Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Meta's launched AI to produce code Their new "Code Llama" can create working code from natural language prompts, and also debug and explain code pasted into it. So in what is a bizarre turn of events, Meta software engineers have created AI to take their job… or at least parts of it. Meta says this allows its staff to focus on the "most human-centric aspects of their job, rather than repetitive tasks". But they don't go so far as to say what those human aspects are. Microsoft's Github Copilot has similar features but is currently being sued for copyright because the AI can reproduce proprietary code. Donald Trump is back on Twitter/X Back to post an image with his mug shot from his booking in Atlanta, with the words "Election Interference, never surrender" and just a link to his website to fundraise. Trump was banned indefinitely, until Elon bought Twitter and gave him his account back. His return is not a surprise though. According to reports earlier this year, his exclusivity deal with his own Truth Social was due to expire in June and sources said he was eager to get back to Twitter. This post could be the first of many to come. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kin A gritty Irish drama about a small Dublin crime family who take on a gangland war with a powerful international drug cartel after a young boy is killed (TVNZ+). Who is Erin Carter? A British schoolteacher living in Spain finds herself entangled in a supermarket robbery and must fight to clear her name after she is recognised by one of the criminals (Netflix). At Home with the Fury’s Netflix’s new reality series follows the lives of controversial boxer Tyson Fury and his family. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian surfing legend Owen Wright ranked 5th in the world, earned a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympic Games and was the first surfer to get to two perfect scores in one event. In 2015, he wiped out at the Bnzai Pipeline in Hawaii and suffered a major brain injury, resulting in him needing to relearn how to walk, talk, and surf once more. In early August he released his memoir ‘Against the Water’ chronicling his journey and experiences. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This pie is so perfect as a quick dessert that will thrill anyone lucky enough to be sharing dinner with you, especially served warm with vanilla ice cream and softly whipped cream. Serves 2-4 Ingredients: 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry 1 small egg, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon sugar for sprinkling on top Filling 2 tablespoons cornflour 2 big tablespoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon mixed spice (or just cinnamon will do) ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 2 granny smith apples, peeled and roughly chopped into small pieces ¼ cup sultanas ¼ cup toasted walnut pieces Ice cream and whipped cream to serve Method: Heat oven to 180 C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Halve the sheet of pastry and roll it out slightly thinner than it comes. I always do this with store-bought pastry as it tends towards being too thick straight out of the packet. Place one piece on the prepared tray and brush the edges with a lightly beaten egg. In a bowl mix the filling ingredients together, tossing it all together to combine. The cornflour will help to thicken the juices once it starts to cook. Pile this filling up on the pastry leaving a 2cm border free of filling. Lay pastry lid over the filling (you may have to stretch it a little to cover) and press to seal it to the base. Make a few cuts in the top to let the air out, brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 40 minutes or until lovely and golden brown on top and crisp on the bottom. Serve warm with ice cream and cream LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pacific Mother In Pacific Mother we see that when women are supported emotionally, physically and culturally, they are more likely to have a positive birth experience. Whether it's in hospital or at home, on land or in the water. “Collaboration” has been key for our Pacific Mother film. Sound of Freedom After rescuing a boy from ruthless child traffickers, a federal agent learns the boy's sister is still captive and decides to embark on a dangerous mission to save her. With time running out, he quits his job and journeys deep into the Colombian jungle, putting his life on the line to free her from a fate worse than death. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Kevin Milne joined Jack Tame to chat about having passions, specifically a passion for your job. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I had this amazing little moment one afternoon this week, when for the first time this winter... I threw open the doors of my deck, sprawled out on the couch nearby, and basked in the sunshine as it spilled through onto my face and neck. Isn’t it amazing what a difference a few days of sunshine can make? My God. I know that there are parts of the country that have had it a whole lot sunnier than Auckland these last few months but I cannot recall a winter in my part of the World that has felt so wet and so grim. The sunshine brought with it the first blossom of Spring. I’ve got a Taiwan cherry tree in my backyard, and it’s been heavy with red and pink flowers. And as much as I love the blossom, the tūi loved them more. They’re always darting in and out at my place, hopping between branches of the different trees, calling out to their mates before hustling off for the next feed. And tūi really do hustle, don’t you think? They don’t really glide as such. And even when they’re parked up, they always seem have a bit of a