Bob: Thanks for the Flashman ref. I also missed out the "Jim Hawkins" ref. to RL Stevenson's Teasure Island.

Pity about the lack of Rum Rebellion songs. The ref. to Chris Larner rather than Sam is based on the notion that she was associated with Danny; I used to know her as a teacher and was aware of the connection.

Charley: I couldn't write anything so extensive. The only ability I have in such a direction is slight and concerns haiku, which require much concentrated effort on my part, and I prefer to celebrate humanity's positives. I didn't write it (the original) but thought it a rather savage critique worth analysing as a bit of a challenge to my recall of sources. I was at the '73 National and witnessed the exchange and the resulting discord but have been away from such things for quite a while now. I'm sure you'd be, as Bob says, quite safe around the folk scene and find it very enjoyable.

The Groves of Academe are quite a different matter however. Although it is off-topic there is a story John Button told that is relevant. John Button is a long-time member of the Australian Labor Party and was a Senator in the Australian Parliament for probably 30 years and a Cabinet Minister for at least 10 years. When he retired he took up a Visiting Professorship (or similar) at Melbourne Uni. A year or so later he was the guest speaker opening Writers' Week; in his speech he reminded his audience of the details of his political background and commented that he thought he "knew something about politics." When he got to the university he "realised just how ignorant [I] was."

I don't know whether a thread on the Australian attitude towards "tall poppies" is worthwhile for outsiders; I'm sure Bob would know whether there are relevant songs.