Quote for the Day

Australia 1950-1965, continued

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Continuing the series on Oz 1950-1965, with additional comments by moi.

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The Dunny Man. 

 A respected worker, he got a couple of large bottles of beer from most households at Christmas.

Additional comments and pics:

Younger readers will not know the experience of using an outside toilet at night, as many of us older readers did as kids . . . walking over wet grass in bare feet, squashing snails and stepping on slugs, holding open the door to use the available moonlight, the heady aroma . . .thank god those days are gone!

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Eveleigh Rail workshops. Redfern, Sydney. 1953.

Additional comment:

The Eveleigh Railway Workshops is a heritage-listed former New South Wales Government Railways yards and railway workshops and now venue hire, public housing and technology park located at Great Southern and Western railway, Redfern, Sydney, New South Wales.

The property is owned by RailCorp, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.  The workshops are considered to have world heritage significance by curators of the Smithsonian Institution.

A brand new 5801 on display at Eveleigh Railway Workshops,surrounded by rail workshop staff who built it on 20 January 1950.Twenty five were planned but only 13 of the D58 class were built.

Eveleigh Railway Workshops, undated

Eveleigh Locomotive Workshops, circa 1889

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“Gelignite” Jack Murray. Winner of the Redex Round Australia Reliability Trial in 1954.  He used to raise the excitement levels in outback towns by throwing lighted sticks of gelignite out of the car’s window as he approached the outskirts.

He considered gelignite in the open as harmless as fire crackers – the police did not agree.

Additional comment:

From:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-19/jack-murray-doing-donuts-at-uluru/8724194

The son of legendary Australian motorsport competitor 'Gelignite' Jack Murray is paying tribute to his late father through a new book.  

In an era pre-dating television and social media, Gelignite Jack, originally from Melbourne, demonstrated an early knack for capturing national headlines with his daring ability behind the wheel of early rally cars.  

The 'gelignite' nickname originated from Murray's pragmatic approach to clearing the rally route of blockages in the 1954 Redex Trial. "Back in the 1950s the thought of driving around Australia was unheard of, and they were concerned that there would be blockages on narrow roads of trees and so forth," Phil Murray said. Gelignite Jack's navigator, a construction expert, suggested they take along some gelignite for quick removal. "This never occurred, but after all who's going to cart three boxes of gelignite around the country without letting off a stick or two?" Mr Murray said. "So people started enjoying that, asked for it, and that's how the name started and stuck."  

Whether or not the pair used gelignite may be another matter. The Canberra Times reported in July 1954 that police questioned Mr Murray and his co-driver Bill Murray "concerning a mysterious explosion en route to Melbourne", but the pair denied have any "gelly" in the car.  

Murray is quick to point out that his father's exploits were from a different age, and what was considered fun and hi-jinx in the 1950s may not be considered politically correct these days. "Sensibilities have changed and we've become more culturally aware, and the world has moved on," he said.

And speaking of what may not be politically correct today, the above article is accompanied ny the following pic and comment:

It would be banned these days, but in the 1950s Jack Murray does donuts at Uluru.

For the benefit of overseas readers and locals who may be unaware, Uluru is considered by indigenous Australians to be a sacred site.  Control of Uluru has been vested in an indigenous council which has determined that climbing of the rock is to cease in October 2019, with all posts, chains etc to be removed.  It is noted that climbers have left rubbish, urinated and defecated on it and even carved their names into it. The coming ban has seen mass climbing take place.

I am not aware of people recently performing donuts at its base.

Quote for the Day

Funny Friday

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 . . . and here it is, readers, Friday.  So take a moment to grab a coffee, sit back, read and don't be afraid to laugh, it really is the best medicine. 

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Henry Cohen's parents, were not happy that he was not married by the age of 30.  He wanted to please his parents but maintained that he simply hadn't met any nice girls. Finally, largely out of desperation, he married a goyish prostitute.

His new wife's friends worried because she had stopped showing up at her regular street corner. But then one evening she appeared, in lovely and stylish new clothing and fancy jewellery. Naturally, the friends were curious, and so she told them how she had married a nice Jewish boy.

"What about his parents?" they asked. She answered, "They love me. After Henry told them about us, they had a party every evening for a week. They call it Shiva."

