Producer's Pick: Recent Episodes
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Funny, warm insightful, hilarious and occasionally a little bit wise... Libbi Gore is looking at how we judge each others' parenting - and why it might be best to refrain from doing so!
The debate about women being allowed to have combat roles in the armed services has ignited this week. Should those women who complete the training, and who pass the physical criteria be allowed to do the job they want? Author and military historian Peter Fitzsimons has some strong views onthe topic.
Travellers' woes might be awful to endure, but they make great stories for the rest of us!
Perth writer, uni lecturer and former ABC broadcaster, Liz Byrski has published her latest novel which celebrates the energy of women, their commitment and their friendships.
When a victim of bullying retaliates, who is in the right? Complexities of the issues were aired by listeners with very personal experiences. The impression seems to be that, despite every school having anti-bullying policies, it's still happening, kids are still making each other wretched and parents still feel helpless.
What would you do with handfuls of yak hair? A Perth technician in a shcool drama department has won Oscar success as part of the team that won the prize for best make-up.
The acclaimed author Armistead Maupin, creator of the 'Tales of the City' series explains why he once hated his name, now loves it and declares that the rumour it's an anagram of "a man I dreamt up" is false!
Broome beach should no longer be used by naturists who prefer to enjoy the outdoor life unclothed, according to the Shire Council.
The governor general has too much Grange in her cellar, so she's donating 100 bottles to charities so they can auction them off in their fund-raising efforts. Also in our wine segment with Blair Hill, can chardonnay make a comeback?
Making the fly in, fly out life work for families, so no-one feels confused, displaced or disrupted.
In the Afternoon Program's travel segment, Gillian got Quentin Long, a writer with Australian Traveller Magazine, to nominate what he considered the most beautiful cities of the world - and why. And listeners had many and varied suggestions of their own.
A team of cricket players from tough Los Angeles lives, where guns and gangs rule, have learned self-reliance, restraint, control and respect. They did it by playing cricket in the traditional spirit of the game.
Audiences are being spellbound by a new trend in theatre - the art of telling an engrossing, true life, story, and doing so without using a script or notes. It's proving hugely popular and there are sessions throughout February at Perth's Blue Room theatre.
Why do we live and love as we do? Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethá's book 'Sex At Dawn' sets out to debunk almost everything we think we know about sex. They say that humans have a promiscuous past which haunts our thinking about monogamy, sexual orientation, and family dynamics.
James Morrison about to start the first day of rehearsals for a show that will probably have the best music of any recent play in Perth. "Boundary Street" follows the story of three African-American soldiers in Brisbane. Off duty, they frequent a jazz club set up where the new and exotic music permits prejudices to be dispelled and genuine friendships blossom. But then simmering racism erupts violently. Part of Perth International Arts Festival
You'll know television'sDr Karl Kruszelnicki for his passion for science and for his crazy, colourful shirts. But his family story involves parents who experienced concentration camps and the worst that can be inflicted by one human being on another. Yet when the opportunity for revenge was presented, it was humanity that was the victor.
A low-paid factory worker found 50-thousand dollars on the train and, even though it was more than his year's salary, he didn't hesitate to hand it in to police. The owner was ecstatic and we enjoyed hearing other stories of strangers doing the right thing by each other.
How can you be both breadwinner and father? The Tasmanian premier has resigned after he found his child's diary full of references to dad being unavailable because of work.
They were needed, but often, not wanted. The sense of displacement and unwelcome affected so much of the Italian experience in WA. The lives and histories of Italians in WA have been charted in loving detail in Susanna Iuliano's book 'Italian Lives in Western Australia'.
We all had some kind of reaction when the story broke of the Canberra public servant who wrote an email to 4000 colleagues trying to track down a woman who he'd just met, Olivia. Today we learn more, the back story of what prompted this apparently impetuous gesture give us a fascinating glimpse into someone else's life. The story was revealed to one Australian journalist Sam De Brito, who revealed all to Gillian O'Shaughnessy on 720 Afternoons.
What does your choice of type font reveal about you? If you type using Comic Sans are you an optimistic fool? If you use Times New Roman, are you a rigid-minded pedant? Should the world just adopt Arial and forget all other type fonts? Simon Garfield is a journalist who has committed a large amount of time to studying this trivial but fascinating aspect of daily life.
Last week environmental scientist and television gardener Josh Byrne received an award from the Department of Water and the Water Corporation for his outstanding career achievements and his potential to play a large and influential role in the future. Josh joined Gillo on 720 Afternoons to explain why he believes the current 'once a week' approach to water conservation just isn't the right one.
Paul Carter is a self confessed eco vandal! He has spent more than 20 years drilling in 17 different countries in the oil and gas industry. What would inspire an environmental savage of this calibre to become the first man to motorcycle around Australia on an experimental bike that runs on used cooking oil?
Dr Sandra Cabot is a doctor who has enthused many of us to eat in a way we enjoy, a way that is good for the much neglected liver.
