Long Distance Call

When should you log into a Zoom meeting? Geraldine logged into a not-for-profit board meeting the other day at the scheduled start time, only to find that her colleagues had been there five minutes earlier. The women discuss the new electronic codes of conduct. Also this week, Geraldine reluctantly hands Harriet the dog back to the dog shelter. It's been a tough fortnight. Also, American politics journal 'Politico' sells to a German news agency for $1 billion. Thanks for listening! Join the conversation at the Facebook page "LDC Podcast" or email ldcpodcast1@gmail.com Inside Politico's billion dollar drama - NYT https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/29/business/media/politico-robert-allbritton.html Washington Post coverage of Politico sale https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2021/08/26/politico-sold-axel-springer/ Project Rozana https://projectrozana.org

Geraldine gets in a time machine and travels back to her 30-year-old self ... thanks to a new series called "The Newsreader" on the ABC. In 1986 (the year the TV series is set) Geraldine had just finished up as a newsreader on the ABC. She'd go on to work in commercial radio before a stint reading the news on Channel 10. Geraldine and Eliza reflect on the TV series and just how far the professional women have come in the decades since. Also this week, the desperation of Afghanistan. And Eliza watches a wonderful, joyful movie free of horrible themes! Hooray! Thanks for listening. Join the conversation at the Facebook page "LDC Podcast" email ldcpodcast1@gmail.com Please leave us a review on the platform where you source your podcasts. *The Newsreader https://iview.abc.net.au/show/newsreader Broadcast News https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092699/ Kitchen Cabinet - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchen_Cabinet_(TV_program) After the fall: what’s next for Afghanistan - David Kilcullen https://www.theaustralian.co

Geraldine has been wanting a dog for years after the death of her much-loved kelpie in 2014. Now felt like the right time. So, this week she adopted Harriet, an 18-month-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Also this week, the grim situation on the ground in Afghanistan as a resurgent Taliban takes back control of regional cities. Can the local forces protect the capital? Eliza reads a terrific expose in Good Weekend. She's also reading former Swans' player Brandon Jack's memoir "28". And the women read through LDC's wonderful correspondence. Thanks for listening! Join the conversation at "LDC Podcast" Facebook page or email ldcpodcast1@gmail.com. ABC Saturday Extra – David Kilcullen on Afghanistan https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/saturdayextra/david-kilcullen-offers-solutions-to-the-afghan-fiasco/13484218 ‘28’ Brandon Jack https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/other-books/28-Brandon-Jack-9781760876777 'Jock Zonfrillo's Fantastical Life' - Tim Elliott, Good Weekend https://www.smh.com.au/nation

The Olympics has been a balm for Eliza during the Sydney lockdown. But Geraldine hasn't been quite so engrossed. It's prompted her to ponder ... is competitive drive a virtue? Also this week, why friendships need intimacy. And Eliza finds joy in David Sedaris' writing in the New Yorker. Thanks for listening! Join the conversation at the Facebook page "LDC Podcast" or email ldcpodcast1@gmail.com Friendships need intimacy, too. Here’s how to build it. By Melissa Pandika. https://www.inkl.com/news/friendships-need-intimacy-too-here-s-how-to-build-it?share=MqLBARSRoBX Can’t focus on a book? Audiobooks, with the right narrator, are the answer? The Sun Herald https://www.smh.com.au/culture/books/can-t-focus-on-a-book-audiobooks-with-the-right-narrator-are-the-answer-20210727-p58d9f.html The Daughter of Time – Josephine Tey https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-daughter-of-time-9781446429334 Slow Burn podcast – Season 5 – The Road to the Iraq War https://slate.com/podcasts/slow-burn/s5/road-to-the-iraq-war 'Pearls'

Eliza hoovered up every word of the Financial Review Magazine's recent travel liftout. And she's clearly not the only one: the magazine was printed on high gloss paper and full of advertising. Which means there's still money in travel, despite the fact that we're not leaving the country, or even travelling interstate. So this week, Eliza asked her Mum where she'll escape to when the borders open? Geraldine loves travelling to events, like festivals, or special garden events, or themes to explore and research. She doesn't want to sit on a beach. The women also discuss the role of the family holiday. And Eliza's need to go back to Beirut to bid it a proper farewell. Thanks for listening! Join the conversation at the Facebook page "LDC Podcast" or email ldcpodcast1@gmail.com (Almost) one year on from the Beirut blast https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/no-happy-anniversary-bride-caught-up-beirut-blast-2021-07-27/ Beirut's port explosion killed their daughter, but rather than return to Canada, they stayed

