Stuff the British Stole

I wrote this subject line two nights ago after watching the brilliant Marc Fennell's tv show. He is a consummate tv presenter, radio broadcaster and podcast presenter for SBS TV,  ABC TV and ABC Radio. 

But let us go back further to when our beloved Queen died. Well, loved my millions, if not all. A friend with Indian heritage sent me this picture. It is something I intended using on my blog at some point.

That is what Fennell's latest tv programme Stuff the British Stole focused upon. I believe he has already made radio programmes about the same and Marc does have Indian heritage. The first tv episode focused on the Kohinoor Diamond and long after it was 'stolen', its ownership is disputed by many countries. Best it stay in safekeeping in Britain in my opinion. 

In a remarkable coincidence while having coffee after shopping yesterday, Friday morning, who should walk past us and stop at a bench nearby to sort out what he was carrying, but Marc Fennell. I saw him walking towards where we were sitting, but I did not click. R is better at celeb spotting than I am and he saw who it was as Marc paused at the bench for a few minutes. I first got to know of him from ABC Radio National's Download This Show. Most celebs we see are to be noted but I was quite chuffed to see someone who I admire so much.    

TV ads that became lingo Pt I

I suppose young people rarely watch free to air commercial tv and nor do I aside from one evening news broadcast to see the local car crash stories. So they are not exposed to local tv ads it in a way it is shame because some tv ads from the past entered into our almost daily speaking.

"Not happy Jan" was one such phrase used widely. The Yellow Pages was a telephone number directory book for businesses.

"Like liquid into chalk" and "It really does get in", both became widely used after being picked up from a Colgate toothpaste ad. I recall hearing the latter used by gay men in certain circumstances.

The final one is by Madge with "You're soaking in it"; using Palmolive dishwashing liquid as a hand care treatment.

Most Aussies my age will remember these ads but I can see overseas readers rolling their eyes or being puzzled.

The race that troubles a nation

Melbourne Cup is often described as a (horse) race that stops a nation, but given our changing racial demographics, I am not sure this is still the case.

Nevertheless in many ways it is a wonderful day, full of colour and spectacle where all classes of people gather together, unless you are in The Birdcage, a luxury sponsor's marquee or that special car park area. The poshest people even use the train to get to the racecourse. 

The best part was that after the recent flooding in the area, the racecourse suffered no damage as it had built a flood wall which is alleged to have diverted flood waters away from the course to local streets and so flooded homes that had never been flooded before. Nothing in Victoria stands in the way of the gambling industry.

So with a segue, the Highrisers' pretty well broke even on the annual horse betting day. I was up at my usual time of 7 and while not normally showered and dressed until about 10.30, I was ready to go out for a newspaper for the form guide by 9. Yes, it can all be done online and there are many betting apps, but given it is once a year, I can't be bothered with them.

In years past, it was a journey across the road to buy a paper but this year it was two tram stop trip and back. We had thought ahead to buy the betting cards to fill in. I would then walk up the street and turn into the first corner to walk a little further and place our bets at the TAB. Now our nearest TAB is Prahran. We had just missed a tram so we decide to drive. Even so, we arrived after the first race and R's slow start to the day meant significant loss as his chosen horse for Race 1 won with quite odds.

(Later, R lost half his betting outlay and I doubled my outlay)

I have a love hate with horse racing and the Melbourne Cup. Horses die when racing and they have in the Melbourne Cup race. Racing is dangerous for jockeys, with some at times being killed or very badly injured. If it is true that the flood wall at the racecourse meant houses were flooded, that is appalling. 

Some of you may remember former blogger Brownie. Today on FB she posted a photo of herself at Melbourne Cup very many years ago. To the post she added some text from the book Sht Towns of Australia, referring to Melbourne Cup. Have a laugh, but humour can be close to truth.

Australasia’s pre-eminent public horse-abuse holiday, the Melbourne Cup is the only iconic sporting event where you can eat the losers. Internationally renowned as ‘the race that stops a nation’, the trophy has been won by a slew of famous nags such as Phar Lap, Makybe Diva and a donkey on meth. Most of the horses are owned by truly objectionable people like minor royals, oil sheikhs and property developers.

