Podcasts about Crikey

That's not a podcast, this is a podcast...Crikey...Doug is a cocksucker, even Matt's mom says so...Doug likes Australia...Can you find the part that Matt cut...Matt tells lies...Apparently Jen has big jugs...Matt doesn't jerk off for a year...Women shouldn't cheat...Jeff Goldblum doesn't like certain things...Neither host can nail down a good accent...The Last of Us still has an actress that can't act...All that and more...

A new home. Based on a post by CorruptingPower, in 25 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Chapter 4 Three days later, the calendar claimed it was a Saturday, but at that point, Andy wasn't sure any of them really knew. During the evening after dinner every day for the past three days, Lily and Eric had retreated to Eric's room immediately as soon as dishes were in the dishwasher, and Andy and Aisling were in Andy's room not long after. The walls between the two bedrooms were thankfully fairly thick, and each room was generating enough noise to drown the other out if there had been any spillover. If anything, Andy actually felt a little sore. Aisling hadn't been lying about fucking him thin. Each day had been a new and interesting work out, and she'd been true to her word “ he hadn't gone to sleep without giving her at least one load for the day. They'd also spent a bunch of time all getting to know one another. Andy knew within just a few minutes that Lily was a good match for Eric “ she knew exactly how much to push him around and how much to let him get his way. Aisling also seemed an ideal match for Andy, and they'd spent much of the Saturday upstairs just in bed, cuddled up watching movies on the television in his room. Late in the afternoon, Andy had starting making dinner for the four of them when a knock came at the door. Aisling was in the living room talking with Lily while Eric has helping him by chopping vegetables. "Who is it, Ash?" Aisling picked through the peephole then opened the door. "Looks like you should make that for five," she called back. "Delivery for Andrew Rook?" a man inside a bio hazard suit said, holding out a tablet. A woman stood next to him, dressed much as Aisling and Lily had been when they'd showed up. "I'm Aisling Blake, his partner," she said. "It okay if I sign?" The man glanced down at his tablet, frowned at it, clicked a few things, then nodded. "Sure, looks like that's okay. Sign here." Aisling took her fingertip and scrawled her name on it, as the woman moved into the room and started heading up the stairs, carrying her little roller suitcase with her. "The door on the left!" Aisling called up. "I'll be up in just a second!" She turned back to the man with a broad smile. "Anything else?" "Nah, I'll be back again soon enough," he said, and Aisling closed the door behind him, turning the deadbolt to lock it. "I'm going to go up and talk to her, Andy, so just hang out for a bit down here, okay?" "I'm cooking anyway, Ash, it's fine." Andy hadn't even gotten a glance at the new woman, but his curiosity was certainly getting the better of him. Still, he also found himself more than a little nervous. Aisling darted upstairs and then a few seconds later, he heard his bedroom door close again. "You've been kicked out of your own room again," Eric teased. "Meh, it's not even my room anymore." "Oh get over yourself," Lily said. They all knew she was joking, even as dry as her humor was. Ten minutes later, dinner was close to done, and Andy was tempted to call upstairs to her when Aisling came down the stairs alone. "Is she not joining us?" Andy asked. Aisling shook her head, and Andy could hear the sound of the shower turning on in his bathroom. "She's already eaten, so she's going to take a shower. After dinner, I'll bring you up to the room." "What's her name?" "Lauren," Aisling said. "You going to tell me anything else about her?" "Nah," Aisling grinned. "So how's the new girl?" Lily said as Aisling moved to sit at the table while Andy went to dish out his cooking “ a spicy chili over rice “ into four bowls before putting the fifth bowl back into the cupboard. "New," Aisling said. "Oh come on, Ash," Eric said. "Surely you can tell us more than that." "Of course I can, but I'm not going to, and don't call me Shirley." For the next few minutes, Lily and Eric peppered her with questions, but Aisling dodged them before she finally just rolled her eyes and stared at them. "You can make your own mind up about her tomorrow, alright? Let her tell you about her rather than me. Now can we talk about something else?" After dinner, Lily and Eric had agreed to clear up the dishes and get them into the dishwasher, so Andy could go upstairs and meet his next partner. Andy was more than a little nervous as Aisling took him upstairs. His own bedroom door was closed and as they stood outside of it, Aisling moved to stand between him and it. "Look, Andy, do you trust me?" He cocked his head to one side then nodded. "Of course, Ash. Why?" "Then just go with me on this, okay?" She reached into her pocket and pulled out a blindfold. "Put this on." "Are you serious?" Andy looked down at the blindfold as she handed it to him. "Really?" "Please trust me?" Andy sighed, his shoulders slumped a little bit. "Alright. Alright." He lifted the blindfold up and put it over his eyes. "I feel a bit silly." "It'll all make sense tomorrow, I promise," she said as she made sure the blindfold was covering his eyes properly so he couldn't see at all. "Wait, tomorrow?" "Daddy," she said again, this time a bit more comfortingly. "Trust me." "Ok, Ash. Don't let me regret it." "You won't," she said, as Andy can hear her opening the door to his bedroom. She pushes him gently into the room, stepping with him, closing the door behind them. His room wasn't very empty, so he knew he had to watch his step. Move too far forward and he'd his a bookcase, or his armchair over in the corner next to his electric guitar and his arm. "Okay, now step back and lean your back against the door." Andy took a few steps back and felt his back press into the door, as he felt a hand smoothing along his chest. He thought it was Aisling's, but he couldn't be sure. "Hello, I'm Andy," he said, hoping there was someone else in the room besides him and Aisling. "Shhhh, don't say anything, Daddy," Aisling whispered into his ear. "Just listen, and feel." He could hear the sound of Aisling moving, and felt her hand on his waist, unbuttoning his jeans. "You're going to learn to love this," he heard her say, although he was fairly certain she wasn't talking to him. He could hear the sound of Aisling getting down onto her knees, but he thought he heard a second set of knees hitting the carpet, as he felt a hand tugging his zipper down then reaching beneath his boxers to fish out his cock. As soon as it sprung free, he heard a gasp and then Aisling giggling. "Go on, taste it," she said. "There's a droplet there waiting just for you." Andy felt a tongue lash against the tip of his cock for a second before pulling back, an unfamiliar throaty moan erupting from somewhere beneath him. Aisling giggled again. "Give her just a second, Andy." "Take all the time you need." After a minute or so, Aisling's voice cut through the darkness again. "Well, if you're not going to,” And he felt Aisling's mouth, or at least he thought it was Aisling's mouth, wrap around his cock once more and push down until her lips were wrapped around the base of it, holding there for a long moment before pulling back again. "At least one of us is gonna be an eager little slut, and if you're not gonna " She was in the middle of the word when Andy felt another mouth pushing down hard onto his cock, lodging it right into the back of her throat before coughing a little, drawing back, gasping for air. He started to reach forward, but he felt a hand on his wrist. "No no, Daddy," Aisling's voice said. "Let your new slut work." Not being able to see was heightening his other senses, putting them into overdrive. And yet, even as he felt her mouth sliding up and down his cock, he couldn't tell anything about this new girl who had entered his life. Anything other than the fact she loved his cock. "She's thirsty, daddy," Aisling purred up at him. "You can't see her, but I can, and she's giving you such sloppy head, I think she's desperately trying to get you to cum for her." "I'm not far off," Andy admitted. "One second then," Aisling said as she pulled Lauren back for a moment. She whispered something to the other girl, and then they both moved for a second, and he could hear the sound of one of them getting onto the bed. Then he felt a pair of hands on his hips, pulling him forward. "C'mere, you're going to fuck her face, daddy." "I'm going to what?" he said, as he slowly shimmied forward until he felt like he was near the edge of his bed. He felt a hand around the base of his cock, as Aisling stood behind him, and she moved him around a bit, then her hips pushed forward against his ass, forcing him to thrust into an open mouth that groaned eagerly around him. He tried to pull back a bit, but Aisling pushed him forward until he felt his balls brushing against what he thought was Lauren's nose. That meant, he assumed, she was on her back, maybe with her head hanging just off the edge of the bed. "That's it, daddy, feed her. Feed your newest slut a hot load of your cum. Claim her. Let her taste you." Aisling moaned into his ear. "This is so fucking hot, sir. But you gotta do it. She's yearning for it," she said as her hips moving with his pressed his cock in and out of the unseen girl's throat. "Make her your slut, daddy. Cum in that fucking throat,” Andy could feel Aisling's fingers closing around his balls as they drew up, and before he knew it, he was spurting a hot load of jizz into the throat of a woman he'd never even seen before. While his orgasm was strong, he could feel Lauren trembling beneath him like they were in the middle of an earthquake. The bed was jittering and he tried not to push forward or back until he felt Aisling's hands pulling him back a little bit. "God, this is such a fucking sexy image," Aisling said. "Now just wait here a moment, okay?" Andy nodded, and felt Aisling move around him before sliding up onto the bed. He could hear the sound of Aisling moving Lauren around on the bed. He also thought he could hear someone whispering the word "imprinting" over and over again very quietly. He remembered Aisling doing the same thing the first time she'd gotten a load of his cum inside of her. After a minute or two, Aisling slid off the bed again, and giggled, leaning up to kiss him for a moment. "I think you've earned a treat, Daddy, so give me just one minute more, okay?" "You're driving, Ash," he laughed. He could hear her opening the drawer she'd stored all her clothes in, even as she was stripping out of what she was currently wearing, tossing it into the clothes hamper. Then she pulled on whatever clothes she'd pulled out. Then he heard the sound of what sounded like a lotion bottle opening and then felt a cool liquid dripping onto his cock before the cap snapped back on. He felt her fingers sliding up and down his shaft, smearing the lotion onto his cock for a moment before her hands pulled away as she moved up onto the bed once more. "Okay, daddy, you can take off the blindfold now." Andy reached up and pulled off the blindfold and let his eyes adapt to his room, the lights set to low. On the far side of the bed, there was a body entirely covered by a sheet, which he assumed had to be Lauren. But his eyes only looked over there for a moment before turning to see Aisling in a Hogwarts outfit, on her hands and knees on the corner of the bed. "Let her rest, Andy. You've got to enjoy your treat now." Andy licked his lips as he reached down and pushed his jeans to his ankles before stepping out of them. "It's a hell of an outfit you're rocking there, Ash." She giggled again, looking back at him over her shoulder. "Oh, this is just for a laugh," she said. "No, your treat's something else entirely." "Oh is it?" he said pulling off his socks and his shirt before pushing his boxers down to the floor, then scooping all his clothes up to toss them into the hamper. "Then what is it?" "I've had your cum down my throat and up my cunt, but there's one hole that you haven't had a go at," she whispered. "That nobody's had a go at, other than me, of course. I've had fingers and toys up there, but I'm ready for the real thing." Her fingertips pulled on the skirt, tugging it up higher and higher until it exposed her ass. "Claim all of me, daddy." "Are you sure, Ash?" "Umm, am I not being explicit enough for you?" She brought her shoulders down to the bed as both hands reached behind her and pulled the cheeks of her ass apart. "I want you to take that thick cock of yours and shove it right up my virgin asshole, daddy. I wanna feel you butt-fucking my untouched hole until you toss a load up it and claim that last bit of me that no man's ever had a go at. So you truly fucking own every millimeter of me. I got it, and you, nice and slick. Just, just don't go too fast to start, okay?" "I'll stop the minute you tell me to." "Oh, I won't tell you to stop," she moaned. "Just pause for a second. Now let me fucking feel it already. Take my freckled ass for a fucking hard ride." Andy stepped up to the corner of the bed and rubbed the mushroom head of his cock along that crack, pressing it against that rosebud that she had indeed greased up well. "Don't hold your breath," Andy said, and pushed the tip of his cock through that ring. The moan that Aisling surged into the mattress was carnal, intense and almost overwhelming. Andy kept his hips steady, not giving her any more than that tip, even as he felt her asshole clenching a bit on his shaft, butterfly spasms. "Fuck that's so fucking big, it feels like you've got a telephone pole up me arse." "Want me to " "Give me more." "Are you" "Fucking more, goddamn it. It feels so fucking good, I fucking need it. Take my virgin ass and stuff it full, you motherfucker." Andy tried very hard not to laugh, and placed his hands on her hips, holding her steady, as he leaned forward while pulling her back, until his cock was nearly hilt deep in her ass. It felt ridiculously tight and hot, like a grasp around his cock. He kept his hips still at that point, just lodged up her as his hand smoothed along her back through the uniform. "In your own time, Ash." "So. Fucking. Full," she moaned. "Jaysis, I feel like such a whore. I fuckin' love it. Now plow me, you bastard. Give it t' me." His hips drew back, sliding most of that shaft out before thrusting forward again until his balls slapped against her cunt, feeling exactly how soaked she was. He held motionless a moment again before he repeated the motion. "Harder," she groaned. "What's that?" "Fuck my virgin ass harder, you beautiful boy," she whimpered. "Fuckin' use your bitch." He reached forward and his fingertips grasped a handful of her copper mane right by the root so he could pull her back up onto her hands, and he heard her squeal and felt her shiver as he did. "A bitch should be on all fours." "Fuck yes. Hammer me, daddy. Rail your slut in her virgin shit pipe until you've carved your fuckin' name into it." He started to piston pump in and out of her, knowing he wasn't going to last long. She was mercilessly tight, but after four or five thrusts, she was leaning back into him with as much force as he was drilling into her. "Do it, daddy," she moaned. "Give me my load, your slut needs it, she fucking needs it, daddy. Give her your cum so she knows who she belongs to, claim that fucking ass, oh god, jaysis jaysis jaysis., do it daddy, do it, do it, do it, do it, cum in my ass, cum!" At her coaxing, he relented and when his cock was slammed down to the base inside of her ass, his balls drew up and he started to spurt a hot load into her ass. The minute he did, he felt a splash of wetness against his balls and it took him half a second to realize she was squirting, a stream of liquid splattering against his nutsack and the corner of the bed. Her shoulders slumped back down against the sheets and she started to laugh, much more frantically than her normal giggle. "Omi god omi god omi fucking god, I fuckin' squirted," she said, gasping for air between shots of laughter. "I've never squirted before in me life. That was so fuckin' intense." Andy slipped his softening cock from her ass gingerly, as she rolled over and sat up on her knees, her hands grabbing his face so she could kiss him harder than he'd ever been kissed in his life. She held him there for a long minute before she pulled back just enough for their lips to part. "Thank you so fuckin' much, Andy," she purred at him. "Now let's hop through a quick shower and get to bed. You can meet Lauren tomorrow." "You okay?" he said, brushing a few rogue strands of her hair out of her face for her. "I wasn't too rough?" "I." Kiss. "Fucking." Kiss. "Loved." Kiss. "It." Kiss. "If it's ever too much I'll tell it, but I loved it. I fucking loved it." She blushed a little bit, her eyes closing before they opened again. "I love you, Andy." "I love you too, Ash," he said with a smile. "But let's get that shower. And you're the one who's sleeping with her feet in the wet spot." "Meanie," she giggled, as they headed towards the bathroom. Chapter 5 Not looking under the sheet was harder than it seemed, but after their shower, Aisling had made sure to put herself between him and the body concealed on the far side of the bed. She snuggled up firmly against him and made sure he didn't move too far over. At some point in the night, he must've been accidentally tugging on the blanket because he felt Aisling's fingers pulling his hand up and placing it back over her tits, a tiny little giggle burbling from her half-conscious lips. Andy drifted back off to sleep and slept through the night. In the morning, he was half awake when he heard two voices talking from the foot of the bed. "Does he always crack such a fat in the morning?" an unfamiliar voice said. "A lot of men often wake up hard," Aisling's voice said. "You want to touch him, don't you?" "God help me, I do," the other voice said again. "I really, really, really do." "Then go ahead." "I can hear you, you know," Andy said, reaching up to rub at his eyes. "Ah. Well good day Andy," the voice said. "I'm Lauren." He opened his eyes and sat up a little bit, looking down at the foot of his bed. To the right of his feet stood Aisling, completely naked. She had a huge smile on her face, her freckled hair hanging loose over her shoulders and down across her perky tits. To the left of his feet stood a huge woman. She wasn't heavy, but she was sizable, far taller than Aisling was, and more muscular. Not overly so, but fit, like an athlete. Statuesque. It was hard to gauge how big she was, but from his vantage point, and using Aisling as reference, Lauren had to be over six and a half feet tall. She was blonde, a long dark golden mane that hung over plump tits down to her waist. They were large full tits with very obvious tan lines. In fact, he could also see tan lines forming a mark where he imagined a bikini bottom normally was. She had a small triangle of dark blonde hair over her cunt, with her toned thighs pressed firmly together. One of her nipples had a barbell through it, a simple silver adornment. She also had a silver hoop through her navel. "Hope ya like the view," she said after what Andy felt like was far too long of him being silent. She was gorgeous, but she also looked nervous, maybe even shy, as her striking blue eyes looked down towards his feet. She was older than Aisling, maybe around Andy's age, in her mid-thirties. The accent implied she was Australian or from New Zealand, although it felt like it had faded a bit. "Don't just sit there silently, Andy," Aisling said, slapping one of his feet. "Say something." "You're absolutely stunning, Lauren." He pulled his legs back to sit up, making room for the two girls to get onto the bed. "Far too lovely to be saddled with a wreck like me." Lauren blushed a little as she moved to sit down. "Now don't say that. You're right handsome." "What was yesterday all about?" Andy said, as Aisling slid up further onto the bed. "I'm, uh,” "Go on, honey," Aisling said. "You can tell him." Lauren looked down, placing a hand on his thigh, before she drew in a deep breath and lifted her other hand up to push waves of blonde hair from her face, lifting her face to look up at him. "I've always identified as bisexual, but I've never been with a fella before, Andy. So while I told myself this is what I wanted, I was so afraid when I got here that I froze up." Andy frowned a little bit. "Lauren, if you don't want " Her fingers gripped firmly on his thigh, as she looked up at him, her eyes almost ablaze. "No. No, Andy. I do want. I so want. I'm just, I'm just nervous that I'll be bad at it. Or that you won't want me. I'm certainly not as young and pretty as Aisling is. I mean, just look at her. She goes alright, but I'm worried that I'm just a bit of a prawn." "Prawn?" "Y'know, a dog." Aisling shook her head. "She thinks she's what American cockheads call a butter face." "Oh god, Lauren," Andy said, putting his hand over hers on his thigh, squeezing it tenderly. "You're beautiful. Whatever man told you that you were ugly was out of his fucking mind, stupid and blind." Lauren smiled shyly, licking her lips a little bit. "You think?" "Jesus, Lauren," Andy laughed. "You're out of my league on the best of my days. I wouldn't blame you at all if you didn't want me." "I told Aisling I was nervous when I got here yesterday. I mean, I'd never gone a gobbie in me life, so I was worried that I'd damage yer tackle when I tried, but she told me,” Lauren trailed off for a moment. "She told me that I'd cum my brains out when I got me first load from ya, but I thought she was having a right laugh. And I didn't want you to see me all fidgety, so she said she'd blindfold you and I could take me time. She's a right keeper, that one is." Aisling placed her hand on Andy's other thigh and leaned over his legs, lifting her free hand up to Lauren's face, tipping her head up so she could press her lips against the giant beauty in a tender kiss, which started soft for just a second, then got heated quickly before pulling back. "And I was right, wasn't I? Wasn't the taste overwhelming?" "Crikey," Lauren whispered. "When he came in my mouth, I seized up like an ol' Buick. It was like every nerve in my body was lit on fire. I woke up this morning ready for my next fix." She glanced over at Aisling and smiled before looking back at Andy. "You don't mind me snogging your girl, do you?" Aisling reached over and poked Lauren on the thigh, as if prompting her for something. "Sorry, you don't mind, do you, sir?" The shiver that ran up Andy's spine had to be visible to both women. Their shared kiss only a foot or two over his cock had been one of the hottest things he'd ever seen. The word at the end only redoubled the sensation. "Ah, you two want to have a go at each other and I can leave you to it?" Lauren giggled, a mature laugh from a mature woman, as her hand moved a bit more up his thigh. "We had a bit of fun this morning before you woke up, sir, an' I don't imagine it'll be the last time, but I'm ready for the main course, if ya follow me." "He likes girls on top, so maybe you should just hop on," Aisling prompted. "That true, sir?" Lauren asked, sliding a little forward on the bed, one of her thighs moving across his thighs, straddling them, rubbing his cock with one hand near one of her thighs. "You want me on top?" "If you've never been with a man before, it might be best, so you can set the tempo and depth," Andy said. "I've been fucked before," Lauren said. "A rubber cock can't be that different than the real thing." Aisling started giggling furiously. "Oh, bless. You sweet, naive child. Let me help you to the new world." The redhead moved up on the bed behind Lauren, one hand reaching to grab her hip, the other reaching beneath her to grab Andy's cock, getting it lined up with the other woman's cunt. "Ready?" "It's not going to be that " With a sudden push of her hand, Aisling shoved Lauren's snatch down onto Andy's cock with one fluid motion. Lauren's head shot back, looking up at the ceiling, letting out a