Committee plays the long game
“There is about to be an inquiry into the disastrous floods that decimated the Taree area, and how to lessen the impact next time,” writes Tony Denzel of Bonny Hills. “This could take some time. An ABC Radio report outlined how it would investigate the necessary steps to avoid the impact of the one in five hundred year flood. It’ll be a long wait to see the effectiveness of the inquiry.”
Geoff Bartlett of Port Macquarie writes: “While on a nostalgic journey, take a moment to remember the postie blowing his whistle to let the resident know to visit the letter box, decades ago. Nowadays, I check my box at least twice before realising there is no mail for the day. Why not have a button on the handlebar for the postie to press when doing a delivery? And by the way, why no female posties these days?” On the latter, Granny can certainly advise that the person delivering her mail is female.
“Unfortunately poor old Bill Posters (C8) was caught in a stick up,” laments Peter Collocott of Killarney Vale.
Former Herald snapper Trevor Dallen of Oyster Bay, recalls that “The anti-graffiti signs ‘Bill Posters will be Prosecuted’ posted around the streets of my 1950s was often seen in the cartoons drawn by artist Emile Mercier in The Sun, however his signs would read ‘Post No Gravy’.”
Gail Grogan of Toongabbie has issues with “another language abomination (C8) by a senior NSW Health professional – ‘premise’ when using the singular for a building instead of premises. Two totally different meanings.”
“Aunty ABC was once a beacon of rectitude in correct language and pronunciation,” reminisces Seppo Ranki of Glenhaven. “A news broadcast on 702 radio had a reporter covering the Guthrie abduction pronounce Tucson, Arizona as ‘Tuckson’. Immediately followed by the newsreader saying an Aussie at the Olympics had managed to meddle (he got a bronze).”
“Have you ever had a song stuck in your head that just won’t go away?” asks Nick Bencsik of Hunters Hill, “Well, thanks to my fellow Column 8 correspondents, I now have an entire TV channel’s worth of ad jingles (C8) running through my brain. Please – how do I switch it off?”
Richard Payne of Norfolk Island feels your pain, Nick: “The Sidchrome jingle ‘You canna hand a man a grander spanner’ used to drive me nuts. In the end I just bolted.”
Column8@smh.com.au
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