Despite its pretension towards sophistication, horseracing is basically bullfights for the bourgeois, an excuse for suburbanites to dress a bit fancy and watch a midget flog half a tonne of future dog roll while losing a week’s wages on a poorly constructed trifecta. The Melbourne Cup is traditionally marked with a massive orgy of public spewing and fighting, something it shares with other national holidays such as Australia Day and Russell Crowe’s birthday. Post-race news coverage is dominated by footage of shitfaced tradies collapsing into hedges and ruining their best court suits, as well as half-cut slags fishing piss-soaked fascinators out of the gutter. It’s the race that stops a nation’s brains working.

Little M's visit

We returned eight year old Little M has home as of Monday afternoon. We took her out and did heaps of stuffs. It is not good that she spent hours of screen time on her tablet in our spare room but her screen did make her visit easier. Sunday night we took her for dinner to the Elsternwick Hotel, or as we said, the pub. The questions never stopped. "You stay in a hotel and you have food and drinks in a pub. Why are they the same thing?". The questions just go on and on. It is mentally exhausting.

I sent her mother this when we returned home.    

M: That combined shampoo conditioner was not good but the conditioner we used tonight meant my hair wasn't tangled. (After swims in the pool)

Me: Yes, you know how Jo's hair is curly. We used to buy No More Tangles for her hair. My hair is curly if it is long. M: But you don't have much hair. Why? Me: Because I am old and some men lose their hair when they are old. Even some men lose their hair when young, like N. M: Who is N? Me: N and B, you know. M: B has a new baby. How old to you have to be to have to be to have a baby? Me: Maybe 14.

M: How can I not have a baby when I am young? Me: You should ask your Mum and Dad. M: I tell you everything about me. Why can't you tell me. Me: It is complicated and very personal. M: It would be so easy for you to tell me. Me: No, it's a personal conversation you need to have with your mother and father. We were trying not to laugh and somewhat relieved to be asked the next question, "What does that yellow sign on your carpark gate mean?" I tell you what (Oldest Niece), if she remembers half of the answers to her many questions, M will be very learned about many things.

Next weekend we have the Saturday night company of the twin boys who will stay overnight along with their grandmother, Ex Sis in Law. R can look after one baby but not two on his own. I don't do hands on but I am good at behind the front stuffs. The boys aren't up to talking yet, so no questions.

What the ???

I wasn't the only person who stopped in their tracks to look at this car. I don't believe I've seen one before and I doubt that they were sold new here, so I expect it is a private import. Maybe the Japanese Ambassador to Australia was chauffeured around in this car. 

The name is as you can see is  Century, more specifically a Toyota Century. I think this is the Luxury Limousine model. Its appearance has barely altered since its inception in the 1960s and is the preferred motor car for the Japanese Royal Family. Ownership is clearly a status symbol, probably of the kind a Bentley owner would desire. Before strong air pollution controls were enacted there was even a V12 engine available. 

While it does look quite flash, it also looks very dated. The options such climate control air conditioning and central locking were offered long before we had ever heard about them. You can buy a used 2014 model in Australia for AU$23,000, US$15,000,  €15,000, GB£13,000.

The grille looks a little Mercedes like. 

How very camp!

Sunday Selections

I am joining with Elephant's Child and River for Sunday Selections. As usual, just random photos.

Eight year old great niece Little M is staying for a couple of nights so we are rather busy. R is a great carer. Me, not so much. Her mother posted a photo of herself on FB with five year old Little Em, watching a movie together. I replied, Where is Little M and did you say she could stay up until 10 pm? Then later, did mummy say 'Never say no to Little M'. Daddy is in LA for some motor car show.

On to selections.  

Luvvy, your shoes don't match.

Fallen out of someone's shopping bag perhaps.

The tightest curve on the Melbourne train system, near Rushall Station. 

Why? Because long trucks cut the corner because of bad road design. 

This is so simple. Pedestrians on a footpath should not have to look out for truck trailers. Footpath is exactly that and you should be safe. Yes, people have been injured by turning trucks.

Electric boats on Yarra River for hire. I think about $120 an hour. More if you want a chiller box for beer or wine. It is not too much money if there are four of you. 

There doesn't seem to be space for the driver.

People used to gas themselves to death with domestic gas ovens. Now they can do it with diesel fumes at So Cross Station, Spencer Street Station, Southern Cross Station. Steam trains used to belt out smoke, earlier diesel trains pumped out black fumes and stations were well ventilated. Was early experience of ventilating stations lost along the way?

I just thought this was an ok erect penis building photo.

You have no idea how this china glittered in the sunlight. The sunlight shining in the shop window lit them beautifully but the phone camera did not quite capture what I saw. I think I was in The Block or Royal Arcade.