Are you something of a linguist? How's your Na'vi ? The creator of the Na'vi language spoken in the movie Avatar, is coming to Fremantle on Friday to speak at the Biennial National Conference of the Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators.
In this week's Word of the Week segment, Andrew O'Connor from the ABC newsroom shared some thoughts on the word 'recognition'.
It means so much to people to have the events of their lives taken seriously, but it's sometimes controversial when done publicly.
This man has been described by National Geographic as 'The Indiana Jones of Entomology'. Dr Mark Moffett is the leading international expert on ants. His insight into the elaborate social structure of the tiny creatures, which outnumber humans, is just brilliant.
Just imagine if you received a million dollar windfall - it might be a lotto win or an inheritance. You probably have a dozen things you could spend it on like holidays, the mortgage, helping family and perhaps a bit for charity too. You wouldn't give it all away, would you? Tracy Gary did. She came into her inheritance at the age of 21 and by the age of 35 had given that fortune to charities. Throughout her successful business career in the United States she has also donated 40 per cent of her income.
Spiders big enough to eat birds and cockroaches as large as your palm might sound like the stuff of nightmares to most of us, but for some they are the first choice as a pet! Apparently more and more Australians are opting to share their homes with insects, birds and reptiles, which could all be a bit challenging for the local vet. Veterinarians shared the trials and tribulations of treating the weird and the wonderful at the recent annual conference of the Unusual and Exotic Pets group of the Australian Veterinary Association. Dr Robert Johnson, the group President, explains the unusual to Gillian O'Shaughnessy on 720 Afternoons.
A tale of love, loss, scrabble and six degrees of separation... Mark Watson is an English comic and author, his new book 'Eleven' is an observation of modern life. Have a listen to his modern conversation with Gillian O'Shaughnessy on 720 Perth Afternoons.
We have all possibly been in that position- trying to work out what career path to take in life. Choosing just one career was not good enough for Andrew Mueller. He could not decide whether to go with rock journalist, travel writer or foreign correspondent. Andrew's day at work involved touring the globe with bands like U2 or Radiohead, asking the Taliban just what they think they are up to and finding himself 'accidentally at war'. He has chronicled it all in his latest book, Rock and Hard Places.
He is a man of many enthusiasms - all things Italian, snowboarding, helping troubled young people, and food!
On October the 19th the WA Government will become the first in Australia to apologise for past adoption practises. From 1940 to the early 1980's state sanctioned, illegal adoptions were forced on many unmarried mothers who were made to give up their babies without ever having seen them. Gillian O'Shaughnessy from 720 Afternoons shares a sensitive talk with two of those women.
Her life on TV might look carefree and glamorous, but Corinne Grant's personal affairs are chaotic! She is very honest and funny about her messy relationships and her messy drawers! Gillian O'Shaughnessy found out how she improved both...
Apparitions, unexplained cold chills and other strange happenings are often reported at heritage sites across Australia. Perth is no exception with many tour guides and visitors reporting such occurrences at Fremantle Prison. ABC reporter Janet Shaw and her guide-dog Sabah decided to put their senses to the test by taking a tour with senior guide, and former prison guard, Rory.
He's been dangling a microphone in usual places and come up with some very odd sounds. Miles Parsons is from the Centre for Marine Science and Technology at Curtin University, and will be holding a public lecture this week. 'Sounds off the Sunset Coast' will be at the Department of Fisheries' Naturaliste Marine Discovery Centre at Hillarys on Wednesday.
Children's author Andy Griffiths is a very bad man. Despite our best efforts as parents to steer our children towards fairies and flowers, kids love Andy's books. He is Australia's most popular children's writer; he has won 40 children's choice awards and sold over 40 million books worldwide. His new work, 'The Very Bad Book', has just been published; it's the follow up to 'The Bad Book', published in 2005 to a storm of controversy. Booksellers have refused to stock his work and when he brought out the bestseller 'The Day My Bum Went Psycho' government ministers complained about him.
Kasey Chambers joined 720 Afternoons today to talk music, life experience and what happens when you get a ripper song idea in the middle of a school meeting!
Voted one of the most influential women in the world, her illegal work was carried out in secret. The mission she was engaged on was forbidden by the state - getting girls in her country an education.
When it comes to finding new ways of doing something simple, looking to nature is a good place to start. Currently surgeons, space scientists and even dentists are fascinated with the humble barnacle, hoping the creatures ability to stick to things can be harnessed for wider use. Diana Jones is the executive director for the collection, content and development of the Western Australian museum. Diana Jones will be giving a talk on barnacles and their potential as natural superglue this Friday 10th September at 6pm at the WA Maritime museum.
For decades, we have known that a childs brain soaks up information like a sponge as they learn about the world. New research suggests that adult brains can also change and improve, which is very exciting for those of us who want to stave off deterioration of brain capacity as we age. Dr. Doidge looks at the amazing transformations that are possible in the brain, even in old age. He provides a much rosier view of ageing than you might have expected. There ARE things you can do that keep the brain fully-functional.
Skiing may be a passion but it's also unreliable, treacherous and you should probably dump it!
