DAVID ADAMS writes about the odder side of life…
• ‘Captain’s call’, a phrase which became synonymous with former Australian PM Tony Abbott, has been named Macquarie Dictionary’s Word of the Year for 2015. Defined as “a decision made by a political or business leader without consultation with colleagues”, the word was chosen above “honourable mentions” ‘lumbersexual” (“an urban male who wishes to associate himself by his appearance with a rugged outdoors way of life, as by wearing outdoor clothes such as check shirts, jeans and large boots combined with a beard as typical of a lumberjack”) and ‘deso’ (“a designated driver”). The dictionary says ‘Word of the Year’ category winners include ‘wombat gate’ (agriculture – “a swing gate installed in a ditch going underneath a fence, so that wombats, who follow very predictable patterns at night, can come and go without destroying the fence”), ‘frankenfruit’ (eating and drinking – “a fruit produced as a hybrid of other fruits, or infused with the flavour of another fruit, or genetically modified in some way”), and ‘slackpacking’ (sport – “an arrangement for a walking trip lasting longer than one day, in which heavy items such as food, wine, etc., are delivered to accommodation points, the walkers being required to carry only a daypack.”). Voting for the ‘People’s Choice award’ is open until 31st January.
• It’s a chance to buy your own ‘popemobile’. One of two Fiats used by Pope Francis during his visit to Philadelphia last year is being put up for auction by the city’s Roman Catholic archdiocese to raise money for its ministries and a children’s hospital. The custom-made black Fiat 500L will be put up for auction at a black tie gala to kick off the Philadelphia Auto Show on 29th January and there’s a chance the second car he used might be also. Both cars were reportedly donated to the church by Fiat Chrysler.
• Canadian paramedics got a surprise responding to a call about a homeless man sleeping on a bench in freezing conditions. The homeless man turned out to a be a bronze statue known as the ‘Homeless Jesus’. The paramedics, in the city of Hamilton, shared a photo on Twitter to assure people the figure was not a real person. The statue, one of more than 100 made by artist Timothy Schmalz and subsequently placed in cities around the world, only took up residence in Hamilton in October.
