Interested in current affairs, health issues, music, politics or culture? Have the best bits of Hack (triple j's current affairs half-hour) sent directly to you every weekday.
triple j's hack: Olympic torch RelayEpisode: 31 of 31
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Two day's of chasing Tibetan and Chinese activists with an Olympic torch in the background This story was first broadcast on triple j on 29/04/2008
triple j's hack: DJ's rebels against music industryEpisode: 30 of 31
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Does the DJ in the club you go to have the right to spin the tunes? It's hard to tell, right? The music industry is wrestling with the same problem. That's why ARIA, the rep body for the major labels, is bringing in a new dj license to make sure songs are legit. The license costs 800 bucks and allows DJs to burn copies of cd's and vinyl they already own. And if DJ's don't sign up, ARIA's music piracy body will go after them. But a number of DJ's have told Hack they're gonna risk it and not sign up. This is Sleater Brockman, a Sydney DJ speaking with Michael Atkin. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 29/04/2008
triple j's hack: Demand a better futureEpisode: 29 of 31
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This story was first broadcast on triple j on 24/04/2008
triple j's hack: Believe in peace without becoming a hippyEpisode: 28 of 31
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You don't need to be a hippy to give peace a chance. You can be serious about the problems facing the world without supporting the use of force. Jake Lynch says when countries go to war to achieve stability, the opposite usually happens. He reckons it's time Australia promoted peace as the ultimate foreign policy goal. Jake is the director of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at Sydney University. He's running a conference called Iraq Never Again: Ending War, Building Peace. One of the speakers is Samer Khamisy, a 25 year old Iraqi living in Australia. He wishes the war didn't happen. Samer says life was terrible under Saddam Hussein, but his friends say it's worse now. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 15/04/2008
triple j's hack: Car OrchestraEpisode: 27 of 31
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Antoinette Chiha went along to document an Australian music first. An orchestra with five utes, DJ, saxophone, double bass and dancers. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 15/04/2008
triple j's hack: Hack Gets Hungry : Eating for a CauseEpisode: 26 of 31
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How do you decide what to eat - or what not to eat? Today we talk to a vegan who is passionate about animal welfare, a vegetarian who's happy to eat fish because she's into the taste and a female body builder who has an extremely strict diet so she can compete onstage in a g-string. Being overweight or obese affects one in four young aussies so we'll talk to a dietician about what to do about that. And we'll find out about Feeders: people who get off on weight gain and food. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 14/04/2008
triple j's hack: Hack Gets Hungry : DisordersEpisode: 25 of 31
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How do you help someone you love through an eating disorder? You'll meet Amanda who's 25 and has been suffering from a combination of anerexia, bulimia and over-excercising for 10 years. Its not just an issue for girls though: Mitchell who's 17 is recovering from a couple of bouts of anerexia and bulimia too. We'll speak to a counsellor who's wife has struggled with eating disorders about how to offer support. We also speak about different treatment options for disorders, includeing speaking to someone who attends Overeaters Anonymous - which is kind of like AA. Plus the federal government announces an inquiry into obesity. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 14/04/2008
triple j's hack: Hack Gets Hungry : Food Safety (and Tom Tilley's fridge)Episode: 24 of 31
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If you live in New York, you can get online and check out your local restaurant's last health inspection infringement. In California there are A, B and C ratings displayed in the window. But in Australia - even though for example one in three Melbourne restaurants had some sort of infringement during inspections in 2006 - privacy laws prevent you from finding out about it. Shouldn't you have the right to know? Also today we find out exactly what sort of nastiness can lurk in a share house frinde when we send and inspector around to Tom Tilley's house, we find out how kebab meat ends up in that torpedo shape. Plus where do you stand on nanotechnology? We hear from someone who says government regulation isn't keeping pace with new technology in the food sector. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 14/04/2008
triple j's hack: Hack Gets Hungry : HospitalityEpisode: 23 of 31
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Hospitality is one of the biggest employers of young people: nearly a quarter of a million people under 25 in any one year. Today meet a 26 year old chef whose restaurant is booked out two months in advance, get a few tips on etiquette when Tom has his 'pretty woman' moment and drop in on lunch service at a Mission Australia cafe where most customers are homeless. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 14/04/2008
triple j's hack: Hack Gets Hungry : Food, Family and FaithEpisode: 22 of 31
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Find out how complicated is it to make a kitchen Kosher, hear what Halal is all about and attend a Hindu feast as we look at how food and faith intersect. Also Antoinette invites us back to her place for her once a week, traditional family dinner. Twenty people around the dinner table once a week is not necessarily a recipe for family harmony! This story was first broadcast on triple j on 14/04/2008
triple j's hack: Selfish MumsEpisode: 21 of 31
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In this HACK special edition, we ask you: is having a child the ultimate sacrifice? Or a sign of selfishness? And does over-population in the world and climate change affect your decision to have a child? Listen to debates from all sides. Hear from population experts, environmental ethicists and from other triple j listeners. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 11/04/2008