filthy, carnal moan, falling back against Aisling, who kept her propped up, her tits pressed against the taller woman's back while Lauren quaked like she was being electrocuted. The moan carried on for a long moment until Lauren sounded out of breath, and suddenly she gasped in another sudden inhale, one hand reaching behind her to grab a handful of Aisling's hair, the other smoothing across her own stomach. "Oh Fuck," Lauren babbled, "I was wrong, I was so bloody wrong, oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck I think I'm still fucking cumming,” "That's it" Aisling said, one of her hands still holding onto Lauren's hip, the other moving up to cup one of the woman's heavy tits in her slender fingertips. "I told you just putting it in was going to set you off." "It's not right, it's not fucking supposed to be like this," Lauren whimpered. "I'm Still fucking cumming shit,” Aisling smirked at Andy who was watching on with awe, feeling Lauren's snatch fluttering around his cock. "And to think, once you cum inside of her, it's going to hit her even harder, daddy." "Fuckin' hell, Ash," Lauren whined, "I don't think I can handle it. It's too much, it's too fucking much." The redhead pressed a kiss against the blonde's neck. "Either you're getting that load or I am," she whispered to her. "Because I'm not letting' it go to waste." "I'm not sure," she mumbled. "Then get off." Aisling started to pull up on Lauren's hips before Lauren grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her hand off her hip and brought it to her belly. "Changed your mind?" "I'm scared," Lauren said, "but I'm excited too. It gets better than that?" "So much better," Aisling giggled. "Daddy knows how to reward his sluts." "Is that what I am?" "Do you want to be?" Andy asked her. "You could just be one of my partners." Lauren's eyes finally rolled back down the back of her skull, turning those blue orbs down to look at him. "I want what you want." "No," Andy shook his head. "This is a decision you make yourself." The tall blonde bit her bottom lip nervously, looking down at Andy's chest before looking up at his eyes. "Say it. I want to see how it makes me feel." "Say what?" "That I'm, you know." Andy smirked a little bit. "If you can't say it, why should I?" She licked her lips, swallowing awkwardly. "Call me your slut." "Is that what you want, Lauren?" She paused then nodded. "I want to hear you say it." "Does it turn you on?" He reached a hand up to her face, lifting her chin a little. "The idea of being my slut?" Her body shivered hard for a long moment before she nodded again. "Say it again." "You're my slut, Lauren." It was almost like waves of pleasure ran through her at the sound of the words. "More." "No," Andy said. "Say it back to me." "Andy.,” she whined, like a child trying to get their parent to buy them a toy. "You say it, and I'll say it again." Lauren mumbled the words so low even Aisling couldn't hear them. "If I can't hear you, you daffy bitch, how do you expect Daddy to?" the redhead said. "I'm your slut," Lauren whispered. "Again," Aisling said, giving the piercing in Lauren's nipple a little turn. "God, I'm his slut." "Who's slut?" "Daddy's." "All together now." "God, daddy, I'm such a little slut for you," Lauren said, the dam finally breaking in her. "I'm your slut, sir. All yours. Can I be your slut?" "Of course you can, Lauren," Andy said with a soft smile. "You're my good girl, my surfer slut." Aisling's hand slid down and started to rub against Lauren's clit tenderly. Those fingertips brushed across that flesh as the blonde writhed on Andy's lap. "How good, keep doing that," Lauren pleaded. One of her hands smoothed along Andy's chest, while the other reached behind her to get lost in Aisling's coppery locks. "You can't wait to feel it, can you?" the redhead laughed. "I remember my first day., my first time, sitting where you're sitting, praying to get a load up inside of me. Thinking it couldn't possibly be as good as they were promising it would be." She leaned in to whispering into her ear. "But you know what? It is. And it's even better." Lauren was rolling her hips back and forth in his lap, trying to thrust down on him even harder. "I want it. I do want it. I need it. God, I must sound like a little junkie in need of a fix." , In a way, you are. We both are," Aisling said, kissing at Lauren's neck. "But if you want it, you've got to ask him for it." "Please, Andy, daddy, master, whatever the fuck you want to be called," Lauren begged. "I'll say anything, do anything, but you need to give it to me. Fill me up. Let me feel a man, my man, coming inside of my cunt for the first time. I want it, more than anything I've ever wanted in my life. Please? I need to know I'm yours. Cum in me. Cum." On that last word, all the resistance Andy had simply melted away, and his body let loose, spurting a load of hot jizz up inside of Lauren's throbbing cunt. She began to spasm and quake atop of him as she felt it before Aisling let the tall Aussie slump forward, laying atop Andy. It was at least a minute before Lauren made any noise at all, before an almost mouse squeak of a giggle purred from her throat against his neck, her face buried in the crook of it. "You okay, Lauren?" Andy said, his hand reaching up to stroke her hair as Aisling laid down next to them, nuzzling in against the other side of Andy's neck. "Oh my god, it's just like being mounted," Lauren said. "I feel warm from the inside out, and kinda dizzy. But it feels amazing." "Right?" Aisling said. "Was I right or was I right?" "Girl, I'm gonna be an addict for this man," Lauren purred. "You and me both, sister." After fifteen minutes or so, the three of them got up and took a shower together. Lauren was indeed taller than Andy was by several inches, not that he minded. He did think, however, he was going to need a bigger shower. Later that day he found out that Lauren was thirty five and she was originally from Sydney, having moving to the Bay Area about seven years ago for a job working for the '49ers as a personal trainer. Aisling and Lauren immediately hit it off, although they made it a point to ensure Andy didn't feel left out. Late in the afternoon, the two of them had retired upstairs to have a little bit of fun together while Andy continued working on his next novel downstairs. "Y'know, when I first saw Lauren," Lily said to him on her way into the kitchen to get a soda, "all I could think of was that Eddie Murphy line." Andy arched an eyebrow at her, not catching the reference. "What Eddie Murphy line?" "You know, in Beverly Hills Cop 2, when he sees Bridgette Nielsen for the first time." Lily looked at him, waiting for the spark of recognition, rolling her eyes when she didn't see it. "You know, 'God damn, that's a big bitch.' You sure you can handle her?" He blushed a little bit. "Not in the least. I'm in way over my head, but I'm thankful for it at least." Lily nodded, closing the fridge. "That's good. Stay humble, stay thankful. But I'll tell you one thing,” "What's that?" "Two down and two to go, but so far you have a Limey and an Aussie, so you damn well better get some American pussy, and you damn well better get some cunt that's at least as dark as I am." She smirked at him. "If the next bitch who walks through that door is French, German, Russian, anything like that, I'ma cuntpunt her ass right outta here, you follow?" "Letting you answer the door for the next few weeks, got it." "Smart man," she said. "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." She started to walk back to the living room, but Andy just couldn't help himself. "Cuntpunt? Really?" "It's when you,” "Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's just what it sounds like." "So keep in mind, I'm watching you." "Watch the door!" Andy laughed. "You can decide who to let in or not!" Lily would get the opportunity to decide very soon. Chapter 6 The next few days around the house were mostly spent with everyone getting to know one another. Lauren, in addition to being a personal trainer, turned out to be an excellent cook. A few days after she arrived, it was decided that a grocery run was needed, but Andy felt strongly that he wanted to go as well. It wasn't advised, but it wasn't strictly forbidden any more either. The news had been quite clear about what he needed to do if he wanted to go out “ not only was he required to wear a P95 mask, he also had to wear goggles protecting his eyes and latex gloves covering his hands. It felt burdensome, but he direly needed to get out of the house for a least a short period of time, so he, Aisling and Lauren resolved to make the grocery store run. "I feel like Mad Max in this get up," Andy grumbled as he got out of the car in the Safeway parking lot. "Except for the fact that I'm unarmed." "They won't let us in the shop if you're sporting an axe, love," Aisling said, comforting him. The girls were dressed up in their gear as well, although both of the girls were wearing his t shirts. They'd taken to just going through his shirts each morning and tossing one on, not that he minded. Andy owned a lot of t shirts. It was practically a uniform. "And we're going through supplies much faster these days with more mouths to feed." "An' you need to let me get a bunch more healthy things in addition to your junk food," Lauren said. "And with five people instead of two, we're going through food a lot quicker these days. So you'd better get used to one of us going out for supplies every few days." "Also, you're the one who wanted to come along, Andy," Aisling said. "You could've just stayed home and let us do all the work." "I had to get out of the house before I went stir crazy. You know I haven't been more a hundred feet out of the condo since April. We were told we were in a very high risk area, so we completely quarantined and just had food delivered, but it was starting to rack up quite the bill that way." The trio headed into Safeway, keeping a good distance from everyone else. At the beginning of the year, if Andy had come into this particular Safeway on a Saturday, it would've been a madhouse. Instead, it felt like a ghost town. Some of the aisles were still desperately barren, with supplies like toilet paper down to only a few options, if that. Thankfully, Eric had been smart enough to set up a recurring order from their local CostCo to get toilet paper delivered when they had it in stock. Andy had been tempted to do a CostCo run as well, but as his first real outing in months, he wanted to stick to something where he felt like he at least had a little control. Their local Safeway was located up in the hills a little bit, so it didn't always get as much traffic as grocery stores closer to the freeways. Andy started to move over to grab a shopping cart, only to get the mom armbar move from Lauren, who pushed him back a good step. "Oh no, Andy," she laughed. "We'll push the cart. You just pick things up and put them into the cart with your gloves." "I don't understand what the difference is," Andy sighed. "But okay, okay, I do remember them saying that men weren't supposed to touch shared objects in public spaces, so I'll keep my hands off." "It's like you haven't been trained properly," Aisling giggled. "You watch it, Ash, or I'll bend you over my knee," he teased back. "She'd only enjoy it, Andy," Lauren said, rolling her bright blue eyes as they headed into the vegetable section. Andy mostly let the girls pick up things and put them into the cart, but every so often he would insist on something and would pick it up himself, like garlic. Both Lauren and Aisling questioned the amount of garlic he bagged up and dropped into the cart, but he was insistent that they would use it all before they were back to the grocery store again. They'd gotten close to a full cart's worth of groceries and were standing in the frozen food section, mostly looking for ice cream truth be told, when a familiar voice called to him from a little bit away. "Andy, that you under all that mess?" Sure enough, it was his friend Phil, standing next to a curvy Hispanic woman. Andy might not have been able to recognize Phil at first glance with the mask and the goggles, but the jacket was a one of a kind letterman jacket from a fighting game tournament Phil had won almost a decade ago. "How did you recognize me, Phil?" "I was taking a wild guess, but I don't know anyone else here in the States who would be wearing a Nautilus Pompilus t shirt. Russian alternative rock band t shirts aren't exactly a dime a dozen." Andy paused for a second, and then realized, he wasn't wearing his Nautilus Pompilus t shirt, but Aisling was. He nodded with a slight smile. "Fair enough. We can't exactly talk here, but let's meet up at the base of Mount Diablo, in the park. We can stand far apart enough to talk and still be safe. We've got to drop groceries off, so let's say we meet up in a couple of hours?" Phil looked down at his watch. "Three o'clock? Sure, we'll see you there." They didn't say anything else to each other, just finished up shopping, paying and taking their groceries home. On the way home, Andy explained to Aisling and Lauren that Phil was one of his oldest friends, and that he was one of the people Andy had talked to over voice chat during the days since the quarantine had started, although Phil had been radio silent for a few weeks now. On the way to the park, Aisling and Lauren were peppering him with questions about Phil. They'd talked to a few of Andy's friends on video chat, but they'd only heard stories about Phil. Of course, they'd heard quite a lot of those stories. They pulled into the parking lot at the park and Andy could see Phil's car on the other side. Sitting on the hood was Phil with the woman he'd seen him with in the Safeway. Andy hopped out of his car, along with Aisling and Lauren. They were out in the open and so far from each other that they felt safe not wearing masks and goggles. Andy walked forward, not towards Phil, but towards the wooden fencing. "So Phil, where the hell ya been?" Andy laughed. Phil was a slender enough Filipino but he looked thinner than Andy remembered. He was clean shaven, and while Andy expected him to have a shaggy head of hair, it looked trimmed and coiffed. Phil had an easy going way about him, a casual grace that Andy had always envied. He smiled up at Andy, shrugging a little bit. "So, Andy, this is Audrey, she's my partner." To the right of Phil stood the woman he'd seen her with earlier in the day, but now he could get a better look at her. She was curvy, almost plump, but had a rosy demeanor to her. She was wearing a Street Fighter t shirt that clearly couldn't be Phil's. She was a bit younger than Phil was, but not unbearably so. "Hi Andy!" she said, giving him a big wave. "Sorry I've kept him off the group Discord, but I didn't want to share him until I felt like we were established." "Oh, love," Aisling giggled. "We're all doing that." "Phil, this is Aisling, Ash for short, and this is Lauren," Andy said, rubbing the back of his own neck sheepishly. "Frankly, I'm a little embarrassed they're stuck with me, but they both seem happy enough, so maybe I'm doing okay by them." Lauren nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. "Andy's the most humble feller I've met. I think me an' Ash are just a couple'a lucky gals." After a minute or so of silence, Andy spoke again. "So Phil, what do you know?" It was a question designed to cut right through the bullshit. Andy and Phil had been good friends long enough that they'd developed a sort of shorthand, particular words and phrases that they could use whenever and wherever and people wouldn't know exactly what was being said. There was a good reason for it. Phil clicked his tongue. "Okay, here's what I know." Phil had worked for a number of tech companies over the years he'd known him, but for the last four years, he'd worked for Boeing up in Pleasanton. Everything he worked on was classified, but he was known to share nonspecific things from time to time, especially if it affected their gang of friends. "What I can tell you without either of us getting our kiesters thrown in the hooscow, anyway,” "That sounds best." "It's bad, Andy," Phil sighed. "It's very bad. They're downplaying the body count for the media, but truth be told we're looking at over a million so far, probably a lot more. And it's only going to get worse. The internal projections are that we're looking at five million dead Americans before all of this is done." "Jesus," Andy muttered. "One million people dead? Seriously? How are they keeping all this quiet?" "Lots and lots of work," Phil replied. "It's not as bad outside of the US, but that's because other countries started taking it serious long before we did." "Are the rules true?" "I wouldn't be talking to you like this if I didn't think it was safe, Andy. But it's going to get worse. A whole lot worse. People here still aren't taking it seriously. You see the news the other day?" "People crowded into churches, shoulder to shoulder, demanding their faith will keep them safe. Idiots in city hall meetings, claiming the right to not wear a mask if they don't want to." Phil nodded. "It's madness. Half of those people will be dead before year's end, and I don't think we're going to have a lid on this until next year. We're living through Spanish Flu Part 2: Electric Bugaloo." "Five million dead? That's like one percent of the country. How the hell are they going to keep it all quiet?" "As much smoke as possible," Phil grumbled. "Keep the cover going until it's untenable. People are going to notice eventually, but the lockdowns are going to keep things contained for a while. But guys like you and me, we need to stay as safe as possible. Because we're high risk." Aisling scowled at him. "How so? I thought the elderly and immuno compromised were the most at risk." "They are," Phil said, nodding again, "but beyond that, it's men between the ages of thirty and forty five. That's where the majority of casualties have been so far. Thankfully, you and me, we're buffered pretty well." "What do you mean, buffered?" Phil smirked, giving a tiny shrug. "Let's just say we've been doing some vaccine testing in rather unusual and unorthodox ways. Did your libido used to be this high all the time, Ash?" She blanched for a moment. "I thought it was just the cabin fever, but now you mention it, I've had a slight buzzing of sexual need since they gave me those shots. What the hell did they do to me?" He raised a hand to calm her down. "Relax, it'll even out eventually. But it's designed so that you're protecting your partner, swapping fluids, giving him regular dosages of the natural antibodies you're building up inside." "Why not just give men the shots directly?" Lauren asked. "Because when we've tried it, it's been fatal." Phil took out a vape pen and inhaled a drag off of it before blowing the vapor back out. He'd been a smoker when they'd first met, but Andy had convinced him to quit. The legalization of pot in California had helped some, naturally. "But if a woman with the vaccine is having regular sexual activity with a man, he's getting a nontoxic dose, and both parties have about 70% resistance to the virus. I wouldn't have put Andy down as polyamorous, but it's going to strengthen your armor even more, my man." Andy smirked, looking at his feet. "I actually put no preference, so it looks like I'm going to get a full slate." "Nah, you'll probably stay where you are. Unless you got rated something ridiculous." "Me and Eric got rated level 5s." Phil nearly dropped his vape pen, his eyebrows raising. "Are you shitting me?" Andy laughed and shrugged a little. "How the fuck did that happen?" "The guy coming to test us was a fan of the books, so I gave him an ARC of the new one that's been delayed a few months. As a way of saying thank you, he rated me and Eric as level 5s." Phil chuckled quietly, shaking his head. "You son of a bitch. I'm not even rated a level 5 and I work for the goddamn military on goddamn black ops shit." "Allegedly," Andy added, grinning back. Phil nodded. "Allegedly." He dragged the word out before he looked up then shook his head. "You're gonna get two more, huh? Good lord, I'm both jealous and terrified for you all at once. How are you going to keep all those personalities from conflicting?" "I'm going to do my best to stay the hell out of their way, mostly." "That's not going to work forever, luv," Aisling said to him. "It's not like we're going anywhere, even when this virus recedes." "You say that now, but,” "No, they're always going to say that. Isn't that part of the public facing info about the pairing system?" Phil said. It was Andy's turn to raise his eyebrows. "No, whatever you're implying, it isn't public knowledge. But you're already in for a penny.." "Might as well be in for a pound, I guess," Phil answered, nodding in agreement. "Alright, but keep this just between us, okay?" "Well, I'll tell Eric, Eric's partner, and my other two partners when they show up, but other than that,” "Yeah, well, that's what I meant by us, alright? Okay, so here's the deal. Do you remember the first time they got a bit of you in them?" "You mean,” Lauren started. "I think you know what I mean." Both Aisling and Lauren blushed and grinned widely. "Most intense thing that's ever happened to us," they both said. "What do you remember right after though, Andy? Just you. They'll both have been passed out." Andy stroked his goatee for a second then snapped his fingers. "They kept mumbling a word over and over, so quiet I could barely make it out, something like, imaging?" Phil shook his head, taking another drag off his vape pen. "Not imaging, imprinting. You're bonded now. Mated for life, like walruses." "You mean penguins," Andy corrected. "It's penguins that mate for life. And what does that mean here, mated for life?" "You're intertwined on a chemical, biological and physiological level in a way we can't even begin to comprehend," Phil said, exhaling another cloud of mist. "If you go away from one another for more than a couple of days, you'll start to feel nervous, anxious, fidgety. After that, it'll be panic attacks, cold sweats. Past that, nervous breakdown. Unless, of course, the other person is dead, in which case that doesn't seem to happen." He shrugged a little bit. "We're kids playing with the building blocks of life here, man. We don't even know what we don't know. But you, Lauren and Ash, you're a unit now. And anyone else you add into that will be as well. I mean, why do you think that questionnaire is so damn long? We don't want to screw up anybody's lives trying to help them. Besides, another of the side effects is that being in each other's company will produce natural dopamine to keep things relatively smoothed out, helps you get past the small stuff, and let's face it, it's all small stuff at this point." "And this is happening all over the country?" "Shit, no," Phil sighed. "We've barely gotten this off the ground in the Bay Area, and all the tech for this shit is here. There are governors all across the country absolutely in arms against this plan, saying they'll fight it tooth and nail, keep people from getting the vaccine until it doesn't have any of these crazy side effects." "I assume you're still working on that." "Of course we're still working on that," Phil said, rolling his eyes. "I'm just baffled by how many goddamn Republicans insist a semi viable solution isn't a solution at all. Even if we were just hitting high risk areas, we could manufacture enough of this current formula to inoculate sixty or seventy million people in this country, all of whom would be 70% resistant to it." "They claiming it's a sin against god or something?" "Worse. But, I guess, more honest." Phil had a slightly bitter laugh filling the air. "They're angry they can't make a buck off of it. Now, of course, there are factions that are just going ahead and doing it anyway. Front line medical workers, emergency services, and a few branches of the armed forces, and their associated contractors. Of course, the whole Bay Area is taking part in it as well, so I guess I would've gotten treated either way." "So we're resistant but not immune?" "Fuck, man," Phil groaned, "I'm not promising you won't get the virus at all, but even if you do, it won't be life threatening. That said, you sti

