{"id":14,"date":"2012-01-15T03:38:02","date_gmt":"2012-01-14T21:38:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/?p=14"},"modified":"2024-06-25T02:19:37","modified_gmt":"2024-06-24T20:19:37","slug":"this-spot-reserved-for-the-2011-carlton-cards-sinatra-ornament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/?p=14","title":{"rendered":"THIS SPOT RESERVED FOR THE 2011 CARLTON CARDS SINATRA ORNAMENT"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Well here it is Friday the 13th, 2012 and I’m almost two weeks late with the first blahg of this year.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>\"ScottIt\u2019s snowing like crazy here after a day of freezing rain yesterday.\u00a0 Today is as good a day as any to get this topic started.\u00a0 If you read my last blahg of 2011, and if you didn’t then I want to know why because the link is at the top of this page, then you will recall that one of my regrets of 2011 was not obtaining the 2011 Carlton Cards Sinatra Ornament.\u00a0 Over the past two weeks I’ve been looking into that ornament and discovered something significant about it.\u00a0 I will get to that a little later.\u00a0 First, I thought I’d show you my entire Carlton Cards Sinatra Ornament collection…incomplete as it is.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carlton Cards, a subsidiary or reseller or whatever of American Greetings, first began issuing a musical Sinatra ornament in 1999.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>\"My<\/a>Since then, there has been a Sinatra ornament for every year except 2009.\u00a0 You can see my incomplete collection in the picture at the left.\u00a0 (Don’t forget you can click on the images to get a larger view.)\u00a0 See that empty spot at the upper right or upper left?\u00a0 That’s where the 2011 ornament should be.\u00a0 But I’m getting ahead of myself.\u00a0 I thought that maybe I’d take you on a tour of each individual ornament in my collection before I reveal the mystery of 2011.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Back in 1999, Carlton Cards issued their first musical Sinatra ornament with the title of “Ol’ Blue Eyes”.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>\"1999<\/a>Sinatra is depicted standing in front of a poster for his own appearance at The Hollywood Bowl on Saturday August 14th.\u00a0 Sinatra did indeed play The Hollywood Bowl on August 14th, 1943.\u00a0 A recording of that concert exists among collectors.\u00a0 The following description appears on the back of the ornament box: <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0Frank Sinatra\u2019s appearance at the Hollywood Bowl in 1943 was an historic one indeed.\u00a0 The venue was traditionally reserved exclusively for highbrow music, but after weeks of public controversy, Bowl directors agreed to book Sinatra for one night.\u00a0 10,000 fans packed the house as Sinatra crooned his \u201cDancing in the Dark, \u201cNight and Day,\u201d \u201cYou\u2019ll Never Know\u201d and \u201cThe Songs Is You.\u201d\u00a0 He finished with \u201cAll or Nothing at All\u201d and was given a standing ovation.\u00a0 It was a moment for the memory books as \u201cThe Sultan of Swoon\u201d conquered another of America\u2019s famous arenas.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

There is a small button on the ornament, as there is on all of the ornaments, and when pressed, it plays an excerpt from “The Christmas Waltz”:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\nhttp:\/\/www.falseducks.com\/theblahg\/audiofiles\/1999.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It was a good start to the collection even though the image of Sinatra here is ten to twenty years older than he was when he performed at the Hollywood Bowl in 1943.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The second ornament appeared in 2000 with the title “Swingin’ Sounds of Christmas”.<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0 <\/strong>\"2000<\/a>It represents Sinatra in the studio in the 1950s or early 1960s.\u00a0 From the box:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Just like each snowflake that falls from the sky, Frank Sinatra was one of a kind!\u00a0 For 60 years, Ol\u2019 Blue Eyes entertained America, reaching uncompromising fame as a music legend and Oscar-winning actor.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

