The White Hat Melbourne Newsletter

Archived Newsletter No.281 - 26 September2008

Contents

Grand Final Eve Edition

Graffiti The final line-up Culture & Sport Backline Classical music Melbourne Leisurefest Half forwards Free Indigenous Opera Forwards Magic Followers Last week’s quiz Interchange Absinthe Friends Reader Feedback The coach and the sponsors Create Your Own Musical From the White Hat Inbox Jazz Last chance for ice skating Markets Late change – Buckley to full forward The White Hat Quiz

GRAFFITI Coming up at the Trades Hall is an exhibition of ‘slogan graffiti’ – graffiti that is text-based and attempts to convey a socio-political message. You can find details at: http://www.melbournefringe.com.au/season/2008/show/335/ In a world where graffiti has mainly turned to ‘preaching to the converted’ rather than changing peoples’ thinking, Melbourne has had some wonderful examples of pithy and though-provoking graffiti. Here at White Hat we have a small photographic collection of some and are always keen to expand it. When a commercial television station was promoting their news service with newsreader Brian Naylor they used the slogan “You know everything you need to know because Brian told you so”. This was later truncated on billboards to “Brian told me”. The graffitist added “Who told Brian?”

With Hawthorn in the grand final for the first time since girlfriends and wives wore demure frocks to the Brownlow Medal, one is reminded of the (maybe apocryphal?) graffiti outside a Hawthorn church. The exterior sign with its movable lettering announced the topic of next Sunday’s sermon – “What would you do if Jesus Christ came to Hawthorn today?” The graffitist had added – “Shift Peter Hudson to centre-half-forward.”

The Final Line-Up

CULTURE & SPORT On Wednesday there is a free Melbourne Conversation event where you can discuss whether sport and high culture are mutually exclusive. Details at: http://whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Events/ForumsM.asp

Backline

CLASSICAL MUSIC On Monday the Australian Pro Arte performs Purcell Handel and Bliss. On Wednesday there is a classical music cry baby concert. On Thursday the MSO perform Handel’s Water Music. The Victorian Youth Opera perform Malcolm Williamson’s The Happy Prince based on the Oscar Wilde’s hopelessly sentimental story and I’m not sniffling – I’ve just got a cold. Details at: http://whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Music/Classical.asp

MELBOURNE LEISUREFEST The following weekend is the Melbourne Leisurefest at Sandown Racecourse showcasing Australia’s biggest RV, Camping, Boat and 4x4 Show. If you don’t know what an RV is then you probably wouldn’t be interested. Details in all the mainstream media.

Half-forwards

FREE INDIGENOUS OPERA On Friday night at the College of the Arts you can join Indigenous Soprano Deborah Cheetham and Australian of the Year and Jonathon Welch for the 2008 Wilin Spring Recital. This free event will feature the talents newly discovered Indigenous Singers who will form the cast of Australia's first ever Indigenous opera, Pecan Summer. Details at: http://whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Events/Opera.asp

Forwards

MAGIC The Magic Festival continues in Northcote. Introduce your children to the art of deception. Introduce your partner to . .. no maybe better to just take the kids, Details at: http://www.australianinstituteofmagic.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=113&Itemid=98%20

Followers

LAST WEEK’S QUIZ

Here are the first answers in from ‘Her Indoors’:

Please note: This section of the newsletter has been removed as it forms part of a forthcoming publication or because it is forms part of our Questing activities. If you find yourself on a tour where the guide is White Hat Accredited they are likely to know the answer to many questions you may have in this area. All guides on White Hat Tours are White Hat Accredited.

Interchange

ABSINTHE FRIENDS Dr Beaney had some unconventional and somewhat intoxicating medications in his medical bag. At a Northcote Bar up a back lane you can experience an entertainment based around another alcoholic liquid – absinthe. Our investigative journalists shouldn’t be concerned with whether our political leaders have smoked pot. Have they ever consorted with the green fairy? You can find details of this entertainment at: http://whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Events/TheatreM.asp

READER FEEDBACK “Dear White Hat Re bra fastening Some of us like to fasten the back fastening bras at the front and then swing them round to the back to load in the cargo neatly and painlessly. Especially if you have a wrist problem or a broken arm or cannot get your arms around your back. Some bras fasten at the front (maternity, even some fashion ones). So I guess your quizzer is a fizzer. Where did you get this stupid question anyway? Have you tried putting yourself in a bra lately? Cheers VM”

