synchronoptica

one year ago: more adventures in the Tauber valley (with sychronopticæ), Radio Free Europe plus a bad-faith broker

fifteen years ago: antiquarian corner 

synchronoptica

one year ago: a visit to Rothenburg ob der Tauber (with synchronopticæ)

thirteen years ago: recreating the first web page 

fourteen years ago: a treasury of bookplates 

fifteen years ago: the capture and assassination of bin Laden plus Walpurgisnacht

sixteen years ago: more special houseplants 

synchronoptica

one year ago: a return to the Tauber river valley (with synchronopticæ)

twelve years ago: more calendric conventions 

thirteen years ago: axis mundi plus a paperback library

fourteen years ago: US-German relations plus May Day vs Americanization Day 

sixteen years ago: returning from Istanbul 

day sixty-one (13. 393)

Following chancellor Merz’ criticism of the administration for its lack of strategy and saying it was being humiliated by Iran, Trump is mulling on reducing the number of the some thirty-six thousand US troops station in Germany, whilst still entertaining the prospect of leaving the NATO alliance entirely over its unwillingness to be drawn into the war with Iran. 

Oil prices rise to above $125 per barrel on news that naval blockade could continue for months with no renewed negotiations on the horizon and Tehran saying it can withstand the US economic pressure campaign. Growth in the EU is surprisingly resilliant and stronger than expected despite the conflict and supply chain disruptions. IDF attacks continue in southern Lebanon and Israel seizes a flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian aid destined for Gaza in international waters.

synchronoptica

one year ago: the Folkish Observer (with synchronopticæ) plus creating a data panopticon 

twelve years ago: US army updates allowable hairstyles plus the American Foreign Service

thirteen years ago: attuned cocktails plus new and novel punctuation

wish fulfilment is not a strategy—we have sidelined the entire world (13. 892)

As the US supreme court was eviscerating the vestiges of the civil rights act meant to redress historical disenfranchisement and under-representation by limiting redistricting and gerrymandering to the regressive standards of the conservative justices, secretary of war Hegseth flanked by joint chief of staff General Dan Caine—appealing to congress for an extra one and a half trillion dollars for the military budget and approval to officially rename the department of defence the department of war—was summoned to Capitol Hill to testify on the cost of the adventure in Iran as the conflict enters its second month. The estimate, which seems to low-ball the true price—particularly when early figures were at a billion dollars a day, stands at twenty-five billion, but still lacking an end date or direction for resolving the diplomatic stalemate. The testimony was filled with the usual rage and rhetoric typical of the former Fox News personality, but in a forum where he could not dismiss or outshout follow-up questions, Hegseth withered before Democrat representatives. Unable to simply bully and berate people for “being negative,” Hegseth tried labelling the House Armed Services Committee as their biggest adversary with their “reckless, feckless and defeatist words” and had no answers for the administration’s costly missteps, the global economic fallout, the blockade of the blockade, unraveling when pressed, deflecting to over-supplying Ukraine under Biden and retreating to the bombastic oratory that his warriors were “forging a lethal arsenal of freedom” with Operation Epic Fury. Manifestly frustrated and shouting at the group, congressman Seth Moulton (attesting he was also a Pulp Fiction fan, alluding to Hegseth’s earlier invocation quoting the film) lobbed a few easier, straightforward questions at the secretary, “This is a softball one for you—don’t screw it up,” asking about the announcement that influenza vaccines would no longer be mandatory for troops, but quickly descended into a cult-like furore, saying that calling out forever wars as the quagmire that they were (again Hegseth’s words) betrayed an entire generation that served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Rather than a projection of power, way out of their depth, the session was rather exposed timidity and terror.

day sixty (13. 891)

The United Arab Emirates announces it will quit OPEC in order to increase exports, seen as a victory by some for Trump who opposes the cartel’s caps on production and price controls. Although the conflict remains essentially frozen and tensions still remain high among allies, during a state visit to the US, King Charles delivered a masterful address to a joint-session of congress in the semiquinncentennial year of the American declaration of independence, apolitical but a model of using soft power to heal rifts. Neighbouring gulf states hold a summit in Riyadh and issue a statement that Tehran must make serious efforts to rebuild confidence and trust following “treacherous” attacks on the region. Russia reiterates financial and materiel support for Iran, as Trump claims that the country is on the verge of collapse and eager to submit to a deal under America’s terms, whilst threatening new sanctions on China for refining Iranian crude oil exports and goes after Iran’s network of shadow banking.

synchronoptica

one year ago: droodles (with synchronopticæ), Trump’s first hundred days plus more e-moluments for the Trump family syndicate

twelve years ago: European far-right parties affinity for Moscow 

thirteen years ago: Iceland’s Jedi party 

fourteen years ago: an intemperate island plus fortress London

fifteen years ago: macroeconomics 

seventeen years ago: German traffic signs 

7x7 (13. 890)

crash blossoms: mentalist MC of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner guessed the name of expectant press secretary’s baby’s name seconds before shooting—via Super Punch 

akte x: a German expression to file something away, to bring a matter to conclusion from the Latin ad ācta  

a show of swords: direct democracy on display in the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden  

cartel: the United Arab Emirates to quit OPEC after a sixty year membership  

euromaxxing: Hungary’s turn around—via Quantum of Sollazzo  

clausal stacking tolerance: a new test to parse the limits of lexical ambiguity—see previously

lihop, mihop: the language of manufactured crises and phoney outrage (now and then), the tone set by an individual vying for the Nobel Peace Prize yet threatening to destroy civilisations and celebrated the deaths of Rob Reiner and Robert Muller

day fifty-nine (13. 889)

The US unwilling to continue direct talks, Iranian foreign minister Araghchi met with Putin and his counterpart Lavrov in St Petersburg to pursue a separate peace for the region and reached a preliminary settlement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for maritime traffic, leaving the nuclear question tabled until a later time. Tehran for its part is criticising Washington for its reluctance to engage in dialogue and calls out seizure of Iranian flagged ships and the continued naval blockade as piracy. The UN, whilst welcoming the Russian-Iranian detente, said there was no legal basis for imposing tolls on vessels transiting through the international waterway. As the state visit of Charles and Camilla begins to heal the rift in UK-US relations, allies are still critical of America’s lack of strategic direction and that stalled negotiations benefit no one, America forgetting that about the enemy’s vote and veto. Clashes between Hezbollah and Israel continue in Lebanon.

synchronoptica

one year ago: assorted links to revisit (with synchronopticæ) 

twelve years ago: Worker’ Memorial Day 

thirteen years ago: advances in fusion technology, a trending hairstyle, the Frankonian athem plus a visit to Steinheim by Hanau

fifteen years ago: tornados in Germany 

sixteen years ago: vacationing in Istanbul