never promised you a rose garden (13. 942)

Though leading by wide margins according to polling after his securing his party’s nomination, Jimmy Carter’s edge over incumbent Gerald Ford evaporated, despite blunders and missteps and the unpopular pardoning of Nixon, to near even and the electoral vote was the closest since 1916, but once all the votes were tallied over night and into the next morning, it was revealed that the challenger, portraying himself as a reformer “untainted” by Washington as opposed to his opponent’s strategy of being an experienced insider, had prevailed and won the US presidency on this day in 1976. Though only taking twenty three states (plus DC) and garnering just under three hundred electors whilst winning the overall popular vote, Carter’s percentage was just above the threshold for victory—sweeping the South, Midwest, Texas (the last first and last times many of these precincts voted for a Democrat) and most of the Eastern Seaboard, Ford conceding at 03:30 in the morning and telephoning his congratulations to at 11:00.

day two hundred thirty seven (13. 939)

Reversing an earlier announcement of tele-rallies, Trump is attending campaign events in the final days before the midterm elections in once bulwarks of the GOP, Kansas and Iowa, that have turned into battlegrounds over his unpopularity and poor handling of the economy and foreign relations. It is very much in the Republican playbook to crash the break the budget and sever diplomatic ties, after inheriting stability, and leave it to the Democrats to clean up the chaos and get the blame for the sabotage and slow turn-around. Meanwhile, the media is too fixated on the run-off between Dans Sullivan in Alaska to address the allegation that Trump raped Miss Switzerland or how the administration purchased a vote-tabulation machine to reverse engineer it and exploit vulnerabilities through AI-aided hacking. Palestinian vice president Hussein al-Sheikh holds high level talks with European delegates, accusing the IDF of targeting Gazan police officers and urging the perpetrators of violence be held accountable. Iranian foreign minister Araghchi awaits US response on their framework for reopening Hormuz. King Charles arrives in Antigua and Barbuda for the Commonwealth Conference and apologies for the UK’s slave trading past, though prime minister Burnham does not believe that reparations should be on the table. The Anglican communion, whose clergy also owned enslaved individuals, has independently established a fund of one hundred million pounds for affected communities and research into the legacy of Britain’s role in the transatlantic trade.

day two hundred thirty six (13. 936)

Ukrainian drones hit Russian Kstovo crude oil refinery, setting it ablaze, the third in as many days. Iranian foreign ministry reports that talks are ongoing with Qatari mediators to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days if the US cooperates, whilst Trump says negotiations are going fine and claims that he is not in much of a hurry to make a deal. The Revolutionary Guard signals its readiness to take on any offensive scenario—saying that even limited strikes risk escalation. Thousands rally in Tel Aviv urging the opposition party of Gadi Eisenkot to relent and form a coalition government with Arab parties in order to remove Netanyahu from power. Though Trump says there’s no rush to reach a settlement, renewed fighting with Tehran could be severely hampered with the loss of Israeli forces as well as by Republican defectors if GOP losses in the races cause them to split with the American president before the new congress is called into session. Palestinian farmers struggle to protect their olive harvest amid continuing attacks by settlers in the West Bank. Isolated incidents of violence and looting mar the mostly peaceful Gen Z protests across Germany.

day two hundred thirty five (13. 933)

Pope Leo XIV submits his mail-in ballot ahead of Tuesday’s US midterm elections, registered in Chicago and having voted abroad in most races according to the Illinois state board of elections. Residence begin evacuation through a safe corridor from the war-raved city of Oleshky. More tankers in the Strait of Hormuz came under fire or disabled by limpet mines as Ukrainian drones target Russia’s shadow fleet in the Black Sea. French-style cost of living rallies expected to spread to German cities amidst protests over high energy prices. Houthi drones strike Riyadh as Tehran’s foreign ministry issues a warning of “earth-shattering” consequences if US and Israel resume attacks, implicating Berlin’s above complaints about fuel costs the country in the belligerent camp.

day two hundred thirty three (13. 925)

