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11
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Trumpled (Alternative Leading)
Last post by LP -
Quote from: Thryleon – on
Materially has anything changed?

Congress has more power and scope to block Trump, but not necessarily if he is operating within the boundaries he is allowed to, and ultimately the USA is a united entity, not anit trumpist.  They wont simply flip flop because the midterms have swung, it will take a new sitting president for that to be the case, and even then, they make too many flacid moves, and the public will turn on the democrats calling them week.
They gained a level of power over investigation and protections.

But it's true they won't act in the way the media report, they aren't going to shot themself in the foot, the reports of political revenge are vastly overstated.

What will likely happen is those decisions that lead to RedTrump's protection and exemption from accountability will go away, and his efforts or ability to persecute opponents will be greatly diminished, and those efforts it won't be funded by congress like they have in the past. he has to pay his own way now, and his family will be held accountable. But it won't be clean, it will be messy, because this isn't a shock, the RedTrump team would have been planning for this from the very start.

Why is he glum, because he has been kicked from the trough!
13
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: National Songbook
Last post by Lods -
Quote from: PaulP – on
For those that are so inclined, you could certainly have some interesting discussions about what is included and what is excluded, and the criteria that is used to judge, the aims and objective of such an undertaking, and several others. Are they judging songs by what they mean to the population, whether they have come to be known as iconic or "Australian", is it Australian artists or musicians that have produced work of outstanding artistic merit, even through the words / music may not be identifiably "Australian" ?

To give one example among many, A Pub With No Beer's place in Australian music history is pretty much guaranteed, and it deserves a place in this songbook. If you are judging by what living in Australia is like for most Australians, then the Slim Dusty song represents something of a paradox IMO, because lyrically it describes a niche set of experiences, that would be foreign to most Australians. We live in a very urbanized country, and whilst there could be city pubs that run out of beer, it's pretty obvious that the song is referring to places and characters from the outback, even if the lyrics of the 5th, 6th and the verses are more geographically ambiguous. So if this song is part of the National Songbook, is this because of its history, its mythical status, because it is top shelf artistically etc.

We only hope for this Songbook is that it includes work of a high artistic caliber, and represents the diversity of experiences, histories, places, ethnicities, and artistry of Australia. 

I think you're right about experiences Paul.
I spent a lot of my very early days in the country areas around the Riverina and southern NSW.
So the small towns that had little else but a Pub, a post office and a small general store were very much part of my early life experiences.
My grandparents had a farm just outside of Mirrool (where they try and kick the football over the silos).
The highlight of the week was usually a trip to the Royal Hotel for a rasberry cordial and lemonade.
Papa didn't mind a beer...and would have been 'done' everytime on the trip back to the farm....but different days, and not as many cars on the road back then.
A classic police response would probably have been "Wake up to your bloody self Val...and we'll catch up for a beer next time you're in town."

So those old bush/country songs are really real and relevant for me.
14
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: National Songbook
Last post by dodge -
Thanks for the young performer link - I had forgotten it was one.  To shorten the listen to just the finalists, the bottom of the page has the track listing and times.

The kids that get this far are unbelievably talented (along with the pre-requisite of dedication and practice, practice and more practice) and you hope that they are able to continue.

Once I've listened to the finalists, will go back and listen to the rest - it's a good program.

The top 10 - good to see some modern classical (Peter Sculthorpe) and slightly more obscure, with a couple of good suggestions to be added.  The convict songs that we grew up with via the ABC song books at primary school are missing.  I think there is a potential trap of listing great songs that don't necessarily capture Australia - eg Friday on my mind, I am woman - great songs, internationally influential and all that - I suppose it's the beauty of the debate.

I am one that hasn't heard of The Necks - something to listen to in a few hours after Young Performers...
15
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: National Songbook
Last post by PaulP -
For those that are so inclined, you could certainly have some interesting discussions about what is included and what is excluded, and the criteria that is used to judge, the aims and objective of such an undertaking, and several others. Are they judging songs by what they mean to the population, whether they have come to be known as iconic or "Australian", is it Australian artists or musicians that have produced work of outstanding artistic merit, even through the words / music may not be identifiably "Australian" ?

To give one example among many, A Pub With No Beer's place in Australian music history is pretty much guaranteed, and it deserves a place in this songbook. If you are judging by what living in Australia is like for most Australians, then the Slim Dusty song represents something of a paradox IMO, because lyrically it describes a niche set of experiences, that would be foreign to most Australians. We live in a very urbanized country, and whilst there could be city pubs that run out of beer, it's pretty obvious that the song is referring to places and characters from the outback, even if the lyrics of the 5th, 6th and the verses are more geographically ambiguous. So if this song is part of the National Songbook, is this because of its history, its mythical status, because it is top shelf artistically etc.

My only hope for this Songbook is that it includes work of a high artistic caliber, and represents the diversity of experiences, histories, places, ethnicities, and artistry of Australia. 
16
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Trumpled (Alternative Leading)
Last post by Thryleon -
Materially has anything changed?

Congress has more power and scope to block Trump, but not necessarily if he is operating within the boundaries he is allowed to, and ultimately the USA is a united entity, not anit trumpist.  They wont simply flip flop because the midterms have swung, it will take a new sitting president for that to be the case, and even then, they make too many flacid moves, and the public will turn on the democrats calling them week.
17
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: National Songbook
Last post by Lods -
It's as LP stated above.
It's a work in progress.

It's a bit like the "Rock and Roll hall of fame" where acts are added on a regular basis.
There are currently omissions from that list that will eventually get a jumper.