·:[ Leefe rates the world… ]:·
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Are you the sort of Newtownian that thinks at 11pm “I need some blah, better duck off to Newtown IGA” ?

Well as of tonight that might be a thing of the past.

In my jaunt off to Newtown IGA tonight I found it closed and someone scrapping off the IGA logo from inside the windows. Looks like it is now a Franklins. That’s what the new sign hanging from the awning says anyway.

I wonder what the new stores opening hours will be? I saw the old list of times coming down, but didn’t hang around long enough to see what the new times are. I hope they don’t change.

The other question being will the supermarket change what they stock, becoming part of a major chain again? IGAs are given an amount of flexability in what they stock, more organics in Newtown and a store in Enmore has a good range of asian vegetables. Will being a Franklines make their stock conform to a set list, or will they stll be able to choose a variation suitable for the stores location?

I only wish I had a camera on me to take pictures of people scrapping the IGA logo off windows.

Yesterday was the mid semester presentation for many SDP* groups. Being the subject coordinator, Richard went round taking pictures of the different presentation. (We knew it was going to happen, there are photos of last semester’s groups.)

So I took along my own camera along and took pictures of Richard taking pictures.

* SDP - Systems Development Project, a 10 person group work subject run by the Faculty of IT at UTS.

Recently my small child has been taught Miss Polly Had A Dolly by Grandma. Some of the words are remembered, but not all of them, and I am expected to sing the song.

A search of Google brings up a number of version of the lyrics, mostly differing on what the doctor does, as well as sheet music and CDs with the song on it. Unfortunately finding the song as a sound file is another thing.

So where at 11:30pm do you find a song for a small child who is not sleepy?

iTunes music store it turns out. If you search for “Miss Polly” there are 33 listed songs. Two of the listed songs are pop music, with the rest being the nursery rhyme. So it is quite a popular song to record it seems. Ok, some of those listed are the same recording on different albums, but still quite a big list. And I was interested to find amongst the list an RnB version of the rhyme.

One of the better versions:

The RnB version:

Included below are lyrics familiar to me.

Miss Polly had a dolly
Who was sick, sick, sick,
So she called for the doctor
To be quick, quick, quick;
The doctor came
With his bag and his hat,
And he knocked at the door
With a rat-a-tat-tat.

At the Royal Easter Show the other day I was interested to see pairs of police walking round in fluorescent vests and caps. Trying to stand out, I though, make sure people can see you. And then I realised that they were all fake.

I see a number of other parents had a similar reaction. An article from the SMH on 9 April reports safety concerns that a number of parents had about the ‘Mega Cop’ showbag. The problem being that children in trouble may see someone wearing a showbag uniform and approach them for help. The Police and show management were aware of the bag but didn’t see it as a problem.

It took a few more days for the show’s general manager of events and marketing, John Aitken, to realise the uniform fit adults and withdraw the showbag from sale. They had been sold in previous years without a problem he said.

Seems to me that the show management need to do a little more due diligence on their showbags. From next year they will change the word on the jest and cap to COPS, but why did it say POLICE in the first place? And it seems a little oversight to make a kids vest in an adult size.

The UTS tower building seen through the leafless autumn branches of a tree from a bus stop across the road.
(Taken on 20 March 2007)