With the election results inconclusive and neither of the two major party blocs securing a controlling majority, Knesset president Isaac Herzog urges no new vote. IDF shells eastern Gaza City and Deir Mimas in southern Lebanon after Hezbollah rejects Israeli-brokered framework for peace. Arab political parties make significant gains but both Netanyahu and opposition leader Eisenkot refuse to work with them, despite their participation being necessary to form a coalition government. Houthi strikes hit the airport in Aden and the largest Saudi refinery complex in Ras Tanura. Putin gives public praise to Elon Musk as the SpaceX CEO assists with Russia’s Rassvet constellation of satellites to target Ukraine. Bolsonaro and family arrive in Miami and are issued visas for the US. Iran says that Qatari negotiated peace deal to end US-Israeli aggression is unacceptable through intermediaries.

synchronoptica

one year ago: the discovery of tomb of King Tut (with synchronoptica) plus assorted links to revisit

two years ago: a tarot card inspired garden, more air-based food plus a Trump rally in Manhattan 

three years ago: presidential personal coats-of-arms 

four year ago: further adventures plus unblogged Crete

five years ago: your daily demon: Shax, Gulliver’s Travels plus more on being in the flow state

six years ago: the Greek flag adopted, priority group mall Santas, the short films of Al Jarnow, a pizza chain’s logo plus a home-makeover for the Simpsons

seven years ago: a constellation in the Southern Hemisphere, a mundane Halloween plus The Millennial Raven

eight years ago: a day-trip to Frankfurt plus more links to enjoy

 

day two hundred thirty two (13. 924)

As the vote count continues, Netanyahu claims that the right wing has a decisive lead and a mandate to govern, though the race is too close to call. Middle Eastern leaders meet during Moscow Gas Forum, Pezeshkian condemning US disregard for diplomacy and breaking their end of the deal with respect to the Islamabad MOU, saying the region’s problems are caused by American and they can resolve them without Washington. Saudi led coalition claims victories over Houthis, repelling them from Bab al-Mandeb, whilst more oil fields are struck. During a campaign rally, Trump says he can end the war whenever he wants, as costs approach fifty billion—fuel prices enjoying a temporary reprieve due to his diesel deal with Putin during a stump speech in Texas, poised to elect Democrats to high office for the first time in three decades. Fearing investigations after his run-off loss to Lula da Silva, Flávio Bolsanaro and family flee to the US on cancelled passports.

day two hundred thirty (13. 919)

Lula da Silva wins an unprecedented fourth term in Brazil’s presidential run-off against Bolsonaro’s son, his opponent refuses to concede. Serbia leader Aleksandar Vučić ousted by student movement, ending his twelve year reign. Israeli shells Gaza and southern Lebanon. Netanyahu warns that Iran may try to interfere with Tuesday’s elections. Trump calls off the attack on Iran as all non-essential staff are evacuated from Saudi Arabia. Tehran calls America’s quagmire the consequence of grave miscalculations from which the country must reverse to extricate itself. Republican representatives panic as they prepare for heavy losses in the mid terms.  Trump attempts to negate Alaskan ballots, saying voters do not know the meaning of incumbent.  Russian attacks on Kramatorsk intensify as Russia lobs super sonic drones.

day two hundred twenty nine (13. 914)

Former US presidents and contenders offered counter-messaging to Trump’s late appeals for GOP campaigns including the Bushes tossing their support to the Democratic candidates in races in Texas and Hilary Clinton describing the American president’s renovations to the White House “looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.” Meanwhile, Trump hints at either a massive attack to “finish the job” or reaching a deal with Tehran, presumably to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, by Sunday. Hundreds of thousands of protesters rally in France amid heightened security and police presence. IDF conducts raids of West Bank towns, subjecting dozens of Palestinian residents to field interrogation and unwarranted detention with demolition of buildings in Hebron. The battle for control of Taiz intensifies as the Muslim world strongly condemns the Houthis for targeting the holy sites of Mecca and Medina in their assault against Saudi Arabia for backing the Yemeni government forces. As many outposts in the region have been abandoned already, the US issues more warnings regarding the safety of personnel assigned overseas and Russia denies reports of having evacuated nuclear scientists from the facilities at Bushehr. Moscow and Kyiv agree to a one-city ceasefire in Oleshky at the bidding of the Pope though Melania “Be Best” Trump tries to take credit, whilst the capital continues to sustain heavy bombardment.

