SPOILERS The Last Continent Discussion **Spoilers**

[nom*]

i last time i read this i was actually traveling through the northern territory and alice springs and then finished the book once i was home in sydney a very enjoyable way to read it was i felt i was following Rincewind's journey.

i think i is a very 'british' view of australia though, i don't really know anything about rolf harris, and am glad not to!

 

[meerkat]

WELCOME Bulados2!

 

[Tonyblack]

WELCOME Bulados2!

Bulados2 is a spammer, Meer. Look at the link in its signature . . . which I'm going to delete, so you won't be able to.

 

[meerkat]

No, I can't, so you are right!

 

[raptornx01]

Re:

The book made me realize how little I know about Australia. There's about two books I've read that take place there, and I have seen the odd spot of Neighbours and Flying Doctors. Oh, and McCleod's daughters... but that's it! So most of the jokes went right over my head. (The ever more manic 'no worries' though... that one I got )

I even missed vegemite since I don't know the stuff. Can't say that it sounds like much to miss, but I was reading it and knowing there's some joke to be made, and I had no clue. (Althoug, reading it that way, it gives you a perfect idea about how ridiculous our actual world is. Nobody would fall for such an improbable thing in a story - it's only funny because it's real )

All you need to know about vegemite comes from John Henson of Talk Soup, "Vegemite is people. It's PEOPLE!"

(i so wish i could find the clip of him trying the stuff on air.)

 

[Anonymous]

On a note on the book: If I would say 'The creator-god didn't make a new bullroarer because he either couldn't (artefacts are fuzzy things) or, more likely, because he knew what consequences (bad consequences) it would have had if he would have made a new one' would you agree or disagree?

 

[RathDarkblade]

I'm obviously a little late to this party (about 5 years too late, it seems.... sorry) - but upon re-reading, I thought (especially being an Aussie) that this book was hilarious. My favourite bit? Well...

'Once a moderately jolly wizard camped by a dried-up waterhole under the shade of a tree he was completely unable to identify. And he swore as he hacked and hacked at a can of beer, saying, “What kind of idiots put beer in tins?”.'

(And here's my chorus:

"Beer in a tin, oh
Beer in a tin - just
what kind of idiots put beer in tins?"
And his ghost may be heard
(for eventually he died of thirst):
"What kind of idiots put beer in tins?")

But the same happened on each, too. The tin canning process was allegedly created by Frenchman Philippe de Girard in 1810, and the idea passed to British merchant Peter Durand, who was used as an agent to patent Girard's idea later the same year.

The CAN OPENER was invented by Waterbury native Ezra J. Warner on January 5, 1858 - i.e. nearly 50 years later.

Yes, I thought the whole point of that reference was to do with Aussie history and the imprisonment of corrupt politicians.

Here's a list of crooked Australian politicians. *LOL*

We Aussies don't need wikipedia to tell us which Aussie politicians are crooked or not. We KNOW that they're all crooks - which is why the occasional truly honest politician is such a surprise to us.

Still... no worries, eh?

 

[Ponderstibbons]

Have just finished reading this book- really enjoyed it! I loved it when Clancy asked Rincewind " don't you understand plain language? " a bit after Rincewind asked " what is Ecksian for going mad with terrified fatigue and collapsing in a boneless heap? " Also realised how often I say " no worries" in my daily life!

 

[=Tamar]

I don't say "No worries", not being Ecksian, but I'm told that "Fine" is the New England equivalent. As in, the dumpster is on fire and floating down the flooded street - This is fine. I'm fine.

I liked when Rincewind said they could reward him by never redecorating the cell...

 

[RathDarkblade]

I'm an Ecksian, and we say "No worries" all the time.

Server down at work? No worries. Stick the kettle on.

Can't get through all the work in time? No worries, it'll wait for next month.

You've been trekkin' in the bush and got bitten by a redback? No worries, we got an antidote. An' besides, it's a minor risk. Only 50 people died from a spider bite in Australia since the 1950s.

You polluted the only river in town and caused an outbreak of bubonic plague?* No w... actually, that might be a worry.

_________________________________
* I'm not exaggerating. It's there in the National Archives of Australia. It even merited a cartoon in the daily papers back then, which is now in the National Archives.

The bubonic plague continued to appear in Australia annually from about 1900 to 1920, but thanks to Australia's wariness, readiness, and excellent health record, "only" a few hundred people died. It could've easily been much worse.

Still ... no worries, eh?

 

[Tonyblack]

I'm a Brit and I often say "No worries!". I blame Terry Pratchett.

 

[RathDarkblade]

Just wondering: does anyone still say "No problem!" or "Happy to help!" or similar, instead of "No worries"?

(I won't mention "Glad to be of service!" ... since anyone saying that must be a door on the Heart of Gold)

Ghastly, isn't it. Life. Don't talk to me about life.

 

[Penfold]

I still say "No problem" or "No probs", especially on social media and WhatsApp conversations.