table manners (13. 285)

Though admittedly sometimes we practise with the wooden, break-apart pair included with store-bought sushi that includes a brief guide, like those napkins that one used to find in Greek and Italian restaurants that included a vocabulary lesson for native pleasantries to exchange with the waitstaff (one doesn’t find them so often any more), we knew we were doing it wrong and would never assay such behaviour during an authentic meal unless by limited utensils and were not prepared this extensive list, courtesy of MetaFilter, of breaches of etiquette that one can commit with chopsticks (箸, はし in Kana and pronounced as hashi). Dating back to antiquity with their first archeological evidence as cooking implements, the use of chopsticks spread with Confucian philosophy as civilised and refined with the modern aphorism that whereas knives are for the slaughterhouse and battle, chopsticks are for scholars—so called grand chopsticks (料理箸, ryōribashi) used for preparation rather than eating are longer and also measure temperature as a property of bamboo by their sounds or silence during frying. Whilst not intended as prescriptive or shame-inducing but rather as cultivating eating as an art and act of reverence, there are orders of precedence, using the serving implements, not double-dipping and many others, including the pictured transgression called ogamibashi (拝み箸), it being considered rude to hold one’s chopsticks during the expression of thanks (itadakimasu, いただきます) for what one is about to receive, the equivalent (though more nuanced as a recognition of humility rather than hierarchy and that one’s needs have a larger meaning) of having one’s knife and fork at the ready during grace.

day twenty-one (13. 279)

As Tehran marks the celebration of Nowruz (previously), the Persian New Year, Israel continues airstrikes on the capital, Netanyahu speaking earlier to allay claims that he pressured the US to drop negotiations and enter into the fight, whilst suggesting that a ground component may be necessary to finish what they’ve started, “You cannot make a revolution from the air.” Also earlier, Hegseth spoke to the press pool, delivering a SITREP on the progress of the war, characterised as going swimming and ahead of schedule although still not offering much in the way of planning or objectives, meanwhile Trump hosted the Japanese prime minister in the Oval Office, one of the Asian countries he implored for military aid to secure the Strait of Hormuz. For her part, Takaichi explained to Trump that Japan’s ability for intervention and military deployment outside of its borders was curtailed constitutionally by the laws drafted for the country by the American occupying forces after World War II, maintaining her composure and playing to Trump’s interests even after a rather breathtakingly awkward political gaffe (see also) by the president, when asked by a Japanese reporter why the US attacked Iran without forewarning to its allies, joking about the importance of the element of surprise, something Japan ought to know about considering Pearl Harbour. Afterwards a gala dinner was held with guests including tech executives, cabinet members and donors like Miriam Adelson whose late husband advocated for nuclear strikes on Iran for the unveiling of a commemorative gold coin bearing Trump’s image to be minted for America’s upcoming two-hundred fiftieth birthday, approved by the US Commission of Fine Arts.

synchronoptica

one year ago: travel advisories for the US (with synchronopticæ), relative time, seismic activity in real time plus US suggest takeover of Ukrainian nuclear power plants

twelve years ago: an epic Finnish name generator 

thirteen years ago: digital restrictions management 

fourteen years ago: greenwashing, reunited Germany’s solidarity pact tariff plus tech platform comebacks 

fifteen years ago: patrolling Libya’s no-fly zone 

sixteen years ago: seasonal affective disorders 

day seventeen (13. 270)

Contrary to boasting that the war has already been won and telling a UK reluctant to enter this illegal war of choice, Trump is now calling for a coalition of nations to send battleships to protect the Strait of Hormuz and restart transit. Specifically calling out Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, the UK and France as reliant on unblocking this vital maritime artery, all of whom have reservations and are refusing to commit at this juncture—Britain is sending mine-sweeping drones—Trump says refusal to cooperate has dire implications for the future of the NATO alliance, only the latter two being members of the mutual defence pact, without cooperation, which is probably exactly the objective. Iran is calling the joint US-Israeli bombing of its oil infrastructure an act of ecocide and a war-crime.

synchronoptica

one year ago: an AI-enhanced Billy Bass (with synchronopticæ), rewilding one’s browsing experience plus DC socialite Pearl Meste

fifteen years ago: Germany debates discontinuing nuclear energy plus On the Beach

sixteen years ago: spring break hot spots and no-go zones

wm-9 (13. 211)

Via the always excellent Present /&/ Correct (check out their sundries), we enjoyed perusing this comprehensive archive that has catalogued over a thousand portable audio players—the Walkman introduced by Sony first in 1979 and manufactured through 2010 (see previously here, here, here and here) and courting many imitators and innovations over the years as a genericised trademark with many other competiting brands. We had find trying to hunt down a specific model we had and discovering along the way others, each entry having detailed specifications, notes on features, manuals, family-trees accessories and advertising.

