I got a survey to do in the mail. Not one of those silly lifestyle surveys, preparing you to be bombarded with advertising, but an anonymous university-based one: the Australian Survey of Social Attitudes.

It was interesting stuff. It asked about my views on such issues as immigration, education, government spending, the war in Iraq.

And thrown in the middle were two questions that really threw me. See if you can answer them, without cheating, without reaching for a reference book or Google or Wikipedia:

Bushrangers roamed the countryside during the early period of European settlement in Australia. Please write the names of four bushrangers below.

and

Outlaws were also common in the United States of America in earlier times. Please write the names of four outlaws below.

I found this very tricky, could only think of three bushrangers and two outlaws. And when I checked after writing in the answers, found two of these to be wrong (one bushranger misspelt, one outlaw was a good guy, not an outlaw).

What will come of the survey results, I don’t know, but I won’t be totally shocked if in a couple of months, I open the newspaper to find a headline reading something like “Most Australians can’t name four bushrangers”.

Had a guess? Okay, now check your answers: Australian Bushrangers; US outlaws.

A few plugs for things spotted recently…

Gardens

A while back I was getting a couple of enterprising students, Keith and David, to do my mowing. They’d turn up with their dad driving a stationwagon full of gardening implements of destruction, and do the gardening. But a couple of months ago they bowed out, saying their mower had broken down. They said they’d call back when it was fixed. They haven’t called back, so I assume that either the mower is beyond repair, or is enormously complex and timeconsuming, or they finally figured out that gardening with dad’s used equipment is bloody hard work, especially when it’s either raining or hot, which accounts for a lot of days.

My sister came to the rescue. Not because she’s volunteering to do my mowing (her house is blessedly lawn-free), but because a good friend of hers, Andrew, has started up a garden services business. Makes a change from bloody Jim’s Mowing/Gardening/Brain Surgery, anyway. I got him around to go over the garden, and he did a bloody good job. His card says he used to contract for the Royal Parks, London, which is pretty impressive. I wonder if his mower has a royal seal on it?

So if you’re looking for gardening, and your own David and Keith have deserted you too:

Andrew Wozencroft
Manor House Garden Services, Caulfield
0424 068 573

Level crossing petition

David Bramwells lost his daughter in an accident at Bentleigh railway station last year. He’s now got a petition going to remove level crossings, which has gained publicity in the worst possible way: another accident at North Shore on Monday. Apart from the safety benefits, removing level crossings would also allow more frequent train services without local opposition due to traffic disruption, and less delays for street-based public transport (buses and trams) and pedestrians (including train passengers). Both Melbourne and Sydney started removing level crossings in the 60s… Sydney completed their project, but Melbourne’s stopped around 1970, with the money diverted to building the Eastern Freeway. Sign the petition.

Riding Sri Lanka for MS (or not)

Trish and Leanne are storming ahead with their charity Ride Sri Lanka for MS… though it may not be a bike ride, and it may not be in Sri Lanka. It will be for MS though.

Vietnam by Cyclo

Speaking of activities in foreign countries for charity, some guys are travelling by cyclo (a kind of three-wheeled thing) through Vietnam to raise money for KOTO, which helps former streetkids and others from disadvantaged backgrounds in Hanoi. And as they go, they’re writing a very entertaining blog. There’s a description of the project, and a printable brochure describing it all, including how to donate.

“OKay….you’ve been warned. If you don’t pay up then there will be more bare chested Adam pictures. No more Mr Nice Guy.”

Goodies coming back

The Goodies are coming back to Australia for another tour, hitting most capital cities and a number of smaller ones. At least, two-thirds of them are touring. Bill Oddie will appear by video link. With my impending mortgage and its unknown effects on my budgetting, I’m giving it a miss, but I understand the last tour was pretty good.

Imagine this: you’re a councillor for a metropolitan local council. On your patch is an outspoken community advocate, who is something of a thorn in your side. What could you do to shut him up?

How about register the organisation name he’s been using for months as a business name yourself?

Some wacky fantasy, eh? Sounds like something out of one of those ABC comedy/drama series about local councils.

It’s not fantasy. Alex Makin of the Ringwood Transit City Community Coalition (RTCCC) found on Monday at a council meeting when he stood to ask questions that the RTCCC name has been registered by two of the local councillors.