triple j's hack: Bisexual asylumEpisode: 20 of 31
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In the wake of Labor's recent policy announcements on dention of asylum seekers, Hack looks at the story of Ali Humayun, a 27-year old Pakistani. He's spent the last three years in Villawood and his case which is based around his sexual orientation, has brought changes in the Refugee Review Tribunal. Tribunal members are now undergoing sexual sensitivity training sessions. Hear Ali's story from inside Villawood and interviews with asylum experts and Greens senator Kerry Nettle. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 10/04/2008
triple j's hack: ScarificationEpisode: 19 of 31
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Done by the right artist, they can look intricate art pieces carved into the body. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 09/04/2008
triple j's hack: Condo BackpackersEpisode: 18 of 31
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It's easy enough to pick the backpackers crammed into combies cruising the freeways. So imagine how much an Estonian with a ruck sack sticks out on the main street of a small town. Backpackers in Australia are moving to the country to earn fast cash and stay longer. They can get an extra year in the country if they spend three months working on a regional farm. Figures from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship show that since November 2005 almost 18 thousand people have signed up. The program is designed to get people doing jobs like fruit picking that Aussies don't wanna touch. PMG Agriculture use backpackers at their Condobolin farm to pick watermelons, pumpkins and pomegranates. They rate the backpackers as hard workers saying they are an important part of their business. Two New Zealand backpackers, Natalie and Nicole who like living in Condobolin now, were told to expect the worst before they arrived. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 08/04/2008
triple j's hack: R.I.P. RugbyEpisode: 17 of 31
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Footy and the country are supossed to go hand in hand. The weekend game is an excuse for the community to get together and forget about everything else. But for the first time in year's there's no rugby team in Condobolin, in the central west of NSW. A shortage of players has forced the regulars into staying out of the comp. And the locals are worried they'll be missing more than just the on field action. Over a beer at the Condo Hotel Michael got a lecture on the Condo Rugby legacy. This is former coach and backrower Scott Hatch and halfback Greg Laing. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 07/04/2008
triple j's hack: Chef's worldEpisode: 16 of 31
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A feature from Hack's food week: Daniel Puskas is only 26 but he's the head chef who gets to dream up his own avante guard dishes. A degestation menu means a lot of freedom, but the pressure of working in a restaurant where people are booking two months ahead keeps the team in line. Tom Tilley spent the night in the kitchen. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 04/04/2008
triple j's hack: Fine dining dating adviceEpisode: 15 of 31
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Hack food week feature: Have you ever felt a bit out of your depth when you take a date to somewhere a bit special. Well listen to Tom Tilley's guide and take notes. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 04/04/2008
triple j's hack: Inside Tom Tilley's sharehouse fridgeEpisode: 14 of 31
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As part of food week we wanted to explore the state of the average sharehouse fridge. Tom Tilley's pretty average so we sent the inspector to his house. What he didn't expect was to have his bread board and his hands swabbed for salmanella and ecoli respectively. After the fridge test the health inspector called back into Hack live with the potentially socially credibility destroying lab results. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 02/04/2008
triple j's hack: The Man Behind Meat Safety In NSWEpisode: 13 of 31
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Meet the man behind meat safety in NSW. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 02/04/2008
triple j's hack: Minister listens to StudentsEpisode: 12 of 31
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Uni students and federal ministers haven't always been the best of friends. But today a meeting between the Minister for Youth Kate Ellis and NSW student representatives showed the two could get along. Maybe with the one exception of one unhappy liberal student. At the University of Technology in Sydney students gathered to tell Kate Ellis about the impact of voluntary student unionism on campus life. It's part of the government's consultation to decide what changes need to be made to VSU. The former Howard government's VSU laws make it illegal for uni's to collect compulsory non-academic fees from students. So now uni's charge students voluntary fees and some say they now raise less than half the cash they used to. At many universities that's led to a reduction in services. Michael Atkin caught up with Emma Lancaster president of the UTS students association. He found Emma out spruiking students and offering them a free sausage or two. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 03/03/2008
triple j's hack: Christians apologise to Gay CommunityEpisode: 11 of 31
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On Hack we told you about a doco called A Jihad For Love... which is about the coexistence of Islam and homosexuality. But Islam isn't the only religion that has a difficult relationship with the gay community. Tomorrow night in Sydney it's the 30th Annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Amongst the bare chests and tight shorts there will be a new group on parade, 100 Reverends. They're a bit short on numbers about forty christian ministers and church members will say sorry for the church's treatment of gay people. But you won't catch the head of the catholic or anglican churches marching down Oxford Street. Lloyd Jones is a 23 year old gay man. Until two years ago he'd spend every Sunday with his family at church. He's speaking here with Michael Atkin. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 29/02/2008
triple j's hack: The Porn ReportEpisode: 10 of 31
