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patriotsnet · 3 years

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Why Are Republicans Red And Democrats Blue

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Why Are Republicans Red And Democrats Blue

The History Of Party Colors In The United States

Why Red for Republicans and Blue for Democrats? | America 101

Prior;to the United States presidential election of 2000, which party was Red and which was Blue was largely a matter of which color a news outlet chose.;On the October 30, 2000, episode of the Today show, Tim Russert coined the terms red state and blue state.

As far back as the 1888 election blue was used to represent the northern Union states and red the south, but this wasnt consistent throughout time . In the 70s and 80s the major networks starting using lighted maps to illustrate election results. Democrats were often coded blue and Republicans red, but it wasnt consistent. This inconsistent coloring continued throughout the Clinton years and up to the Gore Vs. Bush. This can all be varied by old videos and articles.

Democrats And Republicans: Blue And Red Or Red And Blue

Lycaon pictus said:If you mean “conservative” in the sense of “maintaining as much of the status quo as humanly possibly” there’s a good case that they still are. The Democrats are the ones trying to keep the social safety net intact, while Republicans want to replace it with uh I’ll have to get back to you on that.

Nerdlinger said:The age-old question: On US electoral maps, should the Democrats be blue and the Republicans red, as is recent American practice, or should the Democrats be red and Republicans blue to better reflect the colors more associated with their ideologies on an international level?

ColeMercury

ColeMercury said:Democrats blue, Republicans red. That’s the convention that’s been developed, so there’s no point in flipping it around just because. And if your justification is ideology, the Democrats aren’t a socialist or social-democratic party so they shouldn’t be coloured red anyway.

zoomar

zoomar said:Wow, with my vote it’s exactly 50-50.I don’t know how the current color coding got started, but it makes no sense. Red is almost universally associated with the left. Blue has a less clear ideological meaning, but if you use blue, it should by default refer to conservatives in the US. I vote for Red=Democrats, Blue=Republican.

19942010

While Many Conservative Parties Around The World Are Associated With Blue In Us Elections The Republicans Are Denoted By Red And The Convention Is A Relatively Recent Development

For those who dont follow US politics closely, aspects of the vote might seem confusing from how the electoral college and popular vote work to which swing states can .

The uninitiated might also be unfamiliar with the maps and graphics on TV showing states turn red and blue as the results are announced heres how the colours work.

Recommended Reading: How Many Republicans In California

Red States And Blue States

Since around the 2000 United States presidential election, red states and blue states have referred to states of the United States whose voters predominantly choose either the Republican Party or Democratic Party presidential and senatorial candidates. Since then, the use of the term has been expanded to differentiate between states being perceived as liberal and those perceived as conservative. Examining patterns within states reveals that the reversal of the two parties’ geographic bases has happened at the state level, but it is more complicated locally, with urban-rural divides associated with many of the largest changes.

All states contain both liberal and conservative voters and only appear blue or red on the electoral map because of the winner-take-all system used by most states in the Electoral College. However, the perception of some states as “blue” and some as “red” was reinforced by a degree of partisan stability from election to electionfrom the 2000 election to the 2004 election, only three states changed “color” and as of 2020, fully 35 out of 50 states have voted for the same party in every presidential election since the red-blue terminology was popularized in 2000.

The Psychology Of Tie Colors In The Race For President

Have you ever asked yourself the question why we only see red and blue ties on presidential candidates as of recently? Some might argue that candidates will choose those ties that best reflects their partys identify, meaning red ties for Republican Romney, and blue ties for Democrat President Obama, but this is only partially true.

Take Tuesdays Presidential debate for instance. Romney wore a bright blue and white striped tie while Obama opted for a burgundy-red piece, a change that I was very happy to see. Pre-debate I was actually hoping that Obama would be wearing a red tie a color that is synonymous with power, confidence, and excitement all things Obama lacked in the first debate.

Obama is Taking Charge, Wearing a Burgundy-Red Tie

I am now making the argument that Obamas red tie helped him step up his game during the last debate. Not only did the tie grabbed the audiences attention, but I strongly belief that it gave President Obama a boost of confidence after taking a look in the mirror.

The psychology & emotional effects of colors is definitely nothing new. In fact, psychologists have been researching the meaning of colors for decades, if not centuries, and evidence does indeed prove that certain colors do evoke certain emotional responses in people. This is nothing new to presidential candidates who pay attention to what colors to pick out for a public appearance.

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Its A Tie: Presidential Debates As Accessory To Democracy

BETHESDA, MD OCTOBER 04: In this handout provided by The White House, President Donald Trump participates in a phone call with Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley in his conference room at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on October 4, 2020 in Bethesda, Maryland. Chief of Staff Mark Meadows is also present in the room on the call.

He did not wear a tie. Thus, the media rang the alarm. Reuters, BBC, Newsweek and other outlets singled out President Trumps tie-lessness as part of the news coverage following his COVID-19 diagnosis and hospitalization. In pop culture, the sight of a national leader without a tie is troubling. Think Hugh Grant dancing around Downing Street as Prime Minister in Love Actually or Morgan Freeman announcing the literal end of the world as President Beck in Deep Impact. We are much more aware of subtle political dress codes than we realize. As tensions mount over the upcoming US election, lets take a look at one of its unwavering protagonists through the years. A classic necktie.

TOPSHOT This combination of pictures created on September 29, 2020 shows US President Donald Trump during the first presidential debate with Democratic Presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 29, 2020.

Which States Are Considered Red And Which Are Blue

To go along with the colors, the terms red state and blue state were popularized by anchorman Tim Russert during and immediately after the 2000 election. Today, these terms are used to refer to which party a state voted for during a presidential election.;

Generally speaking, the Northeast and the West Coast are considered a collection of blue states as most of them have sided with the Democrats since the early 1990s.

The Southern states have sided with Republicans since the 2000s, while the Midwest tends to be tougher to predict. For example, Illinois and Minnesota are currently considered blue states, while Missouri and Nebraska are red. Hawaii and Alaska have been traditionally considered blue and red respectively as neither has switched parties since the late 1980s .

The Southwest has been split since 2000 with Nevada, New Mexico, and Colorado going blue more often than red and Utah and Arizona voting predictably red. Finally, we come to the coveted purple states or swing states,;such as Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan. These states switched colors in recent elections and are often a key focus of electoral campaigning and strategy. Swing states can vary by election year.