❄️ (13. 147)

Reminding us of the collection of Vermont meteorologist Snowflake Bentley’s collection, we enjoyed discovering the volume Sekka Zusetsu (雪華図説) published in 1832 by the fourth daimyō of the Koga shogunate, representing two decades of careful observations of snow flowers (sekka, せっか) through the lens of his own microscope imported from the Netherlands. The book, originally privately printed for the feudal lord and his family and friends, was released to general readership soon thereafter in an expanded version with the patterns incorporated as motifs in porcelain and textiles (including decorative elements in local buildings, sidewalks and manholes) throughout Japan. More from Public Domain Review at the link above.

 synchronoptica

one year ago: Andean textiles (with synchronopticæ), demon mode/pious mode plus Wikipedia rabbitholes

twelve years ago: UN critical of the Vatican plus the tense backdrop of the opening of the Winter Games

thirteen years ago: repairing the Greek economy plus living in a computer simulation

fourteen years ago: the Queen’s diamond jubilee  

fifteen years ago: a drive through the Haßberge 

sixteen years ago: holiday overlap 

ōdako (13. 143)

Dedicated to a legendary giant octopus guarding a sacred sword at the bottom of the sea in the nearby Straits of Hayasui, the Hayasuhime shrine in Oita prefecture is unique Japan and popular with locals and prayed to for good fortune and safety on the water. Enshirement of a new deity recently crafted, however, was delayed due to neighbourhood cats, who used the cardboard sculpture as a scratching post and as a shelter during the winter cold and now installed, the sculptor may have found himself committed to an unending task of upkeep with these feline devotees. The kraken-like sea monster (see also) is called the Akkorokamui (アッコロカム) from Ainu folklore and has a variety of myths associated with it—a mostly benevolent kami in the Shinto tradition, it does have a chaotic side and must be approached carefully—much like a cat. More from Spoon & Tamago at the link up top.

 

synchronoptica

one year ago: real estate development plans for Gaza (with synchronopticæ)

twelve years ago: hardwired for social media 

fourteen years ago: Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement plus an antiquing side project

fifteen years ago: biofuels 

sixteen years ago: Iranian space ambitions 

uncanny gulch (13. 134)

For the reminder and textbook example of what the uncanny valley is when the feeling seems a vanishingly premium these days despite a slightly off-putting edge—via Everlasting Blört, we appreciated this photo essay revisiting an abandoned Old West-themed village in Japan. The roadside attraction grew out of modest ensemble known as the Kinugawa Family Ranch (ウエスタン村, in Tochigi prefecture near Tokyo) in 1973 and eventually hosted a population of animatronic denizens (see also here and here) but changing times and fortunes meant its eventual closure in 2006 with the installation ravaged by neglect and vandalism. Abandonment has of course dialled up the creepiness factor, making it look lie the set of a horror movie, and the remaining relics and ruins seem to be an apt commentary on the state of America and the desire to be a lawless cowboy.

synchronptica

one year ago: more Japanese family crests (with sychronopticæ), the founding of DOGE plus a particular kind of gluttony

twelve years ago: little apples of death, no photos of the ceiling of the Sistine chapel plus Cosmos reprised

thirteen years ago: illustrating the internet plus a sci-fi Groundhog Day

fourteen years ago: more thoughts on Groundhog Day 

fifteen years ago: uprising in Egypt plus cobbling together a movement without social media

sixteen years ago: Iran against the world 

sign of the times (13.011)

The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation has announced its character of the year as 熊 (kuma, bear) for the surge in ursine encounters nationwide. Other trending logograms under consideration were were 米—rice, bei/kome—citing inflation in the price of the staple and general anxiety over stockpiles, exacerbated by tariffs, a homophone. As in past years (see previously below for more), the winner is unveiled before the Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, writing the character in large calligraphy by the chief priest.

