Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Ethan Hunt and the IMF team must track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity if it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than the mission -- not even the lives of those he cares about most. Robots on Apple TV + Charles is a womanizer while Elaine is a gold digger. The duo learn humanity when forced to team up and pursue robot doubles of themselves. Starring Jack Whitehall and Shailene Woodley. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I was driving about some of the outskirts of Nelson this week and it took me a bit of time to notice it. Since my last visit to the region earlier this year, several of the large billboards that had been hammered up on the sides of the road to protest the Three Waters reforms have been removed and not obviously replaced. I don’t know if it’s a Nelson thing or if the billboards have just been moved to another location, or if their removal is symptomatic of something greater nationwide. But at the very least, it’s been my observation that much of the anger around Three Waters has dissipated since Kieran McAnulty took over the portfolio and the government reset the plan. I’m not saying Three Waters isn’t still contentious. There are still public meetings and roadshows and Facebook groups spilling with fury. I’m just saying it’s not nearly as contentious as it was 12 months ago. And even though the new ten-entity plan doesn’t make anything like the financial savings that were initially promised, the government has correctly bet that it can push ahead with a version of Three Waters without it being the single issue that costs it the election. In six years, I can think of few other significant reforms in which Labour has pursued a vision over short-term political popularity. Auckland’s Light Rail project might make the cut, except –like Three Waters– I suspect the project is probably more popular and less contentious than some of the pushback would have us believe. The nature of political leadership is that sometimes you have to make unpopular calls for the greater good. As much as voters have a collective wisdom, they’re also human. They’re motivated by short term incentives. Everyone wants more for less. I suspect that many of those who vehemently oppose Three Waters, for example, have also railed for decades against the rates increases that might have gone some way to developing water infrastructure and removing the need for the reforms in the first place. If you’re only prepared to make popular decisions, then what is the point in leadership? It’s not really leadership, is it? It’s just focus-grouping. Polling. Instead of laying out a platform, debating its merits, and pursuing a distinct vision, you might as well just have a smartphone app or a website on which everyone votes on every little policy so that you can be sure you never fall afoul of the masses. I’m not remotely surprised by Chris Hipkins’ captain’s call on tax, this week. The Prime Minister has made it clear from day one that his absolute priority is winning the election. But I do wonder if somewhere on the ninth floor, at some point, Labour’s strategists find themselves in an existential bind. If the cost of winning an election means sacrificing your political vision, then what’s the point in winning?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Olivia Dean began her career working with dance act Rudimental. With burgeoning solo success following a series of solo EPs, she now releases her debut album, Messy. It’s a mainstream pop record, but with a loose Londony informality amid the polish. You can hear the distant echo of rare groove and acid jazz. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My Friend Anne Frank - Hannah Pick-Goslar Hannah Pick-Goslar died in October just before her 94th birthday (I accidentally put in an interview request for her and that was the book publisher’s response lol) In this long‑awaited memoir, Hannah shares the story of her childhood during the Holocaust, from the introduction of anti-Jewish laws in Amsterdam to the gradual disappearance of classmates and, eventually, the Frank family, to Hannah and her family's imprisonment in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. As Hannah chronicles the experiences of her own life during and after the war, she provides a searing look at what countless children endured at the hands of the Nazi regime, as well as an intimate, never‑before‑seen portrait of the most recognizable victim of the Holocaust. Culminating in an astonishing fateful reunion, My Friend Anne Frank is the profoundly moving story of childhood and friendship during one of the darkest periods in the world's history. The Book of Form and Emptiness - Ruth Ozeki With its blend of sympathetic characters, riveting plot, and vibrant engagement with everything from jazz, to climate change, to our attachment to material possessions, The Book of Form and Emptiness is classic Ruth Ozeki—bold, wise, poignant, playful, humane and heartbreaking. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Mike Yardley joined Jack Tame to chat about his recent visit to the city of Bergamo in Italy. Find his full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

+ Take a bus card, jump on random buses and see where the bus schedules take you! Adventure, explore, and use it as a way to teach kids how to take the bus while making busing feel cool & fun (I am doing this with my 6 & 8 year old nieces today so will have a good story/insight). + Declutter: turn your house clearout/clean up into a game. + Treasure hunt: even if it's raining, finding a free list online or making your own treasure hunt up can be a great source of entertainment for hours. + Bake - but head to a package free store to source all the ingredients with the kids (let them make decisions and learn how to use the bulk bin stores). + Upcycling: choose broken things from your house or take items from the recycling bin to carry out your own upcycling challenge. Most of these are sustainable financially too as they are free or cost very little! LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spent some time looking at Julie’s wonderful display of bright pink Cyclamen – they are flowering beautifully – such an old-fashioned plant… (my mother had them in pots outside, all those years ago) But those Cyclamen Coum have not always been in the large pot in which the Cumquat grows its small bright-yellow/orange citrus fruits; It was one of those experimental accidents that seems to be the result of Julie’s arty Green thumbs. A few years ago, she put a small pot with Cyclamen under that cumquat; it started flowering pretty pink and produced seeds – lots of seeds. The idea is to let the seeds develop and fall onto the soil in winter – in the following autumn they’ll produce heaps of small Cyclamen and the soil is covered in a matter of