Bruce Smith of Bundeena can provide further context on the mouthy New York cabbie mentioned by our friend Susan Young (C8). The recipient of the hack’s “Here, we can read” aside was “our erstwhile minister for foreign affairs (then known as minister for external affairs), H. V. (Doc) Evatt, who was in New York working on the establishment of the United Nations”. Should have told him such comments are UN-Australian.
And Janice Creenaune of Austinmer has more on American money (C8): “While travelling in Manhattan last year, we stumped a young checkout lady in the West Village by tapping our card. Though the facility was clearly labelled, nobody had used it before then. She encouraged us to do it again, just to show her how it worked.”
“Regarding Mazda Capellas and Hyundai Sonatas (C8), years ago I briefly owned a Lada Symphony,” reveals Paul Parramore of Sawtell. “It made a terrible racket and is not to be confused with Brahms’ Symphony No. 3, once described by Sybil Fawlty as ‘that racket’.”
Trevor Hamblen of Gerroa has more on what he calls “old cars with poor reputations” and says, “Years ago, my old Ford Cortina broke down, so I called the NRMA. After checking the engine for some time, I said to the officer, ‘What’s wrong?’ He looked at me and said, ‘It’s a [insert expletive] Ford Cortina,’ as if no other explanation were necessary.”
The royals are off the leash, according to Paul Taylor of Winston Hills: “I read with interest of the sheepdog trials during King Charles’ visit to Parramatta Park. There was no mention of a royal pardon for any guilty canines, though.”
If money-making schemes involving cicada wings (C8) failed to take off, Geoff Carey of Pagewood writes that “another more valuable insect in the 1960s and ’70s was the Argentine ant – $10 was the reward for being the first in your area to find a nest. The program featured Trapper Tom (Barry Crocker) encouraging children to visit their local council to get a ‘licence’, magnifying glass and a tube to capture these pests. Alas, for me no nest was discovered, but enough mischief was found engaging the magnifying glass with the sun to make the project worthwhile.”
“Maybe Column 8 editors should consider more contributions from women,” suggests Victoria Harrington of Thirroul. “As it is, a picture of Grandad at the top would be more appropriate.”
Column8@smh.com.au
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