I was worried I’d inadvertently insulted a journalist or two at the local paper on the weekend.
I thought my tweet was relatively polite and made it clear that I wasn’t dissing the local paper itself… more the ‘crime’ we have on offer here on the Fraser Coast.*
Don’t get me wrong, I’m relieved that our biggest issues involve the theft of a six pack of Great Northern beer and 31 pairs of undies off someone’s clothesline… but it’s kinda funny nonetheless. Isn’t it?
Fraser Coasters have had their share of trauma and turmoil in the past so I definitely don’t wish that upon us but – on rare occasions I watch the local news – I have to chuckle at some of the stories on offer. And I feel sorry for the poor journalists involved; trying to make a story out of nothing at all.
Fortunately we have local, state and federal governments to keep the local journos busy – rising rates, cuts to services and the like. And, having worked in the community sector many years ago (and more recently closely with Ministers’ and senior officials) I know that – on the whole – positive coverage and (indeed) any publicity at all can be hard to come by.
Letting people know what community groups are doing or highlighting the achievements of local individuals may not be as sexy as grisly murders and mayhem – but it most certainly serves an important purpose.
I must confess that I do however – take a little offence at the initiative introduced by a former editor of the local paper, who started a ‘naming and shaming’ routine – predominantly of people arrested for drink driving offences.
We’re all made aware that Mary Smith had 3 wines at lunch and then drove to school to pick up her 2 children; and after sobbing in court she received a fine and lost her licence.
I obviously don’t condone drink driving but I’ve always felt uncomfortable with the notion of public humiliation. (And I understand that the editor in question appeared on a show recently talking about his commitment to, and justification for, the initiative.)
Anyhoo… back to the big issue at hand… these pesky local thieves stealing beer and knickers. Well actually… I must confess, the bigger issue for me (and one which has plagued me since I first saw the story) is who on earth HAS 31 pairs of knickers to hang on their clothesline? I’m hoping it was a household of women who only wash weekly and not just one lady with an underwear fetish. And as for the thief and why they needed 31 pairs of undies… well the mind boggles!
Other than almost anything which appears on the front page of the NT News, what’s the funniest story you’ve seen in local media?
And the burning question… do you own 31 pairs of undies?
Joining the Laugh Link gang again today.
*NB. I am seriously relieved. And thankful. x
June 16, 2014
I haven’t counted my undies but I know I don’t possess 31 pairs WORTH stealing! 🙂
Don’t like the ‘public humiliation’ initiative. Surely this type of ghastly punishment went out with stocks in the town square, where people threw rotten fruit (and worse) at offenders.
June 16, 2014
Yes! I was trying to find a picture like that for the blog post but most (even when adding the word ‘funny’ to my Google image search) were pretty macabre!
June 16, 2014
That’s exactly the question I needed an answer to. Along with – why would you leave it so long to wash said undies? At worst that’s 31 day’s worth. But it could also be just a couple if you have a problem with LBL, in which case wouldn’t you wear a super-absorbent pad? It’s all a bit gross.
June 16, 2014
Yes!!! Like I said, I’m hoping it involved a house full of women and the knickers were all shapes and sizes!
June 16, 2014
That’s exactly what I was thinking – why were there 31 pairs of underwear on the clothes line? I think your local paper has missed out on the real story.
June 16, 2014
Maybe there’ll be a follow-up! Or perhaps she’ll star in an episode of Hoarders! 😉
June 16, 2014
I think too much thought is going into the underwear habits of strangers! I do love a good NT front page though…. x
June 16, 2014
Oh yes, I was trying to find some reference for any overseas readers (who wouldn’t know what to expect from the NT News) but there were far too many examples of bizarre front pages!
June 16, 2014
31 pairs of undies stolen? You’d want them to be your size and comfy! I know the NT has some cracker story lines. I reckon papers should have more of these types of stories to make us smile, rather than make us frown about the awful stuff that is going on in the world or the state of politics or our economy.
June 16, 2014
I know… obviously the headlines on the website entertained me enough to tweet and FB about it and then write this blog post…
June 16, 2014
I’m sure I don’t own 31 pairs of undies!
I don’t live in Scarness either!
June 16, 2014
Phew… not you then!
June 16, 2014
31 pairs of undies – That’s 6 months of jocks swingin in the breeze.
No, my math is right according to my late father in law
For every pair there is an inside and and outside – that’s 2 days. Then if you use the sides as well as the crutch in a rotating fashion that’s another 3 times. 2 x 3 = 6 days from every pair of undies.
31 x 6 = 186 days worth of wearing.
Now that’s the real story right there!
June 16, 2014
Wow! There’s definitely an entire blog post there. Like the ‘how to live on $1 a day’ type thing.
“How to live for a year – without washing – on 60 pairs of jocks”. (Wait, is that right?!)
June 16, 2014
Your maths are perfect.
and yes my Father In Law once travelled around Europe for less than $5 a day. Sort of.
Muffins, cheese and fruit from the breakfast bar was lunch and for dinner 2 minute noddles
June 16, 2014
🙂
June 16, 2014
Was the subheading for the knickers story “a reason to use dryers”? 🙂
Thanks for linking up!
June 16, 2014
Sadly no… I have no outside clothesline (living in an apartment) so everything big goes in my dryer and the little stuff (like my knickers) go on a clothes rack. Perhaps it’s a good thing! 🙂
June 16, 2014
There was a story in our local rag recently about backpackers playing tennis naked at our suburbs tennis club. Only wish I had been alerted BEFORE the match. I am looking forward to a follow up on the knickers story. 😉
June 16, 2014
I’ll have to keep an eye out and provide updates – particularly if the knicker thief is caught! I follow some of the local journos on Twitter so might ask if they can specifically indulge me…
June 16, 2014
As a journo it’s a quick and easy police story to make the cops happy because someone might have seen something and can help with inquiries! But yes good news rarely gets where it should be! Thanks for linking x
June 16, 2014
I tweeted one of the journos and he covers the court stuff so he’s gonna keep an eye out for me… just so I can have a sense of closure! 😉
June 17, 2014
I have a lot of underwear & even I don’t have that many pairs. How many do they have still in the drawer? My hills hoist is currently completely full (for the first time ever) & even with Pickle’s undies (sometimes more than one a day for a toddler), I doubt we have that between us… I will be counting when I take them down tomorrow – I blame you Deb 😉
June 17, 2014
I have heaps in my drawer that are too small so the drawer is overflowing, but there’s nowhere near 31!
June 17, 2014
31 pairs???? Wowsers.
June 17, 2014
I know! Right?
June 25, 2014
I saw that editor on Insight a few weeks ago. I think it’s a horrible way to stop people drink driving!
June 25, 2014
Yes, I really struggle with the concept!