In the shadow of worries about the NDIS, do we even believe that big system reform in Australia is do-able any more? Is the juice worth the squeeze?In this first of a two part series, we explore the example of Universal Credit, a 15 year long reform agenda in the UK to combine 6 benefits into one, and, more importantly, seeking to transform the relationship of the citizen to work and welfare. In this episode we unpick how it goes from an idea that is incorporated into the UK Coalition Government's priority list in 2010 to a £450m hot mess in 2013.We also look at the unusual (and brave) decision to keep going.Along the way, we cover:Whether radical transparency can be an answer to rescuing something when you're in the middle of a hot mess?Whether we underestimate the importance of a 'holder of the vision' in giant systems reform? Whether articulating a north star for reform is hard because it makes clear what you are prioritising, and, equally importantly, what you're not?The laughable idea of low hanging fruitReferenced in the episode:Ed Milliband's interview referencing PM Gordon Brown as an ideas factory, on Leading (The Rest is Politics)David Freud's masterful memoir on his seminal role in Universal Credit, Clashing AgendasInstitute for Government has held a number of great events on this, including one in 2016 and another in 2025Abul Rizvi's appearance on Joe Walker podcast on the origins of Australia's immigration systemIntro grab is Lord David Freud from Institute for Government 2016 event, From disaster to recovery: Learning the lessons of Universal Credit Clashing Agendas.Outro grab is Tom Loosemore, former Deputy Director, Government Digital Services, from Institute for Government 2025 event, From disaster to completion? What Government can learn from the Universal Credit story? Now for some appropriately bureaucratic disclaimers....While we have tried to be as thorough in our research as busy full time jobs and lives allow, we definitely don't guarantee that we've got all the details right.If you want rigorous reporting on Robodebt, we recommend the work of Rick Morton at the Saturday Paper, Chris Knaus and Luke Henriques-Gomes at the Guardian, Ben Eltham at Crikey, Julian Bajkowski at The Mandarin, and of course, the Robodebt Royal Commission itself.Please feel free to email us corrections, episode suggestions, or anything else, at thewestminstertraditionpod@gmail.com.Thanks to PanPot audio for our intro and outro music. 'Til next time!

