The Washington Post Book Club newsletter describes Ukranian librarians at work. Quoted in the newsletter, Archibald MacLeish’s “Of the Librarian’s Profession” (1940):
When wars are made against the [human] spirit and its works, the keeping of these records is itself a kind of warfare. The keepers, whether they so wish or not, cannot be neutral.MacLeish was the ninth Librarian of Congress (1939–1944).
From The Mary Tyler Moore Show episode “Just Around the Corner” (October 28, 1972). Mary and Murray (Gavin MacLeod) have been talking about newspapers. Ted (Ted Knight) jumps in:
“Oh [clears throat ], I don’t care much for them myself.”Related reading
Murray: “Ah, he’s very blasé now, but you shoulda seen him run and grab the paper when he heard Nancy and Sluggo broke up.”
Here’s a short video tour of an Eberhard Faber sales-rep’s album (circa 1915). Must be seen to be believed.
Thanks, Brian.
*
Here’s a reference to James O. Hobart, the Eberhard Faber rep whose name is stamped on the album’s cover: “of the Boston office.” Thanks again, Brian.
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All OCA Mongol pencil posts (Pinboard)
“In the COVID-19–induced chaos of spring 2020, the University of Missouri system quietly added a section to its rules and regulations that allows for individual tenured faculty salaries to be cut by up to 25 percent”: “Cutting Faculty Salaries by Executive Order” (Inside Higher Ed ).
In The Paris Review, Jane Stern writes about strange things she has found in books:
Here are some things I have found: a Seattle traffic ticket for jaywalking, the luggage slip for a first class flight to Paris, to-do lists with some very curious items like “pick up the whip” or “explain cremation.” Often I find ticket stubs (Hamilton !). Once I found a check fully made out for $375.15 that was never given away, and just today I found a yellow card from Pacific Photo Express that offered to transform my images into a “photo fun button.” I am not sure I want such a pin: the illustration shows a creepy little girl getting cozy with Frankenstein’s monster. I can’t quite imagine the right occasion on which to wear that.The strangest thing I’ve found in a book: this list. But this receipt means more.
“A palpable shift”: The Guardian reports on the British public’s growing appreciation of tinned fish.
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All OCA sardine posts (Pinboard)
From This American Life, a compilation of old and new stories about Vladimir Putin: “The Other Mr. President.” I remember the one about the bombings of apartment buildings in 1999, which Putin (then prime minister) blamed on Chechen rebels. He invaded Chechnya, won, and was elected president. Long story short: he seems to be an old hand at false-flag operations.
I stepped away from the news for a few hours last night, and look what happened. From New York Times :
The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol said on Wednesday that there was enough evidence to conclude that former President Donald J. Trump and some of his allies might have conspired to commit fraud and obstruction by misleading Americans about the outcome of the 2020 election and attempting to overturn the result.The filing, which I’ve only browsed, makes for surreal reading. Here’s an exchange between John F. Wood, the committee’s senior investigative counsel, and John Eastman:
In a court filing in a civil case in California, the committee’s lawyers for the first time laid out their theory of a potential criminal case against the former president. They said they had accumulated evidence demonstrating that Mr. Trump, the conservative lawyer John Eastman and other allies could potentially be charged with criminal violations including obstructing an official proceeding of Congress and conspiracy to defraud the American people.
Q Dr. Eastman, did you write the opinion piece that’s in tab 16?At another point Eastman takes the Fifth in response to a question about whether he’s refusing to answer questions only about his actions or also about his thoughts regarding the Electoral College.
A Fifth.
Q Okay. Just so I understand, Dr. Eastman, you're invoking your Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination to question whether this opinion and commentary piece with the byline John C. Eastman, you’re invoking the Fifth Amendment right to not answer that question?
A On advice of counsel, I’m invoking the Fifth.
