ōsaka banpaku

Via Dark Roasted Blend, we discover a virtual menagerie of cybernetic beings and early robots through an appreciation of the demonstration models created by famed architect and engineer Arata Isozaki.
The duo Deme and Deku were created for Expo’70 Osaka pavilion (previously) had heads with separate control rooms mounted in eye stalks—one which perceives the environment and relays telemetry to the other which instructs the robot how to perform its repertoire of movements and expressions and standing, tower above seven meters in height. Additionally, the world’s fair featured the first spherical concert hall, designed by Karlheinz Stockhausen (previously), debuted the first IMAX film and had exhibits of early mobile phones, local networking and Maglev trains. Learn more at the link above and find a whole gallery of images including video footage of the robots in action, plus maybe find other robot pals we might have forgotten.

hanchō-hōchō.

Last week after decades of operation, the largest fish and seafood exchange in the world, the historic Tsukiji Market (築地市場) of Tokyo held its final tuna auctions but there was little time for nostalgia for the workers of the market with the whole mammoth administration and daily inventory displaced and set up in Toyosu, a subdivision created out of reclaimed land on the waterfront of Kōtō and freeing up the valuable mid-town real estate that the sprawling marketplace and underlying infrastructure occupied.
The great migration, quite the undertaking, was documented by photographer Mizuho Miyazaki, as featured on Spoon & Tamago at the link up top. The title refers to the giant knives skilfully wielded by merchants, fish-mongers to cut and prepare flanks of fish for sale and distribution that captures the eye and admiration of buyers and tourists, but we were happy to see an appreciation of forklift drivers whose unglamorous jobs are too often overlooked but who really run the pre-dawn logistics that makes the whole enterprise possible

der once-ler

Recognising that (beyond the intrinsic value of trees and woodlands in themselves) afforestation and reforestation efforts are as important as reducing emissions and that every little bit helps, Berlin-based search engine Ecosia (previously) the Guardian reports has offered the energy company that owns the land that the remnant of Hambacher Forest a million euros to purchase the parcel and preserve it in perpetuity.  Ecosia’s search machine is in an browser overlay that is non-intrusive and generates revenue through advertisements which are used to support tree-planting and other conservation campaigns and one can learn more at the links above and get updates at the organisation’s own blog here.

flintheart glomgold

Though we should not expect much in the way of business acumen from an individual who managed to lose money running a casino and has filed for bankruptcy multiple times but I was surprised to hear, despite stating his every intention to personally capitalise on high-office, that Donald Trump has actually lost (to his consternation and envy for the success of more legitimate businessmen) over a billion dollars in wealth since the 2016 election.
His strategically located Washington, DC hotel is doing a brisk business by visiting dignitaries those who wish to curry favour with the US despot as are his tacky resorts and the plenipotentiary powers that come with members’ dues, but those ventures combined with aggressive tax-avoidance and outright evasion are not able to rehabilitate the family brand, sullied with a bothersome reputation of sexual predation, bigotry, wilful ignorance and imprisoning young children.