bombylildæ

While in Europe we don’t have humming birds (Kolibris), we are lucky enough to have these uncanny important pollinators called the fly bee or the humblefly (Wollschweber). Our garden is absolutely full of them but I’ve never managed to capture a picture of one until now when I spied one resting on a flower (see also), which by the end of the season can grow quite substantially and present like their avian cousins but less so than the equally camera-shy Hummingbird Hawk-Moth (Taubenschwänzchen) that hovers and has a proboscis for nectaring. We’re visited by them too and maybe if I’m patient, I’ll be able to get a photo.

notorious rgb

Via ibīdem, we are directed towards a campaign to name every colour (see also) in web space, approaching seventeen million shades, sourced from all contributors. With only about fifteen percent assigned a particular appellation, suggestions are accepted so long as they are descriptive, useful and non-offending. Some recent ones include Orange Bruno, Pearlescent Lavender and Every Whale Mascot Ever.

constrictula rugosa

From the cabinet of hypertext curiosities of the illustrious Mx van Hoorn, we find ourselves immersed in study and classification of the great taxia of the diverse and ubiquitous synthetic phylum Plasticæ with the annals of the Holotypic Occlupanid Research Group. The pictured subspecies of the family Haplognathidæ (‘half jaw’) with the characteristic single, squared-off dental process with a high degree of internal variation may be happily endangered in their native habitats but we will be dealing with their fossils for the foreseeable future.

brood x

For the emergence of the seventeen-year cicadas in North America—what was going on in the early summer of 2004, we are treated, via Messy Nessy Chic to this graphic depicting the stages of conventionalisation, deconstruction of the periodic insects (Magicicada septendecula and two other closely related species, tribes, see previously) as illustrated by Hugo Froelich (the periodical being from Syracuse, New York and the contributor not the classical German actor) in 1905 (that year being an emergent one for Brood XXX on a thirteen-year cycle as assigned by entomologist Charles Lester Marlatt at those geographical climes) for Keramic Studio Magazine

alfa beta

One foundry has—for the centenary plus one of the graphic designer’s birth—plans a re-issue of the authoritative style guide by Turinese type artist Aldo Novarese (*1920 - †1995, also credited with ITC Symbol, Eurostile and Microgramma) plus a revival of his signature font Stadio from 1974, which was formerly lost to the ages, existing only in dry-transfer, rub-on lettering form. More on this extra bold grotesque and Zetafonts at Print Mag at the link above.

so mama don’t take my kodachrome away

Eventually making it to the number two place on the US charts but not ranked in the UK as the BBC refused airplay for the trademarked name, the lead single, released on this day in 1973, from his third studio album There Goes Rhymin’ Simon, the song was originally to be called “Goin’ Home” and was critically praised for its upbeat and cheery (exaggerated, over-saturated colours akin to filters and face-tuning) anti-social lyrics.

stratification

Via the always brilliant Maps Mania, we are directed towards a gorgeous, mesmerising self-described screen-saver that smoothly and continuously pans across the city of Hamburg (previously) and every few moments transitions seamlessly into another type of relief map, visualising other data. More at the links above including a detailed demonstration and instructions on how to create one’s own curated cartographic layers.

the way you deal with us steel

Ten days ahead of Kennedy’s actual forty-fifth birthday at a gala celebration and fund-raising event in Madison Square Garden, Marilyn Monroe performed an iconic salutation for the US president on this day in 1962. Accompanied by jazz artist Hank Jones on the piano, Monroe sported an ermine stole over a skin-tight, flesh-toned Jean Louis dress bedecked with thousands of shimmering rhinestones. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and their children, who skipped most Democratic Party events, spent the day at a horse show.