why don’t you pass the time with a nice game of solitaire (13. 912)

As our faithful chronicler reminds, on this day (see PfRC passim), the neo-noir political thriller from John Frankenheimer based on the eponymous novel from three years earlier, starring Frank Sinatra, Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury, Laurence Harvey and Henry Silva, premiered on this day in 1962 at the height of tensions between the US and Soviet Union—during the Cuba Missile Crisis. The plot, from Richard Condon’s book, relates the narrative of a decorated veteran of the Korean conflict (Harvey), a member of a prominent American political dynasty, whom apparently escaped from a prisoner-of-war camp after his platoon was captured and welcomed home as a hero. His oedipal mother (Lansbury) exploits the Medal of Honour recipient to propel the campaign of her husband, a US senator, in his campaign for the vice-presidency, promoting claims that the incumbent has allowed the State Department to be infiltrated by Communist sympathisers, echoing the McCarthy witch hunt. Whilst in actuality detested by his subordinates as strict and aloof, other POW soldiers later freed give fawning testimonials that their commander was brave and sympathetic but was unbeknownst to all brainwashed during his captivity as a sleeper agent programmed to assassinate the running mate of his step-father, the party nominee for office of the president, by the USSR and China and cause the destabilisation of the US government, a plot uncovered by Major Marco (Sinatra), though one interpretation of the film suggests an Inception level of hypnosis with Marco being an accessory permitted recovered memories through his recurring nightmares and that Sinatra’s character was also a Manchurian agent under the influence of controller Eugenie Cheyney (Leigh)--possibly as a back-up or for plausible deniability, a stranger encountered on a train who later bails him out of jail for assaulting Chujin (Silva), the platoon’s Korean guide and translator who immigrates to the US after partition and becomes Harvey’s minder, posing as seeking gainful employment as his domestic—in one of the first depiction of East Asian martial arts in Hollywood. Playing cards trigger Harvey’s programming.

day two hundred twenty eight (13. 910)

Amid unrelenting attacks from the Houthis, Saudi Arabia postpones hosting UN World Data Forum, days after cancelling its “Davos in the Desert”—the annual flagship Future Investment Initiative conference aimed to diversify its portfolio away from being a petrostate. The headquarters of Saudi-Aramco is evacuated over safety concerns for remaining staff. Though the White House defers with a GLOMAR response, sources familiar with the planning confirm to the press that Washington and Tel Aviv are in the process of finalising a renewed series of strikes on Pickaxe Mountain and Iranian petrochemical facilities, not wanting to further exacerbate markets (though they are reacting) in the last days to the run-up to the respective countries’ elections. Even if the ultra-conservative government of Netanyahu is ousted, Palestinians hold out little hope for reform or improvement as the opposition refuses to entertain a two-state solution. US troops withdraw from bases in Kuwait, Qatar and Jordan, as the Revolutionary Guard announces a total ban of American service members and vessels from entering the gulf region and threatens to attack personnel and US assets.

day two hundred twenty five (13. 903)

Alberta overwhelmingly rejects separatist agenda in a special referendum. France and Italy plan for a massive police surge to quell protests. Israel conducts airstrikes over Gaza City. Despite continuing indirect peace talks, Iran’s Supreme Leader announces that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed through the end of Trump’s term—Gulf oil exports have surpassed pre-war levels in aggregate in spite of the conflict. US Vice president Vance declines to echo Trump’s endorsement for the re-election of Netanyahu.  UK re-arrests suspects linked to the alleged terror plot on RAK Fairford as fighter jets are deployed to Saudi Arabia to counter Houthi attacks. Yemeni refugees fleeing fighting cross the Red Sea en masse for Djibouti.

