day one-hundred-two (13. 497)

Initially unconvinced of the need for retaliatory strikes on Iran after the downing of a US Apache helicopter, unclear if the crash was really the result of enemy fire, Trump changed his mind over the possible Tonkin ghost, after talking with his military advisors and unironically channeling a 2000 clip from an episode of the West Wing regarding the virtue of a disproportional response, ordered targeting whilst Iran attacked US sites in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain. Other members of the US administration are downplaying the significance of their posture of self-defence, insisting that the ceasefire still holds.

synchronoptica

one year ago: the Bic Cristal (with synchronopticæ)

twelve years ago: a visit to Genoa

thirteen years ago: blockupy rallies, Italian traffic signs, a duty-free enclave, dragnet surveillance plus the city of Como 

fourteen years ago: conserving endangered sounds 

fifteen years ago: the Bilderberg conference 

seventeen years ago: a Roman holiday 

6x6 (13. 496)

epistolary: a profile of one of China’s last working Qiaopi writers (侨批) who sends letters and remittances to relatives overseas 

robert tyzyczhowzswiski is asking the court to change his cognomen: the trials and tribulations of legal stenographers—see also  

gonzo and camilla: revisiting emperor Honorius, chicken fancier  

inter esperantistoj; the undying dream of the universal language—see previously—via Web Curios  

post-hoc rationalisation: more lawyers get in trouble for reliance on AI 

fountain of knowledge: Japanese quiz culture was shaped by the post-war US occupation

day one-hundred-one (13. 495)

Israeli defence forces order a forced evacuation of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre ahead of impending airstrikes, as Trump promises that a deal with Iran is close and the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened in two or three days. Meanwhile Hezbollah officials urge Beirut to forge closer ties with Tehran and exit US-sponsored peace talks, which the paramilitary political party regards as a surrender. The IDF and Iran have called a separate truce to the fighting, contingent upon Israel refraining from further incursions into Lebanon—as the US administration admits that whilst Washington and Tel Aviv have many shared goals for peace in the Middle East, interests diverge at points and Israel has its own agenda beyond preventing Iranian nuclear ambitions.

unstable geometries (13. 494)

We appreciated the introduction to abstract artist Sanford Wurmfeld whose studies in shifting hues and tones across large scale grids explore the act of perception and mood as a function of the time it takes to look at something. His installations of cycloramas and wall-mounted works are methodical and precise and are to my mind the opposite of optical illusion—no trickery or fatigue which sets no mood. Crediting the works of Josef Albers and Mark Rothko as his influncers, Wurmfeld is considered a co-founder of the Hunter Colour School, a heuristic for the phenomenology of the transformative effect on the viewer. More from Hyperallergic at the link above and the artist’s website.

synchronoptica

one year ago: the death of Nero (with synchronopticæ) plus California national guard activated against the governor’s will

twelve years ago: a visit to Pisa 

thirteen years ago: returning from Lake Como 

fifteen years ago: credible sources plus gin and garnish

sixteen years ago: austerity measures in Germany plus oil spill impact zones

seventeen years ago: banking secrecy  

gated reverb (13. 493)

Celebrating accidental discoveries, Clive Thompson’s latest Linkfest explores how Phil Collins inadvertently invented the signature sound of 1980s drumming whilst in collaboration with Peter Gabriel, the artificial muffler quintessentially demonstrated in the iconic bridge to his “In the Air Tonight.” The natural reverberation of the percussion is clipped, booming and punchy but not bleeding into the next beat—something even the most skilled could not accomplish without the ambient audio processing technique, illustrating how mixing and sampling factors into the perceived purity of acoustics and record takes, like with the airbrushing and editing we expect for images nowadays. In addition to Collins’ solo career, the effect was also embraced by Prince, Psychedelic Furs, Kate Bush and Duran Duran, the effect eventually falling out of favour but experiencing a resurgence.

day one-hundred (13. 492)

For the first time since the April ceasefire was imposed, Israel and Iran exchange missile strikes, Tehran blaming Washington for recent breaches to the truce and citing Israeli strikes on Lebanon for the resumption of hostilities. Yemeni Houthis attempt to block Israeli flagged ships from transiting the Red Sea. Feared that the escalating tensions will cause the whole process to unwind and reignite the simmering conflict militarily, Qatari and Pakistani diplomats scramble to resume indirect talks. Trump urges Netanyahu not to retaliate against Iran, insisting that he is calling the shots and Israel will accept whatever deal the US reaches—Israel responds that that the job was not done and Iran has not been neutralised in its capacity to threaten the security of the region.

synchronoptica

one year ago: a landmark decision for US press freedom (with synchronopticæ),  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 

seventeen years ago: lost-and-found 

6x6 (13. 491)

common loon: one hundred greatest bird names—see previously—via Nag on the Lake  

continue y/n: test how carefully one reads AI agent requests and permission fatigue—via Quantum of Sollazzo  

weather rothkos: meteorologically up-to-date, location-based abstract art—via Web Curios  

the seduction of ingmar bergman: a concept album involving the abduction of the famed Swedish director pressed into making American cinema  

descartes against humanity: games reimagined as designed by philosophers  

apartment birds: recent avian visitors

days ninety-eight and ninety-nine (13. 490)

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 synchronopticæ) 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