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Trending In London: Fashion Rental Energy Healing And Pigmentation

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee John McCain take part in the first debate of the 2008 elections at the University of Mississippi on September 26, 2008 in Oxford, MS. AFP PHOTO / PAUL J. RICHARDS

;The default color scheme for presidential ties is so conservative that it is nearly impossible to imagine something like pistachio, fuchsia or neon-anything ever making the cut. Sometimes, of course, being an outlier can help secure the needed benefit of the doubt. Bob Dole wore a moderate-green tie to his 1996 debate against the incumbent Bill Clinton. Such a choice helped create an overall image that pundits found informed, thoughtful, and elevated. It briefly albeit unsuccessfully buoyed Doles campaign. Hillary Clinton did not wear ties during her runs for the presidency. Still, her accessories were scrutinized by the media with particular focus on , bracelets, and headbands. Alternately, when democratic primary candidate Andrew Yang showed up to a 2019 Democratic Primary debate with no tie at all, his historic bold move turned heads across the political spectrum from Fox News to the New Yorker. Ultimately, it was a minor side note in what cost him the nomination proving that the country is just not ready for a tie-less president.

Why Do We Have Red States And Blue States

Why Democrats Are Blue and Republicans Are Redâand Why Itâs the Opposite Everywhere Else

If youve watched the news as a presidential election heats up, youre probably well aware that political pundits like to use the color red to represent the Republican Party and blue for the Democratic Party. A red state votes Republican in presidential elections and Senate races, while a blue state leans Democratic.

No matter which news program you favor, they all use these same colors to represent the parties. So it would be reasonable to assume these must be the official colors of these two parties and have been used for over a hundred years, right?

Surprisingly no. Republicans havent always been associated with the color red, nor have Democrats affiliated their party with blue. In fact, the whole notion of consistently attaching a particular hue to each political party is a relatively new concept in the US, not emerging as a common distinction until the 2000 presidential election between Democrat and Vice President Al Gore and Republican Texas Governor George W. Bush.

But why red for Republicans? And why does blue stand for Democrats?

Lets break it down.

Also Check: Who Are Republicans For The Rule Of Law

When Its Time To Head Back To The Office And On The Few Days When I Wear A Suit And Tie I Should Retire My Red Ties Right Unless I Want Everyone To Assume I Am A Trump Supporter Is It Possible For Any Man To Wear A Red Tie Now And Not Immediately Call To Mind The Former President Ken Newton Mass

Though the death of the tie is declared regularly especially given the pressures of both the long-term office-casual movement and our current working-from-home reality Guy Trebay, our mens wear critic, maintains that you should not count the accessory out quite yet. As he said, even if were not wearing them much during lockdown, you dont want to give up on an element of the wardrobe thats been around for 400 years.

Ties can, after all, be used to signal your club, your interests, whether you are a jokester, a brainiac or even a clown. Not to mention, as you say, political affiliation.

The question is whether the party dividing line between red and blue that has swept even the necktie into its maw will remain uppermost in everyones minds now that unity is the word of the moment . Given how central red ties were to President Trumps uniform, it is natural to think that we may now have a Pavlovian response to the color. But the fact is, red ties were a wardrobe staple long before Mr. Trump got hold of them.

Its the combination of shade and style that makes the statement of allegiance, not simply one or the other. Thats what you should keep in mind when getting dressed. Then go ahead: Tie one on.

When Red Meant Democratic And Blue Was Republican A Brief History Of Tv Electoral Maps

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Forty years ago this week, TV started telling the story of the presidential election as a battle between red states and blue states.;

When the die-hards and political junkies who stayed up until 3:30 a.m. Eastern time on Nov. 3, 1976, watched NBCs John Chancellor call Mississippi and the election for Jimmy Carter, they saw the win signified on the 14-foot-high molded plastic map of the United States;mounted on a wall behind the anchor.

————For the RecordNov. 8, 3:41 p.m.: The caption for the 1976 photograph of the original NBC electoral map misidentifies Cassie Mackin as Jessica Savitch.————

The state was then lighted up in red the color the network had assigned for the Democratic candidate.

The party colors were eventually reversed. But from that night forward, that;simple piece of stagecraft in Studio 8H at;Rockefeller Center became the visual shorthand in detailing the race for the 270 electoral votes needed for the White House.;

Digital versions of the electoral map have since become a living;tool for on-air analysts ;a way of feeding;election-night suspense as each state turns red or blue. Since 2008, CNNs John King has presented electoral college scenarios on a touch-screen the cable news network called its magic wall.

It is so beautiful I wish that after the election I could take it home, but I dont have a room big enough to hold it. Its enormous and it’s gorgeous.

David Brinkley

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Medias Red Vs Blue Usage:

The Presidential election of 2000 saw the Blue vs Red ideology take hold.; Network anchors and pundits relied heavily on coloured maps in order to display how close the race was between George W Bush and Al Gore. This set a precedent with regards to the coverage of presidential; elections and as a result coined the deep rooted Blue vs Red associations and culture we see today. Over time, the use of these coloured maps not only defined the states that vote Democratic or Republican but also formulated a way to describe the cultural values associated with American electoral geography. Red and Blue terminology can be seen everywhere in American life from Modern Party iconography, in the name of consulting groups such as Blue State Digital, coffee brands such as Blue State Coffee and even fast food joints Red State BBQ in the state of Kentucky. In a study carried out by Business Insider, one can clearly see the differences in Blue America as opposed to Red America:

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However, in the US blue represents the more left-leaning Democrats, while the Republicans denoted by red, as per Donald Trumps Make America Great Again caps.

One might assume that the colours represent a long-standing tradition, but theyre a relatively recent feature of US elections.

According to Professor David Scott Kastan of Yale University, writing inThe Conversation, the systems origins lie in the spread of colour TV in the late 1960s, when colour-coded maps were first used on election TV broadcasts.

The red and blue colouring was a nod to the British system, The Verge reports, but initially there was no permanent colour association for either party.

TV networks changed the map coding from election to election, with Prof Kastan explaining: In Cold War America, networks couldnt consistently identify one party as red the color of communists and, in particular, the Soviet Union without being accused of bias.

Indeed, there were famous US election nights where the current colour scheme was memorably reversed.

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Five Years Ago Obama Was Blasted For Wearing A Tan Suit Now Its Used To Contrast Him With Trump

Ronald Reagan wore tan suits during his presidency. So did Dwight D. Eisenhower, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

But on Aug. 28, 2014, when President Barack Obama showed up for a White House news conference dressed in beige, the light-colored suit became a matter of national import. Rep. Peter T. King fumed that the suit pointed to a lack of seriousness on the presidents part, cable news shows held roundtable discussions, fashion critics and image consultants weighed in, and TV news reporters conducted man-on-the-street interviews to find out what the people of Northeast Ohio thought of the controversial look.

Five years later, however, Tan Suit Gate has taken on a different meaning, coming to symbolize the relative dearth of scandals during the Obama administration. On social media, just about every news item about potential conflicts of interests within the Trump administration and the presidents flouting of norms is met with some variant of Remember when Obama wore a tan suit? In the past week alone, the tan suit comparison has been leveled against President Trumps assertion that he is the chosen one, his demand that U.S. companies leave China, and his desire to hold next years Group of Seven summit at his Florida golf resort just to name a few examples.

