“Last week I received a stunning example of the pace of change,” writes Steve Hulbert of West Kempsey. “My new White Pages and Yellow Pages telephone directory for 2026/27 has been delivered, folded not once, but twice, and slipped into the narrow front slot of my mailbox. Imagine trying to envision that a few decades ago!”
Granny feels like she dodged a bullet in avoiding terrestrial TV, judging by readers’ various anti-ad campaigns (C8). One such reader is Daniel Flesch of Bellingen: “I was annoyed/amused by the TV ad for a certain car make which has the driver clutching the steering wheel at five-to-one. The ad is spruiking the car’s safety warning, if the car veers over the centre line, but five-to-one does not give the driver enough control. I trust we all know the safe position is ten-to-two?”
Jonty Grinter of Katoomba isn’t a fan of mouthy types: “The all-too-frequent TV ad that both annoys and puzzles me is for a hotel price comparison service with a rather scruffy chap who has a broad smile of dazzling white, perfectly even choppers, all incisors and no canines. It’s freakish.”
“Thanks to Lance Rainey for his correction on dog breeds (C8),” offers Dave Williams of Port Macquarie. “In my humble defence, I’m colour-blind, a too-common affliction that has got me into trouble in the past. Thanks, Mum! Women pass it along but rarely exhibit it. I’ve only ever met one colour-blind woman, the poor soul was an optometrist.”
“My sister cleaned our parents’ pantry in 2018 and texted a number of photos of expired pantry items (C8),” recalls Lorraine Palmer of Dural. “The oldest was a jar of ground cumin with an expiry date of 02/08/87. I was having a laugh about it with my mother-in-law when she pulled out a jar of Schumann Mineral Salts (wisely used for constipation among other things). Date unknown but the price was 2/9, so it’s pre-1966.”
“While lunching with friends, Peter and Heather, I asked how long they had been married,” says Richard Pierce of Elizabeth Bay. “‘We’re on to our second bottle of Tabasco,’ replied Pete.”
For goodwill, one should visit the Central Coast: “Laden down with shopping, tired and soggy on a miserably wet day, my spirits were immediately brightened when I parked behind a little red car on my street, with the sticker in the back window reading: Dear person behind me, I hope something good happens to you today. Lots of love, the person in front of you.” We thank Marion Newall of Point Frederick.
Column8@smh.com.au
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