Five Bullets 6.30.23
This week: Edison Phonograph, Asteroid City, Psychedelic Cumbia & more
Hello and welcome back to Circles In Space for Five Bullet Friday, where each Friday I share interesting stuff collected during the week.
If you’re new to Circles In Space, I wrote a bit about myself and this newsletter.
Good morning everyone and happy Friday! It’s the last day of the month and it’s really feeling like summer here in New York City - warm weather, fireflies, and fireworks. Today, though, we once again have hazy skies due to the smoke from Canadian wildfires. Wishing you all an enjoyable Fourth of July weekend!
THIS WEEK’S TOPICS:
History: In 1877, Thomas Edison made the first phonograph recordings on tinfoil which he tested by reciting “Mary had a little lamb”. By 1888 he had developed a wax cylinder record and later made a series of recordings which included speeches by historical figures, music from the turn of the 20th century, and comedy sketches. Edison thought that one of the possible future uses of the phonograph would include the "Family Record” - a collection of sayings by family members and of the last words of dying persons. I found this to be an interesting historical side-note - that essentially Edison felt that recording family oral history would be as popular as playing and recording music. (Note: I learned about these recordings from Ryan Holiday’s conversation with Kevin Kelly).
…Whoever has spoken or whoever may speak into the mouthpiece of the phonograph, and whose words are recorded by it, has the assurance that his speech may be reproduced audibly in his own tones long after he himself has turned to dust. The possibility is simply startling…Speech has become, as it were, immortal. - Scientific American (Nov 17, 1877)
Science: Groundwater depletion has been linked to one of several factors which have changed the position of Earth’s axis.
Movies: Wes Anderson’s new film Asteroid City is a delightfully quirky film which includes all the typical Anderson tropes set in a 1950s American desert ‘city’ with the occasional atomic bomb test dotting the horizon. I’m not sure what it all means but I certainly enjoyed it!
Reading:
Two Weeks at the Front In Ukraine - Luke Mogelson writes that the Ukrainian infantry “had become a species that burrowed to elude predation”. Life on the front lines hasn’t changed much in 100 years.
What We Owe Our Trees - Jill Lepore explores our history with trees and challenges the timber industry myth that simply planting trees will solve deforestation.
Music: I’m hooked on the laid-back summer vibes from this compilation of Peruvian Psychedelic Cumbia.
Got something to share?
That’s all for this week!
As always, thanks for reading and have a great weekend.
Until next time,
KW