BORING POSTCARDS

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Comment by Valentine Mark Herman on March 31, 2020 at 11:27am

Dear Mr Bradford,

I'm impressed with all your comments on the last but one set of Mim's Postcards.

You wrote, "Telecoms are not known for occupying architectural masterworks."

Which makese me wonder why -- especially as they advocate distance working, 'anyone-anywhere-anytime', etc, why today's Telecoms/IT companies like Google, yahho and Microsoft build enormous 'campuses' for their employees?

Regards, Val

Comment by Valentine Mark Herman on March 31, 2020 at 11:23am

Dear Mr Duck,

In the Netherlands there are Coffee Shops and Coffee Bars.

The former sell cannabis. The latter sell coffee/tea etc.

The Coffee Shops remain open during the present lockdown. To close them, it is is argued, would mean that all sorts of bad stuff would be sold on the streets.

The Coffee Bars are closed. If you want to srink coffee, drink it at home. Alone.

The Government has told people to observe a 1-2 meter Social Distancing rule. They do.

The famous Dutch Red Light districts have been closed because -- even for the Dutch -- Sexual Distancing at 1-2 meters is not viable. ("Discuss in 250 words, with no more than 5 diagrams")

That's what's happening in Holland, if not where you are.

And as to 'who you are?', I don't know: look in a mirror, perhaps?

Regards, Val

Comment by Valentine Mark Herman on March 30, 2020 at 11:44am

CHAPTER 5 OF MIM'S BORING POSTCARDS

24. Williamsburg Lodge, Williamsburg, VA'...offers vistors to Virginia's capital comfortable & spaciius accommodation, fine dining, and superb sports facilities...The Conference Centre is a unique facility designed for educational, cultural & executive meetings & seminars'.

But where do non-executives hold their meetings & seminars?

25. 'Moonlight Tints the Surf with Silver'

Posted in Atlanta City on July 7, 1941, by Lou & Ed to their parents in York, PA

26. 'Part of a Spectacular Drive...'

'...through the mountains, a view of Interstate no 40 between Newport, Tenn, and Asheville, NC'.

 Spectacular? Looks like a boring bit of road to me.

27. Grange Building, 1616 H St, NW, Washington DC

'One block from the White House, overlooking historic Lafayette Sq.'

28. Mariners Museum, Newport News, VA'Entrance to the main building of the Mariners Museum, open daily 9 to 5 pm, Sunday 2 to 5 pm. Statue of Leif Ericsson at right'.

Now this one could be really special it was sent to 'Mom & Dad' in Charlesburg, PA, on August 22, 1963, by.... the Kennedys! John F and Jacqueline K?

29. Ethel's Hideaway, Smoke Tree Village, Palm Springs, CA 92262

'For the very best in food, cocktails & entertainment. "Here the door is a heart always open" Entertainment & dancing in the lounge from 8.30pm nightly...For reservations call Ethel Harutin, Your Hostess, on 327-1295;'

I did. She didn't answer.

Weird chairs, Ethel. Weird colour scheme too.

THE END OF MIM'S POSTCARDS. (But I think, I hope, that more are on their way).

THANKS MIM FOR SHARING THEM WITH US!

Comment by Richard Canard on March 29, 2020 at 7:54pm

29.03.20 Dare Val & No Idea,  ... & back again to No. 12 The Amish Farm & House commentary:----"tobacco"---Thank you for the informed but quixotic observations. It's been like this for several years now but  only getting worse for me: I don't know what to think anymore---the world is upside down,sideways & backwards. Perhaps it  doesn't matter & perhaps it always was. ....Back in Nawf Karolinah, tobacco used to be a standard cash crop for the local farmer. My father's side of the family were traditionally involved &  I, myself spent a few days in the summer months visiting my country cousins with hoe in hand chopping weeds away from the tobacco plants  & pulling  the really bizarre looking lime-green (with  a sticker-horn)  catapiller like "tobacco worm" off the plant stalk & leaves. But, (as we all know) the official powers that be finally figured out that smoking was bad for your health & the demand for the foul stuff ended.  More recently, I have often wondered why my fellow Nawf Karolina farming friends could not have just made the simple switch-over from tobacco to marajuana?  They would probably be sitting pretty now. (Yes , I do realize that there have been many years, issues & laws involved between now & then but like I tried to say earlier: Where am I ? What's going on here?) SinCelery, Richard Canard       

Comment by Bradford on March 29, 2020 at 6:24pm

18. You obviously haven't seen the diners who frequent the Cosmopolitan.

19. It's a self-playing piano.  I don't know about the other seats.

20. They're still counting the money they made before the shutdown.

21. It's now GTE.  Telecoms are not known for occupying architectural masterworks.

22a. 1956 Corvette with removable hardtop in place.

22b. Shadow of the adjacent lamp post like the others in the background.

23. The "Baltimore 4" indicates a pre-1963 printing/photograph.  Back then it was customary to vacate the theatre during intermission to talk on your cell phone.  I wish we were as courteous nowadays.

Comment by Valentine Mark Herman on March 29, 2020 at 11:42am

CHAPTER 4 OF MIM'S BORING POSTCARDS

"Here we are again/Happy as can be.

