Snake Oil: A Guide for Connoisseurs: Quote: >>In an earlier article, "Peddling Snake Oil" (Nickell 1998), I addressed the question of snake oil's existence. At least one source had asserted: "There is no such thing as snakeoil, though many thousands of bottles containing stuff called snakeoil were sold to gullible patrons of carnival sideshows in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries" (Morris and Morris 1988). Actually, real snake oil was prized for its reputed medicinal properties. However, those were modest compared to the claims of later cure-alls sold under the name "snake oil." Here is an attempt to trace the evolution of both the product and its labeling-with examples from my personal collection".<< Link
monochrom is an art-technology-philosophy group having its seat in Vienna and Zeta Draconis. monochrom is an unpeculiar mixture of proto-aesthetic fringe work, pop attitude, subcultural science, context hacking and political activism. Our mission is conducted everywhere, but first and foremost in culture-archeological digs into the seats (and pockets) of ideology and entertainment. monochrom has existed in this (and almost every other) form since 1993. [more]
