Pessimists Archive Newsletter

Share this post

π™ΏπšŽπšœπšœπš’πš–πš’πšœπšπšœ π™°πš›πšŒπš‘πš’πšŸπšŽ Roundup

newsletter.pessimistsarchive.org

π™ΏπšŽπšœπšœπš’πš–πš’πšœπšπšœ π™°πš›πšŒπš‘πš’πšŸπšŽ Roundup

Sunday February 15th

Pessimists Archive
Feb 15, 2021
Share this post

π™ΏπšŽπšœπšœπš’πš–πš’πšœπšπšœ π™°πš›πšŒπš‘πš’πšŸπšŽ Roundup

newsletter.pessimistsarchive.org

πŸ—“ On this day…

On this day in 1946 the first general purpose computer (ENIAC) was dedicated at the University of Pennsylvania. 6 years later a headline wondered what on earth FORTY SEVEN of these β€˜electronic brains’ would do:

πŸ—ž Source

πŸ“– Not Safe for Workhouse (1941)

Japan banned French romance novels in the 40s because it was turning people into FREAKS, replacing more traditional love making methods with β€œmore ardent techniques.” This mimics more modern concerns about media consumption and its influence on sex.

πŸ—ž Source

πŸ“½ Cancelled (1921)

A juvenile Judge got cancelled for defending moving pictures and their influence on youth crime, he proclaimed to concerned clergymen that he’d seen twice as many youth commit crimes just after church or Sunday School. One minster called for him to be jailed, the judge later apologized.

β€œI have had twice that many cases of children who have been attending church and sunday school just before they commit their offenses.”

πŸ—ž Source

🐐 Mechanical Goat (1897)

124 years ago this article pointed out how the bicycle had become a scapegoat for many social and economic ills, the 1890s marked a moment when the bicycle was going mainstream as cost and practicality hit a sweet spot.

πŸ—ž Source

Paper Time (1872)

We did it, we found someone complaining that all commuters do these days is stare at paper, 149 years ago staring at a novel was treated as staring at a screen is today. It is a fun addition to the below photo that has gained some viral traction in the past as an example that the β€˜good old days’ involved staring at information too.

β€œWe have often observed young misses, intently engaged in the perusal of some romance, while upon a rapidly-moving railway train" β€œSuch practices lead to serious injury to the eyes.”

πŸ—ž Source

TOP TWEET

Twitter avatar for @PessimistsArc
π™ΏπšŽπšœπšœπš’πš–πš’πšœπšπšœ π™°πš›πšŒπš‘πš’πšŸπšŽ @PessimistsArc
This 1920 @nytimes article saying a rocket couldn’t work in a vacuum, is brought to you via Starlink internet. Cc @StarlinkPage
Image
Image
2:28 PM βˆ™ Feb 2, 2021
46Likes20Retweets
Share this post

π™ΏπšŽπšœπšœπš’πš–πš’πšœπšπšœ π™°πš›πšŒπš‘πš’πšŸπšŽ Roundup

newsletter.pessimistsarchive.org
Comments
TopNewCommunity

No posts

Ready for more?

Β© 2023 Pessimists Archive
Privacy βˆ™ Terms βˆ™ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
SubstackΒ is the home for great writing