allow the brand to thrive for years to come. x”
9. Gingerbread Downton Abbey House
Towleroad picked up GMA’s story of Curtis Jensen’s incredible confection, a large gingerbread replica of Downton Abbey. We think it’s a Masterpiece masterpiece.
10. Chuck D on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Following the announcement of their upcoming spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Public Enemey’s Chuck D has some choice words on the subject. From proposing a hip-hop senior circuit tour to touting the talents of his fellow band members, the rapper gets real in an interview with Rolling Stone, even commenting on rock/hip-hop collaborations saying, “When I get involved with a classic, I knock the fucking ceiling out of it or I leave it the fuck alone.”
11. First 3-D Printed Records
Instructables’ tech editor Amanda Ghassaei shows how she created the world’s first 3-D printed records. A video interview with Wired walks us through the meticulous process.
12. World’s First Naming Booth
Inspired by Iceland recently installed a clever naming booth at Keflavik International Airport, allowing visitors to the incredible country a chance to contribute their own alternate name for the island and share their favorite parts of the Icelandic experience. After all of the submissions are reviewed, one lucky winner will be selected to become an honorary Iceland ambassador.
13. CASH Music
After a successful Kickstarter campaign, the Portland-based nonprofit CASH Music
continues to help artists skip the middleman and connect directly with their audience, putting 100% of profits back in their hands. The open-source
platform will proffer current technologies and
free assistance in an altruistic effort to make the music industry sustainable and
profitable once again.
14. Reflective Knit
Celebrating 30 years of stellar work, Italian label Stone Island unveiled a glow-in-the-dark knit hoodie that marries innovative techniques with practical considerations. The product is enabled by some otherworldly tech, and has immediate applications for cyclists.
15. Grimm Fairy Tales
This week, in order to celebrate the Brothers Grimm’s famous stories, Google created a special Google Doodle that illustrated one of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm’s most famous tales, Little Red Riding Hood. Animated across several illustrations, the story of Little Red Riding Hood comes to life in one of Google’s most intricate doodles to date.
16. 2012: A Year In Art Thefts
Phaidon walks us through art recovered and lost in 2012.
