Big Brain Channel

Civil-military relations can seem like daunting jargon to most civilians, but it refers to how the military engages with the public it defends. In the case of America, the largest military force in the world, it is very important what civil-military relations are like, and it is even more important when ex-military leaders talk about politics. For a traditionally taboo subject for military leaders...

While chaos plagues the streets of the US in the name of justice for George Floyd and for seriously disaffected black Americans we could be on the brink of serious change for America. This begs the question, what should we change in order to lift people out of disadvantage and suffering in a western democracy like Australia or the US where black populations experience radically different opportuni...

Through following Penny Locaso's LinkedIn page David noticed some very admirable and interesting ideas about connecting people through the strange period of the COVID-19 crisis. We knew that we had to get Penny back on the podcast to discuss the merits of such an exercise. Penny, David, and Tim discuss how we as humans adapt to the unfamiliarity of the world we live in through restrictions and wha...

Everyone fails. No one fails forever. There are many ways to negotiate the gap between, in the arts and in academia. The Word Docs have risen through the ranks themselves, and now devote a large proportion of their life to helping others do the same. As teachers, mentors, positive role models, and occasional drinking buddies, Amy, Alex and Sean are here for you.   Episode 11 - tags Accidental...

What’s the secret to getting published? Alex, Amy and Sean tell all, or at least as much as they can in thirty minutes.   Episode 10 - tags acting advice awards bottom drawer stories bravery commandments community conferences contests creative writing programs deadlines fear feedback flipside fonts footnotes formatting genres heartbreak industry knowledge long game marking mentors perfe...

It's been 6 weeks and David is finally allowed outside after 6 weeks of isolation. The mental maps and habitual practices that go unconscious for normally abled folk are pivotally important for David as he navigates through familiar territory with the distant memory of the journey ahead. In this bonus episode, David tells us about his first experience in the new world of loosened restrictions with...

The international price of oil is now in negative territory and having an immensurate impact on the world, but especially in the Middle East where oil is the foundation of many sovereign states. The duel economic blows of the COVID-19 crisis and the oil price wars are forcibly dragging Gulf states backward, particularly affecting the burgeoning middle classes. If these issues are not dealt with ad...

Boys are growing up without fathers, getting addicted to drugs, doing worse in schools, getting incarcerated, and committing suicide. With all the inequality in the world, how do we tackle these issues? How are men meant to establish a sense of meaning while their traditions are being torn down from their patriarchal heritage? Warren Farrell and Philip Zimbardo have written some excellent literatu...

Gabrielle Bond and Steven Hail of the Just Transition Action Group asked David to give a Q&A forum vis Zoom moderated by Tim. The central point of discussion was about the comparatively fluid and cohesive undertaking of advice surrounding the COVID-19 crisis as opposed to the societal attitudes towards Climate Action, especially in Australia. With a focus on what individuals and groups can do...

Would you rather win all the awards or make all the money? “Both” is a valid answer, but few writers are so lucky. Sometimes peers and publishers will push you one way or another, when really, all you want to do is be yourself. How have the Word Docs managed this? In a lively conversation spanning everything from pop culture to professorships, Amy, Alex and Sean reveal all.   Epis...

The fourth estate is an indirect and significant form of influencing the democratic process, so who and what we listen to is incredibly significant. So our broad society is controlled by journalists, and more aptly, editors who dictate the conversations we have, so why isn't the media held accountable? Can the media be held accountable? What can we do as a grassroots podcast to change the media la...

Nations around the world are trying a variety of policy settings to cope with the unique set of economic circumstances that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused. In Australia we have guaranteed payments to a large portion of the population, and provided welfare to those affected at previously inconceivable levels. The neoliberal establishment is going to have a hard time returning to status quo after...

Who are Amy, Alex and Sean? What have they written? How do they juggle teaching and writing? Is it even possible to teach people to write? Why does this podcast exist? One of them swears too much, one makes an unconvincing soldier, one wrote epic D&D poetry as a teenager: by the end of this informal Q&A, you will know who, and much more about your Word Docs hosts.   Episode 7 - tags A...