No-one loves living in limbo. But with all the uncertainty that exists right now, Eliza and Geraldine are training themselves to live better without the normal certainties of life. Geraldine has stopped trying to forecast when the Covid lockdown may end. Eliza is drawing on her experience as an expat to live amidst the discomfort of a life (somewhat) beyond her control. Also this week: what do deadlines do to lifetimes? The New Yorker asks us the question and makes some suggestions. Do you favour the 'Pomodoro Technique' of working, or are you more in favour of time blocking? And revisiting the 1973 Yom Kippur war through the HBO series "Valley of Tears". Thanks for listening! Join the conversation at the Facebook page "LDC Podcast" or email ldcpodcast1@gmail.com What Deadlines Do to Lifetimes? The New Yorker https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/07/05/what-deadlines-do-to-lifetimes David Leckie dies at 70 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-20/david-leckie-former-channel-seven-ceo-dies/100306650’ The Pom

Do you need a break from Covid content? Eliza and Geraldine do. So this week, they're masked-up talking about everything from the Rwandan genocide to the therapeutic benefits of tapestry. As well of lots of television and book recommendations. Enjoy! Join the conversation at the Facebook page "LDC Podcast" or email ldcpodcast1@gmail.com Do Not Disturb: The Story of a Political Murder and an African Regime Gone Bad, Michaela Wrong https://www.booktopia.com.au/do-not-disturb-michela-wrong/book/9780008294434.html Is nihilism compatible with the moral life? The Minefield, ABC RN https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/theminefield/whats-so-bad-about-nihilism/13435690 The Formidable Charm of Omar Sy - The New Yorker https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/06/21/the-formidable-charm-of-omar-sy Lupin - Netflix https://www.netflix.com/au/title/80994082 The Spymaster of Baghdad – Margaret Coker https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-spymaster-of-baghdad-9780241409107 Aftermath – Rachel Cusk https://www.allenand

Did the virus escape from the Chinese lab? The lab leak possibility was written off by many as a conspiracy theory at first, but new calls for more rigorous investigation have shone a new spotlight on it. The US is among the loudest of a growing number of voices calling for a definitive answer about whether Covid-19 escaped from a lab into the Chinese community and then to the rest of the world. What we do know is that research on SARS coronaviruses was underway at the Wuhan Institute of Virology at the time, leading some to believe that a test or experiment may have gone wrong. President Biden has asked his intelligence agencies to get to the bottom on it. And Chinese authorities have vehemently denied the possibility of a lab leak since the beginning of the pandemic, accusing the US of spreading an “absurd story”. Geraldine had written off the lab leak theory, but has done more research and is starting to wonder if it might be true. Eliza thinks there’s still a lot of evidence required to back up what she s

This week Eliza and Geraldine talk about work ... and rest. Will the work from home phenomenon, or 'WFH', continue after the pandemic has gone? Will it be a help or a hinderance for working women? And will the ability to properly rest actually give you the edge that ambitious people are looking for in the workplace? Also this week, are you a caller or a texter? And Gladwell's latest deep dive into controversial General Curtis Le May and the firebombing of Tokyo. Thanks for listening! Join the conversation at the Facebook page "LDC Podcast" or email ldcpodcast1@gmail.com Colm Toibin – What if Ireland had been united? https://unherd.com/2021/05/what-if-ireland-were-united/ Burnout: Modern Affliction or Human Condition? https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/05/24/burnout-modern-affliction-or-human-condition?utm_source=onsite-share&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=onsite-share&utm_brand=the-new-yorker Remote workers work longer, not more efficiently https://www.economist.com/business/2021/06/10/remot