If he wants to wear a tan suit, he can wear a tan suit, one woman said. Another asked, Why are we so concerned about the color of a suit?

Dig Deeper: Fashion + Politics

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sailormiyoung89 · 7 years

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I’ve been wanting to do a Harry Potter read through for a while now but have never really had a lot of time and…frankly I don’t know if I can really add a lot to the discussion that hasn’t already been said. But to heck with it! May as well! XD

Quick warning: I have read the series countless times – this is NOT my first read through and I WILL make frequent references to things that occur in future books – possibly as well as Pottermore, companion books and JK Rowling’s comments in interviews and on her twitter.

If you have somehow not read the series yet, please do not read this! Instead, I would highly recommend reading the books. Once you have inevitably fallen in love with the series, come back to me and we can gush about it together! :D

Quick introduction if you’re reading this and have no idea who I am, I’m Leigh! I’m a Hufflepuff and my patronus is a mink. I never actually did the Ilvermorny test – I considered it but if I was to attend one of the great schools, I would be attending Hogwarts (or Queen Maeve’s school if that’s still around. Personally I like to believe it is. The big ones we have names for ARE just the most prestigious after all). Anyhow, basically I just never bothered with finding my Ilvermorny house as it wouldn’t really apply to me anyhow….

Anyway, lets just jump into this! I plan on reviewing a chapter at a time for the moment. I don’t know how often I’ll post new reviews but I’m aiming to do 1 a week for now J (although I imagine it’d take me years to cover the series at that pace so hopefully I will post more often than that at times).

Chapter 1 – The boy who lived.

One of the very few non-Harry POV chapters (I think 5? Poor Frank Bryce in the beginning of Goblet, The Other Minister in Half-Blood, Narcissa and Bellatrix’s meeting with Snape, also half blood and the death eater meeting in Hallows!). Actually, I think out of the five Other POV chapters, this might be my least favourite. Frank > The Other Minister > Narcissa & Snape > Death Eater Meeting > this one.

I think one thing that’s fascinating is just how young these characters are to be so..established. If I remember correctly, Petunia is a year younger than Lily who was 21 when she died. So Petunia’s 20, married, owns a house and has a one year old child. Which would also have made Petunia a teen mum – the sort of person that you would THINK the Dursleys would look down on.

“Mr Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills.”

And as much as we all dislike the Dursleys, it is impressive how well Vernon has done in his career. I don’t think we’re ever given the impression that Vernon Dursley is much older than Petunia and yet he’s the director of his company. In his early 20s….man, does that make me feel like a complete an utter failure!

“Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley’s sister, but they hadn’t met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn’t have a sister.”

Casual reminder that for all Petunia’s seeming loathing for her sister, they were exchanging letters and gifts in secret. In many ways, Petunia and Vernon seem made for each other – apart from them both being pretty nasty, they do seem to work pretty well together as a couple; but the fact that her husband doesn’t even know that Petunia maintains correspondence with Lily also seems really…REALLY unhealthy!

I know JK is highlighting Dudley’s tantrum to contrast him against his sweet, angelic orphan cousin but considering Dudley’s a year old here, it seems rather ridiculous and judgmental on JO’S part to condemn him for this.

“wearing an emerald-green clock!”

There is a really fascinating piece on Pottermore called ‘Colours’ which everyone should read. Despite the rather uninteresting title, the content is really interesting. The most magical colours are purple (the colour that we see on Dumbledore most frequently, if I’m not mistaken) and green - green representing rebirth, death and misfortune. Apt clothing choice on the part of this wizard given Voldemort’s apparent death! J Later in this chapter, Vernon knocks into another wizard who is wearing a purple cloak.

“And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off”.

I don’t think Jo’s ever said who this old man is, but I low key headcanon that this was Dedalus Diggle, the wizard who bow to Harry in a shop when Harry was a child. We also know that that night, he was suspected to have been responsible for the shooting stars which appeared on the news.

Actually, rather aside from the point but given that Diggle and other wizards appear around Harry, I tend to assume that the blood connection charm around Harry and the Dursleys worked and that Death Eaters and other followers of Voldemort would have tried and failed to attack Harry and Privet drive in Harry’s childhood unbeknownst to them.

“The newscaster allowed himself a grin. ”Most Mysterious.”

Ted Tonks you little shit! Someone’s enjoying being the only one in the station in the know as to what’s going on.

“Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me.”

Clearly Petunia wasn’t consulted by the Royal Palace considering this is ’81 and Prince Harry was born in ’84…actually because I’m a dummy with no life, I googled it. The name ‘Harry’ had been steadily declining in popularity since the 1940s. And then Prince Harry was born and for the first time in decades, the name became more popular. Petunia must have been furious!

Anywho, back to Potter!

Thank goodness JK retconned the ‘put-outer’, renaming it the Deluminator. Perhaps Dumbledore had only JUST invented it and was still looking for a good name!

Given that Mcgonagall says that the news of Voldemort’s demise at Harry’s hands are ‘rumors’ and rather than say that Voldemort is dead, opts for the word ‘disappeared’, it seems that, like Dumbledore, McGonagall doesn’t believe that Voldemort is dead. Hagrid later mentions that Dumbledore doesn’t believe that Voldemort is really dead – just biding his time, so it makes you wonder – has McGonagall since changed her mind or is she simply less vocal about her belief about Voldemort? Or is it JUST because McGonagall hasn’t come up at all in conversation yet?

McGonagall’s grief over Lily and James’ deaths really gets to me. She’s known them since they were 11. She’s watched them grow up. McGonagall is very motherly to Harry and the other kids in her house and I can only assume this was true for Lily and James too.

“We’ve had precious little to celebrate for eleven years”

and

“All this ‘You-Know-Who’ nonsense – for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name”

pretty clearly establishes that Voldemort was in power from the years 1970-1981. I don’t know if there’s any significance to the number ‘11’ but it is interesting that Voldemort first reappears in this book, when Harry is 11 years old.

I can’t help but wonder if Dumbledore’s golden watch has functions similar to Molly Weasley’s clock. Of course, it has planets on it rather than names or faces but perhaps that’s because it’s SUPPOSED to be rather cryptic. I think rather than family, on his watch are members of the Order. It allows him to see which Order members are travelling, dead or in ‘mortal peril’ and therefore he knows when they might need backup or when they’re travelling and therefore their mission might have gone on without a hitch. Therefore it’s very important that the watch only be understood by Albus least anything happen to him and the watch fall into the wrong hands. Maybe I’m thinking far too much about a watch which I don’t believe we ever see again but oh well! :D

A lot of people seem to believe Lily’s protection and the blood protection spell are the same thing. Just a reminder, Lily’s protection was cast over Harry with her death and prevents Voldemort from harming Harry. The protection spell links Harry to Privet Drive through Lily’s blood. It’s NOT part of Lily’s protection though. It was cast by Dumbledore and is in place as long as he calls Privet Drive home. And you know, if Dumbledore wasn’t such an ass, I’m sure he could’ve thought of a much better solution than tying Harry to the Dursleys. For example, Sirius. Sirius is Harry’s legal godfather. Surely he could’ve cast a spell that played on the legal aspect to tie Harry to someone who actually cared about his wellbeing and would see to it that Harry grew up in a happy, loving home – and you know, would actually tell Harry stories about Lily and James and show him photos of his parents….not that I’m bitter or anything Dumbles…

“Young Sirius Black lent it to me.”

