# Stupid Garbos **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 31, 2002, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936 "2002-12-31T20:27:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/1 "2002-12-31T20:27:18Z")
Our ‘rubbish’ day is veeeery early on Wednesday morning. Has been for years. It means putting out the bins late on Tuesday night in order to get them emptied, otherwise a 4.00 am dash in jammies and slippers to catch the garbos. Now last Wednesday was Xmas day so although everyone put out their bins, they were not collected until Thursday morning. That’s fine, it actually made it easier to get rid of all the Christmas rubbish without it accumulating for a full week. Now last night, well it was NYE wasn’t it, and everyone presumed that the rubbish would again be collected _tomorrow_. Well everyone except a couple of cautious neighbours…who’s rubbish has been PICKED UP early this morning. The rest of us either forgot or didn’t bother, and now have to wait another week with full bins. And of course, because there are so many of us, we can’t sneak out at midnight and dump our extra bags in someone else’s bin…and of course, next week the garbos will, as usual, refuse to take bags that are NOT in the bin. It’s going to be a long, hot, smelly week (or however long it takes to get rid of this stuff). Bloody council…:mad: ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/2 "2002-12-31T20:33:09Z")
Opening this, I thought it was something about daft Greta Garbo impersonators. Imagine my relief. 🙂 **kambuckta** , doesn’t your local council put out a holiday pick-up schedule? Something they’d at least _try_ to keep to? ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/3 "2002-12-31T20:35:49Z")
It’s nice to know things aren’t different on the other side of the planet. Our trash guys are the same - they say they publish their holiday pick up schedules in the paper, but I don’t get the paper. So I always make sure my trash is out on the regular day - holiday or not. Better to have it sit out one extra night than miss pick up completely. Ours has to be out at the curb by 6AM on pick up day. I have never, ever had them pick it up before 2-3 in the afternoon. I was late once and had it out by 8 AM instead of 6 AM - they didn’t pick it up. I called, and they did come and get it, but left a note on my bin telling me to have it out by 6 AM. Why should I, when they never pick it up until afternoon? They drive by the cross street early, and if it’s not out, they skip our house! Even though they go up and down our street at least ten times during the pick-up day. So I comply, and put it out the night before even if it will be raining, windy, whatever. They can deal with the mess, not me. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/4 "2002-12-31T21:04:15Z")
\[C. Montgomery Burns]Garbo is coming?[/CMB] ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/5 "2002-12-31T21:06:28Z")
[Greta Garbo]I _vant_ to be alone…[/Greta Garbo] F\_X ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/6 "2002-12-31T22:16:41Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Ice Wolf \* \*\*Opening this, I thought it was something about daft Greta Garbo impersonators. Imagine my relief. 🙂 [\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* LOL,so did I. ---
**Author:** ![Thylacine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thylacine/32/1143_2.png) [@Thylacine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thylacine)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/7 "2002-12-31T23:17:53Z")
I have the same collection day **Kambuckta** , my local paper had the decency to tell us the alternate arrangements for last week and that this week would be normal. I now have the understanding that the only days they do not collect when due are December 25 and Good Friday for future reference. Mind you they didn’t pick up my papers at all last week. One would think that with all the boxes and other assorted packaging from the gift giving extravaganza it would be the motherlode week for paper recyclers but nope. They took the week off. ---
**Author:** ![ninevah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/46a35a/32.png) [@ninevah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninevah)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/8 "2003-01-01T01:45:17Z")
I sympathise with you, **Kambuckta**! Missing the garbo day is a pain in the arse. Our garbo day is today also and they’ve picked it up, _toot suite!_, however the recycling mob were a bit slack and didn’t pick it up until midday. ---
**Author:** ![Gerome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Gerome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerome)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/9 "2003-01-01T03:31:03Z")
In my area, garbage collection is on Friday. But for some bizarre reason, they didn’t collect it last friday (the 27th). Instead they decided to collect it at 8am on Saturday. I still haven’t figured out why they had to interrupt my long sleep in on Saturday morning, or why the whole suburb had to be lined with wheelie bins for a day. Stupid garbologists. ---
**Author:** ![Thylacine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thylacine/32/1143_2.png) [@Thylacine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thylacine)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/10 "2003-01-01T03:42:27Z")
ooh ooh I know I know!!! People of Melbourne, local papers are how your council talks to you in this town, do not just read the personals and throw it away, look at the council page! Then and only then turn to seeking same and run up your phone bill. My local paper stated clearly that due to Christmas interfering with my pick up they had to push all collections back a day. They even had a nifty litle chart. They are not able to double what they do in a day (well not since tenders and competition and private contractors anyway). ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/11 "2003-01-01T03:57:36Z")
