An irregular hodgepodge of links gathered together … Omnium Gatherum for December 6, 2020

Here’s a variety of notable things I’ve recently found that you may also be interested in checking out:

• From 2015, but Krampusnacht was last night, so I hope you got up to something sufficiently naughty! “The Origin of Krampus, Europe’s Evil Twist on Santa. The mythical holiday beast is once again on the prowl, but beware, he’s making his way across the Atlantic.” Also “The Krampus and the Old Winter Ways.” Interestingly, I read something in passing an forgot to note it down, but Christmas goats, like the one in Gävle but also little ones in people’s homes, seem to have possibly been a less-scary replacement for Krampus. That’s just another reason for our friend in Gävle to burn. Or not, because, maybe, just maybe, this year maybe it should survive.
• “Aquarius Rising (Reimagined), December 18 – 20, 2020, a Symposium of Mysticism, Metaphysics + Music in Celebration of the Emerging Aquarian Vision. Unity Consciousness. Restoring Dharma. Strength in Numbers.”—”Transitioning from the chaotic and unprecedented waters of 2020 into a new dawning of human consciousness, we’re activating the Star archetype of Aquarius as Jupiter and Saturn align in this constellation of the zodiac on December 21st to set a brand new template and rise from power to love. To reimagine what is possible. Let’s come together to celebrate our interconnectedness, interdependence and remembrance that the paths are many but the truth is one! In the true Aquarian spirit of collective unity, we’ve assembled an incredible constellation of presenters and performers, each one to carry the energy of each archetypal influence of the twelve signs of the Zodiac to inspire, guide and illuminate the way into 2021.”
• The Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in late December! Watch “How to View the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn.”—”In late December 2020, the two largest planets in our Solar System, Jupiter and Saturn, will be so close in the sky that they’ll both be visible through a telescope eyepiece at the same time. Such close passes are known as Great Conjunctions. The Great Conjunction of 2020 will be the closest in almost 400 years.” Also “For the first time in 800 years, Saturn and Jupiter will align to make a ‘Christmas star’.” Also “Welcome to the Information Age – The Great Conjunction of 2020 and its Future Implications.”
• “Public Domain Day: Looking Ahead To 2021“—”What do The New Yorker, Felix the Cat, The Great Gatsby and Rudolph Valentino in ‘The Eagle’ all share in common? They were all first released in 1925. And looking ahead, that means that when the sun rises on 2021, thousands of works of literature, film, music and art will enter the public domain. We think having free access to these cultural riches is something to celebrate!”
• “Massive East Village Fire Destroys Historic Nearby Church. The six-alarm blaze in a vacant building spread to nearby Middle Collegiate Church, which is almost 130 years old.”
• More on this: “Facing collapse, the famed Arecibo Observatory will be demolished. The failure of two main cables sealed the observatory’s fate.” Also “Arecibo Telescope’s illustrious scientific career is over.” Also “The Damaged Arecibo Telescope Meets an Untimely End. One of the world’s most beloved observatories is being demolished before its time.” Also “Video Shows The Heartbreaking Moment The Arecibo Telescope Collapsed.”
  
• “Hello everyone, it’s that time of year again. Time for the Wapshott Press Annual Fundraiser!”
  
• The first ever AvalonCon, Summer 2021, from Jul 2, 2021, 12:00 BST – Jul 4, 2021, 17:00 BST, at the Assembly Rooms Of Glastonbury Ltd, High St, Glastonbury BA6 9DU, UK. “We are conjuring an exceptional weekend in Glastonbury, the mythical Isle of Avalon, where the greatest minds in magick, occult, and the paranormal will congregate to talk about their craft.” Guest speakers include Damien Echols, Sorita d’Este, Phil Hine, John E L Tenney, Alkistis Dimech, Peter Grey, David Southwell, Da’at Darling, Paul Weston.