synchronoptica

one year ago: Chinese buzzwords of the year (with synchronopticæ), kanji character of the year plus the first purpose-built communications satellite (1958)

twelve years ago: regrettable legal precedence plus canine translators

thirteen years ago: counter-narratives on internet regulation 

fifteen years ago: seasonal weather 

sixteen years ago: contemplating a Christmas canival 

6x6 (12. 994)

helm of awe: taboos, tattoos and load-bearing iconography  

esta: the White House will vet the social media history of tourists from visa-free countries  

🕯️: holiday borders and decorative elements from an old Ricatype catalogue  

forty winks: sleep habits in the animal kingdom—see previously  

association football: Trump suggests changing the America name for the sport from soccer (with adjustments to current franchises) ahead of co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico  

water of the sky: two thousand Japanese words for rain—see previously

synchronoptica

one year ago: assorted links worth revisiting (with synchronopticæ) plus parental guidance suggested

thirteen years ago: people in space right now  

fourteen years ago: the 2012 US presidential race a year out 

t-1500 (12. 975)

In anticipation of the fiftieth anniversary of the introduction of its first digital wrist watch, the world’s first multifunction model, the Casiotrom X-1, the company has curated a gallery of all its models from 1976 to today with a brief history for each point on the timeline. I have my retro classic but am also really intrigued about their innovative wearables, like the 1985 “Data Bank” that had a rolodex and calendar function or a universal remote for TVs and VCRs and analogues of contemporary smart watches with pedometer and pulse-check capabilities and even a calculator with touch-sensitive display and an advanced horologium decades ahead of its time. Check out the whole catalogue from Casio at the link above. The model with a face that flips open like a compact for extra features and input is pretty cool but apparently not currently on offer.

light-emitting diode (12. 964)

Whilst LEDs had been in use since the early 1960s as electronic components, with applications in remote control circuits, converting a pulse of current into a beam of infra-red light, and as indicator lamps for always-on appliances and in seven-segment displays, it was not until this day in 1996 when the Nichia Corporation, a Japanese chemical engineering and manufacturing concern, held a press-conference introducing brilliant white gallium nitride light-emitting diodes, after three years of experimentation and research, that the semiconductor dim bulbs, only capable of shining in invisible wavelengths to low-intensity red, hinted at their potential as a commercial lighting alternative to an infrastructure built for energy-intensive incandescents. Despite skepticism over the viability of producing a prototype using conventional technology, Nichia supported the R&D efforts of Shuji Nakamura (中村 修二, only given a token honorium for his invention, he later sued for a commensure share of the profits) whose experiments eventually netted not only the illusive white LED but also the blue laser diode in the process, the solid-state stylus for HD DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs. Incoherent and giving the illusion of pure colour saturation—like pixels and their subdivisions—LEDs produce light through electrolumininescence, the wavelength determined by the recombination of electrons and electron holes, the space of an atomic lattice where an ejected particle once was and in accordance with the shell-model could be replaced, over the gradient of the semiconductive circuit, pushing out a photon.

synchronoptica

one year ago: Panasonic to digitally resurrect its departed CEO (with synchronopticæ), Now, That’s What I Call Music, phonological jargon as effective insults, Tulip Mania redux plus superstitious storeys

thirteen years ago: bot-driven traffic plus personalised medication

fourteen years ago: language lessons 

fifteen years ago: US-EU diplomatic relations 

sixteen years ago: a Thanksgiving feast plus first Advent 

9x9 (12. 953)

architectural digest: a guided two-hour walking tour of New York City’s most iconic buildings  

1999 a.d.: a paleo-future vision from 1967 that asks if the cusp year will be too computerised, too cold  

shinbun: a hypnotic, phrenetic collage of Japanese newspaper clippings from 1991 to the present—see also  

meet the aphantasics: more on those who don’t form mental images 

i wool survive: a flock of ostracised gay rams from Germany have a haute-couture debut on a Manhattan catwalk  

electric pentacle: the occult detective Thomas Carnacki created by William Hope Hodgson who despite his supernatural inclinations has a skeptical side and is unafraid to use nascent technology as his red-herring or MacGuffin 

doge: the US Department of Government Efficiency quietly closed down 

field-expedient gadgets: preparing meals in maximum security plus other prison inventions  

diorama: Theria Sofia reworks Polly Pocket sets—originally fashioned from a makeup compact as a toy

first-in first-out (12. 855)

