υπό κατασκευή

At the behest of the Hellenic Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, we learn via Boing Boing, architectural photographer Pygmalion Karatzas has documented the expansion of the metro systems of Athens and Thessaloniki. Dating back to 1869 as a conventional steam railway before electrification at the turn of the century, Μετρό Αθήνας (see also) has been the only subway in Greece, now serving the Piraeus, until the expected completion of the Thessalonki network in 2023. Any sort of construction—never mind mega-projects like these, present particular challenges for ancient and venerable places (relatedly) and may yield more discoveries yet. See a whole gallery of Karatzas’ works at the links up top.

by the skin of our teeth

As successor to the National Educational Television (NET) network, PBS began broadcasting to American audiences on this day in 1970.

No longer burdened with the responsibility of promoting domestic programming only (suggested under the former station identification), it was able to supplement its heirloom line-up of Sesame Street and The French Chef with foreign produced pieces (see also) and premiered with the airing over the next several weeks of the thirteen part BBC documentary Civilisation, developed by David Attenborough and presented by Sir Kenneth Clark. The show-makers fully cognizant of their biases and limited perspective that recast history from the Dark Ages through to the early twentieth from an exclusively western European angle, the series’ subtitle was A Personal View by Kenneth Clark—perhaps a disclaimer too subtle for many. 

 

müllerian mimicry

While at a loss to choose a favourite, we very much appreciated—in a similar vein to these apparel comparisons—this thread of Sir David Attenborough in various fancy suits and academic regalia as well as more practical outfits juxtaposed with friends from the insect world from the always splendiferous Everlasting Blört. Much more to explore at the links above, and do let us know if you’ve found a spirit animal for your own wardrobe. 

 

inside information

We were really taken with these brilliant, cross-sectional infographics from UK Design Group Dorothy—via Colossal—that tell the history of the filmmaking, personal computing, electronic music, fashion and more through detailed cut-a-ways that illustrates the collaborative process that underpins so of the iconic tools-of-the-trade that informs the world we inhabit today. We enjoyed this treatment and recalled these animations, only accessible and to be appreciated digitally for now.  Many more blue prints and maps as well as anatomical studies in this series to find at the links above—including an affordable and stylish selection of posters and wall art—at their studio’s shop.

brother sun, sister moon

Fabulistically perhaps best-known for his ability to commune with Nature as a reflection of divinity and preaching to the birds—thus appointed patron saint of ecology in 1979 by Pope John Paul II, confessor, scholar and organiser Francis of Assisi (*1181 – †1226) is venerated on this day, the morning after having peacefully expired after receiving the stigmata from a vision of a crucified seraphim. Constituting religious orders for both men and women with significant political clout and endurance, Francis’ attempted a rapprochement with Al-Kamil, the Ayyubid sultan of Egypt, and put an end to the bloodshed of the Crusades and bring about peace. Though received graciously by the court of the sultan, the negotiations ultimately failed, although only the Franciscans were allowed to remain in the Holy Land after the fall of Crusader kingdoms as custodians on behalf of the Church.

zwiebelzopf

Visiting a small harvest festival nearby held on Germany Unity Day, H and I looked for some autumn accents for the house and found several stalls selling traditional onion braids (Zwiebelzöpfe). 

Sometimes also incorporating garlic bulbs, the braids adorned craftily with dried wild flowers were not customarily only for decorative and storage, preservative purposes but moreover for the notion that the power of the talisman would stave off illness and harm from hearth and home. Right now we can all use all the help we can muster. Singly, onions were worn as amulets in medieval times to ward off the plague, and a New Year’s Eve custom (divination from onions is called cromniomancy—see also) in various regions, especially in the Erzgebirge, called for the dicing of an onion into twelve sections and sprinkling each bowl with salt to forecast the precipitation for each month of the year to come as the moisture drawn out of each section by the next morning would predict that month’s rainfall.