Geraldine and Eliza discuss the best way to convince more Australians to get the Covid-19 vaccine. Also this week: Geraldine shifts on her previous position about the Australians stranded overseas, much to Eliza's relief. And exploring the Torres Strait. Thanks for listening! Join the conversation at the Facebook page "LDC Podcast" or email ldcpodcast1@gmail.com Simon Reynolds on the Grim Reaper AIDS ads https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/how-to-sell-covid-19-vaccinations-to-australians/13351878 Amelia Lester - Australia is the New Hermit Kingdom https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/05/11/australia-borders-covid-hermit-kingdom/

Conflict in the Middle East

Obama and Springsteen in conversation How do you heal America? That's the question at the heart of the conversation between former President Barack Obama and rock superstar, Bruce Springsteen. Geraldine has been captivated by the podcast conversation about their lives, music and their mututal love of an increasingly divided America. Also this episode, Eliza leans into the climate debate. And Geraldine ponders what makes a good Grandma. Thanks for listening! Join the conversation at the Facebook page 'LDC Podcast' or email ldcpodcast1@gmail.com Norman and Jonathan Swan at the Sydney Writers Festival https://www.swf.org.au/festivals/festival-2021/swan-on-swan/ Anna Swan's long way back from brain trauma https://www.smh.com.au/national/you-never-know-what-strength-you-ve-got-anna-swan-s-long-road-back-from-brain-trauma-20201022-p567o1.html Renegades – Born in the USA https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/renegades-born-in-the-usa/id1562920267 David Remnick interviews Br

A strong debut from the Dublin novelist Exciting Times is just the tonic for a global pandemic when we're all trapped at home. It's a coming of age novel set in Hong Kong, where the lead character Ava explores her sexuality. It's a book about class, about relationships and whether we need to leave home to really grow up. When young Dubliner, Ava, finishes university she moves to Asia to teach english to primary school kids. She's fiercely smart but socially awkward. Ava falls for the similarly intelligent but selfish Julian, who ends up being her boyfriend and landlord. When the relationship with Julian implodes, Ava falls for Hong Konger, Edith. The book is sharp and funny. Eliza and Madeleine enjoyed it but felt it needed a stronger plot. Sarah wasn't so kind ... labelling it a wannabe Sally Rooney novel. Let us know what you think! Join the conversation at the Facebook page LDC Podcast, or email ldcpodcast1@gmail.com Please leave us a review on your podcast se

Geraldine remembers the trauma of the massacre It's 25 years since Australia's worst massacre in Port Arthur in Tasmania. In the hours after police arrested the gunman, Geraldine and her colleagues travelled from Sydney to Tasmania to report on the horrific crime. It was a galvanising event. Australia went from having patchy & relatively lax guns laws to some of the strictest in the world. But in the decades since, some of those safeguards have been eroded as state and territory Governments have done political deals with minor parties to pass big legislation. Also this episode, Eliza wonders whether she should retire the puffer jacket. Dating ads in the London Review of Books. And Geraldine critiques Jeremy Paxman. Thanks for listening! Join the conversation at the Facebook group "Long Distance Callers" or email ldcpodcast1@gmail.com 25 years on from Port Arthur - ABC 7.30 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-27/port-arthur-25-years-ago-it-changed-these-mens-lives-forever/100095946

Thinking about our duty to care Geraldine's investigation of the notion of 'duty' in the wake of Prince Philip's death has prompted a big conversation. Geraldine interviewed two people on her ABC program who suggested that we should stop talking about a duty 'of' care and reframe it as a duty 'to' care. Another said that there's a perceived duty of parents to care for their children, but what about the other way around? It prompts Eliza to suggest that the Baby Boomers are the most powerful group in our modern society, but she think they sometimes struggle to acknowledge that influence. Also this episode - Geraldine revels in the Australian female artist, Clarice Beckett. Thanks for listening! Join the conversation at the Facebook page "LDC Podcast" or email ldcpodcast1@gmail.com Duty revisited – Saturday Extra https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/saturdayextra/a-sense-of-duty/13306180 Dan Tehan's trade negotiations in an uncomfortable chair https://www.smh.com.au/world/eu

