i’m gerald ford…and you’re not (13. 358)

 

Invited by Al Franken, former NBC war-correspondent and nightly news anchor White House press secretary Ron Nessen became the first political figure to host SNL (then called “NBC’s Saturday Night”) on this day in 1976, with Gerald Ford declining the offer in the midst of an election campaign.  Nessen had replaced Ford’s first spokesperson after Jerald terHorst resigned less than a month into the administration in protest after Ford’s pardon of his predecessor Richard Nixon. And while Ford did not appear on stage, the president did take part in three pre-recorded segments and and introduced the show with the tagline,“Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!” and responded to the above running jokes of Chevy Chase’s portrayal of him. The musical guest was Patti Smith.

 

synchronoptica

one year ago: the first public exhibition of a giant squid (with synchronopticæ) plus international plug and socket standards

 

thirteen years ago: a mysterious Iranian factory in Germany 

dickeled and jimed (13. 343)

Though obviously never gaining traction in the vending machine business nor with the US mint—beverage distributors working out other forms of price-control and serving size, see previously, either through smaller portions or eating the margins to reduce competition, president of Squirt soda (see previously), one Edward Welsh Mehren, made a modest proposal in the late 1940s to introduce fractional coinage, in between the established US denominations of the nickel, dime and quarter (2½¢, etc) to provide some relief for consumers facing both the prospects of inflation and shrinkflation. Even with the benefit of the penny, Mehren argued that prices were raised in five-cent increments—particularly for the coin-op business—when we more conservative margins would have worked for the companies to the benefit of consumers. Despite the lack of takers, Mehren continued his crusade well into the 1970s, advocating a two-and-a-half dollar bill, claiming that it was more efficient and made more economic sense to print a half-five dollar bills as the unpopular and considered unlucky to receive back in change Jefferson two-dollar had recently been discontinued in 1966—only to be reintroduced into circulation with a new design for the US bicentennial on the anniversary of the third American president’s birthday 13 April, 1743 (Old Style, 2 April). More from Weird Universe at the links above.

advanced avionics (13. 337)

Appearing on German broadcaster RTL (Radio Télévision Luxembourg, the cosmopolitan media group founded as Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Radiodiffusion as one of the first private programmers in 1931 and representative of the broader spirit of transnational cooperation) on this day in 1976, Belgian prime minister Leo Tindemans (to the right of Helmut Schmidt and Luxembourg PM Gaston Thorn), previously charged with defining what the European Union was to be as a political entity with his eponymous report that helped to guide the formation of the EU and its institutions, defended the country’s decision to purchase US fighter jets rather than French Dassault Mirages, in the context of forming a common defensive strategy for the continent. Despite what was interpreted as a slight by the domestic aerospace industry at the time, later that year Tindemans was awarded the international Charlemagne prize for his contributions towards unity, economic integration and the strengthening of citizen rights.

casco de leiro (13. 327)

With hammered decorations and repeating repouseé work, the register of patterns similar to other headgear of the era, like the hats of Schifferstadt, the so called Helmet of Leiro is a ritual golden cap dating to the Late Bronze Age (circa 1000 BC) was discovered by chance on this day in 1976 on a rocky point above the beach at the comarca (a subdivision, like a county, used in Galicia) of O Ribeiro by fisherman called José Vicente Somoza. The view from the outcropping is a commanding one of the bay and would have made an inspiring location for rites as well as a reference point for navigation, the waterways receding landward from the estuary the optimal route to the nearby site of Santiago de Compostela and according to legend the same path chosen by St James. Retrieving what he appeared to be a crude earthenware bowl (artefact is suspected to have a dual use as a basin), the outer layer broke away upon handling it, revealing a gold object, which the discoverer immediately reported to local archaeological authorities.

the soiling of old glory (13. 321)

The Pulitzer prize winning image, captured on this day in 1976 by Boston Herald photographer Stanley Forman, who was the only recipient to be awarded the honour consecutively also for his Fire Escape Collapse, depicts a violent assault during the Massachusetts capital’s desegregation crisis of public schools. From a series of protests and counterdemonstrations in front of city hall, the image depicts professor, defence attorney and civil rights activist Ted Landsmark being attacked by a teenager named Joseph Rakes with a swinging flagpole as opposed to a joust from the angle of the photograph. Rakes was convicted for assault with a deadly weapon and carries the stigma of being known as “the flag kid,” and Landsmark, narrowly avoiding being seriously injured parlayed the incident, the scene widely publicised, to highlight racial tensions in the region and was later hired by the mayor to improve outreach and workforce development opportunities.