• Major Exhibition of Wilde Manuscripts, First Editions & Ephemera Announced at Bonhams—”On 30 November 1900 in a rundown Paris hotel, the poet, dramatist, novelist, and society wit Oscar Wide died. Now, 120 years after his passing, Bonhams announces a major new exhibition dedicated to Wilde’s life and works to be staged at its London headquarters, 101 New Bond Street. Oscar Wilde: A Man for Our Times runs from 15-23 February 2021.” Mentions also library figure Ada “The Sphinx” Leverson.
  
• Weiser Antiquarian Books Annual Bargain List is now on-line. “Please note the ‘Bargain’ list will run for FOUR DAYS ONLY after which unsold stock will be removed, and most will be returned to stock at its regular price.” “Our annual ‘Holiday Bargain List’ is now on-line. It comprises an interesting mixture of items from stock and fresh items, mostly on magic and the occult, as well as some from other fields of interest, all discounted from our regular reasonable prices. It is a truly varied list: the oldest book dates from 1576, and the most recent from 2016; with most from the late twentieth century. Prices range from $8.00 to $2,500.00. There are a number of modern signed limited editions, rare and out-of-print works, and first editions. There will even be a few Aleister Crowley first editions.”

• More news coverage about Boleskine House: “Boleskine House was the site of occult rituals. A blaze-hit mansion once owned by Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page is to be restored as a visitor attraction – but black magic pilgrims will not be welcomed.” Also “Aleister Crowley’s house is set to re-open to visitors but do you dare? Would you dare set foot in the house that once belonged to ‘the Great Beast 666, Perabduro[sic], Ankh-f-n-khonsu, the wickedest man in the world’ aka occultist Aleister Crowley?” Also “Former home of ‘world’s wickedest man’ to become holiday destination. The former home of black magic master Aleister Crowley is to be restored as a historic visitor attraction with 10 ‘hobbit’ style holiday homes to be created in its grounds.” Also “Plans to rebuild the fire-destroyed former residence of occultist Aleister Crowley backed by Highland Council planning officials.” Also “House of the Devil: Aleister Crowley and the curse of Boleskine. The occultist’s home has long been the scene of evil rituals, freak accidents, and rock excess. And the Satanic panic continues to this day”
• Lots more about library figure Aleister Crowley related to the anniversary of his death, and Greater Feast, on Dec 1st: “It happened today – on this day in history – December 1.” Also “High Times Greats: Top 10 Myths About Aleister Crowley. Don’t believe everything you read about the Great Beast.” Also “TV Review – Pennyworth Season 2. Martin Carr reviews Pennyworth Season 2…”—”Similarly, Jojo O’Neill’s Aleister Crowley is a decadent deviant who dominates every scene he inhabits, yet beneath the writhing flesh and post coital copulation there is little of substance.” Also “Dr. Strange Saved Spider-Man From Being Eaten By Actual Spiders. When a night of crimefighting goes wrong, Spider-Man ends up trapped in a world of ghostly arachnids, and it turns out they’re hungry for spiders.”—”The comic begins with two seemingly unrelated plot threads as Dr. Strange has acquired a mystical book once owned by real-life mystic Aleister Crowley, while Spider-Man is busy fighting the Vulture. However it turns out that Crowley’s book was booby-trapped …” And, last bu not least, via email: “The Atlantis Bookshop Magical Crossword.”
• “The philosopher and writer Eduardo Lourenço died.” Writer, and scholar of library figure Fernando Pessoa.
• Some mentions of Baphomet: “Kingdom of Night is a pixel-art action RPG set in the 80s where you take to the streets to save your small town from Baphomet.” Watch “Kingdom of Night – Trailer #2” Also “Angel & Spike Brings Three New Multiversal Figures Into Buffy’s World. Angel & Spike transforms a major character into a mystical powerhouse and opens the door to the expanded Buffy the Vampire Slayer multiverse.”—”Due to the mystical potential within her, Fred has found herself targeted by Baphomet, a demonic lord and the current director of Wolfram & Hart.” Also “The Out-of-Touch Adults’ Guide To Kid Culture: Viral TikTok Overload“—”You know who’s gaining popularity on TikTok? Satan’s little pal Baphomet! The goat-headed deity first rose to fame in 1307 during the Inquisition of the Knights Templar, but he/she/it is still hip. Baphomet is all over the Tik these days, with gothy (and ironic) teens using the app’s ‘Time Warp’ feature to pay tribute to the dark one by making themselves in its image. ”
• “Review: His body is battered, but Shane MacGowan’s passion still burns in ‘Crock of Gold’” Documentary about Pogue frontman Shane MacGowan mentions library figure William Butler Yeats: “He still growls and curses, though, cackles with a Crypt Keeper gurgle, imbibes and holds grudges (William Butler Yeats and Elvis Costello are two on his list).” Watch the full documentary: “Crock of Gold – A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan.”
• More “gnosticism” is the new “satanism” panic dog whistle: “The Monstrosity of Gnosticism.” Also “Trumpian Gnosticism.”