(Shiva: 

Shiva (Hebrew: literally "seven") is the week-long mourning period in Judaism for first-degree relatives. The ritual is referred to as "sitting shiva." Traditionally, there are five stages of mourning in Judaism. Shiva is considered the third stage, and lasts for seven days.)

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Four Catholic ladies were having coffee. 

The first Catholic woman tells her friends "My son is a priest.  When he walks into a room, everyone calls him 'Father'."

The second Catholic woman chirps, "My son is a bishop. Whenever he walks into a room, the people call him 'Your Grace'."

This third Catholic crone says, "My son is a cardinal. Whenever he walks into a room, people say 'Your Eminence'."

Since the fourth Catholic woman sips her coffee in silence, the first three women give her this subtle  "Well...?"

And she said "My son is a gorgeous, 6' 2" hard bodied stripper.   When he walks into a room, people say, ‘Oh, my God....’ "

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This item has, unfortunately, gone past its ‘use by’ date but remains amusing if one thinks of it dating from the 1970’s . . .

This from a United Airlines pilot quoted in, "The Friendly Skies", a company newsletter.

The German controllers at Frankfurt Airport are infamous for being a short tempered lot. They not only expect you to know your parking location, but also how to get there without any assistance from them.

So it was with some amusement that we (United 747) listened to the following exchange between Frankfurt ground control and the pilot of a British Airways 747 (callsign Speedbird 206).

Speedbird: "Good morning Frankfurt, Speedbird 206, clear of the active."

Ground: "Guten morgen, taxi to your gate."

The BA 747 pulls onto the main taxiway and stops.

Ground (brusquely): "Speedbird, do you not know where you are going?"

Speedbird: "Standby ground, I’m looking up the gate location now."

Ground (with typical German impatience): "Speedbird 206, have you never been to Frankfurt before?"

Speedbird (coolly): "Yes, several times in 1944, but I didn’t stop."

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There is a similar version dealing with France:

An old man is at passport control in Paris.

He is going through his bag for his passport. The woman on passport control asks him 'Have you visited France before?'

'Yes' replied the old man.

Sarcastically she responds 'Well surely you should know to have your passport ready...' to which he answers 'I didn't have to show it last time.'

'Impossible!!' she bellowed.

The old man looks her straight in the eye and says 'Last time, when I landed on D Day in 1944, I couldn't find a fucking Frenchman to give it to'.

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. . . and, to show that we in Oz are not above poking a bit of fun at ourselves, here is one that harks back to Oz being settled as a penal colony for Britain       . . .

A Brit lands in Sydney, and is waiting at passport control. His turn comes and he steps to the agent.

The agent asks his name, and the Brit gives it.

The agent asks his occupation, and the Brit gives it.

The agent asks "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?"

The Brit responds "Right, so that's still a requirement?"

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Limerick of the week (and also From the vault): 

From the crypt of Justin St Giles

Came a scream that was heard for miles.

Said the vicar, "Good gracious,

Has Brother Ignatius,

Forgotten the Bishop has piles?"

  

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Corn Corner:

In college I was so broke I couldn’t afford the electricity bill.

 Those were the darkest days of my life.

  

A bloke on a tractor has just driven passed me shouting, "The end of the world is nigh."

It was Farmer Geddon.

My girlfriend was furious when I told her I put ginger in our curry.

She loved that cat.

I've just been blocked by Gary Barlow on twitter.

Whatever I said, whatever I did, I didn't mean it.

DAD: I was just listening to the radio on my way in to town, apparently an actress just killed herself.

MOM: Oh my! Who!?

DAD: Uh, I can't remember... I think her name was Reese something?

MOM: WITHERSPOON!!!!!???????

DAD: No, it was with a knife...

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Thought for the Day

When God Shows Off - Part 1

Wondering what to post today, I recalled that a few days earlier I had received emails from both Vince C and Leo M enclosing a collection of nature photgraphs with the title “When God shows off”.  Thanks, guys.

If anyone has seen the sci-fi film Hardware (I love it), they may recall that it is set in a post nuclear apocalyptic world. At one point the radio announcer, Angry Bob, refers to the colours in the sky and declares “Nature never knew colours like this.”

To prove Angry Bob wrong, have a look at some of the following. . .

Part 2 to come.