Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Old Post boxes uk

Some overlook a moody coastline. Others languish among other discarded relics in scrapheaps. Or take up the mantle of inanimate ambassador to the Best of British across the pond and further beyond. Occasionally they attract yarn bombers or other fiber art enthusiasts, inspire visual tributes or attract graffiti. But many still stand sentinel, guarding the unfettered flow of the Royal Mail system. There's a post box in Cardiff that's more than a hundred years old and not showing that much wear and tear of its many decades of service. Poldark Tin Mine in Cornwall boasts the deepest post box. And, just to show that postboxes are moving with the times, there are newer editions that bear the monogram of King Charles III. Even Edward VIII, famous for his short and scandalous reign, left his mark on post box culture. If you mentioned postbox red, everyone would know what you're talking about. But in Ireland, they're green. In Guernsey, you might stumble across a blue one. In Cyprus, they are as yellow as the sun. And - this is no legend - there is a gold-painted one in St Stephens, Cornwall. If you're keenly interested in the world of the post box, there are books and groups dedicated to their charm, as well as museums in London, Colne Valley, Halstead and the Isle of Wight

Members: 22.1k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

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Thursday, March 27, 2025

Photo Restoration Group

 I love history. I also love looking at pictures. Not just paintings. Photographs too. I love the way they capture random moments. Special times. And love lost. Somewhere in a box beneath my mother's bed there's a sepia tinged photograph of my grandfather as a baby. That photograph is more than a hundred years old, and - thank goodness - it remains in fairly good shape, for its age. Scrolling through the posts here made me think my own keepsakes - and those of family members. Each photo shared here is irreplaceable. Some are weathered, creased, faded or sun stained. Some are just blurry - poor representations of the memories they hold. Some are spoiled by accidental photo-bombs. Whatever may be that niggling reason for a snapshot being less than perfect, the wonderfully generous members of this Facebook group lovingly apply their skill and their magic to retouch and repair all those special photos that tell stories of a thousand words or more. Some of the resulting images are nothing short of amazing. If nothing else, this space is also a welcome antidote to the soulless manifestations of AI generation apps. 

Members: 314k, at the time of writing

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join.

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Wednesday, March 19, 2025

IT Humor and Memes (UNCENSORED)

Calling all geeks and nerds and tech wannabees. Here's your water-cooler. A not-quite-safe space to snigger at those ubiquitous Windows Updates, the short-sightedness of corporate culture, the humorous side of connectivity woes and even some hilariously insane idiot hacks (that have zero chance of working). Share your nostalgia for classic operating systems such as Windows XP or donate your two cents on those endless Windows vs Linux debates. Your frustrations relating to chargers, cables, search engines and the inevitable left-over screws. Dream about the gaming gadgets of the future, speculate on how automatic passwords are generated or pontificate on the benefits of double monitors. 

Members: 836.2k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: Don't advertise your ignorance.

Go here to visit or join. 

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Sunday, March 16, 2025

Red Dead Redemption Photography

When you look at the gorgeous scenery, a fascinating cast of non-player characters, real-world climate and ecosystem and immersive sound design, it's easy to see why Red Dead Redemption and its pre-quel Red Dead Redemption 2 has such a loyal following. With a development path that took five years to bring the game to fruition, Red Dead Redemption became one of the most expensive games of its time but sold around 15 million units worldwide. The game's genre is the closing days of the Wild West, but there are interesting side features such as a hunt for Bigfoot or even a flirtation with zombies. On the Red Dead Redemption Photography Facebook group, you can share aspects of your gameplay and individual character experiences with like-minded enthusiasts. You can share the places you explore, your hunting triumphs and character portraits. Show snapshots of beautiful sunsets or moonlight rides. Showing off horses is also popular. There's even a tip on a feature that allows you to keep your old horse as a secondary horse when you upgrade mounts and a music video. 

Members: 123.4k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: Some digital violence

Go here to visit or join. 

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Thursday, March 13, 2025

Matrix Mysteries

I have a confession to make. Glitches in the Matrix fascinate me. And I'm not talking about whether Nelson Mandela died in the 1980s or in 2013, or whether a certain brand has changed their logo or not. What really interests me, are the personal stories, because they hint at hidden truths beyond the confines of our own universe. These are the posts that proliferate in Matrix Mysteries. Homes that seem to shift in and out of reality. Weirdly person-specific micro-climates. Ambient sounds that inexplicably go quiet. Personal objects that don't behave the way they should. Private thoughts and observations that bleed through into the physical world. Ghost pets and ghostly co-residents. Even near-death or real-death experiences that result in a reset of reality or the formation of eerie portals in the wilderness. But there are also posts that challenge your perceptions or wake you up to previously unimagined possibilities. Here you will find a truly mind-blowing collection of crowd-sourced enigmas. 

Members: 791.1k, at the time of writing.

Trigger warnings: Avoid, if you are not into the paranormal.

Go here to visit or join. 

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Saturday, March 8, 2025

Scotland's Turntable

 In a bygone era, musical discoverability was an easy thing - if you had money to burn and the ear of an influential program director or two. Some bands and artists ran up the charts with almost supernatural dexterity and a seemingly permanent exemption from the laws of gravity. Others played their hearts out and it was never enough. Today, new platforms have made it both easier and harder to get noticed. Algorithms analyze your choices on platforms like Spotify and YouTube to craft new suggestions. But sometimes good old word of mouth survives in hallowed spaces such as this Facebook group which combines nostalgic vinyl imagery with song suggestions. It's an elegant fusion of past obsessions conquering new horizons. Music varies from the eclectic, mystical pop of Kate Bush, the gritty realism of Tom Waits, hard rocking Led Zeppelin, Blue Oyster Cult and Scorpions, Marillion to the electronic work of Kraftwerk, Gary Numan and Ultravox. As expected, there's a fair amount of eighties Britpop classics and rarities, but there are also new vinyl re-issues and limited editions featured. I loved seeing records in non-standard colors or even picture disks. In a few cases, even the label art was beautiful. And occasionally something truly obscure gets to be aired again.

Members: 34.1k, at the time of writing.

Trigger warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

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Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Dance Accepts Everyone

Founder Adam Boreland created the dance-positive Facebook Group Dance Accepts Everyone in response to a news anchor's comment about Prince George's ballet lessons. According to an online biography, Adam is a highly trained professional dancer who has taken on principal roles in productions of Swan Lake, Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Moulin Rouge and Peter Pan. From the perspective of someone with zero training in dance like myself, Adam's beautiful dexterity and grace seems almost super-human and impossible to achieve, but his infectious joy opens the door for anyone to join in. There is a somewhat humorous clip of a high kick gone wrong and the triumph of a smiling, tap-dancing granny of almost 102. A sinuously emotive sidewalk performance. A vintage Audrey Hepburn clip. Catch Adam himself live for his inspiring Monday Motivation sessions. Other posts highlight the way dancing informs other aspects of lives. Its ability to heal and rejuvenate. The way dance celebrates the union of music and movement.

Members: 412.2k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join.

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