a few years. Partial shade is the preferred spot – that means you can grow these plants under trees in the garden (not necessarily in pots). They will go dormant in spring – leaves drop off and the plants stay dormant all summer. The cycle starts again in Autumn. Light (liquid) fertiliser - every now and then – will be great. Another way to get Cyclamen to reproduce is by lifting the tubers in late summer/Autumn and dividing them before replanting those underground tubers. Division of the tubers results in all offspring being very much the same (colour, size, etc) But – of course – it’s very satisfying to find the right spot and conditions that allow these plants to go nuts – and more nuts they go, the better it looks. Another way to look at seeds and their variability in development is when you start playing with a plant species through cross-pollination. Dahlias are a perfect example of a plant you can muck around with; all you need is a brush! (or a very well-trained pollinator, such as an obedient honey bee) Imagine taking pollen from a red-coloured Dahlia flower and transporting that (with your brush) to a yellow flower of the same cultivar… (or even a different cultivar – what the heck!). A cross pollination like that can sometimes yield a completely new colour morph or a new variety! This is the kind of gig that professional plant-breeders are into. In New Zealand our Famous Dahlia breeder is Keith Hammett. He created soooo many new varieties! … and every year he has sooo many seeds left to propagate – he simply runs out of time and space. This year he –once again– teamed up with the New Zealand Gardener: You can get some of Keith’s seeds and propagate those yourself; (get in touch with NZ Gardener) Imagine growing a variety that has never been seen before – Just name it yourself and propagate it by growing the tuber every year. You know how to do it!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meta says 70 million people have now signed up for Threads and there have been over 90 million posts. It took Twitter four years to build that audience. Elon is now threatening to sue Meta, alleging Meta has copied Twitter, saying "competition is fine, cheating is not". But he's in for a hard time because copyright law doesn't protect ideas, and Meta has a patent for its newsfeed. If anything, it means Meta could counter sue Twitter - which is exactly why these companies patent things like this even if they never really expect to enforce them. Jane Manchun Wong - who is famous in tech circles for uncovering unreleased features in Twitter (and other apps) as they're being developed - is now working for Meta on Threads. Meta is really pushing the safety and community aspect of this app Meta says they want it to be a "friendly" place for conversation but I still don't see how they plan to make that happen. Instagram's boss says they're not going to do anything to encourage politics and “hard news" - but that won't stop people publishing their thoughts about it? Yes, Meta has more moderation policies, more tech to enforce them, more people to manually review content - but that doesn't inherently make it a safer place. Is Twitter a less safe place than Facebook today? What's next? Instagram is working on a feed just for people you follow and a chronological feed - which is going to make it a LOT more usable. Right now the feed seems to display random content without rhyme or reason - I certainly can't pickup a theme to what I'm getting. Hashtags, trending topics and more are also in the works. They'll also add proper fediverse / activity pub support - which will could open the door to account portability, and even interoperability with other Twitter-like services. Hopefully a proper web version is coming soon too. At the moment you can only find someone's profile if you know their username - eg. https://www.threads.net/@paulstenhouse See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Bryan Betty joined Jack Tame to talk about appendicitis: what it is, the signs, and what to do about it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unforgotten: A new season of this brilliant British crime drama starring Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar recently arrived on TVNZ+. Everybody Else Burns: A sharp British comedy about the Lewises, an everyday family from Manchester who happen to belong to an ultra-religious cult (Neon). The Horror of Dolores Roach: A comedy horror about a woman who is released from prison after 18 years, and after reuniting with an old friend, is driven to shocking extremes to survive (Prime Video). LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marianne van Velzen is a Dutch journalist who has long held a fascination with Australia, having been born in the Netherlands but growing up down under. The country’s long informed her work – and she’s researched and written about some the most adventurous and pioneering people in Australia. Her latest book is centered on Minnie Berrington, the first female opal miner in South Australia’s outback. Marianne joined Jack Tame to chat about her latest work. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These are ridiculously easy to make, yummy as, and they just happen to be gluten free! Chewy, densely rich and very moreish. Makes 12–15 cookies Ingredients: 1 cup sugar 1 cup peanut butter 1 large egg 50g dark chocolate, roughly chopped 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional) Method: Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper. With an electric beater or a food processor, mix sugar, peanut butter and egg until combined. Add the chopped chocolate and vanilla and mix briefly. Roll dough into balls about the size of a walnut or golf ball, depending on how big you like your cookie. Flatten with your palm. Bake for 14–16 minutes, flattening again at the 8-minute mark. Cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WHAM! Through archival interviews and footage, George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley relive the arc of their Wham! career, from 70s best buds to 80s pop icons. Sugar and Stars Ever since he was a little boy, Yazid has dreamed of becoming a pastry chef. Moved from one foster home to another, nothing predestined him for such a career. Yazid’s indomitable determination and resourcefulness have proven priceless in helping him succeed in the elitist arena of patisserie. Working for the world’s top chefs from Paris to Monaco, he strives to become the best and to fulfill his dream of winning the international pastry championship. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin's wife Linda is away for a couple weeks, leaving him with pages of instructions on what to feed the dog. Plus, he's finally figured out where all their money has been going. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The drive was only three hours but we knew we’d have to distract him. It’s not his fault! 