wear and tear

Amazingly, material scientists working in the laboratories of University of California’s San Diego campus are developing fabrics and casings (and even circuit-boards) that can repair themselves using an ink like compound infused with magnetic particles that can be directed to a rip or crack and instantly cauterise the wound at first signs of disintegration. This self-healing function is a lot like our own pliable, living skin and may make some significant inroads into our culture of over-packaging (if our stuff was more resilient, maybe handling wouldn’t be of such importance) and disposable outlook on things. What if you had socks that darned themselves? I think that would in itself be a motivation to mend and rehabilitate things not yet imbued with the ability to patch themselves up.

sweater weather

The fabulous Messy Nessy Chic invites us to peruse the pages of a gem of car-boot sale find in the big book of British knitting patterns called “Wit Knits,” published in 1986. These ugly sweater connoisseurs, including Joanne Lumley (aka, Patsy from Absolutely Fabulous), haven’t even a touch of irony in their enthusiastic modelling.  Be sure to check out the entire rogues gallery (which might even inspire a crafty project) at the link up top.

rendition

When the German government failed to respond to the extradition demands of Turkey to turn over some four thousand suspected dissenters and dissidents who were party to the failed coup attempt thought to reside in Germany, the Turkish government accused Germany of harbouring terrorist elements, which will boomerang back and destroy Germany. The tense exchange comes right after a series of purges and censorship of the press. It is unclear which persons of interest Turkey is hoping to be offered up or whether radicals are of the established variety (Berlin said to antagonise Ankara over its tolerance for the Kurdish minority) or if they recently fled the country. There was not a rush of political asylum-seekers but many lawyers who suddenly found themselves on the wrong side of the coup did seek sanctuary in Germany.

franchisement

There’s a rather austere neo-classic sculpture now kept in the US Capitol (finally being put on display rather than being hidden in the building’s crypt as it was for the first few decades after it was presented to Congress) that features the busts of three pioneers that helped secure the right to vote for women—anachronistically not until 1921. The likenesses suffragettes Susan B Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott appear as an ensemble evoking the colossal monument at Mount Rushmore but there’s obviously an unfinished rough bit. Although the artist’s original intent is unknown (possibly signifying that the job of achieving universal suffrage was not done), legend holds that this space is reserved for the first female president.

lordy, lordy

Revisiting a post from the beginning of the year for the benefit and edification of all our fellow-travelers (regardless of your year of matriculation and whether or not you are a Scorpio or Ophiuchus), we inspect the select cavalcade of things (forty plus one) attaining their fourth decade this year.

with my sword and magic helmet or electric youth

Fast Company features a suite of wearables—an exoskeletal enhancement, that impart super powers on those who don them.
There’s a harness, a truss that provides gentle nudges to keep one oriented and an earpiece that promises to filter out unwanted environmental noises and enable people to have a conversation that rises about the general din without shouting themselves hoarse, but what I found most clever was a concept (that’s been in development for several years apparently) called the Ouijiband, referencing those involuntary, nervous motions that move a planchette across a Ouija board, that would attach to the user’s wrist to guide and refine one’s dexterity—be it improving on a surgeon’s hand or as a mechanical trainer to perfect one’s tennis-swing. What do you think? Once we have these prosthetic-assists available, is it negligent to try out anything without them? There is the question of ego versus responsibility on one hand, if one indeed foregoes the short-cut in the first place, but what happens to play and experimentation if none of us are willing to doff our accessories?

aladdin sane

It seemed to me that emojis had heretofore reflected a rather limited range of career options—police officer, princess or palace guard—but happily the credentialing body who enriches our vocabulary and their vocations have made glam rock star something to aspire to (among others) as an homage to David Bowie.