7x7 (13.326)

a look at books: some new highlights from old library archives  

putt, putt to the pizza hut: though Gorbachev’s circumstances were quite different, the empire-ending spokesmen only to be believed in hindsight  

edinburgh of the seven seas: the very busy, remote settlement of Tristan da Cunha—see previously—via Nag on the Lake  

master editor: the inevitable ubiquity of AI writing 

koyaanisquatsi: a new visually stunning music video, Pattern Index, by Max Cooper—reminiscent of the subtitle  

whitey’s on the moon: we want to be excited about the return trip around the lunar surface but are thinking a lot about that poem and sentiment from the late-1970s and how everything’s propaganda and grift layered on heavily to get to the science  

unknown artist: a collection of Mid-Century Modern ephemera from Zara Picken—via Things magazine with much more to click through and enjoy

day thirty-nine (13. 325)

Though loath to give regular updates to the press outside of social media posts and interviews with softball outlets, Trump and Hegseth held a second briefing since the war began with twenty-four hours to go until his ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, seemingly unbothered about the consequences for the Middle East and broader worldwide economy to include potential for war crimes for wanton destruction of civilian infrastructure—dismissing the notion with whataboutism and saying having a nuclear weapon is a war-crime. Israeli Defence Forces are warning Iranians to avoid train travel, not waiting for Tuesday’s cut-off. Trump also used the occasion to reiterate his displeasure with NATO and allies in the Far East for their lack of help. Tehran rejected an earlier proffered forty-five day ceasefire, saying it wants a permanent resolution and guarantees that it won’t be attacked again, plus a withdrawal from Lebanon. The UN will revisit a modified proposal to patrol the vital waterway, short of military intervention. Alone in Iraq after other peacekeeping forces left, a dozen US soldiers are injured in an attack on a forward operating base in Erbil.

synchronoptica

one year ago: a 1933 law to restore the professional civil service (with synchronopticæ) plus Trump checked by investor uncertainty

thirteen years ago: honouring the service of small, disposable things, barge-camping plus East German electronic keyboards

fifteen years ago: more on Germany’s Energiewende 

sixteen years ago: concerns over CERN coming online 

seventeen years ago: Sarah Palin given another platform 

 

day thirty-eight (13. 324)

With both the Vatican and Islamic groups challenging Trump’s blasphemous Eastertide threats and missives, it is looking more like an independent ceasefire may come into effect as nations most reliant on Middle Eastern oil, like Japan and Australia negotiate with Iran directly to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as all what to extricate themselves from this crusade. Tehran, accused by human rights activists of using the war as cover for the execution of more political dissidents, is promising swift and severe retaliation if more civilian infrastructure is targeted, having already hinted at their underestimated capabilities with a missile launch on Diego Garcia, twice their known range, Houthi rebels in Yemen readied to close off access to the Suez canal and sleeper cells worldwide who’ve so far been quiet. Now waiting for the deadline for surrender, Israeli forces attack the South Pars petrochemical plant and gas fields and assassinated the Revolutionary Guards’ covert operations and intelligence chiefs.

synchronoptica

one year ago: the wonders of silica gel (with synchronopticæ), strange crafts plus Valencia’s Tribunal of the Waters

twelve years ago: slow television plus a visit to Bad Salzungen

thirteen years ago: a moveable feast 

fourteen years ago: Easter salutations 

fifteen years ago: revolutions in the Middle East plus the Virgin Oceanic

störmthaler see iii (13.223)

Returning to Leipziger Neuseeland for the long Easter weekend and staying at a familiar campsite on the shore of an artificial lake created from the former open-cast lignite mine of Epsenhain. 

 Revisiting a seafood restaurant in the Kahnsdorfer lagoon, we got to see the serving-robot in action (see above)—though mainly a extra tray and probably a more ubiquitous feature in most gastronomical venues, in was pretty good at avoiding obstacles like the diners and other waitstaff—as well as the largest windpark in Germany straddling farmland on the Autobahn from Saxon-Anhalt to Saxony and adjacent the largest photovoltaic array in the shadows of the former cooling towers of Kernkraftwerk Lippendorf. 