All good fun/ And jolly good company."

As the old song goes, and here are some more of Mim's Boring Postcards...

18. Summit: Normandie and Cosmpolitan Restaurants

This is really 2 postcards in one. Mim thinks that this one, and the next two (all printed in Barcelona), might have come from a cruise ship.

Nice chairs. Nice restaurants. But NO diners.

Have you ever noticed how many postcards of restaurants don't have a single customer/diner in them?

19. Summit: Waterfall and Cova Cafés

Again, 2-4-the-price-of-1.

Again: Nice chairs. Nice cafés. But still NO diners.

20. Summit: Fortunes Casino

No one in the restaurants. No one in the cafés. And now no one in the Casino.

Anyone have any ideas as to what is going on?

21. Greetings from the New Office Building, Plymouth, Wisconsin 53073

What was the Old Office Building like?

Is this a military facility named after General Telephone? (Is it part of a ilitary series including General Motors, General Electric, General Dynamics, General Foods, etc?)

22. Entrance to the Hampton Court Bridge Tunnel

'Direct land connection between the peninsula and Norfolk, Va. This beautiful bridge tunnel was opened November 1957, at a total cost of $60,639,000' (and 52 cents?)

Can anyone identify the car? And/or explain the black line at the bottom of the Postcard?

23. The Auditorium, Goucher College, Towson, Baltimore 4 MD.

Lots of seats. Lots of empty seats. No people.

The last of Mim's Boring Postcards tomorrow....

Comment by John Gayer on March 29, 2020 at 9:57am

Very interesting comment by Richard Canard, which got me googling again. One would be inclined to assume the Amish wouldn't grow tobacco, but I have heard of a vegetarian that raises cattle for meat. The person saw no contradiction in doing that. So here's an excerpt of what was posted on Tripadvisor:

Re: Growing Tobacco

12 years ago

Tobacco is a labor-intensive crop which grows well in the fertile fields of Lancaster County. While there would be Amish groups which would strictly forbid growing (or use) of tobacco, it is widely grown among the Amish of Lancaster. Many will also use tobacco in cigars and pipes, while cigarettes are viewed as being "worldly", and are strictly forbidden...Most Mennonite farmers of Lancaster County refrain from growing (or using) tobacco, but this was not true a generation or two ago. 

Comment by Richard Canard on March 28, 2020 at 7:09pm

28.03.20 Dare Mister Valentine Mark Herman,  ..."No. 12 The Amish Farm & House"----Yes, The Amish  are so boring. You can easily tell by the jammed parking lot & tour bus. SinCelery, Richard Canard.... Post Scriptum: That almost looks like tobacco growing in the foreground---but that can't be right. 

Comment by Richard Canard on March 28, 2020 at 7:00pm

28.03.20 Dare Val,Mim & No Idea,... As I like to "toot (or honk) my little horn", Ima right proud formore Nawff Karolindian &  the storie regarding "Grandfather Mountain" as I recollect  was the line formed by the mountain range against the sky sorta looked like the sillyouette of an old man sleeping & henz the name. As for "Grandmother Mountain" , Ah didn't know about that un. (Weuns didn't have no Wickedpidada back in them days.) We just called all the rest of um "Mother Earth". SinCelery, Richard Canolard

Comment by Valentine Mark Herman on March 28, 2020 at 2:39pm

CHAPTER 3 OF MIM'S BORING POSTCARDS

The story continues.......

12. The Amish Farm & House

On US Rt 30, 6 miles East of Lancaster, Penna.

'Visit this authoritative replica of an 'Old Order Amish' Farm. Hostess lectures respectfully explain the plain people's beliefs, customs and history. Complete far operation with crops, animals, water wheels, buggies,etc.'

And 60's style cars. And a Greyhound-type bus. And lots of cabbages (?).

I especially like the 'respectfully'...

13. Approaching Point Lookout, Mohican Trail, Catskill Mts, NY

Sent by Ruth and Frank to Mina and Bob in Cape Cod in August 1942.

But why 'Approaching...', and not the actual Point Lookout? And what were they all Looking out for?

14. St. Joseph's RC Church, Poquonock, Conn

Compare and contrast the architecturaal styles with no 10 of yesterday.

15. Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Md

A lot of sea, a little of the Fort.

16. Windmill Point Marina, Lodge and Boathouse.

Siuated on the Inland Waterway "where the Rappohannack meets joins the Chesopeake". Lat 37° 37' 00'N - Long 76° 17' 30°W. Foxwells, Virginia."

An old postcard, pre-GPS days, which makes me wonder why all the detailed references are necessary? For the Injuns going from Rappohannack to Cheesecake, perhaps?

17. The Library Tower, Brock University, St Catherine's, Ontario

Sent from the 'Garden City of the Niagara Peninsula' in 1975.

I spent an academic year at Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario -- one of the most climatically challenging years of my life, either too hot or too cold. And, at the time, Ottawa was one of the most culturally challenging years of my life; there wasn't any (or at least none that i could find. But I did learn to ice skate.)

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