The Ineffable In-Betweenness of Being

And so, Edna, to put it in another way, “Love, which, when one is not loved, calls that it be refused”

Artwork © redbunnylips

Nevertheless

A picture taken from the Hungarian periodical A Hét (The Week), No. 12, March 18, 1994, p. 6, shows Zita Rajcsányi, the woman who brought Bobby Fischer back to chess, in the foreground at the board. The caption reads, “The marriage proposal is just a journalists’ boutade”. Photo: László Polgár’s Archive.

An April After

A pro-Palestinian activist looks on as she participates in the celebrations of the 79th Anniversary of Italy’s Liberation Day from nazism and fascism, in Rome, April 25, 2024. Photo: Yara Nardi/Reuters.

So is life, Edna; it took another thirty years to realise that, whatever the cost, it was well worth it

Courtesy of Supercoloring.com

An Overdue Goodbye

In an in-depth interview with ChessBase, Ukrainian Grandmaster Adrian Bohdanovych Mikhalchishin called The World Chess Championship. The Chess Champion Bobby Fischer vs. the Challenger Boris Vasilievich Spassky. The Revenge Match of the Twentieth Century “a fantastic match, though it was, at the time, underestimated because Yugoslavia was under sanctions, and it wasn’t widely publicised. It was even criticised by Kasparov and Karpov for the level, but the level was much higher — as we now realise — than some of their matches”.

Fischer and Spassky shake hands before their first game in the World Chess Championship Revenge Match of the Twentieth Century in Sveti Stefan, Yugoslavia, September 2 1992. Photo: Dragan Filpović/Getty Images.

King Kong

“Love, which, when one is loved, does not allow that it be refused”

In the Serbian magazine Borba of September 19, 2023, Dobrica Jovičić published a biographical article on 11th World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer, titled “Сјај и беда генија” (“The glory and misery of genius”), which, if on the one hand says little or nothing new about him, yet on the other hand it features some little known pictorial material covering his journeys to his most beloved Yugoslavia:

Fischer in Yugoslavia in July 1958 with Belgrade TV journalist Miodrag Ilić. Photo: Borba Archive.

Fischer in Belgrade in 1968. Photo: Borba Archive.

Fischer in Yugoslavia, undated. Photo: Borba Archive.

Sveti Stefan and Belgrade, 1992: The World Chess Championship. The Chess Champion Bobby Fischer vs. the Challenger Boris Vasilievich Spassky. The Revenge Match of the Twentieth Century. The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a cease and desist order to enjoin Fischer from any further violation of President George H. W. Bush’s Executive Order 12810 imposing sanctions on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). In response, during the inaugural press conference on September 1, 1992, in front of the world’s press, Fischer spat on the U.S. order, saying “This is my reply to the order not to defend my title here”. United States issued a warrant for Fischer’s arrest, and he will never return to his home country. Photo: Borba Archive.

挪亚方舟 (Noah’s Ark)

A drone view shows roads submerged in floodwaters following heavy rainfall, in 清远 (Qīngyuǎn), 广东省 (Guǎngdōng province), China. Photo: 王廷樞 (Wáng Tíngshū)/Reuters.

Yeah, Edna, they just looked and sounded like the characters in Spoon River

Artwork © Folb

The Long Goodbye

Meadows

Homage to Mauro Marè (1935–1993)

Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, April 19, 2024

Er seme der piagne (la vita dell’omo) Da una catorbia d’ombra ummida e llercia sficasse all’aria chiara doppio piagne nell’occhi pe ttutto un fiato d’angelo la storia more in core ar divenì la parlata bbacata un sorcio in bocca èssimo artri èssimo nojjartri crescessimo e umanessimo a scola a ffabbricà lacunoscenza a strazzià li lamenti ne la mente quela galanteria dell’esse gnente che te strozza a ccantà la terra forte fiata controcelo a ccresce in erba e ccavarcà in pratoni campi d’amore pratonico cose più oziose e ccose minuzziose intorno a la bottega ndò se frega domani alegri a ffaticà in mestjeri l’arte d’ammucchià vvento co li forconi a ppoi l’ale a spirale a vvita e ppreci in pizzo pia morte pjatutto umanità piagnente. Il seme del piangere (la vita dell’uomo) Da una prigione d’ombra umida e lercia sbucare all’aria chiara doppio pianto negli occhi ovunque un fiato d’angelo la storia muore in cuore al divenire la parlata bacata un sorcio in bocca altri fummo fummo noialtri crescessimo e umanessimo a scuola a fabbricare lacunoscenza a strazziare i lamenti nella mente quella galanteria di essere niente che ti strozza a cantare la terra fiata forte contro il cielo a crescere in erba a cavalcare in pratoni campi d’amore pratonico cose più oziose e cose minuziose intorno alla bottega dove si fotte domani allegri a faticare in mesti-ieri l’arte di ammucchiare il vento coi forconi e poi le ali a spirale a vite, a preci in pizzo pia morte pigliatutto umanità piangente piglianiente. The seed of crying (the life of man) Out of a prison of damp and filthy shadow all the way up to the crystal clear air double cry in the eyes everywhere an angel’s breath history dies in the heart upon becoming flawed talk a mouse in the mouth we were others we were we ourselves we grew up and we made ourselves human at school to build knowledge of gaps to torment the mourning in the mind that gallantry of being nothing which chokes you to sing the earth blows loudly against the sky to grow up in grass to ride in meadows (pratoni) pratonic love fields more idle things and minute things round the shop where one fritters away cheerful tomorrows toiling in labour’s yesterdays the art of heaping wind with pitchforks and then spiral wings with screw, headlong on top pious death takes all crying humanity takes nothing.

(English translation by I, Robot)

René Magritte, The Lovers, 1928. Courtesy of WikiArt.

Yes, Edna, they should title their flowchart “From Hollywood to Bollywood” — and not worry about copyright infringement

Artwork © Lisa Nolan (@stillheartingfinearting)

Alone in a Crowd

Russian Grandmaster Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi stopped in emotion, midstairs, after his compelling and dramatic drawn game against Fabiano Caruana — a result that didn’t help either of them. (Thank you, Ulises, for reporting it to me). Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/chess.com.

The Catcher in the Rye

The Day Not Seized

Old New Thing

Let it go, Edna. He stands above any dress code!

Artwork © Marc Rueda (@marc_rueda)

When Parallel Lines Meet

On Saturday and Sunday, for the sake of our dog and cat friends, L’Arca di Noè (Noah’s Ark) made a stop at the shopping mall “I Gigli” in the industrial suburb of Campi Bisenzio, Metropolitan City of Florence, Italy. Just one parallel street back, in the distance, is the Alamo of the former GKN factory, still occupied by its laid-off workers in order to make history and bring out the future.

Naturally, Edna. We are all sure that if a snake were to come up to you and offer you an apple, you would say, “No, never!”

Photo © elvis

Once Upon a Twice

Three-time Russian Women’s Chess Champion Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina, pictured above, conceded a quick draw against 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) in the penultimate round of Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024, which means that the next match for the world title will be, once again, an all-Chinese affair. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/chess.com.

Tales of a Diver

Oh, Edna, one can only imagine how it feels like to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress

Artwork © Norris Wong 黃綺琳 (@norris_wong_lyricist)

Garfield Goes Hollywood

On Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 April 2024 L’Arca di Noè (Noah’s Ark) — a TV program dedicated to the world of animals — will make a stop at the shopping mall “I Gigli” in Campi Bisenzio, Metropolitan City of Florence, Italy. Most animal rights associations and organisations will join in — including the A.M.A. (Friends of Animal World) Cattery that will feature the latest creations by Mado Flynn. For further details and information, click here.

Antonio Ligabue, Gatto con cassettone (Cat with chest of drawers), 1954. Courtesy of Arte.Go.

金鵝 (The Golden Goose)

Five-time Olympic gold medal diver 吴敏霞 (Wú Mǐnxiá) wears KEER千叶珠宝 (KEER Chiba Jewelry). Photos: KEER千叶珠宝 (KEER Chiba Jewelry).