Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Lovers often meet under the night sky, stargazing a cliché of the romance genre. But do other celestial bodies carry the same romantic energy? Kevin Milne is wondering if blue moons, and blue supermoons in particular, bring romance into people’s lives. He wouldn’t have thought so, but this week’s blue supermoon has stirred some memories and emotions. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leeks are so underrated and I have to remind myself to use them for more than just soups and chicken pies. In these tarts they are the star and as well as looking pretty they are absolutely scrumptious with soft and sweet, leeks combining with the tang of parmesan and saltiness of prosciutto. Perfect really! Makes 4 Ingredients 3-4 leeks, cut into 2cm thick rounds (to yield about 16-20) 30g butter 2 sheets savour short crust pastry 1 tbsp olive oil 4 eggs 150g crème fraiche 200mls cream ½ tsp wholegrain mustard ¼ tsp sea salt + pinch black pepper 100g parmesan, grated + extra chunks for tops 50g prosciutto Method 1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Place oven tray in to heat. 2. Line four 12cm tart tins (or one large 25cm) with pastry and trim edges neatly. Chill for 20 minutes. 3. Carefully place leek rounds in a pan with butter and oil, cover and cook gently until they begin to soften and are cooked through - about 20-30minutes. Turn once halfway through cooking but do so carefully as they like to unravel! Cool. 4. In a bowl whisk together eggs, crème fraiche, cream, mustard and seasoning. 5. Sprinkle grated parmesan over chilled pastry bases then position cooked and cooled leeks, leaving a little space between each. Transfer tarts to oven tray at this stage to avoid spillage later. Pour egg mixture around the leeks, until each case is full. Top with scrunched up prosciutto and extra cheese. 6. Gently slide back into oven and cook for 30-35 minutes (longer for large tart) or until pastry is golden and filling is just firm. 7. Leave to cool for 5-10 minutes and serve. Nici’s note: Prosciutto (and pancetta for that matter) can seem expensive but a little goes a long way in recipes such as this as the flavour is very intense. Always remove tarts from fluted tins whilst still a little warm as they come away from the tin easier when pastry is not completely cold. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

13-year old Jack Tame would never have believed that Scott Robertson and Leon MacDonald weren’t getting along. The year was 2000. Having survived Y2K, started high school, and become a teenager in the space of a few short months, the highlight of my year was yet to come: May 20th, when the Canterbury Crusaders defeated the ACT Brumbies by a single point at Bruce Stadium in Canberra to become Super Rugby Champions for the third year in a row, the first team to achieve the feat. It is amazing to go back and look at that starting 15. We didn’t know it then, but several of the winning Crusaders would end up becoming successful coaches after their playing careers were done. Winning finalists included Todd Blackadder, Daryl Gibson, and Mark Hammett, all of whom have enjoyed pretty high-profile coaching careers. The Crusaders’ second-five-eighth was a guy called Mark Robinson, who in years to come would be appointed the CEO of New Zealand Rugby. We didn’t know it then, but in a couple of decades, he would hire his blindside flanker teammate as the All Blacks’ coach and his fullback as assistant. But if you could’ve told 13-year-old me that two of the guys from that team would end up having a very split after just a month at the helm of the All Blacks, I would never have believed you. I’ve gotta say though... as shocked as I was this week to learn that MacDonald and Razor hadn’t worked out, from what we know so far, New Zealand Rugby, the All Blacks, and both Scott Robertson and Leon MacDonald deserve our praise and thanks. I thought that New Zealand Rugby statement and Robertson’s subsequent statements were amazing. Of course we’ll probably never know the full story, but they didn’t sugar-coat anything. No one made up a rubbish excuse – the old ‘more time with the family.’ It wasn’t nasty or spiteful. But it was honest. They didn’t see eye to eye. They have differing views. And after a series of ‘robust’ conversations, it wasn’t in the best interests of the team to have MacDonald and Robertson working together, resentment building as they pulled in different directions. It’s so easy to imagine an alternative, another World where they didn’t recognise or didn’t acknowledge things weren’t working, they weren’t clicking, and whatever tension existed festered and grew into something more damaging. Rumours would start. The odd news report would intimate that something wasn’t right. There could be cliques and factions. Players might have split loyalties. And ultimately it would hurt the team. Again, we don’t know everything. But given the frankness of the explanation, it’s the best we have. And man, there is so much to be said for calling it early. They didn’t battle on for a couple of seasons. They didn’t try and fake anything for the rugby-loving public. They called it. Leon MacDonald clearly has a lot of mana and as a coach he’s had success. I’m sure he’ll get a great coaching job somewhere different. Obviously 13-year-old me would be gutted to see two of his sporting heroes, split. But 20 years since they won that third title, their collective handling of this situation has been mature and strangely refreshing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An author with a pen game strong enough to reduce people to tears, Jodi Picoult has quite an extensive and well-loved body of work. She’s written nearly 30 books, selling around 40 million copies, with fan favourites such as My Sister’s Keeper, Mad Honey, and Wish You Were There flying off the shelves. Picoult writes across a diverse scope of genres, from thriller to romance to ghost stories, and her latest work steps into the world of historical fiction. By Any Other Name details the intertwining narrative of the woman many believe was the real playwright behind the work of William Shakespeare alongside a contemporary story of a New York author suffering the same fate of being silenced. Picoult joined Jack Tame for a chat about how this new story came to be, her love of Shakespeare, and the meticulous research she puts into the narratives she creates. "To me this is really a book about how women have been written out of history by the men who were writing it." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Album 8 in his 10|10|10 project is Troy Kingi’s ‘Leatherman & The Mojave Green’. The album is described as a “sun-baked excursion into desert / stoner rock sonics”, released August 16th 2024. Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to give her thoughts on the release. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Act of Disappearing by Nathan Gower Julia White is struggling: her bartending job isn’t cutting it and her first book has sold hardly any copies. She’s broke, barely able to make ends meet while drowning in her late mother’s medical bills and reeling after a one-night stand with her ex-boyfriend, who’s now completely ghosted her. Enter Johnathan Aster, world-renowned photographer, with a proposal: he has a never-before-seen photograph of a woman falling from a train bridge, clutching what appears to be a baby. And he wants Julia to research the story. Alternating between present-day Brooklyn and Kentucky as it enters the 1960s, the story unfolds as Julia races to find answers: Who was the woman in the photograph? Why was she on the bridge? And what happened to the baby? Each detail is more propulsive than the last as Julia unravels the mystery surrounding the Fairchilds of Gray Station and discovers a story more staggering than anything she could have imagined. I Will Ruin You by Linwood Barclay How would you react in a life-or-death situation? It’s a question everyone asks themselves, but few have to face in real life. English teacher Richard Boyle certainly never thought he would find himself talking down a former student intent on harming others, but when Mark LeDrew shows up at Richard’s school with a bomb strapped to his chest, Richard immediately jumps into action. Thanks to some quick thinking, he averts a major tragedy and is hailed as a hero, but not all the attention focused on him is positive. Richard’s brief moment in the spotlight puts him in the sights of a deranged blackmailer with a score to settle. The situation rapidly spirals out of control, drawing Richard into a fraught web of salacious accusations and deadly secrets. As he tries to uncover the truth he discovers that there’s something deeply wrong in the town—something that ties together Mark, the blackmailer, and a gang of ruthless drug dealers, and Richard has landed smack in the middle of it. He’s desperate to find a way out, but everyone in his life seems to be hiding something, and trusting the wrong person could cost him everything he loves. What price will he pay for one good deed? