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Author Archives: Mark

The Tail of God – Part 1

30 Monday Jun 2014

Posted by Mark in Mark

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

Father O'Way, Gordon O'Donnell (GOD), humour, Sandy O'Way

my kinda santa

My kinda Santa

Hum diddy hum, diddy hum hum hum. Hmm, I hate waiting don’t you. Now I have been called to a special meeting and I just can’t wait, yee esse. Aren’t you excited? I am. Hmm, sorry, I haven’t introduced myself, I’m Gordon O’Donnell and I am the second youngest student ever accepted into Astrophysics at the spring chicken age of 512. Yes that’s right only five hundred and twelve years old and I’m going to become an astrophysicist, amazing.

Anyway I’m waiting for the lift to take me to the office of Professor T.D. Schnitzel who along with his partners Professor C. Chips and Professor G. Salad want to interview me after a couple of fellow students, Gees Ass and Holly Ghost and I created a new universe in a shoe box. The box resides in a cupboard at the back of lab, Astrophysics 101. The Professors want to talk to me about this universe and how to study it.

“Welcome Gordon” says T.D. “I’m Ten Dollar Schnitzel and my compatriots are Chunky Chips and Garden Salad”.

Wow, fancy being on first name basis with these legends. And what a combo they make, ten dollar schnitzel with chips and salad, every boys dream.

“So Gordon” T.D. leads off “A very interesting thing you have created with your fellow students and we have decided that we want the three of you to study your experiment for your astrophysics course. How do you feel about that?”

“Fantastic” I reply not knowing how to really feel until we get to the crux of the matter.

“Well, we have invented a machine so you can explore this new universe at your will. It’s called a Schnitzeliser. You go in one end as a Meupian and you come out the other end as a being that is proportionally acceptable to your project at the other” smiles T.D.

Oh, sorry. For those of you that don’t know, I’m from a planet called Meup. It revolves around a Sun we call Star T. Meupians live forever except for accidents. When an accident happens Meupins can then reproduce a new being. That way our planet is never over populated and degraded unlike some planets.

“So T.D.” I lead off “Let me get this straight. I start at this end as a normal Meupian male and end up in the shoe box the size of a sub atomic particle inside a space ship that will take me through this dangerous and unexplored universe where any thing could go wrong at any time”

“Yes” replies T.D. is his own unique way reflecting that I’m the one in danger while he gets the bus home at five each night, hmm.

santa“And if I don’t I will never pass astrophysics and live a miserable lonely life until one day I meet with an accident and die”

“Yes” replies T.D.

“Okay, where do I sign” I groan.

Wow, I’ve just been schnitzelised and here am I in a brand new space ship. You can tell it is brand new it has that smell. Yes, two arms, two legs, hmm, yes two something else. It’s funny when you have been schnitzelised, you feel as though someone has just punched all these little holes in you and you feel very tender, hmm.

Anyway I’m in some sort of bedroom, very swish and grandiose. It has a bathroom, shower and utilities area, very nice. One wall of the room is a book case absolutely full of all kinds of books, hmm, this could be one heck of a journey, only problem is I don’t know where I am going.

There is a knock at the door. I open it to find a droid standing in the passageway. Oh, let me explain a couple of things you will need to know about space travel. Droids or should I say, androids are sophisticated robots that can travel anywhere any time, need no food or oxygen and recharge themselves usually overnight or as necessary. They, for all intent and purposes, are your crew and it doesn’t take long before you forget they are machines and you very quickly see them as your travelling companions. The other thing about space travel is virtually everything that has a name is an acronym. You need to be alert as this will always hit you when you least expect it.

“Hello” I say to the droid “My names Gordon O’Donnell, please call me Gordy or Gord” I tick off trying to get on the front foot.

“Yes hello Gordon, T.D. has told me all about you” replies the droid. Now this droid is a rather large person with a big white beard and long white hair. He is wearing a red jacket with white cuffs and a white strip around the bottom of the jacket. His pants are red with white cuffs at the bottom. He has on large black boots, a black belt with a huge buckle and a red hat with a white pom pom. “My name is SANTA” says the droid “ I’m your navcom.”

“Please to meet you Santa” I hesitate.