6-year-olds simply do not have the biologicial composition for sitting still in place for more than about 14 seconds. And even a relatively simple drive, Auckland to Rotorua, is an almighty test for the first weekend of the school holidays. When I was a kid, my parents used to try and placate us with food. Ahead of a long drive, my three siblings and I would climb into the back of the family van, each of us with an ice-cream container full of Uncle Toby’s finest highly-processed treats. It was like a Tame family version of the marshmellow test. My sister and I would try and drag our respective treat boxes out until we’d made it most of the way to our destination. Delayed gratification. My little brother would be finished his by the time our van reached the end of the street. The first ‘are we there yet?’ came before we’d even cleared the Bombay Hills. Although I’d encouraged Mr Six-year old to plot our remaining journey time on the car’s Google Maps, it became clear he didn’t understand how to read the column with the hours remaining, and to everyone’s grave disappointment - “It says only nine more minutes!” - had been solely focusing on the minutes column for our procession down the Southern Motorway. My wife introduced a game of Hoiho. If you see a horse, you yell ‘Hoiho!’ If you see a paddock of horses, you say ‘Pataka.’ Everyone keeps tally of their total horses, until a player sees a cemetery, ‘Urupā,’ and gets to choose what other player’s horses get scratched. Mr Six-year-old was an enthusiastic participant. A little too enthusiastic, if anything. Cows? “Hoiho!” Deer? “Hoiho!” Vegetation on distant hillsides? “Hoiho! Hoiho!” And it quickly became clear that what maybe he lacked in horse-spotting skills, he made up for in cunning. “Hoiho!” “Where?” “Oh back there around the corner. You missed it.” Finally, somewhere just south of Huntly, we resorted to technology. Not a screen, but my noise-cancelling headphones and a series of children’s podcasts, about things like why cheese is smelly and why fish can open their eyes underwater. It was a good call. Mr Six-year-old was chuffed. He asked to pause Hoiho and seemed to relax back into his seat and watch the Waikato countryside drift past. The only problem with the noise-cancelling headphones setup is that even for the quietest among us, it can be very difficult to regulate the volume of your voice. My wife would just be dozing off when she’d be wrenched from her slumber by someone screaming in the back seat. “Unpause. Hoiho! Ok, pause again.” The rate at which time passes depends on your frame of reference. I dunno if Albert Einstein had a brainwave moment in describing the theory of relativity. But part of me wonders if he took a family trip to Rotorua with a six-year-old in the back. I figured three hours was gonna’ be a long time for him. But the person most relieved when we reach our destination wasn’t Mr Six-year-old. It was me.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With her tenth studio album, “chemistry,” the singer turned talk-show host drills into the specific heartbreak of a marriage’s end. In 2020, after filing for divorce from her husband of nearly seven years, Brandon Blackstock, Clarkson hinted at new music, claiming that she was writing the “most personal” album she’s ever made. Last year, she said that she’d been working on the record for two years, and that she’d done the Christmas songs because it had provided a joyful break from the difficult realities of her life. That project-in-the-making, “chemistry,” is finally out, and it is a worthy entry in the annals of breakup albums, a musical gesture that teases, entices, and—for better or worse—provides the public a window into a relationship gone bad. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lusciously located at the confluence of the mighty Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers, the very name Phnom Penh conjures up an image of the exotic. I recently visited Cambodia’s capital with Emerald Cruises on their magnificent week-long float from Ho Chi Minh City. From the fluttering saffron robes of passing monks to the glimmering spires of the Royal Palace, Phnom Penh struts its Buddhist stripes at every turn. But the Cambodian capital’s shine was egregiously tarnished by the ravages of the Khmer Rouge regime. Forty years on, Phnom Penh aspires to be as electric as Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City, with swanky new developments and the hip, edgy design boom revving up the city centre’s allure, and eye-catching skyscrapers extravagantly reframing the skyline. Come nightfall, there is no question that Phnom Penh is one of the most illuminated cities in Asia, radiantly aglow in the city’s insatiable obsession with playful, escapist light shows. The city is lit! But the shameful shadow of Pol Pot and his abominable regime is a stain that cannot be airbrushed away – or joyfully dressed up in fairy lights. The past bastardry is still central to the city narrative. Remarkably, when the Khmer Rouge grabbed power, it forced most of its three million residents into the countryside, apart of its grand vision for a classless agrarian society. Today, Phnom Penh resembles a city of startling contrasts, from extreme poverty to ostentatious wealth. It’s a city gripped by entrenched state corruption and the reaffirming kindness of locals you meet. Virtually everyone I chatted to was scathing of Cambodia’s slavish dependence on China. Nearly 50% of their public debt is owed to China, with more “debt trap” loans in the works. Phnom Penh is a city where the streets have no name – merely numbers. The legacy of the Khmer Rouge looms large as one of the central reasons to visit the city and to reflect on history’s epic horrors, dipping into the darkest corners of the country's traumatised past. It’s an unvarnished, gut-wrenching experience. My first shore excursion with Emerald Cruises was to one of Cambodia’s biggest Killing Fields. Under Pol Pot's maniacal rule from 1975 to 1979, roughly a quarter of Cambodia’s population was murdered, the genocide of roughly 2 million people. Tens of thousands of Khmer Rouge prisoners who had been tortured at the infamous S-21 prison were then taken just out of town to the Choeung Ek extermination camp, which was previously a Chinese cemetery and longan orchard. Prisoners would arrive blind-folded unaware of the brutality that was about to unfold. Our guide pointed out the tree named the Killing Tree, which is where children would be beaten to death. Another tree has been named the Music Tree. The Khmer Rouge executioners would hang speakers from the tree and blast out loud music to drown out the screams of people being bludgeoned to death, so that those awaiting their fate remained oblivious to the evil about to be unleashed. The Killing Tree. Photo / Mike Yardley My guide soberly remarked that most people