Edgar Hurley: The Blame Needs A Place

<p><span><span>- Loss is a part of life. Edgar Hurley seems to know this implicitly, there’s a sensation of being worn down, beaten even, that pervades his folk vignettes. “<em>You’ll take just what you need</em>” is how he greets us on <em>The Blame Needs A Place</em>. It’s less an accusation and more an acceptance.

Vince Staples: Vince Staples

- After what has seemed like an eternity since last project FM!, California rapper Vince Staples has returned with a self-titled record produced entirely by Kenny Beats. The album is short, at just over twenty-two minutes, which is disappointing after a three year wait but there’s been countless rappers who’ve proven my stigma to be wrong. Vince has never completely missed and if he’s willing to put his name to something, it must be good right?

Kutcha Edwards - 'Circling Time'

Circling Time, Kutcha’s fifth solo album is filled with stories and reflections on the singer’s past and inspirations for the present. A survivor of the Stolen Generations, Kutcha has throughout his life and career connected people with a determination to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Circling Time is profound and a timely reminder of the incredible depth and talent of one of the most inspiring voices within the country. ‘’In telling my story, I believe I’m telling my family’s story. Within the structure of family, there are members whose role it is to protect country. For others, it’s to protect the memories such as photos. I believe I have been given the responsibility to protect my family’s Songline,’’ explains Kutcha. ‘’Justice, heritage, forgiveness – all are words that resonate with me deeply. It’s my role to give songs meaning so that they can continue to connect my family and all my clans to country. ‘’This album is filled with spirit. It’s this spirit that I need to share and pass on so we can begin to heal and understand what our ancestors have passed on to us... the true meaning of ‘Circling Time’,’’ said Kutcha. Kutcha’s songs on Circling Time are reflections on some of the highs, lows and formative chapters of this iconic singer songwriter’s life journey, starting from his birthplace in Balranald on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. The album also showcases Kutcha’s incredible vocal range and his evolution as a singer songwriter and Aboriginal Songman. Produced and engineered by Andy Stewart at Mill Studio, the album was predominantly recorded during the 2020 lockdown. Circling Time is insightful, reflective and deeply moving. Kutcha’s music creates physical and spiritual rhythms that transcend and connects all of us to the universal themes of love, family and country.

Mater hospital loses legal battle

The Mater Hospital lost its appeal in a court case over a 2015 truck crash incident at the hospital’s overhead footbridge. The original ruling went in favour of truck driver Keith Cox and his company’s insurer QBE. 

Mater Misericordiae, the hospital’s parent company, appealed to the Brisbane District Court on 2 grounds over the original magistrate’s rulings. 

Judge Porter dismissed the appeal concluding Mr Cox was cautious of the clearance and mindful of his truck’s speed, while no one from traffic control gave prior warning about the clearance.

 

Tiny tree frog undergoes surgery

A successful surgery has been performed on a tiny tree frog weighing less than a gram in weight and shorter than 2cm long.

Dr Meaghan Barrow, an RSPCA vet from the Wacol facility, said a nurse found the little amphibian whose tiny lung and intestines were poking out of a hole in its thorax. 

Doctors first sedated the frog, then used very tiny instruments to perform the treatment and finally gave it pain relief and antibiotics which were diluted by 1000 times. 

The lucky frog was released to the wild once fully recovered.

 

Research on bird nest specimens collected since 1832

Marine scientist Dr Townsend and ecologist Dominique Potvin from the University of the Sunshine Coast studied nearly 900 preserved bird nest specimens collected between the years 1832 and 2018.

Their world-first research on bird nests at Museums Victoria and the CSIRO in Canberra was published this month in the scientific journal Oecologia.

It was the first study of its kind to use museum specimens to determine the effects on wildlife in rural and urban backyards.

Delta variant spreading through the U.S

Fears of a pandemic resurgence in the United States is gaining steam as the Delta variant is spreading throughout states with low vaccination rates. 

President Joe Biden urges the population in the affected states to get vaccinated, as they accounted for 40 percent of all cases last week. 

The average number of cases in the US has tripled in the past 30 days rising from around 12,000 to over 32,000, while stock indexes in the share market have plunged due to fears economic recovery will be hampered by the virus.

 

Sean Turnell experiencing cold and flu symptoms within myanmar prison

An Australian detained in Myanmar prison now experiencing cold and flu symptoms amid the spread of the Delta variant.

Sean Turnell, Australian adviser to Myanmar’s deposed leader was the first foreign national arrested after the February coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi from power.

His wife pleads for her husband’s release expressing concerns about his health as the country endures a surge of Covid cases.