I’m getting a kick out of these rules for dueling as published in 1847. Despite the fact I have no intention of dueling anyone, it never hurts to know the rules. To start with:
No gentleman may notice the insulting language of an inferior.
And what if your ladyfriend is disparaged? Well it’s important to know there are no takebacks. Which seems a bit strict.
For direct insult to a lady, no apology can be received. But as this code is intended for the use of gentlemen, and as no individual of that caste is capable of insulting a lady, the despicable hounds so transgressing are hereby surrendered to the ear-slitting clemency of the lady’s friends.
Even if you loathe your dueling partner, be sure to say “hi” on the field. Don’t worry, you won’t be required to use actual words.
After taking your place, you will salute your antagonist with a distant but not discourteous inclination of the head.
Should you win the duel, please know that despite your elation at not having a new hole in your body, the moment is not right for gloating.
After the duel, apply no recriminating or disparaging language toward your late antagonist…
From the lengthily titled “The code of honor or, The thirty-nine articles; with an appendix, showing the whole manner in which the duel is to be conducted; with amusing anecdotes, illustrative of duelling; to which is prefixed a dissertation on the origin and progress of the duello, by a Southron”.
I love when tropes get turned on their heads. In this case what if instead of humans being intrepid galactic explorers, humans are actually “terrifying space orcs?”
Read more…
The 1976 song “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” by Klaatu showed up on my Spotify Discover Weekly playlist this week. I had never heard it before, and it is an epic piece of weird prog rock. It’s entirely of it’s time and amazing in it’s execution.
My first listen was weird enough to prompt me to do some research.
It seems that when Klaatu released 3:47 EST, the album containing “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” (and their first album ever in fact), the liner notes very unusually contained zero information about the band members themselves — no names, writing, or instrument credits. In the vacuum, and with Beatles reunion rumors swirling in the zeitgeist, the public decided that Klaatu must be an anonymous Beatles reunion album. The mysterious band did nothing to dissuade people. Albums sales soared.
Of course, Klaatu wasn’t the Beatles.
When listeners eventually caught on, record sales plummeted and the band eventually broke up.
An interesting story, but! A fake Beatles reunion isn’t even the weirdest thing down this rabbit hole. For my money, that credit has to go to the cover version released one year later in 1977…
… by The Carpenters.
Watch on YouTube
I admit that my familiarity with The Carpenters’ discography is (and remains) limited, but the juxtaposition of making contact with aliens and the soft, gentle sounds that produced “Close to You” is simply jarring.
Plus that’s one weird video.
