After a number of pounding tales, we’re going to dismiss the Gough Whitlam thread (C8), but not before Neil Munro of Newport recounts his experience: “As a physio, I had the pleasure/privilege of treating Mr Whitlam. On his first visit as I took notes and history, he didn’t sit down, but walked around the room as if he were still at the bar. On his next visit, I asked ‘how are you Sir?’ and he replied, ‘I am a bit better. You’re not some form of a faith healer, are you?’”
“I wonder why the Macquarie Dictionary’s Word of the Year [C8] is always a word I’ve never seen or heard of before,” muses Don Leayr of Albury. “I also think that, along with the Olympics, the Melbourne Cup and sport in general, they are all designed to provide questions for trivia quizzes.” A glance at last Friday’s Superquiz makes the case for Don.
Jim Dewar of Davistown suspects that “Trump [C8] might well have been involved bigly in the business of the Ark given the rumour of fake gnus on board.” He’s here all week, folks!
Moving on with a superior Donald, Don Bain of Port Macquarie, who says that “For a moment, I thought the headline ‘Turkey pardoned at White House’ might reference the charges dropped against the president-elect.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed Black Friday,” says Jack Dikian of Mosman. “It’s such a pity that Broke Saturday followed soon after.”
Now for a bit of George on George: “George Manojlovic’s cringeworthy pun about stone bench tops [C8] reminded me about the termite who walked into a bar and said: ‘Where is the bar tender?’ ” We thank George Zivkovic of Northmead.
And to add a bit of polish, David Corry of Como West is sure “our PM was only speaking metamorphically, and it’s nothing to get sedimental about”.
“A Mr Greentree has been convicted of illegally clearing native woodland,” notes Judith Campbell of Drummoyne. “You could not make this stuff up.”
Matt Carrigan of St Leonards isn’t sure there is a need to identify all these weasel words (C8): “I was always told you can tell a politician is lying when their lips are moving.” Either way, Rosemary O’Brien of Ashfield thinks an adjustment is required: “Having waited over half a century for an interviewee, politician or celebrity to react with, ‘that’s a very stupid question’, I’ve almost given up.”
Column8@smh.com.au
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