Shows
Beyond InfinityTrump's First Wild MonthThe Donald steamed into his second term with laser focus on securing US borders, unleashing American energy and promoting government efficiency. He wielded his big black marker - signing numerous executive orders, luring significant investments, threatening trade wars and making key policy changes. Presenter Piers Cunningham and guest Simon Mulvany discuss the pros, cons and promise of the thunderous shake up rippling around the world under the 47th American President.2025-02-181h 02Beyond Infinity2024 Reviewed - Pre Christmas RappingPiers and Brad look back on the big events and issues of 2024, as discussed on the Beyond Infinity Pod. From Australia's unrealistic energy policies, sharp population growth, housing shortages and our home state Victoria's Big Build disaster through to Trump's second term, with Musk as efficiency Tsar and the backlash against wokeism. We chew the phat, cough up a fur ball or two, but remain upbeat. We do after all live in interesting times...2024-12-081h 24
Beyond InfinityCybernetics & The Australian Government's Doomed Ban On Social MediaModern cybernetics informs fields like AI, robotics, biology, sociology, and philosophy, offering insights into the intricate web of relationships within and among systems. Piers and cyber security expert Dr. Ian Storey discuss the origins and modern uses. We also delve into the Federal Government's proposed social media ban for Under-16s in Australia. Will all social media users, including adults, be forced to somehow prove their age online?2024-11-301h 07Beyond InfinityUnexpected LegacyNecessity really is the mother of invention. And some inventions make a big difference. Retired physicist Dr. Tony Heyes explains how his work solving transport problems for the blind led to an unforeseen reward from a stranger.2024-11-1225 min
Beyond InfinityRenewable Energy and Peak Load ChallengesWhile renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and hydro are crucial for reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and mitigating climate change, they struggle to meet electricity demand during peak load conditions. Physicist Dr. Tony Heyes argues Australia has little choice but to plan for a nuclear energy future, while sticking with affordable and effective fossil fuels in the interim.2024-11-0727 minBeyond InfinityA Vortex To SingularityArtificial intelligence is leading humanity towards what many see as a new renaissance for human creativity, augmented by almost unlimited computing power. Others fear recursive AI could get out of control and behave in ways that are unpredictable and undesirable. Dr Ian Storey updates us on how far away we are from Kurtweil's Singularity, implications for information security and the potential for an AI super intelligence to come to being by 2045. Or earlier.2024-10-221h 11
Beyond InfinityVarroa Hits Victoria While Fire Ants Wreak Havoc In BrisbanePiers sits down with Simon to discuss the spread of varroa mite into Victoria and what might be done to manage the problem. Also, the effects on honey purity and retail cost. Simon also discusses Queensland authorities' alarmist response to fire ants, including the indiscriminate use of chemical spraying, often without land owners knowledge or permission.2024-08-2754 min
Beyond InfinityWhy Elon? Why??Within minutes of former president Trump's attempted assassination on 13th July 2024, Elon Musk posted on X: “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” along with a video of Trump raising his fist after being shot in the ear. Musk has since pledged hundreds of millions in campaign support and on 13th August conducted a 2 hour long live phone conversation with Trump on X.
But why is Musk wading into politics? He's already stupendously successful, with multiple highly profitable businesses to his name. Does he really need to publicly choose sides?
……Like what you hear? Check out our back...2024-08-1418 min
Beyond InfinityDan's Gong: Ex-Premier Handed Australia's Highest HonourThe announcement on the King's Birthday public holiday that Dan Andrews has been awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia has left many people shocked and bewildered. Why on earth is a failed leader who presided over Victoria's disastrous response to the covid pandemic with the world's longest lockdowns, a health system in crisis, stratospheric infrastructure cost blowouts and state debt forecast to double in 3 years being honoured by the Council for the Order of Australia?2024-06-1131 min
Beyond InfinityPrioritising Public Safety Over Freedom Of ExpressionThe Australian Government has taken on social media platform X and its mercurial proprietor Elon Musk over the broadcast of a chilling attack on an Assyrian priest in Sydney. Is the medium to blame, or are deeper societal issues the cause? There's little doubt social media can amplify violence, making it more vital to find the right balance between free speech and public safety.
Piers and Brad throw their hats in the ring.2024-05-181h 05Beyond InfinityMitigation Vs Eradication: Finding A Realistic Solution To Fire Ants In AustraliaPiers catches up with bee-keeper activist Simon Mulvany and hears about the Australian government's fire ant poisoning program in Queensland and NSW. There's concerns about the use of harmful insecticides like Fipronil and Pyriproxyfen. There are serious fears for native species and waterways stemming from hit or miss aerial spraying campaigns. Are authorities over-reacting and is it even possible to eradicate such a hardy, well-adapted ant species?2024-05-1733 minBeyond InfinityIf Not This What? If Not Now When?Welcome back to Beyond Infinity. It's been a while. Today Piers discusses latest space news from Jupiter, the Moon and Mars. NASA admits it can't afford the high cost of returning the Perseverence rover's precious Mars sample tubes to Earth and is looking for help from space privateers. And SpaceX continues to develop the world's most powerful launch vehicle Starship, with a view to colonising Mars. But is this a realistic and worthwhile goal?2024-05-0722 minBeyond InfinityDan's Legacy - How Well Did The Ex-Premier Handle Covid?A wide-ranging conversation about Dan Andrews life, personality, socialist left politics and the repercussions. Does he deserve hatred or grudging respect? Geoff Wells, a medical specialist who repeatedly warned about brutal and misguided lockdowns during covid, offers insights. We talk golf, medical science, Victoria's economy and the world's response to the pandemic.2023-12-2153 minBeyond InfinityMusk On Thin IceIn a fiery appearance at the DealBook Summit in New York City, Elon Musk unloaded on Disney CEO Bob Iger. Musk insisted he would not be 'blackmailed' and that Iger should 'GFY' over his advertising boycott of X. We consider what's at stake for the mercurial Musk and the potential fallout for his other businesses.2023-12-0139 min
Beyond InfinityGolfing Blues For The Ex-PremierPiers and John Mac chew the fat, again. Why such heated controversy around the esteemed former Victorian State Premier Dan Andrews joining a couple of Mornington Peninsula golf clubs? Can't a man just relax and enjoy his hard-earned, early retirement in peace?
