sounds about white (12. 984)

In contrast to last year’s officer holder, Pantone’s Colour of the Year (see previously—it’s truly not an annual tradition to keep a close eye on, though in this case, it’s not just the lower the stakes, the stronger the conviction) of Cloud Dancer seems a rather bland, neutral choice at first blush and a reversal of its previous pick of “Mocha Mousse” (someone said 2025: poop 2026: toilet paper) but then an interesting one given the political climate in the US specifically and has instead courted controversy, given the election of Trump to a second term, accidental Nazi salutes, immediate assaults on programmes working towards diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility both in the federal government and then followed by private industry, revisionist histories including erasure of Black contributions and America’s past of slavery, enabling racial-profiling and unleashing armies of immigration officers on cities to terrorise people whom appear to have non-caucasian heritage, freezing immigration while offering refugee status to Afrikaners and the courts again set to hear the administration’s argument in favour of overturning birthright citizenship, just focusing on the solely racist actions. It seems the trend institute was not just throwing in the proverbial towel—though we contend that they well could have just been calling it in with the selection and exalted copy sounding suspiciously machine-generated.

synchronoptica

one year ago: America’s first electric vehicle (with synchronopticæ), celebrating a century of Dick van Dyke, St Ambrose, the fallout of AI replacing hyperlinks plus Scrooge’s tombstone

fourteen years ago: US state department announces it will no longer tolerate homophobia plus an end-of-the-year-figure-with-wings

fifteen years ago: disingenuous transparency 

sixteen years ago: COP 15 plus cable conglomerate to acquire NBC

trans erasure (12. 983)

More despicable and insulting than the childish substitution of the official portrait of Joe Biden with a crude picture of an auto-pen, in the gallery of past leaders of the US Health and Human Services department—a cabinet-level agency of the executive branch focused on public health—the former assistant secretary and surgeon general of the preventative medical corps, Admiral Rachel Levine, appointed by Biden, has been dead-named with an altered caption under her picture—to, according to Alabama urologist and current director, to ensure that the HHS both internally and externally reflect a gold standard of science guided by biological realities.

in pursuit of a more perfect union (12. 965)

Via Web Curios, we are directed towards another superb dataviz bit of scrollytelling from The Pudding tracking all instances of when the word “democracy” has been entered into the US congressional record from 1880 to the present—with threats thereto highlighted in shocking pink. Passage through the years on legislative transcripts show the changing ways the concept is debated and upheld with ample contextual call-outs for significant shifts in posture responding to war, reform, civil rights and enemies, foreign and domestic.

quiet piggy (12. 963)

The misogynist rhetoric directed towards female politicians and journalists is nothing new and Trump does not have a monopoly on using disparaging words that translate into actual violence—and whilst wishing that the media would stop hanging on his every demented utterance and thus dignifying his addled, hateful invectives, we do hope that every reporter in the press pool is crafting their response of a colourful epithet, an insult to lob back that if it doesn’t get them arrested would at least result in a ban from the White House, something which the outlets have already signalled their willingness to give up (see previously) with what would be the most withering to these monsters by starving them of attention—and betrays a real weakness of character and a vulnerability to shield from the public at all costs. I’ve got my duly vulgar aspersion to cast on the non-zero chance that I would get called on to use it. What’s your prepared statement? Senator Mark Kelly has entered the chat. Not to psychoanalyse broken, small characters, but we suspect that Trump’s attacks against competent women—and their reception by his base, splintering as it is—is due in large part to the fact he’s only ever beaten female challengers for the presidency, those pyrrhic “victories” not without contention, so much winning, and feels denied the chance of a worthy opponent to trounce.

