Dr Ian McCormick
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wokestudies.bsky.social
Dr Ian McCormick
@wokestudies.bsky.social
19K followers 15K following 1.5K posts
English Language & Literature. PhD: Monstrosity. Queer history. Gothic. Antifa. Archaic English. NEW BOOK: Woke Shakespeare. Prof. d'Emeritus. https://linktr.ee/drianmccormick
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wokestudies.bsky.social
Political wisdom of Adorno ?
#antifa #politics #history
All modern fascist movements, including the practices of contemporary American demagogues, have aimed at the ignorant; they have consciously manipulated the facts in a way that could lead to success only with those who were not acquainted with the facts. Ignorance with respect to the complexities of contemporary society makes for a state of general uncertainty and anxiety, which is the ideal breeding ground for the modern type of reactionary mass movement. Such movements are always ‘populist’ and maliciously anti-intellectual.
November 10, 2025 at 4:13 PM
wokestudies.bsky.social
How many days in a week?
November 9, 2025 at 3:00 PM
wokestudies.bsky.social
The easiest section in this Italian vocabulary list?
November 9, 2025 at 12:26 PM
wokestudies.bsky.social
London's verdict on Elon Musk?
#Tesla #antifa
Imagine having a trillion dollars and still being the world's biggest loser.
November 8, 2025 at 10:14 AM
wokestudies.bsky.social
"Ferry, the Human Frog."
Manawatu Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 7226, 27 June 1901, Page 2
Ferry, the Human Frog. The local theatre-going people have heard a great deal of late about Ferry, the contortionist, who is known as " the human frog," but last evening they had an opportunity of seeing his wonderful performance at the Theatre Royal. The fact that Ferry was to appear in the town naturally caused him to be talked about, and the large audience that assembled at the Theatre Royal last night was quite expected. When the curtain was raised it was found that the stage had undergone a complete transformation, being arranged in such a way as to give a capital representation of a swamp. Suddenly a large green frog made its appearance, coming, it seemed, from the bottom of a pool on the stage. This was Ferry, the human frog, his make up being as perfect as it could possibly be. After imitating the different movements of a frog, Ferry sprang to the top of a tree stump, about 5ft in height, where he executed some marvellously clever feats while balancing himself on a small piece of wood; The audience were exceedingly appreciative, and Ferry received quite a storm of applause. As a contortionist, his equal has certainly never been seen in this town, and so marvellously clever are his feats that many people are almost tempted to believe that he is a "boneless" man. " Little Barto". a clever juvenile, also appeared in patriotic and comic songs, and took part in the duet "Cynthia" with Mr Fitzgerald, in which an allusion to the recent presentation of members of the Borough Council to Royalty caused considerable amusement. The performance concluded with some bioscope pictures of the Passion Play and several miscellaneous subjects were also shown. Ferry and his company will give their final performance this evening. Behold Ferry the Human Frog – inimitable of inimitables. A performer from 1921. National Archives of Australia
November 7, 2025 at 1:01 PM
wokestudies.bsky.social
Posters - Ferry the Human Frog (aka Ferry the Frog / The Mystery Man)
Contortionist, equilibrist. [aka William Ferry] "Considered one of the greatest contortionists to visit Australasia, Ferry the Frog toured the region three times (1899-1903, 1920-23, and 1945-46). Films of Ferry performing were also exhibited between ca. 1906 and 1911. Ferry’s act, which evolved over the years, was initially played out in a swamp setting and typically ran for about 15 minutes. Ferry first came to the region with McAdoo’s Minstrels and Cakewalkers in late 1899. The following year he began touring his own variety and bioscope company. Ferry’s Australasian engagements included leading vaudeville circuits (Harry Rickards, Percy Dix, and Fullers’ Theatres etc), circus and buckjumping troupes. He also featured in pantomime, burlesque and the occasional drama." https://ozvta.com/practitioners-f/ Contortionist, equilibrist. [aka William Ferry] "Considered one of the greatest contortionists to visit Australasia, Ferry the Frog toured the region three times (1899-1903, 1920-23, and 1945-46). Films of Ferry performing were also exhibited between ca. 1906 and 1911. Ferry’s act, which evolved over the years, was initially played out in a swamp setting and typically ran for about 15 minutes. Ferry first came to the region with McAdoo’s Minstrels and Cakewalkers in late 1899. The following year he began touring his own variety and bioscope company. Ferry’s Australasian engagements included leading vaudeville circuits (Harry Rickards, Percy Dix, and Fullers’ Theatres etc), circus and buckjumping troupes. He also featured in pantomime, burlesque and the occasional drama." https://ozvta.com/practitioners-f/
November 7, 2025 at 12:47 PM
wokestudies.bsky.social
MISCHIEF:
A reference to Trump in Alexander Radcliffe's "Ovid Travestie" (1681).
