#Brief History

[artist-ellen]

Hi!! You seem to know much abt historical outfits, so you seem like the person who would know. If you don't mind me asking, what did swimwear in each period look like. The only one I know of is the pale yellow, long dress. But what else? Thank you.

Hi! I can't say I'm that all knowing but I can try my best summarize the history of swimwear if that interests you!

First things first, it used to just be nudity. Swimming and bathing were nearly one and the same and was simply done naked. Why get cloth wet when you could swim without the hassle? If anyone was wearing something to swim in it was most likely their undergarments, whichever kind they were wearing.

I think the long yellow-dress you are referring to is the late 17th century bathing garment for women. This canvas construction was for English ladies wanting to attend a public bath/spa. Why? Because England began writing laws about nude swimming.

So by the 18th century, more and more European countries decided citizens had to wear some sort of shift or garment to swim or bathe in. This demand for swimming garments eventually created a supply. The 'West' started wearing specialized swimming garments. These ensembles were somewhere between shifts, bloomers and drawers.

Victorian society is notorious for their... prudish behaviors. So the 19th century doubled down to the invention of the Bathing Suit. Which eventually lost it's sleeves, shortened and evolved into the modern swim suit.

Though honestly Wikipedia could tell you all this much better than I can. (；´∀｀)

[oblivionrecords]

Oblivion Records book cover concept as of April 2024, all elements subject to change.

The state of not forgetting.

It would be a severe understatement to say that Oblivion Records was a successful business. After all, we went belly up within four years of our first release. I’m not implying anything about the quality of our recordings, which, IMHO, are pretty damn good. But seriously, never was a company so aptly named. 

oblivion  [uh-bliv-ee-uhn]

noun    1. the state of being completely forgotten or unknown    2. state of forgetting

Digital technology for music distribution has kept Oblivion alive in the 21st century. There’s no way we could continue to make most of our music recordings available otherwise. The alternative would’ve been a shame, so we’ve kept up with the easiest ways to share it with listeners around the world.

But, as we get older it occurred to us that our children were too young, or not even born yet, when we had the company in the early 1970s, the era in which all our music was recorded. So, for their sake, we’ve started writing down the behind the scenes of actually getting things done at Oblivion.

Hopefully, sometime in 2024, we’ll be publishing “Never Was a Company So Aptly Named: The Blues + Jazz of Oblivion Records 1972-1975” (at least, that’s the working title; everything’s subject to change. Record jackets, LP labels, posters and illustrations of the (not much) ephemera we can get our hands on will be included. But, it’s the stories behind the records that will take up most of the 250+ pages.

Will it all be true? Hopefully, but memories fade, spindle and mutilate, so we’ll see.

[florida3exclamationpoints]

Dear tumblrinas I beg you to manifest that I see Him 🖤 while im on vacation bc if I don't I might die

[fabiansteinhauer]

wenn laut du denn du sprichst

Pour les poètes sonores, il est courant de « mâcher » son texte avant de l’avaler et déglutir dans des rites cannibales d’une intense sauvagerie.

POST-SCRIPTUM 827

VARIOUS ARTISTS, OU (2002)

« Bouche, anus. Sphincters. Muscles ronds fermant not’tube. L’ouverture et la fermeture de la parole. » C’est par le rappel de ces vérités essentielles que Valère Novarina commence sa lettre aux acteurs, que l’on pourrait tout aussi bien adresser à ceux qui s’adonnent à l’art de la performance et aux poètes sonores. Car « poumonant » et « musiquant » leurs textes avec conviction, c’est avec la bouche, bien sûr, mais pas que (non plus), que les plus exaltants de ces derniers écrivent pour les oreilles, le corps et l’esprit, se gonflant d’air avant de pousser la gueulante, exhalant parfois jusqu’à l'asphyxie finale, à bout de souffle. Pour les poètes sonores, il est courant de « mâcher » son texte avant de l’avaler et déglutir dans des rites cannibales d’une intense sauvagerie. D’ouvrir les vannes d’orgiaques spasmodies. De « déféquer » gargouillis et borborygmes sans souci d’intelligibilité, tel un chamane à la recherche du rythme de la dépense, de l’usure et de l’expiration. Ainsi de Julien Blaine exultant haut et fort, dans un clin d’œil au Francis Picabia de « Jésus Christ Rastaquouère », qu’il n'est ni peintre, ni musicien, ni cuisinier, ni chorégraphe… Ainsi d’Étant Donnés célébrant une étrange cérémonie du Verbe. Mais aussi d’Henri Chopin explorant de ses claquements labiaux le grain et la tessiture de la voix, ou de Serge Pey improvisant des rituels aux relents d’émeute. Véritable brasier de la poésie faite vie, la poésie sonore cherche à expulser la vieille langue imposée à tous, pour la remplacer par un épatant boucan en prise directe depuis l’endroit où ça parle.