It was an extraordinary way to live.. the drovers of our history who lived and died on the land. Stoic, humorous and determined, they shaped how we think of ourselves. Among them were the hapless convicts attempting to round up the First Fleet's escaped cattle on foot, overlanders blazing through trackless wilderness to supply the vast stations carved from the bush, stockmen who risked blizzards to bring cattle to alpine pastures and drovers who crossed the continent behind the largest mobs of cattle the world has ever seen.
As humans, we all have distinctive features that make us recognisable. It's the same for humpback whales, and thanks to a new computer program scientists can now identify individual humpback whales by their markings. Its hoped the technology will help us understand more about these magnificent creatures . Dan Burns is a Researcher with Southern Cross University and joined Gillian O'Shaughnessy on 720 Afternoons to tell us how this technology works, and why it's called the 'Fluke Matcher'.
Many of us dream about changing careers but it's difficult to imagine wanting to work in the 'death' industry. Canadian producer and journalist Tom Jokinen was 44 when he decided to become an apprentice undertaker. Listen as he talks to Sinead Mangan about the experience.
Every year, key sounds of the Australian experience are archived. The latest 14 public nominations have been added, including Daddy Cool's 'Eagle Rock'. To find out more, James Lush spoke to sound specialist Graham McDonald from the National Film and Sound Archive.
There's one song Tex Perkins is always relieved to get right. The former Cruel Sea frontman is appearing as Johnny Cash in the theatre production 'The Man In Black' at the Regal Theatre in Perth until September 5th. Listen to his chat with Gillo to find out which song it is and why.
How could you find yourself laughing out loud during a film that's set in a children's cancer ward? "Matching Jack" achieves this unlikely feat - and is thoughtful and likeable into the bargain. Our guess is it will see a boost in the number of people prepared to register as bone marrow donors.
Jessica Rudd's debut novel has some believing she can see into the future. 'Campaign Ruby' tells the story of a female deputy who becomes the country's first female Prime Minister by rolling her leader and calling a snap election. The fact that it was written by Kevin Rudd's daughter over a year ago makes the story all the more astonishing. Listen to her interview on Afternoons.
How Karen Fischer got rid of food related tantrums at meal times with children, and turned eating into a laughter filled, healthy experience.
West Australian author Bob Primrose has vivid memories of growing up in the south-west and Perth in the 1930s and 40s. Bob has just published his memoir 'Tall Timbers, Brown Paper and Porridge'. Listen as he shares some of his stories on Afternoons with Gillian O'Shaughnessy.
Australian music legends The Seekers have just announced they're reforming to join Andre Rieu and his orchestra on his upcoming tour. It's the first time The Seekers have performed together since 2004. Listen to their interview on Afternoons.
She was bereaved at age 12 and then found out she wasn't even the person she thought she was.
Do you get more and more tense as the working day progresses? Pulled every which way by competing urgent demands? David Mitchie's world is finance, mining, business and.... the teachings of an 8th century philosopher and monk.
When people flee for their lives, emergency service workers run towards danger. In memory of the lives lost at the Twin Towers, Perth fireman Brad Hosking will be running across America in a team with other firefighters, ending at Ground Zero on September 11th. Listen to Gillians interview with Brad Hosking.
When a small idea becomes a global lifesaver. Tom Henderson is the inventor of the Shelter Box, which is easily transportable accommodation for disaster-hit areas. Tom is also the general manager of the Shelter Box charity. Listen to his interview on Afternoons.
He has the job you want! Paid to eat, the life of the food critic.... surely we could all do that?
It started with a letter and ended with a marriage.... Many of the stories about having a penpal turned out to have a romantic dimension when Gillian heard from listeners about their penpal experiences. But there were also tales of deep friendship across the barriers of geography, moments of comedy and most of all commitment to putting into words our most important experiences and feelings.
Next time you are in pain you might need to reach for a mirror not a pill! New research is showing that using mirror therapy to reprogram the brain into believing a painful injury is gone is helping patients. It sounds quite unbelievable but it is something Dr Eric Visser will be explaining tomorrow when he presents the keynote address at meeting of anaesthetists in Perth. Dr Eric Visser is a pain medicine specialist and anaesthetist at Fremantle Hospital.
A 90 minute comic oratorio 'He's not the messiah he's a very naughty boy' filmed at London's Royal Albert Hall its a celebration of 40 years of Monty Python music. Its been composed by John Du Prez. Gillian spoke to John and started by asking about his association with the Monty Python team ad how it began.
Mundaring's annual truffle extravaganza is fast approaching so Gillian O'Shaughnessy decided to catch up with one of the festival's star attractions.
When you think about great storytellers, Enid Blyton is likely to spring to mind. Publishers have decided to re-edit Blyton's books and modernise the language. But why do we need to change a classic? Gillian O'Shaughnessy talks it over with Paul McDonald, the owner of The Children's Bookshop.
Heres a unique use for 12,500 plastic PET bottles... Build a catamaran and sail around the world! Gillo speaks to the man behind the idea to build the boat and cover 8000 nautical miles.
