Quote for the Day

Holy Mary, we believe

That without sin thou didst conceive.

Teach us then how, thus believing,

We can sin without conceiving.

- Bawdy drinking toast from yesteryear, usually made at men only functions and rugby dinners. It dates from the days when contraception was not readily available.

Oz Fun Facts and Pics, continued

_____________________________________

From: 

http://pickle.ninemsn.com.au/2016/01/25/10/10/proposed-australian-flag-design

Photo and commentary from the above site, with additional pics and comments from moi.

_____________________________________

Sydney Harbour Bridge on its Opening Day

After six years' construction, the Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened on Saturday, March 19, 1932. Captain Francis De Groot, a member of the proto-fascist New Guard organisation, preempted the bridge's official opening, riding up on horseback and slashing the ribbon with his sword. De Groot was dragged from his horse by police and later convicted of offensive behaviour. The ribbon was retied and cut by the New South Wales Premier, John Lang. The bridge, pictured from the North Shore, has become one of the city's major traffic arteries, and defined the Sydney skyline for decades. 

Extra comment:

De Groot breaks the ribbon and declares the bridge open "in the name of the decent and respectable people of New South Wales". While many accounts say de Groot succeeded in slashing the ribbon, at least one eyewitness has disputed the claim and suggested it was probably broken by the hooves of his rearing horse. De Groot said his action was in protest that the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Philip Game, had not been invited to perform the ceremony. He later returned to Ireland where he died.

Premier Jack Lang cuts the reconstituted ribbon.

_____________________________________

Contraband koala cuddles corporal during WWI

Members of the Australian 9th and 10th Battalions smuggled animals from home aboard transport ships, with wallabies, koalas, possums, and at least one kangaroo embarking on the long journey to Egypt. While it is believed many died as a result of improper diet, a number of koalas and possums survived on the same rations as horses while at Mena Camp in Cairo. A corporal, assumed to be on the staff of the 2nd Australian general hospital, holds one of those koalas. The smuggled animals served as pets and military mascots, offering companionship and boosting morale.

_____________________________________

Fearless dog takes on shark — and wins

In 1938, a dog from the town of Queenscliffe, Victoria, became a local celebrity after he won a fight to the death with a thresher shark. On July 20, a brown cattle dog owned by a packer from the Fisherman's Union, spotted the shark from a pier and started "barking excitedly". Before fishermen could fetch a rifle to dispatch the 1.5m fish, "the dog jumped into the water, seized the shark, and swam with it about 40 yards [36.5m] to the landing." With the still-living shark in the dog's jaws, the men cut its throat and killed it. The dog, whose name is not recorded, was lucky to escape unscathed: threshers use their long tails like bullwhips to stun or kill their prey.

Extra:

A thresher shark

_____________________________________

The birthplace of Australian surfing

When the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Sydney's Manly Beach in 2014, they were presented with a custom-made surfboard. The choice of gift was no accident: Manly is "the birthplace of Australian surfing". The first person to bring a surfboard to Australia was apparently local show-off Tommy Walker, who rode Manly's waves on a board he bought for $2 in Waikiki, Hawaii. ("The use of surf-boards of the Honolulu variety" quickly became "the rage at Manly".) It was long repeated as "indisputable fact" that the first person to surf in Australia was visiting Hawaiian swimmer Duke Kahanamoku, who famously rode the waves at Freshwater Beach in December 1914, but surfing historians pooh-pooh this is as "a romantic myth". These "boys and their boards" were photographed on Manly Beach in 1938.

Extra:

Prince Willian and Kate Middleton at Manly

It brings to mind earlier visits to Oz beaches by Royalty . . . 

Diana at Terrigal Beach, 1988

Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh at Bondi Beach, 1954

(You don't suppose that the lifesaver in the centre of the pic is a time traveller taking a photo with a cellphone?)

The Australian Women's Weekly cover of February 1954. Elizabeth was the first reigning monarch of Australia to set foot on Australian soil.