C’est en dehors des chemins balisés par les langues nationales répertoriées qu’il est possible de créer des œuvres originales à partir des phonèmes qui s’offrent à nous. Ainsi, faire du bruit des mots, de la voix et de la parole, de son énonciation et de son flux, est la principale préoccupation des poètes sonores. Autrement dit : contracter, séparer, multiplier, raccourcir, allonger, déformer, façonner et ordonner. Echantillonner, triturer, monter et mixer. Les mots sont explorés ; leurs formes sont fragmentées, puis enchevêtrées ; leurs timbres sont trafiqués (ou pas) par la technologie, testés dans une expérience critique du matériau. Tout texte dont le sens est « perdu » (le résultat d’une lecture dans une langue que l’on connait peu ou pas suffit) peut être considéré comme poésie sonore. On n’en capte plus alors que l’essentiel, l’armature – le phrasé. Exit le sens. Ne compte plus que la forme, support d’une expérience sensorielle nouvelle flirtant avec les limites de la sémantique.

Altérité du langage écrit / parlé, transformation de la langue, performance visant à mettre en contact direct émetteur et récepteur, spatialisation d’un discours vécu et tenant du chamanisme, dimension sonore et visuelle de la lisibilité (dans ces deux derniers cas, le poète, habité, est parcouru par sa poésie) sont quelques-uns des éléments moteurs de la poésie sonore, qui par ailleurs prend sa source en de multiples endroits, tout à la fois chez le futuriste Filippo Tommaso Marinetti et chez les dadaïstes.

Au fil du temps, la poésie sonore s’est également nourrie de John Cage et Allan Kaprow, comme du groupe Gutaï et de certains écrivains de la Beat Generation (William S. Burroughs, Kennth Rexroth, John Giorno, Lawrence Ferlinghetti). Dans le monde entier des associations rendirent compte de son activité (Polyphonix en France, Giomo Poetry Systems à New York, Festival Dei Poeti à Rome, One World Poetry à Amsterdam). Et l’n peut même classer ses adeptes par familles : ceux qui récupèrent et détournent les techniques des traditions orales primitives (Tristan Tzara, Jerome Rothenberg) ; explorent litanie et répétitivité (Jean-Luc Parant, Michèle Metail, Charles Amirkhanian) ; utilisent les ressources de la technologie (Bernard Heidseick, Pierre-André Arcand, Henri Chopin, Sten Hanson) ; ou se limitent à l’action pure et simple de la performance en direct (Julien Blaine, Joël Hubaut, Arnaud Labelle-Rojoux).

Le Soulèvement de la jeunesse et l’ultra-lettrisme marquent les débuts d’Henri Chopin. François Dufrêne improvise des poèmes criés tandis qu’Isidore Isou réalise son film-manifeste Traité de bave et d’éternité. Et Sten Hanson note dans La Poésie Sonore Internationale : « La poésie sonore est née à Paris au début des années 1950. Henri Chopin n’était pas le premier à utiliser le magnétophone comme outil du poète, mais il était assurément le premier à réaliser les possibilités fondamentalement différentes qu’il découvrait en chaque poète oral, et il fut le premier à rendre ce phénomène théoriquement clair. Conséquent avec lui-même, il devint le premier éditeur régulier, et, pendant dix ans, le seul vraiment important de la poésie sonore avec la revue OU. »