(If you like this stuff, there's PLENTY more at beyondinfinity.com.au)2023-11-3041 minBeyond InfinityYour Very Own HomeExorbitant prices, high interest rates and lack of housing stock mean many young people will never own their own home in Australia. And with 1% or less rental vacancy and record immigration, people are struggling to get any kind of a roof over their heads. Yet governments seem powerless to help, even as banks say lending rules are too tight and make many potential borrowers ineligible for mortgages.
Check out our *mighty* back catalogue of 800+ podcasts at beyondinfinity.com.au2023-11-1749 min
Beyond InfinityWasted Opportunity - Why The Voice Referendum FailedPiers and veteran radio presenter John McCormack discuss Australia's recent referendum on the Voice to Parliament. Passing referenda is historically and technically difficult: only 8 out of 45 attempts to amend the Constitution have succeeded since Federation in 1901 and they require support from a majority of people in a majority of states. Yet there were high hopes, especially among Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders, that things could change for the better and the Voice would become law. However, the referendum failed with an average of 60% against the proposal.2023-11-0312 min
Beyond InfinityThis Evolving Social Media LandscapeMature (?) social media goes subscription-based; Twitter's blue tick of approval; Reddit's unpopular IPO; TickTock gains ground - forcing change on incumbents; Renting options on new cars. Piers and Brad show their age.2023-10-1723 minBeyond InfinityOn The Politicisation Of Climate SciencePiers and bee activist Simon Mulvany chat about the politicisation of the debate around so-called climate change, with its fear mongering and manipulation by vested interests. Is 'pollution' a better term to use than 'climate change'?
We consider how important it is for Australia to transition carefully to renewables, without causing peak load blackouts and vast economic damage. We discuss how science has been politicised, nuclear energy demonised and our natural resources trivialised. And we look forward to the fight of the century - a cage fight between AI rivals Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg.2023-10-061h 15
Beyond InfinityAustralia's Lost VoiceWith the referendum to alter Australia's Constitution set for Saturday, 14 October 2023, people will vote yes or no on a single question about the establishment of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Yet the devil is in the detail and the challenge for the government and other proponents remains to explain just how the new law will work in practice. Piers sat down recently with Brad Mackenzie for a chat about what's at stake.2023-08-3023 minBeyond InfinityAI, Markets And The FuturePiers reconnects with mathematician Dr Ian Storey and pro investor Guy West over a glass of wine to update listeners on artificial intelligence's effects on markets and investing in AI. Are we seeing the start of an AI bubble, more about hype than a real threat to humanity? We discuss how hedge funds use machine learning and the need to regulate AI. We marvel at AI's astonishing mastery of language - humanity's operating system. We ponder current economic conditions and the inflation/deflation cycle. No doubt we are prejudiced against AI because of our mass exposure to scifi films over...2023-08-031h 08
Beyond InfinityAfter Covid, Does Melbourne Have PTSD?Longest cumulative lockdowns on the planet, declining mental health, record state debt, economic damage, new taxes and levies and now the loss of the Commonwealth Games. Melbourne continues to endure tough times. Piers sits down with Brad Mackenzie to ponder the question: are Melburnians scarred from their collective experiences since early in 2020 when a global pandemic was declared?2023-07-3038 min
Beyond InfinitySpread Of Varroa Destructor Threatens Australian BeesPiers sits down with beekeeper activist Simon Mulvany to discuss the spread of a parasite killing honey bees in New South Wales. Simon explains how the varroa mite entered Australia, the only country in the world that was varroa-free until recently. He outlines the enormous damage the mite causes to wild and commercial bee populations and its threat to primary industries. Simon is opposed to the use of Fipronol, an insecticide banned in the UK and EU, to control the outbreak. He points to the work of US entomologist Dr Sam Ramsay as useful in understanding varroa and African countries...2023-06-0129 minBeyond InfinityThis New Artificially Intelligent WorldPiers is joined by Dr. Ian Storey, lecturer in information systems at Torrens University, for a chat about the many and varied effects of artificial intelligence on almost every aspect of human life. From AI-powered battle drones and deep fake voice cloning for ransoms through to plagiarism, provenance of online images and manipulating elections, we are on the cusp of a revolution akin to the invention of the printing press and the World Wide Web. And as Ian explains, this is just the beginning, with some experts predicting that 80-90% of jobs could be redundant because of AI.2023-05-2257 min
Beyond InfinityDawn Of The New Starship EraDespite its spectacular 'rapid unscheduled disassembly' four minutes into its flight, the maiden voyage of SpaceX's monster super heavy lift rocket is considered a successful failure. SpaceX say they will learn from their mistakes and try again in a matter of months. And if they succeed, they will have a vehicle far more powerful than the Saturn V moon rocket of the Apollo era, with the distinct advantage of being fully reusable. Piers and Brad discuss this giant leap in rocket technology, what it all means and whether they'd ever sign up for a ride.2023-04-211h 01Beyond InfinityThe Inevitable Intersection Of Sport And PoliticsPiers sits down with Brad Mckenzie to discuss whether Russia should be banned from the Paris Olympic Games in 2024. We look at the long history of politics' involvement in sport - from Jessie Owens at the Berlin Games of 1936 through to the World Cup in Qatar and the Australian Tennis Open. For all the anguish over mixing politics and sport, sport seems to win out anyway.