First heard on radio in 1935, Sinatra created an unmistakable sound and style with his smooth baritone voice, crooning his way into the hearts of generations of fans.\u00a0 From a teen idol to a show-business icon, immortalized by a string of popular songs and memorable film roles, Sinatra will forever be remembered as \u201cThe Voice,\u201d the \u201cChairman of the Board,\u201d and the man who \u201cdid it my way.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In keeping with the giant snowflake depicted behind Sinatra, the ornament plays an excerpt of “Let It Snow”<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\nhttp:\/\/www.falseducks.com\/theblahg\/audiofiles\/2000.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2001 saw the introduction of “Frank Sinatra in Las Vegas”.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>\"2001<\/a>It was not one of the best images of Sinatra.\u00a0 Here he appears squat with a big head.\u00a0 The write up on the box wasn’t any better than the image:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Join Frank in Las Vegas as he casually flips a poker chip and offers one of his signature songs, \u201cLuck Be A Lady, Tonight!\u201d\u00a0 During the early sixties, Frank Sinatra and a small group of entertainers known as The Rat Pack held court night after night at The Sands Hotel in Vegas.\u00a0 Their actions and antics made news as they headlined and reigned over the entertainment industry.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Frank, Dean, Sammy, and Peter (Sinatra, Martin, Davis and Lawford to be specific), the names on the marquee, never referred to themselves as The Rat Pack.\u00a0 They were The Summit.\u00a0 The description even neglects to mention Joey Bishop!\u00a0 When it comes to the song played by the ornament, it was incorrectly identified in the description and is simply known as “Luck Be A Lady”.<\/span><\/strong><\/strong>
\n<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/www.falseducks.com\/theblahg\/audiofiles\/2001.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 On to 2002 <\/span><\/strong><\/strong>and we have The Voice back in the studio.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>T<\/span><\/strong>he image is a little better one of Sinatra.\u00a0 At least he has his signature fedora.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>\"2002\"<\/a><\/strong>The write up on the box, for the first time, mentions the song the ornament will play:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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The world will never forget the wonderful voice and the unique style of Frank Sinatra.\u00a0 He appears here, as a Carlton Heirloom Collection ornament, in a miniature recording studio complete with microphone and silhouetted musicians, poised to do what he does best — sing!\u00a0 <\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Press the button on the bottom of the ornament and hear old blue eyes belt out “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.”<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Not only does Sinatra have his signature fedora, he’s singing one of his signature songs, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”.<\/span><\/strong><\/strong>
\n<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/www.falseducks.com\/theblahg\/audiofiles\/2002.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The 2003 ornament finds Sinatra in another city that has been so closely associated with <\/span><\/strong><\/strong>him.\u00a0 This time he’s in New York!<\/span><\/strong><\/strong> <\/a><\/strong>\"2003<\/a><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Against a backdrop of famous New York City landmarks, legendary crooner Frank Sinatra sings his 1980 hit, \u201cNew York, New York.\u201d\u00a0 This ornament will be sure to add a special touch of Broadway glitz to your tree this holiday season.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The image is a little young here for Sinatra, or half a Sinatra as the case may be, because he didn’t record “New York, New York” until 1979 when he was almost 64 years old.\u00a0 Still it’s a nice looking ornament and a great but abbreviated song.<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/www.falseducks.com\/theblahg\/audiofiles\/2003.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Back in 2004 it was back to a full sized Sinatra.\u00a0 This is the only ornament to depict Sinatra in a white tuxedo jacket.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/strong>\"2004<\/a>The Sinatra portrayed here reminds me of the Sinatra swaggering through the role of Joe E. Lewis in the film “The Joker is Wild.”\u00a0 Presented with the title “Ol’ Blue Eyes” the description on the box reads:<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

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No one sings a love song quite like Frank Sinatra, and this illuminated ornament captures the romance and grace of the crooner\u2019s famous vocal stylings.\u00a0 Known simply as \u201cThe Voice,\u201d Sinatra performs a delightful rendition of his hit song \u201cFly Me to the Moon\u201d and this swingin\u2019 ornament is sure to make any Sinatra fan\u2019s Christmas the brightest one yet!<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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This is one of only two ornaments that ‘illuminate’.\u00a0 The clear plastic backdrop lights up along the bottom of the ornament while Sinatra swings “Fly Me To The Moon”. <\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>
\n<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/www.falseducks.com\/theblahg\/audiofiles\/2004.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>2005 brought us another illuminated Carlton Sinatra ornament.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>\"2005<\/a><\/strong>This time it’s the 50s Young At Heart Sinatra in a romantic mood next to a lamppost that lights as he sings. \u00a0 Notice the silhouette of the lovers who are probably dancing to a Sinatra song.<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

