Menzies IV Downunder

I say!

What high jinks the lads get up to Downunder. Below is Menzies IV doing his civic duty - about to retrieve someone's discarded cigarette butt from a cliff face in the Blue Mountains.

Below - would you put Hairdo in charge of a motorboat?

Below - Hairdo playing with his computer in bed.

Below - Menzies IV saves Hairdo from drinking more green slime.

MM III

Lapta, and Brisbane

I say!

I found a joke paper about cricket versus baseball the other day. The author has admitted it was not a serious study, but rather a joke. Yet, some people have been taken in by it. It's amazing what some people will believe.

I was pointed towards that joke paper by Angus Bell, who wrote about it in his book "Slogging the Slavs" published by Fat Controller Media Ltd. Bell writes about his trip throughout Eastern Europe, where he played, or attempted to play, cricket against various national sides. How wonderful that the great game is catching on in such places. It's also becoming big in Japan, by the way. Here's a report about Bell's book.

I found out from Bell's book that the Russians have played a game similar to cricket for many years, called lapta. Since 1600, in fact. Very interesting.

Here's the latest from the lads Downunder.

Menzies IV looks on and wishes that he could find as comfortable a spot as Hairdoo's to read his book.


Instead, he enjoys an ice cream.

I say - what a good lad Menzies IV is - always emailing Mrs M with his whereabouts. We've decided to ignore the requests for more funds.

MM III

Concern about Menzies IV

I say,

I'm a tad concerned about Menzies IV on his trip Downunder. As we all know, the Aussies have a tendency to show no mercy when it comes to cricket. What with Menzies IV's wonderful talent for all aspects of the game, I suspect that they may be attempting to nobble him on his current trip before he gets into the England team.

First of all there was a reliable report from Albert that Menzies had been plied with green slime and left unconscious on Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Then, I heard that they had been offering him Dr Poppy's:

Fortunately, Zapper tried it out first. He is shown below, just before taking a sip:

Two minutes later, and he's sprouted a beard!

Will the Aussies stop at nothing in order to win a cricket match? I mean...it's not cricket! Thankfully, as shown below, Menzies IV has taken off by himself towards the Top End.


MM III

Up and under

I say!

Here are the answers to the last quiz questions which, as usual, everyone failed miserably at.

The tallest tree in the world is 379 feet and still growing. The Statue of Liberty is 305 feet tall. Therefore the tallest tree is 74 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty.

The 'Open til your mama calls you home' snap was taken in St Johns.

What an amazing achievement the work of construction shown below is. It's the Oresundsforbindelsen (Oresund Fixed Link), a road-rail system of nearly 16km of bridges and tunnels between Malmo in southern Sweden and Copenhagen. Its a case of up, and then, under, as you travel firstly across the bridge, and then go into the tunnel. We drove along this construction a few years ago, and it was rather disconcerting, as we approached the tunnel, to see a large liner above us.


MM III

Open 'Til your mama calls you home

I say!

I've found the answers to a previous quiz. The question was: what are the three largest buildings in the world? Answers: The Pentagon, Ceausescu's People's Palace, and the Tempelhof airport in Berlin.

Isn't it interesting that the best metaphor to explain the context between Clinton and Obama was found to be cricket?

I was looking through recent cricket obituaries - as one does - and saw that Bill Brown had passed away. He was Australia's oldest surviving Test player, and one of the 'Invincibles'. Norm O'Neill has passed on as well.

Here are two questions:

1. Here's a snap, and the question is to guess where is was taken.

2. How much taller than the Statue of Liberty is the tallest tree in the world?

Answer in a Comment, and a prize for the closest correct one.

MM III

A chip off the old block, what?

I say!

A chip off the old block, what? Below is a snap of Menzies IV, about to do some part time pitch inspecting in Coogee Beach, Sidders, as some people call Sydney. Brings tears to my eyes to think that he may one day reach the lofty heights of full-time pitch inspector.


And here's a new question for you. In which town would you find the bar in the postcard below?


MM III