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Pelican Yoga Posts

Red pandas (#3 in Sichuan series)

Red Pandas are their genus’s only (two) species; further, they are the only living members of their family, Ailuridae.

They are only very distantly related to Giant Pandas.

Giant Pandas are bears, members of the Ursidae family.

Red Pandas are more closely related to weasels, skunks and raccoons, as fellow members of the superfamily, Musteloidea.

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Revelatory covers (15th in series): “Oblivion”, twice

 

Oblivion is a 1982 composition by Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992), Nuevo tango’s pre-eminent composer and bandoneon virtuoso.

Perhaps his most uncanny piece, it has survived/endured countless covers.

Some of its finest interpreters are not Argentinian, and although one of this post’s two very different versions does feature a “squeezebox”, it is not a bandoneon.

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A walk on the walled side (#3 in Western India series)

 

This post is the fruit of a lunchtime walk through the walled, “old city” section of Jaipur, Rajasthan’s largest city.

Approaching four million people, its metropolis has around twice as many residents as Perth’s.

Its “old” part’s hub makes any part of Perth – or of most “Western World” city CBDs – feel relatively monochrome, lifeless.

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Tibetan Macaques (No 2 in Sichuan series)

The featured image depicts maternal tenderness, but Macaca thibetana is also a strikingly aggressive, opportunistic species.

Unsurprisingly, this species’ “near threatened” status is the result of pressure/competition from our own aggressive, opportunistic species!

Tibetan Macaques live in cool subtropical Asian forests at elevations between 800 and 2500 metres above sea level.

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Revelatory Covers (14th in series): Brian, Fred, Thelonious,Ruby

Thelonious Monk (1917-1982) is one of my favourite composers.

Ruby, My Dear has always been one of my favourite Monk ballads.

Among living pianists, Fred Hersch has, I think, proved the most consistently rewarding interpreter of Monk.

Until a few weeks ago, I had never heard Brian Landrus; I have heard literally thousands of Monk “covers”, but none lovelier than the one which concludes Brian’s new album.

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Word power: hey, big (Oz Fed Govt) spender!

This post alerts you to two provocative essays about Australian governments’ approach to “public spending”.

One looks at general home truths, facts, fictions and illusions, with particular reference to our “post-pandemic” economic & social well-being.

The other addresses Australia’s response to “the threat from China”.

According to Richard Dennis, we Australians are reluctant to look into the simple truth hidden in plain sight:

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