boisterous temperament. Tūi are so beautiful. I love how understated and yet sophisticated their colours are, the black and green, and bronze, with that extraordinary irredescent shimmer, as though every feather has been lightly glazed. Tūi almost twinkle. Some of the tūi who turn up at my place are perfectly turned out. Some have that slightly shabby appearance, as though they’ve gone to sleep with wet hair and forgot to check the mirror in the morning. I’ve never heard them sing so much in my backyard as they have been these last few days. There was barely an instance when I looked up at that cherry tree and didn’t see a tūi drinking in the blossom, and calling out to his or her tūi mates. Is this middle age? I dunno. But I’m at the age and stage where I get it. I get it. I get the native birds thing in a really big way. Lying on the couch in the sunshine, watching the tūi drink and sing out to the neighbourhood just made me feel so content. ‘What can I do to steal a few more of these moments?’ I wondered. I can’t do anything about the weather. I can’t compel the sun to shine. I picked up my phone and googled three words. Predator. Free. NZ. My brand new rat trap arrived the next morning. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good) is an extended version of the second EP from American country-pop artist Kelsea Ballerini. The EP was initially released on the 14th of February 2023, and the extended version was released on the 11th of August 2023. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Keeper of Hidden Books - Madeline Martin From the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London comes a heartwarming story about the power of books to bring us together, inspired by the true story of the underground library in WWII Warsaw. All her life, Zofia has found comfort in two things during times of hardship: books and her best friend, Janina. But no one could have imagined the horrors of the Nazi occupation in Warsaw. As the bombs rain down and Hitler’s forces loot and destroy the city, Zofia finds that now books are also in need of saving. With the death count rising and persecution intensifying, Zofia jumps to action to save her friend and salvage whatever books she can from the wreckage, hiding them away, and even starting a clandestine book club. She and her dearest friend never surrender their love of reading, even when Janina is forced into the newly formed ghetto. But the closer Warsaw creeps toward liberation, the more dangerous life becomes for the women and their families – and escape may not be possible for everyone. As the destruction rages around them, Zofia must fight to save her friend and preserve her culture and community using the only weapon they have left - literature. Tom Lake - Ann Patchett In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Mike Yardley joined Jack Tame to chat about his recent visit to Transylvania. Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Always interesting! Gardeners love a wide range of plants; often species that are exotic, colourful and bright. But a number of them are pretty invasive and “weedy.” We all know weeds – they grow where we don’t want them to grow. Invasive species have often a larger impact on our planet, our natural gardens, forests, ecosystems and alpine vegetation. It all comes down to interfering with our native systems, pushing out our native critters, plants, and landscapes. They change our Native systems to Exotic systems – Nice curricular exercise for schools: definitions of Native, Endemic, Exotic, Introduced, etc etc Examples: Darwin’s Barberry One of the dirty dozen weeds (a Maggie Barry project when she was Minister for Conservation). Prickles and impossible for humans to get through. Seeds like an idiot and takes over native forests; hard to control and nobody benefits from flowers/nectar, apart from some pollinators. You can see why New Zealand Gardeners like the look of them! Moth catching plant: Araujia An exotic climber that smothers our native trees and shrubs. A pain in the butt in areas where we are trying to restore native vegetation. The seed pods have zillions of fluffy seeds in them that are dispersed on the wind in all directions. The stems and pods ooze a white, toxic sap (the same stuff that comes out of swan plants!) which allows Monarch Butterfly caterpillars to eat the plant. Some monarch aficionados use that horrid vine as “spare food.” But there’s a real weird behaviour to these plants: the white flowers attract these insects with their nectar, and as the butterfly sticks its tongue into the flower it gets trapped. This is followed by distressed movements and flapping of the wings, which pollinates the flower; The butterfly eventually dies, stuck on the flower… A monarch butterfly stuck in Araujia. Please get rid of these horrible exotic climbers – they don’t belong here; they are exotic pests! There are many plant species that catch insects to get some food: Sundews (alpine areas and around wetlands) love to get flies with their sticky leaves – it provides them with Nitrogen and proteins. Venus flytraps also eat bugs… Kids love to observe them and hope a fly will land on the trigger hairs. I have no problem with technologies like that – that’s ecological life, especially in Aotearoa! Parapara plant Here we have a native species that is not terribly common; it occurs in Northern habitats, especially off-shore islands and coastal forests. It looks really lovely with large, almost tropical leaves. Native to NZ and some other areas in the Pacific. Small white flowers and copious amounts of long, sticky seed pods. And with sticky I mean super-glue! It holds insects small and large as well as small birds: silvereyes, grey warbler, fantails and even ruru (all going for the stuck insects, of