We also explored the towns of Borsdorf and Panitzch on the Partheau, historically serving as toll stations along the main route from Leipzig to Dresden and presently part of the city’s Green Ring, a corridor to encourage biking from the suburbs and wetland reclamation project to mitigate flooding.

day thirty-seven (13. 322)

Slovakia joins Hungary demanding that the EU lift sanctions on Russian fuel as Tehran dismisses Trump’s deadline as more empty bluster and buffing. After a two day extraction mission, the US rescues the surviving crew member from a downed jet deep within Iranian territory. Trump issues an abuse and sacrilegious laden missive, promising again to unleash holy hell, first reserved for power plants, then civilian infrastructure on day two, “Praise be to Allah“ if Iran fails to open up the Strait of Hormuz, which the US insists it does not want or need. Israeli-American airstrikes hit petrochemical facilities in Iran, as counterattacks continue to bring refinery operations offline in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait. Israeli bombardment in Beirut’s suburbs depopulate the south as residents flee the fighting.

the soiling of old glory (13. 321)

The Pulitzer prize winning image, captured on this day in 1976 by Boston Herald photographer Stanley Forman, who was the only recipient to be awarded the honour consecutively also for his Fire Escape Collapse, depicts a violent assault during the Massachusetts capital’s desegregation crisis of public schools. From a series of protests and counterdemonstrations in front of city hall, the image depicts professor, defence attorney and civil rights activist Ted Landsmark being attacked by a teenager named Joseph Rakes with a swinging flagpole as opposed to a joust from the angle of the photograph. Rakes was convicted for assault with a deadly weapon and carries the stigma of being known as “the flag kid,” and Landsmark, narrowly avoiding being seriously injured parlayed the incident, the scene widely publicised, to highlight racial tensions in the region and was later hired by the mayor to improve outreach and workforce development opportunities.

synchronoptica

one year ago: First Contact (with synchronopticæ) plus a font based on the typeface on the almighty dollar

twelve years ago: Emoji Nation, recent additions to the French lexicon, little big world plus an aerial archaeological survey of German landscapes

thirteen years ago: miniature dioramas 

fourteen years ago: cyber security 

sixteen years ago: enhanced pat-downs 

day thirty-six (13. 320)

Permanent members of the UN security council France, Russian and China have rejected the Bahraini proposal for military intervention to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as some ships are granted safe passage, including Japanese and French flagged vessels—unclear what negotiations are taking place. Tehran rejects a US request for a forty-eight hour Easter armistice as a rescue mission is underway for the pilot of a crashed advanced F-35 E fighter jet that originated from RAF Lakenheath brought down in Iranian territory by a missile. Following a massive joint US-Israeli airstrike on the campus of Iran‘s premier university, Trump reminds that time is running out on his extended ultimatum, promising that unless shipping lanes are restored ”all hell will rain down on them—glory be to God!“

synchronoptica

one year ago: music from the Meat Department collective (with synchronopticæ), assorted links worth the revisit plus an appreciation of Bob Fosse

thirteen years ago: camouflage for facial identification 

fourteen years ago: taxation treaties plus a solution for the eurozone currency crisis

fifteen years ago: the toll of unemployment 

day thirty-five (13. 319)

As the United Nations security council debates a Bahraini resolution to safeguard commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf, Iran is working with Oman to draft peacetime protocols for a toll scheme and the supervision of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the passage already open for Russian and Filipino tankers. US army chief of staff Randy George was dismissed and forced into immediate retirement, and Trump fires attorney general Pam Bondi, saying she is transitioning to a “much needed and important new job in the private sector” as his cabinet reshuffle continues. The White House accidentally uploads a speech by Trump given to a private audience of guests during an Easter luncheon, admitting his monarchical aspirations, frustrations and impatience, admitting that there is no money left daycare or healthcare subsidies, which should be made a responsibility of state governments.  The video was taken down but not before it was widely circulated. Targeting civilian infrastructure, the US claims responsibility for destroying the largest bridge in Iran following threats days before to bomb the country “back to the stone ages” if no deal is reached, despite ongoing confusion about negotiating parties.

synchronoptica

one year ago: assorted links worth revisiting (with synchronopticæ), Mars attacks, US tariff rates set by AI plus poor pronunciation

twelve years ago: proto-Putin Verstehers plus spy vs spy

thirteen years ago: the Red Army Faction and the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon 

fourteen years ago: UK debates restrictions on freedom of movement plus justice for those subjected to force labour building railways for the Nazis