Thursday 2 March 2017

moonshot

According to an announcement by SpaceX CEO and visionary Elon Musk, a manned-mission to the Moon will take place next year. The craft will not land but rather loop around the dark side of the Moon and make several passes, skimming close to the surface—close enough to fill the entire cockpit’s view with the lunar landscape. Two space “tourists” who’ll have much more than a passive role as astronauts are in training already and are fully committed. As exciting as this mission will be in its own right, it more importantly paves the way for future missions and significantly brings down the cost and cruises in space may in a few years be within all our aspirations.

minifigs, hidden figures

NPR reports that some of the pioneering women of the US space agency will be celebrated in Lego form, thanks to the perseverance of science writer Maia Weinstock.
Meant to inspire a deeper inspection of the role of women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM fields), the minifigs include Mae Jemison, the first African American astronaut, Nancy Grace Roman, chief astronomer behind the Hubble Space Telescope, Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, and computer scientist Margaret Hamilton (who recently had her story told in the film Hidden Figures) who contributed significantly to the Apollo Moon landings.

Wednesday 1 March 2017

merrily we roll along

Our faithful chronicler, Doctor Caligari, informs that among the notable events that have occurred on this day, considered the first day of the new year from Roman times onwards—the hints of Spring coming being a natural point for new beginnings, in 1946 the Castle Bravo hydrogen bomb was detonated on the island known afterwards a Bikini Atoll, in 1971 the Weather Underground detonated a bomb in a restroom in the US Capitol, and in 1978 two ransomers kidnapped the corpse of Charlie Chaplin. Incidentally, in case you’re new to the site, the number at the bottom of recent entries is a countdown until the next opportunity to unseat Dear Leader democratically.

oui on peut

There’s an active campaign to encourage Barack Obama to stand in France’s up-coming, contentious election that’s garnered an impressive amount of support, considering that Obama, not being a French citizen, could not actually be appointed to high-office. I recall after Bill Clinton left the White House, there was the same suggestion, although in that case, it was a bit more within the realm of possibility. Being a native of Arkansas, one of the territorial gains of the US from the Louisiana Purchase, Clinton could have actually run and serve if elected, as can citizens of former colonies—and no, Kenya was under the yoke of Imperial German and Britain.

muni-fi or mind the gap

Before legislation was introduced in Germany that made owners of unsecured WiFi liable for the actions (the moral panic of piracy mostly) of anonymous users, I remember that public internet or neighbours having unsecured internet connections that one could glom on to was fairly common-place, but for the past several years it’s becoming more and more rare.
Even in cafes and hotels, it’s rarely offered or even available. Law-makers are now, however, considering overturning this rule (DE/EN) and declare that individuals and businesses with open-access cannot be held to be responsible for the conduct of every passer-by. The goal of this change of mind is to bring the country up to speed with its neighbours (whom are making greater strides) when it comes to levelling the digital-divide (Digitale-Kluft) by making free internet more widely available and encouraging neighbourhoods to unlock their connections again.  Data and volume have grown remarkably cheaper, but for those without means, those costs, nominal as they are, are still dear.

logotype

Via Kottke, we introduced to a comprehensive graphic design resource, Logobook, that has collected and meticulously categorised over five thousand imprints, emblems, and symbols.
They’re overwhelmed with an embarrassment of submissions but will eventually be taking the ideas of individuals to add to their catalogue. In an age where everything can be filed under miscellaneous, we especially appreciated the specificity of the search parameters that’s sure to make it effortless to build the right cohesive corporate image.

7x7

cabin-brew: brewery formulates a beer that’s optimised for enjoyment whilst flying

dynamo: the Earth core and magnetic field is powered by the crystallization of silicon dioxide

faster empire, strike, strike: a clever fan made a modern trailer for Star Wars Episode V

the night Chicago died: the story of how angry white men tried to destroy disco

lift every voice and sing: the lost, forgotten artwork of Augusta Savage

wiphala: the strikingly colourful mansions of La Paz

momofuku: a visit to the Cup Noodles museum in Japan