Tommy walker with surfboard at Manly 1909

Tommy Walker doing a headstand on a surfboard at Yamba in the 1911-1912 season

Duke Kahanamoku, the 'grandfather of surfing', who popularised the sport in Australia a century ago, with shows off his style with a friend in Sydney.

Quote for the Day

Tuesday Miscellany

_________________________________

Yes, I know that it is supposed to be Miscellany is supposed to be on Monday, as it was yesterday, but more miscellaneous items have cropped up . . . 

_________________________________

Readers Write . . .

I am retiring the above image, hardly anyone writes with a pen and paper anymore and certainly not in respect of Bytes, it's always been electronic.

The new image will be:

Notice that it's also gender neutral, as was the original image with the pen.

_______________________________

A message from Phil A in Pennsylvania (PA from PA, PA squared):

I certainly do not agree with Tim. His opinion most definitely does not represent all Americans. I would have gladly signed up for another four years of President Obama, a president who put country first time and time again only to be stonewalled time and time and time again by the Republicans in Congress simply because they decided they would not approve of anything he proposed (going so far as to not even consider President Obama's Supreme Court nominee merely because they could). For many of us here in the US, Trump is a complete nightmare of a human being and a complete buffoon as president. The stress level is extremely high in this country and it gets worse every day when there are more lies (now being referred to euphemistically as "alternative facts") and more bizarre posturing from the White House...... UGH!

Aside from that, thank you for the Daily Bytes -- I love receiving them every day!

Warmly,

Phil A 

Thanks, Phil.

_______________________________

Speaking of "alternative facts", does anyone remember the White House Press Secretary Ron Zeigler during the embattled Nixon years?

I wrote about poor Ron in a previous Bytes and you can read it at:

http://bytesdaily.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/footnotes-to-history-ron-l-ziegler.html

Ron was obliged to give White House statements to the press and the consensus is that he didn't do too badly in the difficult times of Watergate, protests, the Vietnam War and Nixon as his boss.  He is remembered, however, for the press conference where he gave a statement that was at odds with what had been given in previous statements.  Asked about it, he replied "This is the operative statement. The others are inoperative."

_______________________________

___________________________________

It's a bit sad, though, that Trump's senior adviser Kellyanne Conway, tasked with defending her boss and upholding the assertion of White House press secretary Sean Spicer that the Trump inauguration crowd was the biggest ever, chose to do so by presenting what she referred to as "alternative facts". "You're saying it's a falsehood. And they're giving -- Sean Spicer, our press secretary -- gave alternative facts," she said. NBC interviewer Chuck Todd replied "Alternative facts aren't facts, they are falsehoods." 

All she would have had to say was "Well, we have a different view on the size of the crowd. Our observers tell us it was one of the largest ever." 

Now she'll probably be remembered for her contribution to the Englsih language. How many of us have wished we could have expressed something better or taken something back.

__________________________________

Some more ambigrams ;

Quote for the Day

This movie was on the TV again last night.

Monday Miscellany

__________________________________

Readers Write:

__________________________________

From Byter Tim B in the US in response to my query as to President Trump’s hand gestures when publicly speaking, namely the circle of thumb and forefinger and the pointed index finger:

Hello Otto,  

It’s really not that hard to figure out. But it depends on which side of the aisle you sit. If you are on the left, they think it means screw the people the left says he demonized. If you are on the right, they think it means screw the politicians and the establishment. 

His speech did not contain the soaring rhetoric of past inaugural speeches, but I think that is a function of him being a business man and getting to the point. Will he be an effective President? That remains to be seen, but the beauty of our system of government is that after four years we get to vote again. After eight years of Bush II, and eight years of Obama, Lord knows we need someone that can put the country first instead of party.

Take care,  

Tim

Thanks, Tim.

__________________________________

Sent by Byter John P:

Thanks, John.

__________________________________

I recently used an ambigram of son Thomas’s name on the envelope containing his birthday card:

An ambigram is a written word that can be read in more than one direction.

