Whilst unfortunately never leaving show-room floors due to a perceived lack of public enthusiasm for a station wagon that transformed into a fully outfitted campsite with the push of a button, via Messy Nessy Chic, we are referred to this rather glorious 1959 concept vehicle from Ford’s Heritage Vault. The faux wood paneling is a vestigially reminder of when such conveyances were used like hackney coaches to transport people and goods to the nearest train depot. In addition to the launchable boat that reveals a roof-top tent for two, a kitchen with stove, refrigerator and sink deployed at the flip of a switch from the boot.
Monday, 9 October 2023
county squire (11. 049)
the tomb of cerberus (11. 048)
Public works crews updating the water supply for a suburb of Naples have uncovered with the help of a team of archaeologists an untouched funerary chamber of the later Imperial period complete with burial 
goods and pristine frescos of mythological scenes, including a pair of ichthyocentaurs and a rear wall depicting the last and most dangerous of the twelve labours of Hercules, the capture and submission of the three-headed hound of Hades. Considered a fool’s errand and a way to finally get rid of the try-hard hero, king Eurystheus of Argos dispatched Hercules on this mission to eliminate the remaining primordial beasts of the elder gods and bring about the reign of the Olympians, Zeus against the will of his wife Hera championed Heracles (“Hera’s fame”), the latter supporting the cause of the monsters. With the help of Hermes (also pictured), Hercules also managed to rescue Theseus and Pirithous, two companions confined to Hades for their brazen attempt to free Persephone.
7x7 (11. 047)
haus zum walfisch: explore horror film shooting locations of 1970s and 1980s classics, including Suspiria filmed in a townhouse in Freiburg im Breisgau
concrete feats: a tour of Italy’s Brutalist architecture
rapid electric vehicle retrofits: an Australian student wins James Dyson Award for an inexpensive conversion kit to make gas-powered vehicles hybrid earthshapes: fantastic geography from pilot Joseph N Portney
larva convivialis: the miniature dancing skeletons of Roman banquets—via Strange Company
jungian individuation: the Swiss psychoanalyst on the predictive power of Tarot cards
tune-on: veteran television producer and director on the revival of his Laugh-In spin-off five decades afterwards
31 days: a month long celebration of the Spooky Season from Laura E Hall—via Waxy
synchronoptica
one year ago: assorted links to revisit, World Postal Day plus to slander one’s good reputation
two years ago: more links to enjoy, happy birthday John Lennon, Karl-Marx-Stadt, drag queen tarot plus a visit to the Osterburg
three years ago: The Watcher in the Woods, more Phantom plus more links worth revisiting
four years ago: major military exercise in Germany planned by US forces plus other European trade colonies in China
five years ago: Trump’s legacy of failed businesses, more on the fight to save an ancient woodland plus moving Tokyo’s historic fish market
Sunday, 8 October 2023
play well (11. 046)
After growing quite well acquainted with the non-traditional medium whilst playing (as building co-facilitator) the iconic toy with her toddler, Vancouver-based artist Katherine Duclos began producing pieces of fine, gallery-worthy art with LEGO herself, with her young son now as a very helpful and accomplished emmanuence and block organiser. See more of Duclos’ meticulous studies and multidisciplinary compositions in an interview with Print Magazine at the link above and her personal website here.folio (11. 045)
๐ (11. 044)
Via Pasa Bon!’s regular link roundup (lots more to check out there), we are referred to this clever project by Steven Tey that uses artificial intelligence to generate fantastical spiralling compositions (see previously) from a text prompt with a single click. The application accepts very elaborate instructions and really excels in surprising ways. Do give it a try and be sure to share your collaborative creations.
synchronoptica
one year ago: the cast of Star Trek in an energy company advert plus Saint Reparata
two years ago: your daily demon: Raum, Baghdad’s House of Wisdom plus a bi-directional typeface
three years ago: assorted links to revisit, Les Misérables (1985), poorly drawn animals plus Trump requires wildlife conservationist organisations to celebrate America’s hunting heritage
four years ago: visualising Wikipedia updates in real time, Trump abruptly withdraws from the Syria-Turkish border, Call Me By Your Monet, The Million Eyes of Sumuru plus discouraging frivolous lawsuits in the Middle Ages
five years ago: the degrading web plus calling attention to the problem of space junk
Saturday, 7 October 2023
the third intifada (11. 043)
Nearly coinciding with the 1973 Yom Kippur War when a coalition of Arab states fought to retake the Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights territories occupied by Israel, the militant governing authority of 
Palestine, Hamas, together with other nationalists groups launched a large-scale surprise offensive against Israel from the Gaza Strip, breaking through barrier and crossing the Green Line, in the first such incursion since 1948 with a barrage of thousands of rockets and hostages taken. Declaring a state of war, Israel has retaliated in what may escalate into a regional conflict. The near complete blockade of Gaza in force since 2007 (when Hamas was elected to political power) and denial of statehood to Palestine or any meaningful form of self-determination, though commanding officers cite tensions that occurred six months earlier at the Temple Mount / al-Aqsa Compound in Jerusalem and under Israeli jurisdiction when Passover, Eastertide and Ramadan occurred all at the same time and Muslim worshippers were forcibly removed after clashes with police.
dschungelweg (11. 042)
Deciding to try again to find the route we were searching for yesterday but from a better trodden starting point and walked through the vineyards on another educational trail (Lehrpfad) that this time had information about the different varieties of grapes grown and harvested here with more views of Escherndorf, Nordheim and the Main valley, passing the Vogelsberg and the orchards on the other side of the Weinberg.
We entered an ancient old-growth stretch of woods hugging the bank of the river, untouched except for a very narrow footpath through the forest. Passing Fahr and back up to the top of the ridge through a second nature path for some more views of the valleys and vineyards before returning to the campground.
synchronoptica
one year ago: absinthe banned in Switzerland, the Feast of Sergius and Bacchus plus assorted links to revisit
two years ago: a cool ghoul and your ghost host, the Cyrus Charter, a bird wife plus a catalogue of invasive toys
three years ago: most senior US government officials in quarantine, a typing tutor, a birdhouse apartment plus more historic maps
four years ago: a minimum wage machine
five years ago: more links to check out, East Germany’s Tag der Republik, a visit to an automotive and aviation museum plus himpathy and related neologisms