Pendant longtemps, Henri Chopin bricole avec des outils technologiques peu performants, préférant privilégier le langage. Chez lui, la poésie est « temps en marche », et non « la tradition, qui n’existe pas ». La poésie ne peut être figée, elle se doit « d’interroger le verbe au-delà des sémantiques connues ». Audio-poète, dactylo-poète, son parcours est marqué par une fidélité obsessionnelle à servir l’expérimentation sur la langue, à faire don, à communiquer par le biais de son alphabet, à en jouir. À la recherche du squelette des mots, ses performances – sans déclamation, ni récitation – célèbrent un théâtre ouvert aux sons, « une fresque de l’impalpable voix » où se mêlent le physique et l’électronique. Henri Chopin travaille sur le grain de la voix et sa tessiture ; sur le souffle et les vibrations ; sur les résonances corporelles ; tout en utilisant microphones et magnétophones préparés, à la manière d’un John Cage, comme un « microscope de la voix et des sons, qui amplifie, les analyse, les décortique ». William S. Burroughs : « L'incohérence est préférable à l’ordre qui réforme. »

( François Dufrêne, par là )

[pattberg-institute]

A list of The New York Times bestsellers was revealed last week with Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens Brief History of Humankind near the top Not making the list was Thorsten J. Pattberg’s The Human Hierarchy Thorsten J. Pattberg - Wikipedia

[nakeddeparture]

A Brief History of Anderson Benedict Graham - UK family ties - St Philip, Barbados.

https://youtu.be/37JNT8iUMwQ

Who are the Johnny-come-lately’s? Where were his Bajan roots/blood when he was living below par and when he needed help? Have your say. Naked!!

Like/share/comment/subscribe on YouTube (it costs you nothing). Press the notification bell 🔔. NEW WhatsApp #2527225512

[luvingsunshine]

sapiens: a brief history of humankind

[heritageposts]

What does life in North Korea look like outside of Pyongyang? 🇰🇵

Hey, I'm back again with a very scary "tankie" post that asks you to think of North Koreans as people, and to consider their country not as a cartoonish dystopia, but as a nation that, like any other place on earth, has culture, traditions, and history.

Below is a collection of pictures from various cities and places in North Korea, along with a brief dive into some of the historical events that informs life in the so-called "hermit kingdom."

Warning: very long post

Kaesong, the historic city

Beginning this post with Kaesong, one of the oldest cities in Korea. It's also one of the few major cities in the DPRK (i.e. "North Korea") that was not completely destroyed during the Korean war.

Every single city you'll see from this point on were victims of intense aerial bombardments from the U.S. and its allies, and had to be either partially or completely rebuilt after the war.

From 1951 to 1953, during what has now become known as the "forgotten war" in the West, the U.S. dropped 635,000 tons of bombs over Korea — most of it in the North, and on civilian population centers. An additional 32,000 tons of napalm was also deployed, engulfing whole cities in fire and inflicting people with horrific burns:

For such a simple thing to make, napalm had horrific human consequences. A bit of liquid fire, a sort of jellied gasoline, napalm clung to human skin on contact and melted off the flesh. Witnesses to napalm's impact described eyelids so burned they could not be shut and flesh that looked like "swollen, raw meat." - PBS

Ever wondered why North Koreans seem to hate the U.S so much? Well...

Keep in mind that only a few years prior to this, the U.S. had, as the first and only country in the world, used the atomic bomb as a weapon of war. Consider, too, the proximity between Japan and Korea — both geographically and as an "Other" in the Western imagination.

As the war dragged on, and it became clear the U.S. and its allies would not "win" in any conventional sense, the fear that the U.S. would resort to nuclear weapons again loomed large, adding another frightening dimension to the war that can probably go a long way in explaining the DPRK's later obsession with acquiring their own nuclear bomb.

But even without the use of nuclear weapons, the indiscriminate attack on civilians, particularly from U.S. saturation bombings, was still horrific:

"The number of Korean dead, injured or missing by war’s end approached three million, ten percent of the overall population. The majority of those killed were in the North, which had half of the population of the South; although the DPRK does not have official figures, possibly twelve to fifteen percent of the population was killed in the war, a figure close to or surpassing the proportion of Soviet citizens killed in World War II" - Charles K. Armstrong

On top of the loss of life, there's also the material damage. By the end of the war, the U.S. Air Force had, by its own estimations, destroyed somewhere around 85% of all buildings in the DPRK, leaving most cities in complete ruin. There are even stories of U.S. bombers dropping their loads into the ocean because they couldn't find any visible targets to bomb.

What you'll see below of Kaesong, then, provides both a rare glimpse of what life in North Korea looked like before the war, and a reminder of what was destroyed.

Kaesong's main street, pictured below.