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Just imagine taking a jaunt to Calypso’s Cave, where the nymph Calypso held Odysseus as a prisoner of love for seven years in Homer’s epic Odyssey. How about taking to the waters in the Blue Lagoon or gazing in awe at the Crystal Caves of Comino? Malta’s neighbouring islands of Gozo and Comino are full of history and wonder. I recently travelled to the Maltese islands with Insight Vacations, on their 6-day Easy Pace Malta premium guided tour. It offers the winning mix of guided sightseeing and flexi-time, allowing you to ample opportunity to personally discover and savour the destination’s treats, at your own leisure." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 18 August 2024, Bestselling Author Jodi Picoult is an author with a pen game strong enough to induce real tears, she joins Jack ahead of the release of her 29th book. Of all the global stars to rise from this year’s Olympic Games —Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky, Dame Lisa Carrington— 36-year-old Macquarie University lecturer Rachael Gunn is perhaps the unlikeliest. Jack talks about why Australian breakdancer Raygun is an icon. Francessca Rudkin shares two marvellous films, ‘The Hardest Line’, a music documentary on Midnight Oil and ‘The Instigators’, starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck. Troy Kingi is back with a new album “Leatherman & the Mojave Green”, Estelle Clifford shares her thoughts. Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate “Ethically Kate” Hall is a fan of the sustainable options. She recently received a comment on a DIY project where she dried avocado pips to make buttons saying that they’ll “just buy my own buttons like a normal person”, and while sure, that is an option, sometimes it’s fun to do things a little differently. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Blackcurrants pruning Oh… good old Ribes nigrum! It’s one of our favourite fruits – Juuls makes pretty mean jam out of those dark berries. You can eat them raw off the plant, but honestly… jam is the way to go as far as I’m concerned. They hail from the temperate areas of Central and Northern Europe and Asia – yep, they can deal with frosts. Blackcurrants are usually grown as multi-stemmed plants, with an open structure of 6–10 upright stems growing from the base. Established bushes (aged four years or older) are best pruned every winter to keep them fruiting strongly. This is a simple process – cut out up to a third of the oldest stems down at the base, create some space in the middle. The younger stems will then rise up to produce fruit for the next few years. Red Currants pruning is slightly different from Blackcurrants. From late winter to early spring – prune all forms of red and white currants annually while the plants are still dormant, before any signs of growth appear. Red and white currants will fruit at the base of shoots, these are known as 'laterals', that grow out from the main branches, especially the younger branches! Young = new, narrower and lighter-coloured stems; old = thicker and darker stems Prune in winter to leave between eight and ten healthy, strong main branches each year. On one-year-old bushes, prune back new shoots by half. Leave the branch with an outward-facing bud at the top. Some folk grow them as “cordons”: a bit like climbers, up a wire structure in the form of one or two main branches. The side-shoots that come off those main stems will carry the red currents. In mid-summer – prune cordons and fans to restrict growth and maintain their shape. Gooseberries pruning Just as a warning: they are prickly rascals – wear good gloves! First of all: get rid of dead branches – cut them off as low as you can. Cut out the really old branches (especially more than 5 years old) and open the inside up a bit (not too much, mind you). But if you haven’t pruned your gooseberries for a long time, they may need a bit more surgery to open that bush up again. Old branches are thick and dark in colour. Taking these old sturdy, dark branches out makes the plant grow new juvenile growth that will do the job for the next few years. The idea is to replace the older stuff with newer (much more productive) growth. The younger branches (lighter in colour and thinner) can be cut back a bit (from the top) to get the plant to set up new spurs, which will produce new fruit. The whole idea is to create a nice series of fruiting areas in the inside of the plant; not too high but certainly accessible when you want to harvest the berries. Late winter is a good time to fertilise the berries with some general fertiliser, followed by a hand-full of Sulphate of Potash to remind the plants that it’s time to think of flowers and setting fruit! My good mate Mike (Scottish, a builder and handy guy to have as a friend) hadn’t done any of his pruning for quite a few years and asked me to help him out restoring the Blackcurrants and Gooseberries. He had made a pretty “cage” in his garden to stop the birds vandalizing the berries, and it took us about two hours to get the job done. This is what it looked like, before and after: Dense Blackcurrants before and after pruning. Gooseberries lethal and dense, versus Gooseberries taken apart by Mike; lots of air and space. Sometimes it pays to be ruthless! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is Carpal Tunnel and who gets it? - One of the most common hand conditions. - Pressure on something called ‘median nerve’ that goes through the wrist. - The nerve goes through a narrow ‘tunnel’ (carpal tunnel) in the wrist, and when it gets compressed, you can develop symptoms. - 1-5% of the population get it at some point. Twice as common in women as men. - Most often seen in those between 30 and 60 years of age. - Increased risk with pregnancy, diabetes, wrist injury, obesity, and repetitive wrist activities such as manual labour and sport. How do you recognise it? - People often start to notice it at night: wake up with a tingly or numb hand and have to shake the hand out. Especially prominent in the thumb, and index, and middle fingers. - Sometimes described as electric shock, sometimes holding the steering wheel of car, holding a newspaper. - May be described as pain, and people often get discomfort up the forearm. - Can cause hand weakness and cause people to drop things. How do you diagnose it? - Your doctor will take careful history. - Examine the wrist - Order a nerve conduction study which shows if the nerve is being compressed. - Sometimes an Xray or blood tests are ordered to check for any underlying condition like diabetes. What do you do about? - It depends on the severity. - Often it involves avoiding activities that make it worse, resting the hand if repetitive movements make it worse. - Using a wrist splint to keep wrist straight – especially at night to alleviate symptoms. - If it’s severe and ongoing, then refer to the orthopaedic surgeon, who do a simple operation to relieve the pressure on the nerve. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fortnite is back on the iOS store But it's only for those in the EU, thanks to their Digital Markets Act. It's forced Apple to offer a pathway for app developers to sell their software without needing to go through Apple's official app store. Epic says Apple has a monopoly on the market, and uses that position to force developers to give up to 30% of their revenue to them. They reportedly earn $70 billion in app store revenue each year. The "Epic Games Store" is the highest profile launch of an alternative app store yet, with a large fan base eager to get back to playing Fortnite on their phones after four years. Apple has not made the process for installing easy though - there are warning screens to get through, settings to update, which Epic says is intentional to make the experience as terrible as possible. Apple has launched a new fee for successful off-app store they're calling a "core technology fee", to try and recoup some of the revenue they'll inevitably lose. This is going to be a case study for other brands to decide if it's worth the effort to create their own store. Google's Pixel Watch 3 has a lifesaving feature If you have a heart attack when you're alone, you have virtually no chance of receiving resuscitation. This new "loss of pulse" feature of the Pixel Watch will give you a chance. It first uses the regular heart-rate sensor to detect a pulse, then if it can't find one will use infrared and motion sensors to help decide if you need help. An alarm will sound, giving you a chance to cancel the call for emergency services. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Douglas is Cancelled Douglas Bellowes is a widely respected middle news anchor with a sidekick Madeline and newspaper editor wife Sheila, when he makes an ill-advised joke at a wedding and is faced with cancel culture (ThreeNow). Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story Based on the shocking true story of model Chloe Ayling, who was lured to a fake photoshoot and abducted by human traffickers - then found herself at the centre of a media storm, accused of staging the whole thing as a publicity stunt (TVNZ+). Wheel Blacks: Bodies on the Line This three-part docuseries follows New Zealand's wheelchair rugby team in their bid to qualify for the Paris Paralympics. Despite having to rely on fundraising, charity, and volunteers, these Kiwi underdogs are determined to rise to the challenge (Neon). LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line Midnight Oil is not your typical band, so it makes sense that this is not your typical rockumentary. Sex and drugs play little if any part in the tale of one of Australia’s most successful rock groups ever. Neither will you find the kind of rivalries and tensions that one expects in the story of a band with a career as long as this one. Told in voiceovers by managers, critics, commentators, and the band members themselves, the film features plenty of footage of the Oils performing live, from their earliest days. Watching Garrett command the stage, it is clear why they made it as big as they did, even while they resisted crucial aspects of the pop game, such as appearing on Countdown, the most popular music programme in Australian TV history. The Instigators Rory and Cobby are unlikely partners thrown together for a heist. However, when it goes awry, they team up to outrun police, backward bureaucrats, and a vengeful crime boss (Apple TV+). LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pulses and legumes. They’re filling, nourishing, super versatile and cheap and yet many of us would be lucky to eat them more than once or twice a month. Would it encourage you if I told you they’re necessary, yes necessary, for a balanced diet? This one-pot dish is tasty and wonderfully easy to throw together. Serves 4 Ingredients 1 400g tin lentils, drained 2 tbsps olive oil 4-6 pieces chicken, skin on, bone in 1 onion, diced 1 carrot, peeled and diced Few sprigs of rosemary 1 cup vegetable to chicken stock (can use water) 2 tbsps pomegranate molasses Salt and pepper to season Small handful parsley to garnish Method 1. Heat oil in rinsed saucepan and brown chicken. 2. Add onion, carrots and rosemary and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 3. Pour in stock and pomegranate molasses, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. 4. Add in lentils and simmer with lid off for 5-10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. 5. Garnish with parsley and serve with salad. Make it your own: Use cannellini beans in place of lentils. Change it up with some grated ginger and soy sauce in place of rosemary and pomegranate molasses. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Of all the global stars to rise from this year’s Olympic Games —Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky, Dame Lisa Carrington— 36-year-old Macquarie University lecturer Rachael Gunn is perhaps the unlikeliest. Raygun, as per her stage name, is a true icon of these times. Not because she competed in the most modern of Olympic sports —breaking— but because through the power of the internet, her efforts have become arguably the most recognisable of the entire Olympic Games. If you haven’t seen Raygun’s performance, I don’t know where you’ve been. All I know is you don’t have social media, because the flood of clips and memes celebrating, remixing, and/or mocking her dancing has completely inundated every bite of every feed of every platform. When most of us think of breakdancing, we think of incredibly athletic people spinning and twisting. We think of spinning headstands, headslides, one-handed body freezes. Really good breaking is just gymnastics to hip hop. Raygun didn’t do that stuff. She openly admits she can’t! Instead, she did a range of pumps and thrusts that honestly wouldn’t have physically been beyond the reach of many of those people watching. For all those people who thought the Olympics would be improved by having a mere mortal compete with the elite athletes, just to give you perspective of how good they really are? Anyone who saw Raygun’s signature move, the kangaroo, would have to agree. Yep, this was that. Part of me admires her chutzpah. Imagine having the confidence to go to the Olympic Games —the Olympics— only to pull out a dance routine reminiscent of Jack Tame at the Grumpy Mole circa 2003. The judges gave Raygun three straight zeroes! Internet culture has a way of fixating on a person or a moment with maximum intensity, only to move on a few days. The public shaming aspect must be so hard to endure. Raygun is a global icon this week. But soon enough, the internet will move on. Tell you what though, I think there will be one enduring impact from Raygun’s performance. I stumbled across a clip earlier this week that caught my eye. It was of a ridiculously good breaker, twisting and springing and spinning like a top gymnast on a pommel horse. He did a backwards worm, tumbling back towards the ground and seemingly bending his body against the direction of all his limbs. It was amazing! Who is this? Where is this? I wondered. Then I realised, it was the Olympics. Raygun’s performance was so extraordinary, it has completely overshadowed the medallists in her sport. So many more people have seen the kangaroo than have seen the actual winning performances. Can you name the Olympic breakdancing medallists? The IOC wanted to bring new audiences to the games. Breaking has certainly done that, just not in the way they anticipated. And if they’re weighing up breaking’s inclusion in any future games, the fact that very few of us will recall more than a plucky Aussie in a tucked-in tracksuit does not bode well for the Olympic future of the sport. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne, like everyone, watched the Olympics. He loved the Olympics, but couldn’t help but notice the disappointment, tears, and heartbreak of many competitors. And it left him with a question: is high-level competitive sport worth it? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tom Sainsbury wears many hats - actor, writer, comedian, director, host, influencer - across film, tv, stage, and social media here in New Zealand and on international projects. Kiwis might know him for his political impersonations or shows like Wellington Paranormal. Tom is hosting a winter special of New Zealand’s International Comedy Festival, and having just returned from a very glamorous international sojourn, he joined Jack Tame in studio for a chat. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the second time in a row, Tones and I’s recently released album ‘Beautifully Ordinary’ opens at No. 1 on Australia’s album chart. The album is the follow-up to ‘Welcome To The Madhouse’, which debuted in 2021. Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to give her thoughts on the album. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The War Below by Ernest Scheyder Tough choices loom if the world wants to go green. The United States and other countries must decide where and how to procure the materials that make our renewable energy economy possible. To build electric vehicles, solar panels, cell phones, and millions of other devices means the world must dig more mines to extract lithium, copper, cobalt, rare earths, and nickel. But mines are deeply unpopular, even as they have a role to play in fighting climate change. These tensions have sparked a worldwide reckoning over the sourcing of these critical minerals, and no one understands the complexities of these issues better than Ernest Scheyder, whose exclusive access has allowed him to report from the front lines on the key players in this global battle to power our future. This is not a story of tree-hugging activists, but rather of industry titans, scientists, and policymakers jostling over how best to save the planet. Scheyder explores how a proposed lithium mine in Nevada would help global automakers slash their dependance on fossil fuels, but developing that mine could cause the extinction of a flower found nowhere else on the planet. A hedge fund manager’s attempt to resuscitate rare earths mining in California relies on Chinese expertise, exposing the paradox in Washington’s quest for minerals independence. The fight to end child labor in Africa’s mining sector is a key reason, supporters contend, to dig out a vast reserve of cobalt and nickel under Minnesota’s vulnerable wetlands. An international mining conglomerate’s plan to extract copper for electric vehicles deep beneath Arizona’s desert would destroy a Native American holy site, fueling tough questions about what matters more. In The War Below, Scheyder crafts a business story that matters to everyone. If China continues to dominate production of these critical minerals, it will have a profound impact on the geopolitical order. Beyond China, countries such as Bolivia, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo aim to wield their vast reserves of key minerals. There are no easy answers when it comes to energy. Scheyder paints a powerfully honest and nuanced picture of what is needed to fight climate change and secure energy independence, revealing how America and the rest of the world’s hunt for the “new oil” directly affects us all. Home Truths by Charity Norman Livia Denby is on trial for attempted murder. The jury has reached a verdict. Two years earlier, Livia was a probation officer in Yorkshire, her husband Scott a teacher. Their children, Heidi and Noah, rounded out a happy family - until the day Scott's brother died. Grief and guilt leave Scott searching for answers, a search that takes him into the world of conspiracy theories. As his grip on reality slides, he makes a decision that will put the family on a collision course with tragedy. Livia's family has been torn apart, and now her son's life is hanging in the balance. Just how far will she go to save the ones she loves? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 10 August 2024, the wearer of many hats Tom Sainsbury joins Jack to chat about his latest film ventures, and a special winter celebration of the New Zealand International Comedy Festival. Jack wraps on his favourite nail-biting moments of the 2024 Olympics. The highly anticipated adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel It Ends With Us has hit cinemas, and film reviewer Francesca Rudkin shares her thoughts. And Google is discontinuing the Google Chromecast, tech expert Paul Stenhouse gives Jack details on what is set to replace it. Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"It’s one of the most southerly European nations – so far south that it’s parallel with Lebanon, Tunisia and Algeria. Malta has long been on my bucket-list and this relatively under-the-radar destination offers not only good-value for visitors, but it exudes astonishing scenery and historic treasures. I recently jaunted to Malta with Insight Vacations, who offer a fabulous introductory guided tour, spilling forth with Malta’s greatest hits." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Older” employees, Gen X and Boomers, those who are over 45years, are sometimes accused of not being as skilled at utilising the benefits of tech in their work. Whilst that might be true for some, new research shows that these older workers tend to be more effective in setting clear work and nonwork boundaries when working from home and in managing their time. The research found this age group were more likely to use good work practices such as: - Setting strict start, break and end times - Having a dedicated space at home for only work - Creating new routines and dressing for work - Informing others about their availability Benefits of setting these boundaries include: - Fewer unfinished work tasks - Having better work-life balance. - Higher productivity Perhaps old dogs can learn new tricks! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people have probably never heard of “Collembola”, but I reckon they are the most important critter on the planet as their “job” is often simply recycling. Your garden wouldn’t stand a chance without them, and nor does our planet. The circular economy starts with Collembola and ends with “Zero Waste”. A large number feed on bacteria, fungi, and rotting plant materials; some go for living plants (and can be a pest on some crops). Others devour algae and some even prey on insects. Collembola are no longer considered to be “insects” although they still belong to the group of “hexapods” (six-legged creatures). Oh, by the way, the name of this group (Collembola) comes from two features: “Colla” which means glue, and “embolon” which is a “peg”, or a “piston” (referring to a structure on the underside of the body). At last count there are some 6000 species on our planet, but what do we know? There could be as many as 40,000 taxa! If you climb a tree in New Zealand, you are like to find them near the top where branches emerge from the main trunk, it’s usually full of decaying old plant materials; great habitat for our Collembola! When examining the contents of your compost bin it quickly becomes clear they are the most numerous invertebrates. Collembola working on a juicy stalk of rhubarb You may think they are quite boring in their appearance, and indeed a lot of them are tiny (a few millimetres in size) and just one low-key colour. But some are quite attractive: Holacantella is endemic to New Zealand and is often on dead timber and bark, especially in wet conditions. And look at that weird body armour – or are they different species? For some reason our Collembola love living in moist (and warm) environments. But then again, some species are restricted to cooler climates (think Antarctica! Minus 60 degrees is just not too cold for them). The craziest thing you can see at this time of the year is a rather elegant deep blue species that seems to enjoy a spot of “rafting” or “drifting” in slow-moving water courses. Every year I see them, here on the Port Hills of Canterbury. After all these years I have not been able to identify these species with certainty. They swim in puddles, and jump around in sheep troughs. Those pistons (or “pegs”) I described from the word ‘embolon’ are literally the tools that make the jumping (and dispersal) possible, even in water. No wonder that their common name in horticulture, agriculture and garden nomenclature is... SPRING TAILS LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wine: Smith & Sheth CRU Central Otago 2022 Pinot Noir - $50 Why I chose it: - I was recently asked to recommend a special wine that could be used to toast a yet unborn baby. The wine should be able to be enjoyed in around five years and should survive less than perfect storage. My budget was up to $100. - I chose the Smith & Sheth Pinot Noir because it is the sort of wine that could be enjoyed by a wide range of people and not just wine enthusiasts. - It is sealed with a screwcap which will help it run the distance. What does it taste like? “Perfumed pinot noir with seductive floral, black cherry vanilla, dark berry wine in an appealing and very drinkable style. Made with a light touch the wine has a silken and almost ethereal texture.” Why it’s a bargain: $50 is a lot of money to spend on a bottle of wine, but in this case, it is a lot of wine and will give great pleasure on an important occasion. Where can you buy it? - Smithandsheth.com - Recently released and small production might make it hard to find initially but shop around – it’s worth hunting for. Food match? Duck confit is a classic match. Will it keep? No rush, five or six years? Up to ten years with careful storage. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Google is discontinuing the Google Chromecast With more than 100 million sold over an 11-year life, it was a good run. It was a great entry level device to very quickly get content onto your TV. It's being replaced by the Google TV Streamer. It's a device that is designed to sit on your entertainment unit because it also doubles as a full-featured smart speaker with Google Assistant. Think of it more as a "set top box". The extra size means extra connectivity options and power, allowing you to use it as a smart home hub to connect and control your Nest cameras, thermostat, and more. The TV part of the device runs the latest Android TV operating system and uses Google Gemini AI to provide TV recommendations and help you use your voice to navigate the app. Google is a monopolist This is a huge win for the US government who says that Google Search has a monopoly on the market - surprising no one. Google has a 90% share overall, and 95% share on mobile devices. The judge particularly takes aim at their deal with Apple to make Google the default search engine. Apple and Google would argue that people are going to turn to Google anyway, so why not give it to them up front as the default. It's thought the judge may force those deals to be scrapped but could go so far as to force Google search to be broken out as a separate company. Commentators say this is a warning to big tech because it says no company is too big to regulate. There's another case pending too, which examines the ads business. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lady in the Lake In 60s Baltimore, an aspiring reporter pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman (Apple TV+). Supacell In South London, a group of normal people suddenly develop superpowers, and the only apparent connection between them is that they are all Black; as they deal with the impact of their powers on their daily lives, one man must bring them together (Netflix). Secret World of Sound with David Attenborough Using the latest audio technology, David Attenborough explores the crucial role of sound in nature, examining how it shapes and influences the everyday lives of animals, from communication to their behaviour and decisions (Netflix). LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington Zoo has announced their next new arrivals, and they’re not quite what Kevin expected. Onyx and Beryl aren’t baby primates or giraffes, but rather two Romney Cross sheep! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It Ends With Us Lily Bloom moves to Boston to chase her lifelong dream of opening her own business. A chance meeting with charming neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid soon sparks an intense connection, but as the two fall deeply in love, she begins to see sides of Ryle that remind her of her parents' relationship. When Lily's first love, Atlas Corrigan, suddenly reenters her life, her relationship with Ryle gets upended, leaving her with an impossible choice. How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies A man quits work to care for dying grandmother, motivated by her fortune. He schemes to win her favor before she passes. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chocolate logs were part of my childhood as mum would whip them up on the regular. This version, all citrusy and light, is the perfect treat for when lemons are in abundance. Serve 6-8 Ingredients 4 free-range medium eggs 100g caster (about 1/3 cup) + 2 tbsp extra 100g (a generous ¼ cup) plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 tbsps lemon zest Filling: 200mls cream 1 heaped tbsp icing sugar + extra for dusting 2 tbsps. sour cream 2 tsp lemon zest 2-3 tablespoons raspberry or lemon curd (optional, see note) Method Preheat the oven to 170 fanbake. Line a Swiss roll tin (or other shallow tin, approx. 30cmx20cm). In a large bowl whisk eggs and caster sugar for 6-8 minutes until light, thick and creamy. It will triple in volume. Sift in flour and baking powder and, along with the lemon zest, gently fold into the mixture until fully incorporated. Try not to take the volume out of the mixture. Pour gently into the prepared tin. Spread the sponge mix - I do this with a spatula and/or shaking the tin - to get it into the corners. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until the sponge springs back to the touch. While cake cooks, dust a piece of baking paper larger than the swiss roll tin, with the extra caster sugar. Take the sponge out of the oven and flip it onto the sugared paper. Carefully peel off the layer of baking paper it was cooked on and allow the sponge to cool for a moment before rolling it up, starting from a short end, with the sugared paper still inside. This will prevent the sponge from sticking to itself. Set aside to cool. Whip the cream with the icing sugar until thick then stir in the zest and sour cream. Once the sponge has cooled, unroll it gently. Leave a 1cm border and spread over an even layer of whipped cream. Gently roll it up, peeling away the paper underneath as you go. Leave it in the fridge to chill and dust with icing sugar before serving. Slice and eat. Yum! Make it your own: Use orange zest in place of lemon Spread a layer of raspberry jam or lemon curd on the sponge before the whipped cream LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I don’t want it to end! Has two weeks really passed that quickly? Honestly, my entire life and the daily rhythms of our household have come to revolve around the Olympic Games. There isn’t a dinner that is cooked, a lunchbox that is prepared, a table that is wiped down, or a basket of washing that is folded without the steady hum of speed climbing, or synchronised diving, or the men’s 800m repechage in the background. These are my takeaways from Paris 2024: First of all, I love the way in which history turns on the finest human margins. The men’s 100m final was a great example, the way they broke the line in such a crowd, that both first and second recorded the same time on the TV and stadium clocks. With a microscope and a high-quality photo, apparently the silver medallist somehow broke the line first, but he did so with his foot, and ultimately it’s whoever’s chest breaks the line first that wins the race. History decided by five one-thousandths of a second. I said before the games that I was looking forward to the men’s 1500m final and it didn’t disappoint. The two favourites had been talked up so much, and had smack-talked each other so much, that basically everyone —including me— had worked themselves into a state where it looked like only those two runners could possibly win it. The defending champion was so cavalier that in the heats, he deliberately didn’t crouch for the start of the race. He waited for the starting gun, let everyone else run off, and then casually trundled after them. But in the final, Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s approach came back to bite him. He led for the first 85% of the race, setting a cracking pace as he tried to break his great rival, Britain’s Josh Kerr. On the final stretch, Kerr looked to go round Ingebrigtsen, and Ingebrigtsen drifted into lane two to try and block the overtake. What do we know about geometry? The inside lane has the shortest path to the finish line. As the two favourites scrapped in lanes 2 and 3, an American runner, Cole Hocker, slipped up the inside and pipped them for Olympic glory. Kerr finished second, Ingebrigtsen fourth. It