were viciously bludgeoned to death by farm implements, because the Khmer Rouge didn’t want to waste precious money on bullets. The most sickening spectacle at this site are the shards of bones and clothing sticking up from the vast mounds of dirt that mark the mass graves. Every time it rains, the earth reveals more and more of its sinister secrets, lurking beneath the surface. Most mass graves have been left untouched. Today the camp is a memorial site. A monumental 17-storey glass stupa, built 25 years ago, rises up from the centre, filled with 8,000 skulls, exhumed from the mass graves nearby. It's a harrowing spectacle – steel yourself. Many of the skulls, which are grouped according to age and sex, bear the holes and slices from the blows that killed them. Photo / Mike Yardley Back in town, we visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, another horrific reminder of the cruelty humans are capable of inflicting. Once a neighbourhood high school, the building was seized by Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge and turned into a prison and interrogation centre, the dreaded S-21. During the prison's four years of operation, an estimated 20,000 Cambodians were tortured here before being transferred to the Killing Fields for execution. Initially it was the previous governments officials, academics, doctors, teachers, students, factory workers, monks and engineers that were imprisoned. The regime was paranoid about educated Cambodians becoming CIA spies and went to outrageous lengths to interrogate inmates and force out confessions – many of which were false confessions. Prisoners were routinely beaten and tortured with electric shocks, searing hot metal instruments and hanging. Some were cut with knives or suffocated with plastic bags. Other methods for generating confessions included pulling out fingernails while pouring alcohol on the wounds and waterboarding prisoners. Even a Kiwi, Kerry Hamill, was tortured in the pr

We hear lots about “mindfulness” – it seems to be everywhere. But what actually is it and what does it do? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the common queries from the Garden involves the phenomenon of leafcurl on the leaves of peaches, nectarines, apricots, almonds …. STONE FRUIT in other words. It is caused by the fungus Taphrina deformans. The leaves (especially in spring) are discoloured and contorted (if there is such a word) disfigured and looking quite awful. Colours vary from pale green to pink and deeper purple colours, but the distortions are very diagnostic: as if the leaves have become a lot “thicker” The affected leaves fall off the trees along with infected small fruits. Infection As soon as the leaf buds have “swollen” to produce spring-time leaves, the infections take place. Later in spring and early summer, when most of the affected leaves have fallen off, the leaves appear to be “normal, but the tree will have been weakened. By then the damage has been done. With newly-formed peach leaves in spring, you are NOT advised to spray copper on those leaves, as copper often causes “burn” on those leaves and - besides – you’re too late controlling the fungus at that time. A spray with Myclobutanil (“Fungus fighter”) might be more effective as that (non-organic) material will control the fungal infection – albeit too late for that year’s crop! Timing of Infection The reason we’re talking about leaf curl at this time of the year (July) is that from Late Autumn to Early Winter (right now!) the fungal spores of Taphrina deformans are infecting the leaf buds that are being formed on the twigs for the new spring growth. Control Grab yourself a double dose of Copper spray (or a mixture of Copper and Sulphur (both regarded as organic sprays) and drench those new buds two or three times (2 weeks apart). I have the feeling that you can’t go wrong with three or even four sprays of copper from all angles, so the buds are thoroughly sprayed and the fungal spores are given a run for their money! Some folk advise to do apply another copper spray just before the leaf buds swell (in spring) and produce leaves. But it’s quite simple: if you can control the Taphrina deformans at this time of the year, you’ll control the leaf curl too and have a much better crop of stone fruit in spring. If you still get some leaf curl on the new leaves, a quick dose of fungus fighter will “mop up” the fungus before it goes into its summer state. Hygiene Don’t forget to pick up fallen, infected leaves and fruit from the ground underneath the tree.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BOB’S BEST BUYS Wine: Neudorf 2022 Tiritiri Chardonnay, Nelson $28 Why I chose it: - Neudorf is one of the country’s top chardonnay producers - It is less than one/third of the price of Neudorf’s top chardonnay - “Special occasion” wine What does it taste like? - Appealing, accessible chardonnay with an initial hint of fruit and alcohol sweetness leading to nicely integrated acidity that helps drive a lengthy finish. A mix of subtle mineral and citrus flavours. Great value at this price. Why it’s a bargain: - It is one of those wines that I spot on the shelve and think they have made a mistake by underpricing it. Where can you buy it? - Moore Wilson’s, Wellington $26.95; - Neudorf Vineyards, Upper Moutere $28. - Wine retailers know that they don’t have to discount the wine to sell it. It has such a good reputation. Food match? - Freshly shucked Nelson Toi Point oysters garnished with a squeeze of lime. Most seafoods. Will it keep? - It offers great drinking now but will still be delicious in 4-5 years. therealreview.com LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are your kids up to on Instagram and Messenger - you can now find out more than ever Just how much time are they spending chatting to friends? The new "Messenger Supervision Tools" will show that and lots more. Parents will be able to see contacts lists, who messages with their child and who can see their Stories. They can't however see the actual messages themselves. These are available now in the USA, Canada and UK. Will roll out globally over time. Over on Instagram, if a kid isn't following someone and they try to send a message, they'll get an invite to connect before any photos or videos can be received, or calls are connected. An update about Meta blocking links to news sites in Canada Well Google is doing the same now. It'll be removing all news content from Google Search, and Google news. They haven't said if links to stories about Canada from foreign publishers would be allowed. Google is calling the Online News Act "unworkable" - especially because it forces the tech companies to the negotiating table with no guidelines on what a reasonable deal should be valued at. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Kevin Milne joined Jack to chat about his win in the Lotto draw this week, and what he’d do with $33 million dollars. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hijack: Idris Elba stars in this drama about a negotiator who has to use his professional skills when his flight from Dubai to London is hijacked (Apple TV+). The Witcher: The popular dark fantasy series sees Henry Cavill return for a third season as a monster-hunter available for hire, navigating a world where people are more wicked than beasts (Netflix). Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorised Story of American Gladiators: This docu-series follows the dramatic rise and fall (and all the behind the scenes drama) of one of the biggest TV shows of the 1990s (Netflix). LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jimmy Chin is responsible for capturing some of the most famous outdoor photos and documentaries of our time alongside his wife, Chai. The pair shot the Oscar winning documentary Free Solo, following climber Alex Honnold conquering the 900 metre vertical rock face of El Capitan in Yosemite… without any ropes. Jimmy and Chai have a new project that’s been picked up by Disney called Wild Life. It follows Kris Tompkins and her partner Doug, who helped pioneer the likes of Patagonia, The North Face, and Esprit. They then turned their attention to creating National Parks throughout Chile and Argentina through one of the largest private land donations in history. Jimmy Chin joined Jack Tame to chat about this latest project. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This beautiful fruit is in abundance right now, and it’s a great ingredient to work with given it lends itself to both sweet and savoury dishes. Often paired with blue cheese, I recently enjoyed it at a fab restaurant in Wellington, High Water on Cuba St, where they paired it with fresh burrata. This is my version of that dish. Serves 2 Ingredients: 3 tablespoons currants, soaked in boiling water to plump 1 firm persimmon, sliced very thinly (I used a mandolin) 100g burrata or fresh mozzarella or cottage cheese Small handful of toasted hazelnuts Honey, pomegranate molasses, balsamic vinegar or vincotto Dressing: 2 tablespoons good olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar Whisk up the dressing in a little bowl. Method: Choose your favourite plate and dollop some of whatever cheese you’re using around it in spoonfuls or torn pieces. Cover these with the thin slices of persimmon. Drizzle over the dressing, scatter over the currants and hazelnuts. Add a final flourish of whatever you’re using, the honey, molasses etc. Eat quietly and reverently. Note: Vincotto is a beautiful, fruity, tangy viscous vinegar See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Daredevil archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary dial that can change the course of history. Accompanied by his goddaughter, he soon finds himself squaring off against Jürgen Voller, a former Nazi who works for NASA. The Last Rider American cyclist Greg LeMond wins the 1989 Tour de France to complete one of the greatest comebacks in sports history. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sir Isaac Newton missed a trick. Albert Einstein did no better. Archimedes was good, sure. But he still failed to describe one of the most obvious principles defining almost every aspect of our mortal existance: There’s no such thing as a free lunch. So far as I’m concerned, the Theory of No Free Lunch applies to every aspect of our lives. It’s the rule of payoffs. The rule of compromises. Sure, you can drive a massive V8 that sounds awesome and goes like the clappers, but it’s probably gonna’ be terrible for the environment and a nightmare to maintain. Sure, you can have a meaningful, purposeful, nourishing job, but you’re probably only going to earn a 50th of the salary of someone trading derivatives or trafficking weapons for a living. But perhaps nowhere is the Theory of No Free Lunch more applicable than at lunch. Sure, you can have a fast, convenient, delicious meal, but it’s probably not gonna’ be very healthy. You can enjoy a highly-nutritious, wholesome, plant-based dish, but it’s probably not gonna’ be quite as tasty or convenient as some other options. Think about how we use salt and sugar. Up to a point, is it too cheeky to suggest that every sprinkle makes a dish both a bit more delicious and a bit less healthy? There are very few unicorns when it comes to the Theory of No Free Lunch, which is why I for one am not surprised in the slightest at the news on Aspartame. The World Health Organisation is reportedly preparing to define the artificial sweetener as a possible human carcinogen. Aspartame is the miracle ingredient that makes things like Diet Coke, toothpaste, and sugar-free chewing gum delicious. Sure, you’re not consuming good old-fashioned sugary calories, you’re not rotting your teeth and clogging your arteries, but there’s a cost to that deliciousness that has to be paid somewhere. You can’t have something for nothing. We have to wait a couple of weeks for the final WHO report, but that it’s taken this long to define aspartame as possibly carcinogenic is yet another great example of how stunningly little we seem to actually understand about the science of nutrition. Aspartame is in 6000 products worldwide. It’s been studied and studied and studied. Diet Coke is 41 years old! And yet if the reports are true, it’s taken until 2023 for the WHO to finally decide aspartame meets the carcinogenic threshold. The good news, if there is any, is that it’s likely you’ll need to consume a huge quantity of the stuff for it to have a significant effect. I don’t think anyone is suggesting aspartame is on the scale of leaded petrol or tobacco. I occasionally have a diet fizzy drink. I used to be addicted but I weaned myself off it for exactly this reason. I figured it had to be bad for me, somehow. But really, the thing for me is chewing gum. I chew gum like an Australian cricketer. And will this news stop me? Of course not. Because like I said... it’s not news to me. Whether carcinogenic or something else, for sugarfree gum to taste that delicious, I’ve always known there had to be a cost. I knew, and I will always know, that there is no such thing as a free lunch.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Returning with their first album of new material since 2019's chart-topping Run Home Slow, Melbourne's The Teskey Brothers have unveiled their third official long player The Winding Way. They’re playing in NZ later this year. “Our old recording studio was on a street called Winding Way in Melbourne. We moved out of that house in 2021 just before recording this album,” Josh explains. “When we were trying to come up with a title we realised ‘The Winding Way’ is the perfect metaphor for all the recent changes we’d been through in our lives. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Covenant of Water – Abraham Verghese From the New York Times-bestselling author of Cutting for Stone comes a stunning and magisterial epic of love, faith, and medicine. Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on South India's Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning -- and in Kerala, water is everywhere. At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old girl from Kerala's long-existing Christian community, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time. From this unforgettable new beginning, the young girl -- and future matriarch, known as Big Ammachi -- will witness unthinkable changes over the span of her extraordinary life, full of joy and triumph as well as hardship and loss, her faith and love the only constants. Search History – Amy Taylor A young woman’s online obsession with her new boyfriend’s deceased ex fuels this sharp and honest portrait of modern love “brimming with humor, insight, and uncomfortable truths” After Ana flees to Melbourne in the wake of a breakup, all she has to show for herself is an unfulfilling job at an overly enthusiastic tech start-up and one particularly questionable dating app experience. Then she meets Evan. Charming, kind, and responsible, Evan is a complete deviation from her usual type; Ana feels like she has finally awoken from a long dating nightmare. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Yardley joined Jack Tame to chat about his recent trip cruising down the Mekong Delta, taking in the sights of Vietnam. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The next phase of the government’s plastic ban is kicking in from July, with single use plastic straws, tableware and cutlery, and plastic bags all being phased out. Kate “Ethically Kate” Hall joined Jack Tame to chat about the ban, what it’ll mean, and how people can get ready for the changes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to winter! So you want to grow that tropical Pomegranate? Punica granatum is likely to have originated from Persia or Central Asia; a closely related ancestor (Punica protopunica) came from Yemen. The Pomegranate was quickly transported by humans throughout the Mediterranean basin, California and Asia; that was made possible by the fact that these trees are extremely adaptive to various climates and soil conditions. So yes, they would probably grow nicely in Canterbury on the port hills! What made this fruit (and bark, leaves and flowers) so desirable was its medicinal use: bio-active chemicals (and anti-oxydants) were found to be anti-microbial and anti-bacterial and pretty useful in the battles with diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer. Not sure how much real scientific work has been put into these medicinal claims, but as per usual, in our modern language, this fruit became a “Super Food.” Growing the Pomegranate tree/shrub In full sun is best. In any type of soil, but well-drained soil with organic material/compost gives best results. I think that if you have rather wet soils, it may pay to “raise your bed” at least 30 centimetres to avoid inundation of the roots; Pomegranates can stand rather dry soils, which means you can water the plants when you have time – and use liquid fertiliser! There is a dwarf variety called “Nana.” It can be planted in a large pot and will grow to 1 meter high. Advantage: can be shifted to a warm spot to ripen the fruit in autumn. Use a good container mix with some slow-release fertiliser. Grow them in an area where you get warm summers, slowly extending the nice temperatures to 6 or 7 months. They're pretty resistant to cool winters, but require at least 6 months of warm temperatures to ripen the fruit. Planting time. In Auckland you can plant them in late autumn/early winter (soil temperatures are not too low and the soil not too wet); In Canterbury I would plant them in autumn when the soil is still relatively warm You need patience. Pomegranates need to get established into the soil first – they slowly start to put down their roots and create flowers on the next shoots. Don’t expect too much fruit in the first year or two. Fertilisers and watering. Not required in winter and early spring – you can ignore them! But once flowers have started to show, water the tree and chuck down some fertiliser (best to use “flowering fertiliser” for tomatoes or roses) and keep up the “care” to allow the fruit to ripen in autumn. Pruning in winter: lightly prune to remove dead branches and keep the tree in shape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Money Personalities. The Retirement Commission this week released a study which identified 5 main Money Personalities – an enterpriser, a minimalist, a socialite, a realist, and a contemporary. Hannah McQueen has seen thousands of clients over the years, does this hold true, and does it matter? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

News is disappearing from Facebook in Canada Canada's Online News Act passed on Thursday which forces tech companies to negotiate with news publishers to link to their content. There's even a provision for binding arbitration if needed. Meta isn't happy. They said back in May that it's "like asking email providers to pay the postal service because people don’t send letters any more". Meta's argument is stronger than Google's because users choose to share the news on Facebook & Instagram, rather than Facebook itself. The tech companies have six months before the legislation comes into effect, but Facebook plans to start blocking access immediately. Amazon wants in on the AI race too AWS is allocating $100 million to a program to work with companies to use their AI tech. They're adding data scientists, engineers, and solutions architects. Amazon is in a slightly different position to Microsoft & Google because they don't have the same access to datasets from crawling the web. What they do have is connections for an enterprise to their own data inside the AWS data servers thanks to their position as the cloud-leader. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Class of ’09: An American thriller that follows a group of FBI agents in three distinct time periods as they grapple with the changes to the US criminal justice system as it is altered by artificial intelligence. (Disney+) Black Snow: When a time capsule is unearthed at a Queensland high school, a small town is forced to confront the past and an unsolved murder of a student. (TVNZ+) Carpool Karaoke: A star-studded, song-filled ride in this five-time Emmy award winning series that sees celebrities sharing a car, singing along to their favourite songs - including Succession’s Brian Cox singing The Spice Girls?! (Apple TV+) LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘I’m Yours’ by Jason Mraz was the song of the year back in 2008, going on to achieve the relatively rare diamond status the next year, and going platinum a total of ten times. The US artist has had a successful career, with worldwide tours, multiple Grammy wins, and is a Songwriters Hall of Fame honoree. Jason has released a brand new album called Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride, and joined Jack Tame this morning to chat about both it and his career. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s soup season and this has got to be one of my absolute favourites because it’s rich with flavour but so cheap to make! Serves 1-2 Ingredients: 1 tablespoon each butter and oil 2 onions, sliced thinly (see note) 1 scant tablespoon plain flour 3 cups beef, chicken or vege stock (or water) Splash of white or red wine (optional) 1 bay leaf ½ tsp sea salt ½ tsp brown sugar Decent grind black pepper 1-2 thick slices of bread ¼ cup grated cheese – gruyere is traditional but you can use any Method: In a heavy pot cook the sliced onions on a medium heat in the butter and oil. Do this with the lid on to let them sweat down. After 5-7 minutes given them a stir (lower the heat if they are getting too brown) and keep covered and cooking for 10 more minutes. Stir the flour through the onions, add a splash of the stock and cook for 1 minutes until the flour has thickened then add the remaining ingredients. Simmer, lid on, for 20-30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. To serve: Grill bread on both sides, top it with cheese and grill until cheese is melted then place on top of soup in a bowl. Enjoy! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No Hard Feelings On the brink of losing her childhood home, a desperate woman agrees to date a wealthy couple's introverted and awkward 19-year-old son before he leaves for college. Starring Jennifer Lawrence. My Sailor, My Love A retired sea captain and his daughter must reassess their strained relationship after he begins a new romance with a widowed housekeeper. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Kevin joined Jack Tame to say goodbye to one of New Zealand’s most endearing stars: Piggy Sue. She was adopted by Kevin and his wife Linda after starring in Vodafone ads back in 2015, but recently had to be put down after an illness. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ll be honest with you, I’ve been utterly compelled from the very start. I first read about the missing Titan submersible a few hours after it was publicly reported missing, and I’ve been hanging on every update ever since. That’s not to say I ever thought there might be a happy ending to the whole saga. This is perhaps a confronting thing to say, but in that vessel, at that depth, at that location, an instantaneous catastrophic implosion was a preferable alternative to one in which the occupants suffered over days or were conscious of what was happening. I just think –more than any other news story in recent memory– the whole thing says so much to us about human nature. First of all, the occupants themselves. Curious, daring. Fantastically wealthy. Was anyone terribly surprised to learn they were all men? And what does it say about our species that for those people who can afford it, of all the oceans in the World and all the incredible things to see, they chose an already extremely well-documented shipwreck that happens to be in a very tricky and unpleasant stretch of water. When you think about, a trip to a wreck where 1500 people died and you can still catch glimpes of shoes in the sand is a pretty morbid. Did the tourists really want to see the Titanic? Or did they just want to be able to say they’d seen the titanic? For us, watching from the outside, that a search for five men could engross the World says so much. We are utterly compelled by the horrors of the deep. We compelled by exploration. By hubris. By the faintest hope of an extremely unlikely rescue. We picture ourselves in that situation. Would I go in that submarine? What would I do now? Human beings aren’t even-handed in their interest or attention. Sadly, we don’t give nearly the same resource or news coverage to sinking migrant ships filled with poor and nameless people, missing in the Med. Is it just? Of course not. Ultimately though, nothing in this saga said more about human nature than the CEO of Oceangate, who died with his vessel. Stockton Rush was smart and resourceful enough to build a device which could make it kilometres below the surface of the ocean, but not wise enough to heed the warnings of myriad experts and engineers in what is a very small community. Ultimately every dive was a game of Russian roulette. As the film director James Cameron noted, there is something awfully poetic about the whole situation and its parallels to the original Titanic disaster, in which a captain blithely ignored warnings and steamed into the path of icebergs. Ultimately Stockton Rush will be remembered for publicly courting attention and media, boasting of his creation and lambasting his critics, only to perish by the flaws of his own design. There’s one word for it: Shakesperean.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unlike the two previous records, his first to include the Cat Stevens moniker since 1978, King of a Land is made up of all new material. Not much has changed in Yusuf / Cat Stevens' music over the past half-century. He even sounds remarkably the same, singing in a voice that's lost none of its geniality and compassion, even if the world has. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yellowface – RF Kaung White lies. Dark humor. Deadly consequences… Bestselling sensation Juniper Song is not who she says she is, she didn’t write the book she claims she wrote, and she is most certainly not Asian American—in this chilling and hilariously cutting novel from R.F. Kuang, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Babel Killing Moon – Jo Nesbo This killer will get inside your head... Two women are missing, their only connection being they attended the same party, hosted by a notorious real-estate magnate. When one of the women is found murdered, the police discover an unusual signature left by the killer, giving them reason to suspect he will strike again. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The city's bling-bling urban verve is surging, but it's Saigon's history that still attracts most travellers. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