Please check out our entire back catalogue of 883 tracks at beyondinfinity.com.au2023-02-2554 minBeyond InfinityThe Many Uses And Abuses Of Drones, On Earth As In HeavenWelcome to the latest episode of Beyond Infinity and our first for 2023. We discuss how Unmanned Aerial Vehicle technology is re-shaping the battlefield and beyond. We dive into the exciting world of drones and how they will revolutionize space exploration - like on Mars with the Ingenuity helicopter, which has just completed its 40th ground breaking autonomous flight. Join us as we explore the future of space exploration and the role that AI-powered drones will play in it. Let's get started!2023-01-2319 minBeyond InfinityThat's A Wrap - A Look Back At 2022A retrospective on the year's podcasts: how bee-keeping works; extreme weather hits eastern Australia; covid dwindles yet lingers as other biohazards emerge; Elon Musk's Twitter fiascos; the Multiverse; the mega hacks of Optus and Medibank.
2022 was supposed to mark an inflection point in history - with the rise of China, war in Ukraine and a climate emergency, but did we really 'inflect'?2022-12-2016 minBeyond InfinityMusk Conquers TwitterThe world's most successful entrepreneur now owns what he hopes will be Earth's digital town square, but he faces stiff head winds. He paid a very high price for the business at the top of the market, seems to have pissed off many employees, including senior management, as well as raised doubts among key advertisers. He's made his presence felt through mass sackings, a ban on working from home, a move towards a subscription service model whereby users pay $8 a month for the blue tick and foreshadowed a mayhem mode free for all. Can Musk weave his magic at Twitter...2022-11-2018 min
Beyond InfinityLest We Forget? Victoria Seems Poised To Re-elect Dan AndrewsThe Premier looks like winning another four years in office, despite what many see as his disastrous and incompetent mishandling of the pandemic. First, there was Melbourne's hotel quarantine fiasco, then problems with contact tracing and hundreds of preventable aged care deaths. There followed the longest cumulative lockdown of any city on Earth - 267 days - with devastating effects on mental health, personal freedoms, education, family businesses and our economy. The repercussions will be felt for years to come. Why then, after all this plus serious allegations of corruption and foul play, are voters likely to renew Premier Andrews tenure...2022-11-1532 minBeyond InfinityFallout Continues From Optus HackA massive cyber attack threatens the private data of 9.8 million current and former Optus customers. Authorities are being forced to reissue drivers licenses and passports, while the Federal Government promises regulatory reforms with stiff telco penalties for future breaches.2022-10-0114 min
Beyond InfinityPush To Allow Recycled Water In VictoriaBetter to recycle waste water and reduce ocean outfall or rely on energy-hungry desalination plants? In the lead up to the Victorian state election, a petition on change.org calls for a $60 million upgrade to the Eastern Treatment Plant to remove all contaminants from wastewater currently discharged near Gunnamatta on the Mornington Peninsula, south of Melbourne. The Clean Ocean Foundation claims the Weedy Seadragon is directly impacted by the outfall - its numbers are in decline and the species is considered "near threatened." They argue that advanced wastewater treatment plants provide purified recycled water and reduce ocean pollution.2022-09-3008 min
Beyond InfinityFrom Varroa Mite Or Foot And Mouth To Polio And Monkey Pox, Biohazards Still Threaten AustraliaBee keeping activist Simon Mulvany explains the problem of varroa mites for bees; how the pest entered Australia and what's being done to control it, including the controversial use of fipronil insecticide. We broaden the conversation to include other biohazards, like foot and mouth disease in Indonesia, the reemergence of drug-resistant polio, monkey pox and covid-19.2022-09-2729 minBeyond InfinityA Casual Discussion Of Quantum MechanicsIt's theorised that birds use quantum effects to navigate with help from the Earth's magnetic field. And how do massive flocks move as clouds in such exquisite and controlled close proximity? Inspired by the movie 'Everything Everywhere All At Once', mathematician and lecturer in information systems Dr. Ian Storey outlines the two main theories of QM - the Copenhagen interpretation and the multiverse. He thinks one is arrogant and anthropocentric, while the other is, well, hard to get your head around. Either way, "our intuition is not built around understanding events at the quantum level" he says.
Easy listening on...2022-07-3152 min
Beyond InfinityCan Elon Go Where No Man Has Gone Before?Musk's dream to make humanity a multi-planetary species. The frenetic pace of development at Starbase, his private rocket production facility, test site and spaceport in Texas. Success of Starlink in Ukraine annoys Russia. Musk defies the critics and weathers plenty of bets (and threats) against him, including shorting Tesla.
Piers is joined by activist influencer Simon Mulvany. Part 2 of a 2 part interview.2022-06-1018 min
Beyond InfinityElon's Battle For TwitterA look at the world's wealthiest individual and his delayed takeover of the loss-making microblogging service. His battles with Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter shareholders and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Why would Musk want control?