“Two out of three Word Docs have books out this month, and so does special guest Lisa Hannett (aka Dr Lisa Bennett). How do you launch a book during lockdown? By asking Amy to interview all three authors and raise a virtual toast to their inevitable success. Happy book birthday, Word Docs!”       Bonus Book Launch Episode - tags Allen & Unwin Book Birthday Book Launc...

People read stories about people, so learning how to write people is an important step on your journey. Whether you steal from real life or create out of whole cloth, whether you prefer heroes to villains, whether you regularly lose control of the characters you have brought into being – the Word Docs are right there with you. Their methods may differ, but one thing is certain: chocolate is...

New writers beware: saying that you are one invites interrogation on the nature of your work, where it has been published, and how much you’re being paid – all difficult questions to answer when you’re starting out. Writers, ultimately, come in many different shapes and sizes. The Word Docs are here to help you find your place in the pantheon, and to guide your dealings with Gran...

In this raw episode get an inside look at how to calculate the expenses of inaction on climate with a candid and minimally-produced conversation with Ecological Economist at the University of Adelaide, Phil Lawn. For context, this conversation was recorded in late 2019, so Tim and David met with Phil in the studio to gain a very insightful and descriptive basis for Phil's work. We often talk about...

In this episode, John, David and Tim are joined by Senator Jim Molan AO DSC. Jim is a former Australian Army Major-General and is now a high profile Senator for the Liberal-National Coalition known for his public interest in Australia’s strategic policy. We begin this episode by asking Jim about his military experience and his opinions on some of the pressing issues facing Australia in the n...

While the COVID-19 Pandemic is ravaging the economies and societies of nations worldwide, Asia seems to have a large diversity of responses and impacts. What cultural and political settings have changed how the pandemic his hit each country, and how will this impact the region more broadly into the future. This is the first episode of two that examines a few key players in the Asian region to unde...

While the COVID-19 Pandemic is ravaging the economies and societies of nations worldwide, Asia seems to have a large diversity of responses and impacts. What cultural and political settings have changed how the pandemic his hit each country, and how will this impact the region more broadly into the future. This is the first episode of two that examines a few key players in the Asian region to unde...

In this episode I talk about a relatively new trial investigating pressure massage versus eccentric exercise for Achilles tendinopathy in a randomised trial. I hope you enjoy!  Also, if you have some time on your hands during this time of isolation and need to catch up on CPD head on over to www.tendinoapthyrehab.com . I am offering my online Mastering Lower Limb Tendinopathy course for $295....

Your book is done. What comes next? Finding the right editor is just one of the many challenges that the Word Docs have faced with aplomb – or if not aplomb, at least with a cocktail and a good conversational opener. Alex, Amy and Sean will help you break down the wall between writer and publisher that sometimes seem insurmountable. Twitter: @TheWordDocs Instagram: @TheWordDocs Facebook: The...

Whether you’re a reclusive garret scribe or a gregarious cafe scribbler, you’ve put serious thought into the space you write. Alex, Amy and Sean are no different. They’ve experimented with rituals and rooms of their own. They’ve wrangled writers’ groups and writing retreats. One of them has gone to Antarctica in search of the ultimate office. The Word Docs learned the...

What are the minimum essential skills, technology, manufacturing, real resources and infrastructure within any country to enable them to sufficiently survive global pandemic or equivalent crises? On today’s episode, John and David co-isolate before the restrictions would have disallowed to discuss the missing part of public discourse on COVID-19 - Sovereign capability. Australia is particula...

Live from the quarantine bunkers (via the wonders of the internet) David and Tim explain what's worth worrying about and what we can do to calm the masses of very vulnerable and terrified people. Despite the complexity and bleakness of days ahead, there is a lot to feel opportunistic about, but fear has taken the driver's seat for most of us. Why? There's a lot of science and ancient ideas to back...