tingilinde

language isn't static

Ovaltine probably wouldn't use this vintage ad today.

 

 

a new 'lost cause' myth

Civil War and Reconstruction history David Blight on the powerful myth Trump has created.

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Yes, disinformation has to be fought with good information. But it must also be fought with fierce politics, with organization, and if necessary with bodies, non-violently. We have an increasingly dangerous population on the right. Who do you know who really wants to compromise with their ideas? Who on the left will volunteer to be part of a delegation to go discuss the fate of democracy with Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy or the foghorns of Fox News? Who on the right will come to a symposium with 10 of the finest writers on democracy, its history and its philosophy, and help create a blueprint for American renewal? As a culture we are not in the mood for such reason and comity; we are in a fight, and it needs to happen in politics. Otherwise it may be 1861 again in some very new form. Unfortunately it is likely to take events even more shocking than 6 January to move our political culture through and beyond our current crisis.

And if and when it is 1861 again, the new secessionists, namely the Republican party, will have a dysfunctional constitution to exploit. The ridiculously undemocratic US Senate, now 50/50 between the two parties, but where Democrats represent 56.5% of the population and Republicans 43.5%, augurs well for those determined to thwart majoritarian democracy. And, of course, the electoral college – an institution more than two centuries out of date, and which even our first demagogue president, Andrew Jackson, advocated abolishing – offers perennial hope to Republicans who may continue to lose popular votes but win the presidency, as they have in two of the last six elections. Democracy?

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Can democracy survive in America?

 

 

 

on the treatment of female athletes

A remembrance of Christine Grant and her impact on Title IX and women's sport.

Since the introduction of Title IX, women's sports in high school and college have grown by about an order of magnitude.

Separately there's the issue of what a category in a sport means as well as "balancing" inclusion, fairness and safety.  It's only briefly mentioned in the piece, but the inclusion of trans-women is highly changed politically even though there's serious evidence trans-women retain much of the strength advantage of males. Reducing testosterone levels doesn't have a big impact. Many governing bodies are prioritizing inclusion rather than fairness and many women in sports are afraid to speak out.  It's one of those odd situations where I am in agreement with the right wing - but for very different reasons.

 

 

 

 

she knows a thing or two about coups

It seems like a good time to repost Zeynep's essay on Trump's coup written a month before January 6, 2021. 

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It’s not enough to count on our institutions to resist such onslaughts. Our institutions do not operate via magic. They do not gain their power from names, buildings, desks, or even rules. Institutions rely on people collectively agreeing to act in a certain way. Human laws do not simply exert their power like the inexorable pull of gravity. Once people decide that the rules are different, the rules are different. The rules for electoral legitimacy have been under sustained assault, and they’re changing right before our eyes.

We’re being tested, and we’re failing. The next attempt to steal an election may involve a closer election and smarter lawsuits. Imagine the same playbook executed with better decorum, a president exerting pressure that is less crass and issuing tweets that are more polite. If most Republican officials are failing to police this ham-handed attempt at a power grab, how many would resist a smoother, less grossly embarrassing effort?

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orphan annie, captain midnight and cryptography

Matt Blaze takes a dive into cryptography for kids in the 30s and 40s.

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The main qualification for membership in (and issuance of a decoder for) Radio Orphan Annie's Secret Society and Captain Midnight's Secret Squadron involved drinking Ovaltine, a malted milk flavoring containing the vitamins and nutrients then understood to be needed by growing secret operatives, or at least to be profitable for its manufacturer (which sponsored the broadcasts). Proof of sufficient Ovaltine consumption was established by mailing in labels from Ovaltine packages. New pins and badges were issued annually, requiring additional labels to be sent in each year. (The devices are sometimes described as decoder rings, but in fact they took the form of pins, badges, and the occasional whistle or signal mirror.)

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on the history of american right-wing terrorism

A small bit that is.  For the contemporary part, skip to  the paragraph beginning with: "The modern story of the terrorist far right must focus on one individual"

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The insight behind these theories is a simple one: If even the tightest of cell systems could be penetrated by federal agents, why have a hierarchical structure at all? Why not simply move to a non-structure, in which individual groups circulate propaganda, manuals, and broad suggestions for activities, which can be taken up or adapted according to need by particular groups or even individuals? The strategy is almost perfect in that attacks can neither be predicted nor prevented, and that there are no ringleaders who can be prosecuted. The internet offered the perfect means to disseminate information.

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a tip of the hat to Omar

 

 

the battleship in union square

The USS Recruit

An odd bit of history in photos.

 

a twist on 'please, sir, I want some more.'

An old London workhouse is being into luxury condominiums.

 

 

 

the archive grows

A lot of "lost to copyright" music is in the public domain starting today. 

The Archive is a great resource and worthy of support.

 

 

reflections on conspiracy theories

Jose Del Real's thoughts.

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So what is going on in our country?

What is new about this, and what is old?

Is it sustainable?

If we can conceive of truth as a process, then consider how the Internet has changed the ways we barter over it. It is not only more visible than before because of social media, but, in fact, the search for truth is also messier than it used to be now that everyone has a video production studio in their pockets. Today, it is harder to avoid other people’s delusions, and yet also easier to seclude ourselves away online with people who share our own. It is possible to do it all relatively anonymously.

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