"Teaching people about the world in which we live."

Shawn Steele, Brisbane, Australia (17:54, April 21):
We'll start in 5 minutes. Please note that the times displayed in the messages are US/Canadian Eastern Time, and not Australian time.

Shawn Steele, Brisbane, Australia (17:56, April 21):
Also please note that my typing will be using American spelling because that's what I know! Our first questions will be those submitted from the web.

Shawn Steele, Brisbane, Australia (17:58, April 21):
Eric, how does it feel to be 100?

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (17:58, April 21):
Just like bloody yesterday!

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (17:59, April 21):
Yesterday's just like today.

Shawn Steele, Brisbane, Australia (17:59, April 21):
What were fashions like 100 years ago?

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:00, April 21):
Do people now, know what corsets are? I remember my mother getting dressed... I remember putting my knee on my mom's back and grabbing the strings to tighten it...

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:01, April 21):
The women in those days were nice, decent, modest people. The dresses went up to their neck and the sleaves out to their hands. They wore hats and gloves.

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:02, April 21):
Today they don't know how to dress modestly, things are going downhill. I don't know why they even bother to put on clothes anymore.

Lara Steele, Brisbane, Australia (18:02, April 21):
So you don't like looking at women in shorts?

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:03, April 21):
Yes I do!

Lara Steele, Brisbane, Australia (18:03, April 21):
What about cars 100 years ago.

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:04, April 21):
There weren't any cars 100 years ago!

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:05, April 21):
But I can tell you about them 80 or 90 years ago. My first car was a second hand citroen with a bull nose and a duck tail. It had brass facings. Single seater (two doors.) It was a pretty little car.

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:06, April 21):
This was in Rabaul, New Guinea, in 1927. There were only 6 cars in Rabaul at that time!

Lara Steele, Brisbane, Australia (18:06, April 21):
How many people were there in Rabaul?

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:07, April 21):
1500 to 2000 Europeans. Some Chinese, Japanese and quite a few natives.

Lara Steele, Brisbane, Australia (18:07, April 21):
So that wasn't very many cars

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:07, April 21):
No, it wasn't. Everyone walked everywhere. No taxis...

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:09, April 21):
That car was flat out at about 60 miles per hour. (100 km). I used it mainly to go to golf and to take my little baby daughter to the botanical gardens for fresh air every morning.

Lara Steele, Brisbane, Australia (18:09, April 21):
Why did you need the fresh air? With only 6 cars there must not have been much pollution.

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:10, April 21):
There wasn't any pollution, but the trees were a nice atmosphere.

Lara Steele, Brisbane, Australia (18:11, April 21):
Next question: Do you like Bashed Bananas on toast? (What are Bashed Bananas on toast?)

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:12, April 21):
Bashed bananas. The only way to explain them is to tell you the story about these bashed bananas. I had a Grandson, we lived in Buderim, about 60 miles north of Brisbane.

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:14, April 21):
He was a sickely young boy, about 6 or 7 at this stage, and we had him for extended holiday so that he could get a bit better. And I used to get the breakfast for my wife and this boy and myself. And one of my favorite parts of my breakfast was what I called "Bashed Bananas on Toast" and if you don't know what that is you haven't lived yet!

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:15, April 21):
Bashed bananas is concocted this way: Get hot buttered toast, spread it nicely with honey. Get two bananas, normal bananas, and mash them up with a fork on a plate. (Making your mouth water already, isn't it.)

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:16, April 21):
Spread the mashed bananas on the toast liberaly (NOT THINLY) What would anybody do with that if you put it in front of them. Eat it!

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:18, April 21):
That's "Mashed Bananas". This grandson of mine, I used to entertain him, I took him on walks in the bushes to look for lions and tigers. And then came one sunday afternoon... Raining afternoon... we couldn't go out and play or anything. I sat down to try to read a book. And Dallas (my grandson) said he'd like to lie down with. I said to lie down and be quiet sonny, I want to read this book!

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:20, April 21):
Now that went alright for about a quarter of an hour... or ten minutes... and Dallas piped up "Grandpa." I said "what do you want Dallas, I'm trying to read this blasted book" He said "talk to me Grandpa".

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:20, April 21):
I said "right-o, what do you want to talk about Dallas?"

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:21, April 21):
"Something nice, Grandpa", Dallas said. I said "Right-o Dallas, what is something nice?"

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:22, April 21):
"Bashed Bananas on Toast Grandpa". So that's how it changed from "Mashed Bananas" to "Bashed Bananas".

Mark Abraham, University of Tasmania (18:06, April 21):
Good morning Uncle Eric! What did the Queen have to say?

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:25, April 21):
Hey, that's my Grandson Mark, how'd he get onto this thing? My Grandnephew or something anyway.

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:27, April 21):
This is what the Queen had to say: "I am pleased to hear that you are celebrating your One-Hundredth Birthday. My sincere congratulations and best wishes for a happy day on Monday the 20th of April 1998. Signed ELIZABETH R"

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:28, April 21):
Mark, I'm glad to hear from you. I also had similar messages from the Governor General and the Prime Minister and similar dignetaries in Queensland here!

Mark Abraham, University of Tasmania (18:30, April 21):
I wonder how they found out? Is there some poor bloke who checks the birth registries every year to find the lucky ones?

Lara Steele, Brisbane, Australia (18:23, April 21):
Here is a question from Leslie Whitaker: Tell us about the period when the river through Brisbane ran clear. Did the farming upstream turn it to brown, or was there some other cause?