Piers is joined by activist influencer Simon Mulvany. Part 1 of a 2 part interview.2022-05-3121 min
Beyond InfinityNew Biohazards - Monkey Pox and Winter FluLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer. Latest scourge causing concern (but not alarm) around the world is monkey pox. Normally endemic in Africa, cases have been appearing in the UK, Europe, Australia and the USA. Scientists have yet to determine why. Meanwhile, Australia's covid death toll passes 8000 and this year's winter flu is proving worse for some than omicron.2022-05-2510 minBeyond InfinityExplaining America's High Covid Death TollLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
Victorian covid stats trending higher. Comparing covid death rates around the world as US approaches 1m milestone. Australian Vs US pandemic response - very different approach, very different results; trust is key. Unreliable covid reporting - North Korea's massive covid spike.2022-05-1810 min
Beyond InfinityCovid ComplacencyLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
A rundown of rising covid numbers around Australia. Covid fatigue causing complacency and unnecessary risk taking - people often ignoring mask mandates in transport hubs. NZ passes 1 million confirmed covid cases, but real figure could be much higher. Shanghai expats getting desperate as lockdown drags on; Tesla factory closed.2022-05-1110 min
Beyond InfinityCovid Sub-variants Gaining GroundLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
Ba4 and Ba5 first seen in South Africa now in Europe and America. Draconian lockdowns in Shanghai and Beijing; weakness of Chinese vaccines. New variants more risky than sub-variants. Australia relaxes close contact rules. Dam Andrews keeps his head down.2022-05-0409 minBeyond InfinityAustralia's Covid SurgeLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
Covid numbers rising dramatically especially in NSW, but hospitalisations remain low. XE mutant hybrid; NZ PM predicts more variants for 2022; close contact rules in the spotlight. Winter flu also coming, so a double whammy? Surge to peak at end of April.2022-04-1907 min
Beyond InfinityExtreme Weather Grips SE AustraliaIt's been a rough few years for Australia with extreme weather events ranging from devastating bushfires in 2019 to the record breaking floods of the summer of 2022. Piers and Simon Mulvany discuss the recent catastrophic La Niña-driven floods in South Eastern Queensland and Northern New South Wales. They explain weather modification programs like cloud seeding at the Beijing Winter Olympics and America's during the Vietnam war. They consider the devastating social and economic impacts of increasingly common extreme weather and some of the conspiracy theories that have emerged.
SO much more at beyondinfinity.com.au2022-04-0121 minBeyond InfinityAmerica Passes 800,000 Covid Deaths, As Omicron AcceleratesLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
Sydney daily covid cases rising sharply, with more omicron cases popping up. Data from South Africa suggest highly infectious omicron could overwhelm health systems even though it is less severe than delta; Pfizer vaccine less effective in preventing hospitalisation. Moderna to build mRNA factory in Melbourne. Pfizer pill available soon for those infected with covid. US tragically passes 800,OOO covid deaths as NYC tightens restrictions for the unvaccinated; weekly death toll increasing as winter sets in. In South Korean city of Bucheon, 10,000 CCTV cameras help authorities contain the virus.2021-12-1515 min
Beyond InfinityVictoria's Mounting Covid Death TollLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
Omicron more infectious than Delta, but Fauci optimistic; will be dominant UK strain in weeks not months. NYC vaccine mandates. Brazil's big turn around against covid. Studies confirm dire effects of missing school for kids. State ombudsman finds border closures 'inhumane and unjust'. Victoria's very high covid deaths compared to all other states. Failed and veiled government covid policies. Calls for a Royal Commission in to the pandemic.2021-12-0812 min
Beyond InfinityOMG, Omicron!Live-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
Comparing vaccine efficacy between Delta and Omicron. Potential benefits of new variant. International response to WHO's 'variant of concern'. Lightening worldwide spread. Germany considering mandatory vaccines. Lessons of Omicron. Differences between Omicron and earlier Covid variants. Booster imperative.2021-12-0120 minBeyond InfinityMass Protests As Europe Begins Another Covid Winter Of DiscontentLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
Vic-NSW Covid situations compared. Fortress New Zealand closed to Aussies until 2022. Mystery of unvaccinated Africa doing fine with Covid. Central Europe reacts to more lockdowns and vaccine mandates. Vaccinating kids as young as 5 years old. AstraZeneca claims its covid vaccine is the reason UK doing better than Europe. Vaccinating the South Pacific. Judging Australia's slow vaccine rollout.2021-11-2414 minBeyond InfinityLearning To Live With The Plague, Victoria Nears 90% Fully VaccinatedLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
Cases and hospitalisations trending down as Victoria approaches 90% fully vaccinated. Increased covid on the Mornington Peninsula, especially among school kids. Low cost anti-viral pills for the developing world. Pandemic winners - super yachts and private jets for the super rich. Angry backlash forces amendments to government's new pandemic laws.2021-11-1717 minBeyond InfinityTwo Worlds - The Vaxed And The UnvaxedLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
Australia passes 80% fully vaccinated nationally. Further limits on the unvaccinated for non-essential retail shopping. Combining PCR and RAT tests for comparison of accuracy. State covid numbers compared. NZ and Russian covid situations.2021-11-1011 minBeyond InfinityCovid Update - As Victoria Opens Up, Its Government Moves To Cement Rule By DecreeLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
International students heading back to Australia as borders re-open; China's Delta crackdown; Pfizer profits soar as booster rollout gathers momentum; Emergency pandemic powers before Victorian parliament attract sharp criticism from top lawyers.2021-11-0313 min
Beyond InfinityRemote Collaboration - Rick Springfield Discusses His Latest AlbumPiers talks with Australian-American musician and actor Rick Springfield about his latest album ‘Jack Chrome and the Darkness Waltz'. A joint project with singer-songwriter Russell Morris, the new album has been #1 on the ARIA Top 20 Jazz and Blues Albums Chart. In this wide-ranging interview Rick explains the album's 'Day of the Dead' inspiration and how a creative process with friendly competition worked with his old friend Russell, enabling the project's completion in just 6 weeks. Rick offers insights on politics, religion and conspiracy theories; he says there's "too many of us with too many points of view and too many names fo...2021-11-0140 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Questioning The Media's Role In Victoria's Pandemic ResponseLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
