FRIDAY FUNNIES / THOSE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS

"My good man, is the loo on this level or the one below?"

 ***

THE FOODIST / OAXACAN COOKING IN NORTH PARK

SWEET. Churros & French Toast--all day, includes churros, banana, berries, carmel sauce, dulce de leche ice cream. $17.95.

There’s no shortage of Mexican restaurants in San Diego's North Park. But walk into Cocina De Barrio, and you’ll know this one isn’t built for tourists or tequila shots. 

It’s built for people who understand that mole isn’t a sauce—it’s a state of mind. 

Inside a mid-century storefront that once belonged to Saiko Sushi, Cocina De Barrio opened in the Fall of 2024, reclaiming the 1948 building for something more ambitious. 

North Park is no stranger to new openings, but this one came with a soft launch, a liquor license (a rarity for Mexican joints in the area), and the kind of confidence that doesn’t need neon. 

Chef José J. Flores, along with partner Jaime Osuna, has planted his flag in the soil of Oaxacan cooking—and not the gentrified kind. You won’t find TikTok burritos or lobster enchiladas here. 

What you will find: a tlayuda the size of a hubcap, mole negro that hums with 30 ingredients and no apologies, and enfrijoladas so rich you’ll stop mid-bite and nod to no one in particular.

 If you’ve only ever heard of Oaxaca in passing, the menu is a crash course. The quesillo, a stringy white cheese folded into tortillas, is there. Chapulines may or may not make an appearance, depending on the week. The corn is hand-pressed. The beans are smoked. The flavor is earned. And then there’s the mezcal. 

Let's get back to Cocina De Barrio's liquor license that they use with a flourish. The mezcal selection is deep, regional, and largely unpretentious. No sparkler-studded nonsense—just strong pours and neat flights that pair well with the house’s quieter ambition. 

The space isn’t loud. Art-forward walls, clean lines, no gimmicks. It doesn’t look like a fiesta—it looks like a place that’s going to last.

 Cocina De Barrio is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and works as a late breakfast spot, a lingering lunch, or a mezcal-slicked dinner date. 

It replaced a good sushi bar, sure. But what it offers in return is something the neighborhood didn’t know it needed—a regional Mexican kitchen that respects tradition and still dares to serve it hot. 2884 University Avenue, North Park, San Diego @ Granada Ave. 

IMAGES / WHERE IN THE WORLD?

MOSCOW SKYLINE: 

Moscow’s skyline is impressive in the way a czar's crown is impressive—glittering, historical, sometimes gaudy, often overwhelming, and not always built for comfort. It's no façade in craftsmanship, but its message is curated. It's both a symbol of power and an ongoing performance—and that's what makes it remarkable in its own way.

BODY DYNAMIC / HERE’S LOOKING ATCHOO, KID!

Understanding How the Body Is Able to Sneeze 

 A sneeze might feel like a nuisance—or the grand finale to an itch in your nose—but it’s actually a highly coordinated defensive mechanism designed to protect your respiratory system. 

 At its core, a sneeze is your body’s way of ejecting irritants—dust, pollen, pet dander, pepper, even bright light in some cases. When the sensitive lining inside your nose detects one of these intruders, it sends a signal to the sneeze center in your brainstem. 

That’s right—there’s a specific control center for sneezes. It organizes a muscular chain reaction faster than you can say “bless you.” First, your chest muscles, diaphragm, vocal cords, and throat all team up, compressing your lungs. 

Your tongue presses against the roof of your mouth. 

Then—bam!—your body releases that pressure in a sudden burst, forcing air, mucus, and the offending particles out through your nose and mouth at speeds up to 100 miles per hour. 

 It’s not just biology—it’s choreography. 

 So the next time you let loose a thunderous “ACHOO,” know that your body is simply doing its job: cleaning house, one sneeze at a time. 

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PillartoPost.org's "Body Dynamic" an original series explores how our inner systems respond to the outer world—one heartbeat at a time.

MEDIA MONDAY / CHRIS BARNETT: SAN FRANCISCO'S ORIGINAL INKSLINGER STILL WRITING THE TOWN

If you’ve ever spent time in a North Beach café or nursed a drink at a classic San Francisco bar, chances are you’ve crossed paths—directly or on the page—with Chris Barnett. A fixture in Bay Area journalism (business, travel, saloons) for decades, Barnett has done what many only dream of: he made a living telling the stories of the cities he loves, and he’s still at it. 

Known for his sharp wit, insatiable curiosity, and unmistakable voice, Barnett’s byline has appeared in just about every major publication on both sides of the Mississippi: Forbes, New York Journal of Commerce, Investors' Business Daily, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, leading inflight magazines, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Business Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Fillmore Street News and Porthole Magazine—to name only a few. 

From business moguls to bartenders, taxi drivers to tech titans, Barnett has a knack for getting people talking and turning their tales into something memorable. What sets him apart isn’t just longevity—it’s his genuine affection for the people and places that give San Francisco its heartbeat. 

His writing is as colorful as the city itself: playful, irreverent, and smart without taking itself too seriously. “Every person has a story,” Barnett likes to say, “and sometimes the best stories are the ones people don’t think are worth telling—until you ask the right question.” When he’s not pounding the keys, Barnett can often be found holding court in North Beach or the Marina, forever the keen observer, always with a pen (or pint) close at hand. 

Friends describe him as “a classic reporter with a twinkle in his eye”—someone who’s never met a stranger and who can spin a yarn that leaves you both laughing and thinking. At a time when journalism is often in flux, Chris Barnett reminds us that good writing, like a good cocktail, never goes out of style. 

"I first met Chris when I was a cub reporter at the old Hollywood Citizen News in LA back before computers.  I ended up commissioning more articles to him than I can recall while I was editor of PSA Magazine, San Francisco Magazine, San Diego Magazine.  He never missed a deadline and his copy was crisp and entertaining whether it was business, travel or general interest.  One memorable link up was when I assigned Chris to a monthly column in PSA Magazine, an inflight popular during the 70s and 80s.  It launched him into a liquid universe as the columnist for "In Search of the Great California Saloon."  Despite for his boozy beat he was never one of those tipsy barstool hacks.  An upstanding, well-dressed, sober, who made his old fashion (below) new fashion.  Easily one of the finest generalist journalists in the business and hilarious friend.  I'm so glad we're still hanging out," said Shess, who is in the photograph below with Barnett at Le Central Restaurant in San Francisco.

