Modern Family Oprehy

I watch Modern Family on tv. There is little else on tv at the same time on Sunday evening that interests me while I have my pre dinner drink. It make me laugh at times. Initially I thought it was a play on stereotypes. Then I thought it is just making us laugh at stereotypes. Now, I am not so sure. Does it reinforce stereotypes in a way that breaks them down or just makes us more sure of what we already think? What is to become of the mute baby Lily, a child from Vietnam adopted by two gay gays, one an over the top gay and the other very anxty. At least they seem to have stopped losing her, that is forgetting about her. I think I am losing my desire for guys. I find Eva Longoria very attractive and now I like Sofía Vergara. Do either have brothers?

But as I always say, stereotypes happen for good reasons. Who couldn't laugh at old episodes of Mind Your Language or the Kumars at Number 42.

I also watch United States of Tara, mainly because it has a marvellous Australian lead actor in it, but it is quite a good show. Those two are the full extent of my US tv show viewing, but I may just record and watch an episode of Ophra. I need to know how good she is to judge whether the $4 million odd was worth it. I reckon she is better value than paying Tiger Woods a similar amount, or the criminal waste of $43 million on a World Cup football bid, or a similar amount on Melbourne's Grand Pricks.

Yesterday was Melbourne's big Osphra Day. She doesn't seem to do harm. Wonder what she was doing in a baby clothing shop in South Yarra? Is there something she and her girlfriend aren't telling us?

Really I am not the least bit interested in Opra, but I must keep up with modern stuffs, so I shall now go and search out a vid of today's events at Fed Square. Na, na, na, na na na na, na.

First part of post written 31/10.

Eats

I hate working the times I have worked this week, starting about 1.30 with a break for a meal at 5.00 and finishing at 10.30. When do you have your evening meal? Who wants to eat their evening meal at 5pm? I have this week. Here is a sample day.

Coffee at 7. Coffee at 8. Cereal at 9.30. Two slices of toast spread with cholesterol reducing margarine and Vegemite at 11.00. 12.30 a tin of chilli tuna, bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar and a tomato. Coffee at 1.15. 5.00 a flake steak, two potato cakes and a greek salad, without dressing or pepper! 9pm, an apple and two iced Vo Vos. 11pm, two large glasses of wine. Along the way, a litre or so of water.

I think I had enough of the right things, but while I don't have a sweet tooth, I think my diet is too high in sugar.

Cheerful stuff to start your weekend

If there was anything that could do my head in, it would be being guilty of something like this. Her Dad may not be to blame, but to not bash your head on a brick wall until you were unconscious would be difficult. While I can't remember why, a couple of weeks ago I became very alert to the fact that I need to be careful when reversing in out carpark for this very reason. Post surgery I was using mirrors when reversing, but I can now turn around and see behind me. Story from The Age. I expect distraught might be an understatement.

A toddler has died after she was run over in the driveway of her family home in Victoria’s north this morning.

Police say the 18-month-old girl’s father was reversing down his driveway in Euroa when he struck the child just before 10am.

The girl’s distraught parents called triple-0, however paramedics were unable to revive the girl, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sergeant Ashley Mason said the father had been out in the morning and stopped in at his Mansfield Road home for a short visit.

The tragic accident occurred as he was pulling out again.

‘‘The family is absolutely distraught, as you can imagine,’’ Sergeant Mason said.

The Benalla Highway Patrol will investigate the circumstances of the collision, including how the child came to be behind the vehicle.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Revolting

Banks, financial institutions and governments almost caused a collapse of the world economy. Not that they are paying. Your average Tom, Dick and Harriet must pay with cuts to government spending, reduced pensions etc etc. It is an absolute disgrace that it was allowed to happen. Pity Wikileaks wasn't around a bit earlier to expose what was happening behind the scenes.

Argh, it just makes me angry, so forgive me for not feeling sympathy for those who ride around in Bentleys and get pelted with paint by protesting students who are seeing a trippling of their university fees. I wish the Irish, who are among the worst affected, would get off their bums and take a bit of action.

Pic from The Guardian

The Hum Drum

You get plenty of hum drum daily life stuff from me don't you? I can write more if you like? No chorus of yes please? No doubt it causes some eye rolling for some, but you know, I like reading blogs that talk about the personal. Is it a modern version of a one sided over the side fence chat with a neighbour? No, of course not. Even in a carelessly written blog like mine, you only read what I want you to know. I haz me secrets. Thinking more, I suppose you would only tell your neighbour over the fence what you wanted them to hear.

But from reading a blog that is often personal, you do build up a mental picture of the author. I will leave local out of it and just mention a couple of overseas blogs I have been reading for a long long time. Living in foreign countries as an import fascinates me. Our friend in Japan is one such person. Boy, could she have written an interesting blog.

Walt and Ken are Americans living in a small village in France. They don't write about nuclear disarmament, just about their lives. Long ago I learnt that stereotypical Americans do exist, but I also learnt that the majority are not stereotypical. Apart from Ken's and Walt's adding Farenheight temperatures to their posts, they could be from anywhere in the English speaking world, yet they live in a non English speaking world.

