Young Nippers on the Wane?

Life guards at public beaches are generally paid by the local government here in the U.S.  In Australian, through surf life saving clubs Aussie "surf life savers provide the community with voluntary service rescuing swimmers in distress at surf beaches."  Young nippers form "the junior stage of surf life saving, open to children from the age of 5 through to 13 years old."  As befits Aussie's love of sport and the public display of community spirit, the young nippers' training involves long traditions and pageantry.

 WSJ's Geoffrey Rogow reports from Manly Beach (north Sydney) that these being eroded:

Men at Work playing "Land Down Under"

This is the real deal!

Peter Allen's "I Still Call Australia Home "

A More Sydney oriented version:

John Williams: Gallereries of Pink Galahs

Nothing Without You: Chandelier of Stars

Great country song by John Williamson: Chandelier of Stars. All rights belong to him. If you would like to buy it: http://bigpondmusic.com/Album/John-Williamson/Chandelier-Of-Stars2.aspx?searc...

John Williamson Malle Boy

A Pub With No Beer

Unthinkable - A Pub With No Beer, here's the great Slim Dusty.

I Am Australian

This is a song written by Bruce Woodley (him you see here starting to sing the song) and Dobe Newton and should warm the cockles any Aussie's heart where every he or she might be.

Some Straight Men Are Too Straight

Your Aussie a bit rusty? Here's an Australian TV mob reacting to one of their number's trying to tell a joke to the Dalai Lama:



Thanks to Carl McColman via Jim Graf:

http://anamchara.com/2011/06/14/what-not-to-say-to-the-dalai-lama/

From The Australian via News.com.au, enjoy this fair dinkum video in which Aussie Tim Winton reads from his book Land's Edge, A Coastal Memoir. The images are by Narelle Autio. Winton is from West australia (Perth maybe?)

If Cardinal Pell Is for It, It Is Worth a Look

Louie Verrecchio has crafted a program of study of the documents of the Second Vatican Council. According to Cardinal Pell, Archbishop of Sidney, "I found Harvesting the Fruit of Vatican II to be a rich and detailed resource... I consider this to be an excellent way to study the Vatican II documents whether individually or in a group." Verrecchio's Harvesting the Fruit of Vatican II is a highly acclaimed adult faith formation tool that has been helping parish based study groups and individuals worldwide since 2004. He also writes a column on Catholic News service entitled, you guessed it, "Harvesting the Fruit of Vatican II."

Susan Moore

Portico Books has just published The Living Word by Susan Reibel Moore. This is a strong introduction for young adults and not so young adults to the faith of Christ.

Susan is an Aussie (transplanted from America) who is an expert on children's literature. You can read her recently reprinted "Fantasy and the Occult in Children’s Literature" in Homiletic and Pastoral Review.

Aussie Airs

Slim Dusty has beeen called Mr. Australia. Here he is sing A Pub With No Beer and Waltzing Matilda.

John Williamson's True Blue is fair dinkum.