Chris Barnett, right, with long time friend and magazine editor Tom Shess
at Le Central restaurant, San Francisco.  Find Chris on LinkedIn. 
Photo: Phyllis Adkisson Shess.

SUNDAY REVIEW / COMPLETE GUIDE TO U.S. PRESIDENT'S LIBRARIES, HISTORIC SITES & HOMES

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, completed on October 20, 1979, is a poignant tribute to the 35th President of the United States, embodying both the aspirations of a nation and the innovative spirit of its architect, I.M. Pei.  

Created and Updated by PillartoPost.org online daily magazine: Memorial Day 2025 

George Washington – Mount Vernon Address: 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, VA 22121 Website: mountvernon.org Hours: Open daily; April–October: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; November–March: 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. History: Washington’s plantation estate and final resting place, preserved by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association since 1858 

John Adams & John Quincy Adams – Adams National Historical Park Address: 1250 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA 02169 Website: nps.gov/adam Hours: Visitor Center open Monday–Friday, 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; historic homes open seasonally History: Includes the birthplaces and family estate of the 2nd and 6th presidents 

Thomas Jefferson – Monticello Address: 1050 Monticello Loop, Charlottesville, VA 22902 Website: monticello.org Hours: Open daily; hours vary seasonally History: Jefferson’s self-designed mountaintop home, a UNESCO World Heritage Site 

James Madison – Montpelier Address: 11350 Constitution Highway, Montpelier Station, VA 22957 Website: montpelier.org Hours: Thursday–Monday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. History: Home of the "Father of the Constitution" 

James Monroe – Highland Address: 2050 James Monroe Parkway, Charlottesville, VA 22902 Website: highland.org Hours: Open daily, 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. History: Monroe’s estate adjacent to Monticello 

John Quincy Adams (See John Adams above) 

Andrew Jackson – The Hermitage Address: 4580 Rachel’s Lane, Nashville, TN 37076 Website: thehermitage.com Hours: Open daily, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Jackson’s plantation home 

Martin Van Buren – Lindenwald Address: 1013 Old Post Road, Kinderhook, NY 12106 Website: nps.gov/mava Hours: Visitor Center open daily, 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; house tours Thursday–Monday History: Van Buren’s retirement home 

William Henry Harrison – Grouseland Address: 3 West Scott Street, Vincennes, IN 47591 Website: grouseland.org Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 12:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. History: Harrison’s gubernatorial mansion 

John Tyler – Sherwood Forest Plantation Address: 14501 John Tyler Memorial Highway, Charles City, VA 23030 Website: sherwoodforest.org Hours: Grounds open daily, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; house tours by appointment History: Tyler’s plantation home 

James K. Polk – Polk Home and Museum Address: 301 West 7th Street, Columbia, TN 38401 Website: jameskpolk.com Hours: Monday–Saturday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; Sunday, 1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Polk’s only surviving residence 

Zachary Taylor – Zachary Taylor National Cemetery Address: 4701 Brownsboro Road, Louisville, KY 40207 Website: cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/ZacharyTaylor.asp Hours: Office open Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. History: Final resting place of the 12th president 

Millard Fillmore – Forest Lawn Cemetery & Buffalo History Museum
Address: 1411 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14209 (grave); 1 Museum Court, Buffalo, NY 14216 (museum)
Website: forest-lawn.com / buffalohistory.org
Hours: Cemetery open daily; museum hours vary

History: Fillmore’s final resting place is at Forest Lawn Cemetery; exhibits and artifacts are housed at the nearby Buffalo History Museum

Franklin Pierce – The Pierce Manse Address: 14 Horseshoe Pond Lane, Concord, NH 03301 Website: piercemanse.org Hours: Thursday–Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. (May–October) History: Pierce’s pre-presidency home 

James Buchanan – Wheatland Address: 1120 Marietta Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603 Website: lancasterhistory.org Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. History: Buchanan’s home and burial site, preserved as a historical museum by LancasterHistory 

Abraham Lincoln Tomb State Historic Site 1500 Monument Avenue [Oak Ridge Cemetery] Website: http://historicspringfield.dnr.illnois.gov Hours: 9 am to 5pm daily. Free admission History: Resting place of the 16th president of the United States 

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum & Library 212 N 6th Street Springfield, Illinois Website: https://presidentlincoln.illinois.gov/ Hours: 9 am to 5 pm daily History: State run entry fee to museum. 

Abraham Lincoln – Lincoln Home National Historic Site Address: 426 South 7th Street, Springfield, IL 62701 Website: nps.gov/liho Hours: Visitor Center open daily, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Lincoln’s only owned home 

Andrew Johnson – Andrew Johnson National Historic Site Address: 121 Monument Avenue, Greeneville, TN 37743 Website: nps.gov/anjo Hours: Visitor Center open daily; Homestead tours at 10:00 & 11:00 a.m., 2:00 & 3:00 p.m. History: Includes Johnson’s tailor shop, home, and burial site 

Ulysses S. Grant – Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site Address: 7400 Grant Road, St. Louis, MO 63123 Website: nps.gov/ulsg Hours: Open daily, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Grant’s White Haven estate 

Ulysses S. Grant – General Grant National Memorial (Grant’s Tomb) Address: Riverside Drive and West 122nd Street, New York, NY 10027 Website: nps.gov/gegr Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. History: The largest mausoleum in North America, Grant’s Tomb honors the Civil War general and 18th president. Built in 1897, it overlooks the Hudson River and serves as a symbol of national reconciliation following the war. 

