9x9 (13. 340)

sen̓áḵw: the return of a Squamish Nation village exempt from zoning laws and an elegant solution to Vancouver’s housing shortage—first heard on NPR  

patience: a meditation on Solitaire—see previously  

tanker war: veterans of the 1981-1988 Persian Gulf crisis share flash-back inducing parallels  

granny shelf: an appreciation of the overlooked products in one’s grocery aisle—via Web Curios  

rückenfigur: a retrospective exhibition of Expressionist artist Gabriele Münter  

season ticket: brilliant vintage bus passes of the Milwaukee metro  

easter armistice: attacks continue as thirty-six hour truce for the Orthodox holiday between Ukraine and Russia approaches  

phreak box: an emulation of tones that hacked payphones—via Kottke—see previously  

diego garcia: US opposition forces UK to abandon plans to return the Chagos islands to Mauritius

day twenty-two

Very much on brand with garbage modus operandii, Trump announces that he is considering ”winding down“ war with Iran after having destroyed world order, despoiling the climate further and severely disrupted the global economy, having accomplished nothing positive. One good that may come out of all this, aside from the realignment eschewing American dominance and trust may be that the international community is finally pushed away from petroleum once and for all and embraces in earnest green energy.

The US administration signls drawdown as more troops and battleships head to the Middle East, possibly in support of a publicised bit of war-gaming to capture and occupy Iran’s Kharg Island and/or undertake an even more daunting task of confiscating Iran‘s remaining stocks of enriched uranium. Regardless of what America does, Iran does not seemed poised to let go of its greatest bit of leverage--even more important than the vital water route--in simply refusing to surrender as it continues to target US outposts, host nations and collaborators, firing missiles as far away as Diego Garcia and threatening terror attacks on tourist destinations worldwide.

synchronoptica

one year ago: the physics of pasta (with synchronopticæ), Musk to brief Pentagon on China, assorted links worth revisiting, tv feeds from all over the world plus a supposed secret offer for the US to join the Commonwealth

twelve years ago: the West threatens to sanction Russian oil 

thirteen years ago: off-world prospecting 

fourteen years ago: radio silence plus no pie for you

8x8 (13.191)

sandboxels: a fun construction simulation with hundreds elements and building materials from Neil Agarwal—see previously, see also  

tax-payer funded settlement: Trump is suing the US government for billions  

innermost ward: a 3D reconstruction of the thousand year history of the Tower of London—via MetaFilter   

pantone 222: test one’s memory for colour—via Miss Cellania  

shallow fakes: historic image manipulation—see also  

canary wharf: a visit to the impounding station of the West India docks 

forbidden paradise: as Trump renews threats on the Chagos deal, a look at the mysterious atoll—see previously, via Damn Interesting  

a sense of getting closer: a music video by Max Cooper and Conner Griffin about spectacle that isn’t inspired

there is no doubt that china and russia have notice this act of total weakness (13. 104)

Shifting tactics, Trump has now cited the UK’s decision last year to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands (see previously, we wonder who is putting these thoughts in his head) to Mauritius as justification for the US annexation of Greenland. Characterising the decision that the administration supported at the time of ceding control as an act of “great stupidity” because of the archipelago’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean, the terms of repatriation—generous as Britain resettled the native population in 1971 to make way for the military installation—include a ninety-nine year extension of the lease of the joint US-UK base on Diego Gargia (most of the map is water with only the outline of the tropical atoll enclosing the lagoon) so the two countries will retain ownership and access, just like in the case of the arctic island where no invasion or seizure is necessary—except after the tantrums and histrionics, American might get the boot altogether.