"Karen archey"

Laika, the first living creature to be launched into orbit.

• Omg. Celestis Pets sells pet space funerals, which, Vocativ points out, can be cheaper than Earth pet funerals. You can choose moon landings; “Orbit”; “Earth Rise”, which sends your pet into space and then “recovers the payload”; or “voyager”, sending them into deep space. What a beautiful rationalization for pets in space: “perhaps one day, the universe will begin to comprehend the vastness and the gift of a dog’s unconditional love.” [Celestis Pets]
• The implications of pet space funerals, though, are grim. We’re running out of space to bury humans, too (just think of Hart Island, NYC’s mass grave for the homeless). Start getting ready for the idea of eternity in orbit. Or better yet, just vaporizing on the atmosphere. [Vocativ]
• Also a vending machine that takes bottles and gives stray dogs food. [Bored Panda]
• The Chinese government forbids internal use of ipads and Macbooks for fear of US spies. President Xi Jinping calls on China to develop its own Apple and Microsofts. [The Verge]
• So, James Franco and Scott Haze live in the same place. Here’s 1000 words of HE’S GAY, HE’S GAY! [The New York Times via: @choire]
• This gushing profile of Marian Goodman is so effusive, we actually feel a little awkward reading it. [The Wall Street Journal]
• After a framed anonymous 4chan post decrying itself art sold for $90,900 on ebay, Hrag Vartanian put his own post chronicling the news story and reactions up for sale on ebay. Last night, the bidding was up to $1,255. Now, it’s down to $202—a fake bid shot the number up temporarily. Bummer. We would have liked to see this publishing model succeed in the thousands! [Twitter; @HragV, @TwoCoats]
• Gmail’s crappy emoji crab takes iPhone’s pro-looking poop guy any day. [Gawker]
• The N train has bedbugs! Noooooooooo! [Animal New York]
• Orange Juice, Rip It Up. A style guide for net artists. [Youtube]

• Speaking of the 80’s, anyone remember Come on Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners? We found this truly strange video made circa 1999 by their lead singer Kevin Rowland. You’re welcome. [MTV]
• Karen Archey talks to Oliver Laric, Forrest Nash, Metahaven, Anton Vidokle, Julieta Aranda, Dena Yago, Kenneth Goldsmith, and Lauren Cornell on the subject of curating. Very few of these art Interneters seem to think they’re doing it. [Kaleidoscope]
• Brian Droitcour ruminates on his yelp reviews of galleries and museums. Citing Pierre Bourdieu seems unnecessary, but there’s some good stuff in here. For example, this:

An art critic who gives Jeff Koons a negative review is like a yelper who gives one star to the Olive Garden. The market has already made up its mind and institutional policy follows. The art critic confronts this consensus and tries to express an independent, individual opinion in spite of it—a thankless task. The art critic doesn’t change the art world’s systems of power; he simply gives them publicity by reminding readers that they exist.   [New Inquiry]

• The North Korean Mansudae Arts Studio is becoming a global monument factory, making massive statues for Senegal, Angola, Botswana, and other countries. [Dazed]
• Laurie Jo Reynolds sure has been influential, in a great way. Miles Pflanz and Kate Levitt have made a darkly psychological movie written by prisoners in Manhattan’s Lincoln Correctional Facility. “Pig Movie” is set to come out in a few months (hopefully) but you can watch a trailer in the latest Artist’s Notebook. [Animal New York]