Ambigrams feature in Dan Brown’s novel Angels and Demons and in the film. I have previously written about ambigrams at:

http://bytesdaily.blogspot.com.au/search?q=ambigrams

Thomas’s partner Jess sent me a pic for the cover of the 20th anniversary edition of The Princess Bride, pointing out that the words were an ambigram:

Thanks, Jess.

It is interesting that the pictorial part is not a mirror image but instead has Westley with related farm images one way and Dread Pirate Roberts with the ship and the castle the other way. Inconceivable.

__________________________________

Some Princess Bride trivia:

• In a 2012 interview in New York Magazine, Mandy Patinkin said that his most famous line from The Princess Bride (1987) ("Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.") gets quoted back to him by at least two or three strangers every day of his life. Patinkin told the interviewer that he loves hearing the line and he also loves the general fact that he got to be in the movie.

• Does anyone else have difficulty accepting that Inigo Montoya of The Princess Bride and Jason Gideon of Criminal Minds are both Mandy Patinkin characters?

• According to author William Goldman, when he was first trying to get the movie made in the 1970s, a then-unknown Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted to play Fezzik, and he was strongly being considered because Goldman could never get his first choice, André the Giant, to read for the role. By the time the movie was made about twelve years later, Schwarzenegger was such a big star they could not afford him. Andre was cast after all.

• There really was a "Dread Pirate Roberts" (Bartholomew Roberts, also known as Black Bart) who operated in the Caribbean in the early 18th century. He is reckoned by many to have been the most successful pirate of all time.

• Despite his character Fezzik's almost-superhuman strength, André the Giant's back problems at the time prevented him from actually lifting anything heavy. Robin Wright had to be attached to wires in the scene where Buttercup jumps from the castle window into Fezzik's arms because he couldn't support her himself.

• The 'Dread Pirate Roberts' costume was modelled after that of infamous vigilante Zorro, only leaving out the cape as it was felt it was unnecessary and the hat as it does not suit the character.

• William Goldman came up with the title of the novel based on what his daughters requested in terms of ideas for his next novel, one suggested he write his next book about a princess while the other suggested a book about a bride. He then coined the title "The Princess Bride" for the novel.

• Oz gets a mention in the film, but not in a complimentary way.

When the Man in Black is captured by Vizzini, who prides himself on his intellect, they engage in a battle of wits as to which of two drinks contains a lethal poison, iocane.

Man in Black: You've made your decision then?
Vizzini: Not remotely. Because iocane comes from Australia, as everyone knows, and Australia is entirely peopled with criminals, and criminals are used to having people not trust them, as you are not trusted by me, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you.
Man in Black: Truly, you have a dizzying intellect.
Vizzini: Wait till I get going! Now, where was I?
Man in Black: Australia.
Vizzini: Yes, Australia. And you must have suspected I would have known the powder's origin, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.
Man in Black: You're just stalling now.

So who wins?

After more to and fro, Vizzini selects and drinks:

Man in Black: You guessed wrong.
Vizzini: You only think I guessed wrong! That's what's so funny! I switched glasses when your back was turned! Ha ha! You fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders - the most famous of which is "never get involved in a land war in Asia" - but only slightly less well-known is this: "Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line"! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha...
[Vizzini stops suddenly, his smile frozen on his face and falls to the ground dead]
Buttercup: And to think, all that time it was your cup that was poisoned.
Man in Black: They were both poisoned. I sp

Quote for the Day

Not exactly a quote but worth posting as a miscellaneous item . . .

Trumpia, Part 1

Trump Trivia . . .

__________________________________

I got up at 3.00am our time to watch the inauguration.

I noticed that The Donald made the following repeated hand mannerisms during his speech:

and

And, like the old joke about wondering why the baseball was getting bigger, then it hit me.

The new President was sending a message:

and

meaning

Who was the message being given to and what is he meaning by it?  I haven't worked that out yet, so you guys reading this put your thinking caps on and do a Robert Langdon.  I've done the hard part.

In the meantime, some Trumpia . . . 

