It is a well-known and well-documented phenomenon of 'new world' countries, that they compensate for a lack of 'oldest' or 'most exquisite', by substituting 'biggest' or 'tallest' or 'heaviest', etc. This, one imagines, stems from some kind of collective national complex, and they simply want to 'put matters right'.
The greatest exponent of the activity has to be the dear old USA. Who else would have cut a monument as outrageous as Mount Rushmore, created the biggest beefburger (above), or even constructed the biggest ever slice of watermelon.
But I was interested to hear recently that this is not limited to our trans-pond cousins, and that Australia now has it's own range of monstrous monuments, known as Australia's 'BIG THINGS'.
Amongst its extensive range of nonsense it claims to have the biggest banana, lobster, guitar, koala, pineapple, gum boot, paper clip, and.........
axe.
If I had to chose between 'oldest' and 'biggest', I still think I'd go for the former.
What, Australia has a bigger paper clip than the US. Say it isn't so! I am sure some genius in Wahoo, Iowa is working on that problem and it won't be long before we have a bigger, better paper clip than any Aussie could ever build.
ReplyDeleteWe like big!
The US and OZ will have to compare notes, then fight it out later! While we're at it, could someone in Wahoo write the entire works of Shakespeare on a pin head?
DeleteProbably.
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DeleteHubby told me, it was already done - years ago.
DeleteRecently there has been considerable talk about the U.S. being in decline. Some of the reasons - other countries have the tallest buildings now, and heck I forget the rest. Just wait until these concerned citizens (not me) get a load of what Aussie's got. It might make the 24 hour news cycle.
ReplyDeleteHa, Ha ! Yep it's true ! You're right it must be because we don't have any old stuff ... we are not much older than 100 years you know so we turn our hand to BIG stuff.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I'll do a post about it !!
That burger really is obscene.
ReplyDeleteLooks to me as if he burnt it! YUK.
DeleteIt's like people trying to grow the biggest vegetables - I suppose it's just to prove that it can be done - but biggest isn't always best that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteThat's a big chopper!
ReplyDeleteAll together now 'I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK.....'
DeleteI like the concept of 'fun-size' things and, thankfully, so have many of my past girlfriends.
ReplyDeleteWell we would all go for oldest wouldn't we Cro - after all, we are all approaching that category. How would anybody get their teeth round that burger, even assuming they would wish to.
ReplyDeleteI have at last managed to get you onto my side bar - after months of trying!
ReplyDeleteAll good fun Cro. I am sure your family have spoken about the BIG bulls in Rockhampton. Looking forward to Helsies list. It's all good fun here in AUS. But don't forget we also have the oldest living race of people, the Australian aboriginals.
ReplyDeleteThe patty in that burger looks like a giant turd.
ReplyDeleteOh my good Cro! You hit the nail squarely! Such a great comparison of our ailment here in the USA. We have a miserable time talking about old. Portland, Oregon, my town, has houses built in 1950 on the historic register. Pathetic. But for certain, we CAN DO BIG. Also pathetic. I'm with you for old.
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right! Every state in the U.S. tries to lay claim to the biggest, tallest, or deepest whatever. Our "oldest" stuff doesn't even begin to compare to most of the rest of the world. We're still the new kids on the block.
ReplyDeleteI have to thank you, Susan, for pointing out so many of the 'biggest' etc around your states. Always amusing, and often bemusing.
DeleteSusan's right. I know a place that boasts "world's biggest lobster," so i shall have compare US and Aussie versions and use both English and metric measurements to see who wins. Or rather which one is correct.
ReplyDeleteAnd, a quick google search shows Larry the Lobster in Kingston, Australia, 17 metres tall. Or 17 meters if you're spelling in the US, but they'd still look at you funny until you said 55.77 feet or a skosh under 19 yards (18.59).
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