Two picket women on duty during New York’s Ladies Tailors Strike of 1910
Photo: Wikimedia Commons | United States Library of Congress

Welcome to our monthly news roundup, Best of the Web, a curation of curious content you may have missed lately. There’s only one house rule: No religion, no politics.

If you know of a great website, podcast, shop or anything else a man of taste would enjoy, drop us a line at info@crownshavingco.com. There’s a chance we’ll publish your recommendation. And if you like, we’ll even give you a shout-out right here on this blog.

Men’s Grooming

This Awesome Medical Imaging Camera Just Proved Henson Blades Are Better For Your Skin

We recently published a piece on the best pound-for-pound safety razor right now, and it happens to be made by Toronto’s own Henson Shaving. As if transforming the way we shave with perfect precision wasn’t enough, these guys just outdid themselves and released findings from a controlled study proving their blades are easier on man skin than the leading brand name blade. The best part is they had a local imaging startup execute the experiment, and they did it with a special camera that spots increased blood flow under the skin.

Think 60 dudes split into two participant groups; One used Henson’s blades while the other counted on the “leading multi-blade razor.”

You’ve to see these results.

(Via Henson Shaving)

NHL Playoff Beards And How It All Started

Here’s a history lesson on one of sports’ greatest traditions.

(Via The Hockey Writers)

They Might’ve Just Figured Out Why We Go Grey

According to The Guardian, stem cell research has both the answers and the probable solutions.

(Via The Guardian)

Life

This Strike Might End Sooner Than You’d Think

The biggest Canadian strike in three decades is now in week 2, folks. Good news, though: A “tentative” deal was struck this past Monday, and 120,000 people went back to work. Still, if you want that passport, you’re going to have to wait and wait hard.

(Via CBC)

Pop Culture

Pras of The Fugees Was An FBI Informant

Remember The Fugees? Pras Michel just found himself in one hell of a pickle, and it already has the makings of a future Scorsese flick. The ex-rapper confessed to working for the feds, but in a total twist of events, he was also charged with conspiracy for helping the very guy the FBI wanted for allegedly funnelling foreign money into lobbying efforts for American presidential elections (including, apparently, Obama’s). Said guy’s a Malaysian financier named Jho Low.

We probably made that Scorsese joke before, but whatever.

Fun fact: Praswell took the stand at his own trial, which isn’t that common. Balls.

(Via Rolling Stone)

Technology

DigiBuild And the Dawn of An AI-Driven Construction Industry

If you’re in construction, you’ll want to know about this new software folks are talking about. According to Fox Business, DigiBuild’s about to save the industry “trillions” by virtually ending high material costs and supply chain pains. We want in, too, dammit.

(Via Fox Business)

Sports

Major League Baseball Has 8 New Rules

This MLB.com article about eight new rule changes isn’t really new; It was published on March 29th. But since baseball flies under the radar up here ‘till the cold’s gone, we’ll make an exception.

According to the league, new rules like a 15-second pitcher clock are designed to ramp up excitement. Because the world’s attention span wasn’t short enough these days.

Also, robot umpires are on the way for 2024.

Goddamned robots.

(Via MLB.com)

The Florida Panthers Are Totally Strong-Arming Leafs Fans In Florida

As you know, the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing second round hockey in Lord Stanley’s playoffs for the first time since 2004. They’re now facing a rejuvenated Florida Panthers team that just doesn’t know how to die.

Thing is, the Panthers are “restricting ticket sales” to U.S. residents and making it harder for traveling Leafs fans to support their team. How fucked is that?

(Via the Toronto Star)