As much as Cursed Child would like us to forget that Sirius was there, lets all remember that his world was falling apart as well. We know that the Marauders had fallen apart a little – none of them trusted Lupin and believed him to be the spy. So to find out that the only friends you have left were murdered and betrayed by your only other friends…I don’t blame Sirius for laughing hysterically when Peter escaped him the next day. What a great birthday eve for poor Sirius!

I know the fandom talks a lot about the missing hours between Hagrid picking Harry up from Godric’s Hallow in the morning and appearing with him at Privet Drive that night (personally I like the headcanon that Hagrid brought baby Harry to some celebratory parties as the guest of honour), but seriously, what about the missing hours between Voldemort killing Lily and James the night before (early enough for there to be children trick-or-treating for Voldemort to contemplate murdering) and the morning? No one, muggle or magical hears the explosion that destroyed the Potter house? Or the screaming baby that would’ve been lying in the rubble all night? Even if we assume that no one heard the explosion because of the fidelius charm (although the explosion was when he tried to kill Harry. The fidelius charm would’ve broken with James and Lilys’ deaths), NO ONE heard the screaming baby? NO ONE?! Bathilda was right next door – idk what sleeping pills she must’ve been on to have missed poor baby Harry all night but...any chance you could share some Bathilda? When my stress and anxiety is high, I get really bad insomnia. Pills strong enough to help you sleep through the next door house being blown up might be helpful.

“But I c-c-can’t stand it – Lily an’ James dead – an’ poor Harry off ter live with Muggles-“

Although Hagrid lives on the school grounds and the trio and Ginny are good friends with Hagrid, most of the kids at school don’t befriend Hagrid. I think it’s sweet that Lily and James obviously seemed to have been pretty good friends with Hagrid as well – enough for Hagrid to mourn them rather than celebrate like most of the wizarding community are.

he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream

Seriously though, between the missing 24ish hours and Dumbledore leaving Harry on the doorstep overnight in early NOVEMBER, it’s nothing short of a miracle that baby Harry didn’t catch pneumonia...

So...yeah :) That’s chapter 1, if you have anything to add to the discussion, I’d love to hear from you :) Otherwise, I’ll be back in a few days with chapter 2.

Bye! ❤

#harry potter and the philosopher's stone #harry potter and the sorcerer's stone #harry potter reread #Harry Potter

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bazwillendinflames · 8 years

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Countdown (Snowbaz)

For Christmas I got ‘My True Love Gave To Me’ and I loved 'Midnights’ by Rainbow Rowell.

Simon and Baz written as Noel and Mags from Midnights.

—

December 31st - 2015

It’s dark and cold out here, sitting in the damp grass on the Bunce’s garden. It’s my own fault that my new jeans are now soaking and covered in mud. (I hope it’s mud at least; the Bunce don’t have a dog, do they?) I’m shivering because it’s midnight and I’m hidden in the shadows in a vampire-y way. Well more vampire-y than usual. (I didn’t use words like 'vampire-y’ before I knew Snow.)

Out here, away from the music, I’m missing the party. It’s brilliant. I’d much rather eat the kind of sour cherry scones that Snow likes but can’t have. He’s inside somewhere, counting down from ten with the rest of Penelope’s guests while I’m out here; missing the whole thing.

I should have thought of this years ago.

December 31st - 2011

I’m bored. I’m not sure why I’m even at this stupid party in the first place. I only accepted Penelope’s invite because she’s my only friend. Not even that. My only acquaintance more like.

“Are there cherries in those scones?” A boy asks. A cute boy at least, with bronze curls sticking out at crazy under his Pokémon snapback. He’s wearing a white t-shirt underneath and had a knitted purple and green scarf around his freckled neck.

“Sour cherries.” I pick up a place card from next to the plate. (That’s the kind of party I’m at. One where food is labelled.)

“They look so good.” I think the boy is drooling.

“Your Simon Snow?” On the other side of the card Penelope has written 'DONT LET NEAR SIMON SNOW SALISBURY’ in biro.

“Yeah.” Simon says sadly. He’s looking longingly at the buffet. “I can’t eat them; I’m allergic to cherries. It might kill me.”

“Is your middle name actually Snow?”

“My Mum thought it would be funny.” Simon laughed awkwardly. “I don’t tell people.”

“Why?” I don’t know why I’m asking. I know what it’s like to have a ridiculous name. Maybe I just want Simon to stay.

“I don’t want them to call me Snow.”

“It’s almost midnight.” A girl calls. I think it’s the one who rides horses. “Ten!”

“Nine!” Penelope had joined in now, scrambling next to the blond on the sofa.

“Eight!” Other people were joining in.

“I’m Baz.”

“Hi Baz.” Simon grins at me, deciding to pass on the scones and shove a brownie in his mouth.

“Three!”

“Nice to meet you Snow.”

“Two!”

“You too Baz.”

“One!”

“Congratulations on not eating cherry scones and dying for another year.”

December 31st - 2013

Snow is a wreck. Actually more surprisingly, Snow is a dancer. Just not a good one. He jumps off the table, actually jumps like an idiot.

“Hey Baz.” Snow sits next to me, all flushed and grinning. This year he’s opted for a Doctor Who themed snap back and a galaxy t-shirt. He looks like a hipster and I can’t tell if it’s an improvement or not.

“Hey Snow. Nice dancing.”

“I’m a dancing machine.” Snow says proudly. He takes off his stupid hat and runs his other hand though his messy curls. “I love dancing.”

I smile without meaning too. “I’ve noticed.”

“I only get so many chances to dance.” Snow says. He’s still grinning like an idiot.

“Do you?” I want to sneer at him but I don’t. It’s a party after all.

“In public.” Snow adds. “I like dancing in public.”

“I’ve noticed.” I pass Snow his hat back. “You were pulling faces at me.”

Snow laughs. “That was me trying to lure you to the dance with me.”

“You were dancing in socks on a coffee table.” I point out. Snow had kicked his converses at me halfway though a Brittany Spears song.

“There was room for you Baz. There’s always room for you and room for food.”

