Plain Magazine directs our attention to the magical portfolio of artist Geoffroy de Crecy through a diverting and highly satisfying animated series called Empty Places—showcasing machines dutifully cycling through the motions absent human presence or interaction. The series was a deliberate aesthetic departure from his commercial commissions and experiments with the way gallery-goers might engage with the static-dynamic, set on repeat. More to discover at the links above.
Tuesday, 11 December 2018
autopilot
morlocks and eloi
Via Slashdot, the Guardian reports on a massive and thriving subterranean ecosystem that rivals life above ground and in the oceans. Though unclear whether life first welled up to the surface or burrowed down, the cycles which the buried biomes follow are not the ephemeral or seasonal shifts that we observe on land but truly on geological scales with some microorganisms with life spans reaching into centuries, if not beyond. Findings and samples from nearly a decade’s long study from the Deep Carbon Observatory—a consortium of over twelve hundred biologists, chemists and geologists—are to be presented to the American Geophysical Union’s annual conference in the upcoming weeks.
catagories: ๐, ๐บ, environment
bicameral
With everything going on at such a frantic pace, we’ve been more than a little remiss in trying to report on current affairs. Notwithstanding developments in the Special Counsel investigation into the Trump administration’s ties to Russia and further potential for Kompromat, by this day were it not for the intercession of the death of an ex-president and state funeral, the US government would have been at least partially shutdown, having essentially defunded itself with no provision for continuing operations. Instead that fiscal showdown was deferred until the week before Christmas and the Winter Recess—ostensibly when a deal might be reached by dint of representatives wanting to return to their constituencies for the holidays.
Monday, 10 December 2018
diesel dazzle
Just ahead of the release of a documentary film on the obscure genre, NPR’s Fresh Air host par-excellance Terry Gross reprises her clever interview with an book author, composer and performer of industrial musicals—elaborate productions staged only for an internal, corporate audience and to train, build cohesion and motivate the sales force. There are numerous catchy numbers a very resourceful rhyming-lyrics—given the nature of the commissions.