November 7, 2025 at 12:15 PM
wokestudies.bsky.social
Michael Downes, author of Story of the Century: Wagner and the Creation of The Ring (Faber).
FILM: The Choral is in UK cinemas from 7 November.
#Elgar #classical
1916. As war rages on the Western Front, the Choral Society in Ramsden, Yorkshire has lost most of its men to the army. The ambitious committee decides to recruit young locals to swell their ranks and they must also engage a new chorus master. Despite their suspicions about him, their best bet seems to be the uncompromising Dr. Henry Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes) who’s recently returned from a career in Germany. As conscription papers start to arrive, the community discovers that the best response to the chaos is to make music together. DIR: Nicholas Hytner | UK | USA | 2025 | 113’
November 7, 2025 at 11:18 AM
wokestudies.bsky.social
"by offering music of such extraordinary intensity and fervour, Elgar helped explode the myth of Victorian emotional restraint"

-- Michael Downes, director of music (University of St Andrews)

#Wagner #Chorus #film #classical
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/n...
Amara Okereke in the Choral. Photograph: Nicola Dove
November 7, 2025 at 11:15 AM
wokestudies.bsky.social
Ping! Is that the bubble bursting?!
Bad day for American AI and tech stocks today...
#investing #nasdaq #markets
November 6, 2025 at 4:38 PM
wokestudies.bsky.social
"A common worry for people who study social media is that algorithms' prioritisation of engaging content results in rage-filled posts getting boosted. Our analysis suggests this is true"
#Musk #propaganda #X #antifa #fascism #riots
violent fake patriots with St George flag during the Southport "Farage" riots
November 6, 2025 at 9:04 AM
wokestudies.bsky.social
American Populist Political Illiteracy?
#media #propaganda #communism #ideology #Trump
November 5, 2025 at 4:37 PM
wokestudies.bsky.social
URGENT: Time for that inter-generational dialogue?
#Green #Youth #Labour #Reform #Tories #Conservatives #Liberals
New poll shows that most young people (18-24) would vote Green or Labour, with little interest in the far right parties
November 5, 2025 at 9:59 AM
wokestudies.bsky.social
💖NY. Well done new Mayor Zohran Mamdani
November 5, 2025 at 9:24 AM
wokestudies.bsky.social
You might recognize this student from the University of St Andrews, 1989 ?
November 4, 2025 at 3:37 PM
wokestudies.bsky.social
Impressive Return on Investment (ROI) for those who invested heavily in Political Correctness in the early 1980s ?!
November 4, 2025 at 2:20 PM
wokestudies.bsky.social
BREAKING NEWS: 48-year-old known as Sam left fighting for his life after a man allegedly attacked staff and passengers on a train from Doncaster to King’s Cross. He helped save multiple lives with British Transport Police describing him as ‘nothing short of heroic’.
metro.co.uk/2025/11/04/h...
November 4, 2025 at 2:14 PM
wokestudies.bsky.social
Reading Alphonse Daudet's Contes du Lundi (1873) today (Mardi).
Daudet was a notoriously syphilitic anti-semite, but still very popular in France, I'm told.