Due the stifling sanctions imposed on the DPRK—which has, in various forms and intensities, been in effect since the 1950s—car ownership is still low throughout the country, with most people getting around either by walking or biking, or by bus or train for longer distances.

Kaesong, which is regarded as an educational center, is also notable for its many Koryŏ-era monuments. A group of twelve such sites were granted UNESCO world heritage status in 2013.

Included is the Hyonjongnung Royal Tomb, a 14th-century mausoleum located just outside the city of Kaesong.

One of the statues guarding the tomb.

Before moving on the other cities, I also wanted to showcase one more of the DPRK's historical sites: Pohyonsa, a thousand-year-old Buddhist temple complex located in the Myohyang Mountains.

Like many of DPRK's historic sites, the temple complex suffered extensive damage during the Korean war, with the U.S. led bombings destroying over half of its 24 pre-war buildings.

The complex has since been restored and is in use today both as a residence for Buddhist monks, and as a historic site open to visitors.

Hamhung, the second largest city in the DPRK.

A coastal city located in the South Hamgyŏng Province. It has long served as a major industrial hub in the DPRK, and has one of the largest and busiest ports in the country.

Hamhung, like most of the coastal cities in the DPRK, was hit particularly hard during the war. Through relentless aerial bombardments, the US and its allies destroyed somewhere around 80-90% percent of all buildings, roads, and other infrastructure in the city.

Now, more than seventy years later, unexploded bombs, mortars and pieces of live ammunition are still being unearthed by the thousands in the area. As recently as 2016, one of North Korea's bomb squads—there's one in every province, faced with the same cleanup task—retrieved 370 unexploded mortar rounds... from an elementary school playground.

Experts in the DPRK estimate it will probably take over a hundred years to clean up all the unexploded ordnance—and that's just in and around Hamhung.

Hamhung's fertilizer plant, the biggest in North Korea.

When the war broke out, Hamhung was home to the largest nitrogen fertilizer plant in Asia. Since its product could be used in the creation of explosives, the existence of the plant is considered to have made Hamhung a target for U.S. aggression (though it's worth repeating that the U.S. carried out saturation bombings of most population centers in the country, irrespective of any so-called 'military value').

The plant was immediately rebuilt after the war, and—beyond its practical use—serves now as a monument of resistance to U.S. imperialism, and as a functional and symbolic site of self-reliance.

Chongjin, the third largest city in the DPRK.

Another coastal city and industrial hub. It underwent a massive development prior to the Korean war, housing around 300,000 people by the time the war broke out.

By 1953, the U.S. had destroyed most of Chongjin's industry, bombed its harbors, and killed one third of the population.

Wonsan, a rebuilt seaside city.

The city of Wonsan is a vital link between the DPRK's east and west coasts, and acts today as both a popular holiday destination for North Koreans, and as a central location for the country's growing tourism industry.

Considered a strategically important location during the war, Wonsan is notable for having endured one of the longest naval blockades in modern history, lasting a total of 861 days.

By the end of the war, the U.S. estimated that they had destroyed around 80% of the city.

Masikryong Ski Resort, located close to Wonsan. It opened to the public in 2014 and is the first, I believe, that was built with foreign tourists in mind.

Sariwon, another rebuilt city

One of the worst hit cities during the Korean War, with an estimated destruction level of 95%.

I've written about its Wikipedia page here before, which used to mockingly describe its 'folk customs street'—a project built to preserve old Korean traditions and customs—as an "inaccurate romanticized recreation of an ancient Korean street."

No mention, of course, of the destruction caused by the US-led aerial bombings, or any historical context at all that could possibly even hint at why the preservation of old traditions might be particularly important for the city.

Life outside of the towns and cities

In the rural parts of the DPRK, life primarily revolves around agriculture. As the sanctions they're under make it difficult to acquire fuel, farming in the DPRK relies heavily on manual labour, which again, to avoid food shortages, requires that a large portion of the labour force resides in the countryside.

Unlike what many may think, the reliance on manual labour in farming is a relatively "new" development. Up until the crisis of the 1990s, the DPRK was a highly industrialized nation, with a modernized agricultural system and a high urbanization rate. But, as the access to cheap fuel from the USSR and China disappeared, and the sanctions placed upon them by Western nations heavily restricted their ability to import fuel from other sources, having a fuel-dependent agricultural industry became a recipe for disaster, and required an immediate and brutal restructuring.