9x9 (12. 962)

content without context: think twice before making that AI generated video—especially featuring a cameo of yourself 

things that aren’t doing the thing: anticipation is not the same as execution 

dead wood: the evolution, anatomy and biological system of our tree friends  

lightbox: TIME magazine’s photos of the year  

inbox: a clever way of researching and processing the tranches of email released by the Epstein estate with an interface that’s like going through one’s own account from Like Igel and Riley Walz (previously)—via Web Curios  

traceroute: an overview of how the series of tubes work 

the dog’s pyjamas: dressing up canines has a longer history than one might expect—via Strange Company  

never break the chain: streaks are important motivators and one should pair new habits and practise with “micro-versions” to avoid feeling derailed 

$spsc: Trump’s World Liberty Financial (see previously) promotes another shock token as a legitimate store of wealth

synchronoptica

one year ago: assorted links to revisit (with synchronopticæ) plus the discovery of the first pulsar (1967)

fourteen years ago: sociologist Jürgen Habermas on post-democratic Europe 

fifteen years ago: more flea market finds plus security theatre and a crackdown on counterfeits 

10x10 (12. 899)

linguistic fossils: an exercise in autocomplete, eight English words only used for very specific circumstances 

elevated concerns: locations in Greater London above sea level and how those heights compare to countries existentially threatened by rising waters 

new meme format just dropped: the surprisingly cordial meeting between Trump and new New York City mayor Mamdani—“go ahead and call me a fascist—it’s easier, it’s easier than explaining—I don’t mind”  

the long game: US federal judge rules that Meta’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp are not anticompetitive 

terra firma: a few modest proposals to rename our home planet  

squirearchy: the economy and governance of Hobbiton, which seems fifty-percent dependent on upper-class failsons—via Super Punch  

petsmart: Shanghai-based domestic animal supply store will close all physical stores after a year-long retail experiment 

home of the gnomes: a charming, anachronistic “Hansel and Gretel” cottage in New York City—via Strange Company  

houndsditch: Gustave Doré’s illustrations of the East End crocodile tears: the origin and spread of the oft-detested response “no worries”

synchronoptica

one year ago: high concept art (with synchronopticæ) plus assorted links to enjoy

twelve years ago: neuter and neutral plus limits on executive pay in Switzerland

thirteen years ago: talking turkey plus WWI day-by-day  

fourteen years ago: an insulation upgrade 

sixteen years ago: droid flu 

now i work at the pizza pizza (12. 897)

Designated as dictator Francisco Franco’s personal successor in 1969 with hopes that the young royal (the heir apparent created as Prince of Spain rather than with the traditional title of Prince of Asturias) could be groomed to maintain the authoritarian and ultra-conservation nature of the four-decades regime and ensure continuity, Juan Carlos Victor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias was crowned king on this day in 1975, following the death of Franco two days prior. Although an oath of allegiance to Movimiento Nacional was a prerequisite of the succession and publicly Juan Carlos seemed to support Franco, lending an air of legitimacy to ceremonially state functions, to the displeasure of liberal opposition and hardline republicans alike who hoped that the impending passing of Franco would mean an end to his reforms, the future monarch held secret meetings with political exiles and advocates in the resistance movement. Proclaimed by the Cortes Españolas, the legislative institution established by Franco, the court assuming a nominal parliamentary role under the unitary executive and gradually, against expectations, began the transition back to democracy along with the third restoration of the House of Bourbon—see also—within the realm. In June of 2014, Juan Carlos I abdicated the throne in favour of his son Felipe (with consent of the congress of deputies and the senate) over a simmering fiasco regarding a hunting safari and alleged embezzling in a period that also saw three other European monarchs resign, Pope Benedict XVI, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Albert II of Belgium. Retired from public life five years after his abdication, Juan Carlos is referred to as rey emérito.

synchronoptica

one year ago: UN recognises Palestinians’ right to self-determination in 1974 (with synchronopticæ), the Orange Revolution plus experimental xenotransplations

thirteen years ago: the Russian language translation of The Hobbit 

fourteen years ago: extraterrestrials and Earth customs 

sixteen years ago: IKEA seasonal mulled-wine 

discharge petition (12. 890)