Rutherford B. Hayes – Spiegel Grove (Hayes Presidential Library & Museums) Address: Spiegel Grove, Fremont, OH 43420 Website: rbhayes.org Hours: Tuesday–Saturday: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Sunday: 12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. History: A pre-NARA presidential museum 

James A. Garfield – James A. Garfield National Historic Site Address: 8095 Mentor Avenue, Mentor, OH 44060 Website: nps.gov/jaga Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Garfield’s home and campaign site 

Chester A. Arthur – Chester A. Arthur State Historic Site Address: 4588 Chester Arthur Road, Fairfield, VT 05448 Website: (No official site) Hours: Seasonal, limited hours History: Arthur’s birthplace 

Grover Cleveland – Grover Cleveland Birthplace Address: 207 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell, NJ 07006 Website: groverclevelandbirthplace.org Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. History: Only house museum of a president in NJ 

Benjamin Harrison – Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site Address: 1230 North Delaware Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202 Website: bhpsite.org Hours: Monday–Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.; Sunday: 12:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. History: Restored Victorian home 

William McKinley – McKinley Presidential Library & Museum Address: 800 McKinley Monument Drive NW, Canton, OH 44708 Website: mckinleymuseum.org Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. History: Combines local history, science, and presidential exhibits 

Theodore Roosevelt – Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Address: 12 Sagamore Hill Road, Oyster Bay, NY 11771 Website: nps.gov/sahi Hours: Grounds open daily; house tours by reservation History: The "Summer White House" 

William Howard Taft – William Howard Taft National Historic Site Address: 2038 Auburn Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219 Website: nps.gov/wiho Hours: Daily, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. History: Birthplace and boyhood home 

Woodrow Wilson – Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum Address: 20 North Coalter Street, Staunton, VA 24401 Website: woodrowwilson.org Hours: Mon–Sat: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Sun: 12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Birthplace and museum 

Warren G. Harding – Harding Home Presidential Site Address: 380 Mt. Vernon Avenue, Marion, OH 43302 Website: hardingpresidentialsites.org Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (seasonal) History: Restored home and memorial 

Calvin Coolidge – Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site Address: Plymouth Notch, VT Website: historicsites.vermont.gov Hours: Seasonal History: Preserved village where he was born and sworn in 

Herbert Hoover – Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum Address: 210 Parkside Drive, West Branch, IA 52358 Website: hoover.archives.gov Hours: Daily, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Located in Hoover’s hometown Franklin D. Roosevelt – 

Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum Address: 4079 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538 Website: fdrlibrary.org Hours: Apr–Oct: 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Nov–Mar: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. History: First U.S. presidential library 

Harry S. Truman – Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum Address: 500 W. U.S. Hwy 24, Independence, MO 64050 Website: trumanlibrary.gov Hours: Daily, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Recently refurbished. 

Dwight D. Eisenhower – Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum Address: 200 SE 4th Street, Abilene, KS 67410 Website: eisenhowerlibrary.gov Hours: Daily, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Built in Eisenhower’s hometown 

John F. Kennedy – JFK Presidential Library and Museum Address: Columbia Point, Boston, MA 02125 Website: jfklibrary.org Hours: Daily, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Designed by I.M. Pei 

Lyndon B. Johnson – LBJ Presidential Library and Museum Address: 2313 Red River Street, Austin, TX 78705 Website: lbjlibrary.org Hours: Daily, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Exhibits on civil rights and Great Society 

Richard Nixon – Nixon Presidential Library and Museum Address: 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd, Yorba Linda, CA 92886 Website: nixonlibrary.gov Hours: Daily, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Includes Nixon’s birthplace and Watergate exhibits 

Gerald R. Ford – Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum Library: 1000 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Museum: 303 Pearl Street NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504 Website: fordlibrarymuseum.gov Hours: Daily, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Only split-site presidential library 

Jimmy Carter – Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum Address: 441 John Lewis Freedom Parkway NE, Atlanta, GA 30307 Website: jimmycarterlibrary.gov Hours: Daily, 9:00 a.m.–4:45 p.m. History: Opened in 1986, focuses on Carter’s presidency and humanitarian work 

Ronald Reagan – Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum Address: 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley, CA 93065 Website: reaganlibrary.gov Hours: Daily, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Features Air Force One and Cold War exhibits 

George H.W. Bush – George Bush Presidential Library and Museum Address: 1000 George Bush Dr W, College Station, TX 77845 Website: bush41.org Hours: Daily, 9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Located at Texas A&M 

Bill Clinton – Clinton Presidential Library and Museum Address: 1200 President Clinton Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201 Website: clintonlibrary.gov Hours: Mon–Sat: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Sun: 1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Opened in 2004, includes full-scale Oval Office 

George W. Bush – George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum Address: 2943 SMU Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75205 Website: georgewbushlibrary.gov Hours: Mon–Sat: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Sun: 12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. History: Opened in 2013, includes 9/11 exhibits 

Barack Obama – Obama Presidential Library (planned) Address: Jackson Park, Chicago, IL 60637 (under construction) Website: obamalibrary.gov Hours: Not yet open to the public History: First fully digital presidential library, opening in 2026 

COFFEE BEANS & BEINGS / CUP OF TRUTH

 

AMERICANA / SAN DIEGO MARINES JAZZ UP FOURTH OF JULY

 

What is cool about San Diego is its proximity to a lot of US Marine bases and installations, where our service men and women have an opportunity to participate in local events and parades.  They are part of the fabric--not only of our country but of our City.   Here are nine Marines teamed to form a brass band.  They're entertaining Fourth of July travelers inside San Diego International airport.  Photo: Michael Ho, Union-Tribune.

FRIDAY FANTASY / TRIPPING ALONG WITH WES ANDERSON'S LATEST "SCHEME."

Inside The Phoenician Scheme: A Fantastical New Chapter in an Imagined Middle East 

Charmingly esoteric director Wes Anderson’s latest film, The Phoenician Scheme, is another transportive venture into the filmmaker’s singular visual and narrative aesthetic. Set in the imagined year of 1950—but anchored in no real timeline or geography—the film unfolds across “Modern Greater Independent Phoenicia,” a fictional land evoking a stylized Middle East. 

But this is no ordinary fantasy. Through ornate production design, metaphysical detours, and a globe-trotting antihero, Anderson once again distills time, space, and eccentricity into something entirely of his own making. 

At the heart of the story is Anatole “Zsa-zsa” Korda, a flamboyant European business magnate portrayed by Benicio del Toro. A man constantly dodging death—having just survived his sixth plane crash when introduced—Korda is part tycoon, part conman, and entirely Andersonian. 