Mike and Mandy Bamford have just returned from the Pilbara where they've been studying some spectacular frog species.
Former player and current coach for West Perth, Rob Hunt had a big surprise recently when on route to the hospital with his pregnant wife Amanda. The plan was to drop their two year old son Mitchell off with the in-laws and continue on to the hospital. They ended up parked on the side of the freeway where they welcomed baby Callum into the world.
Having battled and survived anorexia as a teenager, Melinda is passionate about helping teens find their way through the maze of issues and experiences facing them today.
How do they grow? Why has our South West had such success? What is special about them? How can I use them at home? Gillo gets to the nitty gritty of truffles with Alain Fabregues, the Chef and owner of The Loose Box restaurant in Mundaring, a town whioch hosts the annual truffle festival.
Our skies are in danger of being emptied of the black cockatoo. This emblematic bird may be endangered, yet it doesn't stop certain West Australians shooting them. The mission for Leighton De Barros, a film-maker, and Rick Dawson, a senior wildlife investigator, is to do what they can to preserve this much-loved bird.
Claire Joyce and her family will be energy guinea pigs for a year. They are about to move into what is probably Australia's most energy-efficient home, packed with futuristic ways of conserving power.
Dads and daughters. How to navigate the years between bedtime stories and walking her down the aisle. Keith Read runs dads and daughters courses which are proving very popular at Relationships Australia.
Mothering is a challenge, but imagine doing it from a wheelchair. All those tasks we take for granted made more complicated.. getting your child in or out of the car, catching them if they're sprinting away form you ... This group helps mums learn from each other.
Ever been surprised at how few chocolates there are inside the fancy packaging? Or how much air there is compared to cereal contained in the box? Choice explains some of the influences on why things are packaged as they are.
Today is the 65th anniversary of the death of John Curtin. The man who was farewelled by twenty thousand at Karrakatta cemetery lived in a modest home at 24 Jarrad Street, Cottesloe. The National Trust has renovated the house, which comes alive with memories of both domestic and of national importance.
Some prominent people share their very personal experience of a medical incident that may have changed their lives forever... Michael Wilding, co-editor of the book "Heart Matters" talks about heart attacks with Gillian O'Shaughnessy.
He grew up on the slopes of Vesuvius and his childhood was spent playing dangerous games in that smouldering landscape. So perhaps its not surprising that he is now an expert in volvanoes.
Shes a woman of many personalities and will be displaying some of them on stage tonight. Coached by Barry Humphries, this comedian bases her creations on real life people.
A local singer songwriter has had his work cut out rewriting the Australian Prime Ministers Song!
I've noticed that it's always men driving the 4WD while she's the passenger. Is this a metaphor? Who does the driving in your relationship?
It will be a day that's written into the history books. But will Julia Gillard's elevation to Prime Minister make a real difference to women seeking leadership roles? Vanessa Mills spoke to former Democrats senator Natasha Stott-Despoja to find out what sort of challenges Ms Gillard may face.
Would you prefer some llama for dinner tonight or a lamb chop? Why are we conditioned to eat certain animals and cuddle others? Vanessa Mills talks to Melanie Joy the author of "Why we love dogs, eat pork and wear cows: an introduction to Carnism"
Bruce Clark has been through the greatest of tragedies due to alcohol. Bruce's 15 year old son Lee died after an incident involving alcohol which a friend's mother had supplied them with. Hear Vanessa and her conversation with Bruce.
One of Australia's rarest birds has been spotted in remote Western Australia. Hear Vanessa Mills and her interview with Clive Curson, a Professional rock climber and bird watcher who is still in disbelief at what he found. Ron Jonston is the curator of Ornithology at the Wa Museum and you can also hear what he thinks.
Urban chooks - what does it take to have your own set of egglayers in the suburbs. Discussing ideas today about how to live a greener life in the city.
Growing numbers of parents are home schooling their children. Supporters of the method say kids get a more well rounded education that better reflects life and can be tailored to the individual.
Dogs are the unseen soldiers on the frontline in Afghanistan, searching for bombs and weapons. But it can be deadly work, as we heard last week. Meet a dog handler who works in Afghanistan and has had some dangerous moments with his canine companion.
Do you know someone who wants to have a child but can't, often due to medical reasons? It's an emotional roller-coaster for people trying to become parents and can create awkward gaps in friendships. Vanessa Mills speaks to Justine Davies, editor of the book called An Inconceivable Notion.
It has to be the most talked about job in the AFL - and the comments from the media and the spectators aren't very complimentary. It's the same at grassroot level so why do we have such a negative attitude to umpires in aussie rules?
When 15-year-old Patrick Waring was accused of the rape and aggravated assault of a 17-year-old girl, his life and the life of his family changed forever. Patrick spent a year in jail before the girl confessed to lying. Later found not guilty, Patrick's story is now the basis of an SBS documentary.
Mamma Mia cast members Anne Wood, Jennifer Vuletic and Lara Mulcahy dropped into the 720 studios for a song and dance with Gillian O'Shaughnessy. Meet the ladies who will be lifting hearts and creating smiles when they bring this phenomenally popular musical back to the stage in Perth.
