Word Of The Day #3
hamartia noun a fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a hero or heroine. (Well worn example: Achilles hamartia was his heel: As a baby,...
The Full Quid Blog
Morphy and The Devil
Paul Morphy, born in New Orleans in 1837, is considered by many competent judges to have been the strongest chess player who ever lived. His...
Robots and Rucks
The Mechanical Footballer Some time ago the English papers announced the invention of a “mechanical bowler.” We pursue the idea still farther. Why not have...
Fashions Of A Century
FASHIONS OF A CENTURY (1900, December 29). Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 – 1931), p. 4
Long Sleever
A ‘Long Sleever’ is, in brief, an outdated Aussie term for a long draft of beer. The word ‘sleever’ itself originally referred to a Welsh measure...
Goanna Oil
Goanna Oil Goanna oil is credited with properties speedily curative of rheumatism. Lying along either side of the back-bone, for nearly the whole length of...
Bodgie, Widgie
I am just a bit too young to remember much about the Bodgies and Widgies of Melbourne. First media references I found in old newspapers...
Black Berry Wednesday
Graham Berry was a Premier of Victoria who fought against the “securely entrenched men of property” who made up the Legislative Council in the 1870s. He...
You can’t kill an ideal with a bullet
To my knowledge there has only been one significant assassination attempt on an Australian in ‘high political office’. It occurred in June 1966, when a...
Word Of The Day #2
quisling noun a traitor who collaborates with an enemy force As in… the quisling Pig Iron Bob exported our iron to Japan synonyms: collaborator,...
Plastic Man and Woozy Winks
Plastic Man is probably my favourite comic book character. Jack Cole created him for Quality’s ‘Police Comics’ Issue #1, in August 1941. Plastic Man...
War Years Footy
LET’S LOOK AT FOOTBALL with HUGH BUGGY 1915-18 First war years PRESSURE of war almost strangled League football in 1916. The game reached the lowest point...