show dna (13. 834)

Though suspect of the network presently as a tool of state propaganda, we were intrigued by this gala group photo staged for the fiftieth anniversary of the Columbia Broadcasting System to spot the cross-overs and continuity of retained actors in recurring roles and cameos plus producers, directors and anchors.
The key was a bit morose, prompting one to consider the talents we have lost, though many are still with us, like Bill Macy, Dick Van Dyke, Carol Burnett, Lynda Carter, Julie Kavner (as Rhoda’s sister) and Ran Rather from CBS News. The last one made me wonder if one could use AI to generate a Sgt Pepper’s type template for any group photo (one can apparently, which takes away from the encomium) or if it was just a typo.  How many celebrities do you recognise?

day two hundred three (13. 833)

Though smacking somewhat of appeasement, Denmark’s placating of Trump’s ego with the signing ceremony of the Greenland treaty by granting the American president the arrangement that the US has always had since 1951—it is more masterful than at first glance, with one clause, easy to overlook—that it only remains valid if the US remains a member, albeit an unreliable one at present, in the NATO alliance. Reportedly Trump rejects the Iranian offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the US honours the conditions of the MoU, signed by Trump’s own hand at the Élysée Palace back in June, announcing bombing will likely resume in November. We think at least that is what he is saying as, despite a federal injunction against stripping CNN’s and other news outlets White House credentials, Trump is ignoring the order and his statement was unprofessionally captured by an aide under whirling helicopter blades, other agencies in the press pool refusing to cover the president in solidarity. Declaring Iranian airspace closed and diverting all civilian flights, the US is hopeful that Operation Economic Outcast will further squeeze the Islamic Republic into further concessions, and personally benefitting from the chaos jointly with Israel through markets manipulation and stock-flipping to the tune of a couple of billion dollars, the corrupt regime is not motivated for a swift end to the conflict. Rumours circulate in the US military regarding a possible to deployment to the Caribbean and presumably the invasion and annexation of Cuba, emerging just after Trump hosts Xi in Washington—suggesting that action on Taiwan might be imminent and one might be cover for another. We don’t suspect, however, that Trump could keep quiet about such a conspiracy. Denied by the courts his efforts to curtail voting-by-mail—though judges allow the sharing of registries with ICE and DHS to track down non-existent, non-citizen voter—we wonder what the October Surprise will be ahead of elections. To avoid War Powers Act limitations, Trump has already downgraded Iran to a forever conflict, Venezuela went too swiftly, but a hot war with Havana might, in the estimation of the administration qualify as a national emergency to suspend voting. Trump likes to cite Ukraine’s skipped elections, ignoring the fact that it is in their constitution, whilst the US has no such provisions. All of this is just speculation on the internet but in this dumb timeline, we wouldn’t be surprised if in the situation room, someone whispers to Trump, “Mister president, the Germans are on to us.” The US approves a four hundred million dollar weapons package for Ukraine, though no Patriot missiles for the batteries it has been licensed to build, and destroys another Russian oil refinery in Krasnodar, ignoring Trump’s earlier call for a ceasefire on agriculture and petroleum infrastructure.

bro, do you even lase? (13. 832)

Recently gifted a hologram-making kit, our trusty AI wrangler Janelle Shane (previously) has turned their attention to lasers and minerals lately, with super intelligence turning a touch problematic and more prone to making a death ray that will destroy us all. We really enjoyed the gems of science series, the argon ion effects of Clash of the Titans and though we were not familiar with the characters of the Steven Universe universe until now—being named for obscure semi-precious stones—this ranking of heroes from the series in terms of optical amplification proved to be pretty educational and edifying for getting a grasp on concepts like coherence and spectrum. The above verb is a back-formation and the acronym (now mostly an anacronym, see also, like scuba and radar) is from Gordon Gould’s 1959 conference paper for light amplification by stimulation emission of radiation, though in retrospect LOSER, for light oscillation by stimulation emission of radiation, would have been more scientifically accurate.

the revolution will not be biennalised (13. 831)

Although somewhat evocative of the mural of Dresden’s Kulturpalast and Soviet-era Realism, we agree that Germany’s pavilion at the sixty-first Venice international cultural exhibition does ring a bit hollow and is unreflective regarding the country’s present political realities, a safe-space nearly as insular as the installation from the US in its splendid isolation and wanton ignorance of the negative impacts it has visited on the world entire and the arts themselves, with the same mindset that would demolish their own national stage in the Kennedy Centre out of spite. In a follow-up piece, Hyperalleric’s Editor-at-Large Hrag Vartanian and critic Aruna D’Souza tour the grounds and offer their opinions, critiques and condemnations of such pavilions that miss the mark and fall flat.

