With a quarter-century of Germany unity being observed this weekend (and importantly, we’ve been afforded many reminders to reflect on the meaning and the different stages of the reunification process that led up to this formalised recognition), it seems especially poignant that this anniversary come at time when Germany is preoccupied with a refugee-crisis, which although of a different character, does revisit many of the same challenges.
Wednesday 30 September 2015
einheit, zipfelbund
catagories: ๐ฉ๐ช, ๐ท๐บ, ๐, ๐, ๐, ๐ง , holidays and observances, religion, revolution
Tuesday 29 September 2015
5x5
alba amicorum: the Dutch friend books of the seventeenth century, via the Presurfer
optotype: via Kottke’s extensive archive of Quick Links, a gorgeous history of eye chart typography
percival lowell’s canals: NASA confirms that briny water is flowing on Mars presently
magic kingdom: Banksy’s Dismaland will be deconstructed and repurposed to house refugees in the Jungle Camp in Calais
legacy system: Norwegian government pressures its physicians to give up their beloved, reliable floppy discs
Monday 28 September 2015
fungiculture
Spargelzeit (Asparagus season) with all its fanfare and focus is a distant memory by now but one up-side to the change of seasons and the cool and damp days ahead is the advent of Mushroom Time. Pfifferlinge, a savoury scalloped fungus found on tree trunks, is my favourite—celebrated with just as much intensity, and while any foraging for these gourmet delicacies, such work is best left to seasoned experts, many keeping the faithful locations of the appearance of this heritage fruiting a secret guarded as well as that for a prized vintner, since there are many more varieties that are deadly poisonous than edible. This time of year, many restaurants adjust their menus—Tageskarte, Speisekarte—to showcase this time-honoured mania.
catagories: ๐ฉ๐ช, ๐ฑ, ๐, ๐ฝ, holidays and observances
umbrage
This season was quite nicely bookended by two astronomical events, I thought, what with the partial eclipse of the Sun—for those of us in Central Europe—just as the weather was beginning to wax comfortable and the Blood Super Moon just as the daylights and temperature begins to turn. I was not able to capture either event that I witnessed too terribly well and did not do justice to the Moon coloured red and by no means lost in the pre-dawn horizon but I did like the airplane flying in its direction and of course most things are better imparted first-hand and every one of us will be treated to privileged spectacles, however the rarity, I’m sure.
catagories: ๐, ๐ญ, holidays and observances