At this sad time, we offer our sympathies and concern for those innocents in the recent dramatic events in Christchurch NZ. We can’t help noticing the increasing frequency of natural and man-made events where there are a great losses of lives, and we hope that this is not the ‘new normal’ for our world.

In our anniversaries, we mention the birthday of gay Jim Parsons on 24/3/1973 – the star of the TV Show Big Bang Theory, where he plays a socially-inept nerdish character sharing lives with others members of his TV social circle. In his private life, Parsons is proudly married to his male partner.

Gay writer Arthur C Clarke was born on 16/12/1917 and died on 19/03/2008.  He was a science-fiction writer and futurist; and the author of 2001: a Space Odyssey. Many of his predictions in the film have since come to pass – like iPads, geo-sync satellites, home computers, Skype, email and even smart watches. Fantasy comes to life.

Will entertains us with tales from air-side – he works as an aircraft engineer with a major airline and we learn about the recent dramas with Boeing’s new B737 MAX 8 aircraft which have some handling issues (!).

Will also treats us to little-known aspects of what happens out of sight before every flight, why we mustn’t use our smart phones in flight, and how the flight recorder ‘black boxes’ work and survive in a crash.                  Will also debunks various theories about the missing B777 / MH 9M-MRO / MH370 – see picture. Disappeared but crash site never found.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more – presented with some merriment (where appropriate) by Phil, Will and Chris.

Show #848                  First broadcast on 19 March 2019   

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In our anniversaries, we are reminded about the Partnerships Bill passed in Victoria on 14 March 2008, whereby couples could register their relationships and enjoy some rights and respect for their relationship. This was a forerunner but not quite a substitute for equal rights and same-sex marriage.        On 11 Feb 1969, Michael Kirby (later to be High Court judge) met his life partner Johan van Vloten and on the 50^th anniversary of that event, the two were married under the recently passed marriage-equality legislation.

We also talk about the realisation that biodiversity is dwindling in nature, and that the insect populations are disappearing at a dangerously fast rate. We suggest that we humans are overusing insecticides and creating mono-cultures in crops and vegetation. Other casualties as a result of clear fell forestry are birdlife and forest animals – including Leadbeater’s Possum, our Victorian fauna emblem since 2^nd March 1971.

From the international press, we learn that a Malaysian politician has pronounced that there are no gay people in Malaysia, much to the amusement but consternation of the gay community, who are now proudly declaring their existence. When Malaysian students leave their country for higher education courses, many find a new freedom away from prying eyes and they discover their latent sexuality. Meanwhile, attendees at an Arab States Conference were made aware of the acceptance in many other countries of gay citizens as part of the Human Rights charter of the United Nations.

Finally, Gordon boasts of his forthcoming sea cruise.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more – presented with some merriment (where appropriate) by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #847                  First broadcast on 12 March 2019   

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We note the anniversaries of cyclone Tracy, which devastated Darwin in 1975, and the three weeks of extensive and catastrophic bushfires in New South Wales in 2001, and wonder if history is just repeating?

Phil reminds us that it is less than 30 years since primitive intra-networks evolved into the World Wide Web with the development of the http commonality protocols which made multiple PC inter-connectivity possible.

We keep changing our Prime Ministers (or losing them). In 1967, PM Harold Holt went swimming at treacherous Cheviot Beach Portsea, and he never returned and was presumed drowned. And in 1975, after the collapse of the Labor Party and Prime Ministership of Gough Whitlam, the alternative government of Liberal Malcolm Fraser was sworn in with a 55-seat majority – leading to a long period of political stewardship by the Liberal-LNP Coalition. The current political circumstances indicates the forthcoming federal election may end in another flip-swap.

From the Anniversaries Book, we recognize the birthday of Simon Helberg (not gay) – star of ‘Big Bang Theory’ and faux-gay-bro to the character Raj. In real life, Simon is an accomplished pianist musician and starred in the recent film about operatic Florence Foster Jenkins. Another past-celebrity whose birthday we acknowledge is gay (Sir) Noel Coward – English aesthete, playwright, composer, director, actor and singer; and we note the passing of gay (Sir) Nigel Hawthorne – best known for his role in the BBC political comedy series ‘Yes Minister’.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more – presented with some merriment (where appropriate) by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #835 – First broadcast on 18 December 2018  

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We mention three members of our community who lead very interesting lives – being born as one gender then realising the appropriateness of transitioning to their gender of choice. We talk about tennis star Renee Richards, Olympic star Caitlin Jenner and Chelsea Manning who was involved with the public release of US Government documents.

