Weekend Round-Up: Clogged Canals, Pacific Pups, And Daring Detectives

Each week, our editors gather their favorite finds from around the internet and recommend them to you right here. These are not articles about watches, but rather outstanding examples of journalism and storytelling covering topics from fashion and art to technology and travel. So go ahead, pour yourself a cup of coffee, put your feet up, and settle in. Image via linked article The Dogs That Grew Wool And The People Who Love Them – Hakai Magazine It's a story straight out of a '90s Disney animated film. Small, white-haired dogs lived alone on islands and were tended to by 18th- and 19th-century indigenous women of the Pacific Northwest. These dogs offered early North American denizens companionship and – more significantly – coats of fur and wool that was sheared to create clothing and blankets. These small dogs are now considered an early example of selective breeding in canines; they were pampered, fed a special diet, and frequently groomed to maintain the purity of their coats. But what happened to these dogs and their handlers? When did the practice of shearing man's best friend disappear? And why was the existence of these dogs in dispute among archaeologists for so many years? Hakai Magazine has the story. (Bob Iger, if you're reading this, give me a call.) – Logan Baker, Editor, HODINKEE Shop Image via linked article Pick The Best Fictional Detective – The Washington Post It's March Madness! That means we've filled out our brackets to pick…our favorite fictional detective? Strange as that sounds, The Washington Post has put together something that sounds quite fun. You basically fill out a bracket, and insert your favorite character (Sherlock Holmes, Sam Spade, Nancy Drew – you name it). The bracket has 32 categories broken down into specific subcategories, and each choice will have a predetermined point value. Don't worry, the actual article breaks this down far more eloquently than I am. If you haven't yet reached your bracket limit – or if your NCAA bracket is dead in the water – consider giving this a whirl over the weekend. My money's on Spade. – Danny Milton, Editor Image via linked article We Found Ford's Incredible Turbine-Powered Semi-Truck 'Big Red' That's Been Lost For Decades – The Drive In the '60s, it seemed like engineers could get away with just about anything. The craziest ideas came to life, and it was this sort of thinking that ultimately got us to the Moon. It also produced the most wild semi-truck, Ford's "Big Red." It was powered by a 600 hp turbine and made its debut at the '64 World Fair. It was a hell of a machine, and it was only recently re-discovered. Follow the link to find out how. Now, if we can only "re-discover" the notion of using turbine engines in modern vehicles! – Cole Pennington, Editor Image via linked article Off-Road In-Line Skating Is As Dangerous As It Is Fun – Outside I've done a lot of hiking in areas that are popular with mountain bikers, but I've never been passed by anyone on off-road in-line skates. In fact, I didn't even realize such a thing exists (perhaps not a surprise, I hung up my blades at the end of an illustrious childhood street hockey career). In this piece on Outside by Colleen Stinchcombe (which includes video), step into the fast and dangerous world of off-road in-line skating, from the brands that are involved to the talented skaters so bored with pavement and roads that they've taken to mountain bike tracks (and the occasional trip to the hospital). I love an esoteric fringe sport, and not only does this look like a scary good time, but it also looks more fun than slacklining. – James Stacey, Senior Writer Image via linked article Why the Suez Canal Is So Important – The New York Times Did I begin my week expecting to be enthralled by a global econo-drama taking place in the Suez Canal? I did not. But here we are: It's Friday, and I can't get enough of the ill-fated Ever Given and its role at the center of an unfolding crisis of international trade. If you haven't been following the story, here's the gist: Amid high winds and rough seas, a large container ship transiting the Suez Canal began to turn in a manner that its captain couldn't level off. As a result, it became wedged into the canal – preventing any and all ship traffic from using the passage. This wouldn't necessarily be a major issue, except for the fact that 10 percent of all global maritime commercial traffic travels through the Suez Canal – and right now, the Ever Given is locked in with all attempts to free it ending fruitlessly. This piece in The New York Times delves deep into the canal's history, its role in world trade, and the potential ramifications of this incident. And, crucially, it highlights how one boat stuck in the middle of a canal on the other side of the world can affect all of us. Such is the modern world we've made. – Dakota Gardner, Managing Editor Lead image by Marco BiccaSkate into the weekend.