Even religions change their tune – and hopefully we are among the beneficiaries of their enlightenment. We will see what eventuates, as we discuss the change of attitude in the Catholic Church surrounding the death penalty in the light of a renewed evaluation of the sanctity of life, hoping that similar re-assessments may result in modernisation of the attitudes to same-sex marriage and the role of women in the church.

Medicine has similarly moved from folk-remedies to a professional modern scientific process with wonderful results in microbiology & we focus on the leaders in virology, vaccination and the first use of penicillin in Australia. We depend upon these modern medicines to keep restore our wellness, but we shouldn’t get hooked on antibiotics – watch out! ‘superbugs’ are on the way.

We recognise the anniversary of the Yirkalla Bark Petitions – the Land Rights claim by traditional owners, in the lead up to the 1967 Referendum and recognition of land rights.

We note the birthday celebrations on 16 August of Dennis Altman, Australian academic, author and gay-rights campaigner, and Madonna – US pop star and fashion setter, who seems to have been entertaining us for quite a few years.

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

Show #817 – First broadcast on 14 August 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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We note the election of the first openly lesbian politician to the parliament of Tasmania – an important and proud moment. We also note that gay San Francisco City Supervisor Harvey Milk is to be honoured with the naming of an airport terminal in recognition and respect for his role in that city’s gay history. We contrast this with the opposite circumstances our Australian cricket team has recently heaped upon themselves.

The end of summer brings us the annual international car race lakeside at Albert Park, the end of Summer time and the fun of April Fool’s Day, and more importantly this year the addition of PreP anti-HIV medication to the list of pharmaceuticals whose cost are subsidised by our government.

In France, homosexuality was decriminalised in 1791 and the Napoleonic Code became French civil law in 21/3/1804, carrying forward the belief that private acts by private individuals were not a matter for state intervention. It influenced later French colonies too, in contrast to English Law and the legacy still held in British colonies.

Anniversaries around this time include Stephen Sondheim (gay US composer and lyricist of stage shows), Marlon Brando (US movie star and philanderer on both sides of the fence, according to reports), Lady GaGA (US singer, performer and gay icon), and (Sir) Dirk Bogarde (UK gay movie star, best known for his portrayal of a gay victim), and the first version of Monopoly, known as The Landlord’s Game, where properties were ‘rented’ not bought and sold.

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

Show #796 – First broadcast on 27 March 2018

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Elon Musk may be the latest Rocket Man, but nearly 200 years ago, Frenchman Jules Verne, a fellow with a powerful imagination, wrote of fanciful technology which has since all come to be reality.

We look forward to some recent technological advances in lighting display at White Night Melbourne 17/18th February 2018 as city buildings are transformed by colour.

There are out gay Winter Olympians in Korea – including some from Australia – much to the chagrin of the host nation.

We celebrate birthdays of Graham Kennedy Australian TV and Radio gay star born 15/2/1934; Barry Humphries – Australian character actor and social commentator – born 17/2/1934, as well as Patricia Routledge – gay UK concert singer and character actor (including Hyacinth Bouquet), born 17/2/1929.

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

Show #790 – First broadcast on 13 February 2018

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We could avoid the festivities and get away to some remote location?
Our work-mate Anne is doing just that – voyaging to Antarctica, to visit the driest continent on earth and view the penguins and seals in their natural environment. We have a chat with her before she leaves as she shares the excitement of the adventure.

We are reminded about gay Bob Brown, who has his birthday on 27 December (born 1944); the Greens politician (retired) and his fight for the Tasmanian environmental wilderness. Also sharing a birthday on 27 December (but 1822), was Frenchman Louis Pasteur, biologist and chemist, who devised a theory of ‘germs’, which led him to propose the concept of purification of germ-laden matter by using a technique he called ‘Pasteurisation’ and vaccination for humans.

We are also reminded about the Tsunami which devastated the Indonesian province of Aceh in 2004 with massive loss of life and property.