Alphonse Daudet, circa 1860 (The J. Paul Getty Museum). "Daudet was far from faithful, and was one of a generation of French literary syphilitics.[4] Having lost his virginity at the age of twelve, he then slept with his friends' mistresses throughout his marriage. Daudet would undergo several painful treatments and operations for his subsequently paralysing disease." Contes du lundi est un recueil de nouvelles en trois parties de l'écrivain français Alphonse Daudet. Publié en 1873 aux éditions Alphonse Lemerre et inspiré des événements de la guerre franco-prussienne, il dresse des tableaux réalistes de la vie de l'époque : le peuple de Paris soumis aux privations, les événements de la Commune et la répression des Versaillais. Alphonse Daudet exalte aussi la tristesse de la perte de l'Alsace-Lorraine à travers La Dernière Classe, le récit le plus connu de cet ouvrage.
November 4, 2025 at 11:09 AM
wokestudies.bsky.social
Donald's Disapproval Ratings: how low can he go?
Bad, very bad, worse, nay the worst recorded.
#Trump #MAGA
www.economist.com/interactive/...
November 3, 2025 at 8:33 PM
wokestudies.bsky.social
Mysterium Coniunctionis - C. G. Jung - 1963 ebay.us/m/OAvtGz
November 3, 2025 at 1:51 PM
wokestudies.bsky.social
The exponential increase in the use of terms * feminism / feminist * in printed texts is evident from the early 1970s ...
#gender #theory #radical #women
November 2, 2025 at 2:17 PM
wokestudies.bsky.social
Actual causes of death in the USA compared to populist media coverage ...
November 2, 2025 at 9:28 AM
wokestudies.bsky.social
Test yourself !
Top 10 British School Slang Terms
teachertapp.com/articles/dow...
November 2, 2025 at 8:58 AM
wokestudies.bsky.social
The Saint turn'd Sinner: Or, the dissenting Parson's Text under the Quaker's Petticoats
(courting religious and racial controversy, then and now). Bagford Ballads.
#folk #ephemera #music #poetry #literature #gender #English #Literature #ballad
The Parson still more eager, Than lustful Turk or Neger, Took up her lower Garment, And said there was no harm in't, According to the Text. For Solomon more Wiser, Than any dull adviser, Had many Hundred Misses, And why shou'd such as this is Make you so sadly vext. The frighted Female Quaker Perceiv'd what he wou'd make her, Was forc'd to call the Watch in, And stop what he was hatching, To spoil the Light within, To spoil the Light within. They came to her Assistance, As she did make Resistance, Against the Priest and Devil, The Actors of all Evil, Who were so grand uncivil, To tempt a Saint to Sin. The Parson then confounded, To see himself surrounded, With Mob and sturdy Watch-men, Whose Business 'tis to catch Men, In leudness with a Punk, In leudness with a Punk. He made some faint Excuses, And all to hide Abuses, In taking up the Linen, Against the Saints Opinion, Within her soft Dominion, Alledging he was Drunk. But tho' he feigned reeling, They made him pay for feeling, And Lugg'd him to a Prison, To bring him to his Reason, Which he had lost before, Which he had lost before. And thus we see how Preachers That should be Gospel-Teachers, How they are strangely blinded, And are so fleshly minded, Like Carnal Men inclined, To lie with any Whore.
November 1, 2025 at 8:01 PM
wokestudies.bsky.social
The Toothless Bride; Or, The Wanton Old Woman.
(from the Bagford Ballads, 1878: 25), collected by John Bagford (1651 - 1716) for Robert Harley, first Earl of Oxford.
Editorial Commentary in ALT-text.
#folk #ephemera #music #poetry #literature #gender #English #Literature #ballad
LITTLE need be written about this coarse "relation of a wealthy old Woman," except the one word of excuse for it that can be advanced. Money-marriages, marriages de convenance, actually take place among us, and with equally repulsive disparities of age. They are seen frequently now-a-days, as they were in France before the first Revolution; and are scarcely less offensive, where the worn-out rake of a bridegroom is nearly four times the age of the girl whom money and rank buy to his arms from her willing parents. No wonder is it, therefore, that social scandals are notorious, and the Divorce Courts crowded with applicants.
November 1, 2025 at 7:48 PM