#documents

[machetelanding]

[thecinamonroe]

Marilyn Monroe's passport photo taken on January, 1954.

[preservationofnormalcy]

Item Number: 8888

Item: The █████

Item History: Item 8888 does not exist. The info-negative cognitoplex of item 8888 is often referred to colloquially as the █████. Current Office protocol states that this is acceptable in moderation - however, staff should be regularly reminded that the █████ does not exist. Until such time as better terminology can be created for non-existing objects (and indeed the underlying semiotics necessary for that terminology), the use of the word “item” has been deemed acceptable.

It is currently theorized that the █████’s impact on the noosphere is the result of the human inability to perceive a true lack of existence, referred to as a “cognitive dissonance protection response.” The █████ does not emit or reflect light, and does not appear on any form of sonar, radar, or any other form of electronic equipment. Photos or video of the location the █████ resides in are subject to the viewer’s cognitive dissonance protection response - that is, the photo will appear to display the █████ to any sentient entity viewing it, despite not in actuality showing an existing object.

Touching the █████ is not recommended for any personnel not already trained in Surrealistics, no experience with non-spaces or non-Euclidean systems, or with a C-hazard rating lower than 2. Personnel should be reminded that anything they “feel” when attempting to touch the █████ is a the result of a cognitive dissonance protection response, because the █████ does not exist.

Personnel affiliated with the Yellow Circle are understood to see something “else” at the █████. With state director permission, they may view or touch the █████, but under no circumstances should they enter it or share their perceptions with other non-Circle staff, as descriptions of the █████ may contradict the official Office position that the █████ does not exist.

The aforementioned cognitive dissonance protection response is currently undergoing study. It is currently unknown why all (100%) of humans or near-humans surveyed about the █████ (except those aligned with Circle belief systems) will describe the same shape and details about the item. Given that it is impossible to know details about an object that does not exist, speculation as to the █████’s origin is considered irresponsible.

(Image credit goes to @valdevia ! Thank you for letting me use it!)

[incognitopolls]

Do you have access to a printer? (If you needed to print a simple standard-size document, could you?)

Yes, at home

A friend or family member (who I don't live with) has one I could use

Yes, at school or work for free

Yes, at school or work for a cost

Yes, at the library for free

Yes, at the library for a cost

I would have to go to a print shop (e.g. Staples, UPS Store, etc)

Somewhere else for free

Somewhere else for a cost

No, I have nowhere to print documents

Voting ended onMay 8, 2025

We ask your questions anonymously so you don’t have to! Submissions are open on the 1st and 15th of the month.

[usnatarchives]

Revolutionary War Pension Files Seals ✒️🪙📜

Official American 19th century records have fascinating visual features and many remarkable examples of those can be found in the Revolutionary War pension files at the National Archives. 

During the conservation stabilization treatment of these records, the conservators come across watermarks, ribbons, wood engraving illustrations, historical repairs, and of course various seals and wafers.

Guest Post by

Paper Conservator (Document Conservation Laboratory, RXC)

Ewa Paul (National Archives)

The term “seal” can be confusing because it refers to both the impression and the device which produces it. Early documents or letters were secured with resinous sealing wax impressed with a stamp seal and were reserved for officials or aristocrats. Later on, in the 19th c., the majority of the literate people used circular paste wafers and paper wafer seals which were much cheaper and easier to use. Wafers are “thin, flat, baked adhesive discs” made of flour paste. They would be moistened on both sides before being pressed to seal a letter or a document. Wafers came in different sizes and colors, and were used as adhesive joints or for affixing paper seals on official documents as shown below.

The wafer made from red colored paste is underneath the paper seal stuck on top. It is the same seal shown on white and blue wafer paper seal.

 Sometimes the wafer paper seals would be made to purposefully emulate the appearance of the older wax / resinous seals as illustrated below (NARA records).

The paper seals found on the Revolutionary War documents vary in color, style and type and can have eye-catching, intricately carved designs.

The Revolutionary War pensions records bear many types of seals: hand-written seals, ink printed seals, embossed paper wafer seals and “Scherenschnitte” hand-cut seals.

The image of the beehive in the inked seal above illustrates the importance of  agriculture, as does the plough in the paper seal below, featured in the Revolutionary War pension file of James Scott, TN.

Hand-cut  Scherenschnitte seals found on the American Revolutionary War pension records. Scherenschnitte paper seals are one of a kind. Scherenschnitte means “scissor cuts” and is a traditional folk-art brought to Pennsylvania in the 18th century by German immigrants.

As other methods of document protection became common, particularly the self-sealing envelope, the use of wafer paper seals declined and by the end of the 19th century the wafers and seals became obsolete.  

These days the seals remind us about the importance of privacy and the need to guard our information, and how tricky it must have been to keep things private in the days past.

[whatareyoureallyafraidof]

[oldwindowsicons]

Windows Vista - Documents