no puppet, no puppet—you’re the puppet (13. 899)

On this day a decade ago, during the third and final debate, in response to candidate Donald Trump’s assertion that the Russian leader has no respect for his rival and Democratic nominee, Hilary Clinton shot back: “That’s because [Putin would] rather have a puppet as president of the United States. You encouraged espionage against our people. You are willing to spout the Putin line, sign up for his wish list, break up NATO—do whatever he wants to do. You continue to get help from him because he has a clear favourite in this race.” Clinton sought to blunt the fallout of the hacked cache of emails from the Democratic National committee posted online by Wikileaks—disclosing donors’ financial information and showing the party actively undermining the campaign of Bernie Sanders in favour of the former first lady, senator and Secretary of State, a theft that seventeen intelligence agencies concluded that was likely carried out at the behest of Moscow, though Trump rejected that US spy services knew who was behind it, repeating a line from the first presidential debate that it was probably some “four hundred pound hacker” in a basement somewhere that was responsible. The publications, released in separate tranches, also eventually included the controversial raw version of the Steele dossier, the unfinished political opposition report, of kompromat that the Russian government had on Trump.

synchronoptica 

one year ago: a selection of French horror movies (with synchronoptica), largest gold nugget discovered (1872) plus Stop Making Sense (1984)

two years ago: the Cin script, the British India Ocean Territory and the loss of its top-level domain plus images of passengers going through a car-wash

three years ago: Pomp & Circumstance (1901) 

four years ago:  St Frithuswith, Take on Me plus assorted links worth revisiting

five years ago: more links to enjoy

six years ago: font founder Ed Benguiat plus the Hochrhönstrasse

seven years ago: a coffee substitute,  Europe’s long distance walking trails, lizard people, the maps of Alexander von Humboldt, an unusual session of Parliament plus a corner office

eight years ago: more grammatical non-errors

day two hundred twenty four (13. 898)

Trump maintains that Moscow is “doing very little—if anything” to help Iran militarily. Tehran, ahead of Israeli elections, claims Netanyahu seeks to expand fighting in the region in a campaign message that scolds America and the broader world for complaining about energy prices. Retreating from five month highs marginally, the cost per barrel of diesel falls after Washington pauses sanctions on Russian exports but the stunt fails to make a dent in the price at the pump, unclear if Russia can even deliver and afford to divert from the war effort in Ukraine. Trump accuses Zelenskyy of prolonging the conflict for political gain. Fighting in Yemen rages as Houthis move to capture Taiz and air raid sirens blare across Saudi Arabia and the Egyptian parliament votes on whether to join on the side of Riyadh. Macron urges the press to make a distinction between protesters and vandals as more than twenty four hundred are arrested in France as rallies spread to Spain and Portugal over high living costs.

8x8 (13. 885)

name shame: nominative-antideterminism—see previously here and here  

wiener werkstätte: the greeting card grotesques of Rudolf Kalvach 

three steps off the coast: ten adventures celebrating a decade of travel blogging  

most favoured nation: the Amazon listing policy that locks retailers into their marketplace 

the naked zoo: the 1970 sexploitation film starring Rita Hayworth gets the Poseidon’s Underworld treatment  

voiceless postalveolar fricative: Filipino municipality of Sexmoán changed its name—see also  

pebete: eating through Wikipedia’s list of notable sandwiches—this time with World’s Fair fare of the 1873 Vienna Weltausstellung  

his mayorship: Hitler Mussolini Simeón Flores of Peru’s centre-left Ahora Nación party wins election in Queropalca

synchronoptica

one year ago: Brazilian vernacular graphic design (with synchronoptica) plus assorted links to revisit

two years ago: an incredible Trump rally plus a creepy featurette 

three years ago: mortgaged-money to fight inflation, Adelaide Hall plus the Battle of the Sinai (1973)

four years ago: most popular Halloween candy by state according to AI, a UB40 classic from 1988, the cemetery of Old St Pancras plus a menu à la carte

five years ago: assorted links to revisit, more unaired television pilots, Mouldy Old Dough plus dialling up the fright factor with AI

six years ago: more obscure and choice insults, a musical selection from Bronski Beat, more links to enjoy, Jack the Ripper’s From Hell letter, word nuance in cooking plus The Great Dictator (1940)

seven years ago: high-energy cosmic rays

eight years ago: a fun Star Trek musical mashup, more links plus discovering the convenience of public transport

