I needed to get a couple of books of tickets for a raffle at an event for a community group that…read moreI'm involved with. Get a couple of books of different colors I was told at the meeting, so I went to the Coburg Newsagent. It is a large shop with a wide selection of magazines organized by subject along three rows of shelves. There are also greeting cards and, what I was looking for, a wide range of stationary. I had a choice of ticket books and colors - mission accomplished. On the way out I noticed that the newsagent has started a vendetta against shoplifters putting images from their security video of people that it accuses of shoplifting on its front window.

We are blessed in Melbourne with nothing short of the best community radio in the world. It's a…read morebold statement, but it's true. Triple R stand at the forefront of public broadcasting. They offer open, accessible radio in a format that allows the community to be involved in the discussion of all issues, large and small, local and abroad, and they wrap it up in killer tunes delivered by many of Melbourne's top music nerds and DJs. The coolest thing about RRR is that anybody can drop by, say giddy and the folk there are cool as shit. The survive on subscriber funding (it's $75 to join) and they offer a shitpile of prizes and cool stuff for your money - outside of the every day prize of gifting us all amazing INDEPENDENT radio. They take no funding from government, so they can say whatever they like. If you don't already, you should subscribe. This is a Melbourne institution of such enormous importance, we must keep it alive. The end.

Thursdays are one my favourite RRR days, so how very fitting that I write this review on a…read moreThursday. I start the morning with Richard Watts' SmartArts program, which starts at 9am and goes on till noon. This man knows the Melbourne arts scene inside and out and his regular guests of industry peeps, each knowledgeable in their area of the local arts environment, fatten out the program and makes it essential listening for anyone interested in knowing what's on offer in the thriving and abundant Melbourne arts community. SmartArts is smoothly followed by Chris Gill's funk and soul program, Get Down. From noon till 2pm, he'll have you shakin' what you've got all the way through your lunch break. At 4 o'clock, Karen Leng tickles your eardrums with her Kinky Afro, playing an eclectic mix of mostly new releases with the occasional oldie-but-goodie favourite thrown in. I always end up with a list of albums I need to buy after listening to this program. RRR and PBS together make Melbourne radio a pleasure to listen to. If you love your community radio stations, support them and become a member. There are loads of perks with becoming a member, but the greatest one of all is knowing that you're helping to keep what the people truly want to hear on the air.