For some time, a local shop has been more visibly attempting to reduce spoilage by discounting perishable items about to expire with mark-downs, now adding “no to throwing me in the bin,” not only to reduce waste but also to keep food items out of landfills where it produces methane aside from taking up space, and so we appreciated this reporting from Spoon & Tamago about Family Mart, one of Japan’s largest konbini (コンビニ) franchises, a bodega or convenience shop, about its campaign to raise awareness and appeal consumer sympathy through an array of more emotive anthropomorphic characters, teary-eyed and asking for help.  Following trials that demonstrated shoppers were willing to help rotate stock and feedback from customers, the company rolled them out nationwide and made design template free for any one to use to cut waste in their own stores with the stickers. Learn more at the links above.

5-7-5 (12. 761)

Albeit the scansion can be a bit off at times for human consumption—via Web Curios—this algorithm that pulls headlines, with by-line often, from the Guardian is a fun little experiment (see previously here and here—see also here) which could possibly run through ever permutation well past the heat-death of the Universe and keep on presenting as haikus.
The traditional Japanese short-form poetry, consisting of seventeen morae (μ, a syllable or sub-unit) presented in a five-seven-five pattern, classically with a kireji (切れ字, a caesura or cutting word) at the end of the verse and reference to a season:

the first cold shower
even the monkey seems to want
a little coat of straw

English inspired forms are typically a departure, retaining some of the qualities but more focused on the rhythm and structure of the language, having no precise equivalents and usually composed in an exercise of metric-counting rather than juxtaposition and surprise. Still finding like patterns is nonetheless intriguing.

synchronoptica

one year ago: new Nazca lines revealed (with synchronopticæ), the study of street art plus assorted links to revisit

thirteen years ago: Icelandic landscapes, the US Food and Drug Administration audits Swiss dairies plus excommunication and indulgence

fourteen years ago: a visit to Darmstadt and Erfurt to see the Pope plus the euro vies with the the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency

fifteen years ago: flea market finds and a visit to Werneck 

9x9 (12. 742)

admissible evidence: AI translations of animal vocalisations in the court room and other assorted legal stupidity  

mulholland drive: the Mid-Century Modern estate of David Lynch (previously) in the Hollywood Hill is up for sale  

happy blogoversary: Damn Interesting turns twenty 

õhuruum: more incursions of Russian fighter jets into NATO airspace, this time over Estonia—see previously  

⠝⠕⠍⠕⠎: overcoming wartime injuries that took both his sight and hands, a Greek youth taught himself to read Braille with his tongue and became a lawyer 

ministry of public enlightenment and propaganda: from the wires, 4 February 1939  

phlegmatic: the ancient origins of personality typing  

yawaraka jazz: an individual in Japan expertly DJs their collection of vintage vinyls with no commercial interruptions—via Web Curios 

feme covert, feme sole: Brigitte Macron, wife of the French president and whole human being in her own right, has agreed to provide scientific evidence to a US court to prove that she is biologically female from birth—via the New Shelton wet/dry

gakuponi (12. 726)

From the Japanese portmanteau for frame plus aquaponics (額ポニ), we enjoyed this rather lovely prototype by designer Keisuke Hatakenaka that creates a self-sustaining system of fish and plants with the ecosystems supporting one another—especially enjoying this correspondence, spotted first by Messy Nessy Chic, for a comparable arrangement in this circa 1880 combination of a bird cage, aquarium and plant stand. Of course a bit of intervention and caretaking is needed to keep the loop alive and healthy, but waste from the fish provide nutrients for the garden, which in turn purifies and oxygenates the water, and the installation is designed to educate in an aesthetic way (see previously) natural symbiosis. Much more from Spoon & Tamago at the link above.

synchronoptica

one year ago: eighty bangers from the 80s (with synchronopticæ) plus a novel wildfire detection device

thirteen years ago: Franconian churches 

fourteen years ago: a cosmological map 

fifteen years ago: Mount Athos and the Greek economy 

nerikiri (12. 695)