More freedoms as Victoria nears 80% double vaxed; Leunig fired after 55 years at The Age over censored cartoon; lack of transparency from Victorian government; controversial permanent pandemic powers set to pass into law.2021-10-2711 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Restrictions Ease As Victoria Achieves 70% Double VaxedLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer. Victoria passes 70% double dosed; Mornington Peninsula vax rate well ahead of many other Melbourne LGAs. Booster jabs being rolled out in Europe, US and Israel as double dose protection wanes over time, but should 3rd doses be going to poorer countries instead? Boom times for Pfizer forecast to continue in 2022. Update on subvariant AY.4.2 - more infectious than original Delta? And with daily case numbers stubbornly high, Melburnians prepare for an end to the world's longest lockdown.2021-10-2015 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Stark Contrast Between Victoria And NSWLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
Authorities lose control of Delta as lockdown fatigue intensifies in Melbourne. Who is dying of covid? Health system shortcomings. Sydney crisis management better than Melbourne's. New Zealand, world's last bastion of covid-free living, abandons its eradication policy.2021-10-0613 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - At 241 Days And Counting, Melbourne's Lockdown Misery Is The Longest In The WorldLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
Melbourne's 241+ days of cumulative lockdown surpasses any other city, costing at least AUD$150 million a day. Record daily case numbers surpass Sydney's for the first time. Hospitals overrun when whole purpose of lockdowns was to buy time and prepare the health system for covid. Failure to learn lessons from last year's city hotspots. Rapid home testing to start in November. Pfizer boosters approved in Israel and the US.2021-09-2921 min
Beyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Quakes, Riots And Chaos In The CityLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
Victoria struck by a 5.8 magnitude earthquake as a riotous anti-lockdown mob gathered in Melbourne's CBD threatening the public, police and efforts to control the city's growing delta outbreak. The potential for a super-spreader event is real and could seriously set back efforts to emerge from grinding lockdown, set to be the longest for any city in the world. Meanwhile, federal health minister Greg Hunt has requested approval for 5 year olds and up to get the jab.2021-09-2210 minBeyond InfinityAndrews Government's Vague And Confusing Roadmap Out Of LockdownPiers discusses Victoria’s new Roadmap to Deliver the National Plan with Geoff Wells, a senior consultant urologist at Melbourne's Box Hill hospital. While Geoff says there's some improvement for Melburnians, the slow pace of getting kids back to school is scandalous and the roadmap is confusing and lacking in confidence. He thinks people who are fully vaccinated should enjoy more freedoms now and if future lockdowns occur once vaccination targets are met, government ministers should have their pay cut.2021-09-1928 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Melbourne Nears 8 Months Of Lockdown As Government Mulls Relaxation Of RestrictionsLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
Regional status of Mornington Peninsula an increasingly hot issue; Shadow Health minister Georgie Crozier calls for more nuanced, targeted response to hotspots; risk averse Andrews Government plans for gradual and cautious reduction of tight restrictions; overseas lessons in benefits of rapid antigen testing; how to incentivise double vaccinations.2021-09-1512 minBeyond InfinityThe Race That Could Start A NationPiers talks with Bruce Keebaugh, founder of catering and events company The Big Group, about the need for a clear and transparent plan to reopen the Victorian economy. Bruce says there's huge frustration for businesses and people stuck at home who want to get back to living. He's a big supporter of rapid anitigen testing, which he reckons is a great tool not being utilised. And he'd love Melbourne Cup Day on November 2nd, often referred to as 'the race that stops the nation', to mark the beginning of Australia's emergence from devastating lockdown.2021-09-0914 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Covid Spreads As Vic Government Changes CourseLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer. Cases popping up on highly vaccinated Mornington Peninsula as faith in Andrews government wanes; futile elimination target replaced with vaccine drive. New Opposition leader Matthew Guy reinstalled to take fight to ALP. WHO designates MU mutation a 'variant of concern'.2021-09-0810 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Despite Tough Restrictions, Case Numbers Are RisingLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer.
If stage 4 restrictions don't work and even NZ can't control Delta, what will work to bring the numbers down? Mornington Peninsula vaccine rates well ahead of state average; Europe sets limits on American travellers as US 'pandemic of the unvaccinated' worsens; the unbelievably high cost of over 7 months of lockdown for Melbourne.2021-09-0112 minBeyond InfinityUnprecedented Uncertainty (Part 1)Piers chats with Guy West, professional share market investor and a world chess master and Dr. Ian Storey, mathematician and lecturer in information systems about the world's exuberant financial markets and the risk of a so-called Minsky moment - a sudden, major collapse of asset values. Part 1 of a 2 part-long form interview.2021-08-2526 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Melbourne Endures Seven Months Of Hard LockdownLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer. Melbourne's lockdown extended again, with tighter restrictions and a 9pm to 5am curfew introduced. The city of 5 million souls has been in lockdown for longer than anywhere else in the country, with devastating effects on people's lives, livelihoods and kids' education. We examine the demographics of Australians who've died from covid, plus overseas warnings of super variants emerging in the unvaccinated 3rd world.2021-08-1814 min