Following the release of a tranche of incriminating emails and documents last week from the estate of disgraced financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and with Trump’s unexpected reversal (suspect and perhaps an attempt at normalising such abusive behaviour or over-confidence that all the right records were purged, denying justice for victims and survivors) on his stance that the growing movement was a hoax perpetrated by his Democratic opposition to discredit him and acquiescing to full disclosure, both chambers of the US legislature voted (we had some fear that the process would be pre-empted by a declaration of war)—with near unanimity, four hundred and twenty-seven to one congress members agreeing, even with the staunchest hold-outs, like house speaker Mike Johnson flipping and the senate fast-tracking the bill without a formal vote. The bill, the Epstein Files Transparency Act, will now go to the desk of the president to sign into law (something which Trump could have directed at any time without being compelled by congress), requiring the attorney general to disclose all records and investigative material not subject to classification, reserving the right to withhold information that might jeopardise on-going investigations or involuntarily out the identity of victims.

10x10 (12. 889)

trip hop: frustrated with his limited role in Massive Attack, Tricky embarked on his independent project Maxinquaye  

chud atlantis: more regional car-dealership rococo from McMansion Hell  

linguistic zombie hunting: a revival of the old prescriptivist superstition against ending a sentence with a preposition and the grammarians that support it 

state capture: the revolving door between government and industry creating the post-democratic world order—via Quantum of Sollazzo 

♾️ series: visual proofs that 1/4 + 1/16 + 1/64 + 1/256… yields ⅓  

circlesquare: filmmaker Jaron Albertin’s rather disturbing music video for “Seven Minutes” 

artful dodger: Victorian mugshots of juvenile offenders—via Nag on the Lake  

stay puft: some facts all about marshmallows sealab: project Tektite and experimenting with submerged human habitats  

giscardpunk: Fifth Republic techno-futurism reimagined—see previously 

synchronoptica

one year ago: farming by lottery (with synchronopticæ) plus assorted links to revisit

twelve years ago: coded correspondence

thirteen years ago: Thanksgiving salutations  

fourteen years ago: Bretton Woods and monetary unions 

fifteen years ago: privacy and Google Maps plus trade unions and Ricardian economics

legislation considered pursuant to a rule (12. 875)

Following Sunday night’s vote in the senate which saw eight political safe Democrats side with Republicans to overcome the filibuster threshold on a bill to reopen the US federal government after a stalemate of over forty days, in exchange for the protecting the right of the Government Accountability Office to sue the president for misappropriation of funds against the wishes of congress and a hollow promise to vote on whether to extend expiring health care subsidies (citing hardships and potential ruined holidays that were nonetheless being redressed by other means), which was the instigator of the standoff in the first place and now seems all for nothing, a self-own when the Democrats were ahead with their strategy and rather chuffed over a slate of election victories, the measure was returned to the house of representatives, recalling them from a recess of seven weeks to avoid the swearing in of an Arizona member whose vote in favour of releasing the Epstein files could force the matter to be brought to a floor vote, despite the speaker’s directive. Congress was recalled, again delaying the swearing in of the new representative and focusing on the legislation that they were just handed, with the bi-partisan oversight committee releasing a tranche of new documents, including some rather incriminating emails that refute Trump’s claim over a split with the pedophile and disgraced financial fixer. Whilst members on both sides of the aisle are enraged about postponing the discharge petition, it has also come to light Ghislaine Maxwell, already serving her sentence in a minimum security, is seeking a full commutation for her crimes. The president for his first meaningful interaction with the legislative branch outside of approving cabinet nominations, has cleared his schedule to sign the continuing resolution once it reaches his desk. The house is set to vote later in the afternoon but the entire ordeal is poised to repeat at the end of January when funding again runs out and it remains unclear whether the bill will pass, the Republican caucus only able to suffer no more than three defections and a provision to outlaw hemp-based products may cause some from agricultural states who have grown reliant on this industry to vote against the measure as it stands and torpedo its chances.