Scott used to live not too far from my sister when she lived in Murrumbeena here in Melbourne. Now he and his partner live in Liverpool, England. How where and why did that happen and what happened along the way and how well did it work out? I know from what Scott has written, although as I said, you only read what the author wants you to know. I've enjoyed the walk with Scott but I think I will have to live in England to ever get a grip of their ever mysterious boilers.

In the reverse is Pants, who while Australian born, spent much of her life in England and has resettled in Australia. At times she reads like she has moved to a foreign country. From Hackney Wick and the sale of her flat, via India, she arrived to settle in a seaside country town in Victoria and her readers have walked alongside her and mentally transmitted thoughts of encouragement.

One thing for sure, blog reading can be very educational in ways you could never otherwise find.

What you haven't read

My unpublished blog post number has been reduced from a high of 32 ten days ago down to 17, a manageable number. I only deleted one (I was trying to make a point. I will make it another way in the future. Western woman are sluts was misleading to the content of the post and it failed to make the point) and another, not yet published, was severely edited so as not to offend. A couple have sat there for a few years. They may never see the light of day, but I like having them there. I would like to get the number of unpublished down to about 10. Oops, I just looked at a photo and there is another pending post.

While it is obvious that I am a serious blog person, is it a bit weird to have such a backlog? I try to get topical things out there quickly, but other posts can be saved for a polishing and a rainy day.

Assange

This Julian Assange is a bit of a queer fish. What motivates his actions? Public good? I have learnt something I did not know or wasn't wide spread public knowledge already, that is how undiplomatic diplomats can be. I hope Sweden knows what it is doing. It is a generally respected country around the world and has a significant reputation to lose if it is complicit in the pursuit of Assange without good reason.

My opinion of Assange and what he is doing was quite ambivalent, that is until the 'forces' kicked into action. Our PM Gillard against him. The English justice system working at lightning speed. Not being bailed for a less than convincing charge in a foreign country. Now the big corporations are distancing themselves or cutting any connection with Assange. Goodness, the US right want him 'done in'.

Consequently my opinion has now firmed and I would say I am supporter of Assange. If so many powerful people and corporations are 'hunting him down', then what he is doing must be good for the world.

PS I had this scheduled to post this afternoon, but suddenly the blog world seems to have gone viral on Assange, so I bring it forward by a few hours. If you want to know more about the details of what happened in Sweden, check out Ann O'Dyne's piece.

Broady Boy

Does Eddie Everywhere, the omnipresent Eddie McGuire, come from Broadmeadows? I think I heard he does, so that is one famous son at least. How can I describe Broadmeadows without being offensive? Ok, it is not really a high high income area. It does have some high social stats but not ones suburbs should really aim for.

But suburbs can be complex beasts. Even so, I was surprised to hear male model Andrej Pejic came from Broady. He probably does not consider himself a Broady Boy in the conventional sense. I saw a photo somewhere of him yesterday and decided to learn a little more about him. If he is or is going to be world famous, I need to know about him. I had a sense I had seen him before somewhere but missed the information that he was Australian.

While I don't mind a bit of androgyny it is not something I normally pursue on the internet. But I correctly guessed where I might have seen Andrej before. Of course he was here at the Beauty Hunter. I hope he just sticks with his look and does not go further. Men trying to be women are as common as a locust flying in your open door. Now, where is the Mortein.

Photo from F Tape, The Model Wall.

Kaboom and then ???

No, I do not subscribe to the Ezine Tramway Monthly, however I did come across this reference about a disaster in Coronation Street. I expect Coros is on UKTV here but to my knowledge it hasn't been on free tv here for many decades. I remember my parents watching it and they then watched an American show called Peyton Place.

At about one minute into the video there is an explosion and just have a look what happens at about 2.30. You can go to the link above and check out how it was made.

Music please Little Jo

Little Jo has acquired a piano and a rather fine one at that. I sat down to play it, hoping some instinct would kick in, but no, not even Mary had a Little lamb. Maybe I could have played something simple if I had some music. I am not even sure about that. I gave my music away, so maybe if I can just find some on the net and print it out.

The piano was Little Jo's great grandfather's, that is Bone Doctor's grandfather. Bone Doctor's parents gave it to them when Sister, BD and Little Jo recently moved into their new house. Even my inexpert ear can tell it has quite a good sound, very pure and sweet.

At this early age, unlike her mother, Little Jo is showing no interest in sport. She is not even keen to throw a ball. She is not much interested in cars, train, boats and planes. She seems to more of the creative type. It will be interesting to observe as she progresses.

Already the questions of started. Andrew, is that tall house taller than your tall house, as we passed by in a tram a very tall building near Dorcas Street. R what is an intercom? His reply was that it was a bit like a telephone. What's a telephone? She knows full well what a telephone is.

