As we all know, fridges are very important appliances. It’s not just that they keep beer cold, they also keep chocolate cold.

Reader Chriss Gallagher (yes, that’s how you spell her name) has thought about fridge designs.

You see, yesterday we asked readers to send us their smart, zany ideas.

Chriss responded with her “lightbulb moment”.

Her idea is a horizontal refrigerator, set into kitchen cupboards at waist-high level. 

The freezer would be at one end and the refrigerated section at the other.

Her plan involves easily accessible drawers, eliminating the need to bend down.

And credit where credit’s due. Chriss has thought this thing through, ruling out an upside-down refrigerator after some careful thought.

“In an upside-down refrigerator there is still the need to bend often to retrieve the meat and frozen goods,” she said.

And, of course, normal fridges require bending down to get the fruit and vegies.

Chriss says her idea would be the “perfect solution” for people with bad backs.

We found a photo that shows a similar concept to what Chriss is talking about.

We reckon her idea is a goer.

Feel free to send your smart, zany ideas to topics@theherald.com.au.

And don’t forget to enter the Hunter Innovation Smart Ideas Competition, which is being run in association with the Newcastle Herald.

Details of the competition, which closes on Wednesday, can be found at hunterinnovationfestival.org/smart-ideas.

A Love for Nicknames

Bob “Minmi Magster” Skelton gave us a bell, after reading our recent piece on old-school Aussie names.

For those who missed it, we put out a call for pending parents to have a good think about restoring these names to the fold.

We were talking about names like Kevin (Kev), Trevor (Trev), Wayne (Wayno), Sharon (Shazza), Karen (Kazza), Kylie (Kyles) and Cheryl (Chezza).

This prompted the Magster to raise the important issue of Aussie nicknames.

“Every person out here [at Minmi] at one time had a nickname,” Magster said.

“Nicknames were a term of endearment.”

Magster said his dad gave him his nickname.

It’s based on the old Aussie term “mag”, which means to chatter incessantly.

This shouldn’t be confused with nag, which most people link to badgering wives. That’s a bit sexist, isn’t it. Men do nag, too. 

Anyhow, it seems the Magster was given his nickname because he likes a bit of a chat. We can confirm that. He does like a chat. But we like chatting to him. He’s a salt-of-the-earth kinda bloke. A true blue Aussie.

Magster said his brother’s nickname was Damper.

“We do a few bushy smokos around the place and he cooks beautiful damper,” Magster said.

“People think he gets his nickname from that, but the old man christened him Damper.

“I remember saying to the old fella, ‘why are you calling him Damper?’.

“He said ‘the little bugger is always needing dough’.”

Magster said women don’t seem to have many nicknames. Is he right about that? We’re not entirely sure.

Nonetheless, Bob says he once knew a woman nicknamed “Esky” because she was “always cold and full of cheap wine”.

As the Magster’s real name is Robert, we discussed nicknames for Robert as being Rob, Bob, Bobby and even Bobbo. 

“I’m glad I never got Bobbo, that’s a bit close to Yobbo,” Magster said.

Magster, who is well known around town for being a bush poet, says he’s fond of nicknames.

“Anyone who has a nickname is generally a likeable sort of bloke,” he said.

Hmmm. We’re not sure if that’s entirely true.

After all, Donald Trump is nicknamed The Donald.

Joke of the Day

Meanwhile, at a job interview.

Interviewer: Can you explain this gap in your resume?

Interviewee: I fell asleep on the space key.