What?
The Sunken Gardens, Westbrook, Margate
Happy Easter Monday if you’re reading this on the day its posted, you might be heading out for some fun today, maybe even a trip to the seaside and a game of crazy golf – this, is the postcard for you!
This austere card is of The Sunken Gardens in Westbrook – which is near Margate in Kent apparently. Whilst I was researching this post card I discovered that the area is now a miniature golf course, but more amazingly – there is a British Minigolf Association where you can join their forums and discuss ‘all things crazy golf’. Perfect – you’ll find me hanging out there a lot from now on.
Update 1 : So apparently Andrew and Amara were walking there just today, and it is definitely NOT a crazy golf course (although there are some nearby) – thanks to Andrew and Amara for correcting my poor research! I hope it wasn’t too cold or windswept there today.
Update 2 : Andrew found some more recent photos of the place – over here on flickr
The card was sent to Mead in Eastbourne in 1954. Click more to read the full message.
Things that the US makes complicated #2
Popped out from my hotel this morning to buy a few CD’s, managed to find some interesting bits, but listening to them is much harder than it should be.
I mean – how difficult is it? You come home, get a fingernail under the cellophane wrapper and then pop open the jewel case to get your new shiny silver disc out – and away you go… right?
Wrong – not in the US, because here – they put ANOTHER sticker, with a barcode over the top edge of the CD – like in the picture above. This is a different kind of of wrapping to get access to…after 3 minutes trying to lift an edge up with my non-existent mans finger nails, I then resorted to a pen, which promptly broke. I ended up making a tear in the sticker with my nail-clippers and then painstakingly peeling the sticker off.
How BLOODY stupid is that extra sticker – why do you need two layers? Grrr…
I daren’t open the Lizz Wright CD pictured above, in case I lacerate myself and bleed to death in the Hyatt.
Things that the US makes complicated #1
Look at this fella on the left, his name is Howie Mandel – and he’s unfortunately become an object of hatred for me this week. Its probably not his fault, he’s probably a likeable and affable kind of guy. He probably took the job he is most well known for because the money was cool and that’s generally OK – but to me he is charge of a show that has turned a quiz concept from something simple & good into a truly hateful version.
The telephone may give you the clue…
Howie Mandel is the host of the US version of ‘Deal or No Deal’
I have a soft spot for simple quiz shows – I like Mastermind, and University Challenge – where knowledge is pitted against knowledge. I like Countdown where the aim is beat someone with your puzzle solving capability. And I like Deal or No Deal, which is really just a lucky dip – followed by 21 brave decisions.
But that, apparently isn’t good enough in the US – they’ve turned Deal or No Deal into some kind of crazed spectacle. There are 26 briefcases now, with amounts up to a million dollars. They aren’t held by future contestants like in the UK (with their strange sense of community and solidarity) – but by a dazzling array of silicon enhanced models in identical low cut-dresses, flashing their cosmetically perfect teeth and getting in on Howies jokes. They have side bets from the banker – like in Thursdays episode where the banker supplied chicken-wings (delivered by Hooters models) and encouraged the contestants entourage to eat as many as possible for charity – and an increase in the bids for the box.
I even watched an episode some time ago where they changed the content of the briefcases and had 6 opportunities to win the one million bucks – I mean WTF! Why do that? Why make it more complexed – is it not just exciting enough as it is, one person against luck and bravery?
Worst of all – there is no mystery or suspense in the game – it rattles along at typical 200mph US quiz show pace, no eerie music, no cryptic systems with Noel getting his cosmic orders set up, no family pictures (it seems in the US they just fly everyone the contestant knows to Hollywood anyway) and worst of all NO SOUL!
So – Howie, I know you are a nice dude with star quality and all – but you are the front man for the biggest fuck up of a quiz show I have ever seen – your bosses at the TV company have managed to suck ALL of the goodness out of Deal or No Deal.
A special Message from Michael Stipe
After years of awkward speculation – Michael Stipe finally comes clean…
It was time step out of the fog of uncertainty – well done Michael.
Weston Super Mare – 1911
Slightly dramatic post card from Anchor Head in Weston Super Mare – which is contradictory to all those thoughts that Weston is just a huge expanse of flat sand.
Sent in 1911 (I think) to Abingdon in Berkshire – which is interesting because I thought it was in Oxfordshire (so there you go – it used to be the county town of Berkshire but got moved across in the great shake-up of 1974 (thats my term for something that was probably quite boring).
Click more for the message
Portishead – Machine Gun (Video)
Machine Gun is the first single to be released from the marvelous new Portishead album – Third, the video is now on youtube.
It isn’t the greatest video – but that drum track never gets boring.
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