I roll my eyes at him. “You like food more than me and most of it will kill you.”

“I like you more. You’re my best friend.” Snow beams at me with full force. It makes me feel like I’m being hit by the sun. I shouldn’t like it; people are flammable.

“I thought Penelope was your best friend.” Snow and Penelope are best friends. They even have matching phone cases.

“I have a lot of best friends.” Snow says. He’s too popular for his own good, all smiles and freckles and cute moles. “Penny is one of them. And Agatha and Micah and you.”

“And food.” I add. If Snow doesn’t eat at least once every five minutes he acts like it’s the end of the world.

“And you Baz. Especially you Baz. We should dance.” Snow stands up but I pull him down again. He’s more than my best friend. He’s my only best friend. I can’t lose him to snacks or dancing.

“Where’s Penelope now?” I ask. Snow loves talking. If he’s talking, he’d stay with me for a little longer.

“Over there. By Micah who’s trying to kiss her.” Snow says. I spot her hair (red this month) and black velvet dress.

“At midnight?”

“Yeah.” Snow replies.

I make myself roll my eyes even though Snow isn’t looking. “Gross.”

Snow laughs. “Kissing isn’t gross Baz.”

I think I’m blushing. I hate blushing and I only do it around Snow. “Using New Years Eve to kiss someone is. What is Penelope doesn’t want to kiss him?”

“Then Penny will say so. You have to hesitate before a first kiss Baz. It’s rule one.”

I try not to think of Snow hesitating in front of me, breathing onto my lips about to kiss me.

“You have kissing rules?” I look at his stupid Dalek hat and not his lips. Or eyes. Snow has ordinary blue eyes but I still love them. They entrance me.

“I’ve kissed before. Two different girls.” Snow says. I’m glad he’s not looking at me now. I didn’t think Snow had kissed girls. I had never asked. I didn’t want to ask.

“Ten!” Micah tapped on Penelope’s shoulder. I turn away. (It seems private.)

Agatha yells the next number and sits next to Simon, pulling the stupid hat off his head. “Happy New Year.”

Agatha is more Snows friend then mine and always dresses in pastels. She’s pretty and had glitter on her cheeks.

“Three!”

“Happy New Year Agatha.” Simon replied. His voice is different and it sends shivers down my spine.

“One!”

Micah kisses Penelope.

Agatha kisses Simon.

I look away.

December 31st - 2014

Snow is dancing again. He looks like an idiot and he didn’t even bother with a snap back hat this time. Snow cut his hair this year, shaved the sides off and left messy golden curls on the top of his head. I hoped that him getting a dorky haircut would make him less attractive. If anything it only made him look more attractive. It isn’t fair - my heterosexuality never stood a chance.

“Baz.” Snow’s wearing a grey suit with a white shirt underneath. Two of the buttons are undone. He looks like model. He acts like a toddler sometimes. (All the time.) Especially when he’s dancing on a coffee table.

Still there’s no denying Snow looks stunning in a grey suit.

“Yes?” I ask. I sound mean. Good. I wore all black and slicked my hair. Might as well act like a vampire too.

“Dance with me?” Snow fixed eyes that shouldn’t be so damn pretty at me. He’s standing on the edge of the coffee table now. I think about pushing him off. And then lying next to him, making a disgrace out of us both. (I’m disturbed, ask anyone.)

“I don’t dance.”

“You mope. And eat.” Snow looks at a plate of cherry scones in the way most people look at a burning orphanage.

“You’ll ruin the party if you eat one.” I remind Snow. Most sensible people would avoid snacks that kill them. (Possibly.) Not Snow. He’s an idiot.

“Eat one for me.” Snow asks. He has sad-burning-orphan eyes on me now. (I’m very disturbed.)

“You’re a mess Snow.” I take a bite anyway. Snow sighs like a maiden from a fairytale.

“How is it?” Snow asks. He’s looking at my mouth but for the wrong reasons.

“Delicious.”

“I dream about sour cherry scones.” Snow says. He reaches for them but I slap away his arm. Snow wasn’t going anywhere.

“You dream about things that could kill you?”

I dream about Snow. About him dancing and holding me and kissing the constellations of moles on him face.

“I had one before when I was eleven. It was so good.” I raise an eyebrow at Snow for more reasons I can name. “How did you think I figured out I was allergic to cherries?” Snow asks. He winks at me which is mostly just awkward.

Snow is a bloody mess. He’s my bloody mess. My first and last text. My first and last thought. My chosen one even if he didn’t chose me back.

It doesn’t matter.

I chose you Simon Snow Salisbury. Every time time. Even if you’re not a choice. You’re my choice.

“Ten!”

I know this countdown. I know how it ends. I turn as a girl reaches Snow. A willing girl who pulls him by his suit jacket. His brilliant grey suit jacket.

“One!” Everyone cheers and kisses. Everyone but me.

December 31st - 2015

Snow is late. Actually he’s not early. But I’ve been at Penny’s for hours. (I call her Penny. She’s my only friend now. We even did the while coming out thing.)

Where’s Snow? I know where he isn’t. I know he’s left London and he promised to come here.

I want him to come here. I want him to hug me so I can pretend to be disgusted at him. I want him to joke with me and wear a dumb snap back and eye up scones he can’t eat.

I want him. Full stop.

“Baz!” Snow calls my name happily. So happily, like I’m the only reason he came home. (I pretend he says that to me, when I thought of our reunion in my head.)

“Baz. Baz. Baz!” Snow hugs me. I still have four and a half inches on him. “I’m back.”

“I noticed.” I meant to sound snarky. It’s what Snow would expect from me. I just sound happy. For once I don’t care.

Snow grew out his hair, it’s long on the sides and exploding at all angles. He’s wearing a baggy jumper that matches his eyes and baggy jeans that look like they need a wash. He’s tired and bouncier than ever, hopping from one foot to the other. I want to hold him by his shoulders and hold him still. Hold him so he won’t run away from me.

Maybe Snow just wants to dance. But I just want to hold him. With no other intention. Just hold Snow like he’s mine.

Bronze curls. Messier and longer and wild. Blue eyes. Thick eyelashes and bags from lack of sleep that are glued on me.

Be mine, Simon Snow Salisbury. I need you more than air.

~~~

Snow stays by my side. We talk to Trixie and her new girlfriend with blue hair and glitter on her nose. Then we talk to Penny and Agatha who figured things out. They’re holding hands, even though there nail vanish clashes.

Snow pulls on me. Not that he has too. He’s the centre of my universe and I’m just a planet lucky enough to spin around him.

“Baz.” Snow says my name. That’s all he’s been saying tonight. Baz, Baz, Baz. “Dance with me?”

“I don’t like dancing.”

“I don’t like missing you.” Snow replies. He has a soft look in his eye. “Dance?”

I should say no but they’re playing a love song. Snow’s never asked me to dance to a love song before.

He puts one hand on my waist. And then the other. I do the same. It’s not dancing. It’s just swaying. But it’s enough.

“Dance with me Baz.”

“I am.” I feel weak at the knees. I’m completely at his mercy. Forget dancing - Snow could stab me right now and I’d still hold onto him.

“Dance with me again?” Snow asks softly. He has freckles on his nose and I’m close enough to count them.

“Only to this song.” I say. 'A Thousand Years’ plays in the background. I hated the movie. I love the song. I love Snow and his nineteen freckles on his nose.

I love Simon Snow Salisbury.