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“Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you, if you’re young at heart.”\u00a0 The sweet lyrics to “Young at Heart” were first heard as the title song for the movie by the same name, where Sinatra played the part of cynical Barney Sloan.\u00a0 <\/span><\/em><\/strong>Second in the <\/em>By The Light of the Moon<\/span> series, this ornament features a suave Sinatra leaning against a street lamp that glows when he sings.\u00a0 With Frank’s dreamy voice center stage, romance is definitely in the air!<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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If you haven’t seen the movie “Young At Heart” you are missing out on a great film starring Sinatra & Doris Day.\u00a0 It would be the only movie they would make together and the only one you’re likely to see open with the lush voice of Sinatra singing the title song. <\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>
\n<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/www.falseducks.com\/theblahg\/audiofiles\/2005.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

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\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sinatra is back with his swagger in 2006 with a trench-coat draped over his shoulder and his hat cocked at an angle.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/a><\/strong>\"2006<\/a>Now it’s the “Night and Day Sinatra” singing under the sun, the moon, and the stars.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Although it’s a pose similar to some of his iconic record covers, the face sculpture reminds me more of Bing Crosby. <\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Listen to some great lyrics from “Night and Day” by the extraordinary crooner Frank Sinatra in this third ornament in the <\/span><\/em>By The Light of the Moon series.\u00a0 It captures a classic Sinatra pose — that familiar glance, a tip of the hat and a coat slug over his shoulder.\u00a0 He’s on top of the world and knows exactly what he wants — night and day.<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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The description sums it up best.\u00a0 Sinatra was a swinger and so is the song: <\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>
\n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\nhttp:\/\/www.falseducks.com\/theblahg\/audiofiles\/2006.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>\"2007<\/a><\/strong><\/strong> Frank Sinatra made a return engagement to the Hollywood Bowl in 2007 in the form of a recycled Carlton Ornament.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/a>The 2007 Ornament was an exact replica of the 1999 edition but where that one had a red base, this one is blue.\u00a0 The only other significant difference is in the song that is played when you press the button.\u00a0 This time around it’s “All of Me”:<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nhttp:\/\/www.falseducks.com\/theblahg\/audiofiles\/2007.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

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The ornament is the exact same size as the one issued in 1999 but the packaging is smaller and there would be no further write up on the box this year or in subsequent years.<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/a><\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>
\n\"2008 <\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 In 2008 we see the reappearance of a half Sinatra although much bigger than the 2003 New York version.\u00a0 Here we have the young Frankie of the Bobby Sox years.\u00a0 Not only is it a half size Sinatra but the rich voice of Sinatra has been replaced with an instrumental version of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”:<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>
\n<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/www.falseducks.com\/theblahg\/audiofiles\/2008.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

The ornament is a fairly decent likeness of the young Sinatra but the bold colours of his jacket and tie are a little off-putting<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>.<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"2009\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>There was no ornament in 2009 put out by Carlton Cards or American Greetings.\u00a0 Instead, Hallmark would bring out their own ornament for Christmas that bore the likeness of a festive tree and not Sinatra himself.\u00a0 The only reason this ornament is considered a Sinatra related item is that it does play a snippet of Sinatra\u2019s version of \u201cHave Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nhttp:\/\/www.falseducks.com\/theblahg\/audiofiles\/2009.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>
\n\"2010<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In 2010 Sinatra made his return to Carlton Cards.\u00a0 The ornament that year was an elegantly dressed Sinatra in a black tuxedo.\u00a0 I\u2019m not sure why Carlton Cards failed to issue an ornament in 2009 but I was glad to see the 2010 ornament bring Sinatra back with style and his own voice.\u00a0 No instrumental this year.\u00a0 It\u2019s Sinatra himself and like the year for this ornament, \u201cIt Was A Very Good Year.”<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nhttp:\/\/www.falseducks.com\/theblahg\/audiofiles\/2010.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