synchronoptica

one year ago: First Contact (with synchronopticæ) plus a font based on the typeface on the almighty dollar

twelve years ago: Emoji Nation, recent additions to the French lexicon, little big world plus an aerial archaeological survey of German landscapes

thirteen years ago: miniature dioramas 

fourteen years ago: cyber security 

sixteen years ago: enhanced pat-downs 

ullukkut world (13. 216)

Referred to at the time Eskimaux, a delegation of the leadership of the fifteen thousand member strong community of Inuit peoples appealed to the ministry of Pierre Trudeau with a petition to designate a large portion of the North Western Territories as indigenous land, leading to the creation of what would eventually become the autonomous Canadian territory of Nunavut in 1999. The second largest subnational subdivision in North America after neighbouring Greenland and ahead of Alaska, the self-governing region covers most of the arctic archipelago with the people of Ellesmere Island (ᐅᒥᖕᒪᒃ ᓄᓇ, Umingmak Nuna, the land of the muskox) and faced with forced relocation during the Cold War due to the islands’ strategic position, the accord was seen as an act of contrition and reconciliation for the displaced and historically disenfranchised native population. The flag unveiled in 1999, close to the anniversary of the initial meeting twenty-three years later features an inuksuk, a stone cairn built as a landmark used by the Inuit and other peoples of the North American artic region and the colours represent the riches of the land, sea and sky.

synchronoptica

one year ago: assorted links worth revisiting (with synchronopticæ) plus attempts to save the US civil service

fourteen years ago: assigning seat mates based on social media profiles 

fifteen years ago: a mystery dial plus the revolution in Libya

sixteen years ago: US congress renews the Patriot Act 

bye-bye, honey, bye-bye (13. 210)

Performed by the Brotherhood of Man, the pop-schlager tune was selected as the UK’s entry on this day in 1976 to represent Britain at Eurovision Grand Prix held later in the spring in the Hague, winning the song contest, the single going on to become a best-seller. Describing the conflicted emotions of someone leaving for the day for work, the song ends with the twist that the singer was saying good bye to their infant daughter.

fondation vasarely (13. 182)

Dedicated on this day in 1976 with its inaugural opening, the architectonic museum in Aix en Provence showcases the pioneering Op Art designs of Victor Vasarely (see previously) and promote his vision of making the arts accessible for all and founding a city of tomorrow. Forty two six by eight metre cells constructed in situ house various exhibits. Coming out of the Bauhaus school tradition, the Hungarian-French artists went on to produce abstract paintings, cladding, façades and sculptures that referenced optical illusions as a sort of visual kinetics (plastique cinétique) that relied on the shifting perception of the viewer—a stylistically satisfying middle-ground between the moving artwork of Calder, Duchamp and Man Ray and the disorientating MC Escher.

the new adam (13. 167)

On the anniversary of actor Sal Mineo’s killing at the hands of a random mugger in the parking lot of his West Hollywood apartment building, we return to Poseidon Underworld’s considered tribute to the career and romantic interests within the movie industry of this critically acclaimed, twice Oscar-nominated individual who tried to escape filmmakers who typecast him either as punk, victim or ethnic underdog. Perhaps most recognised for his role of John “Plato” Crawford in Rebel Without a Cause, the second of the cast principles to die a violent death after James Dean in an auto accident and then Natalie Wood’s drowning, Mineo was mentored by Yul Brynner in the stage musical The King and I and while still a teenager had supporting parts with Tony Curtis and Charlton Heston before the breakout appearance. After Exodus and The Longest Day, executives, in combination with rumours circulating about his personal life, thought Mineo had aged out by the mid 1960s and pivoted towards television and a brief stint as a musician. His final role, unrecognisable in prosthetic makeup, was Dr Milo in Escape from the Planet of the Apes in 1973. Mineo was thirty-seven and in rehearsals for a theatre-piece, PS Your Cat is Dead, with Keir Dullea.

 

synchronoptica 

one year ago: St Julian the Hospitaller (with synchronopticæ) plus assorted links to revisit

twelve years ago: stock market instability 

fourteen years ago: graffiti stencils plus RIP Whitney Houston

fifteen years ago: the Egyptian government overthrown by the people 

sixteen years ago: mass surveillance in the name of security 

someday a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets (13. 154)

