Jan. 21, 2013, 10:30 p.m.
FROM THE TOP: Status Quo make a statement about Coles supermarket with their band name in this TV ad.
TORTUOUS: Barney, the ‘‘loveable’’ purple dinosaur and friends.
SLIP ROAD: Nothing warms the cockles like courtesy.
THOSE of us whose domestic chores include the groceries tend to be pretty familiar with the jingles that play at the supermarket.
Like calls to prayer, they drone into the aisles every few minutes. We know all the words to the one about prices being down and staying down.
One retail giant has a jingle that we actually like (‘‘Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday...’’), but the store employees are probably a bit over it.
In fact, what is the effect of this repetition? Wouldn’t you go a bit batty? There’s only so much ‘‘Fa-na-na-na, na-nah’’ one can take, right?
Any concerns are surely heightened by the fact that US interrogators in Iraq played songs from Sesame Street and Barney, on a loop, in an effort to break the will of their captives.
As described in Jon Ronson’s book The Men Who Stare At Goats, the Psychological Operations Company (Psy Ops) wore down prisoners through sleep deprivation and playing music that was culturally offensive to them.
The playlist included Metallica anthems and Barney the Dinosaur’s song I Love You. Some might argue either would be preferable to another ‘‘prices are down’’.
Do you work at a place where you listen to the same song all day? Tell us what it’s like.
Fantastic in Carrington
IT sounds like foxes have been in Carrington for some time (Topics, Monday). Rod, a Carringtonian, can attest.
‘‘Yes, I also have sighted Mr or Mrs Fox several times over my 24 years living in Carrington,’’ Rod said.
‘‘Driving into Carrington from the Elizabeth Street end late one night a few years ago, I first saw the fox crossing the road and heading into the mangroves.’’
Rod’s second sighting came on a morning walk with his dog, ‘‘near the old pump house area where the fox was possibly on the hunt for the rabbits that live in the area’’.
So maybe the foxes are keeping the rabbits in check.
To cancel out the foxes, perhaps the NSW Department of Environment and Sensible Hunting or whatever it’s called now should introduce another species. Bears?
Park spots mind their Ps and Qs
IN a city that can’t afford benches, one doesn’t hold much hope of being let off by parking inspectors.
You expect a compliance officer to rub his or her hands together and deposit the ticket and deliver yet another blow to your solvency. And then cackle. All while wearing a monocle.
Which is why we were stunned and a little touched yesterday when an ominous white slip tucked beneath our wiper turned out to be a ‘‘Courtesy Notice’’.
‘‘Your vehicle,’’ read the slip, ‘‘has been detected parking in an illegal manner which could result in a parking penalty being issued.’’
Some fluoro-vested saint had taken pity. We didn’t know they could, having trusted claims like ‘‘Sorry mate, once I start writing the ticket it’s out of my hands’’.
It’s all because of a wonderful piece of lawmaking called Section 19A (don’t nod off now) of the Fines Act, which lets officers ‘‘give a person an official caution instead of issuing a penalty notice’’.
This will form our entire legal defence from now on. Meanwhile, do you know a parking ticket hot-spot in Newcastle, a place where you’ll definitely get booked?
Two early nominations: Wolfe Street, which they used to leave alone, and Newcomen Street, where some spots are $5 all-day parking and others aren’t. A trap for young players.
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