was extraordinary. With a day to go before the closing ceremony, here’s my take on the Olympic sports. I love many of the newer ones. Sportclimbing is so good. It fits into my could-a-caveman-do-it category, which I think is an excellent measure for whether individual sports should be at the Olympics. I’m not just saying it because Finn Butcher won gold, but I reckon the Kayak Cross is fantastic. It’s such a spectacle! Same applies to the skateboarding. It’s so good. I mean no disrespect to any of the athletes in these sports but I’m ambivalent on surfing at the Olympics and as spectacular as the breakdancing is, it’s gonna take me a bit longer to come around. Honestly, I don’t think football should be at the Olympics. Same with tennis and golf. Those sports are big enough outside of the games. Maybe the best test should be whether or not the Olympics is the pinnacle competition in that respective sport. If it’s not, then leave it out. One of the things that has been great about the games is how well-attended all of the events have been. The crowds for everything have been massive. I also love refreshing it is to hear from athletes who aren’t rugby players who’ve had every scintilla of life and personality beaten out of them by overly-protective media managers. And as for my favourite Kiwi performance? We still have that incredible contest in the women’s K1 to come and there are a couple of other Kiwis who could be a chance, but for me it’s still gonna be hard to beat our very first medal of Paris ’24, our very first gold: the women’s sevens. Tell you what though... I don’t love Mondays at the best of times... but this week is gonna’ be tough. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lime Cordiale are Australia’s ultimate purveyors of breezy indie rock. Brothers Oli and Louis have amassed more than half a billion streams on Spotify since the band’s inception in 2009 - as well as bagging multiple ARIA awards and performing around the world. They have cemented themselves as standouts, even more so with their brand-new album Enough of the Sweet Talk. The brothers joined Francesca Rudkin for a chat about what went into this latest album and their upcoming tour across New Zealand and Australia. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fourth studio album from human musical group Glass Animals, I Love You So F***ing Much was partly inspired by the success of their song Heatwaves back in 2020. Frontman Dave Bayley told Consequence Sound that sometimes success can leave you feeling like a “spectator”, with people expecting you to act a certain way, which "confused [him] to the point of not knowing who [he] was or if anything was real". The title refers to the power and mystery of human connection in a universe much larger than the people who reside within. Estelle Clifford joined Francesca Rudkin to give her thoughts on the album. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With technology constantly improving and companies putting out brand new updates and products on a regular basis, it begs a question: is this sustainable? Kate Hall joined Francesca Rudkin for a chat about sustainability and technology, and the impact of new tech on the planet and the people who live on it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How the World Ran Out of Everything by Peter S. Goodman How does the wealthiest country on earth run out of protective gear in the middle of a public health catastrophe? How do its parents find themselves unable to locate crucially needed infant formula? How do its largest companies spend billions of dollars making cars that no one can drive for a lack of chips? The last few years have radically highlighted the intricacy and fragility of the global supply chain. Enormous ships were stuck at sea, warehouses overflowed, and delivery trucks stalled. The result was a scarcity of everything from breakfast cereal to medical devices, from frivolous goods to lifesaving necessities. And while the scale of the pandemic shock was unprecedented, it underscored the troubling reality that the system was fundamentally at risk of descending into chaos all along. And it still is. Sabotaged by financial interests, loss of transparency in markets, and worsening working conditions for the people tasked with keeping the gears turning, our global supply chain has become perpetually on the brink of collapse. In How the World Ran Out of Everything, award-winning journalist Peter S. Goodman reveals the fascinating innerworkings of our supply chain and the factors that have led to its constant, dangerous vulnerability. His reporting takes readers deep into the elaborate system, showcasing the triumphs and struggles of the human players who operate it—from factories in Asia and an almond grower in Northern California, to a group of striking railroad workers in Texas, to a truck driver who Goodman accompanies across hundreds of miles of the Great Plains. Through their stories, Goodman weaves a powerful argument for reforming a supply chain to become truly reliable and resilient, demanding a radical redrawing of the bargain between labor and shareholders, and deeper attention paid to how we get the things we need. From one of the most respected economic journalists working today, How the World Ran Out of Everything is a fiercely smart, deeply informative look at how our supply chain operates, and why its reform is crucial—not only to avoid dysfunction in our day to day lives, but to protect the fate of our global fortunes. 17 Years Later by JP Pomare Who killed the wealthy primrose family? The violent slaughter of the Primrose family while they slept shocked the nation. Their young live-in chef, Bill Kareama, was swiftly charged with murder and brought to justice. But the brutal crime scarred the idyllic town of Cambridge forever. Seventeen years later, true-crime podcaster Sloane Abbott tracks down prison psychologist TK Phillips. Once a fierce campaigner for an appeal, TK now lives a quiet life with Bill's case firmly in his past. As Sloane lures a reluctant TK back into the fight, evidence emerges that casts new light on the Primroses - and who might have wanted them dead. While the list of suspects grows, Bill's innocence is still far from assured. What will it cost Sloane and TK to uncover the truth? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There may be some good news on the horizon for homeowners. Ed McKnight from Opes Partners joined Francesca Rudkin for a chat about the changing factors that could impact Kiwis. On the agenda: Westpac has cut their interest rates again, is this the beginning of a trend? Has the criteria for getting a mortgage changed? What’s the best time to restructure or get one? When can Kiwis expect a cut in the OCR? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"It astounds me that Malta isn’t flashing on the tourist radar as a top-tier Mediterranean destination. I recently ventured to the Maltese islands with Insight Vacations, on their 6-day Easy Pace Malta premium guided tour. It offers the winning mix of guided sightseeing and flexi-time, allowing you to serendipitously unwrap the destination’s treats, at your own leisure." "One of the best ways to get your bearings on Malta’s watery lay-out is to jump on board one of the numerous sightseeing ferries in Sliema, zipping you from Marsamxett Harbour to Valletta’s Grand Harbour. It’s the best way to drink in the views of fortified Manoel Island and the butterscotch-hued walled city of Valletta, from all angles." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne, like many people, has been watching the Olympics. And despite only being a week into the games, he’s already exhausted, and he’s not the one competing! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a few weeks of really misty, cold, and awful weather, I needed to get out of bed and find some inspiration for the garden. A “pick-me-up” if you like. But where to go? Yep – Hagley Park is always a good place, but so are the garden Centres! The difference is quite obvious: The Botanical Gardens will show you stuff that was planted many decades ago. It’s the picture of the future – a glimpse into your garden the children will enjoy after you’ve moved on. How about the “now” – or maybe the next 10 years or so? Impatient? Perhaps… So I went to Oderings to have a look for some quick colour, tincture, complexion, some colōris, or, as the Spanish Language so elegantly describes: el color. Start with the Letter A: Acer Known here as Maple. Acer senkaki is obviously a Japanese maple. It glows red in Winter (and it’s quite pretty as a summer tree too). You don’t have to wait for it – you can buy it right now to cheer you up. The next Acer is A. griseum (the paper bark maple) a Chinese species that is actually quite rare in nature, but reasonably common in gardens owned by observant gardeners. Don’t be fooled by the species name “griseum” (meaning grey) – it refers to the underside of the leaves. The peeling cinnamon-coloured bark is what gives me hope: hope for a speedy springtime and hope that some young gardeners will see the beauty of back-lit leaves from a low-angled sun. You want some weird Pink to cheer you up? Here’s an Erica, simply because I kind-of grew up with plants like that in the Netherlands. Heather, Heaths (“de Hei”), and such plants belong to the Ericacea with almost 1000 described species. They’re tough and flower colours are often spectacular; great tucker for insects like pollinators. But the coolest thing is that a good number of these Ericaceae have a habit of flowering in the middle of winter, and that can be brilliant! And then there are Daphne and Hellebores and the fabulous scent of Osmanthus. But perhaps it’s a good opportunity to highlight some Native winter jewels, like Libertia peregrinans. Or the range of Corokias (Geenty’s Ghost and Frosted Chocolat). These last two make fab hedges!! We also have weirdly bright Cabbage Trees (Cordyline) and strangely dark Flaxes, small and tall. No doubt all found as unexpected genetic morphs or cross-bred entities; mind you, I must say that the dark “background” flaxes really fit well in many gardens and the nectar feeding birds are still keen to visit the flowers in late spring. One native shrub that always bowls me over (when visiting the Catlins) is the relatively slow growing Pseudowintera colorata, also known as Horopito. This shrub is totally unexpectedly beautiful as just about every specimen has a different colour-ratio, live and in nature. Now that’s a shrub worth investing in, especially as you can eat the leaves, not just in Māori dishes, but also in Indonesian delicacies. It tastes just the way it looks: On fire! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 3 August 2024, Francesca Rudkin fills in and chats to brothers Oli and Louis of Aussie indie rock sensation Lime Cordiale about their brand-new album and bringing their tour to NZ. Francesca questions why the arts make things hard for themselves. Horror is having a moment - Chris Schulz talks about an unexpected success in one of the best horror films of the year, Longlegs. And, staying in the world of film, Mike Yardley takes us on a trip to Malta where the brand-new Gladiator 2 and classics like Murder on the Orient Express and Jurassic World were filmed. Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Olympic swimming pool in Paris is slow... is the tech part of the problem? It certainly isn't helping. Only one world record had been broken as of August 1st, which the unusually shallow pool is being blamed for. It's 2.15 meters deep because when it was starting to be built in 2017, it only had to be over two meters. Now the minimum depth is 2.5 meters, but the recommendation is for 3 meters. Also not helping: the underwater cameras. They contribute to the choppiness of the water, and also don't help the water settle between races as they continue to move and reset. Developers are getting their first look at Apple Intelligence The reviews are... fine? Not all the promised features have been delivered yet. One reviewer says it's a "slightly smarter Siri". There are bits of AI sprinkled throughout the Apple apps. In the Mail app there's a new section of your inbox with AI-suggested important emails, a summarize button at the top of each email, and when you highlight text you can select "writing tools" to have AI do proofreading, make suggestions, and summarize. The search tool in the Photos app now uses AI to understand more complicated requests. You can ask for pictures of a particular person wearing glasses or all the food you ate in Iceland, all in natural language. But these new features might not ship with the new iPhone? It may not make the deadline to be included. Apple does have a way to update the OS while the phone is still in the box (which is a crazy piece of tech!) so that may happen, or folks who buy a new phone will need to upgrade their software later. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prosper The wealthy founder of an evangelical megachurch announces they're expanding to the US, but the collision between faith and ambition threatens to tear both his family and his church apart (TVNZ+). Women in Blue In 1971, four women defy ultraconservative norms and join Mexico's first female police force-only to discover that it's a publicity stunt to distract the media from a serial killer; they make a pact to bring the killer to justice (Apple TV). The Red King Police sergeant Grace Narayan is sent on a 'punishment posting' to an island with an eerie religion, where the cold case of a missing boy unearths buried secrets (ThreeNow). LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Longlegs FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes an unexpected turn, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again. I Saw the TV Glow A classmate introduces teenage Owen to a mysterious late-night TV show -- a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen's view of reality begins to crack. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This pie is an absolute winner - hearty and rich, it’s packed full of meat and gravy, spiked with tangy blue cheese and topped with flaky pastry. It’s golden! Serves 4 Ingredients: 500g beef chunks – I use chuck or blade steak 2 tbsps flour 1 large onion, diced 2 carrots, diced 3 cloves garlic, crushed 330mls beer, ale or lager but not too sweet 2 tbsps tomato puree 1 bay leaf ½ tsp salt & ¼ tsp cracked pepper to season 100g blue cheese 1-2 sheets ready rolled flaky pastry Egg wash Method: 1. Sprinkle flour over beef chunks and toss to coat. 2. In a saucepan heat the oil and brown off the meat. Do this in batches. Set aside. 3. In the same saucepan, sauté onions, carrots and garlic until beginning to soften. Pour over beer and as it bubbles up scrape off any yummy bits from the bottom of the pot. Add meat back in, along with tomato puree, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer for one hour or more, until meat it meltingly tender. Cool. 4. Heat oven to 200 C. Grease a 23cm (or similar) pie dish. To make the pie: Ladle the cold pie filling into your pie dish. Feel free to pile it up as it will settle as it cooks. Sprinkle over blue cheese. Roll out pastry to fit as a lid and egg wash the edges (this helps them to stick and seal your pie.) Drape lid over filling and squeeze and pinch pastry onto the rim of your dish to seal well. Use a sharp knife to make plenty of steam holes in the pastry. Brush with beaten egg. Lower oven temperature to 180 and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling. Serve great spoonfuls of pie with mashed spuds and peas or my favourite, a fresh leafy green salad Nici’s note: - I’m in the habit of making the filling a day ahead as I think it improves the flavour. - Usually I avoid using tomato puree (too strong) but for this recipe it keeps the liquid to a minimum whilst dialling up the flavour. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A headline in the news this week had me rolling my eyes. Sometimes the arts make it hard for themselves. The headline I'm referring to was about the New Zealand Film Commission spending $16,431 on two farewell and two welcome parties for their outgoing and incoming chief executives. Obviously, no one stopped to think how this particular headline might come across. If they had, the NZ Film Commission might have read the room differently. It’s not a good look to have an autonomous Crown Entity, whose job is to distribute public money to the film industry, creating headlines about throwing parties. In the scheme of things, this isn’t much money. And if we weren’t in the middle of a cost of living crisis, and with a government facing long term fiscal deficits, this may never have made headlines. I’m pretty sure I’ve been to similar farewells in the private sector which cost a lot more. I should note, these celebrations took place in 2023 before the October election which delivered a new Government hell bent on making savings across the public sector. But you could argue that we were already in a cost of living crisis before the election: a recession was expected, Labour had started tightening the belt and clamping down on costs, and we knew the policies of the potential new coalition partners. They should have anticipated how this would look. This follows news that NZFC paid a former boss well over half a million dollars in leave and severance payments after just nine months in the role when he left in 2022. None of this helps the NZFC garner support from the public. The New Zealand Screen industry is worth a bomb – it contributes $3.5 billion to the economy each year. It is an incredible industry filled with some of the hardest working, most innovative people I have ever worked with – and it’s world class. But when it comes to arts, and culture, and public perception, you’ll never be able to compete for funding against the need for a better education and health system, more police, and safer roads. These headlines also grate as many organisations have done incredible work over the last 9 months to ensure stability in the struggling industry. SPADA have been lobbying tirelessly to make sure NZ on Air was exempt from having to make the across the board 7.5% cut being asked of Ministry funding. New Zealand’s longest running soap, Shortland Street, will air just three episodes a week in 2025, a compromise to keep the long-running drama alive. The CEO of TVNZ proved she got the memo about creating headlines: after Jodi O’Donnell accepted an invitation from the IOC to attend the Paris Olympics, she thought about it and decided it didn’t pass the sniff test. She is taking leave and personally paying for the trip, even though she will attend some meetings. A sensible decision, especially considering this week TVNZ also announced it needs to find another $30m in revenue or cuts. I am a huge supporter of the arts, but silly headlines make it hard to encourage others to support them too. Art and culture is pivotal to creating vibrant cities and communities, to fostering a sense of belonging, pride, identity, and connection. And can be a good source of revenue. So please stop making it so hard to sell! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another popular comedian is back on New Zealand’s shores. Irish comic Ed Byrne is known for his intellectual comedy, making appearances on TV shows like QI, and even winning the celebrity version of The Chase. He’s back before Kiwi audiences with his ‘Tragedy Plus Time’ tour, kicking it off with a performance tonight in Hastings, before taking his act through the country over the coming month. Byrne joined Jack Tame for a chat about his act, and touching of course on his reality TV win. For more information and tickets for 'Tragedy Plus Time', click here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aussie pop-rock group Lime Cordiale has dropped another album. Their third studio album, the 17-track work features many of the singles they’ve released over the last two years. Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to review the brand new release. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Death in Cornwall by Daniel Silva Art restorer and legendary spy Gabriel Allon has slipped quietly into London to attend a reception at the Courtauld Gallery celebrating the return of a stolen self-portrait by Vincent van Gogh. But when an old friend from the Devon and Cornwall Police seeks his help with a baffling murder investigation, he finds himself pursuing a powerful and dangerous new adversary. The victim is Charlotte Blake, a celebrated professor of art history from Oxford who spends her weekends in the same seaside village where Gabriel once lived under an assumed identity. Her murder appears to be the work of a diabolical serial killer who has been terrorizing the Cornish countryside. But there are a number of telltale inconsistencies, including a missing mobile phone. And then there is the mysterious three-letter cypher she left behind on a notepad in her study. Gabriel soon discovers that Professor Blake was searching for a looted Picasso worth more than a $100 million, and he takes up the chase for the painting as only he can—with six Impressionist canvases forged by his own hand and an unlikely team of operatives that includes a world-famous violinist, a beautiful master thief, and a lethal contract killer turned British spy. The result is a stylish and wildly entertaining mystery that moves at lightning speed from the cliffs of Cornwall to the enchanted island of Corsica and, finally, to a breathtaking climax on the very doorstep of 10 Downing Street. After Annie by Anna Quindlen When Annie Brown dies suddenly, her husband, her four young children and her closest friend are left to struggle without the woman who centered their lives. Bill Brown finds himself overwhelmed, and Annie’s best friend Annemarie is lost to old bad habits without Annie’s support. It is Annie’s daughter, Ali, forced to try to care for her younger brothers and even her father, who manages to maintain some semblance of their former lives for them all, and who confronts the complicated truths of adulthood. Yet over the course of the next year, while Annie looms large in their memories, all three are able to grow, to change, even to become stronger and more sure of themselves. The enduring power Annie gave to those who loved her is the power to love, and to go on without her. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"It is the greenest of Greece’s islands, lush and verdant with emerald mountains and breathlessly blue waters lapping rocky coves and sandy bays. This northeastern outpost of Greece lies across the Ionian Sea from Italy’s heel, while Albania is just 3kms away. Corfu has long enticed conquerors, as much as holidaymakers. British and French influences can be seen in Corfu’s atmospheric Old Town – however, it’s obvious that the Venetians, who stayed around for 400 years, exerted and left behind the greatest legacy. Their calling card is everywhere, with an alluring mix of neoclassical villas, Venetian palazzo and pastel-painted hill towns." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last time we talked about how your phone could interfere with connecting with people. This time I thought it would be good to talk about how our phones can help us combat loneliness and isolation. We hear a lot about the negative health impacts of loneliness, and yet this series of studies suggests that most of us are reluctant to reach out to old friends – even though that’s one of the fastest ways to boost our social connections. A new Canadian study showed that fewer than one third of people in their study sent a message (txt, email. Phone call) to an old friend even when they wanted to, thought the friend would be receptive, had their contact details, and had time and space to send a message. The study found that people tended to view old friends in the same way they view strangers, which contributed to reluctance to reach out. Things that helped with connecting with old friends included: - A “practice” condition (sending messages to current friends) helped more people to reach out to old friends, suggesting one practical way to warm people up to contacting old friends. - Imagine what it’s like for you to receive a message from an old friend. Most people were very positive about being the one that is contacted rather than doing the contacting. Putting yourself in the other person’s shoes might help reduce reluctance to be the one making the first move - Start with some easy wins – contact people you were close to in the past rather than more casual acquaintances. More likely to be able to rekindle those old fires. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.