merrymount and misrule

Whilst the stereotypical view of the pilgrim settlers of New England as stern and dour religious fanatics the espoused entitlement and supremacy is largely deserved and echoed throughout history and circumstance doesn’t change with the exception, it was quite heartening to read this essay from Ed Simon regarding a counter-cultural, even subversive element to our traditional colonialists. Lawyer, author and social reformer Thomas Morton (*1579 – †1647) founded a colony in present day Quincy, Massachusetts based on utopian ideals, freedom of thought and Bohemian (some would characterise it as Bacchanalian) way of life and integrating with the aboriginal population that was a firm repudiation of Puritanism and their practises. Unfortunately Moron’s alternative (not perfect but certainly preferable) was not allowed to thrive by Plymouth (they seemed to be especially preoccupied and judgmental over Morton frolicking around a Maypole), hoping to retain a monopoly on fur and tobacco trade enforced through religious heterodoxy. Learn more at Public Domain Review at the link above.

this x does not exist

A catchall snowclone for all the passingly convincing artifices that artificial intelligence can generate, this website—via the always interesting and authentic Things Magazine—aggregates various platforms specialising in showcasing one synthetic feline, real estate, memes, business start-up, equine, etc.—a few we’ve encountered beforehand (see previously here, here and here) and were responsible for creating a few virtual non-beings. 

 

straw-poll

As NPR reports, though rather burying the lede, impeached and ousted Trump will be performing the strange and storied ritual of pardoning a turkey (see previously) for Thanksgiving—sponsored by the anti-tofurky lobby—presenting a poll to the public asking whom out of Corn and Cob ought to be granted clemency. Though not one to eat his words, even over this bizarre and addle-brained tradition, there was a similar ballot in 2018—in the wake of the mid-term elections with the contest between Peas and Carrots—in which Trump attacked Carrots the turkey for refusing to concede despite having clearly lost. Fifty-six days, twenty-two hours.

play mstie for me

As our faithful chronicler reminds, on this day—Thanksgiving in the US, in 1988 (see previously) Mystery Science Theater 3000 premiered on a Minneapolis local channel, the premise making the programme akin to a pirate radio station broadcasting from orbit, with their lampooning of Invaders from the Deep (filmed in Supermarionation) then followed by episode two, Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars.

words of an unprecedented year

Whereas in times past, the Oxford English Dictionary nominated one representative term to sum up the Zeitgeist, lexicographers due to the dread fullness of 2020 could not settle one word and instead have underscored dozens encompassing the pandemic, changed social norms, civil unrest, disinformation and systemic racism. Read the whole report and get some insight into the research and vetting process at the link up top.

twtwtw

Hosted by celebrated presenter David Frost, the news satire programme was first aired on the BBC on this day in 1962, “That Was The Week That Was” was ground-breaking television for its lampooning of political figures and attacking the monarchy, class and the Empire, and significantly signalling the willingness on the part of the corporation to not consider itself bound by rules of impartiality in addressing apartheid in South Africa and the American south. Only broadcast on Saturday evenings through December of the following year, the show has an outsized legacy, directly informing a Dutch version and a US version hosted by Gene Hackman, This Hour Has Seven Days and This Hour Has Twenty-Two Minutes in Canada, and A Week Of It in New Zealand

datamoshing

Thanks to Waxy for introducing us to the term that covers a broad range of creating glitchy effects with pixel sorting, data corruption, channel shifting and other methods through these surreal shorts. If you’re a quick study here’s one tutorial, counterbalanced with another lesson for achieving effects of a more practical nature and with full file integrity.

8x8

tanssinopettaja: a few dance lessons from the reigning king of disco, Åke Blomqvist

haunted bohemian shrine aunt: a truly cursed real estate listing from McMansion Hell (previously)—via Pluralistic  

ascertainment: Trump directs General Services Administration to credential President Elect Joe Biden’s transition team 

philately: United Nations honoured with a beautiful, retro series of postage stamps for its seventy-fifth anniversary 

mons rümker: China launches a unscrewed mission to the Moon to retrieve mineral samples from a young crater—all to be accomplished in the span of one lunar day (a terrestrial fortnight)  

after school special: times when television grappled with social issues in affecting ways—via the morning news  

monumenta antiquitatis: a scribe’s quill and quiver 

linus & lucy: tag your Charlie Brown dance—via Swiss Miss