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Buttbanged Naughty Nurses, Hairless Asian Honeys and Sex with Older Women. Just some of the titles in the top 50 Pornos for 2003. In the first comprehensive study into porn use in Australia Alan McKee from QUT and Katherine Albury and Catherine Lumby from the University of New south Wales, studied the top 50 pornos and surveyed a thousand porn users. And surprise surprise, a lot of Australians watch porn. In fact about a third of all adults. That's about 5 million people. Kaitlyn Sawrey sat down with Associate Professor Alan McKee to talk about the research... over a good ol' porno. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 27/02/2008
triple j's hack: Young Aged Care WorkersEpisode: 9 of 31
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Try to name this job. You're invited to board a cruise ship. You get to sing your heart out. And organising parties is part of your every day job.Any ideas what it is? You probably didn't guess - it's aged care. The industry isn't one you'd associate with young people and that's back up by the stats, the average aged care worker is a woman who's over 40. Just 5% are aged between 16 and 24. But the industry body the Aged Care Association of Australia wants to attract more young workers. So Michael Atkin went and interviewed a few young employees to ask why they do it. He's speaking here to 23 year old Crystal Logan. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 27/02/2008
triple j's hack: Safe Drag, An Oxymoron?Episode: 8 of 31
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It's the only place P platers can fang it without getting arrested. There is one place you can go without worrying about the speed limit. It's Western Sydney International Dragway. For 50 bucks, amateurs turn up and see just how fast they can go. There are prizes for the fastest time and quickest reaction off the line, but it's not really about that. It's more about getting a speed fix and getting it out of your system. Lucky for them considering if you get busted for street racing in NSW your car can get confiscated plus the threat of a heavy fine, license suspension and a jail term. Michael Atkin has the story for Hack. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 25/02/2008
triple j's hack: LockoutsEpisode: 7 of 31
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Queensland has it. Melbourne's trialling it. Canberra's considering it. It's pretty common in counrty towns. I'm talking about lockouts. In Queensland for example, when it hits 3am, clubs aren't allowed to let anyone else in. Lockouts are supposed to reduce incidents of alcohol related violence, and in Brisbane the lockout has been in place for about two and a half years. So Kaitlyn Sawrey hit the Fortitude Valley on Friday night to suss out whether lockouts actually do what they're supposed to. What do you reckon? Leave us your comments on the Hack guestbook. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 18/02/2008
triple j's hack: Fake EmailsEpisode: 6 of 31
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Have you ever sent someone a fake email? Was it a joke or did you want something out of it? Chris O'Brien, a former Canterbury Bulldogs employee, has been accused of using a fake email address to send the media negative information about Dogs board member Roy Dib. The club is having elections this weekend. Chris denies he was involved and is seeking legal advice. Roy Dib has said he'll be doing the same. So why would someone send a fake email? Michael Atkin has more. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 15/02/2008
triple j's hack: SpittingEpisode: 5 of 31
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Is spitting on a police officer worse than hitting one? In Queensland, potentially it can be. If you spit on a police officer in Queensland, expect to go to prison. Recently an Irish backpacker received a four month jail sentence suspended after 2, for spitting at a police officer. That was after the Court of appeal; the original sentence was for six months. Kaitlyn Sawrey spoke to him after he got out of Woodridge Maximum Security Prison last week. He asked HACK not to use his real name. So we'll call him John. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 15/02/2008
triple j's hack: Speed DatingEpisode: 4 of 31
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It's Valentine's Day: if you're single will you spend the night wondering why? Or will today be your day of action to find a partner? Tom Tilley met a few people that are trying to break their drought in record time. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 14/02/2008
triple j's hack: Male Teacher ShortageEpisode: 3 of 31
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As we know its a new school year and there's a new government. As soon as the election results were announced - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd gave his ministers homework. Every Labor MP had to visit two schools before caucus. Sadly that's probably the highest number of adult men to ever walk into classrooms due to a chronic shortage of male teachers in state schools. 2008 sees the number of male teachers plummet further, particularly in primary schools. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 04/02/2008
triple j's hack: Ben Cousins, an anti-drug hero?Episode: 2 of 31
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Ben Cousins fronted up to the media today to talk about drugs. Unlikely, much? Yeppers. He joined Anthony Mundine and two other sports stars to launch the Knock Out Drugs fight that Mundine will be fighting in three weeks. What do you think about a reknowned drug user standing up against drugs? Tom Tilley takes us down the block in Redfern where he saw Ben Cousins and went toe to toe with The Man - Anthony Mundine. And a warning that this story contains language that may be offensive to some listeners. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 04/02/2008
triple j's hack: Villawood LoveEpisode: 1 of 31
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One year after hearing a love song request from inside Villawood detention centre, Tom Tilley tracked down the young Bangladeshi lover to see how things panned out for him and his lover. Love and relationships can be complicated at the best of times and it’s even harder when you and your partner could be deported at any moment. But as Tom Tilley discovered, that's the risk you take when you fall in love inside an asylum seeker detention centre. This story was first broadcast on triple j on 08/01/2008