Most of us have tried some kind of diet or weight loss product but did they actually work? ABC reporter Graeme Powell recently lost 17 kilograms and reckons he's found the answer. Listen to his interview on Afternoons with Gillian O'Shaughnessy.
You may remember the Perth man who made world headlines when he put his life up for sale on ebay. Millions of people made bids but most of them ended up being bogus. But as Gillian O'Shaughnessy found out, Ian Usher has definitely turned a negative into a positive.
For many, one of the most frightening aspects of getting old is the prospect of ending up in an aged care home. But what happens when you have to make that decision on a loved one's behalf? Gillian O'Shaughnessy talks to an expert about the minefield of decisions that have to be made when circumstances change.
Think of a couple whose relationship has become so destructive, one lives in fear of the other .... fear of a beating, of bullying, of injury...
Now - what gender have you mentally given to each person involved?
Having trouble getting your teenager to read? It may not be appealing to parents, but it seems chucking a zombie or a vampire into the mix can make all the difference. UK author Charlie Higson explains why his latest zombie series has been a hit with young boys.
Is there a good case for keeping our native animals as pets or is that kind of existence just as bad as extinction? Gillian O'Shaughnessy explores the issue with two native animal experts.
David Vann was prepared to put up $10,000 of his own money to get his first book ' Legend of a Suicide' published. At the time, the struggling American author couldn't even get his editor to read the manuscript let alone get it on bookshelves. It's now acclaimed around the world as a masterpiece. Listen to his interview on Afternoons with Gillian O'Shaughnessy.
Country legend Troy Cassar-Daley grew up listening to stories and spinning a few of his own. He's preparing to bring his music and good humour to WA audiences. Listen to his interview on Afternoons with Gillian O'Shaughnessy.
This week, physiotherapist and author of the Feel Good Body Book, Anna-Louise Bouvier, shared her tips on easing aches and pains while sitting down.
If you want a travel guide with a difference, this is the woman for you. Trish Clark has stayed in convents and monasteries across France, Ireland and the UK. She shared some of her experiences on Afternoons with Gillian O'Shaughnessy.
Surrogacy remains a highly emotional issue that often provokes fierce debate and divides opinion. But what is it like for the people involved - the woman that can't have a baby; the woman that can; the families on both sides? Listen to Gillian O'Shaughnessy's fascinating interview with Sue, a former surrogate mother.
Billions of bees have been wiped out over the past few years. To find out why, Gillian O'Shaughnessy caught up with Peter Mayne from the WA Beekeepers' Association.
Perth woman Peta Stinton was only 28 when she found out she had multiple sclerosis (MS). It was a ghastly diagnosis to receive but as Peta has discovered, early diagnosis has made an enormous difference.
A new exhibition charting the history of the Royal Flying Doctor Service has opened at the State Library in Perth. Former ABC broadcaster Peter Holland shared his family's link to the service on Afternoons with Gillian O'Shaughnessy.
It remains a highly contentious issue, but for many the medical benefits of stem cell therapy outweigh the ethical considerations. Meet one of Europe's foremost stem cell therapists, Dr Georg von Falkenhayn, and former WA police commander, Eric Brown, whose lives have both been transformed by stem cells.
Rosemary Stone is about to turn 60 but the Perth mother is not about to let that slow her down. To celebrate, she and daughter India are about to embark on a 16,000 kilometre road trip to Mongolia. Listen to their interview on Afternoons with Gillian O'Shaughnessy.
Can your cat tell you if it's going to rain? Dr Kersti Seksel explains to Gillian O'Shaughnessy why it may just be possible.
The hidden history of Gallipoli has been revealed by the man who discovered the Titanic. Gillian O'Shaughnessy talks to writer and director Julia Redwood.
One of Australia's favourite performers is taking on the classic play 'The Removalists' in Perth later this year. Jon English dropped into Afternoons for a chat with Gillian O'Shaughnessy.
Perth man Tim Brown is taking part in one of the most gruelling endurance events in the world. This leg involves a seven-day, 250 kilometre footrace through the Kimberley. Gillian O'Shaughnessy decided to find out if he is brave or just plain bonkers.
He is the man who helped us understand our natural world. Decades on, Dr Harry Butler's work in biodiversity continues - this time as a consultant on the Barrow Island gas project.
Finding love in our modern world can be hard work. Meet the Irishman who still does things the old-fashioned way.
A collection of Madonna's costumes is currently on display in Perth. Gillian O'Shaughnessy caught up with Madonna-obsessed siblings Lorena and Antonino Tati to find out more about the superstar performer.
An anthem written about Western Australia back in 1831 could be making a comeback. Gillian O'Shaughnessy talks to Wendy Gillard.
An award-winning scheme is offering no interest loans to West Australians in dire need of simple necessities.
A new exhibition charting the history of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) is about to open at the State Library in Perth. Listen to Gillian O'Shaughnessy's interview with RFDS spokeswoman Carolyn Monaghan.
