Weekly Link Roundup

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I feel like this week flew by, but so many things happened too! My fiance and I got to celebrate our anniversary last week at an amazing Tel Aviv restaurant called Zepra, which I’ll review in an upcoming post. The week was also full of weddings, birthday parties, and great trips to the beach. I hope everyone had exciting weeks themselves, and for all my fellow Americans, enjoy your holiday weekend! Here’s this week’s link roundup. I hope you enjoy it! P.S. If you ever have a link you think should be on the link roundup, be sure to submit it via the “Contact” page!

  1. GOOGLE LOGO– Internet users worldwide noticed a change on their screens this week when Google unveiled their new logo on September 1st. The move marks the biggest change in the company’s logo since the old one was instated in 1999. According to this article, “Google’s New Logo Is Trying Really Hard to Look Friendly,” theres more behind the change than the desire for a fresh look. The author asserts that the internet giant hopes to assuage people’s apprehensions about the company’s collection of personal information with a “friendlier” logo. Check out the article and decide for yourself. I personally preferred the old logo, but I’m sure I’ll eventually forget that it was ever different. What do you think about the redesign?
  1.  SAVE THE VULTURES– The first Saturday in September is International Vulture Awareness Day, and these birds need more help than ever. Fourteen out of the twenty-three species of vultures are threatened, currently largely because of a drug called Diclofenac. The drug is an anti-inflammatory given to livestock in Europe, and when vultures and eagles eat the carcasses of these animals, it causes complete kidney failure. This is especially upsetting since effective alternative drugs are available. Diclofenac has been banned in India, Nepal, and Pakistan after it caused a 95% decline in the vulture population of the sub-continent. I’ve always had a soft spot for these ugly birds, so I was happy to sign the petition asking the general manager of the company manufacturing Diclofenac to stop producing the drug and asking European Commissioners to ban it. You can help save the vultures by signing the petition here.
  2. ANIMAL “CUTEOFF“– This week, scientists took to twitter for the battle royale of cuteness, each posting pictures of the animal they thought should earn the title “World’s Cutest.” The contenders ranged from mammals to those of the reptilian and even insect variety. Who knew there were such cute bugs? Check out the Upworthy article about the showdown here or the hashtag #CuteOff on Twitter (and while you’re there, follow me at @trnsatlnticlife!).
  3. GLASSES FREE 3D– Ever wish you could watch a 3D projection like the Jetsons instead of boring old TV? Well that technology may be closer to our living rooms than you thought. The company Voxon has created a product called VoxieBox which can project 3D images that don’t require glasses. In fact you can walk all the way around the projection like a real object. Beyond the awesome things this could do for our cinematic experiences, it could also have a profound effect on the scientific field. VoxieBox is still too expensive to replace your flatscreen any time soon, but the company hopes to make it there one day.
  4. WHITE AFTER LABOR DAY– This weekend is Labor Day weekend in the States, which traditionally called for moving your white clothes to the back of the closet for the colder months. Thankfully this fashion rule has fallen by the wayside, and white is no longer relegated to spring and summer. Want to transition your whites into autumn? This Vogue article shows you how designers brought white to the Fall runway.
  1. LISA FRANK GETS SERIOUS– From folders to stickers, Lisa Frank adorned the school supplies of every 90’s girl worth knowing with her fantastical leopards and unicorns. But who is Lisa Frank the person really? This interview gives you a look at the serious side of Lisa Frank the artist and Lisa Frank the company. See what inspired her multicolored masterpieces and how she moved from acrylic abstract art to neon big eyed girls.
  2. LOVE FOR THE ELDERLY– I found this website on DailyTekk’s list of 100 Best, Most Interesting Blogs/Websites of 2015, and I was really moved by the project. Love For The Elderly was created to distribute anonymous heartfelt letters to the elderly who may have no one to care for them or spend time with them. Many seniors may have no family in the state or no family left at all to visit them, and these letters (which come from all over the world) provide a human connection. Check out the website to see how you can write a letter or, if you’re a teacher, organize a whole class project of letters, and brighten someone’s day.
  3. AMAZON, CURATED– Love Amazon’s great prices and cool finds but hate slogging through all the trash? This website may be for you. Also from DailyTekk’s list above, Canopy finds the coolest, most interesting products on Amazon and puts them at your fingertips. I could spend hours going through these gadgets, all of which I now obviously need.

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