__________________________________

Donald John Trump was born June 14, 1946 in Jamaica Estates, Queens, a neighbourhood in New York City. He was the second youngest child of five children. Of his four siblings, three are living: Maryanne, Elizabeth, and Robert. Trump’s older brother Fred Jr. (who was 8 years older than Donald Trump) died in 1981 from alcoholism, which Trump says led him to avoid trying alcohol or cigarettes.

Photo from Donald Trump’s Instagram page, undated.

Donald Trump, left, with his brother, Fred Jr, brother Robert, sister, Maryanne, and sister Elizabeth.

__________________________________

Trump is of paternal German ancestry and maternal Scottish ancestry. His mother and all his grandparents were born in Europe. His paternal grandparents were immigrants from Kallstadt, Germany, and his father, who became a New York City real estate developer, was born in the Bronx. His mother emigrated to New York from her birthplace of Tong, Lewis, Scotland. Fred and Mary met in New York and married in 1936, raising their family in Queens.

Trump with his parents at New York Military Academy

__________________________________

Due to behaviour problems, Trump left his school at age 13 and was enrolled in the New York Military Academy, where he finished the eighth grade and high school. He attained the rank of captain.

Donald Trump, pictured in his 1964 New York Military Academy yearbook.

__________________________________

The original German Trump family name was Drumpf, a point hammered by Last Week Tonight host John Oliver. It is not clear when it was anglicized or by whom. There are some researchers who maintain that it was in the 1600’s in Germany and some who suggest that Trump's grandfather changed it upon coming to the United States at 16 years old in 1885. 

__________________________________

Trump attended Fordham University in the Bronx for two years, beginning in August 1964. He then transferred to the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania, which offered one of the few real estate studies departments in United States academia. While there, he worked at the family’s company, Elizabeth Trump & Son, named for his paternal grandmother. Trump graduated from Wharton in May 1968 with a Bachelor of Science in Economics.

Donald Trump with his father, Fred Trump, after graduating from Wharton in 1968.

__________________________________

Trump was not drafted during the Vietnam War. While in college from 1964 to 1968, he obtained four student deferments. In 1966, he was deemed fit for service based upon a military medical examination, and in 1968 was briefly classified as fit by a local draft board, but was given a 1-Y medical deferment in October 1968. In an interview for a 2015 biography, Trump attributed his medical deferment to heel spurs. In December 1969 Trump received a high number in the draft lottery, which would also have exempted him from service.

In a 1997 interview with shock jock Howard Stern, Trump talked about how he had been “lucky” not to have contracted diseases when he was sleeping around. “I’ve been so lucky in terms of that whole world. It is a dangerous world out there. It’s scary, like Vietnam. Sort of like the Vietnam-era. It is my personal Vietnam. I feel like a great and very brave soldier.”

See/hear the interview at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h822LPnM5uw

__________________________________

The First Lady of the US, Melania Trump (born Melanija Knavs, April 26, 1970; germanized to Melania Knauss, is a Slovene-American former model. Born in Slovenia, she became a permanent resident of the United States in 2001 and a citizen in 2006. She is the second foreign-born First Lady of the United States, following Louisa Adams in 1825.

__________________________________

Donald and Melania Trump have one child, Barron William Trump, born March 20, 2006. Melania suggested his middle name and her husband suggested his first name. He plays golf with his father and is reported to be fluent in Slovene. He is said to like wearing a suit and tie, and Trump's nickname for him is "Mini-Donald".

Why named Barron? No one knows for sure but it is known that Trump has had a fascination with the name for quite a while, including using it as a fake persona. According to the Washington Post, Trump used the alias "John Barron" when speaking to the press as far back as 1980. In 2004, after the success of The Apprentice reality show, there was a brief attempt to create a scripted drama based on Donald Trump's life. When screenwriter Gay Walch delivered the pilot to her subject, he had only one note: change the character’s last name to Barron.

__________________________________

Donald Trump’s four other children came from two different marriages. Eldest kids, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka, and Eric were born to first wife Ivana and are widely known for appearing in Trump's "The Apprentice" series. 

Tiffany came from Trump's marriage to Marla Maples. She's been seen on "The Richest Kids of Instagram," and is the closest in age to Barron, with a 13-year age gap.