In a wide ranging discussion, Alison, Caroline and Danielle come together to discuss the gems from the Amanda Vanstone interview, which examined how power, responsibility and decision-making played out at the top of government during her two decades as a federal minister.Vanstone's approach to being a minister - asking questions until understanding, visiting programs unannounced, and taking full responsibility for decisions - offers deep insights.We also canvas some less expected topics, including:Is it a boomer quality to use ALL CAPS in inconveniently located thank you notes?See the memoir of UK civil service head What Does Jeremy Think? by Suzanne HeywoodAre the best questions the ones asked by kindergarteners 'Who? What? Why?'See also Maria Katsonis LinkedIn post on The Art of Asking Smarter QuestionsAre people disinterested in history in policy making, or are we just pitching it wrong?See also Abul Rizvi on Immigration Policy on The Joe Walker Podcast Memoir of Pamela Churchill Harriman Kingmaker by Sonia PurnellWas Amanda Vanstone falling in to the classic 'good girl' trope of delivering savings, rather than posturing about plans to deliver savings?On why Australia struggles with a conversation about trade offs, see Judith Brett on How a Benthamite Political Culture Shaped Australia's Electoral System, on The Joe Walker PodcastWould we star in a documentary on tricky policy making? Or do we already have the essence of one in Utopia?Now for some appropriately bureaucratic disclaimers....While we have tried to be as thorough in our research as busy full time jobs and lives allow, we definitely don't guarantee that we've got all the details right.If you want rigorous reporting on Robodebt, we recommend the work of Rick Morton at the Saturday Paper, Chris Knaus and Luke Henriques-Gomes at the Guardian, Ben Eltham at Crikey, Julian Bajkowski at The Mandarin, and of course, the Robodebt Royal Commission itself.Please feel free to email us corrections, episode suggestions, or anything else, at thewestminstertraditionpod@gmail.com.Thanks to PanPot audio for our intro and outro music. 'Til next time!