Beyond InfinityNo Way To LIve - Australia's Rolling LockdownsPiers chews the fat with beekeeper activist Simon Mulvany. We talk disrupted travel plans, state border closures, vaccine passports, lost freedoms, economic fallout, mental health and lockdown fatigue.2021-08-1632 minBeyond InfinityThe War Has ChangedWe could be entering a new and dangerous phase of the pandemic, with delta and other super contagious variants threatening populations around the world. Piers discusses what can be done to stem the tide: high tech and low tech options and the limits to what lockdowns can achieve.2021-08-1014 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Covid Numbers Heading The Wrong Way In Sydney And MelbourneLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer. While Europe enjoys summer holidays, Australia's biggest cities are under wraps, with lockdowns extended as case numbers rise sharply in Sydney and remain stubbornly high for greater Melbourne. We discuss the limits of what lockdowns can achieve, vaccine certificates and how Oxford researchers are questioning the very notion of herd immunity.2021-08-1013 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - The Difference Between Delta And Earlier VariantsLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer. Delta puts younger people at risk, as Doherty modelling shows 20-40 year olds most important to vaccinate. China's delta outbreak. French protests. Vaccine hesitancy and digital certificates.2021-08-0410 minBeyond InfinityDigital Fixes For Small BusinessPiers chats with online digital marketing expert Michael Simonetti about how demand for his company's services has exploded over the past 18 months. He reckons the fundamentals of marketing haven't changed, but have actually become more important than ever before.2021-07-2525 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Victoria On Tenterhooks As Delta ReturnsLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer. The politics of covid: Federal Opposition on the attack over Australia's squandered victory over covid; vaccine availability and supply issues. Delta variant spreads to Victoria. Mixing and matching vaccine doses. UK set to end covid restrictions from 17th July, while infections increase sharply.2021-07-1412 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Mixed Messaging Adds To Vaccine HesitancyLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer. Feds finally get urgent about vaccine rollout, but their messaging is mixed and confusing for Aussies weighing the jab. Shortages don't help either. If astra zeneca isn't supplied to locals, CSL says it will happily sell supplies overseas where demand remains high. Big business enlisted to help Fed rollout, as doctors administering vaccines are guaranteed indemnity. Treasury's 2021 Intergenerational Report paints a concerning ecomomic future.2021-06-3010 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Sydney Cluster Growing And NZ Not ImmuneLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer. British medical journal 'The Lancet' reports up to a third of people infected with covid develop brain disease and psychological disorders; problems emerge with Chinese vaccine; vaccinating under-18s; Australia's slow roll out draws criticism; Clive Palmer's anti vax campaign.2021-06-2311 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Origins Of Wuhan Virus, The Alpha StrainLive-to-air radio interview with Piers Cunningham and Brendon Telfer. As Melbourne emerges from 2 weeks of stage 4 lockdown, attention returns to the origins of the virus. Did the pandemic result from animal to human transmission of covid or was it a leak from the secretive Wuhan Institute of Virology? And to complicate matters further, was the US involved in funding some of the Chinese 'gain of function' research looking at ways to make naturally-occurring corona viruses even more deadly?2021-06-0912 min
Beyond InfinityThe Tree In The SwampPiers hears from Dr.Tony Heyes, retired physicist and inventor, about what he calls the Adams Event, a time 42,000 years ago when the Earth's magnetic field flipped. During this period, our magnetic shield dropped to below 6% of its current level exposing surface life to dangerous radiation from space and auroral activity so bright that night turned into day. He suggests the extinctions of Australia's megafauna and neanderthals may have been caused by this apocalyptic environmental crisis, as revealed in the rings of an ancient Kauri tree, preserved in a swamp in New Zealand.2021-05-1743 min
Beyond InfinityUnderstanding Risk - The Maths And The MarketsIn Part 1 of a wide-ranging discussion, Piers asks Dr. Ian Storey, a mathematician and lecturer in information systems and Guy West, a professional sharemarket investor and chess master, why it's so vitally important to understand risk.
Like what you hear? Check out our searchable backlist of over 800 science and technology podcasts, complete with show notes and other resources at beyondinfinity.com.au2021-05-0628 min
OverdueEp 465 - On a Pale Horse (Incarnations of Immortality #1), by Piers AnthonyWhat if Death was a job, that a guy did? On a Pale Horse has an interesting theology and viewpoint on morality, even if the book's women characters are paper-thin and Piers Anthony is kind of a jabroni.Our theme music was composed by Nick Lerangis.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.2021-03-2257 minBeyond InfinityOpen For Business - Towards Covid Normal (Dec 7, 9, 14 & 16)Live-to-air radio interviews on RPPfm. Twice weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer.
- Asian immunity stemming from previous exposure to coronaviruses including SARS
- China understating its early cases of covid-19. Possible cover-up
- V-Day in the UK: Pfizer vaccine rollout. Fine-tuning vaccinations with UK lessons
- EU divisions
- are we entering a "new pandemic era"?
- Bill Gates warnings
- can future pandemics be controlled by very fast development of vaccines?
- a seasonal flu shot incorporating dose for latest covid strains?
- new dangerous mutation in southern England
- covid-20 and 21 on the way?
...2020-12-1745 min
Beyond InfinityPandemic Pivot - How A Melbourne VR Company Responded To The New Paradigm (Part 1)Piers hears from Simon Young, Head of Content at LithodomosVR, about how his company refocussed their business in 2020. As expert creators of digital visualisations for the world's most famous archaeological sites and museums, the abrupt end of international travel and mass tourism had a profound effect on their client base. Simon explains how the company changed tack and launched a consumer product which harnesses web VR.
Part 1 of a 2 part in-depth interview.
Fascinated by this story? Keep us talking and support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeyondInfinityRPP?fan_landing=true2020-12-1425 minBeyond InfinityPandemic Pivot - How A Melbourne VR Company Responded To The New Paradigm (Part 2)Piers talks with Simon Young, Head of Content at LithodomosVR, about how his company refocussed their business in 2020. LDVR is utilising its library of 500 visualisations of the ancient world for their new consumer web VR site ancient-world.co, with a headset version in the pipeline. He walks us through the process of how a VR experience of Hobart Town as it was 200 years ago was created and ponders the similarities of the VR experience and dreams.
Part 2 of a 2 part in-depth interview.