synchronoptica

one year ago: haiku headlines (with synchronoptica) plus Skaterdater (1965)

two years ago: new Nazca lines revealed, the study of street art plus assorted links to revisit 

three years ago: harmless AI hallucinations, tarot-inspired motifs from Leonora Carrington, gravity as a governing factor plus the restoration of a Streamline Moderne observatory associated with Albert Einstein 

four year ago: Knight Rider (1982) plus an asteroid deflection test

five years ago: the Free City of Christiana (1971), Biosphere 2 (1991), more McMansion Hell, an AI names supermarkets plus Germany votes

six years ago: more links to enjoy plus the photography of Robert Bechtle

seven years ago: Trump’s “perfect call,” communal housing in the capital of Greenland plus the science vessel formerly known as Boaty McBoatface

eight years ago: World War III narrowly averted (1983), Trump at the UN General Assembly, the Afrofuturist art of Bodys Isek Kingelez, more on the Hyperloop project plus Gilligan’s Island (1964)

 

day two hundred two (13. 830)

Tusk offers financial incentives to Trump to expand American military presence in Poland. Pezeshkian offers to dilute its stockpiles of enriched uranium and allow international inspectors into Iran if the US returns to the conditions of the MoU, Tehran presenting a seven-day roadmap to reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Clashes continue between the Saudis and Houthis. Israel bulldozes more villages in southern Lebanon. The US continues to mull an export ban on diesel fuel. German Bundestag agrees to cut fuel taxes.

10x10 (13. 829)

danse macabre: a detailed and comprehensive exploration of the allegorical art genre—see previously—via Web Curios 

taos hum: the transcendental art of Emil Bisstram was a lure to attract nuclear scientists to Los Alamos—see also 

háskólabíó: Iceland mourns the loss of another beloved glacier—see ptreviously  

glimpse 17775: JWST studies mysterious red dots seeding the early Cosmos, suggesting that they were “black hole stars” 

singularity syllabus: a helpful round-up of recent developments on the AI front 

💂‍♀️: an in depth explainer regarding the controversy over the UK royal guards’ bear-skin hats and their ursine origins  

summa lacticinorum: an 1477 treatise on cheese and dairy—via Strange Company  

they’re all good boys: the canine portraiture of Paolo Veronese that ultimately put him on the wrong side of the Inquisition 

infrasound: the source of the ultra-low frequency global hum that has baffled scientists may be the crashing of waves—see also  

νεῶν κατάλογος: an interactive site of the Achaean fleet epically described in Homer’s Iliad—via Kottke—see also

u2 (13. 828)

On this day in 1976, young drummer Larry Mullen, Jr, then fourteen years old, posted a note seeking bandmates on the notice board of the Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin he was attending. Mullen was joined by vocalist fellow pupils Paul David Hewson, better known by the stage name Bono, and brothers David (The Edge) and Dik Evans and Adam Clayton. They initially called themselves “Feedback” and then “The Hype” before settling on the name suggested by punk singer, promoter and graphic artist Steve Averill (a friend of Clayton’s) in 1978, one of six options, liking its visual strength on posters and theoretical record cover art and the choice they disliked least. Within four years, the band had signed with a regional record label were playing large venues, releasing their debut studio album Boy, lead single below.

*    *    *    *    *

synchronoptica

one year ago: a new metric proposed for US government spending (with synchronoptica), on the brink of another American federal shutdown, Everybody Rides the Carousel (1976) plus more US military purges

two years ago: JFK’s Sword of Damocles speech to the UN, aggressive cuteness plus Those Were the Days 

three years ago: two decades plus of Everlasting Blört plus a Mario-Eminem mashup

four years ago: assorted links to revisit, the JWST eyes Neptune, more luxury bunkers plus exploring the inaccessible with elementary particles

five years ago: a Scissor Sisters’ hit, a Wagner classic, sneakers patterned off of vintage VHS packaging plus a visit to Gemünden am Main

six years ago: the first radio-controlled robot (1906), Facebook modelled itself off Big Tobacco plus something expressed in gesture alone

seven years ago: the first newspaper in the Americas, the downfall of Thomas Cook plus the US constitution’s Bill of Rights

eight years ago: Looney Tunes’ propaganda, the Rubik’s Cube plus misheard lyrics of a Star Wars anthem

 

day two hundred one (13. 827)

France pledges to send fighters to Saudi Arabia to help repel Houthi rebels as other members of the alliance, Türkiye and Pakistan, join for an emergency military planning meeting . US sanctions on the entire industry force Iran to cancel some international flights. Tehran’s hardliners express anger and disappointment with Araqchi over meeting directly with Witkoff to layout terms for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz while Pezeshkian says Iran wants America to return to the MoU before the midterm elections. Thousands of demonstrators protest the arrival of Netanyahu and the Israeli delegation in New York, calling for his arrest as a war criminal, causing the prime minister to fly home directly after his short speech to the UN. A judge orders that banned news outlets’ access to the White House to be restored as Trump hosts Xi for a lavish state dinner with tech CEOs.