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:33, April 21):
The answer is "No and Yes" (to the river question) Now the farmers did not cause the trouble. It was the dredging for gravel for the cement factory that caused the trouble.

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:35, April 21):
The continuous dredging for gravel by the cement factories. Because in Brisbane in the early periods the river was nice and clear. Brisbane was a sleepy town with a limit to the size of about 4 stories high that was maintained for quite some time. Then the place started to grow and the brick industry naturally grew too and they found that the bottom of the river was good.

Leslie, On the 'Net (18:36, April 21):
Thanks for the answer to that question. I have wondered about it for 16 years--ever since you first mentioned the blue water. I just never before thought to ask before.

Steve, On the 'Net (18:35, April 21):
Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:38, April 21):
When the river got murky the fish disappeared. We used to catch fish off of the bridge right in the middle of Brisbane, but they all went away with the dredging.   Eric:You're coming through "loud & clear" here in Colorado. Will you be having any champagne today?

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:37, April 21):
Steve, I have got commitments and Beryl is saying no champagne today. I've got to go to more of the Dungarees functions today.

Lara Steele, Brisbane, Australia (18:39, April 21):
Ok Eric, this is a tough one:

Lara Steele, Brisbane, Australia (18:40, April 21):
Here is the question from Steve in Colorado: Congratulations on your centennary birthday -- a truly noteworthy milestone in this or any other time. If I may, I would like to ask you these two questions: 1. Of the many changes in society, culture, and technology that you have witnessed in your lifetime,is there any single change or trend that you consider to be of particular significance? 2. Do you remain optimistic about the future course of change in our modern world? Remain well and active. Best wishes.

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:41, April 21):
Go back to sleep Steve (lots of laughing)

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:41, April 21):
Tell Steve I'm not awake yet !

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:42, April 21):
I have a bit of an answer. Steve, thank you for that question.

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:44, April 21):
Sometime last century somebody invented dynamite. Chap named Nobel I think. And he had no idea that his discovery was going to cause such trouble, especially in the ballistics industry.

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:46, April 21):
Some creature in your country then split the blasted atom!

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:47, April 21):
And you know what devestation that has caused!

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:48, April 21):
This wretched computer business is another thing. It has caused considerable trouble in Australia. It has put thousands out of work! Beryls son is one of them

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:49, April 21):
It (the computer) has good purposes but it has also caused a lot of trouble.

Shawn Steele, Brisbane, Australia (18:50, April 21):
It seems like the trouble on the Docks in Australia right now also has caused a lot of trouble, and those are jobs that aren't affected by the computer.

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:50, April 21):
Absolutely. Don't get me wrong, the computer hasn't been all bad (editor's note: he's enjoying this chat thoroughly!)

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:51, April 21):
The advent of the computer has been the meens of cost cutting in the industry, thereby increasing profits to people like me, which I approve!

Shawn Steele, Brisbane, Australia (18:52, April 21):
The second part of that question was: "Do you remain optimistic about the future course of change in our modern world? "

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:52, April 21):
No! We're getting too damn clever!

Shawn Steele, Brisbane, Australia (18:53, April 21):
Why not?

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:53, April 21):
I can answer that. Over the last 20 years the improvements in these technologies is so fast that anyone that can forecast what would happen in the next fifty years would be a damned idiot.

Steve, On the 'Net (18:56, April 21):
Eric:Soon, scientists will have deciphered the codes of all of our genes. Then what......?

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:57, April 21):
Listen, who would've thought that 15 or 20 years ago that if someone said that if you stuck a plastic card in a hole in the wall and get money out they would stick you in a lunatic asylum. Just look what happened to Marconi. They put him in a lunatic asylum and he was right!

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:59, April 21):
Steve: (about the Genes) See what I mean? Anything's possible.

Steve, On the 'Net (18:43, April 21):
Eric:Just what is the appeal of vegemite, anyhow?

Shawn Steele, Brisbane, Australia (18:45, April 21):
Ick, I tried that Vegemite stuck. I can't say "Yuck" enthusiastically enough.

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (18:58, April 21):
Vegemite is God's gift to mankind.

Steve, On the 'Net (19:01, April 21):
I think the stuff is just a way to eat salt without spilling it ! Actually, I like it. Think I'll try it with bashed bananas.

Leslie, On the 'Net (19:02, April 21):
Eric,Did you have any pets when you were a kid?

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (19:04, April 21):
I had a dog, used to go hunting with it on Saturday and Sunday afternoons when I was 10 or 11. Chasing hares and rabbits. Somebody asked me once if I ever caught anything with it... No, we didn't.

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (19:08, April 21):
Did everyone get to see my picture?

Mark Abraham, University of Tasmania (19:08, April 21):
Yep, looking good

Leslie, On the 'Net (19:09, April 21):
Eric, you are looking great!!! Shawn, congratulations. Really good job. Lara, thanks for keeping us on track.

Steve, On the 'Net (19:09, April 21):
Is that your picture? I thought it was Walter Cronkite.

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (19:10, April 21):
Who the hell's Cronkite anyhow? Clark Gable would be better thank you.

Steve, On the 'Net (19:15, April 21):
Thanks for sharing your very special day with us. Keep the faith and stay active. Bye for now.

Eric Abraham (typed by Shawn Steele), Brisbane, Australia (19:15, April 21):
Lara and Shawn, I have enjoyed this experience. This is the first time I've seen this type of thing happening, and I'm 100 years old!. These computers were just coming into existance when I retired in 1959. I don't know anything about computers, all I know is that they work, just like me and my motorcars. But I have enjoyed this hour immensly.