“The Pennsylvania Business School has decided billionaires are happier than the merely rich (SMH, July 19),” writes Nola Tucker of Kiama. “So all those maxims such as ‘money can’t buy happiness’ are a load of rubbish? The merely rich can, however, be miserable in comfort. Where does that leave the rest of us?”
Rosemary Seam of Kempsey thinks “news that cheese and biscuits would no longer be served on Qantas flights caused consternation, but even worse was to come. On a recent trip to Adelaide we received carrot sticks. Not sure what Maggie Beer would think about all this.”
“All this talk of the French town of Condom (C8) leaves me thinking of Intercourse, a (mostly) sleepy town in Pennsylvania,” says Kevin Hunt of Kenthurst.
Sticking in France, Peter Waterman of Griffith (ACT) wonders if there should be a medal ranking for the most fractured French pronunciation during the Olympics. “Early contender would have to be the commentator who referred to a famous Parisian boulevard as the ‘champ’s elise’.”
The long-drop dunny (C8) hasn’t been punted yet, according to Michael Otter of Rydalmere: “Stephen Hulbert obviously hasn’t stopped at some of the rest areas between Melbourne and Brisbane on the M31 and M1, where he will still find the long-drop dunny. Best rest-stop dunny I’ve been to was in Iceland in the middle of nowhere. Flushing toilet in a heated block with a view of the beach.”
More on fledgling faith (C8). Robyn Hansen of Pennant Hills says, “A five-year-old I know was asked to draw a picture from the Gospel According to Matthew. His drawing was an aircraft. When told there were no aircraft around then, he said, ‘Yes there were, that’s Pontius the Pilot’.” Megan Carey of Dalmeny recalls that “on being told that ‘God is everywhere’ during a scripture class at Narooma Public School, our youngest daughter, Alexandra, asked whether he was in her leg”.
“A few years ago I fractured my pelvis surfing at Delicate Knobby, just south of Crescent Head,” writes Toby Waters of Emerald Beach. “It was a problem getting off the beach but my confidence really plummeted when we then had to drive through Kempsey cemetery to get to Kempsey hospital. Luckily, once there, my delicate parts were expertly reassembled and this time I safely navigated the return voyage. Does anyone know if town planners had any confidence in the early medical teams?”
Column8@smh.com.au
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