One could speculate on how they came up with this brilliant strategy. Over a few beers on the weekend, perhaps? But how anybody would think this would shut up a community group is beyond me — it’s more likely to make them more determined than ever to speak out. In this particular case, Alex has decided to stand in the coming local elections — against one of the councillors.

(Alex is also the convenor of the PTUA’s outer-east branch.)

A couple of weeks ago I caught a programme on Compass about near death experiences. (Compass may be billed as a religious show, but contrary to what you might think, isn’t always deadly dull and boring. They have some quite interesting stuff.)

I’ve long been interested in what might be out there after death. The programme talked to a number of people who have had near death experiences, and it was interesting that for the most part what they saw was very similar. A lot spoke of floating above their bodies, often seeing things that they couldn’t possibly have seen unless conscious, later confirmed by medical staff present. For many the experience felt like a very calm one, filled with light and feelings of love. Some spoke of regret that they had to come back, and the “pain” of re-entering their bodies.

The programme also talked to people researching the topic, with the view to shedding some light on the question of whether the mind can keep living after the body is dead. They appeared to be taking quite a detached, scientific view, relying on witness statements together with medical information logged from during the incidents.

Perhaps I’ve been thinking about death a bit too much. But I’m not religious, and not about to go and change, nor would I just “go through the motions”. (Because if you don’t actually believe, it’s pointless, I’d argue.) So as I get older, it may come of something of a comfort that so many have experienced something out there.

I’ve written a guest piece over on Tony’s blog, about the footy tipping trophy.

Look Both Ways: A man walks in front of a train and is killed, an all-too common event these days. The story follows the events in the weekend afterwards, for the victim’s girlfriend, a witness, a journalist, a photographer, their editor, and the train driver. It reminded me a lot of Lantana, seeing that one tragic event, then following their lives as they dealt with it and other things. Great use of animation, great acting — including the near-silent performances of the girlfriend, the train driver and his son. Definitely the best new film I’ve seen this year. Go see it.

• Official site
• Filmmaker’s blog

From cruising through both Safeway and Coles in the past few weeks, it would appear that the Safe and Naturale branded recycled napkins and (facial) tissues are no longer generally available, and the ones I do have are about to run out.

This bugs me, as I’ve been using them both for years (switching to non-recycled aloe-vera tissues in times of high usage to minimise nasal soreness). Both brands still sell recycled toiletpaper in both Coles and Safeway.

According to the Wilderness Society web site (not updated since 2000), a number of other brands use recycled office paper. But I don’t know if this is still accurate. A quick survey last night at Safeway showed none of those on the shelf mentioning using recycled paper. You’d think if they were using recycled paper, they’d be shouting about it from the rooftops. Some mentioned they had recycled cartons, but not recycled tissues.

I spoke to the distributors for Naturale a couple of months ago about this. At the time they seemed to think there was no problem getting their products. But there was. What’s happening, I don’t know, but they’ve gone very quiet.

I wonder if some great tissue conspiracy is afoot.

Last Saturday morning we did the long-awaited brunch to celebrate the house purchase. The venue? One found during many weeks of Saturday morning searching: Glen Huntly’s Club Cafe. It’s like one of them English caffs, the food loaded up with grease and cholesterol, and proud of it.

It was the Champagne Breakfast that we went back for — billed as the brekky of your choice, an OJ, a cuppa, and a glass of champagne! And though the champagne may not have been a big prize-winner, it was suitably celebratory… not to mention the huge serves of food filling us all to the brim. I made sure to have a good walk later in the day. As long as you’re not already at risk of a heart attack, it’s a thumbs up.

It was Mal, the buyer’s advocate hired help who had insisted on the venue.

You may know of my many attempts over the past couple of years at buying a house. Though in fact if you don’t know me in person, you haven’t heard the half of it.

So after my sister successfully used a buyer’s advocate last year to buy, I thought I’d try it too. There’s a bunch of things a buyer’s advocate can do, and often they deal with people looking for much more expensive houses than I was, but Mal (and team) were very helpful at identifying. Though they didn’t find the house I ended up with, they did do some work on looking through places, offering an objective view on how much they were worth and whether they would hold their value.

And of course, the wheeling and dealing, which is what I needed the most help with. Though one auction didn’t work out (some foolish people really wanted that place) when I found The House, Mal moved in quickly, handling negotiations with the agent, and ensuring we nabbed it before it went to auction. Hooray, victory for me!

So, if the circumstances are right, a buyer’s advocate is very helpful.