Excited by this story? Keep us talking and support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeyondInfinityRPP?fan...2020-12-1430 minBeyond InfinityOpen For Business - Towards Covid Normal (Nov 16, 18 & 23)Live-to-air radio interviews on RPPfm. Twice weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer.
- the vital need for lots of testing; Victoria opening up; virus in sewage; living with covid
- Sweden's ultimately unsuccessful approach, especially when compared to other Scandinavian nations
- Australian state border closures; US response; Masks, Gates, Fauci2020-12-0640 minBeyond InfinityOpen For Business - Towards Covid Normal (Nov 25, 30 & Dec 2)Live-to-air radio interviews on RPPfm. Twice weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer.
- theoretical elimination; vaccines; quarantine issues
- Sweden's predicament; rampant 2nd wave; Anders Tegnell
- bioethics; vaccine rollout and prioritisation; international travel prospects2020-12-0633 min
Beyond InfinitySmall Is Beautiful - Why The 12 Mini Is Apple’s Biggest Phone EverAt last, the iPhone 12 Mini is here. For those who loved the form factor of 2012's iPhone 5 or lament smart phones' unrelenting increase in size and yearn for single-handed texting, this device is exactly what you've been waiting for. Piers tells all about the smallest fully-specced phone Apple has released in years and reckons there's a lot to like.
Excited by this story? Keep us talking by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeyondInfinityRPP?fan_landing=true2020-12-0228 min
Beyond InfinityOpen For Business - Towards Covid-NormalLive-to-air radio interviews on RPPfm. Weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer.
2-9/11/20: Australian state border closures continue, but there are signs of hope. International travel bubbles under consideration. Politics of covid. Vaccine developments. Victoria's travel restrictions finally lifted. Flu numbers down massively from last year. The need for asymptomatic testing in sensitive industries.
Like what you hear? Check out our searchable backlist of over 750 science and technology podcasts, complete with show notes and other resources at beyondinfinity.com.au2020-11-2622 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Coate Inquiry, Elimination/Suppression & The Numbing Betrayal Of MelbourneLive-to-air radio interviews on RPPfm. Weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer.
16/10/20: Tough questions for the Premier from Peta Credlin. COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Inquiry. Unrealistic elimination policy. Analog Vs digital contact tracing.
26/10/20: Endless lockdown. Northern metro outbreak. Government messaging. Asymptomatic spreading. Acceptable risk management. Comparison with NSW covid approach. Mounting pressure on Victorian government. Mornington Peninsula lockdown. Paralysis in decision making.
Like this story? Check out our searchable backlist of over 750 science and technology podcasts, complete with show notes and other resources at beyondinfinity.com.au2020-10-2833 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Depression & Anxiety In Young PeopleLive-to-air radio interview on RPPfm. Weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer and Shivani Pillai.
9/10/20: Melbourne GPs dealing with much higher incidence of mental illness, especially among young patients and new mums. Anti-depressants prescribed to 12 year olds. Dr. Stacey Harris's open letter to Premier Andrews. Doctors meeting with new health minister Martin Foley. Great Barrington Declaration signed by leading epidemiologists.2020-10-1623 min
Beyond InfinityGPs Warn Of A Mental Health Crisis From Melbourne's LockdownPiers talks with busy Melbourne GP Dr. Stacey Harris about the disturbing incidence of mental health issues among her young patients and new mothers. Dr. Harris says lockdowns do more harm than good and have caused a mental health crisis in Melbourne. She insists we can open up safely, with an emphasis on more robust contact tracing and that the huge cost of striving for corona virus elimination is too high and may not even be achievable.
Like this story? Check out our searchable backlist of over 750 science and technology podcasts, complete with show notes and other resources at beyondinfinity...2020-10-1320 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Modelling Covid & Renewed Calls To End IsoLive-to-air radio interviews on RPPfm. Weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer and Shivani Pillai.
25/9/20: How good is the covid modelling? Alternative views on lockdown from Irish Youtuber Ivor Cummins who says masks are useless and lockdowns are a "medieval" solution. Lessons from Sweden.
2/10/20: Growing frustration from senior Melbourne doctors. Why won't the Victorian government listen to their serious concerns over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic? They say outdoor exercise and sport is safe and should be allowed; that we need to open up.2020-10-1123 minBeyond InfinityLockdown Radio - Doctors' Pleas To Government & Vaccine EspionageLive-to-air radio interviews on RPPfm. Weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer and Shivani Pillai.
11/9/20: The Covid Doctors Network open letter to Victorian Premier Dan Andrews. Bureaucracy not medical experts driving government response to pandemic. Devastation of business from prolonged lockdown. Government in crisis.
18/9/20: Vaccine espionage - all countries are spying on each other. Hacking and biotech companies targeted by hackers. Race for a vaccine. Fast testing options. Early vaccines in Russia and China.2020-10-0927 min
Beyond InfinityThe Details Of Hacking (Part 2)Piers talks hacking with Dr. Ian Storey, lecturer in information systems at RMIT. Ian continues the discussion of a range of different hacking methods, including backdoors and trapdoors, logic bombs, man-in-the-middle attacks, trojans, malware and viruses.
Part 2 of a 2 part interview.
Like this podcast? Donate and become a Beyond Infinity Patron. https://www.patreon.com/BeyondInfinityRPP/creators2020-10-0132 min
Beyond InfinityThe Details Of Hacking (Part 1)Piers is joined by Dr. Ian Storey, lecturer in information systems at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Ian shares his in-depth knowledge from years of teaching data security and anti-hacking courses. Topics covered include information security for businesses, public key encryption, cryptography and various kinds of hack attack.
Part 1 of a 2 part interview.