<\/p>\n

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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So now this brings us to 2011 and the mystery of the 2011 Carlton Cards Sinatra Ornament.\u00a0 In the fall of 2011, my local Carlton Cards store began to stock displays for the 2011 line of Christmas ornaments.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>\"2011<\/a>There was a nice place card picture for the 2011 Sinatra ornament that showed Sinatra rushing about with his Christmas packages.\u00a0 The image was familiar to me as the same image appears on the cover of Sinatra’s classic Capitol album “A Jolly Christmas”.\u00a0 Needless to say I was excited about adding this ornament to my collection<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I always wait until nearer to Christmas or Boxing Day so I can pick up the ornament for less than the full cost.\u00a0 In Canada the ornaments usually run between $35 and $40 so a savings of 50% to 75% always inspires me to wait.\u00a0 On Boxing Day my wife ventured out to buy the ornament but found that there were none in stock.\u00a0 I was disappointed but I thought I would try another Carlton Cards store near Toronto.\u00a0 No luck there either.\u00a0 I couldn’t believe the ornament was sold out.\u00a0 I knew I’d have to bite the bullet and try ordering it at full price from an online source.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carlton Cards and American Greetings do not sell these ornaments through their websites and the Canadian version of Amazon does not stock them either.\u00a0 I looked to Ebay and found a couple that were going for more than twice the retail value.\u00a0 When I checked the description posted by the sellers, they both noted that the ornament was rare because it had been recalled.\u00a0 I was not aware of any recall.\u00a0 I just assumed the Carlton Cards stores that I had visited had sold all of their stock.\u00a0 I emailed a few Sinatra collectors that I know and they were lucky to have purchased theirs in the fall of 2011 in the United States and knew nothing of a recall either.\u00a0 I went back to my local Carlton Cards store and inquired about the ornament.\u00a0 The Manager was very nice and she informed me that she didn’t know about a recall but that she had never received any stock of the Sinatra 2011 ornament.\u00a0 She referred me to American Greetings and their online site for further inquiries.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I will cut this short by telling you that I have received two different responses from American Greetings.\u00a0 The first came from someone in Public Relations:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>All of the Sinatra ornaments were pulled from retail locations, due to a production error with the piece. Unfortunately there won’t be a Sinatra Ornament available for consumers from the 2011 program.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The second response was from Consumer Relations:<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The 2011 Frank Sinatra Heirloom Ornament was recalled by the licensor because they were not happy with the final product. The ornament is not available for purchase from American Greetings or any of its retailers because of the recall. The ornament may be available for purchase from private owners as there were some sold before the recall. You’ll need to check the auctions web sites such as EBay or Amazon to determine the availability.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The same company and two very similar responses.\u00a0 Something was wrong with the product and they were not happy with the final product.\u00a0 I have received emails from other Sinatra collectors who have the ornament and they find no flaw in the product.\u00a0 I don’t own one, although I desperately want one, so I cannot comment on the product itself.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 There was a video circulating of someone who had one and the ornament looked fine to me although Sinatra’s skin tone appears a little dark:<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

\nhttp:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/videofiles\/2011ornament.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So what’s the mystery?\u00a0 I don’t know.\u00a0 Is it a copyright issue related to the image from \u201cA Jolly Christmas\u201d?\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>\"A<\/a>I<\/span><\/strong>f you look at the image on the left of the cover, it is identical to the design of the 2011 ornament.\u00a0 Is it a musical copyright issue?\u00a0 The same version of \u201cHave Yourself A Merry Little Christmas\u201d that was used for the 2009 Hallmark ornament is reused here in 2011 by Carlton.\u00a0 Again, I don\u2019t know.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure someone at American Greetings knows the answer but they\u2019re not telling.\u00a0 Hopefully we\u2019ll see a 2012 Carlton Cards Sinatra Ornament but, for now, like the proverbial bucket, my collection has hole in it.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Well here it is Friday the 13th, 2012 and I’m almost two weeks late with the first blahg of this year.\u00a0 It\u2019s snowing like crazy here after a day of freezing rain yesterday.\u00a0 Today is as good a day as any to get this topic started.\u00a0 If you read my last blahg of 2011, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[12,9,8,11,10],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6370,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14\/revisions\/6370"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}