WITH SO MANY LIGHT YEARS TO GO, AND THINGS TO BE FOUND [177]
On 30th May 2016, I published the first article of
“Leigh Spence is Dancing with the Gatekeepers,” and while I have largely kept
to the “nostalgia culture crisis” theme, I have been impressed by ability to
lurch from one subject to the next.
The plan has always been to plug the gaps in my own knowledge,
report my findings, and improve my writing ability. I just wasn’t expecting culture
wars, Brexit and Donald Trump to flare up at the same time – hell, David
Cameron was still Prime Minister when this site began. If you have dropped in
along the way, wondered where this was all going next, and took a second look,
you have my thanks.
For the first time, I present the top ten most read articles
from the first three years and 176 articles – it turns out one trademark of
this site is my ability to lurch from one subject to the next!
1. THAT’S A BEAUTIFUL SPEECH, BUT NOBODY’S LISTENING [link] (published 21/09/2017)
As “Dada” is an art form that needed its own word to reject
one way of seeing the world, I needed a word for when “alt-right” people call
themselves “performance artists” – the random word turned out to be “jackanapes.”
2. JUST A DREAM AND THE WIND TO CARRY ME [link] (published 05/10/2017)
The story of the ocean liner SS America, later to take “Ten
Pound Poms” to Canberra as the cruise ship Australis, and ultimately shipwrecked
over Fuerteventura – more famous as a wreck than it could have hoped as a floating
hotel.
3. NOR ANY DROP TO DRINK [link] (published 25/02/2018)
I received a free packet of water with a magazine - I later
discovered micellar water works just like washing-up liquid. The French knew
what they were doing all along.
4. WHAT THE WORLD WANTS TODAY IS THE REAL THING [link] (published 18/02/2018)
Coca-Cola once advertised itself with a woman in a beach
suit, and the word “yes” – perhaps they should have put speech marks around it,
like I just have.
5. I’VE GOT PAC-MAN FEVER [link] (published 25/06/2018)
My review of the Nintendo NES Classic Mini, having never
owned or played the original - the Sega Master System was more popular in the UK than the NES.
6. TRUE BLUE, BABY I LOVE YOU [link] (published 26/03/2018)
With British passports to change from red to blue covers
following Brexit, the contract to make them went to a French-Dutch company,
causing the “Daily Mail” to implode with jingoistic bile. The paper has since
found a new editor.
7. THERE’S A MAGICAL PLACE, WE’RE ON OUR WAY THERE [link] (published 02/04/2018)
The rise of the “dead mall,” when closing stores create
nostalgia for the big, empty spaces left behind. It comes with vaporwave, its
own electronic, alienating soundtrack.
8. WHO SAYS A MISS WAS MADE TO KISS? [link] (published 21/11/2016)
I’ll just leave this here: “Donald Trump will be President
of the United States from 20th January 2017, and the weight of that office
demands respect. However, the holder of that office cannot afford to be given
the benefit of the doubt, especially when Trump has never appeared to need it
before. He will be given the opportunity to govern in the way he sees fit, but
he will be under constant scrutiny, for every single decision, for every public
utterance, for the rest of his life...”
9. I AIN’T GONNA STAND FOR IT [link] (published 05/08/2016)
“Ain’t” is a real word, appeared from two different places,
and can be written down - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell did not sing “There
Is No Mountain High Enough.”
10. WATCH OUT, BEADLE’S ABOUT [link] (published 11/11/2016)
A portrait of Jeremy Beadle - fact collector, writer,
broadcaster, concert promoter, charity fundraiser - through a series of “did
you know” facts. I am sure he would have approved.
Comments
Post a Comment