Yeah Politics - 07/08/2013 - The Politics of Eurovision

On the 7th of August, we dove briefly into the tepid pond of politics.

Our fifth and final speaker was Elyse Zaccai, Yeah Sessions alumni and self-described Eurovision Overlord. Elyse discussed the various  vagaries of the politics of Eurovision, including the various under-explored chunks of context that explain why the countries vote the way they do.

Click here to view the video on Youtube, or cast your eyes to the embedded video below:

Elyse is a Eurovision enthusiast and has spoken for the Yeah Sessions before, on potions and black magic, here!

Yeah Politics - 07/08/2013 - Vaccination, Policy and Media

On August the 7th, before the election, we delved bravely into the world of politics and policy.

Our fourth speaker was Yeah Sessions co-founder and co-curator Ketan Joshi, talking about vaccination - a topic that is frequently blended with politics and media. In this talk, we explore the occasional but problematic involvement of politicians in health policy, and the recent case of an Australian media outlet deciding to campaign for new laws on the access of un-vaccinated children to childcare centres.

Click here to watch the video on youtube, or cast your eyes to the embedded video below..

Ketan Joshi is co-founder and co-curator of The Yeah Sessions, and works in research and communications at a renewable energy company. 

To view the Daily Telegraph's article on 'No Jab, No Play', click here, and to read Leask and Willaby's article on the legislation, click here.

Yeah Politics - 07/08/2013 - The Social Determinants of Health

On the 7th of August this year, we casually strolled into the dark woods of politics.

Our third speaker was Alice Gentle, who spoke at the very first Yeah Session (Yeah Science), on the demonstrable irrationality of Slime Mould. At Yeah Politics, Alice spoke on the Social Determinants of Health - going beyond the 'absence of disease' and trying to formulate a way of defining health that incorporates factors like 'walkability', physical well-being and mental health.

Click here to view the video on youtube, or cast your eyes to the embedded video below..

Alice Gentle works in public health in NSW, and is passionate about innovation in health.

If you'd like to view the 2013 interactive budget tool, click here. For more information on the Health Impact Project in the US, click here. And click here for information on AARP's 'Sidewalks and Streets Survey'.

Yeah Politics - 07/08/2013 - Political Psychology

On the 7th of August, The Yeah Sessions dipped nervously into the muddy pond of politics.

Our second speaker was Tim Dean, speaking on the genuinely fascinating patterns we find when we look at political viewpoints from a psychological perspective, and some of the ways that our political views might be more predictable than we think.

Click here to have a squiz at the video on youtube, or cast your eyes to the embedded vid below:

Tim Dean is an established science journalist, and editor of the Australian Life Scientist Magazine. He is completing a PhD in philosophy at UNSW, researching the evolution of morality. Check out his blog here, and read his fantastic articles on ABC's The Drum, here.

Tim is also editor-in-chief of Wonder - an excellent website dedicated to rational appreciation of the natural world, and most definitely well worth checking out.

More videos coming very soon, people!

Yeah Politics - 07/07/2013 - The Mechanics of Change

On the 7th of August, we cautiously toed the murkey waters of poltics.

Our first speaker was Eran Asoulin, speaking on the varied mechanics of politcal change, exploring the history of how governments have wrought influence, and the factors that have driven this, and the way these factors operate in modern times.

Click here to have a squiz at the video on youtube, or cast your eyes to the embedded vid below:

Eran, aka Bud Petal, is an avid musician and holds a deep interest in the machinations of the political world. Check out his blog, and his band page.

Das Yeah Sessions

Interview with 2SER 107.3 FM about Yeah Politics

On Wednesday the 9th of August, The Yeah Sessions will be hosting Yeah Politics at Yulli's in Surry Hills. It's going to be quite splendid - it starts at 6:30, get there early for delicious, delicious beers.

What we are going to be talking about really interesting things like…health, the mechanics of political change, Eurovision, political psychology, and the influence of the anti-vaccination lobby. Sounds great, yeah? Yeah!

Our wonderful speakers for the session will be Eran Asoulin, Ketan Joshi, Tim Dean, Elyse Zaccai and Alice Gentle.

50% of the Yeah Sessions (Ketan Joshi, one of the aforementioned speakers) did an interview with 2SER radio about Yeah politics. Have a listen, and be there on Wednesday night for beers, politics and fun..

Yeah Science - 12/06/2013 - Holographic Optical Trapping

On the 12th of June, we trotted haughtily once more into blooming fields of science.

Our fourth speaker was Evan Tanner, delivering a truly fascinating talk about the world of holographic optical trapping. This technique involves the use of light to trap microscopic objects, including live bacteria, and then using this to manipulate these objects in real time. Put simply: the use of holograms to wreak havoc on tiny things.

Click here to watch the video on youtube, or cast your gaze to the embedded video below:

Evan Tanner is a researcher who has worked previously for Arryx Inc as a research and development manager, and studied at Stanford University in California. He has had his work published here and here.

Click here to read more about optical tweezers on Wikipedia.