His mission, or “scheme,” is to push forward a sprawling portfolio of infrastructure projects throughout the fictional Phoenicia. It’s a role designed to channel the spirit of old-world industrialists like Aristotle Onassis and Stavros Niarchos, as well as Lebanese businessman Fouad Malouf—who, notably, is the director’s own father-in-law. 

The film’s ensemble cast includes regular collaborators like Willem Dafoe and Jason Schwartzman, joined by newcomers such as Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Riz Ahmed, Rupert Friend, and Tom Hollander. 

Notably, the role of Korda’s daughter Liesl is played by Mia Threapleton—marking a breakout performance for the young actress, who happens to be the daughter of Kate Winslet. 

And of course, there are other A-list surprises in the film, such as Tom Hanks, whose brief but pivotal appearance is classic Anderson misdirection—unexpected, sly, and oddly touching. 

The opulence of Korda’s lifestyle is integral to the film’s lush production design. Rather than sourcing a real-world palazzo, Anderson and longtime production designer Adam Stockhausen crafted Korda’s world from the ground up inside Studio Babelsberg in Potsdam, Germany. Babelsberg, a studio steeped in cinematic history—from Metropolis to The Grand Budapest Hotel—provided the perfect canvas for Anderson’s architectural fantasies. 

Korda’s residence, a dreamlike Italian palazzo stuffed with priceless artworks, nods subtly to the legacy of oil magnate and collector Calouste Gulbenkian, whose Lisbon-based museum preserves his 6,000-piece collection. 

The film also ventures into unexpected metaphysical territory. As assassination attempts escalate and Korda’s empire begins to wobble, he experiences a surreal vision of the afterlife. These scenes, anchored by Willem Dafoe playing a spectral judge of sorts, place Korda inside a celestial chamber lit by a greenhouse roof—one of several ethereal sets designed to play with the idea of “heaven” without resorting to clichés. 

This luminous sanctuary, constructed on a Babelsberg soundstage, reinforces Anderson’s desire to let the theatricality of filmmaking remain visible. 

Back on Earth, Liesl—a sharp-eyed nun played by Threapleton—serves as the film’s moral compass, confronting her father’s shady dealings with quiet urgency. Her presence grounds the otherwise operatic tale in emotional terms, hinting at redemption even as her father’s empire teeters on collapse. Anderson’s dedication to constructed environments—combined with carefully choreographed camera work and dense visual metaphors—keeps The Phoenician Scheme rooted in his signature style. 

From an overhead bathing scene inspired by Brian De Palma to the barely contained chaos of high-stakes diplomacy in Phoenicia’s gilded halls, every frame reflects the obsessive craftsmanship that fans have come to expect. Though set in an unreal place, the film resonates with our very real fascination with ambition, moral ambiguity, and the global titans who reshape history while escaping accountability. 

In The Phoenician Scheme, Anderson doesn’t just create a new world—he builds a fable out of the ruins of several. 

And, oh did we mention also in the film are Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend and Hope Davis. 

The Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEuMnPl2WI4 

CIVIL WAR'S LITTLE KNOWN HISTORY / ANTI CONFEDERACY REBELLION IN MISSISSIPPI, 1862

Scene from the 2015 film "The Free State of Jones" starring Matthew McConaughey as Newton Knight.  

A Beginner’s Guide to the Free State of Jones 

In the shadow of America’s Civil War, among the foggy pinewoods and swamps of Mississippi, an unlikely rebellion took root—one that challenged not only the Confederacy but the very idea of who the war was meant to serve. 

This was the Free State of Jones, a ragtag breakaway movement led by a poor farmer named Newton Knight. 

Who Was Newton Knight?   

Newton Knight, left, was no plantation owner. 

Born in Jones County, Mississippi, in 1829, Knight was a poor white farmer, a former Confederate soldier turned rebel—against the Confederacy. After seeing how the war favored the wealthy (who could buy their sons out of service), Knight became disillusioned. 

When the Confederacy began confiscating crops and livestock from poor Southern families, that was the last straw. 

What Sparked the Rebellion?   

Knight deserted the Confederate Army around 1862. Hiding in the swamps with a small group of fellow deserters and escaped enslaved people, Knight began organizing resistance. This band—known as the Knight Company—ambushed Confederate tax agents, disrupted supply lines, and protected the local population from raids.   

At its height, the movement declared Jones County and parts of neighboring counties a free state—loyal not to the Confederacy, nor exactly to the Union, but to their own fiercely independent code. 

Was It Really a “Free State”?   

The term Free State of Jones was mostly symbolic. There was no official secession or government, but the defiance was real. For a time, Confederate control all but evaporated in the region. Knight’s rebellion exposed deep fractures within the South—not every Southerner supported the war or the cause of slavery. 

What Happened After the War?   

Knight continued to live in Jones County after the war, scandalizing many by openly living with Rachel, a formerly enslaved woman he had helped free. Their mixed-race community became a point of social controversy in postwar Mississippi. Newton Knight’s legacy was complicated—hero to some, traitor to others, and an uncomfortable reminder of the South’s internal divisions. 

Why Does It Matter?   

The Free State of Jones matters because it challenges the myth of a unified Confederacy. It also offers a rare window into how class, race, and rebellion overlapped during America’s most brutal conflict. It asks: what happens when the common folk realize they’re dying in someone else’s war? 

Pop Culture Note   

In 2016, the story received renewed attention with the film Free State of Jones starring Matthew McConaughey as Newton Knight. While dramatized, the movie brought this little-known chapter of American history to a broader audience. 

RETRO FILES / MUSEUM OF A BITTER WAR

 

National Civil War Museum, Harrisburg PA.

Discover the National Civil War Museum 

Nestled in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the National Civil War Museum offers an immersive exploration into one of the most defining periods of American history. Opened in 2001, the museum is dedicated to presenting an unbiased view of the Civil War, showcasing the perspectives of both Union and Confederate sides, as well as those of enslaved people, civilians, and soldiers alike. 

The museum’s impressive collection features over 24,000 artifacts, including uniforms, weapons, photographs, and personal letters, allowing visitors to connect deeply with the human stories of the era. Interactive exhibits and multimedia presentations vividly portray the timeline of the war, from its causes and battles to the social and political ramifications that continue to shape the nation. 

