Column 8
“Joe Moore’s discovery of Braidwood’s Barbed Wireless (C8) brings to mind Casino’s Own Wireless,” says Greg Brash of Jiggi. “COW-FM reminds us of Casino’s status as beef capital of NSW.”
The fallout for Dave Beach over his dictum: “Carbon dioxide is not a pollutant. It is a plant food. Please discuss," (C8) continues. Karl Kruszelnicki of Maroubra thinks: “The BAF (Bulldust Asymmetry Factor, the multiplication factor of words/time needed to correct subtle inaccuracies and imprecision) is about 50-100, for Mr Beach’s comment.” Ian Hamilton of Donbogan adds: “Plants thrive on CO2 but, if they have too much, they grow too fast, providing crops with lower nutrition than normal. Discuss.”
Allan Gibson of Cherrybrook noted an "intriguing tender notice from Port Stephens Council for 'Bushfire Management and Cemetery Maintenance'. While the wording in the notice specifically mentions ‘Bushfire Management’ there is no reference to ‘Cemetery Maintenance’. Perhaps they are concerned about funeral pyres getting out of control."
Terry O'Brien of North Parramatta writes: "Garth Clarke's 'stopped' Manly ferry yarn (C8) brought back a memory as a 10-year-old in company with a non-swimming younger brother, on the deck of a stationary ferry gently rolling in the swell on the Manly side of the open submarine net, as the first of a number of depth charges dropped by a PT boat (followed by a frigate) erupted on the harbour side of the net gap and the giant sledgehammer blow on the ferry hull directly below our feet, wondering how I was going to swim all the way to Watson's Bay with said brother clinging to my neck in the likely event of the ferry sinking. The two naval vessels rushed past, dropping further charges as they disappeared out to sea."
The Manly Ferry musicians also prompted memories. Ron Besdansky of Northbridge says they were still playing when he started travelling on the ferries as a six-year-old in 1955. "One played the piano and the other played a saxophone or went around collecting tips in a wooden box." Peter Clarke of Turramurra adds: "My favourite was their jazzy version of Waltzing Matilda."
The difficulties of starting a new roll of plastic wrap and/or foil (C8) are easily explained by Andrew Leventhal of St Leonards: “It’s clearly because there’s the four of you: George, Mal, Jono and Vic, trying to get into the one box of foil or wrap. Too many hands doth spoil the wrap.”