Column 8

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday February 7, 2011

"Oh dear, it had to happen," writes a chagrined Paula Wilson, of Holgate (Frogs and mating habits, Column 8, since Wednesday). "I am glad Michael Fox doesn't live near me, because of my nickname. Some time ago my sister in England wrote and told me of a frog called the pobblebonk. The reason she thought it was funny is that my nickname is Pobble. It was originally Polly but she corrupted it to Pobble after the Lear poem The Pobble Who Has No Toes (I have 10), and I've been known as Pobble ever since. I think I might go back to being called Polly.""If you receive a kidney (liver, or any other body part) from a donor with a criminal past, can you be done by DNA evidence at a crime scene?" asks a forensically curious Craig Selman, of Willoughby."At last I understand," writes a relieved Pam Nakivell, of Parkes (Polarised sunglasses and unreadable readouts, Column 8, since Wednesday). "I bought a new Kia three years ago and love everything about it except that when I wear my prescription sunglasses, I can't read the mileage on the speedo - it completely disappears." So far we've had railway destination boards, iPods and now speedos being rendered invisible by fancy shades, but it doesn't end there. "It works the same with the display on digital cameras, too," reports James Argument, of Darwin. "After buying my first digital camera I was keen to take some photos of the sunrise, but was annoyed when the display died whenever I tried to take a vertical shot. I was about to take it straight back to the shop to demand a replacement, but fortunately checked it indoors beforehand - sans sunglasses.""I recently received an email offering me cheap French wines straight from the vineyard of one M. Chapoutier," reports Des Cahill, of Manly. "His coat of arms featured the Latin motto 'Fac et espera' which translates as 'Make it and hope'. Quelle drole!"Today is the 199th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens. Pedants would want us to wait another year to celebrate his bicentennial, but so few nitpickers read this column that we feel safe in making a fuss about it. We have good reason, too. Readers will remember that many moons ago we organised a search party to track down the missing head of a statue of the great man. We failed - it was right up there with our quixotic Sharpie's Golf House quest - but we are thrilled to report that this morning, at 10.30, the Governor, Marie Bashir, will unveil a brand new bust (old body, new scone) in Centennial Park.Since our item on Friday about a reader being body-searched in US airports after scanners went wild over a medical transplant, we're thinking of having this column transplanted to another page of the paper - Health & Science, perhaps. Some of the stories about intrusive body searches in American airports (LA in particular) are simply horrifying. As one reader put it (anonymously, funnily enough), "Finally we get to parity withthe US dollar, and they wantto pull my knickers down to 'ensure the safety of others'. Never again, America."Column8@smh.com.au(no attachments please).Phone 9282 2207 fax 9282 2772. (include name, suburb, daytime phone)