One highlight is the museum’s focus on lesser-told narratives, such as the contributions of African American soldiers and the plight of civilians caught in the conflict. The “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War” exhibit offers a profound look at how Abraham Lincoln navigated the constitutional challenges of his presidency. 

Practical Information for Visitors 

• Address: 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park, Harrisburg, PA 17103 

• Nearest International Airport: Harrisburg International Airport (MDT), located about 15 miles from the museum. For those traveling from farther afield, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is approximately 90 miles away and offers a broader range of international flights. 

Why Is This Museum Relatively Unknown? 

Despite the widespread interest in Civil War history, the National Civil War Museum remains somewhat under the radar. Its location in Harrisburg, a city not traditionally associated with major Civil War battlefields like Gettysburg, may contribute to its lesser-known status. 

Additionally, marketing efforts have been modest compared with high-profile historical sites [like Gettysburg 36 miles from Harrisburg]. However, this unassuming stature often works in its favor, offering visitors an intimate and uncrowded experience to delve deeply into history without the bustling crowds of larger attractions. 

Set atop Reservoir Park, the museum also offers stunning views of the Susquehanna Valley, providing a serene backdrop for reflecting on the sacrifices and complexities of the Civil War. 

Whether you're a history buff or a casual visitor, the National Civil War Museum is an enriching experience that deepens understanding of America's past and the enduring lessons of unity and resilience. Plan your visit to this remarkable institution and step into the stories that shaped a nation. 

For more information, visit www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org. 

Display of Union Army artillery ammo and equipment

AMERICANA / NEW PERSPECTIVES ON THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

This photo of Confederate soldiers marching through Frederick, Md., was thought to have been taken in 1862. Amateur researchers Paul Bolcik and Erik Davis determined it was taken in 1864, and around the corner from where it was once thought to have been made.

Recent Historical Findings 

By PillartoPost.org / An original essay--In recent decades, Civil War scholarship has undergone a renaissance. Far from the romanticized battlefield narratives of earlier generations, today’s historians have broadened the scope, bringing new tools, perspectives, and questions to bear. 

From forensic archaeology to data-driven analyses and social history, recent findings have reshaped our understanding of the war’s causes, consequences, and human toll. 

Here are some of the most remarkable insights emerging from recent Civil War scholarship: 

 1. The War Was Even Deadlier Than We Thought.  For over a century, the accepted death toll of the Civil War stood at approximately 620,000. However, a 2011 demographic analysis by historian J. David Hacker revised that number upward to around 750,000, based on census data modeling and mortality estimates. This figure, now widely accepted by scholars, underscores the staggering human cost and positions the Civil War as America’s deadliest conflict by a wide margin. The new estimate highlights not just battlefield deaths but also casualties from disease, poor medical care, and the long tail of trauma and displacement. 

 2. Emancipation Was More Dynamic and Grassroots Than Previously Portrayed. While the Emancipation Proclamation is often viewed as a top-down decree by Abraham Lincoln, recent scholarship, particularly by historians like Eric Foner and Steven Hahn, emphasizes the role of enslaved people themselves in forcing the issue of emancipation. The movement of enslaved people toward Union lines, the creation of “contraband camps,” and their enlistment in the Union Army turned the Civil War into a war of liberation well before Washington officially declared it so. This reframing places agency in the hands of Black Americans and illustrates how policy often followed action on the ground. 

 3. The Home Front Was a Battleground, Too.  Historians have increasingly turned their attention to the experiences of civilians, especially women, in both the Union and Confederacy. Drew Gilpin Faust’s This Republic of Suffering sheds light on how death permeated every aspect of American life, reshaping cultural practices and belief systems. Meanwhile, works by Stephanie McCurry and others reveal the active resistance by Southern women—white and Black alike—against Confederate authority, challenging the myth of unified Southern support for the war. 

 4. The Confederacy Was Not a Unified “Lost Cause.” The narrative of a noble, monolithic South fighting for "states’ rights" has been steadily dismantled by modern historians. Research has revealed deep divisions within the Confederacy—class resentment, geographic tensions, and widespread desertion. Poor whites, women, and enslaved people often undermined the war effort, whether through protest, passive resistance, or outright rebellion. Historian Victoria Bynum, for example, documented these internal rifts in The Free State of Jones, about Mississippi’s anti-Confederate insurgency led by Newton Knight. 

 5. Reconstruction Is Now Seen as the True Battleground for Civil Rights.  Although technically postbellum, recent Civil War studies have increasingly included the Reconstruction era as essential to understanding the war’s legacy. Far from being a failed or corrupt period, recent historians like David Blight and Heather Cox Richardson frame Reconstruction as a bold, unfinished revolution in American democracy. The era’s early successes—Black voting, education reform, and interracial political cooperation—were violently overturned, not by incompetence, but by a determined white supremacist counterrevolution. 

 6. Digital Humanities Are Mapping the War in New Ways.  Modern technology has also revolutionized Civil War history. The “Valley of the Shadow” project, led by Edward Ayers, uses digitized documents to trace community-level responses to secession and war in two towns—one North, one South. GIS mapping has illuminated troop movements, refugee migrations, and regional economies with unprecedented precision. 

These digital efforts are not merely academic; they’re reshaping how museums, textbooks, and even battlefield parks interpret the war. 

 Conclusion: A War Still Unfolding The American Civil War, far from settled history, remains an active site of debate, reflection, and discovery. Each new generation of historians—drawing from new sources and methodologies—reveals a war that was more complex, more brutal, and more transformative than previously understood. 

It was not just a war between North and South, but a civil war within the nation’s soul—a reckoning over race, liberty, and the meaning of the republic. In peeling back its layers, modern historians have done more than revise statistics or correct misperceptions; they have given voice to those previously silenced and reframed the war as a defining, living struggle over American identity.

LOCAL DESIGN / MASTER BUILDER'S LOVE STORY WITH THE OCEAN BEACH PIER

  

 THE BIG ONE--Construction of the Ocean Beach Pier started in early 1965 and was completed by July 1966. At the time, it was the longest concrete pier in the world, extending out 1,971 feet into the ocean. (Photo courtesy of Teyssier family) 

It rises out of the Pacific like a concrete roadway to heaven, stretching nearly 2,000 feet into San Diego's surf-churned horizon. The original Ocean Beach Pier, began 60 years ago and completed in July 1966, remains a feat of engineering and a testament to the willpower and ingenuity of the man who built it: Leonard Edward Teyssier.   

