Man Up is a three-part ABC documentary exploring whether the stereotype of the emotionally-stunted, stoic Aussie man is contributing to our high rate of male suicide. It’s done from the perspective of a quintessential Aussie bloke – Gus Worland – one of three male co-hosts on the Grill Team, a Sydney morning radio show that’s more blokey than football, meat...

We’re off and racing; an election is booked for July 2. For most of us this means a little extra news to digest each day, a few extra likes to click on Facebook, and a chance to voice our treasured opinions. But for those in the business of politics it’s a marathon like no other. Eight weeks of deadlines, debates,...

Public figures sharing private information is the norm nowadays. Our thirst for information, combined with the wonders of the internet and lax approaches to privacy, is creating a perfect storm. News outlets, websites and social media swim with self-disclosure. Politicians share their private lives; celebrities explain their indiscretions; athletes appeal for understanding – while we mere mortals comment from the...

Who doesn't love a good laugh.... https://theconversation.com/the-lowdown-on-laughter-from-boosting-immunity-to-releasing-tension-56568

Alex Darling wrote a great article on the risks of benzodiazepines like Valium. I did my best to give some useful tips on how to avoid problems. http://thenewdaily.com.au/life/2016/03/01/benzodiazepines-get-addicted/

Is it true that like attracts like? When it comes to mental health, it seems the answer is yes. A study published in JAMA Psychiatry this week sheds light on the influence of psychiatric disorders on relationships and mating. The study from the famous Karolinska Insitute in Sweden examined over 700,000 men and women with psychiatric diagnoses and compared them...

People claim the great Australian dream is home ownership. Rubbish. It’s winning TattsLotto. Ever since I was a kid, one question has popped up around the kitchen table, at the pub, over coffee, and even in bed: what would you do if you won TattsLotto? Recently the dream took a bizarre twist as we followed the story of a seemingly...

Cosmetic procedures quite often receive bad press; they’re seen as unbridled vanity and something to be frowned upon (if you can still frown, that is). But the industry drivers are far more complex than simple vanity. Society rewards attractiveness in both obvious and subtle ways. Little in our social existence is truly immune from the influences of beauty. The cosmetic...

It’s hard to remember life without social media. I saw my first computer in high school – it was the size of a fridge and didn’t have a keyboard. We had to use cards to enter data. We excitedly programmed it to write “happy birthday” and “school is boring” over and over. We weren’t quite in Bill Gate’s league. In...

We are in the midst of a wave of soul searching trying to understand the Lindt Café siege in Sydney. In a sense we’ve been collectively holding our breaths for years wondering if Australia would ever fall victim to a terrorist act. Terrorism has many definitions but by and large usually refers to the use of violence and intimidation for...