**For our complete searchable backlist of over 750 science and technology podcasts, plus show notes and other resources, check out our program website beyondinfinity.com.au2020-09-2840 min
Beyond InfinityIs It Pointless For The ACCC To Take On Facebook And Google?Piers talks with digital marketer Michael Simonetti about the Australian Competition and Consumer Commissions's campaign to introduce revenue sharing between local news originators and Facebook and Google. Michael thinks regulators are wasting their time trying to change the media landscape of the digital age.2020-09-1921 min
Beyond InfinityThinking Beyond Fear - Victoria Needs Open Community Discussion To RestartPiers talks with Robert Millar, general surgeon and transplant specialist at Royal Melbourne Hospital and an original signatory of the Covid Doctors Network's open letter to the Victorian Government, which expressed serious concern with its handling of the covid pandemic. The speed and accuracy of covid testing is discussed, along with the possibility of a nano cellular microscopy test with reliable results in under a minute.
Robert thinks covid eradication in Victoria is an unrealistic goal and stresses we need better contact tracing to lockdown specific areas of outbreak, rather than an economically devastating blanket shutdown for everyone. He urges...2020-09-1512 min
Beyond InfinityCovid Normal - A Digital Roadmap To RecoveryPiers talks with Michael Simonetti, the founder and CEO of digital agency Andmine, about what businesses can do to survive Melbourne's severe economic shutdown. Michael says the covid pandemic has accelerated the move to digital by five years and if you're not already doing it, you need to hurry up. He advises people to work out what events they can automate and make digital in their business and says the ones who succeed are the ones who figure this out. Irreversible trends which don't end when the pandemic is over.2020-09-1122 min
Beyond InfinityCompetition Watchdog Takes On Google And FacebookThe Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is pressuring Google and Facebook to support locally produced news by agreeing to pay for material that appears on their platforms. The regulator believes there is a significant power imbalance between the American tech giants and news originators. But Google and Facebook disagree. Google is warning users its popular services will be diminished, while Facebook says it will remove all news from its Australian platform.
Piers and John examine the utterly disrupted media landscape of the digital age and what's at stake.2020-09-0942 min
Beyond InfinityHow Useful Is Australia's COVIDSafe App?Piers chats with technology expert Michael Simonetti about Australia's COVIDSafe contact tracing app. How does it compare with overseas equivalents? Why has it only garnered limited public support? And why, after the initial hype, have authorities gone quiet about it? Michael reckons that perhaps they're getting the data they want from other, far more useful sources... (Part 1 of a 2 part interview)2020-07-2731 min
Beyond InfinityHow To Podcast From HomePiers and John explain how to podcast remotely on a budget. While they normally record and broadcast from Victorian station Radio Port Phillip, social distancing rules mean they've been forced to improvise and conduct interviews from home. From choosing software, microphones and outlining step-by-step workflows, this clarifies how to record quality phone conversations, edit and post to podcasting platforms.2020-05-1222 minBeyond InfinityLingering Concerns Over The Privacy And Security Of Australia's COVIDSafe AppPiers talks with Dr Ian Storey, a lecturer in Information Systems at Melbourne's RMIT, about the Federal Government's contact tracing app. While acknowledging the app can be useful in controlling the spread of the virus, Ian has doubts about privacy and data security. He reckons it was rushed out the door, relies on the security of a centralised, US-owned server and that at the moment the health benefits do not outweigh privacy concerns.2020-05-0732 min
Beyond InfinityAre We Cool With The COVIDSafe App?Piers discusses the Australian Government's new CovidSafe app with digital marketer Michael Simonetti. Will enough people use the virus tracking app? What are the privacy considerations? And if we're all on Facebook, does it even matter? Is this expensive, high-tech app solution really any more effective than New Zealand's paper and pen contact diary approach? To understand the issues at stake, Michael reckons we need to educate ourselves about the technology.2020-04-2850 min
Beyond Infinity4.5 Billion Souls In Lockdown - The Human, Social And Economic CostsPiers talks with Dr. Ian Storey, lecturer in information systems at RMIT, about the virus, economic shocks, the future of work and growing pressure to wind back social isolation. Ian offers mathematical insights into exponential viral spread and human response to risk. We discuss privacy issues of the Australian Government's mooted Covid-19 tracking app and worsening post-pandemic financial prospects for millennials. Ian reckons we're going to need something akin to the 1930s New Deal in America - if that's possible...2020-04-2351 minBeyond InfinityAdapting To The New ParadigmPiers talks with Michael Simonetti, CEO of digital marketing agency AndMine, about the redefined business landscape we find ourselves in amid a global pandemic.
Michael explains how his clients are dealing with challenging trading conditions and offers important advice on companies' relationships with their customers: If we're all in this together, then HOW?
We also talk about online education for kids, working from home and helping the elderly get digitally connected.2020-04-1147 min
Beyond InfinityComing To Grips With The Science Behind Buruli UlcersPiers talks with leading experts on Buruli ulcers Professor Tim Stinear of the Doherty Institute and Professor Paul Johnson, Director of Research at Austin Health. While they acknowledge gaps in their understanding, they explain the spread of the disease from Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula to the Mornington Peninsula and why they believe mosquitos are the likely link from possums which carry the bacteria to humans.
More: https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/infectious-diseases/beating-buruli2019-10-0227 minBeyond InfinityWorld Bee Day 20th MayTolstoy wrote: "One can no more approach people without love than one can approach bees without care. Such is the quality of bees..." To mark World Bee Day on 20th May, Piers talks with Simon Mulvany of Save The Bees Australia about his intensifying legal battle with big honey, recent wins in having dangerous chemicals banned by major retailers, his disdain for Australian Certified Organic and his change.org petition to ban toxic neonicotinoids in Australia - as Europe has already done.2018-05-1824 min