Released on this day in 1976, the neo-noir drama by Martin Scorsese and Paul Schrader set in a decaying New York City stars Robert De Niro as Marine veteran and taxi driver Travis Bickle and follows the decline of his mental health working nights in the metropolis with the supporting cast of Cybil Shepherd, Harvey Keitel, Albert Brooks and Jodie Foster. Documenting his deterioration in a diary to combat his loneliness, chronic insomnia and intrusive violent thoughts, disgusted by the crime and exploitation he witnesses, punctuated with aphorism and affirmation, Bickle eventually channels his rage and frustration into an intense regimen of physical conditioning, and armed, embarks on a mission of vigilantism, first in a foiled assassination attempt on a presidential candidate, after having his overtures for one of the politician’s campaign staff, Betsy (Shepherd) rebuffed and then killing the pimp (Keitel) of child prostitute Iris (Foster) and freeing her—an act for which Bickle is hailed as a hero. Despite being blamed for inspiring the shooting of Ronald Reagan by John Hickley Jr (the elevation of the anti-hero—the role offered to Dustin Hoffman originally with Al Pacino and Jeff Bridges also in consideration) itself inspired by the media treatment of Sara Jane Moore’s assassination attempt on Gerald Ford), the film’s acclaim has been a constant over the ensuing decades.

 *    *    *    *    *  

 synchronoptica 

one year ago: assorted links to revisit (with synchronopticæ), Superbowl ads by AI, a Tantalean punishment plus skibidi toliet

 

fourteen years ago: exploring a massive subglacial lake in Antarctica 

 

sixteen years ago: the Passion Play of Oberammergau 

isolar – 1976 tour (13. 137)

Beginning on this day in 1976 at the venue of Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum to promote his Station to Station album (see previously), the series of concerts given by David Bowie were more commonly referred to as the Thin White Duke tour. The spectacle began without interlude with a screening of the Surrealist short film Un Chien Andalou with the artist appearing on an empty stage immediately following its conclusion, jarring the disoriented audience. Whilst some audio samples were rebroadcast by the King Biscuit Radio network, the only complete recorded footage is courtesy of a bootleg edition captured by a concert goer at the end of the month during a show in Cleveland, since remastered and reissued as the definitive experience, the set list including the tracks “Fame,” “Queen Bitch,” “Life on Mars,” “Changes” and “Diamond Dogs”—with encores of “Rebel Rebel” and “The Jean Genie.” Regarding the tour’s name, some speculate it is an anagram of one of Bowie’s favourite words sailor, or alternatively, in his own words: “Isola is Italian for island. Isolation plus solar equals Isolar—if I remember correctly, I was stoned.” The last shows were a two-night (the scheduled third one was cancelled) performance in mid-May at the Pavillon de Paris.

*     *     *     *     *

 synchronoptica 

one year ago:the first Sears department store (with synchronopticæ) plus the hamster test

 

twelve years ago: polar week, wedding photography from Russia, vegetarian pastizio plus RIP Maximilian Schell

 

thirteen years ago: leveraged yield, Germany’s federal statistics office, Grand Central’s centenary plus twenty years ago today

 

fourteen years ago: managing gossip and misinformation 

 

fifteen years ago: more on the revolution in Egypt 

 

sixteen years ago: space shuttle programme ends 

 

seventeen years ago: Groundhog Day origins 

the adjustment bureau (13. 116)

Far from the Hollywood image of sleek undercover agents keeping the general public in the dark about extraterrestrial congress, the circumstances that informed the movie version of the men in black, whilst sharing some elements, is a complete apotheosis of the film franchise with all the existential terror of having one’s memories wiped and sense of place in the Cosmos inverted from one moment to the next. Herbert Hopkins, a doctor and hypnotherapist working in Maine was approached by a representative of the New Jersey chapter of the UFO Research Organisation one evening in September of 1976 to act as a consultant on an alleged case of serial abductions. As soon as he accepted the commission, however, a figure appeared at Hopkins’ doorstep. A finely appointed man in a black suit, though seeming less elegant and more like an undertaker, doffed his hat to reveal a colourless pate and began discussing the case—Hopkins inviting the stranger inside, reasoning in his shocked state that this was the same individual from the institute several states away that he had been talking to over the phone a few moments beforehand. Addressing the reports of abduction, lost time and teleportation, the figure retrieve a pair of coins from his pocket and placed one in Hopkins’ hand, instructing him to focus on it. It flickered in and out of existence and gradually disappeared. The strange visitor then told him, “Neither you nor anyone else on this planet will see that coin again. Shaken by this encounter, Hopkins immediately declined the request for help and destroyed what evidence and personal research he had thus far collected. A spate of similar threats on witnesses and investigators reportedly occurred throughout the year. More from Dangerous Minds at the link up top.