• Approaching Babalon: Essays for the Abyss by Georgia van Raalte, illustrated by Hermetic Library Anthology Artist Luciana Vasconcelos—”Approaching Babalon presents a series of essays exploring the Goddess Babalon, the Divine Feminine, the Dark Mother, and the ever-revolving circuit of Sex and Death which lies at the centre of the Mysteries. An overview and introduction to the Goddess Babalon that takes a different road to that of Crowley and his followers, Approaching Babalon draws on the insights of Thelema, Ceremonial Magic, Critical Theory, Liberation Theology and the Decadents to weave its magico-theological poetics. Centralising the body and bodily experience, the author rejects patriarchal mysticisms which seek to flee from the body and the world and slink off into the pure white light of heavenly rationalist sanitized boredom. Inspiring, erotic and deeply poetic, the text reaches ecstatic heights as it offers a kaleidoscopic vision of magic, sexuality, spirituality, ritual and the body in the time of the apocalypse.”
• “What Does It Take to Be Granted Sainthood?”
• “What is Perfect, Anyway?”
• “Internet Archive Broadens Global Access to Theological Material.”
• “Opera Occulta is a quarantine collaboration between The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, Cornwall and the singers and musicians of The Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. Working remotely across frontiers,and inspired by magical storytelling in baroque and classical repertoire, it is informed by the Museum’s collections and enabled by the collective gifts of all the musicians and singers involved.”
• Mystifying Kabbalah: Academic Scholarship, National Theology, and New Age Spirituality [Bookshop, Amazon, Publisher] by Boaz Huss—”Most scholars of Judaism take the term ‘Jewish mysticism’ for granted, and do not engage in a critical discussion of the essentialist perceptions that underlie it. Mystifying Kabbalah studies the evolution of the concept of Jewish mysticism. It examines the major developments in the academic study of Jewish mysticism and its impact on modern Kabbalistic movements in the contexts of Jewish nationalism and New Age spirituality. Boaz Huss argues that Jewish mysticism is a modern discursive construct and that the identification of Kabbalah and Hasidism as forms of mysticism, which appeared for the first time in the nineteenth century and has become prevalent since the early twentieth, shaped the way in which Kabbalah and Hasidism are perceived and studied today. The notion of Jewish mysticism was established when western scholars accepted the modern idea that mysticism is a universal religious phenomenon of a direct experience of a divine or transcendent reality and applied it to Kabbalah and Hasidism. ‘Jewish mysticism’ gradually became the defining category in the modern academic research of these topics. This book clarifies the historical, cultural, and political contexts that led to the identification of Kabbalah and Hasidism as Jewish mysticism, exposing the underlying ideological and theological presuppositions and revealing the impact of this ‘mystification’ on contemporary forms of Kabbalah and Hasidism.”
• William Blake vs the World [Amazon, Publisher] by John Higgs, due May 6, 2021—”Poet, artist, visionary and author of the unofficial English national anthem ‘Jerusalem’, William Blake is an archetypal misunderstood genius. His life passed without recognition and he worked without reward, mocked, dismissed and misinterpreted. Yet from his ignoble end in a pauper’s grave, Blake now occupies a unique position – an artist that unites and attracts people from all corners of society, and a rare inclusive symbol of English identity. Blake famously experienced visions, and it is these that shaped his attitude to politics, sex, religion, society and art. Thanks to the work of neuroscientists and psychologists, we are now in a better position to understand what was happening inside that remarkable mind, and gain a deeper appreciation of his brilliance. His timeless work, we will find, has never been more relevant. In William Blake vs the World we return to a world of riots, revolutions and radicals, discuss movements from the Levellers of the sixteenth century to the psychedelic counterculture of the 1960s, and explore the latest discoveries in neurobiology, quantum physics and comparative religion. Taking the reader on wild detours into unfamiliar territory, John Higgs places the bewildering eccentricities of a most singular artist into context. And although the journey begins with us trying to understand him, we will ultimately discover that it is Blake who helps us to understand ourselves.”
• Robert Mitchell Jr writes on his blog about his suggestion for a Journey you can undertake, in the new, nascent Fundamentals section: The Hermetic Cross: Sixteen Days of Insight.
• Mystic Mondays: The Crystal Grid Deck: An 80-Card Deck to Charge Your Intentions by Grace Duong. “Use the power of crystals to tap into your intuition and supercharge your intentions. Created by Grace Duong of Mystic Mondays, The Crystal Grid Deck uses beautiful, vibrant illustrations to channel the magic of 80 gemstones, from rose quartz and lapis lazuli to amethyst and Tiger’s Eye. Featuring bold, 3D renderings of crystals, these deluxe hexagonal cards fit together, allowing users to magnify their intention-setting by creating grids and spreads. Each card offers users a glimpse into the properties of the stone, with notes on uses, zodiac connections, chakra work, and more printed on the reverse. Housed in a stunning, fully-illustrated keepsake box, with magnetic closure, this breathtaking set is an essential addition to your mystical toolbox. An accompanying 11 X 17″ poster shows all 80 crystals together, for convenient reference that doubles as bold artwork suitable for display.”