 

dark horse candidate (13. 862)

As our faithful chronicler informs, the Friz Freleng animated short, “Ballot Box Bunny,” made its debut on this day in 1951, the characters of Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam vying for the mayorship of a small town. Campaigning on empty pledges, such as “There’s enough fresh air and sunshine in this great country of ours for everybody—and I’ll see to it that you’ll get your share!” In his warren beneath the podium, Bugs listens to the speech and decides to run as a challenger when Yosemite Sam further promises to rid the county of every last rabbit. Engaging in the usual stereotypical politicking ploys of glad-handing and kissing babies, the rivals attempt to sabotage each other’s chances at the polls though Sam’s plots generally backfire including stealing the food from Bugs’ free picnic with a army of ants. The townspeople, however, elect the spoiler candidate, a chestnut horse proclaimed as “Our New Mare.”

day two hundred twelve (13. 858)

The Revolutionary Guard command claims that US forces in the Persian Gulf have retreated to a distance of a thousand kilometres from Iran’s borders and that the amount of oil transiting the Strait of Hormuz under American naval escort is negligible, pledging that the water will remain closed until Washington satisfies the pre-conditions it agreed to. Israeli developers have diverted water from Palestinian farmers in the West Bank for a tourist attraction called “Herod’s Pools.” The head of the Yemeni government in Aden announces major escalation in fighting Houthi rebels to wrest back control of Bab al-Mandeb. US pulls out B-2 bombers stationed RAF Fairford following arrests in foiled terror plot. The US is closely monitoring a suspected case of the pneumonic plague after the death of a technician in a Siberian research laboratory, fearing a genetically modified strain of the bacteria has escaped containment and prompting travel restrictions. Brazil heads to a presidential run off with polling between challenger Flávio Bolsonaro and incumbent Lula too close to call. A Kelvin Wave caused by El Niño conditions creeps towards southern California and Alaska, expected to raise coastal sea-levels by half-a-metre with a single crest and trough.

synchronoptica

one year ago: graphic designer Mikro Ilić (with synchronotpica) plus assorted links worth the revisit

two years ago: circumambulation plus a houseboat on the Havel

three years ago: a hike through the vineyards of Escherndorf 

four years ago: the tarot of Austin Osman Spare, the world’s mass transit systems plus Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1996)

five years ago: more links to enjoy plus Tubular Bells

 

six years ago: Civilisation comes to American audiences (1970), Athens’ underground, the blessed Rosario Longo, a glass model of the coronavirus, IKEA’s back catalogue plus apologies in good standing

seven years ago: late Thursdays in Germany, more links to check out plus more poetic graffiti

 

eight years ago: an outstanding collection of vintage travel posters, legislating Scotland on maps plus more memorable fonts

 

 

day two hundred ten (13. 852)

Hegseth announces that US troops will get a day off to call their in the upcoming midterms—federal workers are granted up to three hours of administrative leave (down from four hours) whilst the rest of the voting public do not receive any allowance to exercise their democratic right. Pressure mounts for another referendum in the UK to annul Brexit and rejoin the EU as polls reveal over half of voters of all political persuasion support reentry into the single market. Russian airstrikes on bridges in Kyiv causes traffic chaos, whilst Putin attempts to convince the world that NATO is about to impose a blockade on Kaliningrad. Students in Paris riot over planned cuts to the education budget. Pope Leo puts out a missive in Latin as a withering takedown of AI. El Niño causes massive flooding in Thailand, the waters not receding and turning the streets of Bangkok into stagnant lakes, with speculation that the weather formation may mean there is no hurricane season in the Atlantic this year. More tankers are attached in the Strait of Hormuz. Revolutionary Guards spokesperson says that Tehran’s weapons-building capacities are fully restored and have reached maturity, in accordance with operational requirements, whilst the South Pars gasfield achieves peak production. Market analyst recognise Trump’s pressuring of G7 members to release strategic diesel reserves as a mere delay tactic which may provide temporary, nominal relief (if at all) and fails to address underlying structural problems and further erodes consumer confidence. IDF continues to terrorise Gaza, the West Bank and neighbours in southern Lebanon.

