The Queen’s Birthday, right? Hmmm. Ish.

Elizabeth II was actually born on April 21, 1926 (and you forgot to send a card). 

So what’s the go with this first weekend in June idea.

Err, it’s actually the king’s birthday. 

It used to be celebrated on the monarch’s birthday from 1788 until the death of King George V in 1936, when it was fixed as close as possible to his birthday.

But here’s a factoid to file away: June 9 is also World Archives Day.

Hot cars roll in

It’s also a significant holiday for admirers of the products that poured out of the Chrysler organisation for about 100 years: the Midstate Mopars gathering today and tomorrow in central Bendigo.

This has gradually built into a huge thing, and DTM, being fond of petrol fumes, always thought “Mopar” was simply a contraction of “motor parts”, the spare parts division of the organisation.

Well, sort of.

The company’s official history says the name dates back to 1937 when a marketing group was trying to think of a snappy name for Chrysler Motor Parts antifreeze.

Which probably explains why Midstate Mopars is so hot. Sorry.

Clever little snippets of wisdom 

A group of friends have been sending around something called paraprosdokians – sentences that start

out one way and take a sharp turn for the ridiculous. We reckon they’re clever.

 Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

 Evening news is where they begin with "Good evening", and then proceed to tell you why it isn't.

 A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.

 How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

 Some people are like Slinkies... not really good for anything, but you can't help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.

Caught out by wake-up call 

If this had happened 2000 years earlier, in Judea, the reported outcome would surely have been different.

From the Perth Daily News of February 18, 1903:

“A DUMB MAN SPEAKS.

An old Bendigo resident, named Edward Barnes, who for the last 15 years has been travelling through the States pretending that he was deaf and dumb, and carrying a card soliciting aid for his wife and children, was recently found asleep near a municipal tip by a Sydney constable, who awakened him. 

“The supposed dumb man swore frightfully. 

"He was sentenced to three months' imprisonment for imposition.”