“Hello there, This is more of a question than a suggestion. I was in the midst of searching for a company (or private individual) who will hire out a Morris Mini for our wedding day in Feb 2009, when your newsletter popped into my inbox. You see, I believe in fate, and just at that moment I was thinking "Surely SOMEONE hires these cars out" after contacting several classic car hire and repair centres - and whoosh - I got mail! So, my question is... Would you know anyone who owns a Mini and may be able to steer me in the right direction? I would be eternally grateful. I am a good kind person who helps others. Just the other day I helped a hopelessly lost lady who was searching for a neuro surgeon who stopped working in our building about 10 years ago. I'd love to see the look on my husband-to-be's face when we walk out of the church together and he sees a red mini just for us to drive off into the sunset in. Well, not really into the sunset, but into the winery just down the road. Thought it was worth a shot. BTW great publication. I read it every Friday arvo without fail. Thanks for reading my rather long-winded e-mail. Cheers Elena”

If anyone can help out their fellow subscriber in this area please let us know.

"I wondered what had been missing in my life.......and it was my weekly input from White Hat.. I changed my email address and forgot to notify you.....how could I??? It is my weekly injection of all that is good in Melbourne - and the people and I would love to continue to receive please. Chris"

“I never cease to be amazed and educated by your newsletter. I now understand more about the giant experiment in CERN than my so-called quality journalists ever wanted to tell me. Maybe it’s because they don’t really understand much outside human interest stories. Please maintain your own delightful brand of quality journalism but don’t ignore the human interest stories either. Our 12 year-old is keen to know what happens to the Australian proton at CERN. Peter & Jenny, Perth (where quality journalism only arrives by email)”

“Last Friday all four of us kept our collars rolled up at after work drinks so nobody would recognise we were protons. Luv ya wurk Mark.”

The Coach and Sponsors

CREATE YOUR OWN MUSICAL “Have you ever wanted to create a Broadway Musical?” Don’t you love the catchlines taught in Marketing 101? However we have reason to believe that the performers in ‘Spontaneous Broadway’ are more talented than their copywriters. Go along and find out. Details at: http://whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Events/MusicalsM.asp

FROM THE WHITE HAT INBOX

“I just finished reading the recipe for slow cooked lamb shanks (http://www.whitehat.com.au/Food/Lamb/Shanks.asp) and felt compelled to write. I am a mum of 3 (2 primary school girls and one dennis the menace 1 yr old son) and am always looking for new recipes that aren't too hard, appeal to the kids and will fill us all up. One of my problems is that I hate reading the recipes and boring instructions and tend to abandon them fairly early into the preparation process. I loved reading this! I will never source my recipes from anywhere else, so funny and easy to understand. I have sent the link to friends with instructions to read immediately! Thank you so much! Diana”

We also received the following personal message”

“hi from portc, the oompah-lumpahs are back – u no the 2 girls i told u about that have used so much fake tan that their skin has turned orange. so now theres me & crystal & the oompah-lumpahs all in the same house and joshs mums boyfriend who owns the place is down at weekends – its so inconsider8. crystal & i are flower girls at jacintas wedding – we wanted to be bridesmaids but jacintas mum said were not maids but girls - at 3 oclock on sat. crystal chose the d8 using numerology but the guys aren’t happy cos theres some sort of footy match on. ill save u a piece of cake. luv, nat”

JAZZ On Monday there is a special gig with the tenor saxophonist George Garzone from the USA. Details at: http://whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Music/Jazz.asp

LAST CHANCE FOR ICE SKATING Ice Skating at Luna Park winds up soon. Details at: http://whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Activities/OutdoorM.asp

MARKETS There are quite a large number of new markets (such as one at Traralgon this weekend) many of which are seeking stallholders. For a convenient summary of September markets go to: http://whitehat.com.au/Victoria/Markets/September.asp and for October markets go to: http://whitehat.com.au/Victoria/Markets/October.asp

Late Change - Buckley to Full Forward

THE WHITE HAT QUIZ

1. What was William Ramsay’s product? 2. Do you think Jack Riley will stay the distance? 3. Who was the head of the tribunal which the Victorian captain seemed to hold in such low esteem? 4. How good is a ‘good ordinary player’? 5. Should one of the chosen squad become injured, who would you nominate as an emergency for the Victorian team?

No prizes – just glory and a warm inner glow.