Category Archive: AUSTRALIANIA
The Worst Laid Plans
Fish in a barrel
April 25, 1915: The Gallipoli gambit As Robert Burns had written, to a mouse, a mere 130 years before, “The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men Gang aft agley.” So it was with the British venture into the Dardanelles. (We described this catastrophe in detail on the 100th anniversary). Described as “a brilliant idea in theory“* it was a complete botch in practice, the donkeys in British Army central-planning winging it as they went. After all, attacking fortified cliffs with minimal support, troops “pinned down on the rocky shore, unable to reach the top of the hills and move into open…
Continue Reading →Three Quarters Shall Weary Them
Lest we forget...to show up on time
Glenelg v South Adelaide at Hickinbotham Oval, Saturday afternoon, 22 April 2017 Glenelg spent 3 quarters letting this pre-Anzac Day game get just beyond them, like a suicidal chopper-skipper who flies out to sea using slightly over half of the fuel before turning back. Someone for South called Overall was over all like a rash, with 5 goals. The untimely return of Joel Cross for the Panthers was similarly unwelcome. Down an embarrassing 12 goals to 5 at the last change, the Tigers then kicked 6 goals to 0 in the fourth quarter, falling short by under a goal. Liam McBean having been well-held, James…
Continue Reading →The Long Good Friday
"I smell blood..."
Glenelg vs Sturt (14 April 2017 @ the G) Even though P’s subscription lapsed many years ago, we maintain a sense of disquiet about football on Good Friday, and a most memorial Good Friday to boot. But The Varnished Culture was assuaged by a beautiful afternoon and the sight of our bizarre Tiger mascot greeting patrons, along with another poorly defined character, the Easter Bunny. (We have to mention that Norwood, albeit a great Club and Team, has the funniest club mascots by far: the old one looks like Milo Kerrigan – the new one looks like Powdered Toast Man.) All was…
Continue Reading →Vale John Clarke
The Varnished Culture is suspicious of most New Zealand products, but John Clarke (29 July 1948 to 9 April 2017) was very much an exception. We passed Higson Lane in Melbourne only a few days ago and thought of him, photographed with perennial off-sider Brian Dawe in front of the neon Go-Go sign (see main image). He originally came to prominence as Fred Dagg, who gave a rambling discourse about some arcane matter before leaping on a bus to god knew where. He combined a keen sense of human idiocy with hard-won, in-depth knowledge that he originally acquired on coming to Australia by…
Continue Reading →Rockin’ All Over the Place
Launch of Beyond the Rock by Janelle McCulloch The Avenue Bookstore, Albert Park, Victoria (4 April 2017); Matilda Bookstore, Stirling, SA (6 April 2017) The Varnished Culture schmoozed in Albert Park at the Avenue (honourably mentioned in our summary of Melbourne bookstores) for the launch of Beyond the Rock (reviewed here). Bob Sessions recalled the modest success of the book on its publication by Penguin in 1967, and its stunning re-boot upon release of the film in 1975. (It is their second biggest Australian sell after A Fortunate Life). Author Janelle McCulloch gave a talk and afterwards, a Q & A, in…
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