The BLT Episode 27: Winnie Tattooed
Last week we were questioning what it means to be human. This week, after hearing about the sale of of one 102 year old house, we’re pondering time.
A lot can change in 102 years and this BLT delves into some of the odder differences between those innocent days of 1921 and … now.
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We Were Poor, But We Were Happy
104-year-old Nancy Gifford made the headlines for selling her three-bedroom home of 102 years. More than a century after moving in in 1921, back when it cost just £200, she put it on the market with a £169,950 price tag. The home originally featured a well, an open-air wash area, kitchen, and toilet, and a tin bath to hang on the wall outside.
Nancy recalled growing up in the Somerset house with great nostalgia: “Most children our age knew everybody, and we all had an open house, and it was fine to leave your door on the latch.
We were all poor, but everyone was happy.”
The Slasher Was Slashed
Winnie the pooh, a much-loved character in children’s literature since 1926, famously has a taste for honey.
And now, blood, apparently. He’s the protagonist in a new slasher film, and Piglet features, too, as a tusked maniac. Since Winnie entered the public domain in January 2022, filmmakers jumped at the opportunity to use his likeness in indie horror. The film, ridiculed in reviews, is set for UK release on the 17th of April.
In other locations, though, it won’t be so easy to see it. With no explanation as to why, Hong Kong and Macau have cancelled the film. Might it have something to do with Pooh’s role in anti-authoritarian protests, thanks to his unfortunate likeness with China’s president Xi Jinping?
Alan Partridge: An Unlikely Hero
Another much-loved character has changed form: Alan Partridge.
The Exmoor Pony is regarded by many as Britain’s most iconic breed, and its future is in danger. Thankfully, their saviour was found in Alan Partridge. Elsinore Alan Partridge, to be exact. He is the stud chosen to secure the species’ future by donating semen to a gene bank.
His owner is enormously proud of him and says he shares personality traits with the iconic tv character. So, a lack of social tact and an overinflated ego?
The World’s Biggest Social Experiment
Which one is in now? Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, or Grindr? It’s exhausting keeping up with modern dating.
Tired of the apps, millennials are throwing themselves at what’s being called “the world’s biggest social experiment.” It’s the real-world antidote to apps: The Pear Ring.
The idea is simple. just wear a small, blue-light ring that tells those around you that you’re on the market, like the opposite of an engagement ring.
No Ragrets
31-year-old Dean Mayhew, a father of three from Devon, was fed up with forgetting his Clubcard on the weekly shop. So, there was only one thing for it; He had the QR code tattooed on his arm.
“I only have £18 worth of points, but I have no regrets!”
Clubcard’s Value Slashed
Finally, the cryptic reference to Clubcard's points being “Winnie the poohed” at the end of the BLT is about Tesco’s decision to slash their value, stirring lots of anger online.
From June 14, Clubcard points will only be worth double their value when customers cash them in for vouchers. instead of the tripled value they now have. If he doesn’t spend it quickly, Dean’s £18 will become £12. If you’re a Tesco shopper, you better cash in those points!
So much has changed since Nancy moved into that house, but one thing that isn’t going anywhere anytime is inflation.
Oh, and did you recognise the rhyme? A cockhorse, it turns out, can have several meanings, all of them perfectly innocent. The first line may refer to an uncastrated horse, a child’s hobby horse, or a high-spirited horse.
We’re always amazed at how many links form between the random selection of stories brought to the meeting each week! Which story is your favourite? We’ll see you next week for another delicious visual sandwich.
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