Open post of the week

How’s your week going? Our regular Wednesday Open Post is where we get to let you in on what’s been going on behind-the-scenes at Mamamia and you tell us and each other….well, anything really.

The show

On the panel this week we have Sam de Brito (he’s back!), Cosmo editor (and new mother) Bronwyn McCahon, author (Holy Cow) and broadcaster, Sarah MacDonald and Get Up’s national director, Simon Sheikh.

And if you’re one of the thousands of MM readers who read, commented and shared this post 9 Myths about vaccination – BUSTED, you’ll be wanting to see our interview with the brave and beautiful Toni and Dave McCaffery, who lost their daughter Dana when she died of whooping cough at four weeks of age.

We’ve also invited into the studio the author of the vaccination myths post, Vice President of the Australian Skeptics, Dr Rachael Dunlop, who has been tirelessly responding to comments on the post (along with many other health professionals who have joined in) on the post. Thanks to all of them for fighting the good fight to protect babies like Dana. There’s a surprising and disturbing twist to this story that you won’t want to miss.

Friday 9:15pm and the show will be repeated on Saturday afternoon at 2:15pm. We’ll post it online over the weekend.

I’m really really proud of last week’s show – I think it’s our best so far. FINALLY I feel like we’re getting into the swing of things and doing justice to the website. It really felt like a dinner party (albeit with jelly snakes rather than wine – must change that…) with laughs, serious bits, debate and interesting conversation. Take a look!

See the panel discuss the Federal Government’s proposed changes to pokie laws at the 6.10 min mark and whether sporting clubs need to find a “more moral business model” (rather than one that takes 40% of its revenue from problem gamblers) at the 7.10 min mark.

At the 8.40 min mark the panel talk about “Foxy Knoxy” and Dee Madigan asks whether people who are more attracted are deemed to be more moral.

Watch the full discussion about Kasey Chambers and her severe eating disorder at 20.30 mins.

At 24.15mins there’s talk of Warnie and Liz Hurley and why they make their relationship so public?

And see Bryce Corbett talk about why women hate Nicole Kidman at 29.40 mins.

And for those who asked about the necklace I was wearing on the show last week, it’s from the new Warrior collection by Sanctus Stones whose necklaces I’ve been buying and wearing for a couple of years now. I love them. They use crystals and have different jewellery for different ‘energies’. This one is the Hummingbird necklace which they kindly sent to me a few weeks ago and which I’ve been wearing non-stop. The website says:

A common belief among American Indian tribes and its warriors is that the drum symbolizes an animal’s heartbeat and resonates the spirit of the animal depicted on it.

The Hummingbird teaches us to go beyond time, to see that the past and the future, is not nearly as important as what is occurring now. Its spirit will show you how to hover in the moment, to appreciate and drink deeply from the beauty and sweetness of life. When we are weighed down with worries the Hummingbirds physical lightness is a powerful reminder for us to lighten up and let our spirits soar. Find the Joy in your life.

EVERY week we cross the Sydney Harbour Bridge on our way to the Sky News studio and EVERY week our News Editor Rick (who is from Brisbane) pulls out his phone to take a photo of it. Seeing the country boy come out in him is kind of endearing, but also makes us wonder how many photos of the bridge he could possibly need? Perhaps he needs to read this post from MM’s managing editor Lana who is STILL away on holidays.

There’s a lot that goes into the planning of each show and we’re preparing a bumper behind-the-scenes post for you in a few weeks’ time. Here’s a preview of the post-it note guest planning system that Nat and Rick work on every week:

The great idea

After I had a small incident with some milk last week that somehow turned into a news incident after I tweeted about it (my Mum rang me and said “Darling! I just heard on the radio that you’d been poisoned by some bad milk!”), this cooler bag full of milk arrived at MM HQ from Aussie Farmers Direct.

Interestingly, I’ve found myself switching from low fat to full fat milk lately. I only have milk in my tea and on my cereal so it’s not a big consumption but it’s been a gradual switch. I know others who have done the same – apparently full fat milk has less lactose in it so it’s better if you’re lactose-intolerant (which I’m not). What milk are you drinking at the moment?

The office dress-up party

Mikey is our IT guy and he’s been shopping for Halloween costumes online lately (OF COURSE HE HAS).

The good cause

Arghand is the only all-natural, sustainable skincare line from Afghanistan. Purchasing a soap, moisturiser or oil from the range is a practical way of helping the women of Afghanistan – all their profits go back into the Arghand Cooperative to support and sustain the men and women who work for equal pay and participate equally in all aspects of production and management regardless of gender, ethnicity or tribal affiliation.

Their products are made with 100 percent natural, hand harvested, whole plant ingredients and packaged in recycled and recyclable materials. Even if you don’t use any of the products yourself, they’re a great gift idea. Find out more and shop for products here.

Afghanistan has just passed the 10-year anniversary of the beginning of the war. It’s the longest running war ever for the United States and Australia and, whatever your thoughts on right or wrong, living under threat of violence and war is never easy.

The office decor

Nobody can say we don’t have a strong appreciation for animals at MM HQ. Here’s Rick’s Miss Piggy doll, enjoying the company of our resident elephants (all of which have names) and our IKEA zebra print.

The penis calendar

This landed on my desk this week and nobody quite knows how it got here – or what we’re supposed to do with it…

The phone

This is the Professional Mobile Phone Handset for iPhone – you plug your iPhone into it and it works just like a regular phone. I am super-paranoid about holding my phone near my head. I almost never do. I haven’t used this yet but others in the office have been trying it out. You can grab them here.

Speaking of iPhones, those of us in the office decided to do our own little tribute to Steve Jobs by gathering our products together for an Apple product family photo. This isn’t even all of the products we have – there’s a few iPads and computers missing – but it just goes to show how much we appreciate our bits and pieces of technology and Jobs’ contribution to the world.

And finally, here are the must-see looks of the week..

How’s your week been – what’s on your mind?