• Leviathan’s Knot: The High Priest’s Sash as a Cosmological Symbol by Andrei Orlov—”The study explores a tradition of the high priest’s sash, which is portrayed in Josephus’s Jewish Antiquities 3.154–156 with serpentine symbolism. In light of the sash’s associations with a serpent’s skin, some scholars have suggested that this sacerdotal item might symbolize the defeated Leviathan. In order to better understand the meaning of the priestly sash, this study examines its precise function in the broader context of Josephus’s description of the high priest’s accoutrement found in the third book of his Jewish Antiquities. It suggests that in Josephus’s account the temple was represented by the high priest and his sacerdotal garments. In such a cultic reinterpretation, the serpentine sash was understood as the courtyard of the microcosmic sanctuary, cosmologically corresponding to the primordial sea and its ruler — Leviathan.”
• More about this: The Princess and the Prophet: The Secret History of Magic, Race, and Moorish Muslims in America. About The Princess and the Prophet: The Secret History of Magic, Race, and Moorish Muslims in America [Bookshop, Amazon, Publisher] by Jacob S Dorman—”The just-discovered story of how two enigmatic circus performers and the cultural ferment of the Gilded Age sparked the Black Muslim movement in America.”
• “Big News: Goliath Might Not Have Been a Giant. The Bible says he stood nearly 8 feet. But a new theory suggests that number represents something else entirely.”—”Chadwick hypothesizes that the tradition relating to Goliath’s height may be related to the width of the Gath city walls and, thus, serve more as a symbol of Philistine strength and military power than an actual description of the height of their champion.” “Chadwick suggests that the author of 1 Samuel may ‘have been metaphorically describing the champion as being comparable to the size and strength of the Philistine capital’s city wall.'”
• “Was Eve Made From Adam’s Missing Penis Bone? According to the Bible, God fashioned Adam out of dirt while Eve, who was created as a companion for Adam, was made out of one of Adam’s ribs. Or was she?”—”it’s worth asking what ancient readers thought was happening when God ’caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and… took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh’ (Gen. 2:21). Explanations for what this strange ancient organ transplant involved is where things take a turn for the scandalous.”
• “English bookshops reopen, hoping for Christmas trade rescue after lockdown. After calls to allow them to remain open during the second lockdown failed, the next three weeks will be vital for the sector.”
• “J.R.R. Tolkien House Comes on the Market. Literary fans and celebrities who starred in Tolkien films start a crowdfunding campaign to preserve the house.”
• Quart Obsession, Nov 25: “Book Covers.”
• “When Virtue is Not Enough.” About What’s Wrong with Rights? [Bookshop, Amazon, Publisher] by Nigel Biggar—”What’s Wrong with Rights? concludes that much contemporary rights-talk obscures the importance of fostering civic virtue, corrodes military effectiveness, subverts the democratic legitimacy of law, proliferates publicly onerous rights, and undermines their authority and credibility. The solution to these problems lies in the abandonment of rights-fundamentalism and the recovery of a richer public discourse about ethics, one that includes talk about the duty and virtue of rights-holders.”
• “Japan’s asteroid sample return mission lands in Australian desert. Soon we’ll learn just how many asteroid rocks the mission gathered.” Also “For the second time ever, an asteroid sample returns to Earth. The Japanese Hayabusa2 mission to asteroid Ryugu returns with pristine space rock.” Also “Japan Space Agency Hails Return Of Asteroid Dust On Earth.” Also “A Japanese spacecraft is about to send a ‘treasure box’ of asteroid dust plummeting to Earth. Watch the sample return live.”
• “New Data Confirm 2020 SO to be the Upper Centaur Rocket Booster from the 1960’s.”—”Using data collected at NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) and orbit analysis from the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, scientists have confirmed that Near-Earth Object (NEO) 2020 SO is, in fact, a 1960’s-Era Centaur rocket booster.”
• “3D printed Damascus steel. A composite material with metal layers of varying hardness can be produced through clever temperature variation. The material has a legendary reputation. Damascus steel is hard yet tough because it consists of layers of different iron alloys. In ancient times, this was the material of choice, especially for sword blades. A team from the Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung in Düsseldorf and the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology in Aachen has developed a process that allows this type of steel to be produced layer by layer in a 3D printer. The hardness of each individual layer can be specifically adjusted. Such composites could be of interest for aerospace components or tools produced with 3D printers.”
• “Timnit Gebru’s actual paper may explain why Google ejected her. It questioned language models similar to the ones used in Google’s Search.” Also “We read the paper that forced Timnit Gebru out of Google. Here’s what it says. The company’s star ethics researcher highlighted the risks of large language models, which are key to Google’s business.”
  
