The site looks great, but I really hope the "Link here to continue" navigation style doesn't catch on. posted by Horace Rumpole at 2:35 PM on March 29, 2010 [3 favorites]
These aren't much prettier than yesterdays mugshots. And I question that whole layout. What a weird way to put a site together.
A lot of newspaper sites run mugshots these days. I wonder if they will seem like these in another 50 years. posted by cjorgensen at 2:37 PM on March 29, 2010
Didn't even notice there was a mugshot post yesterday! I was just in the city archives today and saw the exhibit. posted by liketitanic at 2:39 PM on March 29, 2010
I allege that liketitanic is boisterous and immoral.
Bet that's why no one came to my meetup to watch me eat three bowls of bar mix. posted by liketitanic at 2:50 PM on March 29, 2010
Thanks for posting this. It seems like most "portraits" you see from this era (and before) are of people who could afford to commission them. Sometimes I wonder if some of the destructive nostalgia of modern conservatism is informed by the lack of realistic, or at least diverse, imagery that we have of pre-War people. posted by GodricVT at 3:16 PM on March 29, 2010 [1 favorite]
liketitanic: I thought about, but even though I've been reading MetaFilter for over a year now I just the other day actually paid for an account, so I don't feel like ... you know ... legit enough to go to meetups yet. posted by komara at 3:31 PM on March 29, 2010
The Civil Sheriff's entry book for those to be transported reads like a catalogue of woe: delusions of persecution, family troubles, onanism (masturbation), insanity caused by syphilis, insanity caused by excessive drink, insanity caused by diarrhea, insanity caused by extreme want, etc.
This is the first I've heard of insanity caused by diarrhea; maybe it was madness brought on by lack of toilet paper. I see from the registry book that poor, old (27) John Mimms, white, single laborer, was driven insane by alcohol AND tobacco. Not sure how smoking can drive you insane, unless you can't have a cigarette when you want one...such as when you are in jail or the insane hospital. Also in the ledger is a guy driven insane by epilepsy. I'm assuming that he had an epileptic fit in public and the police came and carted him off to the booby hatch. I hope he didn't have to stay too long. posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 3:34 AM on March 30, 2010
Horace Rumpole: "1The site looks great, but I really hope the "Link here to continue" navigation style doesn't catch on."
posted by Horace Rumpole at 2:35 PM on March 29, 2010 [3 favorites]