This week's links. Enjoy.
Goodbye Google Reader
On Monday July 1 Google Reader offically retires — make sure you keep your RSS feed intact by switching over this weekend! Follow the link for info on alternatives — and how to transfer your blog lists without fuss, too.
14 Underground Lairs Fit for a Mega-Villain
Fascinating article on underground architecture — both fantasy (hello James Bond) and reality (hard to believe that some of these photos are actual places and not Dr. No's secret lair).
How 12 Old Words Survived by Becoming Fossilized as Idioms
Self-explanatory but fascinating nonetheless — 12 archaic words that we still find today in such phrases as "to and fro", "just deserts", "leave in the lurch" and "eke out a living".
Social Networking in Ancient Rome and 17th Century England
The Kottke blog links to a pair of articles by Tom Standage, taken from his forthcoming book on the 2,000-year history of social media, Writing on the Wall. This looks like a really interesting read — adding it to the list for sure. Seems our impulse to communicate via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are just modern equivalents of what our ancestors did.
How to Embed Instagram Video on Blogs or Websites
Helpful tutorial on successfully using Instagram's new video option. Via @poppytalk.
Ice Desserts Around the World
As the weather gets warmer, our craving for something cold gets stronger. Gourmet magazine takes a tour around the world via shaved ice treats — check out Italy's granita, Guatemala's granizada, India's gola and halo-halo from the Philippines among others.
Portraits of Canadian Moths
Photographer Jim des Rivières has created a stunning series of portraits of moths found around his neighborhood in Ottawa Ontario, scanning each moth at high resolution and then enlarging the image to reveal unexpected colors and intricate patterns. Via @brainpicker.
Grow Your Own Blueberries in Containers
Feeling like being a little more adventurous in your container gardening? Check out this tutorial from the Royal Horticultural Society on cultivating blueberries in pots.
Chilled Cucumber and Avocado Soup with Cauliflower Proscuitto Flatbread
If your appetite has wilted in the recent heatwave, this delicately refreshing soup by Tartelette is the perfect way to revive it.
(photo of O0803 table made from reclaimed scaffolding boards by bauholz design)