9x9 (12. 872)

climate change is no longer a threat of the future—it is a tragedy of the present: COP30 opens in Belém at the edge of the Amazon rainforest  

splice: following resignations, Trump threatens to sue BBC for one billion dollars over January Sixth documentary  

french windows: the animation of Ian Emes that defined Pink Floyd’s signature visual style 

epoch and era: geologists reject the Anthropocene age but it is still a valuable lens for understanding our present and future  

industrial organisation: the perpetuated belief that vertical monopolies and monopsonies are good for the consumer  

victory is mine again trebek: a clip reel of a Jeopardy! category  

so you’ve been bitten by a radioactive spider: a survival guide for the Marvel universe 

punt: anything other than a clear CR, US senate concludes debate and return the bill to congress for passage to reopen the federal government—including provisions for members to seek half-a-million dollars in compensation for having their phones searched for the January Sixth investigation (plus more pardons) and a ban on hemp  

money talks: Bill Gates apparently reverses stance on near-term emission reduction goals

synchronoptica

one year ago: AI espionage (with synchronopticæ), RFK Jr’s future role in Trump’s cabinet plus the lead narrows in the US congress

thirteen years ago: toothpaste for dinner, the architecture of choice plus making an animated gif

fourteen years ago: double-eleven 

sixteen years ago: new wheels 

in re (12. 871)

The US supreme court unanimously rejected a bid to reverse its 2015 landmark decision on the case Obergefell v Hodges, turning away an appeal “without comment” launched by the former Kentucky county clerk who declined to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples despite the ruling. The registrar, Kim Davis, was fired for contempt in not discharging her duties and lost a bid for re-election but appears not to have had legal standing in her petition. And whilst a relief that the Roberts court apparently found some spare stare decisis and the judicial fortitude to uphold precedent and settled law, select justices are likely passing on this bigoted loon and shopping for a better plaintiff to annul gay marriage at the altar of religious convictions.

9x9 (12. 865)

amor fati: Fredrich Nietzsche’s philosophy (previously) of passing on engagement can break the cycle of polarisation without becoming disengaged and nihilistic 

the memes of production: the internet reacts to Zohran Mamdani’s mayorial win in New York City  

unpaving paradise: an urban greening game to optimise replacing parking spaces in Berlin with trees  

№: why number is English is abbreviated n-o 

no springs: a hypnotic video of manufacturing robots politely waiting their turn in the assembly process—see also  

alive internet theory: a seance with the vibrant web and all its expressive artefacts against the countervailing argument it has become overrun by bots—see also—via Waxy 

gathering wool: online apparel retailers in China employ oversized hangtags to curb high return rates  

hatch act violation: US federal judge rules administration overstepped its bounds by inserting partisan blaming into furloughed government employees’ out-of-office autoreplies  

bleak outlook: astronomical survey deposits galaxy could be riddled with the artefacts of long dead alien civilisations that could avoid destroying themselves—we suppose that depends on what sort of religion they develop—see also, see previously—via MetaFilter

synchronoptica

one year ago: a monument to the Armenian diaspora (with synchronopticæ), the Carrington count, backstage customs plus US presidential numbering

fourteen years ago: food and drink prohibited plus Inventors’ Day

flow control (12. 859)

Due to the ongoing US government shutdown with thousands of air-traffic controllers compelled to work as emergency essential employees for delayed pay—once appropriations are approved but have already gone seven weeks without a pay cheque, having to pay for transportation, childcare and manage all other household finances without income—the strain the situation is putting on staff, the Federal Aviation Administration is executing a phased plan to reduce scheduled flights at forty metropolitan hubs, the country’s busiest by up to ten percent. Whilst this will alleviate some of the pressure on employees who are calling out over sheer exhaustion and inability to afford to make the commute to the airport, we don’t suspect that this manufactured crisis, following on from several others that the Republicans and administration refuses to own, will cause the Democrats to cave and concede to reopening the government for a short stint of a few weeks until the stalled continuing resolution runs out again on 21 November. It is a pain point and makes for dramatic reporting and the flying public—only about twenty percent of the population—if they do travel, travel during the upcoming holidays, potentially disrupting a percentage of planned vacations and reunions, but Democrats did not fold over the prospect of military service members going unpaid or nutrition supplements running out and certainly won’t for the inconvenience of some when there’s more at stake. Besides the administration found solutions, albeit temporary and of questionable legality for those other problems they caused and expect to get praise for fixing them—only prolonging the shutdown, cobbling together for optics and vital services so the majority of the public remains in splendid isolation and cushioned from the effects of a dysfunctional and indentured federal workforce.