Rebooting the online conversation Eliza has done a backflip and has reinstalled the LDC Facebook page. Sometimes, when you've made a mistake, you've got to cop it on the chin and acknowledge the mistake. Which brings us to Christine Holgate. The former Chief Executive of Australia Post used a Federal senate inquiry to flay the Government over the Cartier watch scandal and accuse the Prime Minister of bullying. Also this week, in the wake of Prince Philip's death, Geraldine asks Eliza about 'duty'. Does it have the same resonance for younger generations as it does for baby boomers? If you'd like to join the group, open Facebook and search for "LDC Podcast" and ask to join the private group. Otherwise, we'd love to hear from you via email: ldcpodcast1@gmail.com Thanks for listening! The Truth Behind the Holgate Saga: Robert Gottliebsen https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/leadership/the-real-dispute-behind-the-christine-holgate-saga-at-australia-post/news-story/8d1c2a6f2661a52c23c3

Didn't live up to the hype We wanted to love this book! But ... we didn't. Mayflies is written by the London Review of Books 'Editor at Large', Andrew O'Hagan. There's been a lot of hype about this book with some rave reviews. It just didn't gel for Eliza and Madeleine. Maybe it was the 80's references (neither Gen-Y reader is into 'New Order' or 'The Smiths') maybe it's a book for men? Maybe it's just ... dull? The second half really improves and both women were happy they pushed on. The writing is strong and the characters have matured. Tully's death is covered with nuance and grace. But it's only two stars from Madeleine, three from Eliza. In April, LDC Bookclub is reading 'Exciting Times' by Naoise Dolan and in May it's Jacqueline Maley's debut novel 'The Truth About Her'. Let us know what you think by email at ldcpodcast1@gmail.com Please leave us a review on your podcast server!

Revisiting Steve Biddulph In the late 1990s, Australian psychologist Steve Biddulph wrote the best-selling parenting guide "Raising Boys". Geraldine did extensive interviews with Biddulph at the time. She says some women saw it as a negative commentary about women moving further into the professional workplace and and out of the home. Now, Steve Biddulph has released a new article in the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper. It notes that the phrase 'educate your sons' has become a mantra of the times, following testimonials from women and girls who feel unsafe. He decided to go back and investigate how childhood shapes the man. Also this episode, Geraldine reflects on the year she spent Easter in Israel. Eliza remembers the beauty of Jerusalem. Please note: the next edition of LDC Bookclub will be released on Friday April 9. In March, Eliza, Madeleine Genner and Sarah Gerathy read "Mayflies" by Andrew O'Hagan. Thanks for listening! Please leave us a review on iTunes or however you list

Eliza's musical conversion Hamilton! BREAKING: Eliza loved it. She pushed through her normal reticence about musical theatre to revel in the joy and dynamism that is Hamilton. Also this week, what are the pros and cons of a (non-alcoholic) liquid lunch? Has yoga changed in the wake of the pandemic? Geraldine's found a new Boris Johnson critic to rival Fintan O'Toole. And the American authorities raise concerns about the data used by Astra Zeneca over the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine. Thankyou for listening! Please get in touch via email ldcpodcast1@gmail.com Mayflies - Andrew O'Hagan https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/fiction/Mayflies-Andrew-OHagan-9780571273690 The clown king: how Boris Johnson made it by playing the fool | Boris Johnson | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/news/2021/mar/18/all-hail-the-clown-king-how-boris-johnson-made-it-by-playing-the-fool US health officials say AstraZeneca may have included 'outdated information' in coronavirus vaccine trial https

A bleak decade of bloodshed & disruption It’s been ten years since a peaceful uprising in Syria quickly evolved into a full scale civil war. Now, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad clings to power with the help of some powerful friends in Russia. The UN estimates 13 million Syrians have fled their country over the past ten years. The millions of children who remain in country desperately need protection, food and education. In this episode, Eliza reflects on a grim decade of warfare which has transformed the Middle East and arguably politics in the West, too. She speaks to a 26-year-old Syrian dentist who was working in Lebanon while Eliza was living in Beirut. Also this week, Eliza and Geraldine address some audience concerns from last week's episode. And Geraldine attends the Jewish film festival. Thankyou for listening! Let us know your thoughts via ldcpodcast1@gmail.com Eliza is in the final stages of setting up a newsletter to accompany the weekly podcast LINKS The Last Vermeer