“Yes Gordon, I’m an acronym. SANTA stands for Sub Atomic Neuroleptic Transparent Android but hey just call me Nick” he offers.

“Come down to the control room and I’ll show you around then I will introduce you to Viv” informs Nick.

We enter the control room and wow, this ship is state of the art. I peer out through the window where I can see out over the nose of the ship. There is a distinct red glow coming from the tip of the nose.

“What is that red glow Nick?” I ask in bewilderment.

“As we are travelling so fast Gordy the very tip of the nose of the ship excites any gas in space and that generates heat” explains Nick.

“And who built this ship Nick, it is of high quality?” I ponder.

“The Reindeer Company on Meup” replies Nick.

“And does the ship have a name?” I enquire.

“Yes. It does have a model number but basically it’s name is Rudolph”

Well you go figure. Here I am flying through space with Santa and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, unbelievable but true, well sort of.santa1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First published: http://hungsworld.wordpress.com/2014/06/30/the-tail-of-god-part-1/

A Collection of Different Things

27 Friday Jun 2014

Posted by Mark in Algernon, Bands at the Pig's Arms

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

elvis presley, John Oliver, music, Tony Abbott, youtube

a collection 3

A collection of different things
A different play list by Algernon

A little less conversation – Elvis Presley

Tony Abbott thinks the earth is flat

Saudi Tyre change

Be a Cavemen – The Avengers

The Rain, The Park and Other Things – The Cowsills

Meskel Square, Addis Abeba

My Boyfriends Back – The Spazzys

Last week tonight with John Oliver, Tony Abbott President of the USA of Australia

Last week tonight with John Oliver, Stephen Hawking Interview

Rubberneckin’ – Elvis Presley

A Weekend in the Riverland

26 Thursday Jun 2014

Posted by Mark in Mark, Travels

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Banrock Station, Loxton, Loxton Hotel

Houseboats moored at Loxton

Houseboats moored at Loxton

Recently the wonderful Tutu and I spent the weekend in the delightful Riverland village of Loxton. The reason we went there was many years ago I worked for a company where I would travel all over the state and up into Northern Territory. One of my jobs was to help an injured worker who lived in the township of Berri, which is just up the road from Loxton. Anyway on my return trip home I would pass through Loxton and stop at the pie shop which I can truly recommend. I was always amazed at its beauty but also its history. Beautiful old sandstone buildings just simply tug at my heart strings and I vowed that one day I would revisit the township and take it some of its beauty. Well I did and for me it was a great experience.

Loxton is a small rural town on the Murray River that serves as a commercial centre for neighboring farming districts. It has a population of just under 4000  and surrounding farms produce fruit, grapes, sorghum, barley and livestock. Tourism is also important as us “townies” flock in for the the river and the wineries. It is about 2.5 hour drive from Adelaide and the road is pretty good. We stayed at the Loxton Hotel an the accommodation was high quality as was the food in the Dining Room.

Loxton is damn hot in summer and damn cold in winter so the best time to visit is in the in-between seasons although from my view the only two months of the year not to come to South Australia would be February and August, the rest of the time it is not too bad.

The Loxton Hotel

The Loxton Hotel

Like I say, I love early Australian history so to me it is a fantastic place to visit. If that’s not you thing maybe leave it till for your grey nomad trip. Or another alternative would be to fly from Sydney to Adelaide, borrow Hung’s car, spend three days in a houseboat forgetting about anything that bothered you, return Hung’s car and fly home, easy.

Loxton Historic Town

Loxton Historic Town

Apart from the history here a trip out to Banrock Station for lunch is superb. An eco-friendly fine dining experience that is hard to turn down. Check out the hotel as they have special musical events that would be worthwhile seeing or just walk around the town and take it all in. No art gallery I’m afraid but they do have an art trail, amazing bird life and the Historical Village. Now if you visit the village it takes a good couple of hours to get around but it has been beautifully put together, old banks, post offices, schools etc all with authentic displays.