• “Robo-surveillance shifts tone of CEO earnings calls. Trading algorithms leave a mark with deeper focus on the spoken word.”—”‘There’s always been a game of cat and mouse, in CEOs trying to be clever in their choice of words,’ Mr Ellis says. ‘But the machines can pick up a verbal tick that a human might not even realise is a thing.'”
  
• It’s because they won’t make money on cash-cow repairs anymore, I bet. “One in Six Cadillac Dealers Opt to Close Instead of Selling Electric Cars: Report. When told to get with the times or get out of the way, 150 out of 800 dealers reportedly took a cash buyout and walked away.”

• From the Urban Spelunking dept: “Cemetery of Soviet computers.”
• “3D bioprinted heart provides new tool for surgeons. Surgeons will soon have a powerful new tool for planning and practice with the creation of the first full-sized 3D bioprinted model of the human heart.”
• “Cellular landscape“—”Created for Cell Signaling Technology, Inc., and inspired by the stunning art of David Goodsell, this 3D rendering of a eukaryotic cell is modeled using X-ray, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and cryo-electron microscopy datasets for all of its molecular actors. It is an attempt to recapitulate the myriad pathways involved in signal transduction, protein synthesis, endocytosis, vesicular transport, cell-cell adhesion, apoptosis, and other processes. Although dilute in its concentration relative to a real cell, this rendering is also an attempt to visualize the great complexity and beauty of the cell’s molecular choreography. Interactive versions of parts of this landscape can be explored at” Cell Signaling Technologies Molecular Landscapes. HT Nnedi Okorafor.
  