We took her to see the Myer christmas windows last weekend. She did not seem as interested in them as last year. Must say, I didn't think they were that interesting to kids. We had good fun inside Myer where she peeled bits of contact paper off a picture a piece at a time and sprinkled coloured sand to make a rather good picture. No, she did not want to see Santa, no she did not want to go on the toy train. She patiently went with us while we did a bit of shopping and had brunch. We bought her a breakfast muffin, no not from the Mc place. She removed the egg, ate the bacon, then the cheese and then the two buns. While we had coffee elsewhere, she had a strawberry milkshake. Don't tell Mummy, we warned her.

Anyway, the piano maker was Albert Fahr, of Zeitz in Germany. With some net searching, they are either worth a lot of money or very little? One interesting thing is that the other pianos I can see online have the word Zeitz below Albert Fahr whereas this one does not but does have The Orchestrelle Co. Melbourne. Now, I understand Orchestrelle was owned by an English company which was in turned owned by the American company Aeolian. The name Orchestrelle came from the name of a self playing reed organ. Now I am not so sure that the piano was made in Germany. Perhaps it was made here under a license to Albert Fahr by Orchestrelle in Australia.

Right, in 1945 the company here was called Aeolian Orchestrelle Co, located next to the Regent Theatre in Collins Street.

Looks like I must pull the piano to pieces to find a date and location of manufacturer.

Mind the Gap

This morning the wireless told me three people have recently slipped down between stationary train carriages and the platform, one a toddler. Why is there a gap for people to fall down? But as there is, why not some good old London Tube style nagging.

Vid of Mind the Gap won't work, so I publish without the vid.


Date Written originally, 22/10/10

Crack

This is just so not good. Worse because there is not obvious reason for it. No detectable building movement. Although the exterior air con unit sits there, it has done so for eight years and never been a problem. The air from the side of it is not that hot anyway. The only thing that has changed is that the windows have been tinted. As I said to R, the crack will get worse, and it has. Our insurers say, not their problem, so I guess Owner's Corporation insurance will pay. Fingers crossed.

Con

I thought Con the Fruiterer was a comedy character, but here he is alive and well working at Prahran Market.

Stairway is not to heaven

I was thinking about our lifts today, because someone else recently wrote about their workplace lifts. I only really have one complaint about ours.

But some waffle before I say what it is. One of our lifts, and I have never ascertained if it is set for one or just random, sits at the ground and the other half way up when things are quiet so that neither lift is never too far away. A building this size should have three lifts, not two. If someone is moving in or out, or a cleaner is cleaning one, there is only one lift operating. Only one lift working can mean a decent wait, but on the plus side, it can be very social having people in a lift where normally you would do a quick get away.

Internally and externally, one lift does not show the unlucky Chinese number 4 but just blank. Pointless when the other one does. Would Chinese residents here really miss a lift because it was the one who showed 4? Mind you, no one with visible Chinese heritage lives on the forth floor, or ever has. The floor seems to be seems to favoured by Indian renters. Generally, renters live on lower floors and owner occupiers on the higher floors. One resident said to me one day, anything above 10 is respectable. It is kinda like that.

At the ground floor the lifts give a good amount of time to enter or exit, but still not enough time for Mother. She is always is so slow to react and busy talking, so the doors start to close on her and she panics. If only she would just enter the lift immediately when the doors open and exit when they open. Funnily, on other floors, one lift gives a minimal amount of time to enter or exit and the other a bit more. Regardless, we both nearly always hit the door close button, which responds immediately.

But yes, the problem. It is not unknown for someone to hold a lift. After maybe sixty seconds, the lift becomes unhappy and an alarm sounds and slowly but quite forcefully tries to close the doors. You can still physically hold it back though. Now, if someone on another floor has requested a lift and the one being held is the appropriate nearby one, then the other won't be sent. Well, it does eventually, after about five minutes. It doesn't happen often, but when you calculate your time to get to work carefully, it can make a big difference. I have done the stairs, but there is an awful lot of them.

So, developers, apartment highrise buildings, even short ones, need three lifts. One will often be out of service for moving or maintenance or other reasons.

Swim baby swim

I don't usually promote private company schemes, but I am shocked that so many kids don't learn to swim. I think we have gone backwards. I knew of no one who could not swim when I was a kid. Even in the country, we were crammed into a bus and carted off to the local pool for swimming. I get very bored when swimming and used to even when I was a kid, but I did manage to get my Herald certificate. I think that is awarded for being able to swim twenty five metres, not really sure now.

Even R's humble school in a northern industrial town in England had its own swimming pool.

The first person I came across who could not swim was our Anglo Indian friend who grew up in Calcutta. Psst, it is ok, he came from the posh part. Park Circus or something like that. Any sing song accent was drummed out of him at school and he spoke beautifully.

Sorry, a bit off track. Our ex policeman/ex NT politician friend is trying to connect Lions club, Rotary and Neighbourhood Watch to expend some funds on swimming classes. I will send him this link as it may of interest to him.

Uncle Tobys, the breakfast cereal manufacturer has put a good bit of money into teaching young people to swim. Personally I think schools should do it. Regardless, here is the link to Uncle Tobys swim programme, in conjunction with the Royal Life Saving Club.