Banrock Station

Banrock Station

Here are some links.

http://www.southaustralia.com/info.aspx?id=9002400

http://www.loxtonhotel.com.au/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loxton,_South_Australia

http://www.loxtontourism.com.au/

Album Review: Dan Fogelberg – Souvenirs

22 Sunday Jun 2014

Posted by Mark in Bands at the Pig's Arms, Mark

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Dan Fogelberg, Joe Walsh, music

Dan Fogelberg Souvenirs

Dan Fogelberg Souvenirs

 

Here is a great album by Dan Fogelberg.  I first heard it in 1979 when a friend who was sharing a flat with us at the time came home with the album. This was a bit of a shift in direction for me as this album was a lot softer then any thing else I was listening to at the time, apart from say America. Subsequently I played the album so much I wore it flat.  Luckliy it was available on CD and now along with all my other music resides on my PC as MP3′s.

It was produced by Joe Walsh from the Eagles and Joe and the Eagles feature heavily on the album so the vocal harmonies are outstanding. Throw in Graham Nash from CSNY and Gerry Beckley from America the whole tone of the album is centered around the human voice. This doesn’t detract from the instrumentation as Dan is a great guitarist and in fact could play multiple instruments. Unfortunately Dan died in 2007 from Prostate Cancer.

While I didn’t follow every thing Dan did to me I loved this album and it brings me special memories from a time in my life that was less complicated than it is now.

Released in 1974, it has 11 tracks and runs for 43 minutes.

This is my favourite track

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5IK5RH-enU

Changing Horses

First published : http://hungsworld.wordpress.com/2014/06/17/album-review-souvenirs-dan-fogelberg/

Midnight Oil 10 to 1 but not really

20 Friday Jun 2014

Posted by Mark in Algernon, Bands at the Pig's Arms

≈ 21 Comments

Tags

Australia, Midnight Oil, music

The Oils

The Oils

 

 

Midnight Oil 10 to 1 but not really
Playlist by Algernon

I heard this week that Midnight Oil maybe reforming with Peter Garrett as lead. Here’s a small selection for your enjoyment


Wedding Cake Island

Power and the Passion

US Forces

The Dead Heart

Beds are Burning

Put down that weapon

Blue Sky Mine

King of the Mountain

Truganini

The Real Thing

Mussels Singapore Style

16 Monday Jun 2014

Posted by Mark in Mark, The Dining Room

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

food, mussels, Singapore

Picture courtesy Taste.com.au

Picture courtesy Taste.com.au

 

Now here is a story behind a recipe that happened to me about 10 years or so ago. One day I came home from work and I never went back. After years of excessive work hours and stress I decided I’d had enough. Our bills were all paid and our boys were working and the wonderful Tutu who was working part time did a few extra shifts to get us by while I had a bit of a breather.

To keep my brain active I enrolled in TAFE to study food technology. Now you all know I am not a morning person so as usual I was a bit late on the first day and when I walked into the classroom there was only one chair left next to this charming looking Asian woman.

At the next break she introduced herself as Jasmin and from that moment forward Jasmin and I became friends. We sat with each other, studied together and when we did field visits she always came with me. I would always help Jasmin with her class work and give her some pointers with assignments but she did the work herself. Most of the problems for her were simply language, mainly colloquialisms. See back in Singapore Jasmin was wealthy, no extremely wealthy, her husband was a multimillionaire. Both of her boys had been accepted into the local university so she followed to keep an eye on them and enrolled in the same course as me to keep her brain active.

One day she attended school and asked if I could help with her homework. I had to make it clear to Jasmin that I was a student not a teacher and that I couldn’t do the work for her. She understood perfectly and when I read her papers I realised this was one very bright woman, so I helped her. She asked me why I would always have a cheese and ham sandwich. I told her, they are easy to make and portable. Jasmin told me not to bring lunch tomorrow and from that day on she fed me lunch everyday Singapore style and man it was amazing, prawn dumplings being my favourite just ahead of curried chicken and noodle.

At the end of the year Jasmin told me she was returning home. She was home sick and the boys were doing fine. She shouted me this meal at a Singaporean restaurant in town as a farewell gift.