• “Earth faster, closer to black hole in new map of galaxy.”—”Earth just got 7 km/s faster and about 2000 light-years closer to the supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. But don’t worry, this doesn’t mean that our planet is plunging towards the black hole. Instead the changes are results of a better model of the Milky Way Galaxy based on new observation data, including a catalog of objects observed over the course of more than 15 years by the Japanese radio astronomy project VERA.”

• “Moon Mark captures the adventures of high school students from around the world who will compete in 2021 to design, build, land, and race two vehicles on the Moon. This inspirational story, culminating in touchdown, racing, and leaving scientific advances behind, will become the defining moment of their generation, unifying all people, in all cultures.”
  
• “New Hubble Data Explains Missing Dark Matter.” Also “The case of the missing dark matter: new suspect found in galactic mystery. A faraway galaxy with almost no dark matter has threatened to break our theory of galaxy formation. New evidence suggests the galaxy isn’t an anomaly – but a victim of theft.”

• “Study: Gut hormones’ regulation of fat production abnormal in obesity, fatty liver disease.”—”Gut hormones play an important role in regulating fat production in the body. One key hormone, released a few hours after eating, turns off fat production by regulating gene expression in the liver, but this regulation is abnormal in obesity, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found in a new study.”
• “Expedition finds record number of fishes in abyssal deep-sea.”
• “MOXIE Could Help Future Rockets Launch Off Mars. NASA’s Perseverance rover carries a device to convert Martian air into oxygen that, if produced on a larger scale, could be used not just for breathing, but also for fuel.”
• “North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences to Receive the ‘Dueling Dinosaurs’.” Also “Dueling Dinosaurs”
• “Researchers Discovered Solid Phosphorus from a Comet. An international study led from the University of Turku discovered phosphorus and fluorine in solid dust particles collected from a comet. The finding indicates that all the most important elements necessary for life may have been delivered to the Earth by comets.”
• “Scientists Reverse the Aging Clock: Restore Age-Related Vision Loss Through Epigenetic Reprogramming.”
• “Light-based Quantum Computer Exceeds Fastest Classical Supercomputers. The setup of lasers and mirrors effectively ‘solved’ a problem far too complicated for even the largest traditional computer system.”
• “Pandemic-Proof Your Habits. Too many people are still longing for their old routines. Get some new ones instead.”
• “Your Covid-19 Shopping Habits Are Changing What Jobs Are Available. The pandemic is accelerating a shift in the labor market to warehouse and delivery jobs supporting ecommerce.”
• “The GOP’s QAnon Faction Is Waging War on Republicans. It’s the conspiracy theories versus those who want to keep a toe, at least, in the world of the real.”
• “Hungary’s rightwing rulers downplay MEP ‘gay orgy’ scandal amid hypocrisy accusations.” Also “COVID Orgy Host: Lawmakers From Nine Countries Came to My Sex Parties. The party organizer claims the Hungarian anti-LGBTQ politician Jozsef Szajer had planned his own orgy for Dec. 12, but canceled after he was fined for breaking lockdown rules.” Also tweet—”In other news, that story about the MEP orgy gets better. When cops raided it, the MEPs thought it was part of the show and “tried to undo their pants””
  
• Watch “New Orleans Orgy Organizers Regret Lax Enforcement Of Social Distancing Rules.”