A new book about Cottesloe's dog community is taking Perth by storm. Listen to Gillian O'Shaughnessy's interview with author and photographer David Hocking.
Seasickness can pretty much ruin a lovely day out on the water. Andy McIntyre and ABC listeners share some useful tips on Afternoons with Gillian O'Shaughnessy.
Peter Goldsworthy worked in alcohol and drug rehabilitation before turning his hand to writing. He now divides his time between working as a GP and writing novels and short stories. Listen to his interview on Afternoons with Geraldine Mellet.
Have you ever dreamed of being a stand-up comedian but been too scared to give it a crack?
Comedy catalyst Robert Grayson shared his secrets on Afternoons with Geraldine Mellet.
Just what does a demanding baby boomer require of their home when it comes time to downsize? Geraldine Mellett talks to Debra Goostrey from the Urban Development Institute.
ABC journalist Melanie Tait tried every diet under the sun before deciding to undergo gastric band surgery. Listen to her interview on Afternoons with Gillian O'Shaughnessy.
Swimming coach Laurie Lawrence is on a mission around Australia to cut down on child drownings. Listen to his interview with Gillian O'Shaughnessy.
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to move to another country? Three expats share their stories with Gillian O'Shaughnessy.
The Battle of Fromelles has been called possibly the worst 24-hours in Australia's history.
Australian chef Stephanie Alexander has backed Jamie Oliver's call to get children into cooking.
Maggie Sister - as Maggie Nolan is known these days - is a West Australian working with the most impoverished in India, yet her experiences are full of hope and laughter.
Gillian O'Shaughnessy finds out more about the children's author most famous for her cake-loving hippo.
Gillian O'Shaughnessy finds out there's a lot more to studying marine life than just splashing around with dolphins.
Australian cricket in the 1970s was a time of big moustaches, long hair and names like Lillee, Walters and Chappell.
The man who knows just about all there is to know about the oddities of the human body fascinated Gillian O'Shaughnessy today with some things she would never have guessed.
Do have have some precious item from your family which is quietly deteriorating on a shelf?
A scheme to get cafes and restaurants to display hygiene gradings for all to see has divided opinion.
Liz Davenport, who got Perth fashion design widely noticed, admired and bought, attributes much of her success to the equality in her marriage that allowed her to focus on business, as well as family.
The conditions are jaw-droppingly extreme, as Australian aid worker, Alison Thompson, explains.
But somehow she finds signs of hope in the Haitain hell that is the aftermath of the earthquake.
Once we felt that conspicuous consumption was somehow to be admired.
Well the latest thing to brag about is how you're cutting back, according to futurologist, Richard Watson.
There was a lively debate (code for trade of insults and abuse) in the Afternoon Program when two food writers disagreed vehemently over the right time to dine.
When renown Shakespearean actor, Ian McDiarmid, joined Gillian O'Shaughnessy in the studio, she entertained him with her own interpretation of his most famous film role - not Shakesperean but his Star Wars evil emperor character.
Many of us have been able to blame our forgetfulness on having "baby brain" during pregnancy and after child birth.
But have we been kidding ourselves?
It's not a surprise that we might be drawn to a work colleague, shared interests, shared values - and proximity!
Known almost as much for his cravats as for his passion for food, Matt Preston gave a revealing insight into what foods even the best chefs acknowledge taste better when cooked at home.
A heart stopping account of the lives of the ordinary Australians caught up in a conflict that marked them forever.
Social networking sites - once the domain of bright young things - are being used by politicians who want to keep in touch with voters every way possible.
In his book 'Australian Tragic: Gripping Tales from the Dark Side of Our History" writer Jack Marx has outlined stories of misadventures large and small.
Take a road trip with a difference, was the invitation from truck driver Heather Jones to Alyssa Hayden, a newly-elected M.L.C.
The wide open road and the life behind a HUGE wheel beckoned.
What was learned?
Paul Carter wrote that sensational book Don't Tell Mum I Work on the Oil Rigs, She Thinks I'm a Piano Player in a Whorehouse.
And his latest adventure could provide material for another kind of book.
The careful and painstaking work being carried out on the battlefield of Fromelles in France was beautifully described by a young Perth woman, Ambika Flavel, who is working on an important archaeological dig - recovering the bodies of more than 200 Diggers and British servicemen.
They can be the best of times - and the worst of times!
Those house-share days of our youth create memories that stay vivid decades later.
Belle Taylor joined Geoff Hutchison to swap some tall stories with listeners!
Is there anything more immediately comforting to a sharp appetite than a well-made meat pie?
The Ribbons of Blue campaign has been a fantastic way of introducing children to the science and wonder of our waterways.
Could you? Would you? Have you?
Chosen to eat the things that most of us would do anything to avoid?
It's like an extra limb.
Carrying around your mobile has become completely automatic for most of us.
So we couldn't help but wonder about coping when, for whatever reason, we find ourselves bereft of phone.
Geoff Hutchison was joined by Sharon Greenock in this week's 'Trials of Modern Life' with special guest, Neil Hymans from Technically Speaking.