capricious and mercurial (12. 854)

Though the US supreme court has during its shadow docket reliably sided with president, at least on a provisional basis, over the past several months, for the justices’ first properly vetted and argued case regarding the legality of Trump’s imposition of tariffs through a 1977 emergency powers act—not mentioning trade or embargo—is marked with scepticism and seemingly signals in the midst of the longest shutdown of the federal government and the Democrats winning several special elections a referenda on the hallmarks of Trump’s economic and foreign policy agendas, not to mention his style magisterial style of governance that has dulled the enumerated powers of the judiciary and legislature. Although much of the opening argument was given over to definitions, semantics and pragmatics and whether the major questions doctrine of the court, a statutory interpretation of the law that issues of major political or fiscal importance holding that congressional powers cannot be delegated to the executive—cited when clawing back the initiatives of student loan forgiveness under Joe Biden over the hundred billion dollar discharge though its applicability and precedent questioned over potentially trillions, the case does not address more fundamental questions whether tariffs are themselves an effective foreign policy tool privileged as they are over the regular channels of diplomacy and negotiation for attracting international investment and reshoring given the turmoil and chaos that such vacillations are inspiring, an productive instrument of national security for stemming drug-trafficking or even a constructive way of generating revenue for the treasury given that they are effectively a tax on US consumers—again the defence for the US government deflecting the scope of the case by saying that the monies made are “only incidental,” not convincing the panel of judges. Deliberations could take a month—rather swift by the court’s standards as the administration has demanded that this case be expedited.

we did it, zoh (12. 852)

Progressive Democratic Socialist candidate Zohran Mandami wins the New York City mayoral race—with Californian voters also moving forward with a proposition allowing for redrawing congressional districts to boost Democratic seats ahead of next year’s mid-term elections, prompted by Republicans’ disenfranchisement in Texas and other jurisdictions. Democrats are also elected to governorships in Virginia and New Jersey.

patent pendency (12. 851)

A long established fact about the US Patent Office is its signature agnosticism regarding submissions and filings, only the competent authority of whether a proposal can be trademarked and copyrighted “to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries” and not a judge of an idea’s quality or utility, though happy to collect registration fees, with any surplus above overhead operating costs being diverted to the general Treasury. Accordingly we appreciated this context-free gallery—via Things Magazine—of the figures and schematics (for applications recently submitted—see previously). There’s something that defaults to a little sinister when trying to surmise what’s being conveyed in this illustrations. Of course the details behind the pictures and prototypes can be easily and fully researched on the registry. Examiners, whilst specialists in their respective fields, are not necessarily lawyers, whereas trademark attorneys field work involving intellectual property.   

halloween massacre (12. 846)

With echoes of Nixon’s purge from two years prior—with reporting identifying Donald Rumsfeld as instigator although Gerald Ford later claimed sole responsibility for the firings and expressed deep regret of his cowardice by conceding to ultraconservatives and not insisting it would be himself with Nelson Rockefeller “whatever the consequences”—the major cabinet shakeup of the administration—to redress clashing personalities and legislative priorities and palace intrigues among the staff occurred on this day in 1975,

with National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger ousted to be replaced by Brent Scowcroft (though remaining Secretary of State), CIA director William Colby swapped for George H W Bush, Chief of Staff Jame Schlesinger dismissed in favour of Rumsfeld’s protégé Dick Cheney, Rogers Morton out as the Secretary of Commerce for Elliot Richardson, whose resignation during the Saturday Night Massacre precipitated the crisis of confidence that compelled Nixon to step down, and the vice-president (see above) announcing he would no long seek reelection on the ticket. The personnel changes were effective the next morning on election day, an off-year but Ford was very present already on the ballots in anticipation of the 1976 presidential race. 