• Point: “Rantz: Edmonds extremists demanding you give up your home is peak 2020.”—”The drama is unfolding in Edmonds and Woodway where a group of squatters called the Moorish Sovereign Citizens have presented phony documents to homeowners claiming ownership of the properties. Ironically, Seattle’s Black Lives Matter activists should take note of the equally ridiculous but more polite — and creative — strategy of getting people to leave their neighborhoods.” Counterpoint: “Black Home Ownership – If You Don’t Know, Now You Know.”
• “Another Open Letter to the Star Trek Community.”
• 4 day work week and right to disconnect: “EU pushes for ‘right to disconnect’ from work at home.”—”With more people working from home during the pandemic, the boundaries between job and life are blurred. Lawmakers in the EU want to give workers the ‘right to disconnect,’ whereas Germany is looking at tax breaks.”
• Watch “80% of Americans Live East of This Line (And Other Interesting Population Patterns).”
• “Ammonite is intriguing queer fiction, but lethargic historical drama. Saoirse Ronan and Kate Winslet bring the heat, but not the plot interest.”
• “Egyptian Model Arrested Over ‘Inappropriate’ Photoshoot at Archaeological Site.” Also “Photographer arrested after pyramid shoot with model in Egypt.”
• Tricephalus and Headless Studio announce development of ‘Caravel: Set Forth’ with a teaser trailer—”Early 20th-century Portuguese poet, Fernando Pessoa, once wrote “all seems daring to those who dare nothing”, and as it resonated with the theme of the game, the team made it its official motto.”
• Lots more about this: “Monolith Haters Are Convinced It’s Just a Dumb Marketing Ploy. The whimsy of the first discovery in Utah has worn off with each subsequent find.” Also “New mystery metal monolith appears on a California mountaintop. Not long after a similar structure was discovered in a Utah desert, a silvery column has been found in Atascadero.” Also “‘I guess this is a thing now, right?’: monolith appears on California mountain – video report.” Also “Why We Love the Monolith. The recent appearance of so-called monoliths in Utah and around the world taps into a deep-seated fascination.” Also watch “Third Mysterious Monolith Spotted, Then Destroyed in California.”
  Also “California monolith’s removal by ‘punks from SoCal’ outrages locals.” Watch “Stephen’s Mono-Log Explores A Dark New Chapter For The Mysterious Globe-Trotting Monolith.” Also “Bigot Livestreamers Tore Down the California Monolith in Christ’s Name.” Last, but not least, tweet—”Monolilith”

• Another sign of the end times. “The Artisanal Crocs Have Landed. Crocs are cool now, and artists are accessorizing them all over Instagram.”
• Watch “BFI at Home | Terry Gilliam at 80“—”On 22 November highly acclaimed film director, writer and animator Terry Gilliam turns 80! We are excited to mark the occasion by celebrating his film career with the man himself in conversation with writer and broadcaster Jason Solomons.”
• Watch official trailer for the series finale: “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Part 4,” coming to Netflix on Dec 31st.
• Looks, it’s advertising, of course, but just look at the technical part of how those drones create a volumetric light show (especially clear when they fly another drone camera through the array). This is certainly still in its infancy, with more wildness to come, and essentially just a new laser light show for now, but we can’t be very far out from Blade-Runner-2049-esque visual urban landscapes. Watch “Walmart Holiday Drone Light Show.”
• More of an accompaniment than a cover, but watch “Metallica / Enter Sandman (Buddhist monk cover) / Kossan.”
  
• Watch “The ‘Crude’ Art Of Pleasure: Life In The Rococo Age“—”Waldemar looks at the pursuit of pleasure in the Rococo age, to which a huge amount of cultural energy was devoted. For the first time in history, pleasure and happiness were seen as unalienable human rights that everyone was free to pursue and is reflected so poignantly in the art of Boucher, Watteau, Gainsborough and Tiepolo. In its boundless search for delight it often went too far, but, put crudely, Rococo art stopped tasting like medicine and started tasting like cakes.”

• Watch “Arctic Monkeys – Do I Wanna Know cover in Classical Latin”
• Watch Satan + 2020 k i s s i n g: “Match Made in Hell“—”A Love Story for the ages. Or at least this age.” Also “Taylor Swift’s new Love Story debuts in Ryan Reynolds’ Match ad starring Satan”
• “Care for a Cup of Satanic Chamomile? One tea company is trying to make the cozy brew a little more goth.”
• Watch Yo-Yo Ma playing “Bach Cello Suite No. 3 ‘Sarabande’“—”This is for the healthcare workers on the frontlines — the Sarabande from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 3. Your ability to balance human connection and scientific truth in service of us all gives me hope.”

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