day one hundred ninety-eight (13. 818)

Lawmakers is Iran draft legislation to pull the country out of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty whilst issuing stark warnings to the US following Trump’s prognosis of options available for ending the conflict are either total obliteration, economic rot or reaching a deal that suggest a fresh wave of military strikes. Tehran promises to retaliate “without limitations,” the Revolutionary Guard saying that the USA lacks the courage and resolve to defeat the Islamic Republic and the world will be “astounded” by Iran’s new weapons. Just as the White House East Wing renovations and the ballroom were a cover for an apocalypse grade bunker, the American president reveals that he plans for his triumphal arch in the capital to host a den of snipers and drones—ostensibly for defensive purposes but likely to quell riots. Trump sanctions the entire staff AfD secures a bald majority in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern but has no options of forming a state government. IDF carry out strikes in Lebanon’s Tyre district and enter Syria. European jet fuel imports fall by half with serious shortages expected.

synchronoptica

one year ago: assorted links worth revisiting (with synchronoptica), American Idiot plus a banger from Earth, Wind & Fire

two years ago: Weird Al parodies Bob Dylan with palindromes plus more gerrymandering 

three year ago: grieving the loss of dark skies 

four years ago:  Ba-Dee-Ya, Martin Luther’s German translation of the Bible, more on the US Space Force plus a collection of manhole covers

five years ago: an advertisement for Ivermectin 

six years ago:  the Order of the Smile, The Hobbit (1937), the legacy of colonial goods stores, alternative chess plus wide-scale money laundering

seven years ago: The Far Side returns plus more Earth, Wind and Fire

eight years ago: assorted links to revisit, a sexy Handmaiden costume for Halloween plus Dial-a-Song

 

day one hundred ninety-seven (13. 815)

Ukraine bombards Moscow with hundreds of drone strikes on the final day of its elections for the Duma, angered that ballots were sent to illegally annexed territories. It is day one thousand six hundred seventy for that conflict. Two weeks after AfD strong results in Saxon-Anhalt, Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern go to the polls with the chancellorship of Friedrich Merz hanging in the balance. Through Qatari and Pakistani mediators, Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei conveys its conditions for resuming talks with Washington (only for reopening the Strait of Hormuz), demands including the unfreezing of Iranian assets, lifting the naval blockade and an immediate end to fighting on all fronts, to include Lebanon. Saudi forces attempt to repel Houthi attacks on the capital. Tehran rebuffs claims by US treasury secretary Scott Bessent that the sanctions of Operation Economic Outcast are working and that Iranians are queuing for hours for petrol, calling his propaganda baseless lies and projection as American filling stations report shortages, all time high prices and airlines cut marginal domestic routes. Bucking concerns that accelerated deployment of the technology could kill us all, Trump pledges to create an “AI Force” and appoint an artificial intelligence czar, whilst also proposing to rename it Eloquent Intelligence.

day one hundred ninety-two (13. 795)

Trump claims that Ukraine and Moscow have agreed to refrain from striking each other’s energy infrastructure—Zelenskyy contradicts this truce. The American president, harking back to phrases used months earlier asserts that Tehran wants to make a deal quickly and badly, adding he will determine whether or not the USA will choose to engage, “the concept of which we are open to.” Iran denies it had any role in the destruction of a key Saudi pipeline, connecting the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf overland through Riyadh and conveying five percent of the world’s oil supply. Trump’s supreme court rules against restrictions on mail-in voting ahead of the midterm elections. Canada becomes an affiliate member of the European Union in terms of trade with talks of greater integration on the table.