47 is statistically proven to be the most depressing point of your life...but here's how to turn it around. Numerous scientific studies have shown that happiness is U-shaped – it declines and bottoms out in your 40s as you struggle with the pressures of working life, lack of new experiences, financial worries, and the weight of responsibility. No longer thirty and thriving? A recent study1 suggests that 47 years old is the most ‘depressing’ point of your life. But with every problem comes a solution, and Tourism Fiji has collated a series of holiday experiences designed to turn that middle-aged frown upside down. According to the research, happiness declines and bottoms out in your 40s before slowly hiking upwards again in the mid-50s. Combine tweenaged children with mortgages, high-interest rates and depleting collagen, and you’ll potentially find yourself a miserable 40-something-year-old. Psychologist Dr Dougal Sutherland claims that there is a method to the miserable-ness: “Your 40s are a time in life when you feel the weight of responsibility most strongly. Many people will have dependent kids, alongside duties that come with ageing parents, plus potentially increasing levels of responsibility at work. All of these things can eat into your general sense of life satisfaction.” “In your 40s, you look back with fondness at the care-free days of youth and look ahead to semi-retirement and enjoying the ‘good life’. You’re caught in the middle and stuck in a dangerous cycle of comparison.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I was excited to go to my favourite circus: Cirque du Soleil; they’re back in town!! Great costumes – lots of art – and creative music. Most of all: fabulous performers that can do incredible things with their bodies; this, by the way, is something that makes my old body ache, just looking at it! Safety has to be an enormously important part of the show, yet you rarely see obvious signs of safety lines and nets, really… Fast-Forward to some of our jumping spiders; their Family name is “Salticidae” from Latin “Saltare”, meaning: to jump Some of our species are absolute masters at it – they come inside the house, look around for potential prey and then the stalking starts. Jumping spiders have great eye-sight – total of eight eyes, two are large front eyes for perfect stereo vision… The following “jump” is also extremely fast and accurate, but what most people don’t see is that during this jump the spider reels off silk from a gland in the abdomen. (at lightning speed!) This silk line is the spider’s safety line, in case it misses the target or falls of the window sill, table or other precarious edge where the jump takes place. Looking at these spiders you’ll see an entomological version of Cirque du Soleil with “web-sites” and bungy cords, safety lines and safety nets, daring jumps and lightning fast reflexes, all made from Natural fibres that are strong and efficient and - most of all – Biodegradable! Not surprised then that some scientists think they have observed jumping spiders going into REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleeps… No doubt dreaming about their miniaturecircus acts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cataracts Very common as get older. 400,000 thought to be living with cataracts Not treated can lead to blindness How do we now we are getting cataracts? Notice haziness in vision especially at night or bright light. May see halo’s around lights. Worsens vision becomes cloudy. Due to lens front of eye turning yellow or clumps protein. Reaction to UV light. Who’s at risk? Age biggest risk factor – unusual before 40. Rarely children and develop congenital cataracts. Some things worsen risk: Smoking, diabetes, increases exposure to UV light – working outside. Why UV sunglasses so important! What can we do about it? Surgery only long term option! Short operation 45 minutes under local anaesthetic – your awake. Small cut in cornea (front of the eye) – lens removed and plastic one inserted. Can’t be rejected , can’t develop another one once done. Few days off work so as not to strain eyes. How do we prevent? Regular eye checks with optometrist. Protect eyes – wear sunglasses See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Full Monty: 26 years after the unemployed men from Sheffield first stripped off in the iconic movie of the same name, they’re back - older, certainly - but are they any wiser? (Disney+) Arnold: Following his recent return to our screens on Netflix’s Fubar, this three part documentary series looks back at the varied life of the Austrian bodybuilder and his pursuit of the American dream (Netflix) Our Planet II: Sir David Attenborough’s latest nature documentary series follows the astonishing stories of animal migration across our planet (Netflix) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Great NZ Toastie Takeover finalists have been announced So, let's talk toasties, how much we love them, MY TOP TIPS FOR MAKING A GOOD ONE and encourage listeners to check out the finalist's offerings - their website is fantastically easy to navigate and find one near you. With a whopping 120,000 toasties served up since mid-April , the competition’s 185 entries have now been whittled down to 14 finalists from around the country - winner will be announced on TUESDAY 20 June. This is such a popular competition - I love the way consumers can actually get to try the toasties during the comp and the names and combos the chefs come up with are incredible: "Baabaa Ganoush" - Sprig & Fern Tavern (Nelson): House smoked lamb shoulder, baba ganoush, peppery rocket, Thor’s Hammer Manchego style cheese, McClure’s Sweet & Spicy Pickles, fresh hop aioli, on Don Rodrigo’s quinoa sourdough bread. Served with house cut twice cooked chips seasoned with rosemary and garlic Marlborough sea salt flake. "Come out with your hams up" - Cafe Polo (WELLINGTON) Croc MonShaw: - Good Day (Orakei): Thick cut free range smoked ham (from local butcher the legend Mr Chris Knight), lashings of cheesy, mustardy bēchamel sauce, crunchy McClure’s Sweet & Spicy Pickles and more cheese for the ultimate melt, on local baker the Dusty Apron’s grilled sourdough. "Sheep Thrills" - Roasted X Toasted (Lumsden) Slow roasted Southland lamb, Old Yella mustard, creamy mayo, McClure’s Bread & Butter Pickles, three cheese blend and Kel’s homemade McClure’s pickle jelly. The Joestie: - Shining Peak Brewing (New Plymouth) An in-depth delve between land and sea. Smoked eel, kawakawa aioli, smoked cheddar, McClure’s Pickles, puha, topped with McClure’s pickle caviar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Madeleine Sami is a busy woman. Out this week is Double Parked a comedy series she both stars in and directs featuring Antonia Prebble. She stars in a new black comedy series with the Aussies called Deadloch – released earlier this month to great reviews. And if that wasn’t enough - Madeleine is in a band with her equally as talented sisters – called, of course, The Sami Sisters. Madeleine Sami joined Jack Tame. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guy Ritchie's The Covenant – yes, he has put his name in the title of the film During the war in Afghanistan, a local interpreter risks his own life to carry an injured sergeant across miles of gruelling terrain. Extraction 2 Back from the brink of death, commando Tyler Rake embarks on a dangerous mission to save a ruthless gangster's imprisoned family. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.