Crikey! It's time to see who looks a right prat as the annual meeting of THAB and Tigers Down Under gather to see how bad their predictions were back last summer. Also, everyone understandably rants about not wanting a massive racist in charge! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Crikey! It's time to see who looks a right prat as the annual meeting of THAB and Tigers Down Under gather to see how bad their predictions were back last summer. Also, everyone understandably rants about not wanting a massive racist in charge! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Senator Amanda Vanstone offers a masterclass in ministerial leadership, delivering sharp insights from her 21-year political career that are as relevant today as they were during her time in Prime Minister Howard's Cabinet. Cutting through bureaucratic excuses with remarkable clarity, she reveals how effective ministers must take full responsibility while developing practical strategies to uncover what's really happening within their departments.Vanstone's approach to ministerial oversight was refreshingly direct—phoning junior staff who prepared briefs rather than accepting sanitized information from senior executives, making unannounced visits to government-funded programs, and consistently asking "how does that work?" until satisfied with the answers. "You get what you inspect, not what you expect," she notes, emphasizing that accountability requires hands-on leadership.Her frank discussion of major reforms like the creation of Centrelink highlights how structural change requires both political courage and practical problem-solving. When departments maintained separate offices but required them to be within walking distance, she asked the obvious question: "Why not put them together?" This common-sense approach characterized her leadership across Employment, Education, Justice and Immigration portfolios.What stands out most powerfully is Vanstone's perspective on ministerial responsibility. "That's why ministers sign on the bottom line. That's why you get paid," she asserts, rejecting excuses about inherited problems or departmental advice. Her experiences with Immigration Department failures—including the wrongful deportation of Australian citizen Vivian Alvarez—taught her that when you find one serious problem, you must look deeper: "When a mouse runs out of your fridge, you think that's a mouse. When the second one comes a week later, you bring the fridge out and clean it out."Ready for straight talk about how government really works? Listen now to learn why Amanda Vanstone believes we urgently need another National Commission of Audit and how effective ministers must balance scrutiny with support to get the best from public servants.Now for some appropriately bureaucratic disclaimers....While we have tried to be as thorough in our research as busy full time jobs and lives allow, we definitely don't guarantee that we've got all the details right.If you want rigorous reporting on Robodebt, we recommend the work of Rick Morton at the Saturday Paper, Chris Knaus and Luke Henriques-Gomes at the Guardian, Ben Eltham at Crikey, Julian Bajkowski at The Mandarin, and of course, the Robodebt Royal Commission itself.Please feel free to email us corrections, episode suggestions, or anything else, at thewestminstertraditionpod@gmail.com.Thanks to PanPot audio for our intro and outro music. 'Til next time!

Following up on last weekend's Dumpster Dive story about the budding romance of Billy Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley, we're revisiting one of Liz's past paramours, Australian cricketer Shane Warne. First aired in December 2021, this guy deserves his legendary status both in cricket and among his Trashy Divorces alum peers. Crikey! Want early, ad-free episodes, regular Dumpster Dives, bonus divorces, limited series, Zoom hangouts, and more? Join us at patreon.com/trashydivorces! Want a personalized message for someone in your life? Check us out on Cameo! To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to info@amplitudemediapartners.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Irwin is not only the face of a new racy Australian underwear campaign, he's also a brand new Sunshine Coast Lightning fan. The zookeeper sent the crowd into a frenzy at the Queensland Derby as he delivered the match ball. In other news, Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard and the Fever are back. Cara Koenen has slotted her first super shot in two years. The Firebirds have been dealt a reality check and the Vixens were smothered by some tough defence. Plus we unpack the mess unfolding at Netball South Africa as president Cecilia Molokwane faces allegations of corruption and bullying.

Efficiency is in the news ... but what does it mean? How should public servants work on improving efficiency? Should we be focused on system reform, ending whole entitlements, or nibbling at the edges?How to know what kind of budget savings task you are in - deep restructuring or a cyclical contraction / expansion?Is front line v back office a helpful distinction?When are external reviews helpful, and when do they hurt?What is the role of tech in delivering savings?Referenced in the episodeInstitute for Government's reflections on PM Starmer's Rewiring the State agendaSuzanne Heywood "What does Jeremy think? Jeremy Heywood and the Making of Modern Britain"John Halligan (with Jules Wills) "The Centrelink Experiment"BBC 'Denmark's postal service to stop delivering letters'The NDIS ReviewNow for some appropriately bureaucratic disclaimers....While we have tried to be as thorough in our research as busy full time jobs and lives allow, we definitely don't guarantee that we've got all the details right.If you want rigorous reporting on Robodebt, we recommend the work of Rick Morton at the Saturday Paper, Chris Knaus and Luke Henriques-Gomes at the Guardian, Ben Eltham at Crikey, Julian Bajkowski at The Mandarin, and of course, the Robodebt Royal Commission itself.Please feel free to email us corrections, episode suggestions, or anything else, at thewestminstertraditionpod@gmail.com.Thanks to PanPot audio for our intro and outro music. 'Til next time!

He shoots! He scores!!! Welcome back to another action-packed adventure with your Brothers in Arms! Tonight, Alex  found it in his pants, we're alive then, that's a lot of podcast, I am NOT Patrick, refresh that thang, have I ever broken that trust, biggest weekend of the year, HE IS RISEN, four year old throwing elbows, getting up early on purpose, canabalize plane parts, sitting on cinderblocks in the middle of the tarmac, a message from Dirty Mike and the Boys, we're the Pirates who don't do anything, who ordered a wing?, ordering a riding horse on a boat, they're there - trust us, bomb - point, The National Stock System, I want to order this and they go okay, an acquisitions petty officer, Cadillacs and Foxtails, a pipe wrench status symbol, everyone needs a full bird, no ifs and butts about it, the flu-bee, made the switch to t-mobile, ran into the lake after a snake, Crikey, sad fish, they know what they're getting into, board wipe, a crap-ton of broccoli, and just 2 Dad jokes to keep you warm through the night. All this and a strong desire to stay hydrated on this week's episode of Brothers in Arms!   Where you can reach us: YouTube: BrothersinArmsPodcast Instagram: Yourbrothersinarmspodcast Twitter: @YourBIAPodcast Gmail: yourbrothersinarmspodcast@gmail.com Twitch: Twitch.tv/brothersinarmspodcast (schedule varies due to life) Website: https://brothersinarms.podbean.com 