Constructed during the region’s mid-century building boom, the OB Pier was, at the time, the longest concrete pier in the world. It was not a simple project—far from it. Bidding to construct such an audacious structure in a place known for high surf and rough waters required more than just ambition. It demanded creative engineering and hands-on know-how. 

That’s where Teyssier came in.   

Rather than rely on the floating barges, cranes, and towboats used by major pier contractors, Teyssier devised a method unique to the OB shoreline: a system of heavy steel-beam outriggers, anchored on the structure itself and “back-spanned” to support a 60-ton crane. 

Mr. Leonard Teyssier

This allowed his team to build outward from shore, advancing over pounding surf each day using self-designed rigs and platforms—construction as performance, nearly swallowed by the sea.   

Teyssier’s pier wasn’t just concrete and rebar—it was community. During the final months of construction, excited OB residents raised funds to extend the pier further into the sea. The City of San Diego matched the funds. Leonard was so moved by the community’s enthusiasm that he built the south wing extension at his own cost, ensuring the best fishing spots would be reachable.   

More than half a century later, in June 2023, the San Diego Historical Resources Board officially designated the Ocean Beach Pier as a historic resource.   Leonard Teyssier’s imprint on the region goes well beyond OB. 

As founder of Teyssier & Teyssier, Inc., he helped shape mid-century San Diego’s skyline. At just 29, he secured the bid to build the groundbreaking Starlite Express—San Diego’s first outdoor glass elevator—at the El Cortez Hotel. He bypassed expensive scaffolding by anchoring metal brackets directly through the hotel walls, a bold move that saved $50,000 and showcased his engineering creativity.   

He also developed the Le Rondelet luxury condominiums at the entrance to Shelter Island in 1967—a project co-created with his wife, Monica, who envisioned managing a residential property. The building remains a landmark in Point Loma.   

Teyssier’s background explains his adaptability. Born in Durango, Colorado in 1927, he grew up in a construction family. His father built roads and highways across the West, often living in tents on remote job sites. It was there—watching, working, and living among road crews—that Leonard gained his early education in building.   

Following Navy service in WWII, he returned to San Diego, enrolled at what is now SDSU, and launched his company with only $300 and a used pickup. 

Without a license of his own, he partnered with his licensed builder father to meet regulatory requirements. The rest was grit, hustle, and innovation.   

Teyssier passed away on April 11, 2024, at age 97. But anyone who has walked the Ocean Beach Pier—through salt wind, crashing surf, and that peculiar stillness only found a quarter-mile out over the Pacific—has experienced his legacy. 

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.The Ocean Beach Pier in San Diego was originally constructed in 1966 and has not undergone a complete rebuild since then. Over the years, it has experienced various repairs due to storm damage, including significant repairs in 1991 following winter storms.

Local residents line the wall of the original OB Pier. Storm damage has closed the pier until a new planned pier is built.

In recent years, the pier has suffered extensive damage from storms and high surf, leading to multiple closures. Notably, it was closed from January to July 2023 and again in October 2023 due to high surf damage. Further damage in December 2023, when a support bracket broke off and fell into the ocean, prompted the City of San Diego to determine that significant structural rehabilitation is not feasible. As a result, the city has decided to move forward with plans for a long-term replacement of the pier. 

The proposed replacement aims to maintain the pier's iconic elements while incorporating modern features, such as an elevated walkway, retail spaces, and enhanced areas for public use. The new design is expected to be more resilient to future storm damage and rising sea levels. 

As of now, the Ocean Beach Pier remains closed, and the city is in the process of finalizing plans for its replacement.ABC 10 News San Diego KGTV+1KPBS Public Media+1

Sources: Based on reporting by Dave Schwab, Peninsula Beacon via Times of San Diego/Newswell. Sepia image by Chat GPT4o. 

IN ITS GLORY...

SUNDAY REVIEW / JOHN SLOAN’S IMMORTAL PUBS

“HELL HOLE”: A BAR ROOM TIME CAPSULE 

John Sloan’s 1917 etching (above) "Hell Hole" captures a corner of old Manhattan that no longer exists but once held court at 4th Street and Sixth Avenue: The Golden Swan Café, a weathered Irish saloon known among locals and regulars as “The Hell Hole.” 

A watering hole for the down-and-out, the near-famous, and the truly lost, it was also, for a time, a regular haunt of playwright Eugene O’Neill—depicted quietly at the upper right of Sloan’s frame. 

 Created using etching and aquatint, the print is a textbook example of Sloan’s Ashcan School roots—an unromantic, observational style that gave weight to city life below the skyline. 

The room is crowded, but nothing’s hidden. 

Selfie, 1890 John Sloan

The bar sags with regulars. Figures lean into each other, either mid-rant or mid-collapse. There’s no glamour, only routine: drinks poured, bodies slumped, an air of smoke, sweat, and something bordering on defeat. 

 Sloan wasn’t looking for heroes or villains. He was drawing what he saw. And what he saw was a slice of urban life too often ignored by polite society or idealized by later nostalgia. 

In that sense, Hell Hole isn’t just an artwork—it’s documentation. The aquatint process gives the piece a murky, soaked-in texture that suits the subject. This was not a bright place. 

It had its code, its clientele, and, in O’Neill’s case, its ghosts. For the playwright, the saloon served as both a hiding place and a well of material. Sloan catches him before the legend, anonymous amid the clutter, a writer watching the room instead of commanding it. 

 Hell Hole remains a sharp and durable portrait of a city always on the edge of reinvention. The saloon is long gone, the block redeveloped, but Sloan’s etching holds the room together, if only in black ink. 

ANOTHER BAR SCENE BY JOHN SLOAN:

McSorley's Bar, 1912

Barroom Realism: 

John Sloan’s 1912 painting "McSorley’s Bar" doesn’t try to impress—it simply shows you the room. Six men, two bartenders, a wall of portraits, a couple of mugs in motion. No drama, no romance. 