112 ocean avenue (13. 086)

Having moved in less than a month earlier, on this day in 1976, newly-weds with three children from a previous marriage, George and Kathy Lutz, claiming to have been terrorised by paranormal phenomena fled their home in the Amityville neighbourhood on the south shore of Long Island New York. The the five-bedroom Dutch Colonial property on a canal was vacant for a little over a year after a brutal mass-homicide of the former residents, the DeFeo family killed by their second-eldest son, and the realtor whom sold the house disclosed this gruesome murder to the couple before closing the deal—with the discount asking price too good to pass up. The place came fully furnished with much of the DeFeo family possessions included, and an acquaintance of Lutz’, having learned of the notorious history, convinced them (Kathy was a lapsed Catholic and George a non-practising Methodist) to have the home blessed by a priest as they were moving in. Father Pecoraro, a psychotherapist and lawyer for the ecclesiastic court residing in the local rectory, giving the benediction in a room on the first storey heard a gruff, disembodied masculine voice demanding he get out but refrained from letting the couple know until a week later on Christmas Eve to avoid that space, which was planned to be a sewing room after developing a sort of stigmata on his hands and wrists. Nothing unusual was experienced by the family at first but by mid-January the horrors became intolerable, declining to relate all the details so as not to relive the fright and left, abandoning all their possessions, once a brackish slime began covering the staircase. An editor of publishing house, Prentice Hall, a year afterwards introduced the Lutz family to writer Jay Anson, whom acquired the rights to the story, novelising the account, which was turned into a cinematic franchise in 1979 with several sequels and reboots. Subsequent owners of the property when it returned to the market reported no usual occurrences, other than the nuisance caused by the book and movies. The Shinnecock Nation, a tribe of the Algonquian Native Americans and indigenous residents of area, further objected to the suggestion that the address (now slightly altered to 108 to discourage visitors) was the site of what has since become a trope in the genre being an ancient Indian burial ground. An open-house was held after its most recent sale in 2010 but no one was allowed upstairs or in the basement.

synchronoptica

one year ago: assorted links to revisit (with synchronopticæ), earthstreak plus an auroral almanac

twelve years ago: a professional footballer comes out 

fourteen years ago: sovereign debt crises plus US forces in Germany 

fifteen years ago: realigning the zodiac 

sabc (13. 059)

More than a quarter of a century after it had been introduced to the rest of the Western world—and against the will of the apartheid government, South Africa had its first television broadcast on this day in 1976. Initially programming was limited to the time slot from 19:00 to midnight with half the airings in English and the other half in in Afrikaners. The first programmes were a re-broadcast of the acclaimed British documentary miniseries The World at War and an episode of The Bob Newhart Show. 

 

 

synchronoptica

one year ago: The Wiz (with synchronopticæ), assorted links to revisit, Galileo’s coded astronomic observations plus Ron’s Place preserved

twelve years ago: a treasury of vintage marketing plus a trip to Idstein 

thirteen years ago: OMG! from 1917 

fourteen years ago: colony collapse syndrome

fifteen years ago: augury and the economy

pdvsa (13. 047)

Founded on this day in 1976 in concert with the nationalisation of the oil industry and the take over of more than thirty foreign operations, including Exxon, Mobil and Gulf, the state owned Petróleos de Venezuela (Sociedad Anónima, a limited public company) manages the largest hydrocarbon reserve in the world and oversees day-to-day of the fifth biggest exporter of petroleum, formalised as a promise of the ongoing social movement of the Bolivarian Revolution begun by Hugo Chávez and continued by his successor Nicolás Maduro as a stand against neo-colonialism, record profits generated during the OPEC embargo by Middle East producers from three years earlier. Although many cite focus on political programmes to the detriment of technical know-how and inefficiencies in extraction and refining—as well as fostering endemic corruption—the accusations do seem rather pedestrian and rather like a projection for those excluded from exploiting this resource and relentless attempts to thwart the enterprise with sanctions and diplomatic isolation. 

synchronoptica 

one year ago: a Parisien pocket interpreter, more future forecasts, Public Domain Day plus assorted links to revisit

two years ago: a tribute to celebrity deaths (with synchronopticæ) plus cinema and literature set in 2024

nine years ago: New Year’s salutations, more Public Domain Day, the International Date Line, seed banking, vintage disruptive technology plus the Japanese art of not sleeping

ten years ago: more New Year’s greetings, more links to enjoy plus more on animal cognition

eleven years ago: a past year pop-quiz, the Eurasian Economic Union plus the power of admitting contraction

twelve years ago: pig dogs plus the Order of the Ursulines

thirteen years ago: a 1987 retrospective plus guided by an occult hand

fifteen years ago: champagne and krimskoye 

lexical innovation (13. 039)