~~~

We keep swaying until Penny pulls his back. Snow dances with a pretty girl that wasn’t here last year.

I slip away, into the darkness like a true vampire. It snowing and I hate that. I’m away from Snow and I hate that too. But it’s better than watch another midnight kiss that’s not mine.

“Ten!” They’re so loud, I can hear the obnoxious shouting from the garden. Then more shouting, closer shouting.

“Baz?”

“Eight!”

“Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch!” Snow yells out my full name like there’s magic behind it. Maybe there is - I step out of the shadows.

“Three!”

Snow stops in front of me. I think I might kiss him because it’s midnight and because his lips are here and because I’m hopelessly in love with him.

“Simon…” I start. I don't usually say his first name. I call him Snow.

He’s smiling.

He’s kissing me. I call him Snow but his mouth is warm. It’s like kissing coffee. He’s so warm and the world is so cold because it’s snowing.

He’s the only Snow I care about now.

He’s done this before. I should know; it’s caused me enough heart ache in the past. My heart isn’t aching now.

“Baz.” Simon says. “Baz you’re mouth is delicious and deadly.”

I blush.

“No seriously. Have you been eating sour cherry scones?”

I swear loudly. “Oh god Simon.”

I pull his tablets from his jacket pocket and push them towards Simon. I watch Simon dry swallow them. He always makes a scene when he gulps.

“It’s okay.” Simon says.

“I almost killed you.”

Simon laughs. “You probably will Baz.”

“Just not today.”

Simon smiles. “You called me Simon.”

“I did not.” I cross my arms and pretend to glare. (It’s how I flirt.)

“Is it because everything changed?” Simon asks.

“Just one kiss hasn’t changed everything.”

“Who says it’s going to be just one kiss?” Snow asks. I can’t kiss him again probably, so I settle on kissing his dimple. It makes him smile at least. Simon still smiles like the sun. Ok still drawn to it. To him.

Fireworks explode but they’re too late. The real firework display just happened and the only people who know are us. I take his hand (also freckled, also beautiful) and smile back.

“Happy New Year Simon.” I say, looking at the sky.

“Happy New Year Baz.” Simon replies, resting his head on my shoulder.

We’re both smiling now.

--- I don't write a lot of carry on but I love these too.

#carry on #carry on au #simon snow #baz grimm pitch #baz pitch #rainbow rowell #midnights #first kiss au

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leavetownnow · 7 years

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A Beginner’s Guide to SilverStar Mountain Resort

For anyone new to skiing or snowboarding, navigating a bustling mountain resort may seem a little overwhelming at first. Fortunately, during the latest Leavetown trip to SilverStar Mountain Resort in Vernon, BC, this beginner snow explorer received a comprehensive lesson in how to truly take advantage of everything the resort has to offer.

Despite being born and raised in Vancouver – less than a two hour drive to Whistler – I’d only had the pleasure of skiing once before, 15 years ago. Needless to say, the charming and colourful SilverStar Village greatly lessened any worries I may have had about (finally) learning this new skill and sport as I watched families, couples, experts and novices alike effortlessly share the skiway. The Village itself – complete with bright blue, green, yellow, red and purple buildings all strung with twinkling fairy lights – provided a whimsical and Disney-like aesthetic against a backdrop of the Monashee Mountains.

Approaching Snowbird Lodge, where myself and three other colleagues were to stay for the weekend, it was immediately clear that this resort would offer not only a memorable first-timer experience, but a true ski-in/ski-out paradise for the other intermediate skiers in the group. Over the next 3 days, we were lucky enough to be shown the ropes and learn insider tips from the enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff at SilverStar. From mountain tours to snowshoeing, and fine dining to fat biking, Leavetown had an intimate first-hand glimpse into slopeside life in the Okanagan’s iconic ski resort.

The following Beginner’s Guide has been compiled for anyone looking to experience the fantastic activities and experiences offered on the mountain. Whether you’re a snow sport newbie, seasoned expert, or Village wanderer, at Silver Star Mountain there’s a little something for everyone.

Rentals

Jess Purver Photo

Located at Ski Dazzle on Main Street Boardwalk, Silver Star’s Village Rental Shop is where to go for all your rental inquiries. Offering a variety of packages, guests can choose to rent skis, snowboards, helmets and boots on a per day basis, or for 5 days or more. Ultimate rental packages allow for enthusiastic visitors to exchange equipment between categories throughout their stay. Packages include Performance, Night Skiing, Nordic, Snowshoe, Fat Bike, Snowblades, clothing and helmets.

For beginners, it’s as simple as signing a waiver form, detailing your experience (or lack thereof), and being properly fitted for any equipment you may need. Personally, I was hooked up with the Beginner Ski Package, and was provided with everything I needed to start my day right from the shop’s doors.

**Beginner Insider Tip: Don’t be afraid to ask questions! It’s better to inquire sooner rather than later with any concerns you may have about the rental equipment. If you’re worried something doesn’t fit, or feel uncomfortable in any way, the friendly staff at the Rental Shop will be more than happy to help you out.**

Snowsports School

Powderhounds Photo

No matter what your skill level, many skiers and snowboarders suggest enrolling in a professional lesson – either to refresh their memory (and their muscles) or to learn a new sport altogether. At Silver Star, there are plenty of different levels, lessons and packages available for any type of learner of any age. In fact, Snowsports School is one of the most renowned in Canada, offering classes from amazing professional instructions from across the globe.

Adults and children alike can enroll in group or private lessons for alpine skiing, freestyle, cross country and more. As a complete beginner, I opted for the “Never Ever” lesson to get my bearings on the bunny hill, and was enrolled in a lesson with Lewis, an instructor hailing from the UK who first learned to ski at age 3 in the French Alps. In under three hours and with careful (and patient) instruction, he was able to teach two brand new skiers how to safely make their way down the mountain.

**Beginner Insider Tip: Fall. You’ll never conquer the fear of shooting down a mountain unless you’re comfortable with the concept of falling. After all, it’s only snow!**

Getting Around

Annabel Hunter Photo

Although Silver Star Mountain features over 132 marked trails and over 13 km of skiable terrain, the mountain isn’t as difficult to navigate as a beginner might think. Not only are alpine trail maps available everywhere throughout the resort, but the runs are clearly marked along the way. A quick look online gives updated snow and grooming reports for each run, while the main information board in the Central Village provides easy viewing of any updates or changes on the mountain.