course). This is New Zealand’s method of “Seed Dispersal.” The trapped bird often succumbs to this sticky situation, and falls down on the ground with seeds attached; the seeds use the decaying bird body as their first meal of fertiliser to germinate and grow up. One of the reasons the Parapara plant is becoming “rare-ish” is because some folk believe that this plant is evil and therefore pull it out… (and many folk believe it is not a Native – well… it is!!). If you want to save your birds in the garden: take the seeds off before they develop their sticky skin. If you find birds that are stuck: don’t pull them off the seeds, but take them, branch and all, to a Bird Rescue place or a vet near you – they have the gear and correct shampoos to give those birds a chance to survive! And please make a donation to the wonderful work they do. More information can be found on the BirdCare Aotearoa website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

- Bokashi: fermenting system, takes meat and high concentrations of citrus, cheap to make and transport easily. - Cold Compost: microorganisms break things down (worms, bugs etc too). - Hot Compost: more deliberate balance of materials that isn't added to over time (made and then left for 3-6 months), takes garden clippings, branches, hard things, gets up to 65/70 degrees. - Worm Farm: worms do the work, can't put in strongly acidic foods, meat, dairy etc. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is it? Burning sensation in the lower chest. Sometimes with a sour/bitter taste in mouth - often after big meal or lying Very mild to severe. Can cause you to cough or your voice to become hoarse. Lasts minutes or sometimes hours. What causes it? Stomach full of acid to digest food. Valve at top of stomach – may be weak and not fully The acid in the stomach escapes into oesophagus (tube from the mouth to stomach) and causes a burning sensation. Can things make it worse? Yes - smoking, alcohol, coffee, citrus fruits which are acidic, tomato, chocolate, spicy foods - the list goes on! Lying down after eating, being overweight, and some medicines. How do you diagnose and treat it? Often a careful history will give you the answer. Can be serious sometimes and need further investigation: endoscope - camera in into the stomach to look for ulcers or ‘burning’ oesophagus. Sometimes do a test for a bacteria pylori which can make it worse Treat with ‘antacids’ which neutralise acid, or medication which stops acid in the stomach, or if we have the bacteria, antibiotics. Can help prevent: being careful what you eat, not eating big meals before bed, losing weight, stop smoking, reduce alcohol. If have symptoms see your doctor! LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Typing in your password - it's not as safe as you might think With the help of AI, the researchers could effectively create a unique identifier for how you strike each key, and use that to figure out what you're typing. Each key has an ever-so-slightly different sound based on how we type and where the key is pressed. In their experiment, they only needed the key to be pressed 25 times to create the link. To build this, they need to know what you initially typed as you typed it - which could be done via Zoom chat messages or filling in a form. Once they have that, they just need to listen to your type and they could gather passwords, private messages... anything that you type. How do you get around that? A password manager that automatically copies in the password is a great way! Or having music, key stroke simulators, or white noise. X has relaunched Tweetdeck as X Pro And you guessed it… you now need to pay for it. I'm not surprised. I always thought Twitter should have done this and I think pre-Elon Musk, many social media managers and journalists would have been happy to. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fifteen-Love A British sports drama starring Aidan Turner (Poldark) about an elite tennis player who makes a shocking allegation against her former coach (TVNZ+). Waco: The Aftermath An American drama about the aftermath of the disastrous 1993 standoff at the Branch Davidian compound in Texas (Neon). Men in Kilts Two Scottish stars of time-travelling drama Outlander return for a second season of their travel show - and this time, they’re travelling around New Zealand (Neon). LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iconic kiwi chef Al Brown is well known for his beloved restaurants Depot and Federal Delicatessen, as well as his Best Ugly Bagel shops. He’s published a number of cookbooks and has recently released a ‘Bach Edition’ of his recipe book ‘Eat Up New Zealand,’ featuring more than 150 recipes and on-location photos from around the country. Al Brown joined Jack Tame to chat about his new book and the stories and recipes within. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Makes one loaf tin cake and is simply gorgeous! Ingredients: 3/4 cup raw sugar Rind of 2 tangerine – avoid the white pith Flesh of one tangerine 2 medium eggs ½ cup rice bran oil ½ tsp salt ½ cup thick natural yoghurt 1 ½ cups plain flour 2 tsps baking powder Method: Preheat oven to 180 C, on fan bake. Grease and line a loaf tin with baking paper. In the bowl of a food processor, blend the sugar and citrus rind until the rind is chopped very small. Add the tangerine flesh. Blend until smooth. In a mixing bowl beat the egg and sugar/citrus mix together until it is thick & creamy. Add the oil and salt and continue beating until mixed. Stir through the yoghurt. Fold in flour and baking powder and combine until just mixed (over-mixing will produce a tougher, drier cake). Scrape the batter into the tin, smooth the top if need be for a better looking loaf cake at the end. Bake for 35-45mins, until a skewer comes out clean. Leave for 10 minutes to cool before turning out of tin. Ice with vanilla and citrus zest frosting, or not. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kandahar An undercover CIA operative gets stuck in hostile territory in Afghanistan after his mission is exposed. Accompanied by his translator, he must fight enemy combatants as he tries to reach an extraction point in Kandahar. Monolith A headstrong journalist's investigative podcast uncovers a strange artefact, an alien conspiracy, and the lies at the heart of her own story. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Northland man was recently charged when his pet dog was caught picking up a kiwi chick and running off with it. The chick was killed, and as a result the owner was fined and the dog was put down. Kevin Milne joined Jack Tame to chat about his first reaction and thoughts about the situation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The hosts on Fox Sport Australia were bamboozled by a question earlier this week. What’s the biggest winter sport in Australia? Is it Rugby League and the excellent entertainment of the NRL? Is it Aussie Rules? Or could it now, be football? Sadly, it goes without saying that it isn’t rugby, and I’d suggest that even when the Rugby World Cup kicks off, only so many Australians will even realise it’s on. At a time when all sorts of different things are vying for our attention, the Matildas’ semi-final in the FIFA World Cup obliterated TV ratings records. In Australia, it was the most-watched TV event in more than two decades. The key with football is the low barrier to entry. Grassroots participation isn’t totally dominated by one gender. You don’t need money to have a kick around with your friends. And you can explain the key rules in just a few sentences: Your team has to get the ball in the goal and stop the other team from getting it in yours. Only the goalies can use their hands. You can challenge the ball, but you can’t tackle people. That’s it. Sure, there’s an offside rule and passback restrictions but the basic rules are stunningly, beautifully simple. And even the way they’re enforced allows the game to flow. No one agonises over taking a throw-in from the exact mark. I don’t want to pick on rugby, but the contrasts are stark. I’ve watched, played, and loved rugby all of my life. But there are still infringements at the breakdown that leave me totally confused. Sometimes even the commentators don’t understand what’s happened. Football’s making a play at the moment into markets where historically it’s been a bit of a second-tier sport. At the same time as its recording record ratings in Australia, arguably the greatest footballer of all time has chosen to eschew the Saudi clubs to play in the United States. The average ticket to Lionel Messi’s first game for Inter Miami was selling only for $NZ 1200. The crowd included Serena Williams, LeBron James, the Beckham family, and Kim Kardashian. It was more than a football match – it was a cultural event. It’s fair enough to expect that when the World Cup hype has died down a bit, the buzz around football in Australia will die back a bit, too. Personally, I think it’s only a matter of time. It won’t happen overnight. Rugby, rugby league, and netball, will all still hold a special place in New Zealand. Basketball will continue to go from strength to strength. But fast-forward a few decades from now. I reckon football will be the most-played sport, the most-followed sport, the most popular sport in New Zealand, too. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ballad of Darren is the ninth studio album by English rock band Blur. It was released on 21 July 2023 by Parlophone and Warner Records. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Collector - Daniel Silvia The Collector is a 2023 novel by Daniel Silva in the author's Gabriel Allon series. The book debuted at #2 on the New York Times bestseller list. The book's premise is the current location of Vermeer's The Concert, which has been missing since the painting was stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. After I Do - Taylor Jenkins Reid From the New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, comes a breath-taking novel about modern marriage, the depth of family ties, and the year that one remarkable heroine spends exploring both. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Mike Yardley joined Jack Tame to chat about his adventures in Montenegro and Mostar. Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zoom is ordering people back to work in the office. Is this a good thing and how does your office affect your wellbeing and productivity? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BOB’S BEST BUYS Wine: Awatere River 2023 Pinot Gris, Marlborough $25 Why I chose it: - 2023 was a good vintage in Marlborough - Pinot Gris is 4th most planted grape variety – growing in popularity - If someone wants a white wine but is not sure what variety, pour them a pinot gris. Good all-rounder. - Delicious thirst-quencher for Spring and Summer months ahead What does it taste like? - Off-dry pinot gris with succulent tree fruit/pear and nectarine flavours. An initial hint of sweetness is perfectly balanced by gentle, fruity acidity. Smooth-textured wine with a deliciously lingering finish. Why is it a bargain: - One of the best 2023’s I’ve tasted. At a moderate price. Where can you buy it? - Best price Countdown $19.99 (check the vintage), just released Food match? - My favorites are crayfish, prawns or shrimps Will it keep? - Good for the next 2-3 years although it is drinking well now. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have a tunnel house (for edibles) and Julie has a glasshouse (for her ornamentals) – she’s a fancy one! Despite these forms of “protection from frost” they can get to low temperatures on cold winters morning. We’ve seen 1.5 degrees a few times. Is there a way to add some extra insulation to these buildings that would keep the temps a bit higher? As per usual: my local Botanic Garden has delivered some answers (see pictures); the “Curators Garden”, an edible garden next to the Curators House restaurant, here in Christchurch, always investigates new ideas and technologies. (No doubt your local Botanic Garden will have some great ideas as well!) Wouldn’t it be great to have a temporary layer of insulation for just the winter months – stuff you can remove when spring starts? I love the idea of having old, recycled plastic drink bottles assembled vertically on a long bamboo pole. Each pole can be removed in its entirety and stored for re-use next winter. Honey-comb plastic screwed between two pieces of wood to tighten them up. It’s almost a double-glazing system made from plastic. It lets sun through and blocks the cold. It, too, can be removed in its entirety for storage during spring and summer Bottles stacked horizontally and filled with water are probably more efficient at insulating the air inside the glasshouse. These is old Bubble-wrap that can be used on vertical walls and Perspex sheets that can be fixed to the ceiling on the inside of the glasshouse too. By “retro-fitting” double glazing you don’t lose any space inside, really, but keep the cold from coming in to slow all growth See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wait a minute... Facebook is good for wellbeing? A new study by the Oxford Institute of Technology suggests the opposite of what we typically hear – researchers say that after analyzing data from nearly a million people across 72 countries over 12 years that the claims are more speculative than conclusive. This isn't saying that harm doesn't exist... but on balance, the use of Facebook is "possibly related to positive wellbeing." The results showed the association between using Facebook and wellbeing was slightly more positive for males as well as for younger people. The study looked at high-quality country-wide well-being data, and compared that with Facebook data with the uptake of their platform. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Far North This New Zealand drama stars Temuera Morrison and Robyn Malcolm and tells the bizarre true story of an international drugs smuggling ring foiled by two unlikely Northland locals (Mondays on Three, and ThreeNow). Painkiller Matthew Broderick stars in this drama about America’s opioid epidemic that follows both the perpetrators and victims, and an investigator seeking the truth (Netflix). Winning Time A second season of the sports drama about the rise of the LA Lakers in the 1970s and 1980s (Neon). LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland brothers Henry and Pierre Beasley started out as young musicians, trying to pass as 18-year-olds so they could perform in bars. Now they make up the duo Balu Brigada, and after scoring themselves a record deal with Alantic record they spread their wings to New York City. Since then they’ve earned themselves the #1 fastest breaking New Zealand/Australian artist spot on Spotify and have been applauded by outlets such as Rolling Stone, i-D, and People Magazine. The pair are returning to New Zealand to give kiwi audiences a taste of their genre-bending music with their August tour. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Casseroles, stews, braises – they’re all so absolutely hearty and can be really affordable if you know how to shop for different cuts of meat. Serves 4 Ingredients: 350g beef steak, either chuck, cross-cut blade or rump 100g (about one) sheep kidney, halved, membranes and fatty nodules (white bits) removed 2 tbsps plain flour 2 tbsps cooking oil 1 large onion, diced ½ tsp salt Decent grind of black pepper 2 large carrots, diced Dash of Worcestershire or soy sauce 1 bay leaf 200-250mls stock or water Method: Cut beef into large bite size pieces and kidneys a little smaller. Dust meat in flour. Heat oil in a medium-size, heavy based saucepan and brown the onions. Add the floured meat and don’t disturb until some pieces (the ones on the bottom) are well browned. Season with salt and pepper, add carrots, a dash of either Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce, bay leaf and pour in enough stock or water to almost cover the meat. Put the lid on and bring to a simmer and cook gently over a low-medium heat until the meat is tender - approx 1.5 hours – or transfer to a casserole dish, cover tightly with foil and pop it in an oven at 170 C to cook for 1.5 hours. Cool overnight. DUMPLINGS Ingredients: 1 cup plain flour 50g butter 1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt 3 tb finely chopped parsley ½ cup milk (approx.) Method: Rub butter into dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, salt - until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add chopped parsley and then mix in the milk bit by bit until you have a soft dough. Flour your hands and gently pinch tablespoonful sized balls of the dough, rolling each gently into a ball and dropping onto the simmering stew. Work quickly until all have been added. Replace the lid and cook for 10 minutes until the dumplings are light and fluffy and cooked through (check one by breaking it open). LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gran Turismo A player wins a series of Nissan-sponsored video game competitions through his gaming skills and becomes a real-life professional race car driver. Asteroid City World-changing events spectacularly disrupt the itinerary of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention in an American desert town circa 1955. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne joined Jack Tame to chat about the old mates he met up with this week. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There was an air of inevitability around the polls this week. It pays to be restrained in putting too much weight into any one poll, but the trends are what matter and the trends are suggesting Winston Peters and New Zealand First might break 5% and make it back to parliament. All manner of pundits have come out and suggested that Christopher Luxon should make a call and do what he’s refused to do in the race so far, follow in John Key’s footsteps and rule out working with New Zealand First after the election. I think Luxon’s best opportunity has passed. Back in May, I wrote that the National leader was strategically well-positioned to rule out Peters, so long as he managed the process as delicately as might be possible. He’d need to be respectful and deferential to New Zealand First’s supporters, explaining that it was less about the party’s leader and more about forming a simple, clean, two-party coalition to counteract what he continues to describe as a potential ‘coalition of chaos’ on the other side. Given Winston Peters’ and David Seymour’s open distain for each other, the ‘coalition of chaos’ barb is now much better suited to the centre-right block. Think about the reaction if Christopher Luxon ruled out working with New Zealand First, today. It’s not impossible it would have the desired effect from National’s perspective, but it comes with much greater risk than when New Zealand First was polling at 3%. “Why have you ruled them out now, when you’ve been asked so many times over the last few months?” “... Ahhh... because for the first time it actually looks like he’s gonna’ get in?” It would martyr Winston Peters. It would play into the narrative that the major parties were colluding to exclude him and New Zealand First from parliament. It would breathe oxygen into his campaign and potentially galvanise his support base. If Luxon had ruled out New Zealand First while they were polling at 3%, it wouldn’t have mattered if none of those 3% changed their minds and the vote was essentially wasted. But it potentially would have stopped new supporters from coming across in the subsequent months and deciding to back Winston Peters. Now the party’s hitting 5%, and it’s a totally different equation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Farnham: Finding the Voice The story of an Australian musical icon, following John Farnham from his humble beginnings in the Melbourne suburbs to record-breaking pop success. The Beanie Bubble (Apple +) The unbelievable tale of one of America's most fascinating phenomena -- Beanie Babies. Flashing back to the '90s and early 2000s, an in-depth look at how the era-defining zeitgeist came to be. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For all the angst heading into the tournament, Kiwis have absolutely stepped up for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. I’ll admit I was a bit nervous for the tournament’s local organisers as kick-off neared. There wasn’t really much buzz. No real sense of occasion. And I worried that for what is a massive tournament in the context of global sport – arguably the biggest tournament ever hosted on New Zealand soil – we might show ourselves to be a bit miserable. Don’t forget, just days before it officially began, FIFA’s boss Gianni Infantino paused a press conference, picked out the New Zealand media in attendance, and made a direct plea down the camera barrels for their audiences to get out and actually buy tickets. To the best of my knowledge, he didn’t feel that was necessary with the Australians. The nature of the tournament meant that some of the pool games were the likeliest to have small audiences. It’s an exciting time because there are games almost every day, but if we’re honest, Zambia vs Costa Rica is unlikely in this part of the World to drum up the same kind of enthusiasm as it might elsewhere. Once you get to the knockout stages, the drama is greater, the games are closer, and it’s reasonable to expect the crowds are consistently big. But get this. Of the twenty-four pool games played in New Zealand, the average crowd was more than 21,000 fans. More than half a million total fans. That’s fantastic. For the big games we’ve had record numbers in attendance. But even Zambia vs Costa Rica drew more than 8000 people to Waikato Stadium. And anyone who has attended a game will attest to how much fun it’s been. I live within walking distance of Eden Park. Fans are constantly making their way to the stadium with flags and face paint and jerseys for their respective countries. It feels properly global in a way that few events here ever do. We should thank the Football Ferns for their part in this. That opening night was thrilling. Although they didn’t progress to the knock-out stages, they played a major role in igniting our collective excitement. But it’s funny, I went back and looked at that Gianni Infantino press conference, where he effectively begged Kiwis to go out and buy football tickets. He said one extra thing I hadn’t noticed at the time. “Do the right thing.” He needn’t have. My experience at the FIFA World Cup is that fans haven’t attended out of charity. They haven’t attended out of a sense of duty to try and promote the women’s game. They’ve attended because it’s been really exciting, skillful, high-drama football. We might have left the ticket-buying to the last minute, but there’s no doubt New Zealanders have wanted to be there. Now, we’re at the knockout stages. Some of the biggest names in World football are struggling or have already been knocked out. The tournament feels like it’s anyone’s. And I for one, don’t want it to end.