Paracultural Calender for May 7

[Mark Thibodeau]

On this day in *1794*, French Revolutionary *Robespierre* proposes that the
new state religion of the French First Republic be the
Illuminati-inspired *Cult
of the Supreme Being*. It fails to catch on.

*****

On this day in the year *1824*, composer *Ludwig von Beethoven*'s
magnificent 9th (and final) Symphony - one of the only world-historic
pieces of music - is performed for first time in front of an audience. The
vocal section uses *Freidrich Schiller*'s poem *Ode To Joy*, which is
jam-packed with esoteric allusions that are ripe for exploitation as an
expression of the beauties and charms of collectivism, which makes its
eventual use as the "national anthem" of the *European Union* both amusing
and somewhat troubling. *Stanley Kubrick* proved that he understood the
essential duality of this piece of music - as well as the double-edged
nature of genius in general - by highlighting it in an incredibly ironic
way in his satirical sf masterpiece *Clockwork Orange*.

*****

On this day in *1896*, one of the first and most *prolific and inventive*
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.H._Holmes> serial killers of all time is
put to death for only a handful of the crimes he committed over a lifetime
of almost unbelievable wickedness. His name was *Herman Webster Mudgett*,
alias *Doctor Henry Howard Holmes*, and he built his own private "Murder
Castle" in Chicago during the 1893 World Columbian Exposition - itself an
event rife with parapolitical and paracultural over-and-undertones.

*****

On this day in *1952*, the concept of the integrated circuit, also known as
the "monolithic integrated circuit" and the "microchip" - the basis for all
modern computing technology - is first presented to the public by *Geoffrey
W.A. Dummer*. Culturally, economically and historically, it's a
game-changer on pretty much every imaginable level.

*****

On this day in *1999*, the *British Antarctic Survey* reports that the sky
fell by no less than five miles over the preceding forty year period, as
the upper limit of the ionosphere - beyond which lies the vacuum of space -
collapsed from 190 to 185 miles altitude. Researchers at the time pointed
to this startling phenomenon as "an important environmental warning sign,"
but yer old pal Jerky hasn't heard any more about it since the report was
released. What gives?!

*****

On this day in *2004*, in one of the most heinous of many heinous landmarks
that we collectively had to endure in the 'naughties, the sadistic and
brutal beheading of American businessman *Nick Berg* is recorded on
videotape and released on the Internet for all the world to see. I present
to you an *editorial*
<http://uselesseaterblog.blogspot.ca/2012/05/beheading-of-nick-berg.html> that
I wrote on the subject of the Berg conspiracy theories, reprinted now at my
Useless Eater blog for archival purposes. Also reprinted is one of my best
editorials (if I do say so myself), titled *The Paradox of Polar Bears*
<http://uselesseaterblog.blogspot.ca/2012/05/paradox-of-polar-bears.html>.
It also touches on Berg's murder, but for much different reasons. I'd
suggest you "enjoy", but somehow that just doesn't seem right in this case.
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