giorno poetry systems (12. 829)

Courtesy of Weird Universe, not only do we learn about the public multimedia experiment (see also here, here and here) started by artist and activist John Giorno in 1968—initially introduced as an installation before being deaccessioned by the Museum of Modern Art in New York after complains over its catalogue being weighted towards counter-cultural polemics and a subsequent FBI investigation into potentially subversive language before retreating into different iterations and media, we learn that the service is still active and one can dial-a-poem—or visit the its web presence for a random selection (or with directory assistance per app), sourced from the original exhibit (collaborating with John Cage, Allen Ginsberg, William S Burroughs, Patti Smith and others) with many more contributors added in the decades since.

the farthest shore (12. 828)

As for other authors of the genre, the business of world building is a key first step, and no exception for godmother of high fantasy-fiction Ursula K LeGuin (previously here and here) who meticulously charted out her complex, layered narratives before populating them with her characters. Along the same lines as Le Guin’s pithy quote about how people who deny the existence of dragons are often eaten by them—“from within”—mapping out her domains has an immediate impact: “I saw and named Earthsea and all its islands. I knew almost nothing about the but I knew their names. In the name is magic.” More on the exhibition from Hyperallergic at the link above.

no sir—i don’t feel very much like talking (12. 827)

The duo of Mayte Mateous and María Mendiola discovered by an RCA Records executive whilst on holiday in Fuerteventura performing for tourists singing traditonal songs and dancing flamenco and formed the band Baccara for the label reached the top of UK charts on this day in 1977 with their signature single, holding the number one spot for a week, becoming an international hit and the first female and Spanish act to achieve this. Almost immediately after this success, several cover versions were recorded in other languages, including Finnish, Czech and Latvian.

*    *    *    *    *

synchronoptica

one year ago: Bezos’ owned Washington Post declines to endorse a US presidential candidate (with synchronopticæ), a temporary monument for the January Sixth rioters, a seasonal treat from Louie Zong plus assorted links worth revisiting

eleven years ago: a lingual family tree, space tourism plus collectable matchbooks

twelve years ago: metastasised lobbying culture, the extravagant lifestyle of the Bishop of Limburg plus underestimating animal intelligence

thirteen years ago: homeopathic remedies plus anticipating Guy Fawkes Night 

charring cross (12. 826)

Another property saved from falling into abject disrepair from the Spitalfield’s Trust, the Gentle Author directs our attention to the real estate on the market in the Kentish Weald of the remnants of the archbishop’s palace, a favoured respite during the day’s journey from Canterbury to Lambeth Palace in London for centuries as well as hosting Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon (and vast entourage) on their embassy with France’s Francis I for their representatively opulent summit at the Field of Cloth of Gold. Ultimately converted into a dwelling space following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1545 (also the work of Henry under the Reformation) this storied way-station (see also) was redeveloped as a farming complex and is in need of a good caretaker. We wish we had the spare resources for such a noble endeavour lying around.

wormsign (12. 825)

This spectacular image of a lone horseman standing in the mawing mouth of a rocky outcropping in Cappadocia—one of the multitude of “fairy chimneys” or hoodoos (peribacası), the formations named for the Southern Paiute word of the indigenous Native American tribe of the southwest of the continent for a vista inspiring awe and trembling, some the pinnacles and spires in this region of Türkiye have been hewn into ancient dwellings—looking like scene from a wintry Arrakis was captured by Erfurt-based filmmaker and photographer Dennis Schmelz, securing top prize in the annual drone photo competition, the Siena awards, see previously. NPR’s Goats & Soda features more outstanding honourable mentions at the link above.

9x9 (12. 824)

project mind control: Sopranos creator’s next project is about spymaster and chemist Sidney Gottlieb and MKUltra  

perwich letter: a coded seventeen century diplomatic missive deciphered after three hundred and fifty years 

daisy, daisy—give me your answer do: AI models creating their own survival drive to avoid being switched off 

meanwhile back at the academy: new Star Trek series featuring Holly Hunter is to have a coming-of-age teen theme 

critical ponerology theory: a fascinating look at the othering nature of evil 

space mom: veteran actor June Lockhart passes away, aged 100  

anti-deficiency act: anonymous donation meant to defray a fraction of the salaries of the US armed forces revealed as a reclusive billionaire 

bletchley park: a virtual Enigma machine to reverse-engineer in the style of an early 2000s computer game—see previously, see also—via Web Curios 

channelvue: capturing the experience of early 1990s cable channel surfing, a network CEO becomes flummoxed to find her station guide broadcast hijacked—see also 

synchronoptica

one year ago: The Terminator (with synchronopticæ) plus half-baked ideas

thirteen years ago: the cognitive dissonance of political campaigning 

fourteen years ago: the EU experiment, a mysterious manuscript decoded by computer plus the anniversary of the German invention of the telephone

fifteen years ago: printable Halloween costume ideas

sixteen years ago: fall back with the clocks 

seventeen years ago: the McCain-Palin ticket for the US presidency 

haskell free library (12. 823)

Citing “illicit cross-border activities,” the Trump regime has cancelled the century old arrangement for the library (see previously) that straddles the US and Canada line which endured 9/11, previous barment to entry, racist immigration policies enacted under his first term, the COVID pandemic and overtures for annexation that allowed egress from Stanstead Quebec to Derby Line Vermont customs free. Whereas the main entrance lies in America, Canadians are using the emergency exit until a new front door can be built—renovations put on hold during the interregnum.

u sank my battleship (12. 822)

On the anniversary of the liberation of Grenada, as the US is trying to move the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier and its strike group of five destroyers to the Caribbean Sea ostensibly to launch a ground invasion to affect regime change in Venezuela with the pretence of quelling drug-trafficking by narco-terrorists (scores already killed by highly dubious and extrajudicial strikes on boats in international waters)—with support ships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea needing to transit through the Bosphorus and Black Sea in order to rendezvous with the carrier presently at port in Croatia—maybe the future might reckon this deployment as the opening salvo of World War III. Other countries might take advantage of a distracted America operating under the capricious orders of incompetent leadership, and the passage already dicey to say the least with the Russian assault on Ukraine and Türkiye perhaps unwilling to grant the destroyers access to the straits (see previously here and here) after being excluded from the twenty point peace process in Gaza negotiated by Trump. This announced military buildup also comes one day ahead of Argentinian parliamentary elections, which could threaten the coalition government of MAGA acolyte and ally Javier Milei—that is, if the voters aren’t persuaded otherwise.