Whats Wrong With Melbourne?

[petersj]

No I was just saying that its a good thing that there are statues of Mo in various places in Australia. Its just a bit of a thing I have about Australia's cultural cringe and its great that a legend is celebrated. There's one of him in South Bank in Melbourne and one in Adelaide.. not sure where.

I have been plugging for years to get one of the GREAT Mary Hardy.

Interstate folk might not know her but here in Melbourne she was greatly loved.

Gosh I miss her on radio.

Sadly many just recall her terrible exit from life.

The actress you are trying to recall was Rosie Sturgess. Rosie was one of the first female "stars" in Australia. She was a real trouper and could handle the Kings unpredictability superbly. The King was a tough man to work with but apparently Rosie and Joff Ellen never had any trouble with him. Genius is permitted a few idiosyncrasies. Rosie came direct from the Tivoli circuit into the strange world of television. I met her doing Dimboola on stage and she was just beautiful to everyone. In later years she played in No NO Nanette with JCW opposite Cyd Charisse and later Yvonne De Carlo. Rosie also was a regular in the incredibly popular Bell bird as an Italian lady. She could play a wide range of characters. The IMT scetches were well rehearsed but that made no difference to the King who would seize any moment, especially if a scetch was dying.

[petersj]

Another thing I miss in Melbourne is decent talk back radio.

Today its all very clearly very very pro Liberal and anti Labor. OK that might please some but I recall the days of balance on stations like 3aw.

Once you had a man called Norman Banks who was a true conservative, Ormsby Wilkins a brilliant broadcaster who was always unpredictable and the wonderful Claudia Wright who was a true leftie. Each morning the three of them would discuss the issue of the day and it made for great radio. Today its unbelievably biased. I know this issue is not unique to Melbourne. Sydney has its red neck shock jocks too.

Even the ABC these days is biased against the Greens and Labor.

Oh for some fair radio.

I listen to classic FM instead or news radio. Pity though as I like good talk back.

[petersj]

I do wish that on other sites there were people like Peter J. We are TOTALLY on different political wave lengths in just about every way yet still manage to chat in the forum without childish bit**ness. Good on you Peter!

[petersj]

Hey Peter. Whats happening mate we seem to be agreeing on EVERYTHING here. lol

Norman Banks was indeed a lovely man. Even though he and Ormsby disagreed on everything Normans tribute to Ormsby after he died far too young was brilliant. He did start Carols and was always very much the gentleman. He stood his ground and argued his case superbly. The three of them went out to lunch together! Claudia died and sadly had Alzheimer in her final years. She was quite young for that terrible disease.

I still think whether its John Howard or Kevin Rudd I must be very old fashioned but I preferred the way Banks showed respect for the office. That doesn't mean you can't debate the issue. Have a listen to Tony Delroy late night ABC.. lib or Labor everyone gets a fair go.

Carols is dreadful. Lets face it the people like and prefer traditional carols not these odd arrangements of well known carols.

The show is a great tradition but I would love to see guests who can actually sing like Yvonne Kenny. Anthony Callea was excellent.

[petersj]

I miss the eccentrics .. we had quite a few.

There was the old lady who sat on the steps of the post office. Well remembered by Melbourne people. I would love to know her story.

There was a very disheveled man in a coat who stood in front of shop windows madly taking notes. The notes were scribble! He would mutter to himself.

Tommy was another. He disappeared a few years ago. Always outside Young and Jacksons. He drank his bottle of cheap port (Royal reserve) from a paper bag. I spoke to him once and he told me he had cut out the booze and was now on port!! lol Tommy depending on his mood would either wink and smile at you or abuse you.

There was the lady who worked in the booking desk of a few picture houses especially the great Metro cinemas. She had an enormous hair do and lots of make up. A lovely lady but very theatrical. We called her the nice lady with the big hair.

There was the conductor who sang to you

Another conductor was always immaculately groomed. He treated his job seriously but it was so over the top. I swear you could see your face in his shoes they were so polished.He was so fastidious. He would walk around saying things like"Please keep your feet in". I bet he was ex army.

I miss the strange chants of the paper boys.

[petersj]

Sadly Peter as one desperately trying to give up smoking I would probably love the cigar smoke. Dont get me started... I want them to make it as hard as possible to smoke. Long story. Its the one thing I cannot seem to beat. Odd really as I am very discplined in everything else in my life. Still I have cut down a great deal but thats not good enough. Tried everything.. so I am now going to a health farm!!!

I used to love chatting to the "professional girls"in St Kilda. I have not been there for a few years! I guess they got chummy with me as they knew they were not my cup of latte.

They were lovely girls.Most were rough diamonds with hearts of gold. Sheila Florence was a great lady (Lizzie in Prisoner) who worked very hard to assist the girls. Sheila spoke out for the rights of the girls. Many had tough breaks in life. Sheila never judged them nor do I.

[petersj]

[quote name='PeterJMelb' timestamp='1287217520' post='30622']

Hello Peter S.



Hey what about this:

Joe E Brown and the 6 day bike ride. (It just popped into my head).



[url="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024809/"]http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024809/[/url]

[/quote]



Whats the story behind this Joe E Brown film Peter .. never heard of it.

