The perfect opportunity.

If you've watched the video of my previous post and you want to try a "B" out on the roads of the Southern Highlands then go to this link.

http://www.country-accommodation.com.au/accommodation-packages/mgb.html

Considering what happened to my earlier blog on a Top Gear article, it will be interesting to see how long this one lasts. Now the interesting thing about this video is it was filmed not far from where I live. Kangaroo Valley is about half an hours country burble from Robertson and this is the kind of driving I do everyday. I am very lucky.

RSS feeds

Heard of RSS? Its a great way of keeping up with whats going on out there. I personally use "Bloglines" which is great for most of the subjects I'm interested in, trouble is, there aren't many MG blogs to choose that I can feed from. If anybody knows of any, please send them in.

For keeping up with current affairs these things are great and as a librarian I've always refused to apologise for going through the papers first thing in the morning and finding out whats going on in the world. I work part time on a reference desk in the city and the best way, in my opinion, to give an air of competance is to have more than a working knowledge about current affairs (other than those mentioned in New Weekly or Who magazine).

Library blogs abound of course, and one, which is of particular use is the Goulburn Local History Blog. If you are coming to Goulburn, and many driving enthusiasts do due to Wakefield Park, give it a look. It can give you a great starting point if you want to have a look around Australia's oldest inland city.

http://www.strlhistorymatters.blogspot.com/

This chap is obviously somebody who would appreciate the book I reviewed last (see the link below) I have this model as well, in fact its hard to find somone who doesn't! But its a lovely photo. I only wish I had a macro lense that could get this close to the subject.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pernfors88/1463111122/

The Complete Guide to MG Collectibles

OK, what MG owner doesn't have an octagon emblazoned t-shirt, matchbox MGB or slowly rotting key fob somewhere in their household? I don't care how transient your MG ownership is, or has been, chances are you'll refuse to discard some old sales brochure or owners manual. Curious thing is, MG didn't make a big deal out of branded merchandise in Australia in recent years. It can't have been a case of snobbery either. Aston Martin and Bentley haven't been above selling watches, mugs, t-shirts and fleeces. Visits to the motor show in Sydney or Melbourne would end with my walking away from the MG stand seriously frustrated.

"The Complete Guide to MG Collectibles" increased the frustration when I first read it because there has been a serious amount of MG themed "stuff" made over the years. And this chap, Michael Ellmann-Brown, has it all. He tells of how his collection started from a key ring and grew into the accumulation of mind numbing vastness that it is today. Some of it is very rare and expensive such as a handmade model of a 1935 R-Type, others, not so rare, such as postcards and brochures. I think his urge to collect bordered on obsessive compulsiveness when he tells the tale of visiting an auction so that he can could bid, successfully too I might add, on one of the old MG factory telephones. No engraving or badges are present to prove its authenticity, you just have to believe. I found some of my collectibles in this beautifully illustrated book and irritated my partner no end with yelps of delight accompanied with "Jodie, Jodie, look, look..." at each discovery.

The photography is excellent and of a very high standard and the narrative entertaining, although scant. The publication quality is typical of Bay Books with excellent quality paper and strong binding. I can definitely recommend this book but be aware, it WILL be borrowed by fellow MG heads and you WILL annoy your significant other.

Bay View Books. 1997. (ISBN: 1870979877) ELLMANN-BROWN, MICHAEL.

Top Gear

As a librarian I have always been interested in collection development and user advice. And, as an M.G. nut it has been one of my dreams to be involved in the collection development of a library with an automotive subject specialty (Leichhardt is lovely this time of year, and my resume is on the web). So I see the advent of Web 2.0 as, not only a source of interaction between like minded people but also as, an opportunity to fulfill those career dreams that have not been fulfilled in the analog world. One of the greatest benefits is that here I can give my valued reader access to print, video and electronic resources from one location, a digital fully equipped library if you will. So with that in mind lets proceed with my first review.

Someone who obviously loves their job is Jeremy Clarkson. Love him or hate him ( I think he should be PM) the man knows how to get attention. I see him as the Stephen Hawking of motoring books and DVDs. I don't mean that he's a genius, far from it. What I mean is he is able to attract a strong following and avid fan base, many of whom couldn't care less about cars. I have worked with people who think automotive technology peaked with navy blue Hyundai Excels but they love Jeremy! Stephen Hawking did the same with "A brief history of time". I've seen shop assistants on commuter trains reading about Professor Hawkings take on quantum physics and they were engrossed, not confused. That's the kind of ability Jeremy has. He makes his subject accessible to those who normally wouldn't bother. Is he an M.G. fan? Hmmmmm. Well in this case, I think so. Sure his comments about the build quality of more recent M.G.s put many a union reps nose out of joint but honesty can sting.

Stephen Fry said that in his youth he once missed an episode of Doctor Who and he never regained that moment. Well, thanks to Web 2.0 those days are over. Now I missed the Top Gear episode where MG-Rover got its revenge on Jeremy for all those nasty things he's said about them over the years but here is that moment to watch again and again...

Nothing better than watching someone get their head caved in for Blighty...

Update: Now this says a lot don't you think. This video has been removed from Youtube! So, contrary to what I said earlier, does this video still exist? As far as Youtube is concerned, no it doesn't. So, the promise of the net maintaining our knowledge for us, negating our need to store our data on our home computers is not entirely true. Copyright still exists and the owners have the right to have their intellectual property protected. Lets face it, Top Gear is one of the jewels in the Beebs crown and they wish to maintain that.

Welcome

Welcome to the MGBook Blog. I'm a librarian and an MG enthusiast so I figured "why not merge my job and my passion" (which I've heard is the secret to true career happiness), so here I will review, or give links to reviews of books, DVDs and even MG merchandise. As I live in the Southern Highlands of NSW, some of the greatest top-down touring country in Australia, I'll also review some driving roads as well. Now there are greater minds than mine on this subject, so please feel free to write in and tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about. And if theres a book I haven't reviewed or you want to know where you can get a copy just ask, I'm a librarian, I CAN find out for you.