rip eddie money (*1949 - †2019)

goulden eeuw

In attempts to be more inclusive, “polyphonic” about its storied past, Amsterdam’s museum system is dropping the non-contemporary term Golden Age from its exhibits going forward, instead using the label of seventeenth century.
While some are cautioning against judging the past by modern standards or historic revisionism, Rijksmusum director Taco Dibbits (previously) believes it is neither but rather tempering the celebration of the era when the Netherlands was at the forefront of trade, art and the sciences with the acknowledgement that not everyone was the beneficiaries and others paid the heavy toll of accomplishment—wars, exploitation and trafficking.

7x7

alltid öppet: McDonald’s franchises in Sweden (previously) install insect hotels in their signage and billboards

.xlsx: a concerning amount of scientific research contains data misinterpreted by spreadsheet software

glory to hong kong: protestors create their own anthem and rallying cry

metallic wood: researchers create a porous nickel-based matrix (see also) as strong as titanium though exceedingly light

schism: Pope Francis unafraid of conservative groups calling his leadership too progressive

k2-18β: astronomers detect water vapour in the atmosphere of a distant super earth that could harbour life as we know it

gravy train: bug-based pet food better for canine and feline companions and for the environment

zwei plus vier

On this day in 1990, representatives of East and West Germany plus the Four Occupying Powers met in Moscow (previously) to sign the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany (Vertrag über die abschließende Regelung in Bezug auf Deutschland).  In exchange for renouncing any territorial claims, like Kaliningrad, Gdansk and other concessions, and limiting its armed forces, France, the UK, the US and the Soviet Union relinquished their mandates on the respective countries—which although entered into the agreement as separate parties would ratify the treaty as one nation, the reunification process facilitated by the terms of the settlement.

ponderosa ranch

Running until 1973, the Western television series Bonanza (a Spanish mining term used on the discovery of a major lode of ore) premiered on NBC on this day in 1959. Set during and shortly after the US civil war, the programme, rather uniquely for its time, addressed pressing societal issues directly including racism and bigotry. For continuity and for the convenience of stunt-doubles, the recurring cast of this long-running show wore the same outfits each episode.