A few weeks ago, the world divided into two groups: People addicted to chasing small fictional creatures around cities Luddites (like me) wondering what all the fuss is about. Whichever group you belong to, there’s no denying the incredible success… Read More ›
A couple of years ago, I published a post about the horror movie marathon in which we’re all taking part (here). I hadn’t thought about that post for ages, until I read an article this week entitled ‘How to stay happy when the sky is… Read More ›
I’ve spent a lot of time over the past few decades studying how we design, experience and use spaces. This includes completing a Planning & Design degree that covered everything from contemporary and ancient buildings and gardens to whole suburbs, cities,… Read More ›
It’s Australia Day again (or Straya Day as we say in the local dialect), sparking the inevitable debates about whether this is a day of celebration or shame. We’re also being encouraged to participate in familiar discussions about our national anthem, our flag,… Read More ›
I’ve been feeling quite ashamed of being an Australian lately – especially when I watch documentaries by Simon Reeves and other TV presenters that discuss our country’s past and present treatment of indigenous Australians and refugees. For a country that prides itself on… Read More ›
Among other things, this series of posts aimed to back up the claim that our contemporary Australian dialect, Strine, is one of the world’s most advanced English dialects. (This is Part 3. Parts 1 and 2 are here & here.) It also set out to demonstrate… Read More ›
Note: This is Part 2 of my post about the contemporary Australian dialect (‘Strine’) – one of the world’s most advanced English dialects! Make sure you read Part 1 first – here. The long & short of it To make up for adding extra… Read More ›
I recently stumbled upon an interesting site (www.convictcreations.com) claiming that the contemporary Australian dialect (‘Strine’) is “one of the world’s most advanced English dialects.” The author went on to explain that speakers of Strine can understand kiwis (New Zealanders), poms (Brits), yanks (Americans – no matter which… Read More ›
The other day I ordered ‘Fuh’ in a vietnamese restaurant. As delicious as it was, I struggled to eat this broth (full of beef slices, noodles, bean shoots and thai basil) with only a spoon and a pair of chopsticks. It suddenly… Read More ›
Most people who have studied art or tried their hand at life drawing in the past 500 years or so will probably have learnt about perspective (the optical illusion that causes objects close to us to appear larger than those… Read More ›
Humans have a fascinating tendency to see faces in random things, such as clouds. This phenomenon is called ‘paleidolia’. We do the same with cars – and often ascribe personality traits to these inanimate objects based on their front end features. “Even if people don’t… Read More ›
For fans of ‘Charlotte’s Web’, imagine if Wilbur (the pig) had instead watched Charlotte (the spider) being taken away to be slaughtered and eaten? Would animal welfare groups such as PETA and the RSPCA have objected and fought for spiders’ rights… Read More ›
My last post (here) explained that millions of bogong moths pass through Canberra each spring. The moths fly at night and become confused by the city’s lights that make them think that the sun is rising. As a result, the… Read More ›
Moths, grubs, ants and other insects were important sources of energy for indigenous Australians whose traditional bush tucker diet was high in carbohydrates, protein and nutrients, and relatively low in fat and sugars. Witchetty grubs, for example, were a staple… Read More ›
Apart from macadamia nuts, most people (including many Australians) know very little about Aussie bush tucker – despite the fact that we have an amazing variety of edible plants, such as lilly pilly, quandong, wattle seed and lemon myrtle, on… Read More ›
I consider myself fortunate to have learnt English as my ‘parent tongue’ – but it can make you very lazy when when most of what you look for on the Internet is published in English and so many other people… Read More ›
We should not underestimate the potential for sound to affect us both psychologically and physiologically. Sounds can soothe us, inspire us or stress us out. They can also evoke memories and emotions – in the same way as sights and smells…. Read More ›
I had assumed that some sculptures at my local shops were dung beetles (amazing insects featured in an earlier post) – but the artist’s website says they are Christmas beetles. The beetles are accompanied by other sculptures of sheep and a sheep dog, hardwood poles decorated… Read More ›
A good friend of mine, Brendo, donates his time each December to spread Christmas cheer and glad tidings across the region. He bolts an armchair and two dining room chairs to the tray of a ute, dons his Santa suit,… Read More ›
I was amused when a friend gave me a snow dome as a souvenir from Broken Hill years ago. I have never been there myself but I doubted whether it had ever snowed in the ‘Capital of the Outback’. This… Read More ›
What did I just say? A few days ago I found myself saying that Nelson Mandela had ‘had a good innings’ (referring to his remarkable 95 years.) Soon after, I commented that someone was ‘on the back foot’ (even though this… Read More ›
On reading a post about political correctness this morning, I felt compelled to share a fabulous PC version of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ – Australia’s national song – performed by Shortis & Simpson. For a more traditional version, I recommend true blue Aussie Slim Dusty’s version… Read More ›
There are reports this week that DNA analysis has identified a genetic match between two ‘yeti hair’ samples from the Western Himalayas and Bhutan and the jawbone of an ancient Nordic polar bear.* This follows hot on the heels of discoveries involving… Read More ›
I was very disappointed when I found out what people meant by ‘Google glasses’. I had imagined it to be a conceptual term that cleverly described the Internet’s impact on the way we see the world. Sort of like ‘beer… Read More ›
Sustainability soapbox 