Ingredients

Mussels – the chef did 24 per serve

Bland oil

Garlic

Chilli

Prawn paste – belacan

Tomatoes finely chopped

Beer

Crusty bread

Method

Heat oil in a wok. Don’t use oil with flavour, canola is best. Saute garlic, chilli and prawn paste then tomatoes. Add beer, I would use light beer, lets face it it’s not worth drinking. Let it reduce then add mussels. Put lid on and using pot holders give it all a good toss so that everything mixes. Steam for 5 to 7 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open and plate up. Drizzle mussels with sauce and serve with crusty bread.

Serve this dish with beer not wine and it is okay to soak up the sauce with the bread. Jasmin made sure the beers kept coming and I got through and another round or two of mussels. Jasmin’s chauffeur drove me home and for years after we kept in contact by email. Unfortunately my computer crashed and I lost her email address. But doesn’t matter, it was a fantastic year, a fantastic friendship from two very different people and I will never forget her. The other pleasing thing is I know that somewhere in Singapore someone will no how to say “fair dinkum mate”.

 

The Beatles 50 years On – Part 2 1966 – 1970

15 Sunday Jun 2014

Posted by Mark in Algernon, Bands at the Pig's Arms

≈ 17 Comments

Beatles 2

 

The Beatles 50 years on – Part 2 1966-1970
Playlist by Algernon
This week marks 50 years since the arrival of The Beatles in Australia. I’ve prepared a two part list with some of their music from 1962 to 1970.

Nowhere man

Paperback writer

Yellow submarine

Eleanor Rigby

Penny Lane

Strawberry Fields forever

All you need is love

Hello Goodbye

Lady Madonna

Hey Jude

Get Back

Ballad of John and Yoko

Something

Come together

Let it be

Long and Winding road

What is it about Elizabeth

07 Saturday Jun 2014

Posted by Mark in Algernon, Bands at the Pig's Arms

≈ 20 Comments

Tags

Doc Neeson, the Angels

What is it about Elizabeth

What is it about Elizabeth

 

Song list by Algernon

 


Take a long Line – The Angels

No secret – The Angels

Shadow Boxer – The Angels

Am I ever gonna see your face again – The Angels

Face to Face – The Angels

On the road again – Moonshine Jug and String Band

Because I love you – The Masters Apprentices

Turn Up your Radio – The Masters Apprentices

Elevator Driver – The Masters Apprentices

Think about tomorrow today – The Masters Apprentices

Cheap Wine – Cold Chisel

Khe Sahn – Cold Chisel

Breakfast at Sweethearts – Cold Chisel

Forever Now – Cold chisel

Saturday Night – Cold Chisel

Marseilles – The Angels

Walking in the Rain -Doc Neeson

 

 

Turkish Herbed Lamb Pizza

06 Friday Jun 2014

Posted by Mark in Mark, The Dining Room

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

lamb, pizza, Turkish, yoghurt

Lahmacun-(turkish-pizza) Courtesy: SBS Food

Lahmacun-(turkish-pizza) Pic Courtesy: SBS Food

 

Many years ago the wonderful Tutu and I lived in New South Wales. In our town there was a great little restaurant called The Istanbul that funnily enough served Turkish food. We would go to the Istanbul usually about once a fortnight or so and after a while we had tasted everything on the menu at least twice. They also had a specials board which we sampled keenly until one day the owner approached us. He said to us hey look, you come here all the time and like our food, how about we do a deal, you book in, we will bring you the food at twenty bucks a head, as much as you want. Perfect. From then on we would take a seat, they would pour us a wine and out the food would come. Then one day we were served Lahmacun, I was already a pizza addict and yet here was a pizza with no cheese that was to die for. Tutu is coming over tonight and this is what we will have. Enjoy.

 

Ingredients.

A pizza dough – do you really need for me to tell you this bit. I use my bread machine to make mine.

Now I make enough for one large pizza given the tray I have so I’ll leave it up to you but for the topping you will need,

Lamb mince

Garlic

Onion

Cinnamon

Allspice

Pine Nuts

Tomato paste

Tomatoes, chopped and not tinned.

Chicken stock

Lemon juice

Mint

Parsley

Baby spinach

Yoghurt with some added water to pour.

Gordon feels hungry

Gordon feels hungry

Method.

Make a pizza dough [spooky music plays in background]

Fry off the lamb mince in a pan till browned. You will want to render off the fat by straining it.

