100 year old Photos #24 - Australia - at home, at rest, at play

Green Bags, Can they make you sick?

I’ve written a couple of posts about green bags and one thing I’m not sure about is the claim they the best thing since sliced bread for the environment.

I do want to save the environment, I do what to protect it, I do want to do my bit to save the world. But by stopping the use of plastic carry bags, I think it will create more problems than it solves.

Firstly, many people used to use the plastic carry bags more than once, in fact 2-3 times before they went into land fill, They’d get used for the shopping, then used for lunch, or to carry the dirty/wet clothes from sports, or even to carry something to give to the neighbours and then used as bin liners.

Now to get a bin liner, you need to BUY plastic bags off the shelf. I am the first to admit that I don’t visit, nor do I buy plastic bags, not bin liners, not big black garbage bags. Once every two years I go and buy the BIG orange plastic bags and that is to protect my Christmas Tree for 24 months. Notice I say once every 2 years? – that’s because it’s true. Every time I do have to visit the plastic bag section, I can’t believe the variety of new bags that are available, scented plastic bags, tie top plastic bags, zip lock plastic bags and the choices continue to grow.

Secondly and possibly more importantly, I was listening to Melbourne Radio on Friday and I heard that a major player in the open air markets had stopped the use of plastic bags, great, hey they are doing their bit for the environment. Problem, Plastic is impervious to leakage, impervious to water, hell what goes in has trouble getting out. So blood that manages to seep past the paper is contained in the plastic bag outer layer. Well they are stopping the use of plastic bags in the meat and deli section as a start. Then this morning I read this article Shopping Bags, A Health Risk - Study It made me think twice.

How often does a plastic bag come home from shopping and there has been leakage? Be it blood from meat? Liquid from a purchase? These ‘drips’ then stay on the bag and cross-contaminate the next item contained in the same bag, or the bag across from the one leaking due to contact. Or even the boot of your car. It creeps me out. Don’t get me wrong. I use ‘green’ bags, I use back packs, my son today took 3 plastic bags with him for sport, one for muddy shoes, one for a clean towel and one for his wet soccer ball. These bags will more often than not get re-used for the same purpose, OR as a garbage bag for either the car or the house.

So wash your green bags, make sure that IF there has been a leak, you wash the all the bags from the outing. And even if no leaks, wash the bags once a month, you wouldn’t use the same tea towel for 2 weeks straight without washing would you?

All food for thought and living better, cleaner and healthier than we have done in the past.

My previous posts on green bags and the environment.
Shipping Containers, The New Plastic Bags of the Sea
Recycling and Re-Usable Carry Bags
Antibiotics, Your Health and Your Childrens Health

Even Your Eggs Smile

I saw this at a friends house – I found it corny and really sad. I suppose because I haven’t bought eggs for the past decade or more – I’m not use to seeing my eggs smiling up at me as I smash their heads in.

Was this to try and sway people from eating eggs – you know the caged bird thingy?

Or was it to encourage people to eat more eggs, if you think someone cares enough to smile at you?

Don’t know either way – Personally I’m not sure I care.

All I know is that free-range eggs – if you can afford them – are the absolute best, and even better than shop bought free-range eggs are those from a friends' chickens.

Those ‘free-range’ eggs you can get at many Sunday type markets are often not what they seem, they may look enticing on that bed of straw – BUT often they are barn-laid and then presented as free-range.

Sorry kids – but that is marketing for you. The average ‘backyard’ free range eggs- sell for $4.00-$4.50 per dozen, anymore than that and you are being ripped off.!

100 year old Photos #23 - Onboard the SS Otranto

These photos are taken on board the SS Otranto, The tall gentleman in the pith helmut (in the 2nd photo) is Mr James. (I don't know his first name)

The 3rd photo down is Ethel James, it must have been dress-up day/night on the boat. A common activity I believe.

Either or, the young men on this cruise all seem too dashing for their time ;)

Enjoy

c1910

100 year old Photos #22 - Grampians, VIctoria, Australia

The photo below is of the area of the Grampians in Victoria known as the 'Grand Canyon' c1910 I believe this is the 'Silverband Falls; from above in the Grampians National Park, Victoria, c1910

The photo below is of the area known as the 'Grand Canyon' in the Grampians National Park. 1910c

This photo location is undetermined. Somewhere in Australia. I am assuming either Victoria or NSW, due to previous photos having been taken in the same area, The tree ferns tell me it is an area high in moisture or an area that has created its own micro-climate. Either way typical Australian bushland. c1910

I believe the photo below to also be of the Grampians and the area referred to as the 'Grand Canyon' an area that I have not seen - but something that is now on my to-do-list for thenear future! c1910

100 year old Photos #21 - Grampians, Australia

These photos are of The Grampians, approx c1910. The photo below is in The Grampians and the rock formation is called 'The Nerve Test" You can see why!

This photo is taken from the Pinnacle in The Grampians

You wouldn't be allowed to do this now, there would be an obvious reason for not being permitted!

The photo below is of the area called "The Pinnacle" in the Grampians, Victoria c1910 - the era of clothing indicates very close to or during World War 1.

Food Court Etiquette

8 out of 10 people*, don’t place their rubbish in the bin when visiting food halls in shopping centres. I am appalled that people are so lazy and dirty.

They leave the food, the scraps everything for the cleaners to pick up. I am disgusted that people think so little of others that are there to sweep the floors for the inadvertent spills, have now been turned into slaves to those too lazy to clean up their own mess.

I can’t imagine what the inside of their houses must look like. I can’t imagine what their children must think of this. They probably think it is completely normal to leave your waste for others to clean up.