Just the hum of daily life inside a New York saloon that’s been poured into over since Lincoln. What makes it work is Sloan’s refusal to dress it up. The colors are muted, the figures worn-in, the bar cluttered like any real one. The man leaning over his beer isn’t posing for art history. 

He’s listening to a story or avoiding one. Sloan gives us that space—private, public, functional. This isn’t a scene of nostalgia or critique. It’s observation. It’s how a bar looked and felt before neon, before jukeboxes, before marketing. It holds its ground. 

Like McSorley’s itself, it doesn’t care if you get it. No gloss, no gimmick. Just a saloon, a painter, and a moment that still feels like it might spill into yours. It’s a fine example of the Ashcan School because it doesn’t elevate the ordinary—it lets the ordinary elevate itself.

COFFEE BEANS & BEINGS / UNCHAIN MY HEART

Clayton’s Coffee Shop: Indy Charm Without the Gimmick 

Coronado, California / Walk past the polished storefronts along Orange Avenue, and you'll find Clayton’s Coffee Shop--an indy coffee house--doing exactly what it’s done for decades—serving coffee, comfort food, and a quiet kind of continuity. No fanfare, no hashtags, just breakfast with a side of Coronado’s lived-in history. 

Originally opened in 1938 as Gerry’s Coffee Shop, the place has passed through several hands and names but never lost its footing. By the time it became “Clayton’s” in the late 1970s, the horseshoe counter was already worn in, the jukeboxes already humming, and the regulars already loyal. 

Today, under the ownership of Mary Frese, Clayton’s has kept its mid-century soul intact. 

Coffee is strong, not precious. 

The stools still spin, the pies still disappear before noon, and the smell of bacon and pancake batter is as dependable as the morning tide. 

What sets Clayton’s apart isn’t its aesthetic—though the chrome trim and powder-blue booths are textbook Americana—but its refusal to modernize itself into irrelevance. 

The donut and coffee window opens at 5 a.m. for early risers. The bistro next door, added in 2019, offers acai bowls, espresso drinks, and gingerbread biscotti, but even that feels more like an annex than a reinvention. 

The menu stays in its lane: meatloaf, biscuits and gravy, milkshakes blended to order.

Waitstaff are quick, genuine. Tourists show up for the Instagram shot, but locals come to eat, to talk, or to sit silently and watch the morning roll by. It’s also one of the last diners in Southern California with an original horseshoe counter. That alone would be enough for most places to slap a plaque on the wall. 

At Clayton’s, it’s just where you sit. And here’s the kicker: Unchain my heart. This isn’t a Denny’s. (No grand slam on Denny's but Clayton's isn't cookie cutter) No laminated menus, no corporate slogans. What you get here is the real thing—staff that remember your order, booths that remember your weight, and a vibe that doesn’t try too hard because it never had to. 

There’s a difference between nostalgia and survival. Clayton’s hasn’t tried to stage a comeback or build itself into a theme. It never left. It simply held onto the parts of the past that still work—the practical, the charming, the human—and let time come to it. 

    --By Holden DeMayo, Lots of Food Critic for PillartoPost.org online daily magazine. 

PHOTO GALLERY

FRIDAY FUNNIES / POLITICAL CARTOONS R-US

 

THE FOODIST / NAKED TRUTH: HOW MUCH CHOCOLATE DOES THE WORLD CONSUME IN A YEAR. BARE FACTS, PLEASE

By 2025, the world’s appetite for chocolate remains insatiable. 

Annual global consumption now hovers around 7.5 million metric tons, with leading markets in Europe, North America, and Asia continuing to drive demand. 

But behind the creamy allure of truffles and bars lies a more complex story—one that asks whether our chocolate habits are helping or harming the planet, economies, and our own health.  

Europe still reigns supreme when it comes to per capita chocolate consumption. Switzerland, Germany, and the UK top the list, each citizen consuming upwards of 10 kilograms per year. 

Meanwhile, North American markets have plateaued, while Asia—especially China and India—shows steady growth, thanks to expanding middle-class populations and Westernized palates.  

On the surface, this growth signals a boon for economies in cocoa-producing nations. West African countries like Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana account for over 60% of global cocoa production. In theory, high demand should translate into better incomes for farmers. In practice, however, much of the wealth is absorbed by multinational chocolate companies, with smallholder farmers often earning less than $1 a day. 

Efforts such as fair trade certification and bean-to-bar movements continue to gain traction, but remain a small fraction of the market.  

Then there’s the health angle. While dark chocolate—especially those with 70% cacao or higher—is touted for its antioxidants and heart-healthy flavonoids, the majority of global consumption still leans toward sugar-laden milk chocolate products. 

As obesity, diabetes, and related diseases rise worldwide, critics argue that the industry must take more responsibility in marketing and formulation, especially when targeting younger audiences.  

Environmentalists also voice concern. Cocoa farming has long been associated with deforestation, particularly in biodiverse regions. The push for higher yields often leads to clear-cutting forests, depleting soils, and increased pesticide use. 

Major brands have pledged to shift toward more sustainable sourcing, but watchdog groups claim progress is slow and inconsistent.  

In 2025, chocolate remains a global comfort food—one that delights taste buds but carries weighty implications. 

ANY GOOD NEWS?

Conscious consumerism is on the rise. More buyers are checking labels, supporting ethical brands, and demanding transparency from the chocolate giants.  

So, is chocolate good or bad in 2025? 

The answer, like a fine ganache, is complex. Sweet—but bittersweet.

ART DECO CENTURY / DELMONICO'S

Delmonico’s: 

Where American Fine Dining Was Born 

Long before Manhattan was marbled with Michelin stars, before the white tablecloth became a standard, and before steak could be branded “Delmonico-style,” there was Delmonico’s. 

Opened in 1827 by Swiss immigrants Giovanni and Pietro Delmonico, the restaurant began humbly as a pastry shop on William Street. But within a decade, it morphed into the nation’s first true fine dining establishment—a New World experiment in European luxury. 

It became the first restaurant in America to offer a printed menu, private dining rooms, and a wine list curated with imported vintages. 

Even the concept of tipping was introduced to the U.S. by way of Delmonico’s—and with it, the art of gracious, attentive service. 

