The new food trend in Australia is fasting.

Eliza has returned home to find people skipping meals in an effort to reduce their overall calorie intake.

Initially she was shocked, wondering how people function without breakfast?

But she's also noticing that portion sizes in Australia are bigger than Indonesia and Lebanon.

Geraldine is adamant that this new eating trend is helping people keep weight off.

The conversation about food stretches to motherhood, to men & their battles with weight and the effort to have a healthy attitude towards food.

The women also discuss the Indonesian election and some new finds on Netflix.

Get in touch via the Facebook page "Long Distance Callers" or email us at [email protected]

Tiger cubs at Taronga Zoo

Are we witnessing a new Arab Spring in Africa?

Turn Up Charlie: Idris Elba (Netflix)

The Wire

The Widow

The Bureau

Traitors (Netflix)

The Parisian - Isabella Hammad

This week's conversation takes place in Geraldine's living room.

Eliza is back from Beirut with her family to help her mother-in-law Anne recover from a hip replacement.

The podcast begins with a discussion about Jonathan Holmes' new essay "On Aunty" https://www.mup.com.au/books/on-aunty-paperback-softback

It then shifts to a broader chat about politics and Geraldine's ongoing obsession with finding the 'sensible centre' of the community.

Eliza is becoming increasingly evangelical about Australia the longer she lives overseas. The women discuss this article from the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/08/opinion/australians-have-more-fun.html and muse about the problems facing Australia. Some of the problems being the cost of living and housing, as discussed in this new book by Peter Mares https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/no-place-like-home-repairing-australia-s-housing-crisis

Who's going to win the next election? The polls suggest it's a done deal for Labor, but the women aren't so sure. And their opinions of Scott Morrison have changed over time, too.

Geraldine saw this TV show and loved it https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/jan/06/brexit-uncivil-war-reviews-andrew-rawnsley-gina-miller-gloria-de-piero-shahmir-sanni

And she recommends this new show on Netflix https://www.netflix.com/au/title/81076756

Eliza saw two movies on the plane which she'd recommend https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_(film) & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Front_Runner_(film)

She's looking forward to seeing this drama on SBS On Demand https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/program/the-bureau

And she's reading this book about the famous murdered war correspondent Marie Colvin https://www.amazon.com/Extremis-Death-Correspondent-Marie-Colvin/dp/0374175594

Please leave us a review on Apple iTunes or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Get in touch via the Facebook page "Long Distance Callers" or contact us via [email protected]

Thanks for listening!

What kind of a week are you having?

Geraldine & Eliza aren't winning. There's the lost makeup bag at the movies, the missing Medicare card and the early call from the childcare centre to pick up a supposedly sick child.

But both women have been keenly following the various upcoming elections around the world. Indonesia, India, Israel and Australia will go to the polls soon.

There's a vague chance that there'll be another general election in Britain to deal with the Brexit crisis.

Geraldine thinks Theresa May needs to field a cross-party Government of National Unity. Eliza thinks the Prime Minister is doing a poor job and must listen to the people rather than pushing on with her current position.

Get in touch and tell us your thoughts at the Facebook page "Long Distance Callers" or email [email protected]

--

Hotel Mumbai review - The New Yorker

John Major calls for a Government of National Unity

The Making of Benjamin Netanyahu

In this special 'bonus' episode of LDC, Eliza interviews her husband Adam about covering the last days of ISIS.

Adam spent three weeks reporting in Eastern Syria as the American-backed Kurdish forces reduced the militant group to a shell of itself.

So what goes into covering a story like this? How exciting is it to be on the frontline of history? What happens after the adrenaline runs out? And how long does it take to feel normal once you return home?

Geraldine interviewed Australia's top spy this week.

Nick Warner is a veteran civil servant of over 40 years. Over that time, the threats confronting Australia have changed and become more diffuse, which makes tackling the problem even harder.

Eliza is still very upset by the Christchurch massacre. It's prompted her to question whether Australia has a bigger racism problem that she thought?

She also believes that comparing New Zealand to Australia doesn't necessarily help the conversation.

The women also look back at Jakarta and discuss the joys of a "time affluent" life.

Let us know your thoughts at [email protected] or join the conversation at "Long Distance Callers" facebook page.