Heat some oil in the same fry pan and saute the garlic and onion. Add spices and nuts. When the pine nuts are golden add tomato, paste, stock and juice. Add the mince and cook on low till you have reduced the liquid, this has to be fairly dry. Remove from heat and fold in mint, parsley and baby spinach.

Roll out your dough and top with lamb mix. 15 minutes in a very hot oven should do. Cut into pieces and in a jug put yoghurt and some water so the yoghurt runs like a gravy. Serve and add yoghurt as desired.

Crispin likes

Crispin likes, Follow me on Facebook, if you’re game.

Anyway I work with a Turkish girl and have spoken to her about this recipe. She and her husband love it but she said to me “When I make it Hung I add six chopped red chillies. When my husband eats it he starts to sweat, and sweat and sweat but he eats it all”

“So why do you do that Woman who cannot be named for Privacy reasons?”

“Because I can Hung, because I can”. Strange but true.

Father O’Way Meets O’Bad – Part 2

02 Friday May 2014

Posted by Mark in Mark

≈ 35 Comments

Tags

'Shoe, Artuurosin O'Dinos, Big M, Eddie O'Bad, Father O'Way

 

O'Way counsels the Sinister Demons to pray

O’Way counsels the Sinister Demons to pray

Story by Hung One On

Geeps with all the excitement going on someone asked where exactly is Missen?

Missen is a planet found in the galaxy that we call Andromeda. As part of my space adventure, I played in the one day cricket final on Flong at the Foval with Big M. This was important to Gordon as he needed to prove that there was a relationship between one day cricket scores and the average number of beans in a 440 gram can of Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce. Hey, you think space and the universe is complicated, well think again.

Big M has become part of my team on the Unnameable II space ship which is currently hiding on the dark side of the moon so not to upset NASA.

After getting the call from God, Big M went back to Missen to pick up Shoe so they could help me with my deep and revealing interview with Eddie O’Bad. However I have just learnt that Eddie has an old mate with him, Arthursin O’Dinos. Now I’m starting to worry, Gordon O’Donnell, Sandy O’Way, Barty O’Farty, Eddie O’Bad and Authursin O’Dinos, hmm. Any one else see a trend developing.?

I ring the Bish. “Hey Bish” I lead “A bit of a problem with names beginning with O”

“Don’t know what you mean Sandy anyway that call girl said she was 16” barks the Bish.

Hmm. Anyway we get to the gates of the O’Bad Ponderosa. A couple of guards approach the car.

“Hey, Sandy here, from the church of St Generic Brand, want to interview the Big O” I say but really not knowing what really to say.

“Well Father, you better turn around and keep going cause Eddie don’t wanna talk to you” says the guard, smiling and laughing to his offsider.

“Well heck guys, but I have the Duckhunt champion from Missen sitting right here that can take you apart within a few seconds” I reply not knowing really what I am saying. Hey, where’s the rum.

Just as that thought crossed my mind, Big M and Shoe were out of the car and after a few shots and screams had the guards under control.

“Big M, what are you doing?” I ask.

“Easy Sandy” he replies “This is a taping technique I learnt in NICU, tape their hands with the gun pointed to their abdomen, one false move, they pull the trigger, he he he he, etc” laughs Big M.

Gut wrenching laughter from Shoe “Me like” grins Shoe.

Geez, do you really know what you’ve been missing?

“Hey Sandy, how bout this” says Big M as the car accelerates and spins in a circle.

“Sandy, we is doing a donut” cries Big M

“Lets shoot some guards” says Shoe.

Bish, what have you done to me.

We travel into the O’Bad Ponderosa and arrive at the main door.

“Eddie, mate” I yell “Just wanna talk, okay”

Meanwhile Big M takes out seven guards and Shoe shoots out six windows on the second floor.

“Wadda ya want to talk about?” screams Eddie. Eddie’s eyes flash from side to side.

“Did ya do it?” I ask. May as well get to the point.

“Do what?” Eddie replies.

“It?” I reaffirm.

“Nah” says Edie

“What about you Artuursin?”

“I don’t remember”

“Did you go to McDonalds” I press.

“Yes” says Eddie, “I like a pickle with a meat patty”

This is unfortunately a true story, well sort of..

 

 

 

 

 

 

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