We are reminded that some serious injustices have been committed against our first peoples. We detail the circumstances of the Coniston Massacres – a 2-month revenge rampage by white forces in 1928 against the aboriginal population, resulting in over 100 innocent deaths.
In 1966, the 7-year long protest by indigenous employees at the Wave Hill cattle station against wage and living conditions, resulted in the handing back of land to the local peoples, as enacted symbolically by PM Whitlam and an elder of the Gurindji peoples (see photo).

And at this time in August, we also reflect upon the death of Princess Diana in a car crash in Paris in 1997.

The terror of Mount Vesuvius’ violent eruption in the year 79, is relived each 24 August in Italy. The poisonous gasses which rolled down the slopes of the mountain engulfed the town of Pompeii and the innocent people who were caught unawares, to be buried in the volcanic ash.

Luckily, our mood is lightened by the wonderful spring blooms of  Australia’s National Wattle Day celebrations.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more – presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #819 – First broadcast on 28 August 2018

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We chat about the modern recurrence of slavery in our society – unpaid and unjust enslavement in the 21^st Century, and here in Australia.

The recent volcanic activity around the rim of the Pacific Ocean highlights the fragility of the surface of Earth, the power and terror of volcanoes, their eruptions, ash, lava and earthquakes, which lead to uncontrolled effects upon our weather patterns, land masses and populations.

Fences are used to protect property, separate animals from people or keep people separated from each other. We talk about the longest fence in the world (1930), which divided Australia from North to South, to keep the scourge of feral rabbits from invading Western Australia. This same fence traversed indigenous country and split communities. Wrapped into this story is the tale of three juvenile girls, plucked from their northern homes to be trained as ‘domestic staff’, and retold in ‘Rabbit-Proof Fence’ – a must-see film. They escaped from their servitude and walked over 2400 km along the fence, back to their homes.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more – presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #818 – First broadcast on 21 August 2018

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Locally, we note the Uniting Church of Australia will now allow ministers to marry same-gender couples in their churches, and they will also allow those ministers to opt out if they are not in favour. Sounds like a well-balanced response to the current scene.
Sadly, we have to report that in the province of Aceh in Indonesia, Islamic Sharia law is being fiercely enacted – recently a gay couple were flogged 80 times each in front of a vocal crowd of 1,000.
And in Israel, LGBTI couples are excluded from amended surrogacy bill amendments, requiring gay couples to remain childless.
Happily, the First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon attended Pride Glasgow march, wearing a rainbow t-shirt with the words ‘Choose Love’, leading the march through the streets.

Are you alarmed?  No, but Melbourne’s CBD is! Recently, a test was conducted on the streets of our CBD, for public mass-communication purposes, in the event of emergencies, just like our existing building emergency and warning alarms in city office buildings. This adds to the suite of other surveillance cameras and shop-owners CCTV installations.
Phil reminds us that in other countries, public authorities have to warn their populations in the event of earthquakes, floods, storm or even Tsunamis.
Modern technology is now keeping an eye on ‘everything’ for us. Individual privacy is the one casualty, in the name of public benefit.

Gordon tells of his teenage heart-throb Tab Hunter who died recently at 86 yo. Tab was a product of and captive to the Hollywood scene where gay sexuality was kept hidden. Yet, he survived that cruel environment.

We talk about The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever – an event held at locations around the world where participants recreate the music video for musician Kate Bush’s 1978 song Wuthering Heights, and even in Melbourne guys and girls in red dresses lined up to mimic Kate Bush.

We also comment on the Northern Hemisphere’s month-long Pride Season, with public marches, events and parties making the most of their summer season.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more – presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #813 – First broadcast on 17 July 2018

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We enlist the assistance of Phil and TV’s Myth Busters to unravel the cause of the disaster some 80 years ago, when the airship Hindenburg caught fire and crashed when landing 6/05/1937.

We note the roles of TV authors, producers and actors in the normalisation of gay characters and story-lines in ‘soapies’, as we celebrate the birthday of gay writer, director and producer Alan Bell (of “6 Feet Under” fame) for his strong voice for the GLBT community.