synchronoptica
one year ago: Kamala Harris and her avatar appear on SNL (with synchronopticæ) plus the Japanese instrument of surrender (1946)

thirteen years ago: footwear styles, the influence and legacy of Tetris plus competition for Germany’s national rail-carrier

fourteen years ago: The Tin Drum Song 

fifteen years ago: legislative gridlock, US political theatre plus the Foundation X conspiracy

seventeen years ago: an unbirthday celebration 

8x8 (12. 842)

dressed like a priest you was, tod browning’s freak you was: the long legacy of the 1932 pre-code sideshow feature that still prompts discussion on exploitation and othering  

never throw out anything that might be useful: a thoroughgoing interview with author Margaret Atwood (previously) ahead of the publication of her new memoir  

tactical infrastructure: proposed US legislation to open up public lands and national parks to commercial development and harvesting if any part of the designated space abuts borders as a buffer-zone  

grandfather clause: the brevity of the fifteenth amendment to the US constitution belies its impact on voting rights—and shows America has endured such disenfran-chisement before

bee positive: our pollinator friends have the capacity to experience happiness and its contagious—via Strange Company  

they’re simultaneously launching a new game where you get to do chores in a stranger’s house: twenty-thousand dollar humanoid robot fails to preform tasks autonomously and requires teleoperation—see previously—via Super Punch  

let them eat cake: while millions of Americans face hardships due to a lapse in food aid and skyrocketing health insurance premiums during the furlough, Trump remodels the Lincoln Bathroom, plus the Great Gatsby-themed party on the patio that was formerly the Rose Garden at Mar-a-Lago

gorgon: for her annual fancy dress party, Heidi Klum dressed as Medusa—inspired by Ray Harryhausen’s stop-motion monster for Clash of the Titans

synchronoptica

one year ago: assorted links worth revisiting (with synchronopticæ), research vessel R/P FLIP, Alphabet sued by Russia, character amnesia plus a fan super site on Super Mario lore

thirteen years ago: November holidays plus animal crossings

fourteen years ago: dream therapy, liveable communities plus malleable memes

fifteen years ago: America votes 

8x8 (12. 839)

house of dynamite: Trump’s call to resume nuclear weapons testing—on hiatus since 1992—throws Washington into chaos 

trick-or-treat: Illinois governor calls for Halloween armistice on ICE raids in Chicago 

fяiends: an AI generated montage of the show is an accidental Lynchian fever dream  

monster-palooza: the musical stylings of Verne Langdon as amanuensis for the vampire at the harpsicord  

gold ¼ starter: ancient Celtic coin discovered near Leipzig  

mister mountbatten windsor: Prince Andrew stripped of all styles and evicted from the Royal Lodge over his association with Jeffrey Epstein 

7 500: Trump lowers refugee admissions cap with priority for white South Africans—see previously  

nuclear option: Trump urges senate to end the filibuster rule to reopen US federal government without Democrats 

synchronoptica

one year ago: a Halloween tragedy from 1974 that ruined trick-or-treating for everyone (with synchronopticæ) plus ghoulish ABBA

twelve years ago: US scolds Germany and Japan for their economic policy 

thirteen years ago: forever chemicals in outdoor wear, catastrophic weather events, in praise of Wikipedia plus Disney to acquire the Star Wars franchise

fourteen years ago: more debates about daylight savings time 

sixteen years ago: Halloween and the Swine Flu 

seventeen years: what’s scary this spook season