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week's conversation comes in two parts. Like it's geographical spread, northern hemisphere to southern hemisphere, think of this two part discussion as a way of engaging both hemispheres of your brain--the creative and the analytic. My guest is fellow Stanford alum and founder of The Jazz & Democracy Project® (J&D) (https://www.jazzdemocracy.com), Wesley “Dr. Wes” J. Watkins. After several years working in the education sector, Dr. Wes launched the program in November 2009 at Rosa Parks Elementary School, located in San Francisco's historic Fillmore District. J&D is a music integrated curriculum that utilizes jazz as a metaphor to bring democracy to life, enrich the study and teaching of history, government, civics and culture, and inspire youth to become active, positive contributors to their communities. He first proposed the curriculum as part of his undergraduate honors program at Stanford's School of Education and later conducted research for his undergraduate honors thesis at Oxford University where he engaged and learned from music educators at both local elementary schools and world renowned secondary institutions. Now based in Sydney, Australia, J&D has traveled to countries all over the world and, in these times of global social transition, Dr. Wes anticipates continued opportunities to feature and further innovate using tools that will leave lasting impact on the ways that youth and educators approach building and living in their communities and beyond. Where to find Wesley? On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleywatkins/) On Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/JazzDemocracy) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/jazzdemocracy/) On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@JazzDemocracy) Who's Wesley listening to? Joseph Solomon (https://www.youtube.com/@whatisjoedoing) Other topics of interest: Activist Oakland, CA (https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/oaklands-history-of-resistance-to-racism) Northern Beaches, Sydney Lifestyle (https://content.knightfrank.com/research/2789/documents/en/northern-beaches-lifestyle-guide-2024-10795.pdf) United States Studies Center (https://www.ussc.edu.au/about/mission-and-history) Crikey! or Kriky! (https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/crikey#google_vignette) Flat White vs Latte (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_white) Geechi Taylor (https://www.geechitaylor.com/#!/HOME) Find Rachelle Farrell, Meshell N'Degeocello, on J&D (https://www.jazzdemocracy.com/interviews.html) Ledisi (https://www.ledisi.com) Christian McBride (https://www.christianmcbride.com) Betty Carter + Ray Charles (https://youtu.be/1IM3weosOTY?si=PXNlcx1a5UetHPAN) Episode 47 featuring Wynton Marsalis (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/wynton-marsalis) Jazz for Young People @ Lincoln Center (https://jazz.org/education/school-programs/jazz-for-young-people/) Check out the Chris Botti SF Show (https://youtu.be/j9cNsLPXWnA?si=rmoX7ljb9EO4a1y5) About Robert (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_McFerrin), Bobby (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_McFerrin) and Madison (https://www.madisonmcferrin.com) McFerrin Special Guest: Wesley J. Watkins.

Surfing a wave of listener feelings about this topic, Danielle takes us through the experience of public service recruitment from the other side.Danielle and Alison argue about the merits of requiring 'in house' recruitment before externally advertising positionsThe role that conservative (perhaps inexpert??) local budget management plays in driving a cycle of vacancies and short term contractsHow complex recruitment processes make the public service less and less like the public we serveEzra Klein's podcast episode In This House, We're Angry When Government FailsThe good, the bad and the ugly of external recruitersNow for some appropriately bureaucratic disclaimers....While we have tried to be as thorough in our research as busy full time jobs and lives allow, we definitely don't guarantee that we've got all the details right.If you want rigorous reporting on Robodebt, we recommend the work of Rick Morton at the Saturday Paper, Chris Knaus and Luke Henriques-Gomes at the Guardian, Ben Eltham at Crikey, Julian Bajkowski at The Mandarin, and of course, the Robodebt Royal Commission itself.Please feel free to email us corrections, episode suggestions, or anything else, at thewestminstertraditionpod@gmail.com.Thanks to PanPot audio for our intro and outro music. 'Til next time!

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week's conversation comes in two parts. Like it's geographical spread, northern hemisphere to southern hemisphere, think of this two part discussion as a way of engaging both hemispheres of your brain--the creative and the analytic. My guest is fellow Stanford alum and founder of The Jazz & Democracy Project® (J&D) (https://www.jazzdemocracy.com), Wesley “Dr. Wes” J. Watkins. After several years working in the education sector, Dr. Wes launched the program in November 2009 at Rosa Parks Elementary School, located in San Francisco's historic Fillmore District. J&D is a music integrated curriculum that utilizes jazz as a metaphor to bring democracy to life, enrich the study and teaching of history, government, civics and culture, and inspire youth to become active, positive contributors to their communities. He first proposed the curriculum as part of his undergraduate honors program at Stanford's School of Education and later conducted research for his undergraduate honors thesis at Oxford University where he engaged and learned from music educators at both local elementary schools and world renowned secondary institutions. Now based in Sydney, Australia, J&D has traveled to countries all over the world and, in these times of global social transition, Dr. Wes anticipates continued opportunities to feature and further innovate using tools that will leave lasting impact on the ways that youth and educators approach building and living in their communities and beyond. Where to find Wesley? On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleywatkins/) On Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/JazzDemocracy) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/jazzdemocracy/) On YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@JazzDemocracy) Who's Wesley listening to? Joseph Solomon (https://www.youtube.com/@whatisjoedoing) Other topics of interest: Activist Oakland, CA (https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/oaklands-history-of-resistance-to-racism) Northern Beaches, Sydney Lifestyle (https://content.knightfrank.com/research/2789/documents/en/northern-beaches-lifestyle-guide-2024-10795.pdf) United States Studies Center (https://www.ussc.edu.au/about/mission-and-history) Crikey! or Kriky! (https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/crikey#google_vignette) Flat White vs Latte (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_white) Geechi Taylor (https://www.geechitaylor.com/#!/HOME) Find Rachelle Farrell, Meshell N'Degeocello, on J&D (https://www.jazzdemocracy.com/interviews.html) Ledisi (https://www.ledisi.com) Christian McBride (https://www.christianmcbride.com) Betty Carter + Ray Charles (https://youtu.be/1IM3weosOTY?si=PXNlcx1a5UetHPAN) Episode 47 featuring Wynton Marsalis (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/wynton-marsalis) Jazz for Young People @ Lincoln Center (https://jazz.org/education/school-programs/jazz-for-young-people/) Check out the Chris Botti SF Show (https://youtu.be/j9cNsLPXWnA?si=rmoX7ljb9EO4a1y5) About Robert (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_McFerrin), Bobby (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_McFerrin) and Madison (https://www.madisonmcferrin.com) McFerrin Special Guest: Wesley J. Watkins.

-74% of people say they never touch this while driving...do you? -This woman charges her husband to be a stay at home mom and she's NOT cheap $$$ -Aliens love Ontario and hate the East Coast -Wither Report: Steve Irwin's son is the whole package, Don't drink and Liam Neeson -AFAF: Should i have to pitch in for a gift when I didn't get to sign the card? -Is Ed Sheeran hot? Depends how many margaritas you've had -What's Appening: Instagram is getting rid of a feature...that we never needed in the first place -FYI: Tariff Penguins, Wang Wars, and Spelling Bee trauma

Ben is joined by journalist Rachel Withers, writer of the Crikey column 'Well Hung', to discuss the prospects for independent candidates, including teal and Muslim independents, at the 2025 federal election. A 2023 meme from Twitter user Pineapple Crab applying different definitions for a "teal" Read my 2023 paper 'Not Your Parents' Electoral System' This podcast is supported by the Tally Room's supporters on Patreon. If you find this podcast worthwhile please consider giving your support. You can listen to an ad-free version of this podcast if you sign up via Patreon for $8 or more per month. And $8 donors can now join the Tally Room Discord server.

The starter's gun has gone on Australia's national elections for 2025 and Parliament has been prorogued.In this episode, former head of Cabinet Office and keeper of the Caretaker Conventions, Alison answers Caroline and Danielle's increasingly pointed questions, and we end with arguing about the importance of formatting.Stay tuned to the end for some fabulous insider advice for managing caretaker period and elections as a public servant. This episode is dedicated to the significant birthday of Sandy Pitcher, a public service legend (read more about her here).Intro grab courtesy of the Hon Nat Cook MP, Minister for Human Services (SA).Now for some appropriately bureaucratic disclaimers....While we have tried to be as thorough in our research as busy full time jobs and lives allow, we definitely don't guarantee that we've got all the details right.If you want rigorous reporting on Robodebt, we recommend the work of Rick Morton at the Saturday Paper, Chris Knaus and Luke Henriques-Gomes at the Guardian, Ben Eltham at Crikey, Julian Bajkowski at The Mandarin, and of course, the Robodebt Royal Commission itself.Please feel free to email us corrections, episode suggestions, or anything else, at thewestminstertraditionpod@gmail.com.Thanks to PanPot audio for our intro and outro music. 'Til next time!

In this bonus episode for Patreon subscribers, Emerald and Tom speak to Elizabeth Doidge, former official at the Victorian branch of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union. What was it like to work for the CFMEU - was it all thuggery and boy’s clubs? Has the government overreached with its crackdown on the union? Did Max Chandler-Mather deserve Sarah Ferguson’s “full-throated” 7.30 attack? Will Labor’s sell-out of the labour movement come back to bite it? ---------- The show can only exist because of our wonderful Patreon subscriber’s support. Subscribe for $3/month to get access to our fortnightly subscriber-only full episode, and unlock our complete library of over SIXTY past bonus episodes. https://www.patreon.com/SeriousDangerAU ---------- Links - ‘Time to stand with the CFMEU against a cooked-up scandal’ Guy Rundle in Crikey - https://www.crikey.com.au/2024/07/19/cfmeu-scandal-guy-rundle/ ‘Max Chandler-Mather's CFMEU rally antics have given Labor a political weapon to wield against the Greens’ David Speers in ABC - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-29/chandler-mather-cfmeu-rally-labor-political-weapon-greens/104281726 Produced by Michael Griffin Follow us on https://twitter.com/SeriousDangerAU https://www.instagram.com/seriousdangerau https://www.tiktok.com/@seriousdangerauSupport the show: http://patreon.com/seriousdangerauSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Bob Carr.Crikey owner and former News Corp and Fairfax editor Eric Beecher talks to fellow journalist and Bob Carr about the narcissistic and megalomaniacal media moguls who have undermined journalism, democracy and truth.Event details:Wed 05 Mar, 10:45am | East Stage

Drawing on overwhelming feedback from our listeners, in this episode we unpack the experience of being recruited into the public sector (or ghosted along the way). Danielle takes us throughWhat goes in Role Descriptions (hint: it shouldn't be slabs of legislation)The madness of defined requirements like 'driving' and 'interstate travel' (and whether Caroline's sister can really change a tyre)Alison's idea of an X factor style button for use in interviews when it's immediately clear this isn't working for anyoneWe finish with a listener description of a mad recruitment process that ends with, you guessed, it, ghosting.Thanks to Mary, our mug winner for this episode, for a great story!Now for some appropriately bureaucratic disclaimers....While we have tried to be as thorough in our research as busy full time jobs and lives allow, we definitely don't guarantee that we've got all the details right.If you want rigorous reporting on Robodebt, we recommend the work of Rick Morton at the Saturday Paper, Chris Knaus and Luke Henriques-Gomes at the Guardian, Ben Eltham at Crikey, Julian Bajkowski at The Mandarin, and of course, the Robodebt Royal Commission itself.Please feel free to email us corrections, episode suggestions, or anything else, at thewestminstertraditionpod@gmail.com.Thanks to PanPot audio for our intro and outro music. 'Til next time!