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A couple weeks ago Kevin Milne’s wife saw Welsh music legend Tom Jones in concert in London, and he told Jack Tame that she thought that for an 83-year-old, he was amazing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Loveliest Time is Carly Rae Jepsen’s seventh studio album, and a companion piece to her fifth studio album, The Loneliest Time. The artist refers to the album as a “B-side in every sense of the word,” featuring songs created during the same time period and era of The Loneliest Time, that she had “always intended to put out.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Wife by JP Delaney My darling son, Sam, is marrying his childhood sweetheart and I couldn't be prouder of the man he's grown into. Walking out on his abusive father all those years ago was the best thing I ever did. And today he stands, tall and handsome, saying 'I do' to my dream daughter-in-law. If I hadn't pushed them together all those years ago, he might never have found a girl as perfect as Lauren. It's true what they say, mother always knows best. None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins. A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life. Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home. But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat. Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Mike Yardley joined Jack Tame to chat about his recent visit to Tirana, Albania. Read more about Mike's trip here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ is renowned for its amazing landscape, unique wildlife & diverse ecosystems, but we have a huge issue with invasive species & habitat loss. I enjoy our native birdlife in my area, so I signed up to be a volunteer with Forest & Bird to help reduce invasive species (hedgehogs, rats, possums) by baiting & trapping - fun anecdote to talk about my experience in handing over custody of a 'baiting line' from a man who has done it for over a decade! What everyone can do to help: give wildlife space, clean your shoes, check your gear when entering/leaving sanctuaries, plant natives in your garden, volunteer or donate. It’s conservation week 14th - 20th August so this is a great time for people to know these tips and get sorted/plan for action during that week. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Green Manure? Don’t take that too literally – New Zealanders call fertiliser “manure.” Nature doesn’t like “bare soil”, so even in winter it will sprout seeds into plants, so why not make those plants desirable ones! We usually harvest our food crops in autumn, leaving behind a heck of a lot of soil, ready to be colonised by weeds. I realise we’re in mid-winter right now, but even at this time we can sow some plants that are experts at helping your garden become a lot more fertile in spring. The technique is quite simple: Green Manure crops literally extract some of the nutrients from the winter soil and store that in the stems (cells) and in the roots of the plant; Some green manure crops (the Legumes) have colonies of collaborative bacteria on board (in the roots) that can harvest Nitrogen from the air and store that in the root nodules too. Seeing the amount of Nitrogen in the air is 78%, we might as well use that stuff: Nitrogen (N) is essential for Leaf-growth – it literally creates the green matter that carries out Photosynthesis. Just a quick Science reminder: Photosynthesis is essential to keep us humans alive: the leaves of plants change Carbon-dioxide into Oxygen with the help of energy from the sun. We inhale that Oxygen and the exhale Carbon Dioxide The green plants basically do the opposite of how we breathe and keep everything in balance… Legumes that we can use (even right now) are clovers, lupins, beans, peas and fenugreek. Sow them in the fallow, and weed-free soil. The good thing is that they have a habit of quickly germinating and covering the soil before weed seeds come along These leguminose Nitrogen fixers are pretty efficient in grabbing the goodies from the air. Don’t let them go to seed as that will reduce the amount of N you can dig into your garden bed. Besides, seeds would create a weedy spring and summer, so avoid that. A good bed of Blue Lupins really covers the soil and prevents weeds germinating. Crimson Clover is one of those magnificently beautiful Legumes that also attracts pollinators. Generally speaking, the best time to dig your green manure into the soil is when it is flowering. In Sandy soils the Green manure works extra hard against loosing organic materials; Sand is notorious for loosing compostables quickly! In “Hard soils” the Green manure softens the soils by providing better soil structure. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is a myriad of troubling economic factors prevalent at the moment —inflation, high interest rates, unemployment— that could knock your financial progress off course. But sometimes it’s an inside hit-job – i.e., what’s sabotaging your financial progress more than anything is you. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Those in the EU will be able to turn off TikTok's famous algorithm This is in response to the EU's Digital Services Act which forces 19 companies to strict regulations regarding algorithms and AI, allows users to opt out of targeting of content or ads, and gives ways to for users to flag illegal content and for platforms to take actions. Basically, they need to be more proactive and transparent than other companies because of their influence as a leader in their space as a "very large online platform" VLOP or a "very large online search engine" VLOSE. Users between 13 and 17 will not be able to be served personalize ads. If you switch off the algorithm, what will TikTok in the EU look like? It'll have popular videos in the area you live, and around the world. Expect announcements and changes from the other 18 companies before the august 28 deadline. Google is tempting staff back to the office with $99 hotel rooms. So you can avoid the commute! There's a hotel on their Bay View campus, and for a limited time Google will let employees you stay there for $99 a night. The marketing materials say it'll "help users transition to the hybrid workplace". "Just imagine no commute to the office in the morning and instead, you could have an extra hour of sleep and less friction". Yeah... imagine! Google says they regularly offer deals so folks can enjoy the campus amenities. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart: Sigourney Weaver and New Zealand’s own Frankie Adams star in this Australian drama about a young girl who goes to live with her grandmother after her parent’s death in a mysterious fire (Prime Video). Fisk: An Australian comedy about high-end lawyer Helen Tudor-Fisk, who is forced to take a job at a shambolic suburban law firm after a humiliating marriage breakdown and a career implosion (Netflix). The Traitors: The murder-mystery reality format that’s taken the world by storm finally reaches New Zealand, hosted by Paul Henry and featuring a cast of celebrities and “everyday” New Zealanders (Three, from Monday). LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tiki Taane is a man of many talents; a music experimentalist, musical activist, producer, and live engineer. Tiki’s now putting on his director’s hat for a documentary, giving a behind the scenes perk at his sold out concert with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. The documentary's already won film festival awards across the world and will be released in New Zealand next Friday. Tiki Taane joined Jack Tame to chat about it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chocolate, coffee, cheesecake. Say no more. Makes one 22cm cheesecake. Ingredients: Mocha sauce 100mls cream 150g dark chocolate, chopped 3 tsps ground espresso or instant coffee Cheesecake 500g full fat cream cheese ¾ cup caster sugar 3 large eggs 1 tablespoons vanilla extract 1 heaped tablespoon plain flour A decent pinch of sea salt 250mls cream Method: Preheat oven 220 C. Line a 22cm cake tin with baking paper, making sure it comes up the sides. Make the espresso/chocolate sauce (to swirl) by heating cream in a small saucepan until it nearly comes to a boil. Remove from heat, add chopped chocolate, cover with a tea towel and leave for 10 minutes. Whisk in espresso powder and continue whisking until you have a smooth sauce. Keep warm and set aside. Beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and the sugar is dissolved. Add in vanilla and eggs one at a time and beat for 20 seconds between each. Add flour and salt and beat until combined then pour in the cream and mix until combined. Scrape into prepared tin. Swirl in espresso/chocolate sauce; using a teaspoon take spoonfuls of the sauce and dig it/drop it deep into the cheesecake mix. Then with the handle end of the spoon, drag it through the sauce to form a swirl, repeat in whatever patterns take your fancy - you may not use all of the sauce. Bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes until the top is very dark brown and the middle 5cm is still wobbly. It will fall and firm up as it cools. Chill completely (at least 3 hours or overnight) before removing from tin. Serve with softly whipped cream and any extra mocha sauce you have. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After much anticipation, the Barbie soundtrack has finally been released. The album, which was announced several months ago, features a star-studded lineup of artists, including Billie Eilish, Sam Smith, Lizzo, and Dua Lipa. However, the one powerhouse that the team behind the compilation wanted more than any other was Nicki Minaj. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Scarlet Papers – Matthew Richardson VIENNA, 1946: A brilliant German scientist snatched from the ruins of Nazi Europe. MOSCOW, 1964: A US diplomat caught in a clandestine love affair as the Cold War rages. RIGA, 1992: A Russian archivist selling secrets that will change the twentieth century forever. LONDON, THE PRESENT DAY: A British academic on the run with the chance to solve one of history's greatest mysteries. Their stories, their lives, and the fate of the world are bound by a single manuscript. A document feared and whispered about in capitals across the globe. In its pages, history will be rewritten. It is only ever known as . . . THE SCARLET PAPERS The devastating secrets contained within teased by a brief invitation: Tomorrow 11AM. Take a cab and pay in cash. Tell no one. The Ambassador – Joseph P Kennedy Through meticulous research and many newly available sources, Ronald confirms in impressive detail what has long been believed by many: that Kennedy was a Fascist sympathizer and an anti-Semite whose only loyalty was to his family's advancement. She also reveals the ambitions of the Kennedy dynasty during this period abroad, as they sought to enter the world of high society London and establish themselves as America’s first family. Thorough and utterly readable, The Ambassador explores a darker side of the Kennedy patriarch in an account sure to generate attention and controversy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Mike Yardley joined Jack Tame to chat about his visit to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dougal Sutherland, Clinical Psychologist from Umbrella Wellbeing, joined Jack Tame to talk about whether the way we work is mentally harming us. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.