Via Messy Nessy Chic’s latest turn around the internet, we are directed towards the traditional Japanese art of confectionary, wagashi (和菓子), through this seventeenth century sampler of sweet snacks. The designs of seasonal flowers, animals, cultural icons and landscapes emerged during the Edo period kneaded from bean paste and coloured and flavoured with sugar, yams and other ingredients.  Fuelled by a stable domestic supply in sugar (wasanbon, 和三盆), its cultivation encouraged by the shogunate, consumption of such finely crafted delicacies was no longer reserved for the wealthy. Over the centuries, signature styles and varieties were developed, as with sushi, and are classified primarily by moisture content as that factor affects shelf-life for the creations.

sōsaku hanga (12. 689)

Via John Coulthart’s { feuilleton }, we appreciated the introduction (as well as the source) to renowned woodblock printer Sekino Jun’ichirō (関野 凖一郎) who is considered one of the leading figures behind the title Creative Print (創作版画) movement that was a post-war departure from the traditional ukiyo-e craft whose output was characterised by a rigid division of labour, the artist’s expression not dependent, downstream from the collaboration of artisan tasked with conceptualising, carving and colouring. The pictured “Summer Ending” seemed appropriate for the changing seasons (see previously), and the prolific artist produced and exhibited several series aside from individual portraiture and cityscapes such as a reinterpretation of the classic by Utagawa Hiroshige The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō, the rest-stops and horse-refreshing posts along the royal road connecting the shōgun capital of Edo to the imperial one of Kyōto, hot springs of the country and folk toys. Much more at the links above.

10x10 (12. 683)

advisory committee on immunisation practises: following an attack on the Centres for Disease Control campus by a crazed gunman, RFK Jr forces out the CDC director and renders the government agency untrustworthy  

nephilim: right wing antipathy for the Smithsonian began with a conspiracy theory that the national museum was hiding the bones of biblical giants in the basement  

pick-a-brick: thanks to Trump tariffs, LEGO no longer shipping some items to North America  

kodama: sacred trees in Japan and beyond—via Strange Company  

the real macguffin: AI is only good for prioritising “me first” problems—not for solutions—see also  

from west philly to west swig̴̙̕g̷̤̔͜y: audience scenes from Will Smith’s concerts are authentic by a YouTube experiment (previously) makes them look fake  

best in show: a selection of entrants for London’s Natural History Museum’s annual Wildlife photographer awards—via Damn Interesting 

executive overreach: appeals court rules that most of Trump’s reciprocal levies, enacting under emergency powers, are not legal—see previously and may need to refund over a hundred billion collected in duties 

¡presente!: Smithsonian museum closes its Latino gallery, ostensibly in preparation for next year’s bicentennial celebrations—see previously 

social security administration: chief data officer of the SSA abruptly resigns with a mass email that was memory-holed within half-an-hour, citing security concerns and a culture of panic and dread

synchronoptica

one year ago: the K-Pop Fab Four (with synchronopticæ) plus weird academic book jackets

fourteen years ago: moving beyond the incandescent bulb 

won’t someone think of the children (12. 667)

With the death of a monster like James Dobson whom advocated for corporal punishment to reenforce an inverted, hollow and self-serving Christian ideology through a lens of pseudo-psychology and encouraging behaviour that left religious-cum-political scars on a generation, Metafilter directs us to relatively recent debate and legislation in Japan that would classify forced indoctrination and participation in sectarian activities as child-abuse. The impetus for the change was fomented by the assassination of former Prime Minster Shinzo Abe by an individual with a history of complaints with controversial cult the Unification Church back at the end of 2022 and has since gained momentum with additional sponsors in the Diet. Of course the US is more interested in grooming in general, peddling the cult of MAGA conservatism and preaching the gospel of prosperity theology (at the expense of spiritual poverty or bankruptcy—concept image courtesy of Takashi Mifune) and although with a deficit of hegemonial cachet Russian too, if such a stance were adopted elsewhere, it could end the vicious cycle of hand-me-down prejudice, superstition and revival abuse that upholds not only evangelicalism but capitalism as well in only a few years, although the counter-forces are strong and well funded, rife with distraction and undermining choice in the same breath as they rubbish expertise.