I thought “garbo” would cause some confusion. 😃 I guess we’d better not mention ambos, firies, brown bombers, sparkies, chippies, sheeties, snappers, pollies, cockies, posties… ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/12 "2003-01-01T04:02:46Z")
All jokes about stars of th’ silver screen aside … Curious as to the pattern of rubbish collection was for my fair city (yes, we say rubbish here), I checked the website for the territorial authority of my part of th’ burg. They said Thursday (Boxing Day) for the street I was interested in (not my own). Thinks I: not on your flaming Nelly, mate! So, I disregarded the bright letters and numbers on the monitor, and went off to work, putting out th’ rubbish on the hope that it would be picked up on th’ Friday instead. T’is th’ season for miracles, but not when it comes to th’ wheelie bin. And so it was. The bin was emptied on the Friday. And Wolfie was happy. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Thylacine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thylacine/32/1143_2.png) [@Thylacine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thylacine)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/13 "2003-01-01T04:07:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ice Wolf \* > \*\*(yes, we say rubbish here), \*\* Is yours collected by rubbos? 😛 Actually I say I am taking out the rubbish for the garbos. No wonder furriners have a hard time understanding us! ---
**Author:** ![Gerome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Gerome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerome)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/14 "2003-01-01T04:08:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Thylacine \* > \*\*ooh ooh I know I know!!! > > People of Melbourne, local papers are how your council talks to you in this town, do not just read the personals and throw it away, look at the council page! \*\* And here I was thinking the local rag was just a useless newsletter about cute animals and talented primary schoolers. I’ll be sure to read it to find out when the paper is being collected, because with two public holidays in one fortnight they might decide to do it on some completely random day. You know, to keep us on our toes. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/15 "2003-01-01T04:13:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Thylacine \* > \*\*Is yours collected by rubbos? 😛 > \*\* Actually, it’s collected by this one guy driving a humungous great truck, said truck with a mechanical arm that comes out the side and front of the truck to grab the bin, throttle it unmercifully, spill the contents into the side skip, then thrust the bin rudely back to the ground with a slight clatter. “Just putting the bin out for th’ rubbo and his robot arm” sounds so – _wrong_, somehow. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/16 "2003-01-01T04:20:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheLoadedDog \* > \*\*I thought “garbo” would cause some confusion. 😃 > > I guess we’d better not mention ambos, firies, brown bombers, sparkies, chippies, sheeties, snappers, pollies, cockies, posties… \*\* To continue this hijack at least for a little while: Ambos: makes me think of ambulances for some reason. Firies: something to do with fires? Brown bombers… eeeewwwwww. :eek: (sorry, thinking of various family in-jokes there… carry on) Sparkies! The only association I have with that term would be the AWANA kids aged 5-7. They’re so cute… hee hee. Chippies… the only thing I can think of would be a LOT of potato / wood chips. Sheeties: bedsheets or something, perhaps… Snappers: does that refer to the fish? Pollies: either a LOT of people named Polly, or your local politicians. Cockies: :o I hope it wouldn’t be THAT interpretation! Could be cockatiels or roosters… Posties: that could be the postman, or else wooden posts… F\_X ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/17 "2003-01-01T04:34:45Z")
Four outta ten, **Flam**. Nobbad for a furriner. 🙂 Ambos - ambulance drivers / paramedics Firies - Firemen (typically unpaid members of the Volunteer Bushfire Brigades, as opposed to professional urban firefighters) Brown Bombers - Parking Police (used to wear brown) Sparkies - electricians Chippies - carpenters Sheeties - sheetmetal workers Snappers - ticket inspectors on public transport (they used to punch a hole in the ticket, hence the name) Pollies - politicians Cockies - farmers (usually cattlemen) Posties - postmen (but not postal workers generally) Sorry for the continued hijack. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/18 "2003-01-01T04:42:23Z")
Thanks, **TLD**. 🙂 Nice to see my brain’s not totally dead yet… F\_X ---
**Author:** ![tavalla](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tavalla/32/89_2.png) [@tavalla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavalla)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/19 "2003-01-01T04:46:48Z")
Cockies also refers to cockatoos. Loud, screeching birds. I just had a flight of forty or fifty of 'em in full voice through the front yard’s airspace. ---
**Author:** ![ninevah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/46a35a/32.png) [@ninevah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninevah)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936/20 "2003-01-01T07:20:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheLoadedDog \* > \*\* > Firies - Firemen (typically unpaid members of the Volunteer Bushfire Brigades, as opposed to professional urban firefighters) > \*\* [gripe] Tut, tut. Why does EVERYONE assume that urban (or paid) firefighters are always professional and that volunteer/unpaid firefighters aren’t professional? [/gripe] Also, Brown Bombers, I believe used to be a reference to (in the olden days) the blokes who used to collect the toilet waste from outdoor dunnies (before septic tanks and indoor toilets). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-garbos/145936.md?page=2)