56 Beaver Street

A Stage for Power and Appetite 

The iconic building at 56 Beaver Street, with its curved entrance and Corinthian columns, opened in 1891 and remains the most enduring symbol of the Delmonico dynasty. 

This was where the Gilded Age’s power players came to dine: J.P. Morgan held court in a private room, Charles Dickens stopped by on his American tour, and Mark Twain once celebrated the end of his “round-the-world” trip with a dinner of oysters, terrapin, and Champagne. 

Abraham Lincoln, invited to dine here before his Cooper Union speech, reportedly declined the opulence, but his legacy lingers in the mahogany-paneled rooms. 

Inventing American Cuisine

One Dish at a Time Delmonico’s isn’t just a restaurant—it’s a test kitchen for history. It is credited with the creation of Lobster Newberg, Eggs Benedict, and the eponymous Delmonico Steak—a boneless cut from the ribeye, broiled and basted with butter. 

The kitchen, under legendary chef Charles Ranhofer, produced a 1,000-page cookbook (The Epicurean, 1894) that set the gold standard for fine dining in America. Even today, the menu honors its past. 

Order the Lobster Newberg and you’ll taste 1876; opt for the Baked Alaska, flambéed with ceremony, and you’re partaking in a dessert that once closed banquets for Napoleon III. 

Anecdotes That Still Sizzle 

In 1860, the Prince of Wales dined at Delmonico’s and was so pleased he insisted on tipping every waiter personally—setting a precedent that American diners have loved and loathed ever since. 

Oscar Wilde, when dining at Delmonico’s, reportedly ordered a course of only strawberries and Champagne, declaring, “I have a simple taste. I am always satisfied with the best.” 

Truman Capote, in his Black and White Ball planning stages, flirted with the idea of Delmonico’s as a venue. He eventually chose the Plaza—but rumor has it, his decision was swayed by a less-than-favorable cocktail served during a quiet lunch. 

Still a Table Worth Claiming 

After temporary closures and revivals, Delmonico’s continues to endure. The kitchen has updated, of course, and the clientele now includes Wall Street analysts alongside literary dreamers. But walk through its arching doors and you still feel it: the hush of history, the murmur of scandal and celebration, the scent of butter on charred beef. 

Delmonico’s is not just a restaurant. It is a culinary cathedral—timeless, theatrical, and always worth dressing up for. 

 

The Mural 

The painting on the far wall of Delmonico’s Grand Salon is a contemporary mural titled “The Banquet of the Medici” by Vincent Maragliotti, a 20th-century American muralist known for his lush, theatrical compositions. Unlike traditional Renaissance works that the title might evoke, Maragliotti’s piece at Delmonico’s reimagines the spirit of a grand banquet in a modern idiom. 

Painted in the 1920s during the restaurant's Art Deco-era revival, the mural depicts a glamorous, high-society dinner scene—elegantly dressed men and women dining, conversing, and engaging in quiet flirtation. 

It evokes a timelessness that bridges the Medici courts of Florence with the Gilded Age of New York, casting the diners as both audience and actors in a centuries-old tradition of indulgence, intellect, and intrigue. 

Maragliotti, who also created murals for the Waldorf Astoria and Radio City Music Hall, specialized in these grand tableaux that celebrated cultural refinement and opulence. 

The work at Delmonico’s acts as both historical homage and subtle theater set—reminding guests that at this table, they too are part of a larger performance. 

SPACE CADETS / CATHEDRALS OF COLOR. CHAOS. FAR OFF DUST & ANCIENT FIRE

HUMANS ARE OUR OWN BIG DEAL BUT NO WHERE ELSE. 

What you see above isn’t a canvas by Jackson Pollock. It’s not the burnt-orange swirl of a Georgia O’Keeffe dreamscape or a rejected early Kandinsky. What you’re looking at is a photograph. A photograph of something real, immense, and entirely indifferent to our presence. 

Seeing this new photograph continues to prove our human footprint is smaller than we thought. Tiny to the point of insignificance. Yes, we are important as human beings but the farther we explore the universe the smaller our self-image becomes. 

Let's take a look at new findings to prove our point.

The Trifid Nebula (top right) and the sprawling Lagoon Nebula—two astral gasworks smeared across the southern sky—were captured by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory during just over seven hours of exposure. The image is a digital mosaic, comprised of 678 separate frames stitched into one hallucinatory vision of the universe. 

It could hang in the Louvre, or behind Uncle Glenn’s workbench in Hickman, Nebraska. Either way, the effect is the same: cosmic awe. Or maybe existential humility. Released last month, this is the debut of the largest digital camera ever constructed—courtesy of the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. 

Perched atop a mountaintop in Chile, the Rubin Observatory has one directive: look deeper. 

For the next ten years, its task will be to map the southern sky, night after night, frame by digital frame. 

And what does it see? 

Color. 

Chaos. 

Cathedrals of dust and fire. Galaxies twirling like ballerinas and nebulae blooming with the slow confidence of time itself. That blush of rose in the center isn’t a brushstroke—it’s light emitted by ionized hydrogen. 

The blue filaments are oxygen. Everything glows with the heat of ancient violence. 

This is what realism looks like, if you pull the camera far enough back. A light-year measures roughly six trillion miles. These nebulas lie thousands of those away. Floating somewhere amid the stars of the Virgo Cluster (also captured below), bright spirals churn—unreachable, but visible. 

For the first time, we are witnessing not the universe we invent in art, but the one we were born into without permission. 

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory hopes to image 20 billion galaxies. It also intends to locate new asteroids, parse unexplored phenomena, and, if ambition counts for anything, perhaps finally pin down the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy—forces as vague as they are overwhelming. 

The project is named for Vera Rubin, the astronomer whose work gave early evidence that the cosmos isn’t just filled with stars, but with something else—something massive, invisible, and quietly binding everything together. Something we still don’t understand. 

Which brings us back to the image. Is it abstract? Certainly. Is it art? That depends on whether you consider awe a valid medium. To the trained astronomer, it’s data. To the untrained soul, it’s reminder. A whisper from the edge: You are small. You are a blink. But still—you are looking. And that, in itself, is enough to matter. 

--Original essay from PillartoPost.org daily online magazine.