Misha is the editor and an executive director of The Conversation Australia and New Zealand. He was previously editor of Crikey, founding editor of The Big Issue Australia and editor of... LEARN MORE The post Saturday 15th March, 2025:Misha Ketchell, Editor The Conversation, Federal and Global Politics Update appeared first on Saturday Magazine.

Crikey, I barely stepped away from the microphone yesterday and we had a double whammy news-wise. Phil Goff sacked as High Commissioner to London for an intemperate comment and question, Greg Foran resigning as Air New Zealand CEO. I heard someone on The Huddle with Ryan Bridge last night saying Greg Foran can now become the High Commissioner, Adrian Orr would become Air New Zealand CEO, and Phil Goff will take over as Reserve Bank Governor - all change. Boy, will Phil Goff be kicking himself all the way back to New Zealand, all the way back to the farm at Clevedon. You are on the pig's back when you get a gig like that – it is a sweet deal. And one intemperate comment ... I think he was just trying to be a bit too clever, showing he's done his homework, showing that he was well read, making appointed remark about somebody the world regards as a graceless buffoon (well, members of Phil Goff's world regard as a graceless buffoon), and he loses his gig, and rightly so. He was asking a question of the Finnish Foreign Affairs Minister at a Chatham House event in London. Goff said he'd been rereading a speech by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill after the Munich Agreement. “He turned to Chamberlain, he said ‘You had the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, yet you will have a war',” Goff then said “President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?” So Phil Goff was making it well researched, clever-dick, pointed remark about the American president. What on Earth did he think was going to happen? He was stripped of his position immediately by Winston Peters. The Foreign Affairs Minister said Phil Goff's comments were deeply disappointing. They did not represent the views of the New Zealand Government and made his position as High Commissioner to London untenable. So a number of comments around that. Phil Goff was sacked by Winston Peters immediately. Winston Peters did not have to consult the Prime Minister before doing so – there was no need for him to consult. He was presented with a problem in his own department, and he dealt with it in the appropriate fashion. That's why you have managers, that's why you have ministers. Everything doesn't filter up to the CEO. Imagine in your own organisation if every single decision in your department had to go to the CEO. Why have a dog and bark yourself? So there was no need to consult. Was he sacked because the Government's sucking up, particularly to Donald Trump in the US? No. As Winston Peters pointed out yesterday, and as numerous foreign affairs experts have concurred, Phil Goff would have been sacked if he had made the comment of any foreign leader. When you're in a diplomatic role, you have to be diplomatic, and that wasn't. And what about the Chatham House rules? Chatham House is an actual place where people congregate to debate, discuss ideas primarily around foreign policy, but also about other things. It's a meeting place for pointy heads where they can float and toss ideas around, and they don't have to worry about it being attributable back to them. The rules say when a meeting or part thereof is held under the Chatham House rules, participants are free to use the information received but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speakers, nor that of any other participant, may be revealed. So Chatham House rules guarantee people can speak freely within the walls. But in this case, the Chatham House rules had not been invoked because it was being live streamed, so you're not going to be able to shield the identity of the speakers because it's being live streamed. So that's why the comments became public, despite the fact they were in Chatham House – oh irony of ironies. The rules have to be invoked. They weren't, and apparently, according to Chatham House, it's not terribly often that they are. So there we go. That's what happened. He stuffed up royally and he's paid the price. And nobody will be more disappointed, I imagine, than Phil Goff except Mrs Goff because that would have been a lovely reward for a long period of time being an uxorious, fabulous support. Being a politician's partner or spouse would not be an easy gig. So you get the cushy number in London, feet up, gorgeous little holidays popping off around Europe. Now back to the farm in Clevedon, tail between the legs. Back on the ride on mower, no gardener for you anymore. He's had his punishment. He's heading home and Winston Peters did exactly the right thing. Ten out of ten for the Foreign Affairs Minister. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a text311 CRIKEY!Amid an episode of fumbles and technical difficulties, the gang somehow manages to talk about their picks for Australian flicks!Also discussed: Heart Eyes, The Monkey, Captain America: Brave New World, The Gorge.Support the showSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8iW_sKFj0-pb00arHnFXsAFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/StrangeAeonsRadioInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/strangeaeonsradioksar/

"Crikey."Host - CJ RhoneGuest - Mason Ain't Sh!tFind him at instagram.com/masonaintshitProducer - NuqadyEmail us at definitelynotgoodpodcast@gmail.comFollow Us on social media:instagram.com/DNGPodFacebook.com/DNGPodTiktok.com/@DNGPodGive us a 5 star rating to help keep the show going. Thanks!

Crikey! It’s that time of year again! Australian Survivor Season 12 has begun, and we are here to cover it all. The backstabbing, the betrayal, the stupid nicknames. Send feedback tallythefeedback@yahoo.com Listen to “The Traitors S3: Ep 9” on Spreaker.

The guys return to Everglades National Park, again looking for a predator that Daniel wants to get too close to: the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus). Listen in as Daniel shares some research, busts croc-related myths, and Steve probably gets a little too excited about how crocs deal with salt water. Bill doesn't have much to say, but he's there, too. Enjoy!This episode was recorded on January 7, 2025 on the Bear Lake Trail in Everglades National Park. The last bit where the guys find the croc was also recorded in the Park, at the Flamingo Marina.Episode Notes and LinksAs promised during the episode, Steve is looking into how crocs process and excrete excess salt. As soon as he gets to the bottom of it, we'll share it here.In the meantime, here's what Bill found when he asked DeepSeek: Crocodiles, like many other marine and estuarine reptiles, have specialized salt glands to help them excrete excess salt from their bodies. These glands, known as salt glands or lingual glands (located on their tongues), actively transport salt ions (primarily sodium and chloride) from their bloodstream into the gland ducts. The salt is then excreted as a concentrated saline solution, which is expelled from the body.Crocodiles do not chemically change the salt (sodium chloride) into something else. Instead, they filter and concentrate it, allowing them to maintain proper electrolyte balance in their bodies, especially when living in saltwater environments. This process is crucial for osmoregulation, as it prevents dehydration and helps them survive in both freshwater and saltwater habitats.In summary, crocodiles excrete salt in its original form (sodium chloride) but in a highly concentrated solution, rather than transforming it into a different substance.Sponsors and Ways to Support UsGumleaf Boots, USA (free shipping for patrons)Thank you to Always Wandering Art (Website and Etsy Shop) for providing the artwork for many of our episodes.Support us on Patreon.Check out the Field Guides merch at our Teespring store. It's really a great deal: you get to pay us to turn your body into a billboard for the podcast!Works CitedAdmin, CrocAttack. “Database.” CrocAttack, CrocAttack, 17 July 2023, crocattack.org/database/. Balaguera-Reina, S. A., M. Venegas-Anaya, V. Beltrán-López, A. Cristancho, and L. D. Densmore III 2018. Food habits and ontogenetic dietary partitioning of American crocodiles in a tropical Pacific Island in Central America. Ecosphere 9(9):e02393. 10.1002/ecs2.2393Briggs-Gonzalez VS, Basille M, Cherkiss MS, Mazzotti FJ. American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) as restoration bioindicators in the Florida Everglades. PLoS One. 2021 May 19;16(5):e0250510. doi: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34010342/Grigg, Gordon C., et al. Biology and Evolution of Crocodylians. Comstock Publishing Associates, a Division of Cornell University Press ; CSIRO Publishing, 2015. Mazzotti Frank J. , Balaguera-Reina Sergio A. , Brandt Laura A. , Briggs-González Venetia , Cherkiss Mike , Farris Seth , Godahewa Avishka 2022. Natural and Anthropogenic Factors Influencing Nesting Ecology of the American Crocodile in Florida, United States. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Vol. 10. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.904576 ISSN=2296-701XMazzotti, F.J. The American Crocodile in Florida Bay. Estuaries 22, 552–561 (1999). https://doi.org/10.2307/1353217Mazzoti, Frank. “American Crocodiles (Crocodylus Acutus) in Florida.” Myfwc.Com, University of Florida IFAS Extension, myfwc.com/media/1847/americancrocodilesinfl.pdf. Accessed Dec. 2024. Villegas, Alejandro, & Schmitter-Soto, Juan Jacobo. (2008). Feeding habits of the American crocodile, Crocodylus acutus (Cuvier, 1807) (Reptilia: Crocodylidae) in the southern coast of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Acta zoológica mexicana, 24(3), 117-124. Recuperado en 30 de enero de 2025, de http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0065-17372008000300008&lng=es&tlng=en.

Belgian Waffle, Roasted Beef, and anything else on the James Gandolfini diet plan. It's The Fine Ale Countdown! Neil Fitzpatrick did Fry January due to a typo. Thanks to Sentinel Audio for giving us a home.