Tom Frame was the Anglican Biship to the Australian Defence Force from 2001 to 2007.
So when his new book is called Losing My Religion we naturally pay attention.
What's going on in a high achiever's mind when they feel that, despite their successes, they're still just not good enough?
Bernard Salt, social demographer, and Geoff Hutchison began by talking about messages to aliens - but morphed into a discussion about the foreign and changing values of our Gen Y-ers.
The worm is turning ...
Men are too often shown in adverts, and in sme Tv programs, to be foolish, incompetent and generally idiotic!
Should the council be liable for injuries suffered if a child is playing on equipment privately installed on the roadside verge?
The era of a free-ranging childhood where kids roamed, unsupervised, making the world their own from day's start to end seems to be over.
It was a privilege to hear today from a father doing everything possible to ensure he and his his wife provide the most loving few years of life for their daughter, whose time with them is sadly being terribly shortened by a cruel and rare condition.
Today Geoff and our callers tried to explain to the Morning Program resident cook, Floral Apron (aka Kate Nelson) just what men get up to... given a bit of man time and the freedom of the kitchen.
Just when our young people should be experiencing how to build relationships, read other's body language and moods, their worlds are shrinking down to encompass the classroom and the computer screen - and not much else.
Concerning issues are outlined in Maggie Hamilton's book, "What's Happening to Our Girls?"
Lindsay Fox has inspired many and galvanised more into action.
He shared shared something of his approach to life with Geoff Hutchison, and discussed his principles, priorities and enthusiams.
We've enjoyed the efforts of those involved in 'Dry July' - a month without alcohol to raise funds for services for cancer patients.
Many people have been angered and distressed by the announcement that the government was almost halving the maximum compensation to be awarded to people who suffered abuse when in state care.
It seems that life is getting harder, not easier, for women who spend each day stretching their energy and time to meet the demands of their paid work as well as the demands of running the home.
The electric car - could it be the way of the future?
A cleaner technology for our transport needs and possible salvation for our car industry?
She was given only a five per cent chance of survival after being felled by meningococcal septicaemia - but she is now thriving with a demanding job and is about to become a mother.
Underneath the strict discipline that ruled workers' lives at the Midland Railway Workshops, there was a witty and bawdy world flourishing in secret.
What might prevent someone mixing with friends or being able to make a soeech at his daughter's 21st?
Dr Peter McEvoy, a specialist clinical psychologist, explains the difference betwee shyness and anxiety and a debilitating social phobia.
Dr. Simon Singh is a scientist who has researched the basis of a number of complementary therapies - and incurred the wrath of chiropractors, who are suing for libel.
Why is it that sons are more likely to stay living in the family home until marriage, at twice the rate than girls do?
Should we stop buying our water in plastic bottles?
The reasons for a proposed ban on them in a small town in NSW were outlined by the cafe/bike shop owner in Bundanoon, Huw Kingston.
Does the WA Ambulance Service provide the service we all expect, or are there weaknesses in the response system that need addressing?
Why do we play games?
What is the enduring attraction amd - more importantly - what can psychologist Mark Wood tell us about what's going on in our heads as we play?
Should there be isands of serenity in an adult's life, a place where they can go to relax and fully expect to be free of the demands and distractions of children - their own or other people's?
A young woman doing her bit for the community by donating blood, later faints in the middle of the Perth shopping district and spends half an hour on the ground without assistance from passers-by or shop keepers.
As a turbulent financial year draws to a close, we invited our three wise Money Men to form a panel to pool ideas on smart moves at this time of year.
It's been seven long years in the making, but the newly-published Historical Encylopedia of WA, proves that we are a fascinating place and people.
It was our fantastic WA endangered species success story, woylies saved from the threat of extinction.
We know that carrots are packed with nutrition, but the health benefits can be increased hugely by the way you prepare them, according to a study from the UK.
How confident would you be checking over a secondhand car to find out whether or not it's a good buy?
Sir Ken Robinson is the author of the New York Times bestselling The Element: "How finding your passion changes everything"
Can the Prime Minister be a convincing Aussie bloke?
We weren't sure, given his beautifully-enunciated "fair shake of the sauce bottle, mate."
So we got him expert help in Ockerisms from none other than Barry Crocker, known to some as Barry McKenzie!
This young woman has known grief and loss and injustice beyond imagining.
Yet she is a hope, a comfort and a listening ear to others.
In 1954 the Queen made her first visit to Australia. Fifty-five years on, crowds and smiles and children and cheers and flowers still greet her on public occasions.
Now a Fremantle-based production company, Electric Pictures, is seeking out people's memorabilia from the visit.
Children shouldn't be allowed to start school until they'd been immunised against serious illnesses like measles, mumps and rubella, according to some medics.
News headlines about crime in our community distort the reality; which is that many types of crimes are, in fact, reducing, even though we're probably more fearful than ever about the prevelance of criminal behaviour.
Listening to Dr Andrew Simpson, who's a Research Fellow in Sustainable Transport at Curtin University, the electric car could well be the next one you buy.
