stuff this week

It will stop raining in Vancouver, just not this week.

This is not a caterpillar...or is it. Just a little mind-fuck.

I've shared a link about what Jay-Z can teach us about the future of education, on this week's edition look at a corner store in Atlanta that translates Jay-Z's branding ethos to kale.

The (design) nerds and beauty obsessed have collaborated! PANTONE and Sephora team up to create a make-up line promoting 2012 colour of the year: Tangerine Tango.

The Darwin's Bark Spider was just discovered in 2009. They found this one with a web that spans a river 25 m wide. Oh best thing about it: its silk is 10x stronger than Kevlar. If you hate spiders, you can't even kill this one with a gun.

Pollinator bee population has been in a freefall and because of their importance in the ecosystem, long term effects could be devastating. Multiple studies show that insecticides are largley to blame.

The insecticides in question–a class called neonicotinoids–earn well over a billion dollars a year for their manufacturers. These insecticides are everywhere. Virtually all corn in the U.S. is treated with them, for example

It's a complex story. I encourage you to explore and be aware of this issue. Locally, the Land Conservancy of BC have some tips on how to help Bring Back the Bees.

And because bees just can't catch a break, there are also parasites that turn them into zombies with larvaes bursting out of their bodies. No, really.

the frequency at which i post

...will likely suffer based on what hobbies I pick up from time to time. Last weekend, I played a trial version and immediately bought the full version of Star Wars: The Old Republic. This will likely consume the majority of my free time. My first character is an Imperial Agent. Look at how awesome my character will be!

I've just started out and have just reached level 10. Let me know if you have a character around the same level and if you'd like to play as a group around 7:30-10:00 PST.

Do you play SWTOR? If so, what character and tips can you give me?

stuff this week

Hellebores in bloom.

• Feel like judging, guessing, or learning about stuff you won't ever need to use? Then check this out: what's not allowed on China's version of Twitter, Weibo.
• The Zombie Apocalypse could happen at any moment. Start your family's survival strategy by choosing the best chicken breed to for the Zombie Apocalypse.
• The rare titan arum (Amorphophallus titanium) aka Corpse Flower at Cornell University should be blooming within the next few days. Watch it live! Fun fact: Amorphophallus titanium literally translates to giant misshapen penis. Go ahead, Google it.
• Chautauqua is a funny sounding name for a county. Even funnier? They have buggy drinking parties! Imagine this scenario as you read it: 

"As a patrol car arrived on the scene, one of the Amish buggies changed lanes, colliding with the police vehicle. The buggy flipped onto its side, causing minor injuries to one of the people on board. Police say several other buggies fled the scene."

• Monsanto is evil and owns Seminis. If you're a gardener who, like me, sometimes buy seeds or seedlings from a garden centre, please find out where your seeds truly come from. This list does not mean the cultivars are GMOs, some are even heirloom varieties. However, know that they are now owned by Monsanto and are likely selling them to big box stores under theirs or another distributor's name. If you love any of these varieties, buy them from reputable organic and open-pollinated seed stores*! Forewarned is forearmed.
• Free and Awesome. Let me teach you some learnings. Fool everyone and act like you know things by listening/watching lectures from top universities for free. Right now, I'm listening to Game Theory by Ben Polak from Yale.

*Visit my "seed list" page to see all organic and open-pollinated seed sellers I've supported.