What sort of shovel do you bring to a knife fight?
Dr Mumbo was intrigued to read Greg Hywood’s note to staff yesterday, which saw the media CEO unleash on his rival News Corp Australia after copping something of a barrage in recent months.
But whilst most attention will be lavished on some of the claims in the pretty sensational email, including accusing his rivals of spreading “lies” about Fairfax and being “at war with itself over it future”, Dr Mumbo was most interested in Hywood’s use of the word ‘splade’ in the subject line: “It is time to meet a splade with a shovel“.
What is a “splade” you ask?
Image via Wikicommons
Dr Mumbo wonders if the CEO actually meant a “splayd”, which is an incredibly handy eating utensil combining the functions of spoon, knife and fork in one (see side image).
Now while a splayd is no doubt a useful tool, (possibly even a handy weapon in close combat) he does wonder precisely where the Fairfax CEO thinks it fits in with its war with News Corp, and who precisely is wielding the shovel?
Indeed it brings to mind that famous scene from the Karate Kid where Mr Miyagi trains young Daniel to catch flies using chopsticks. Are there similar scenes playing out at Holt Street and Darling Island with splayds?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1gAHil89Z4
Of course it is entirely possible someone circulating the email made a typo of the word spade, an unfortunate thing to do when communicating to an organisation full of professional writers.
what hywood means is that he prefers to use a large blunt instrument where others choose more subtle methods
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