The end is nigh for TikTok, which is set to be banned in the US on the 19th of January. After US congress passed the laws that would effectively ban the app last year – unless someone buys it from its China-based parent company, ByteDance – American’s reacting with dismay and humour – with some users already jumping ship to a new Chinese social media platform ‘Red Note’. But will it actually happen, or will Trump, Musk or Zuckerberg step in and stop it in the final hours? And if it goes ahead, what will using TikTok look like for the rest of us going forward? In this episode of The Briefing Helen Smith is joined by Cam Wilson, writer of Australian daily tech newsletter The Sizzle, and Associate Editor of Crikey, to unpack how this ban would work and if it will change anything for Australian users. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Headlines: Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau announces resignation, man faces court in Fiji over alleged rape of Virgin Airlines crew member, Donald Trump’s election win to be certified by Kamala Harris today, and the Aussies have been snubbed at the Golden Globes. Deep Dive: For a lot of us, consuming news in 2024 could have been best described by one word – fatigue. Exhaustion from the 24-hour news cycle, the growing number of voices telling us what to think about a story and increasing lack of transparency in news sources might have led you to switch off from news as the year came to an end. But news doesn't stop – and in the year of a federal election in Australia, a Trump 2.0 presidency, and everything else that might happen – how should you be consuming your news? This week The Briefing is bringing you everything you need to get cracking in 2025. In this episode of the Briefing Helen Smith is joined by Crikey investigative journalist Daany Saeed and Konrad Benjamin AKA Punters Politics to break down how you can better consume news in 2025. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crikey, it's nearly Christmas. Whilst we rush to get the booze in ready, let's enjoy nine songs from CJ Wildheart, Beach Riot, Popclaw, Mothra Slapping Orchestra, Adam & The Ants, KK Verkefni, Neon Kittens, June Rest and Waxlegs.Voice of Jeff, Comedy Suburbs, Tony has your Facebook comments, WAMBOLT, Dapper Simon, shoddy beds, last week, Camberley, Succession, Rogue Heroes, The Sticky, Forest are 4th, From the Vaults, Tony's International Gig Guide, Apocalypse Babys, KK Verkefni, this week, Christmas prep, Babys gig, kids books, Christmas cards, Izzatwat, Stiv, awful name... and a reminder of the ways you can listen.Song 1: CJ Wildheart – The Baddest Girl In The WorldSong 2: Beach Riot - MeltdownSong 3: Popclaw – Anthem of ChaosSong 4: Mothra Slapping Orchestra – Is There Anybody On The Phone?Song 5: Adam & The Ants – LigotageSong 6: KK Verkefni - Ruby SohoSong 7: Neon Kittens – Everything Happens When You Don'tSong 8: June Rest – Chasing FreedomSong 9: Waxlegs – Acid Maniac

This week, Ben and producer Andrew Jacobs are diving into the wild world of Steve Irwin, the legendary “Crocodile Hunter” who turned animal conservation into an action-packed adventure. From wrestling crocs to cuddling snakes, Steve's fearless love for wildlife inspired millions while breaking down the barriers between humans and nature. In this episode, we'll celebrate his incredible legacy, his passion for protecting endangered species, and the boundless enthusiasm that made him a global icon. Crikey, you won't want to miss this tribute to a man who lived life so wildly! 

Australia passed legislation banning social media for kids under 16, as we've discussed in previous eps. But in today's episode, we're getting into the nitty gritty. We're joined by Crikey reporter Cam Wilson to tease out some of the specifics of the legislation and how it might be enforced. We also force him to debate the greatest question of our time: should we save Australian children from the evils of social media? Or should we let the megacorps continue to poison the innocent minds of the youth?You be the judge.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paris Marx is joined by Cam Wilson to discuss Australia's plan to ban under-16s from social media, the interests driving it, and whether it's the right approach to tackle the harms of those platforms.Cam Wilson is associate editor at Crikey.Tech Won't Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon.The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Eric Wickham. Transcripts are by Brigitte Pawliw-Fry.Also mentioned in this episode:Cam wrote about the under-16 social media ban for Crikey.Support the show

On this episode of Tech Won't Save Us, host Paris Marx is joined by Cam Wilson to discuss Australia's plan to ban under-16s from social media, the interests driving it, and whether it's the right approach to tackle the harms of those platforms. Cam Wilson is associate editor at Crikey.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On Today's Lil Bitta Pod; Crikey! Hayley's got a big tour announcement...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Patreon: www.patreon.com/nosleepdsm Facebook: www.facebook.com/nosleepdsm Instagram: @nosleepdsm Toll Insta: @tollbocop AJ Insta: @asimmetrical Alex Insta: @fakealexcarter

Now settled in Bali we unpacked the Podcast kit for a chat about our epic day at Australia Zoo.From crocs to tigers the Zoo packed out our day with fantastic live shows and memories of Steve Irwin. We would highly recommend a visit with so much to see and do the kids even forgot to moan about snacks and ice cream!Hope you enjoy this chat with all of us sat round the table.Now let's get out there and GET AFTER IT!Follow us around the world! Insta - @the_getafterit_family Nashy - @getafterit_nashy www.getafterit.uk  Supported by https://www.saltrock.comhttps://eu.yeti.comhttps://www.vango.co.uk Please follow, subscribe and share as we travel the world!

Murph of legendary indie night reliables The Wombats joins today, on living in LA, nearly joining a wedding band and getting fired from a diner, and how Christmas can be a heavy time for everyone. The Wombat's new album Oh! The Ocean is out in February. Photo: Julia Friedland-Godfrey Support 101 Part Time Jobs from £1 per month: Patreon.com/101parttimejobs Get yourself some Shure microphone gear: https://shu.re/3YhV7p2 DistroKid makes music distribution fun and easy with unlimited uploads and artists keeping the ENTIRETY of their revenue. Get 30% off the first year of their service by signing up at https://distrokid.com/vip/101pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Midweek Message, I talk about a village where the leader of parish council is a right jobsworth, a firm's man... or woman. You can't do this, you can't do that! Crikey, what a daft state of affairs!

Headlines: Social media ban legislation to be introduced to parliament today, US closes embassy in Ukraine amid warnings of ‘significant air attack', Hawthorn settles court case with previous Indigenous players, and who won big at the ARIA's last night? Deep Dive: Celebrities, institutions and regular people have been abandoning X, formerly Twitter, and joining rival Bluesky in recent weeks.  Bluesky is one of a handful of short text social media alternatives that have had some success competing since Elon Musk bought X in 2022. But X still dominates the space. So is Bluesky a real, better alternative, or are those making the switch and proclaiming the death of X just virtue signalling? On this episode of The Briefing, Bension Siebert is joined by Crikey's associate editor and internet culture and tech reporter Cam Wilson to get his verdict on if Bluesky is living up to the hype, and if it will survive. Follow The Briefing:TikTok: @listnrnewsroomInstagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroomFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Housewives back in the old days were often no more than slaves chained to the kitchen sink! According to a book I've been reading, the man was the master of the house and his authority shouldn't be questioned! Crikey! Please, join me this Sunday.

Support We the Punters on PATREON In this episode, we grill South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas on his controversial plan to ban all political donations in the state. We dig deep to find out if this bold move will truly clean up the dirty money in politics or if it's just a sneaky scheme to entrench the power of major parties like his own. To help us get the BILLBOARD click here!Email in your comments, questions thoughts and ideas to: Punterspolitics@gmail.comFollow Punters Politics on INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK & YOUTUBE Punter Citations  Dominic Perrottet to join BHP in senior Washington role. (2024, July 19). The Australian Financial Review. Money and power in South Australian elections. (n.d.). The Australia Institute. Honest Government Ad | How to rig elections. (2022, August 25). YouTube. Perpitch, N. (2023, August 21). Mark McGowan passes audition for his new mining job. Crikey. SA donation laws - The Devil in the Details - Webinar. (2023, April 5). YouTube. Chan, G. (2023, October 14). The bipartisan deal designed to thwart independents. The Saturday Paper. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The youngest ever editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, now owner of Private Media, publisher of Crikey, Eric Beecher has spent decades in and observing the media. In today's episode he discusses his conclusions on when it works best, and when it fails democracy, with his longtime friend, journalist David Leser. Beecher also discusses what it was like to work for Rupert Murdoch during his two year stint as editor-in-chief of The Herald and Weekly Times Group, and whether he was scared when, decades later, Lachlan Murdoch sued him.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 46 - Crikey! It is week 2 of our trip down under to talk Australian Horror. The theme this week is horror in the water where we watch and discuss The Reef, a 2010 shark film. We also get bit into the supplemental films, Rogue (2009) and Black Water (2007), both of which are crocodile films. Who will come out of this one alive? Tune in to find out. And tune in next week as we head to Aussie Suburbia for Love Week, as we cover Hounds of Love (2016) and The Loved Ones (2009) email us at mracfilmclub@gmail.com

In this episode of our sister podcast, Read This, host Michael Williams speaks with journalist, editor and media proprietor Eric Beecher about his new book The Men Who Killed the News. Eric has worked for some of the most well-respected newspapers in the world, including the Sydney Morning Herald and the Wall Street Journal. He's currently the head of Private Media, which runs the website, Crikey.

Episode 400! Crikey. And I'm thrilled to say that producer Gale Anne Hurd is helping with the celebrations, thanks to a huge chat about her life, her work, and The Terminator at 40. The first part of the episode, Simon goes through the story of The Terminator, and quite how its rights ended up so muddled going forward. But the bulk of episode 400 is over to Gale Anne Hurd, in a long conversation - set against noisy background sounds! - that took place in London in June 2024. Thanks for all your support everyone. Hope you enjoy the episode... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hi, Queerdos! How was your week? Anything weird happen? Us either. We're here to bring you stories, and by gum, we've done it!  . . First, in our True Crime Story, Edie tells us about an Australian horse race that went wrong and kept going wrong. Crikey!  . . Next, in our Spoopy Tale, Miss takes us back to the past for a set of archaeological finds that are Very Real and not a hoax meant to fool One Special Guy.  . . So bust out the spray paint,  be careful with those fossils,  and get ready for this week's show.  Let's dive in! . . . . True Crime starts @ 00:10:20 Spoop starts @ 00:42:39 . . Source notes: www.creepyinqueeriespod.com Follow on Instagram: @CreepyInQueeriesPod Send Us an Email: creepyinqueeriespod@gmail.com Listen on Youtube: Creepy InQueeries Pod Follow on Facebook: @CreepyInQueeriesPod

Crikey! Episode 2 and the Bachelorette is already down under. Today, Kay and Jared break down the Australian group dates, get into the Devin (Dylan?) of it all, and work on their Aussie slang. Plus, we have a fun segment with our friends at Impossible Foods. Things are heating way up. Follow for more at @alwayson on IG! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CRIKEY! This week we venture down under to discuss two creepy, shocking, Australian masterpieces! Jamie Graham joins Mike to discuss WAKE IN FRIGHT (1971) and PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK (1975).  Content warning: Wake in Fright contains depictions of animal cruelty  Hosted, Produced and Edited by Mike Muncer Music by Jack Whitney.  Artwork by Mike Lee-Graham Big thank you to Mary Wild for this week's 'Wild About Horror' segment! Sign up to Mary's Patreon!  Visit our website www.evolutionofhorror.com  Buy tickets for our UPCOMING SCREENINGS & EVENTS Buy yourself some brand new EOH MERCH! Subscribe and donate on PATREON for bonus monthly content and extra treats... www.patreon.com/evolutionofhorror  Email us!  Follow us on TWITTER Follow us on INSTAGRAM Like us on FACEBOOK Join the DISCUSSION GROUP Join the DISCORD Follow us on LETTERBOXD Mike Muncer is a producer, podcaster and film journalist and can be found on TWITTER