Of dubious educational value

For some reason, I like to relax by watching documentaries on Netflix. No wonder I have trouble relaxing. The quality varies from good to mediocre. One of the mediocre ones is Top 10 Secrets and Mysteries. Season 2, Episode 5 looks at unsolved disappearances. Since Australia barely rates a mention in such programs, I was surprised that the disappearance of former Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt was covered in this episode. In December 1967, Holt went missing, presumed drowned, whilst swimming in treacherous waters in Portsea, Victoria. His body was never recovered. This part of the segment was correct, but it contains two glaring errors.

The archival film footage used is incorrectly captioned as being from December 1967. The crowd of people in this screen grab are clearly attending a campaign rally for Malcolm Fraser, who was Prime Minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983. They are also wearing 1970's fashions, and the campaign slogan on the shirt, "Liberal. Doing the Job" was used in the 1977 Australian federal election. Secondly, it is erroneously stated that Holt led the Liberal Party to power in 1966. At that time, the Liberals had held power federally since 1949 under Robert Menzies. Holt became Prime Minister when Menzies retired in January 1966, and became Prime Minister in his own right in the November 1966 federal election. 

Is more careful research on these shows too much to ask for? 

Suspicious minds

It is forty years to the day since Elvis Presley died. By the time I was born, his career and personal life was already in decline. This is how the Daily Mail reported on the commemorations, with Elvis fans from all over the world descending on Graceland to mark the occasion.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4788290/Elvis-fans-flock-grave-40th-anniversary.html

Two things stand out to me in this article. Some of his fans worship him as a religious figure. Secondly, on a somewhat lighter note, it contains a link to a video of his legendary Las Vegas residency. It says that it dates from 1960. This was actually the same year that he was discharged from the army, and filmed three movies. Elvis's Vegas residencies did not commence until 1969, and this footage actually dates from 1970.

Do yourself a favour

What were you doing in the week ending October 14, 1977? At the time I was too young to know what calendars were, nor did I follow the music charts.

Had I known, I would have been aware that Emerson, Lake and Palmer's instrumental, Fanfare for the Common Man held the number 7 position in the 3XY top 40. Its highest chart position was number 4.

A generation of Australian television viewers came to know it when it was used by Channel 7 for many years in the opening titles of live sports broadcasts.

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/Badgerdarkness/3xy_top_40___14_october_1977___melbourne_vic_australia/

Get over yourself and stop pining

Smokie's Living Next Door to Alice is on high rotation on my iTunes playlist, and is also a bad karaoke choice for me. Aside from this, it was the number 10 song on 3XY's top 40 chart for the week ending June 10, 1977.  I won't mention the somewhat vulgar 1995 version with comedian Roy "Chubby" Brown.

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/Badgerdarkness/3xy_top_40___10_june_1977___melbourne_vic_australia/