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

First broadcast on 26 December 2017

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We chat about the year just past (glad it is over) and about the year ahead.

We note with some sadness the loss of so many notables in 2016, including Leonard Cohen, Prince, David Bowie, and more recently George Michael.

Also remembered at this time is the extraordinary Russian refugee gay ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev, who died of AIDS 6/1/1993.

Then we remember and celebrate the lives of Carrie Fisher and her mother Debbie Reynolds who passed within a day of each other.

In general history, we discuss the invention of the Davey Safety Lamp used in mines to protect from explosive gasses, the role of safety regulations in our lives, and modern forms of lighting which have upset our circadian rhythms.

Plus some trivia and mirth and much more ….

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Among gay identities having anniversaries at this time are J.Edgar Hoover of FBI fame, Sir Nigel Hawthorne the fine actor in BBC TV’s’ Yes Minister’ and Christopher Isherwood – novelist/Cabaret story theme, and singer/actress Marlene Dietrich.

This week we acknowledge the birthdays of Louis Pasteur and his treatment of milk to eliminate the ‘nasties’ – a practice we call ‘pasteurisation’.

Another French man of fame at this time is Louis Braille and his system of raised dots for reading by touch. Our final French remembrance at this time is the 2014 bombing of the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine.

Our final saga is about the humble drinking straw.

Plus some trivia and mirth and much more ….

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We add a dose of Christmas Comment as we chat about carols in general, and the first Carols by Candlelight public concert – devised and presented here in Melbourne in 1937.

In Australian history around this time, we remember that in 1859, rabbits were released into the Australian countryside (and became a feral pest), and that the Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race is now held starting on Boxing Day – in contrast to those other races where hordes of shoppers seek bargains at the Boxing Day Merchandise Sales.

In International matters, Phil reminds us of the genesis of the www – World Wide Web – or more appropriately now considered to be the World Wild West!

We are reminded that world catastrophes don’t respect holidays – as we note the on Christmas Day in 1974, the city of Darwin (NT) was flattened by Cyclone Tracy with 71 killed, resulting in the evacuation of most of the population and massive rebuilding. In 2004, the inhabitants of the Indonesian province of Aceh bore the brunt of a huge Tsunami wave with 270,000 killed and over a million people rendered homeless. The previous year, the ancient city of Bam in Iran was levelled by an earthquake with 50,000 killed. And sadly this year, a war rages in Iran with incredible tragedies.

Plus some trivia and mirth and much more ….

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In world history, we examine how historical events sometimes get distorted when fame and fortunes are sought in deference to celebrating the truth. We note that the claim of being first to fly a heavier-than-air aeroplane (currently considered to be the US Wright Brothers) is disputed by counter-claims by Gustave Whitehead who flew much earlier. History ‘loses’ Whitehead’s story.

Our second example of loss of fame concerns Alfred Wallace who actually provided many of the theories on evolution by his own discoveries, and who jointly publicly presented common findings with Charles Darwin. But it is Wallace’s name which has faded from memory.

We record how man is trashing the Earth with pollution and overpopulation, nuclear poisons, denuding the soil and fouling the seas. Now man is abusing the earth’s atmosphere and near space with all manner of space junk.

Plus some trivia and mirth and much more ….

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On the anniversaries of the introduction to Australia of public radio services and the advent of TV in Melbourne (for the 1956 Olympic Games), we comment about the quality of TV programs, the amount of Australian and gay content and the representations of our communities over the years.

US public figures Harvey Milk and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone were assassinated at this time in 1978, and we note their role in the advancement of the gay communities of SF, and we identify Australian equivalents.

We celebrate the lives of benefactors Rev John Flynn (of the Inland) – originator of the Flying Doctor Service, and of Alfred Nobel (inventor of Dynamite) who left the bulk of his fortune to fund Nobel Prizes annually in the fields of physics, chemistry or medicine, literature, economic science and the advancement of international peace. We debate whether the 2016 award in Literature should have been given to Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen….

Plus some trivia and mirth and much more ….

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