synchronoptica
one year ago: a landmark decision for US press freedom (with synchronopticรฆ), ICE raids in Los Angeles, more on dazzle camouflage plus trees evolved to survive lighting strikes
twelve years ago: Da Vinci’s birthplace, St Uncumber plus a visit to Cinque Terra
fourteen years ago: Robin Hood tax plus pseudo buttons
fifteen years ago: irrational economics
Glomming on to another crisis whipped into a social media frenzy, US secretary of war Pete Hegseth used the observation of the anniversary of D-Day speaking from the beaches at Normandy to cast aspersions on liberated Europe over its immigration policy and courting cultural erasure with another sort of invasion. 
Whilst Pakistani diplomats continue to work behind the scenes, talks seemingly remain stalled—though American has ostensibly entertained the idea of paying reparations to Tehran, Washington is also floating the idea of confiscating Iranian assets to fund reconstruction projects for gulf nation allies who have sustained losses during the conflict. Pope Leo condemns the adventure as a unjust war.
synchronoptica
one year ago: Psycho Killer (with synchronopticรฆ) plus a sign post forest
fourteen years ago: Friday afternoon crises plus German fiscal solidarity
fifteen years ago: German chancellor awarded the US Freedom medal
sixteen years ago: the chemical topography of Saturn plus performer Tom Jones
one year ago: curating the Apocalypse (with synchronopticรฆ) plus Elton John’s debut album
fifteen years ago: misused tools plus macroeconomic woes
sixteen years ago: the year of the Tiger
Hezbollah categorically rejects US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and its unspecified pilot security zones. Putin rebuffs Zelenskyy’s request for an in-person meeting with the Russian ruler to bring about settlement to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Amid frustration and lack of progress over the extension of a truce and restoration of maritime traffic in the Persian gulf, American and Iranian forces continue to exchange fire, with more attacks on US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Discovered in late March by a family of three whilst investigating a small brush fire on their property on Fort George Island, Florida, the bowling ball sized spherical object weighing ten kilograms was first thought to be an artefact of New World conquistadors, a canon ball, despite discrepancies in the metallurgy and general pristine state. 
Before consigning the object to a trunk, brought out occasionally to show friends and neighbours the curiosity, family members reportedly observed the sphere reacting to the sound of guitar playing, rolling about on its own and following people around the house. Though earlier examination by the US navy concluded that the sphere was nothing more than an oversized ball bearing used as a check valve in a paper mill, the Betz’ find was again the subject of study on this day in 1974 of attendees of a scientific conference sponsored by the National Enquirer, the tabloid offering an honorarium for any object proven to come from outer space. The expert panel agreed with the previous assessment though the lore persisted for decades, the sphere’s movements ultimately attributed (see also) to its machined balance and the unevenness of the Betz’ home.
synchronoptica
one year ago: assorted links worth the revisit (with synchronopticรฆ), seeing is not believing, graphic design of the Incas, Merz meets with Trump plus Musk and Trump’s public falling out
fourteen years ago: monster of the week
seventeen years ago: Friday afternoon deadlines
In a further rebuke of Trump’s stalled negotiations to end the war with Iran—Tehran pulling out of negotiations altogether over IDF attacks in Lebanon despite the ceasefire and a reported spat between the US president and his Israeli counterpart who views his fighting in Beirut as another obstacle to peace after committing to the joint venture, several GOP representatives have split with their party to joint the Democratic slight minority and pass the war powers act in congress. 
Though still pending veto-proof assent by the senator and mostly symbolic as whilst the legislative branch has the sole authority to declare war, there is probably little it could do to stop Trump from directing his military with the pretext of imminent threat, the legislation’s ultimate passage after eleven attempts, seven times it failed to reach a floor vote, blocked by the house speaker is significant and does signal Republicans’ break with the president, earlier demonstrated with their rejection of Trump’s anti-weaponisation slush fund to reward loyalists and senators withholding extra funds for his East Wing ballroom.
synchronoptica
one year ago: the foundations of Venice (with synchronopticรฆ), a Ukrainian sneak attack deep inside of Russia plus a revival of The Weather Channel
fourteen years ago: EU debt-to-GDP