Whilst we had known that the term meme was minted with Richard Dawkins’ couching of evolution accelerated by discrete units of cultural transmission in The Selfish Gene and that in general neologisms cycle through with the years, taking time for each coinage to garner recognition, we hadn’t appreciated that it’s approaching its fiftieth anniversary along with twenty other thoroughly modern sounding words and phrases reaching that half-century milestone in the coming months. Among others first recorded in 1976, we have wuss and wannabe, skeevy (from a Tuscan dialectical word for disgust), the Butterfly Effect describing a chain-reaction of accrued small events and trail-mix, re-christened by marketers from its customary name of gorp—with the completing etymologies of either to scarf down with relish or possibly a backronym for “good old raisins and peanuts,” core ingredients usually eschewed by contemporary purveyors. More from Mental Floss at the link above.

synchronoptica

one year ago: the Pop Tart Bowl (with sychronopticæ), assorted links worth revisiting plus Peter Pan (1924)

twelve years ago: chef surprise 

thirteen years ago: more year-end superlatives 

fourteen years ago: 2011 in review plus a tribute to those we’ve lost

fifteen years ago: mashups and remixing

seventeen years ago: too much online plus telepresence  

pigs on the wing (12. 977)

On this day in 1976, as our faithful chronicler reminds, during a photoshoot for the cover art for their tenth studio album, a concept one called Animals (with deference to George Orwell), Algie the pig balloon, moored the previous day near Battersea Power Station, the iconic facility to be condemned imminently having reached the end of its useful life, broke free during wind gusts. Pink Floyd had commissioned the former Zeppelin manufacturer Ballon Fabrik to make the twelve metre pig balloon—to be inflated with helium—with an expert marksman on site to shoot it down in case it drifted out of control. The designated sniper was not present for this daring escape and the dirigible floated over Heathrow, forcing the airspace to close. The pig was recovered at a farm in Kent three days later as filming continued, but it was decided that the preliminary shots of the power station had turned out better and to superimpose Algie flying between the chimney stacks. The stunt has been successfully staged several times afterwards, including for the 2012 London summer Olympics.

t-1500 (12. 975)

In anticipation of the fiftieth anniversary of the introduction of its first digital wrist watch, the world’s first multifunction model, the Casiotrom X-1, the company has curated a gallery of all its models from 1976 to today with a brief history for each point on the timeline. I have my retro classic but am also really intrigued about their innovative wearables, like the 1985 “Data Bank” that had a rolodex and calendar function or a universal remote for TVs and VCRs and analogues of contemporary smart watches with pedometer and pulse-check capabilities and even a calculator with touch-sensitive display and an advanced horologium decades ahead of its time. Check out the whole catalogue from Casio at the link above. The model with a face that flips open like a compact for extra features and input is pretty cool but apparently not currently on offer.

cabina telefónica (12. 954)

Shortly following a reversal of government policy seen to have been an abuse of public resources and encouraged waste with free running water for household use (now limited through use of meters to 20 litres per person per day), Cuba ended its practise, in place since the 1959 Revolution, on this day in 1976 of allowing toll-free calls from public telephones—see also. Local calls would now cost five cents for a three-minute conversation.

halloween massacre (12. 846)

With echoes of Nixon’s purge from two years prior—with reporting identifying Donald Rumsfeld as instigator although Gerald Ford later claimed sole responsibility for the firings and expressed deep regret of his cowardice by conceding to ultraconservatives and not insisting it would be himself with Nelson Rockefeller “whatever the consequences”—the major cabinet shakeup of the administration—to redress clashing personalities and legislative priorities and palace intrigues among the staff occurred on this day in 1975,

with National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger ousted to be replaced by Brent Scowcroft (though remaining Secretary of State), CIA director William Colby swapped for George H W Bush, Chief of Staff Jame Schlesinger dismissed in favour of Rumsfeld’s protégé Dick Cheney, Rogers Morton out as the Secretary of Commerce for Elliot Richardson, whose resignation during the Saturday Night Massacre precipitated the crisis of confidence that compelled Nixon to step down, and the vice-president (see above) announcing he would no long seek reelection on the ticket. The personnel changes were effective the next morning on election day, an off-year but Ford was very present already on the ballots in anticipation of the 1976 presidential race. 

synchronoptica
one year ago: Kamala Harris and her avatar appear on SNL (with synchronopticæ) plus the Japanese instrument of surrender (1946)

thirteen years ago: footwear styles, the influence and legacy of Tetris plus competition for Germany’s national rail-carrier

fourteen years ago: The Tin Drum Song 

fifteen years ago: legislative gridlock, US political theatre plus the Foundation X conspiracy

seventeen years ago: an unbirthday celebration