At The XYZ it is important to maintain a dignified balance between in-depth political analysis and laconic Aussie wit. As such, we present the following:
In 1970, Prince Philip, on a trip to Australia, asked a photographer if he was getting enough pictures, and used an Australian colloquialism: “You have been running around like a blue-arsed fly.” Good old Prince Philip.
The expression, to describe someone who is in a constant state of frantic activity, goes back at least to the beginning of the Twentieth Century. The bluebottle fly is responsible for flystrike in sheep, which causes considerable suffering for the animals.
I will leave it to the reader then, to infer how naturally such an expression would have originated in Australia. I will also leave it to the reader to infer the intent behind this song and video clip by Deefer.