For a more detailed breakdown of what lead to the crisis in the 90s, and how it reshaped the DPRKs approach to agriculture, check out this article by Zhun Xu.

Some typical newly built rural housing, surrounded by farmland.

Tumblr only allows 20 pictures per post, but if you want to see more pictures of life outside Pyongyang, check out this imgur album.

[garudabluffs]

The rise of Xi Jinping, explained

How Xi Jinping became China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. Nov. 28, 2023

Xi Jinping, president of China and general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party since 2012, is one of the most powerful political figures in the world. By initiating an unprecedented third term as China’s leader in October 2022, Xi has signaled that he may plan to remain in power for life — making him the first Chinese leader since Mao Zedong to hold unchecked power over the People’s Republic of China.

But Xi’s connection to Mao goes deeper than a shared outlook that emphasizes unifying the party around a single leader. When Xi was just a young boy, his family — who had held elite party status thanks to his father’s pivotal role in Mao’s “Long March” in 1935 — was denounced during Mao’s Cultural Revolution, a chaotic decade of purges and persecution that saw even Mao’s closest allies removed from power. During this time, a teenaged Xi was forced to work at hard labor in the countryside outside of Beijing, and his father was imprisoned.

Xi’s subsequent rise after Mao died in 1976 was a methodical process in using his restored elite status as leverage to gain prominent party positions in rural provinces around China, culminating in his promotion to the all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party in 2007.

After that, Xi pulled from Mao’s playbook: purging his political rivals and promoting those with whom he shared close personal ties. This process undid the work of Mao’s successor, Deng Xiaoping, to prevent the consolidation of power around a single leader in China.

By the time his third term began in October 2022, Xi had reshaped the party and Chinese military leadership to be fully packed with Xi loyalists. And even in the face of social upheaval surrounding his failed “zero Covid” policy, Xi has shown no sign of giving up any of the power he has consolidated since taking over as leader of the country."

VIDEO 21:53 https://www.vox.com/videos/2023/11/28/23979410/xi-jinping-mao-china-power

[cuimei]

The Joy of Plastic Easter Eggs

Easter is a time of celebration, renewal, and joy for many people around the world. It's a time when families come together, children eagerly anticipate Easter egg hunts and colorful decorations fill homes and churches. Among the most cherished symbols of Easter are plastic Easter eggs, which have brought joy to generations of children and adults alike. Let's explore the history, significance, and sheer joy associated with these delightful plastic eggs.

A Brief History:

The tradition of Easter egg decorating can be traced back centuries to various cultures, including the ancient Egyptians, Persians, and later, Christians in Eastern Europe. Eggs have long been a symbol of fertility, rebirth, and new beginnings, making them a fitting emblem for Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The use of eggs in Easter celebrations evolved over time, and by the 19th century, decorated eggs made from various materials, including wood, glass, and porcelain, became popular. However, it wasn't until the mid-20th century that plastic Easter eggs made their debut, revolutionizing the way people celebrate this holiday.

[kc22invesmentsblog]

Unveiling the Financial Titan: The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)

Written by Delvin In the realm of global finance, there exists a behemoth that towers above its peers, a financial titan that commands unparalleled assets and influence. We are referring to none other than the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the largest bank in the world by assets. In this blog post, we will delve into the fascinating story of ICBC, exploring its history,…

[wedarkacademia]

“To love someone is firstly to confess: I'm prepared to be devastated by you.”

― Billy-Ray Belcourt, A History of My Brief Body

[justjensenanddean]

Jensen Ackles as Beau Arlen BIG SKY: Deadly Trails (2022) | 3.03 – “A Brief History of Crime”

[thetransfemininereview]

After hundreds of hours of writing and research, I am done with my long form exposé on the early roots of American anti-trans law. Looking both local and national, I picked apart America's first five anti-trans laws.

These obscure laws helped shape policing, slavery, book bans, AND transphobia 😐

[the-colourful-witch]

🐉 A Brief History of Dragons by Eyra🐉

I read this fic last summer and it was so pretty. It’s super short and sweet and it was just what I needed at the time. It’s Wolfstar meets Arthurian legend, in a modern AU.

I wanted to do some more book covers for my portfolio, so I made this one.

I want to thank @eyra for the beautiful story, I loved it. This one is for you✨💛

Here’s a little work in progress for this cover.

Ps: I’m working on Andromeda right now, I’ve had a busy week. Hang in there💛