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The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
Ivan the Terribly Average Started conversation Sep 30, 2008
This really isn't fair. I'd quite decided to visit this place, but now that it has a new upbeat tourist-friendly name I've lost interest in the joint.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/30/2377903.htm?section=justin
'Tarkine Forest Adventures'. Ugh. It puts me in mind of horribly jolly and earnest youth group leaders of the sort I used to despise because they just wouldn't leave me alone. (They were mostly badgering me to join their poxy groups. I never did - a fact which should surprise none of you.)
What the hell's wrong with calling a place 'Dismal Swamp', anyway? It's all part of the great Australian tradition of brutal honesty in naming parts of the landscape. Dreary Creek, Cape Grim, Coffin Bay, Mount Carnage, Mount Buggery, Mount Treachery, Mount Despair, Mount Terrible, Mount Hopeless, Anxious Bay, Denial Bay, Lake Disappointment... It saddens me to think that Dismal Swamp is no longer among them.
But never mind. There's a little piece of my heart that will be forever Dismal.
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
Titania (gone for lunch) Posted Sep 30, 2008
Tarkine Forest Adventures does not create the impression of a real forest to me - rather a fake Disneyland kind of place, especially with that Adventures word at the end of the name conveying in image of 'activities' requiring, no doubt, climbing walls (fake), hanging bridges (perfectly safe) and maybe even bouncy castles... *shudders*
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
Prof Animal Chaos.C.E.O..err! C.E.Idiot of H2G2 Fools Guild (Official).... A recipient of S.F.L and S.S.J.A.D.D...plus...S.N.A.F.U. Posted Sep 30, 2008
the Tasmanian Devils will turn in their grave,what a crap new name
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
Ivan the Terribly Average Posted Sep 30, 2008
Yep. The new name is *genuinely* dismal, isn't it?
And yes, I also have the mental picture of bouncy castles and other rubbish like that. The picture's only a nice one when I imagine the bouncy castle slowly sinking into the swamp.
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
kea ~ Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small, unregarded but very well read blue and white website Posted Sep 30, 2008
At least you're not in danger of your whole country being turned into a theme park, and renamed after a fictional land created on the other side of the world 60 years ago.
We really should have asked for a smiley.
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
Ivan the Terribly Average Posted Sep 30, 2008
Yes, that would be rather special.
And you're right - at least we're not being mistaken for Middle Earth over on this side of the ditch, so there's some small consolation.
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
kea ~ Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small, unregarded but very well read blue and white website Posted Sep 30, 2008
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
Ivan the Terribly Average Posted Sep 30, 2008
There's already a large colony in Bondi and adjacent areas - I'm not sure I'd like to call them elves, somehow... It could be rather risky.
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
kea ~ Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small, unregarded but very well read blue and white website Posted Sep 30, 2008
They're not the lot we exported to raise the IQ of both countries are they? If so, I imagine they'll be making their way back here if things go awry on 8/11
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
Titania (gone for lunch) Posted Sep 30, 2008
What will happen on 8 November?*curious>
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
kea ~ Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small, unregarded but very well read blue and white website Posted Sep 30, 2008
New Zealand general election. We've had a Labour led government for 9 years and are being threatened with a National (conservative with lashings of far rightness) one. It's a weird bit of timing for Ivan and I, as he's had to live with the conservatives for all those years in Oz and now finally has a left govt again just when we're, apparently, turning the other way.
Still, it ain't over til the fat lady sings, and NZers have been known to come to their sense just in the nick of time before.
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
psychocandy-moderation team leader Posted Sep 30, 2008
Another election to keep a close eye on.
Ivan, I think it's crap that they've changed the name of Dismal Swamp. It's just the sort of place I would have chosen for an excursion. Now I agree it sounds a bit Disney-esque or kum-ba-ya for me.
But I still haven't stopped laughing at some of the other names in our original post- "Mount Buggery" made coffee come out my nostrils.
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
kea ~ Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small, unregarded but very well read blue and white website Posted Sep 30, 2008
It could end up being a fantastically exciting election too, lots of potential.
I've already used elsewhere tonight...
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
psychocandy-moderation team leader Posted Sep 30, 2008
Fortunately, yes. If not, I would have been really worried. I've been under the weather for a couple of days and while "runny nose" is a symptom, spontaneous nasal coffee percolation is not.
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
frenchbean Posted Sep 30, 2008
The wonderful names around Australia, it gives me cause to wonder what happened at each location.
What about Cape Flattery?
Cape Tribulation seems pretty self-explanatory, although I'd like to know whose it was and why (Cook I think).
There are heaps of Skyring Creeks in Qld. What's that about?
I particularly like variations on Three Mile Creek (Ten Mile Creek, Five Mile Creek and so on).
There's a Mount Glum somewhere. Dear me. Did they cheer up?
Fb
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
Websailor Posted Sep 30, 2008
I was fascinated too Frenchbean. Such realistic names, and usually with a story behind them. Some of ours have good stories too, if you know how to find out.
I see I have caught you just before work again I hope all is going well this second week.
Websailor
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
Websailor Posted Sep 30, 2008
Just checked my world clock, and now I find you appear to be online. it is great that our times match, even if twelve hours apart, it save a lot of thinking
Websailor
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
psychocandy-moderation team leader Posted Sep 30, 2008
I think it's awesome that places are named so accurately there. Most of those names make the places sound appealing to me.
Key: Complain about this post
The end of truth in geographical nomenclature.
- 1: Ivan the Terribly Average (Sep 30, 2008)
- 2: Titania (gone for lunch) (Sep 30, 2008)
- 3: Prof Animal Chaos.C.E.O..err! C.E.Idiot of H2G2 Fools Guild (Official).... A recipient of S.F.L and S.S.J.A.D.D...plus...S.N.A.F.U. (Sep 30, 2008)
- 4: Ivan the Terribly Average (Sep 30, 2008)
- 5: kea ~ Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small, unregarded but very well read blue and white website (Sep 30, 2008)
- 6: Ivan the Terribly Average (Sep 30, 2008)
- 7: kea ~ Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small, unregarded but very well read blue and white website (Sep 30, 2008)
- 8: Ivan the Terribly Average (Sep 30, 2008)
- 9: kea ~ Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small, unregarded but very well read blue and white website (Sep 30, 2008)
- 10: Titania (gone for lunch) (Sep 30, 2008)
- 11: kea ~ Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small, unregarded but very well read blue and white website (Sep 30, 2008)
- 12: psychocandy-moderation team leader (Sep 30, 2008)
- 13: kea ~ Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small, unregarded but very well read blue and white website (Sep 30, 2008)
- 14: Big Bad Johnny P (Sep 30, 2008)
- 15: psychocandy-moderation team leader (Sep 30, 2008)
- 16: Titania (gone for lunch) (Sep 30, 2008)
- 17: frenchbean (Sep 30, 2008)
- 18: Websailor (Sep 30, 2008)
- 19: Websailor (Sep 30, 2008)
- 20: psychocandy-moderation team leader (Sep 30, 2008)
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