Should the health system pay for lap band surgery for people whose obesity is threatening their life?
We feel passionately about what would make Perth a great city.
But is it actually happening?
We all think we're better than average drivers, although we can't ALL be correct in that belief.
When grief strikes it's hard to know how to help.
But, as Kate Nelson - our Floral Apron Cook - reminds us, the simple and practical gesture of providing a nourishing meal is a kindness that will be remembered long after the worst of the pain has subsided.
He's an Australian inventor who's just had a massive win over the corporate giant, Microsoft.
WA Police want permission to use technology such as voice recognition, iris scanning and 3-D facial scanning to help track criminals.
But are we already subject to a worrying level of surveillance and with personal information about us being kept on file?
Mail cast aside to be dealt with later, contained a welcome surprise for the former Eagles defender, Guy McKenna, now coach of the Gold Coast under-18 team.
Can meditation help with stress and depression?
It seems that science endorses what many people have discovered through experience.
In the dark days of the Vietnam war, when a serviceman was missing, his name was put onto a bracelet, worn by supporters at home to show that he was not forgotten.
It's acclaimed as one of the most important scientific inventions EVER, but the Hubble space telescope is in need of repair.
The peace of a WA Sunday afternoon was shattered - just like this table - when its glass top exploded.
While many people might be annoyed by the sound of trail bikes being ridden through otherwise, peaceful country, there's little excuse for setting devices to injure the riders.
The Uraniaum Mining Summit is taking place in an atmosphere of changing government attitudes in WA.
Would you be willing to use nuclear power if it meant less carbon emission?
It's one of the thorny issues in raising a family, how to regulate your child's introduction to alcohol.
It was a year ago, on Motor Neurone Awareness Day, that Michael Crosbie got his diagnosis.
WA is about to spend millions of dollars trying to get the message across to potential visitors, that this is a great state to holiday.
Sonia Arakkal, the head girl at All Saints College, has written a strongly-worded letter to the Prime Minister objecting to the debt burden being placed on her generation by the federal government's stimulus packages.
Concerns about a possible epidemic of swine 'flu prompted today's topic with Dr Norman Swan from Radio National's 'Health Report'.
One man's Vietnam experience inthe bloodiest year of conflict included everything from horror to humour.
When shopping was a full experience of sight, sound and smell, Boans was the best that Perth provided in its glory days.
If questions over the existence of god could be proved one way or another, a whole lot of ministers of religion would either be out of a job or overwhelmed by people signing up!
Too many of us get less sleep than we need and, as a result, are grumpy, inefficient and taking it out on those around us.
Her mother's Christmas gift to her adventurous sailor daughter, was a life jacket.
A few months later, Sarah andrews, thought her life might be about to end.
Ryle Winn is happily married, a loving father, a hard-working man of the land, strong as a mallee bull - until a brain tumour changed his world.
If the price of democracy is eternal vigilance, Geoffrey Robertson is keeping hs eyes wide open.
As Perth airport ground to a slow halt with baggage piling up, unprocessed because of a baggage handlers strike, we also canvassed the change of heart on bank job losses and the possibility of shops in Perth keeping later hours.
While our thoughts, hearts and efforts went to assisting those affected by the Victorian bush fire disaster, did we overlook the needs of people in a similar situation here in WA?
Why did the town of Vulcan in Alberta, Canada, miss out on the world premiere of the new Star Trek film, despite its connection - through name - to leading character Mr Spock, whose home planet is, of course, Vulcan?
On the eve of the first match of the 2009 season we get the perspective from the dockers coach, Mark Harvey, on what lies ahead.
It was an easy decision to make - invite Senior Lecturer Ben Newell onto the Morning Program to discuss his research into the most effective processes for decision-making.
On the brink of another season of footy, two very different perspectives... one from John Worsfold, the coach of the West Coast Eagles, and one from an American player come to bolster our Country League.
There's a huge rescue effort underway today after 80 long-finned pilot whales and some dolphins beached themselves at Hamelin Bay, not far from Margaret River.
"Floral Apron" - otherwise known as Kate Nelson, brought happy memories flooding back when she raised the topic of birthday cakes.
Journalist Christian Ryan has written the biography of Kim Hughes, one of our best cricketers, but by no means a flawless man.
No-one should have to put up with regular abuse as they simply carry out their day's work.
The first words your child learns can be memorable, surprising, cute, or even embarrassing!
Every so often we get shocked by something that happens in Parliament - a place where gravitas and a sens eof purpose should prevail.
In this wek's edition of 'The Trials of Modern Life', we gloried in remembering the smells, sights, sounds and activities that were part of daily life, but which have gradually disappeared.
For years the children in a quiet Perth cul-de-sac have enjoyed the tyre swing provided by a resident as a focus to meet and to play.
Questions about climate change and its causes were raised by Prof Ian Plimer, in advance of his new book on the issue.
He didn't have a miserable childhood, nor did he grow up to be a terrorist - so publishers thought there was little point in this account of his life.