I must admit I was stunned by the figures. People didn’t even think about placing the discarded packaging, food stuffs on the tray, they just left everything scattered about on the table. They were even too lazy to do that.

Is society so disrespectful and selfish of their surroundings and other people that they think they can do this?

Who will be waiting on the tables in 20 years time? It won’t be those children that walked away today. That would be too low for them. They would rather be on the dole than cleaning up other peoples’ messes. YET………… If they tidied up after themselves, there would be no need for people to clear the tables.

Are you are you a table pig or a bin user?

Would love your thoughts please!

*Witnessed by self over a period of 3 visits to 2 seperate food courts

The Ferals, The fines, The Warrants, The Sherriffs

In 2005, the house up the road went up for sale, the couple who owned it were moving into the township, closer to amenities etc. New neighbours are a little like a lucky dip, you don’t know what you’re getting until you remove the shiny outer layer.

Well we got a winner, all bogan, moccasin wearing, VB swilling, V8 ute manic driving, his and her relationship with 20 years between the eldest child and youngest child. The joys.

At first it was okay – they were as nice as pie, invited us over for the inevitable BBQ’s, which we more often than not declined. These nights involved massive amount of alcohol. Very loud music and the bonus of the smell of burning rubber as they did burn outs in the top of the court.

When the complaints about the burn-outs resulted in police attending – they then took the vehicles paddock bashing. The last ‘bash’ saw a reasonable Toyota Landcruiser on its side in the dam, and left there for the new owners to retrieve, remove and dispose of some 12 months later. 5 years later you can still see the last effort at paddock bashing which went until 4am in the morning, with to the accompaniment of loud music and plenty of loud swearing!

In between all this – new furniture constantly arrived, garages turned into bedrooms, bedrooms, turned into animal cages, obsolete white goods thrown into the backyard, along with busted TV’s, that someone had fallen against last Tuesday and dropped it to the floor.

The neighbours down the road have the unfortunate coincidence of having the same surname as this residence. Phone calls at midnight received from police, your son’s here, intoxicated, needs a lift home. Your dog is at the pound, come and pick him up. I think you get the drift.

Finally murmurs were heard that they were having trouble paying the mortgage. A For sale sign went up. 30 days later the property was sold for a princely sum, well under normal market value. But who cares the neighbours from hell (The Ferals) left – Well we thought they had.

The first knowledge (besides the For Sale sign) that had left was the lack of noise emanating from the premises. It was silent. The house was still fully-furnished, 2 cars in the process of being ‘done-up’ were still in the shed. The beer bottles were still 4ft high against the back of shed.

Peace and tranquility returns to the street, or so we thought.

It’s now 2010 and letters continue to arrive, sheriffs constantly knocking at the door. Phones continue to ring for lost animals. The Ferals have not left the street. The mail is sent back, ‘unknown, return to sender’

The current residents have rung the sheriff’s office, they have been told, we can’t take your word that they no longer reside there. A state dec. will not be considered. If a Sheriffs notice arrives on the 1st of the month, you know that the knock on the door the following 5th of the month, will be the sheriffs. It is never ending. Only last week the neighbours down the road, received a call from the council, the dog was in the pound again.

It is known where they live, yet no authority will take the word of an honest citizen, so the cycle continues.

It is happening all the time, as I was alerted by this post
http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/app-my-state/view-idea-submissions/item/root/not-at-this-address-register.html

What avenues are available to the honest law-abiding citizen? – None that we are aware of.

So much for suspension of registrations etc for non-payment of fines, it’s NOT working. We have first-hand experience.

Third drawer down

You enter the kitchen, you are looking for sticky tape, you know the first drawer is cutlery – you know the 2nd is utensils and you know the 4th is tea towels/plastic bags. You are scared to look in the 3rd drawer. It’s the monster of monsters! This little ditty as immortalised by Jimeon says it all!

In my kitchen, there's a drawer at the top
It's got cutlery, knives, forks, spoons, the lot.
Second drawer down's got a big knife and an egg-whip.
Things that should go in the first drawer,
But they just don't fit
And the third drawer down, from the top,
It's just full of shit.

Ha ha! There's ton's of it!

Elastic bands and tally-ho's that don't stick.
Dried up glue, false teeth,
Something stolen from a hotel
Things that are broken, that you know you'll never fix
But you put them in the third drawer,
Cause you just ain't got the heart to throw them away.
It's the third drawer down, from the top,
And it's full of shit.

Bum bum bum bum, bum bum bum bum.
Bum bum bum bum.

Bluetac and cella-tape, that's been hit by a truck
One chop-stick, an ash-tray from Canada
Paid bills and envelopes
Things that you think'll come in handy,
But they just never do.
It's the third drawer down, from the top,
And it's full of shit.

Bum bum bum bum bum, Oh the third drawer
It's full of shit.

And the fourth drawer down
(That's the one below the third)
It's got plastic bags in it.

I first heard this performed many years ago, live on TV by Jimeon and by the end of tune – I was rolling around on the floor – I believe you can see it performed by Jimeon on youtube – here www.youtube.com/user/jimeoinofficial

Spill the beans - pull out your third drawer and list it below - Mine is ALL of the above, plus flea tablets, birthday candles, hammer, screwdrivers, and believe it or not (right down the back) the old (still working) TV remote!

Can you empty your third drawer and throw most of the stuff out? - Would love to hear your thoughts!

100 year old Photos #20 - The Grampians & Blackheath NSW

With thanks to @kennethU94 and @downesy of Twitter, the following locations have been identified. The area is The Grampians

The photo below is Anvil Rock in Blackheath, NSW

The photo below is "The Jaws of Death" in the Grampians National Park

C1910