I can tell you Joe E brown came to Australia to play in HARVEY at the comedy theatre. I think jhis final line in Some Like It HOT is classic!

Smoking is the dumbest thing I ever did... you did not miss a thing. To all young people who read this DON"T SMOKE!!

[nwoexposer]

The outer suburbs need to be improved. There needs to be more options for activities.

[petersj]

[quote name='nwoexposer' timestamp='1287296799' post='30638']

The outer suburbs need to be improved. There needs to be more options for activities.

[/quote]



One thing seems clear. If you live in a safe seat (either party) very little gets done. Make them actually work to get your vote.

Or am I being too idealistic?

[nwoexposer]

[quote name='petersj' timestamp='1287402685' post='30660']

One thing seems clear. If you live in a safe seat (either party) very little gets done. Make them actually work to get your vote.

Or am I being too idealistic?

[/quote]

I feel that it's an LGA issue more than a State issue. Also like you said, the people in these areas need to actually make the authorities work, which the majority of them don't. Many, at least around this area (not all) are just a bunch of apathetic slobs who whine without showing any interest in politics.

[nwoexposer]

OK, perhaps "apathetic slobs" was a little harsh, but it's difficult to make positive changes in neighbourhoods where many of the people living in them don't even like living there and constantly complain about how it's a dive. And that's the problem. If you don't even like a place, why would you care to try and change it? Sad thing is, many people in my area hate the area, even though it does have an ability to turn upmarket. Sadly, nothing can be done about distance from the city, so I guess some of the outer suburbs are destined to be a bit of a dive, no matter how upmarket and upcoming they become. After all, the inner city is where most of the 'action' is and I highly suspect this will be the case for quite some time.



I've felt this way for a while now about the outer suburbs and wanted to share it.

[nwoexposer]

My area has long been a secure ALP seat, but at least for this area, even though the area is improving in terms of value and revitalization (very little of the latter), too much money is spent on sports venues (i.e. football grounds, etc.). It's a very sick suburban society if all you have is sports, large box shopping complexes, car dealerships and take away outlets with food that I wouldn't feed anything, and very little in terms of quality restaurants, cafes and more sophisticated amenities.



Hopefully good things happen in Preston and other parts of the northern suburbs, PeterJ.



I live in the outer southeast and a significant proportion of it is a desert in terms of sophistication and actual MELBOURNE culture. The culture that Melbourne is world-renown for! 

[petersj]

Dont worry Peter. The Greens will do well.. I might even be the one handing the voting form to you. LOl

My local member is Robert Clark and he is actually very good. I know him well.

A good man in the wrong party.

[petersj]

I miss public swimming pools where the water was cold, pools outside rather than interior heated steamy bacteria yuppie gyms. I even remember swimming in a river... mmm a river? Whats that?

[petersj]

I think one should take one from EACH party. Even if you dont vote for them its polite. Handing out these cards can be tough! I think the abuse that some volunteers get is terrible regardless of who they are.

I do however politely refuse anything from family first.

Robert is Liberal for Camberwell areas.

Peter you are quite wrong to worry about the Greens .. they MUST be a voice as they are the only party representing the real issues that some of us in minorities are concerned about. This is after all a democracy... the conservative right get a pretty good go so fair is fair.

[petersj]

Lets get back to the topic Peter. It wont go anywhere. I am proudly Green and I know you are not.

Now this thread is a bit negative (my fault) on whats wrong with Melbourne. Our biggest mistake is trying to copy other cities rather than celebrating what it is that makes Melbourne unique. A great example is the dimwitted idea of another big wheel...why?

I am all for new attractions but lets be original.

I have always had a wonderfully wacky idea of a huge swimming pool in the city square.



WHY?

Well for a start where ever there is water Aussies WILL swim in it!! Look at the moat at the arts centre!! KIds STILL swim in it!

So a huge pool in the middle of the city.

Could be an ice rink in Winter!!

[petersj]

LOL

you are a scallywag!

But thanks for sort of liking it my friends think its dumb ..

still I also want to rebuild the Tivoli

[glen]

Yeah I don't want a wheel either. Especially not one that is cracked!

[petersj]

Some friends who did go on the wheel told me the view was incredibly unimpressive! LOL

Just think all that money could have spent on numerous other things.

The Docklands could be wonderful but the lack of imagination is pathetic. I bet we could do better!!

I am a theme park junkie... the IMAX cinema is in a ridiculous place currently .. I bet you folk could think of better ideas.

[petersj]

There are wonderful attractions in Melbourne many of us dont know about. In Fed Square there is a racing museum. Its brilliant but the lady told me that day there were hardly any visitors. I only visited it because I had to wait for an overseas friend there. He had no idea what under the clocks meant so I gave up and said FEd square.

I know many dont like Fed Square but I must say my over seas visitors actually like it.

I dont know whether I like it not but I have become used to it and its certainly better than what was there before.

Back to the horse racing museum I said to my friend that I did not even know it was there so we went in.

Its fabulous. I cannot imagine it surviving .. pity as its a gem.

Even if you are not a racing fan you will love it.

Talking of racing... any cup tips?