Australia's top spy Nick Warner brings business in from the cold: AFR

Building resilience post Chritchurch: ABC Saturday Extra

Remove the halo and Ardern is ordinary

On Aunty: What next for your ABC? Jonathan Holmes

This week's episode is heavy on geo-politics.

The so-called Islamic State Group is on the cusp of defeat in Syria.

Eliza wonders if it's time to properly recognise it as a 'state'? After all, it had all the hallmarks of one: a functioning bureaucracy, control of civic functions like waste disposal, its own currency and the ability to launch military operations.

But Geraldine still maintains that giving I-S formal statehood is giving it a power and notoriety it doesn't deserve.

The women also discuss how to moderate social media in troubling times like this.

And finally, the restorative power of a good hair colour and cut.

Let us know your thoughts at [email protected] or join the conversation at "Long Distance Callers" facebook page.

Geraldine is back in Beirut for her second visit to the Middle East.

Eliza was meant to be in Rome to watch her Mum address a diplomatic crowd on International Womens Day. But the last gasp of the so-called Islamic State in Syria has taken Eliza's husband Adam away on assignment.

This week the women discuss the importance of institutions in helping women thrive. Geraldine's also impressed by East Beirut and Eliza discusses the politics of green space in her new city.

We'd love you to join the conversation at the "Long Distance Callers" Facebook page or email us at [email protected].

LINKS

Robert Fisk on environmental destruction in Lebanon

Julia Banks interview

Siobhan McKenna: The woman calling the shots at NewsCorp

Bill Shorten - Laura Tingle

Mrs Wilson

Michael Daley on Insiders

This week Geraldine & Eliza discuss the politics of the boardroom. The ABC boardroom.

Ita Buttrose is the new chair of the ABC and Geraldine believes she'll be a good advocate for the Corporation. Eliza and her Mum discuss the relationship between the Chair and the Managing Director and why a difference of opinion can be important at the upper echelons of power.

Mike Willesee, a giant of Australian life, has died.

Geraldine's late husband and Eliza's step-Dad, Ian Carroll, worked closely with Mike Willesee during his career in journalism. Geraldine uses this opportunity to impart some of Willesee's wisdom.

And finally, Eliza had a small parenting fail at school today. One of those moments that remind you to check the school emails in the morning.

Thanks for listening! Please send us your feedback via the Facebook page "Long Distance Callers" or the email [email protected]

Ita Buttrose is the new Chair of the ABC Board

The Dropout Podcast

Mike Willesee dies

The Conversion of Mike Wilesee

Geraldine is in Victoria for a special interview with the indigenous opera singer Deborah Cheetham.

Geraldine loved the interview and the natural beauty of the country that Ms Cheetham nominated as her 'sacred space'.

The three days away in rural Victoria highlighted some uncomfortable truths for Geraldine: she was carrying bias and prejudice that she hadn't previously confronted.

The podcast then moves to discussion of women move onto discussion of the Middle East and Eliza admits she needs a bit more help at home on the domestic front.

Please contact us at [email protected] with any feedback or join the Facebook page at Long Distance Callers.

Thanks for listening!

Deborah Cheetham

Shtisel

Australian Government hacked

It’s been a bright week for journalism amidst an otherwise bleak landscape.

Money is being pumped back into the industry from various philanthropic sources in Australia to support investigations and inquiry.

Eliza is reading about one of the legends of the job, Seymour Hersh. He broke the story about the horrific My Lai massacre in the Vietnam War, the first of many groundbreaking investigations.

It prompts Eliza and her Mum Geraldine to discuss their heroes and the future of the industry today.

Please join the conversation at the Facebook page “Long Distance Callers” or email us at [email protected]

Crikey’s new investigations team

https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/02/11/fairfax-investigative-news-website/

The Neilson Foundation

Commentary on the Neilson Foundation

Lowy Institute

Seymour Hersh – Killing Bin Laden

Review

One Hundred Years of Dirt – Rick Morton

https://www.mup.com.au/books/one-hundred-years-of-dirt-electronic-book-text

Jonathan Swan - Axios

Laura Tingle – Follow the Leader Quarterly Essay

Paige Taylor

Chris Masters – The Moonlight State 1987

Fran Kelly – ABC Radio National