If you’re planning on riding the chairlifts, it’s recommended to pick up the POWPass or My1Pass, which allows visitors access to the lifts, Tube Town, outdoor ice rink, XC skiing and more! Without this pass, we wouldn’t have been able to fit in as many thrilling SilverStar activities as we did.

**Beginner Insider Tip: If you’re still relatively new to skiing or snowboarding, make sure to go with a buddy who knows the trails. If you’re flying solo, feel free to book a complimentary mountain tour at the front desk of your lodging for a guided tour on skis with a SilverStar staff member.**

Fat Biking

Brenda Jeffery Photo

For a mountain biking adventure unlike any other, consider renting a fat bike – complete with oversized tires of about 3.75” or more. Even novice riders can find comfort in the massive tires and reliable traction as they wind down the shared trails and take in the gorgeous surrounding views. A fat biking trail map provides guests with a number of varied runs – from easy greens, challenging blues and expert black trails.

Fat biking is not only an exhilarating ride, but it’s also a fantastic form of exercise for anyone wanting to challenge themselves and test their endurance. Beginners may choose to walk their bikes up steeper inclines, but for the most part the terrain is easily maneuverable and a quick learn!

**Beginner Insider Tip: Familiarize yourself with the gear shifts on your bike before heading out on the trails – and keep an eye out for cross country skiers at all times!**

Tube Town

Tourism Vernon Photo

Tubing is definitely not just for kids! A hilarious activity perfect for small groups, visitors with a My1Pass can tube as much as they’d like throughout their stay on the mountain. Grab your desired tube (make sure to tap out any excess snow), and head up the Magic Carpet. Perhaps the ultimate beginner activity to warm you up for a ski lesson, Tube Town is a popular attraction for families looking for something safe and hassle-free to entertain the kids.

**Beginner Insider Tip: Wear snow pants to avoid a wet bottom, and head up during the evening to skip the lines.**

Snowshoeing

Annabel Hunter Photo

A great option for dog owners and hiking enthusiasts, snowshoeing offers a variety of trails for all skill levels. Pick up your snowshoes and head out right from the front door of your vacation rental for an invigorating romp through Silver Star’s fluffy powder. Like all trails on the mountain, a snowshoe trail map provides a clear trail network throughout the resort. Choose from relaxing green run strolls or challenging uphill scrambles on one of two black trails before heading back to the Village for an apres-ski treat.

The Leavetown crew, lead by Sales & Marketing Coordinator Amanda, decided to challenge themselves with the Mountain View black run to reach the rustic Mountain View Cabin. Although it was definitely a climb, the view along the way was well worth it. Wildlife photographers and enthusiasts will love identifying the tracks of Silver Star’s animal residents lining the trails – just watch your footing!

**Beginner Insider Tip: Make sure to bring a headlamp with you if you’re planning on a trek in the late afternoon – the sun sets early on the mountain.**

Pinheads Bowling

SilverStar Mountain Resort Photo

A unique Silver Star gem, Pinheads Bowling, is the world’s only ski-in, ski-out 10-pin bowling alley – a must-visit for any guest to Silver Star Mountain. Located on the ground floor of the new Firelight Lodge, the bowling alley is the perfect place to unwind after a busy day. Bar service attracts the younger crowd while finger food and (of course) the bowling itself provides the perfect place for families and groups. Grown-ups can grab a pint or cocktail in the next door Final Run Bar & Bistro for a cozy romantic night while the kids challenge each other to a game. All bowling levels welcome!

What to Eat

Jess Purver Photo

After adventure-packed days on the slopes, there’s nothing quite like sitting down in a warm room with friends to refuel with a satiating meal. Thankfully, Silver Star has many delicious options to choose from – Thai-Dutch fusion, contemporary Canadian, classic fine dining, and sumptuous comfort food. For us, while all the restaurants and pubs we tried were amazing, there were a few standouts that cannot go unmentioned.

Bugaboos Bakery Café: Opt for a warm breakfast croissant and latte to get you ready for the morning. If you have room, share a freshly baked cinnamon bun or apple bread pudding.

Long John’s Pub: The ultimate cozy pub in between ski runs or after a long day, Long John’s provides exactly what you’re craving. Indulge in a spiked hot chocolate or warm cider, and order a side of onion rings with the daily sandwich special.

Den Bar & Bistro: Whether you stop in to this hidden gem for a unique cocktail, fresh daily special or the delectable sticky toffee pudding, the Den provides a warm ambiance paired with unreal local fare.

**Beginner Insider Tip: If you’re craving a juicy burger after a run, head over to 1609 Restaurant on the upper level above Red Antler. Each week they feature a specialty burger that is bound to satisfy.**

PLANNING A MOUNTAIN GETAWAY TO SILVERSTAR MOUNTAIN RESORT?

Give our Destination Experts a call if you’d like to know more about planning a holiday to Silver Star Mountain. You can reach them 7 days a week at 1.877.902.1616. You can also browse our selection of nearby vacation rentals on our website.

The post A Beginner’s Guide to SilverStar Mountain Resort appeared first on Leavetown.

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mexcine2 · 7 years

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Hey Mickey! Hey Minnie! Oh, wait… [The Skipper 459 and Ribtickler 2]

First seen on-screen in 1928, Mickey Mouse quickly became globally famous. From his very first cartoon, Mickey had a sweetheart: Minnie Mouse. In addition to the Disney animated cartoons, the anthropomorphised rodents appeared in various print media, were immortalised in song, and spawned a never-ending stream of merchandising tie-ins.

Very quickly there emerged imitators, bootlegs, and parodies of Disney’s falsetto-voiced, round-eared money machine. Where they could, Disney’s lawyers expressed their legal displeasure. Some homages, like “Mickey Rodent” (Mad, 1955) and Robert Armstrong’s ‘70s underground comix character “Mickey Rat,” skated by, while others--the underground comix created by Dan O’Neill and “The Air Pirates”--did not. It was obviously impossible to identify and prosecute all of the dodgy companies around the world making unauthorised Mickey Mouse toys, figurines and such (although clearly Disney would have liked to).

Today’s two objects of deconstruction represent “cameo” appearances of (pseudo-)Disney characters in pop culture which somehow avoided the wrath of Disney, possibly because they were fleeting and not overly egregious or mercenary.

The first example comes from the British “story paper” The Skipper, number 459 (17 June 1939), and appears to show Mickey Mouse and (possibly) Daffy Duck as opposing cricketers. It’s Disney versus Warner Bros. on the pitch!