A gay icon from the sporting arena was Mark Bingham (born 22/5/1970), who on ‘9/11’ died in his failed attempt to thwart the crash of a hijacked passenger aircraft, initially aimed at the Pentagon, and after whom the international gay Rugby competition ‘Bingham Cup‘ is named.

On the eve of IDAHOBIT 17/5/2018, we remember that it was on that day 25 years ago in 1992 that the (UN) World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from the list of Diseases, and thereby declared war on ignorance and homophobia. IDAHOBIT shows the extent now of intentions to identify the other sections of our rainbow community which still are also pilloried and denigrated. We decry the stand being taken by Australian professional rugby union footballer Israel Folau and his religious message.

Birthdays are celebrated at this time for luminaries in our extended family – Miriam Margolyes (gay English/Australian – character actor on stage, TV & screen – Prof Sprout in Harry Potter films, and Aunt Prudence in Miss Fisher TV and her one-woman show “Dickens’ Women” in which she played 23 characters from Dickens’ novels; – and for gender-identity-buster Marlene Dietrich, German and US movie and stage star from the 1930s; and Cher (Bono / Sarkisian) the everlasting US singer and actress, icon for many gay performers, and mother of trans Chas Bono.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more, presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #803 – First broadcast on 15 May 2018

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Phil talks us through the dramatic series of events occurring in Hawaii as a consequence of the current volcanic activity (locally referred to as ‘Pele’ – Volcano Goddess), and his personal experiences in San Francisco’s tremors.

We celebrate the growth of a gay radio station in Nepal as they seek more presenters and content, while the nearby mysterious country of Myanmar celebrates their gay choir successfully performing in public, in an act of education and familiarisation for their general population.

We compare and contrast when New Zealand became a British colony – with the Waitangi Treaty registering inter alia the status, responsibilities and role of the Maori populations; and meanwhile in Australia, sadly we have reached nationhood without achieving such a treaty to acknowledge and respect our indigenous peoples.

We report on the social scene with gay clubs closing in Vancouver & a new club opening in London, San Francisco declaring the Gay & Leather cultural district and a cute tale about the gay scene in Melbourne from the past, told by Jan Hillier (gay icon & local promoter, of Pokey’s fame) recorded at JOY before her death on 12/5/2001.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more, presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #802- First broadcast on 8 May 2018

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We note that some major catastrophes are made by natural causes; others by human error, as we discuss the great fire of 1906 which devastated San Francisco, and the nuclear explosion at Chernobyl in 1986 which will haunt the world for eons to come.

In gay news, we report on the Men-on-Men art show – part of Southern Hibernation in Melbourne in June; the birthday of gay artist Keith Haring (died 16/02/1990); and the gay-idols Barbra Streisand and Leslie Gore – 2 singers with anniversaries around this time.  We also report that Indonesia is getting tough on queer comics entering the country, while Thailand is introducing same-sex civil partnership – a positive step towards marriage equality.

From the US, we report that Armistead Maupin’s famous literary series “Tales of the City” is to be given a TV revival with a fresh cast and additional material, and is slated for release on cable TV.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more, presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #801- First broadcast on 1 May 2018

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We are being urged to take collective action during World Immunisation Week to ensure we are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases, and we recall the death in 20 April 1862 of Louis Pasteur, the creator of vaccines for diseases like diphtheria, rabies, tuberculosis – which are ever present in our modern world.

An horrific event occurred in beautiful and quiet Port Arthur in Tasmania on 28 April 1996, when a deranged gunman massacred innocent men, women and children at the Broad Arrow cafe. This event prompted the federal government to call for the tightening of gun-ownership laws in a national gun amnesty, which saw over 700,000 firearms handed in for destruction. This action is often cited as a positive example of addressing the gun menace.

On 30 April 1999, a nail-bomb was exploded in a gay pub in Soho, London in which 3 patrons were killed and about 70 injured.  The bomb was planted in an attempt to stir up ethnic and homophobic tensions. The bomber was caught and sentenced to 6 life sentences; an example for other trouble-makers.

We also remember the events and loss of our young innocent troops at Gallipoli in 1915 – examples of bravery and sacrifice in the face of overwhelming odds.

In a lighter vein, we relate the examples of humans’ taming of the world with the construction of the Suez Canal and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more, presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #800- First broadcast on 24 April 2018

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