British “story papers,” which flourished in the first half of the 20th century (they began in the 19th century, and a few hung on after 1950, but they were basically all gone by the early Seventies) are a publishing genre largely unique to the United Kingdom, although they bear a certain resemblance to American “dime novels” and pulp magazines in form and content. Story papers, sometimes called “boys’ weeklies” (there were some aimed at girls, however), had many fewer pages than pulps (usually 28 pages compared to over 100 for a pulp), were aimed at a juvenile audience, and often contained continued stories (feasible because of their weekly schedule).

The Boys’ Own Paper (which ran for more than 70 years), The Champion, The Gem, and The Magnet were among the most popular and longest-lived story papers (Girls’ Crystal was possibly the most popular story paper aimed at girls, lasting nearly 30 years). The contents varied: many, particularly in the 1920s, specialised in tales set in British “public schools” (which, as is often pointed out, were actually private schools, like Eton and Harrow); others were more or less straight adventure genre works, some focused on fantastic content, and others featured a variety of types of stories. Many stories were set in the American West, Canada, Africa, India, the Far East, and other “exotic” locations, to balance the stories about school hijinks, sport (especially football and cricket), and other traditional British topics and settings.

Additional material included editorials, readers’ letters, joke pages, contests, and premiums (such as photos of footballers). Most stories were illustrated (usually quite well) and in later years story papers would incorporate the odd comic strip (there were distinct “comic papers” as well).

Amalgamated Press was the predominant publisher of story papers but D.C. Thomson also put out a number of them (as well as the long-running comic paper Beano). The “Big Five” Thomson titles included The Hotspur, The Wizard, Adventure, The Rover and The Skipper.

The Skipper was published from 1930 until 1941, when wartime paper shortages resulted in its cancellation. Over 100 issues of The Skipper can be read online.

This issue of The Skipper contains 7 stories: 2 “school stories,” a Western, a cricket story, one set in Australia, one set in India, and a science fiction/crime tale that takes place on the Devon coast. The cover painting illustrates a situation from the “Big-Handed Arthur” cricket story. [The protagonist’s name evokes “Big-Hearted Arthur,” the nickname of British comedian Arthur Askey.] Arthur convinces an Australian cat-burglar to join his cricket team for a match, but both he and the burglar resort to wearing “huge and grotesque paper maché heads”-- “last seen in the Bidworth Hospital Carnival procession”--to avoid identification for their misdeeds. “Arthur was wearing the head of a merry looking mouse with large ears. Harold’s head was that of a duck.”

The Mickey Mouse resemblance is down-played on the cover art (and the interior illustrations don’t feature this scene), but the ears are definitely Mickey-ish, and the juxtaposition of an angry-looking black duck (one supposes the artist deliberately avoided making the duck white, to avoid the too-obvious Donald Duck comparison) and a cartoon mouse is certainly no coincidence.

The name of the artist who painted this and many other covers of The Skipper is not known. This particular cover is almost surreal, compared to the more or less realistically representational covers of other issues (some may have had odd comedic or fantastic content but realistic settings): we’ve got two cricketers with giant, cartoon heads on human bodies charging at each other (I know, this is part of the game, but it looks like they’re going to fight), and three “normal” players, apparently participating in a match taking place in a purgatory-like void. The blank white wall surrounding the pitch seems to indicate this is taking place in some sort of gladiatorial arena. Possibly the teams have been abducted by the Grandmaster and this is a preliminary for the much-anticipated Thor vs. Hulk rematch?

The second cover features a Minnie Mouse clone. Ribtickler was a comic book title used by Fox in the 1940s, then resurrected by Green Publishing and Norlen Magazines in the late 1950s. The later versions contained reprint material, but--oddly enough--not always from Fox comics! The cover shown here was used three times (they were really begging for Disney to complain, weren’t they?): for Ribtickler 2 (Fox, 1946), Ribtickler 8 (Green, 1957) and Ribtickler 8 (Norlen, 1959). The contents of all three comics were completely different, by the way: the Green version reprinted some Fox material but was mostly reprints of the “Noodnik” strip (previously seen in Comic Media comics and later reprinted by Charlton), and the Norlen comic contained re-used Charlton “L’il Genius” and “Timmy the Timid Ghost” strips!

We’ll go with the original Ribtickler 2 (1946) for analysis here (although the cover was basically identical each time it was re-used). The cover has no direct connection with any of the interior content, which is mostly funny-animal humour strips (no mice or giant caterpillars, though). If the cover of The Skipper was “surreal,” what would we call this? A human photographer (vaguely Jerry Lewis-like, although this was well before Jerry Lewis started his career in earnest) says “Just for the fun of it!” and pretends to take a photograph of Minnie Mouse and her cat (possibly Figaro, although he doesn’t look like it--the concept of a mouse having a pet cat is mind-blowing enough, but that’s Disney for you), but a giant, laughing, bow-tie wearing caterpillar erupts from the lens instead!

You might say, “Minnie Mouse, that’s a bit of a stretch, innit?” Oh, I don’t know, take a look at this image from the main title of “The Barnyard Broadcast,” a 1931 Mickey Mouse cartoon. The “real” Minnie Mouse and Ribtickler Minnie are both black mice wearing high heeled shoes, a polka-dotted skirt with exposed bloomers, and a modified stovepipe hat (although real Minnie’s hat sports a flower while Ribtickler Minnie opts for a feather). Sure, Ribtickler Minnie is wearing a blue blouse while real Minnie is topless (she apparently didn’t cover up until the Sixties), but it wasn’t Fox’s fault that Disney’s Minnie was shamelessly parading herself around for 3 decades.

One commenter on comicbookplus.com suggests the giant caterpillar was inspired by “Mr. Mind,” a super-intelligent alien worm who was one of Captain Marvel’s arch enemies in this era. There are points of similarity: both can talk, both have mostly green, segmented bodies, have antennae sticking out of their heads, and both have something around their neck (Mr. Mind has a radio-shaped “talk box,” while Ribtickler Caterpillar has a purple bow tie). The biggest difference is their relative size: Mr. Mind was two inches long; Ribtickler Caterpillar is closer to Monster That Challenged the World size.

The burning question is, however: does this cover seem funny? Or, more relevant, does it encourage someone (presumably an adolescent boy or girl) to buy the comic book? The comic is called Ribtickler after all, strongly implying humour, and yet this cover is horrific, bizarre, even nightmare-inducing. The giant caterpillar is laughing (“Ha! Ha! Ha!”) but Minnie and her cat are plainly terrified, not just startled.

I don’t know, this cover just doesn’t seem that appealing to me. Not that the contents of the comic book are great--not by a long shot--but they’re not as brain-numbing as the cover image and all that it implies. But what do I know? There aren’t too many comic book covers that were used three times over the space of 13 years, so apparently somebody thought it was…good enough.

#comic book covers #mr. mind #mickey mouse #minnie mouse #british story papers #cricket

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