
Saturday Morning with Jack Tame
3,412 episodes — Page 39 of 69

Kevin Milne: Dreaming of travelling business class
You hope, one day, to be rich enough to take at least one long haul flight in business class. But every time you think you can afford it, you discover that business class seats are selling at an even more outrageous price, so you’re back to economy again. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jack Tame: Wasting 10,000 litres every day is the most profoundly selfish thing I can imagine
I think it rates as among the single most selfish acts I can ever recall. A North Canterbury farmer, disgruntled with his local council over the water connection rates he’s being charged for an as-yet uninhabited subdivision, has decided to launch a protest against the Waimakariri District Council. In a part of New Zealand where droughts are common, and where water access is an especially contentious subject, he’s been pouring 10,000 litres of drinking water down the drain, every day. 10,000 litres. It’s like leaving a shower on for eleven or twelve hours every day. I’m sorry, but that’s not a protest. That’s environmental vandalism. It should be a crime, as far as I’m concerned. The whole situation is yet another reminder of why New Zealand councils all need to introduce water metering. I know it’s a contentious subject, but it’s outrageous to me that people like this farmer can so wilfully waste a precious resource without any financial impact. At the moment, we have a bit of a hodgepodge patchwork of water metering for different councils across the country. Some regions and cities have metering, where you’re charged relative to your usage, but many still don’t. They rely on connection fees or other forms of rates to try and finance the pipes and infrastructure. The value of metering is pretty obvious. Water metering also helps to detect leaks across the pipe network. People who are charged by their usage as opposed to their connection are incentivised to be more thoughtful about their water use. When the Kāpiti Coast introduced water metering, Stuff reported that water usage dropped 25%. That’s massive! Not only did it save the resource, it meant the maintenance on the region’s water infrastructure could be deferred for longer because the assets weren’t being hammered so hard. New Zealand lags embarrassingly compared to other countries. when it comes to water metering. It’s commonplace overseas. By the year 2000, two-thirds of OECD countries had water metering for more than 90% of their single family homes. Imagine what that number is today! Fiji has water metering! The Ivory Coast has water metering! The main criticism of metering is usually that water is a human right and metering will impact poorer families. I think we’re sophisticated enough to introduce targeted support for those people, like we do for other things. I get that it’s not a vote winner. But water metering seems an obvious thing for the new Three Waters entities to standardise across New Zealand. The thing about that farmer’s protest is that, in a way, I agree with his gripe. He says he’s protesting an annual water connection fee for sections that haven’t yet been built on. Instead of that fee, I think a per-litre charge would be much more effective tool. It’s a shame they can’t retroactively introduce it and charge him an absolute premium. Wasting 10,000 litres every day is about the most profoundly selfish thing I can imagine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estelle Clifford: Music - Niall Horan, The Show
Three years after his last release, the 29-year-old singer has jumped feet first into the spotlight to promote third album The Show. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catherine Raynes: Books - Everything is Beautiful, Everything Hurts and The Forgotten Girls
Everything is Beautiful, Everything Hurts – Josie Shapiro Mickey Bloom: five foot tall, dyslexic, and bullied at school. Mickey knows she's nothing special. Until one day, she discovers running. Mickey's new-found talent makes her realise she's everything she thought she wasn't – powerful, strong and special. But her success comes at a cost, and the relentless training and pressure to win leaves Mickey broken, her dream in tatters. Years later, when Mickey is working in a dead-end job with a drop-kick boyfriend, her mother becomes seriously ill. After nursing her, Mickey realises the only way she can overcome her grief – and find herself – is to run again. A chance encounter with a stranger sees Mickey re-ignite her dreams. The two women form an unbreakable bond, as Mickey is shown what it means to run in the right direction. The Forgotten Girls – Monica Potts An unforgettable story of friendship and lost promise in 21st-century America Growing up gifted and working-class in the foothills of the Ozarks, Monica and Darci became fast friends. The girls bonded over a shared love of learning as they navigated the challenges of their declining town and tumultuous family lives - broken marriages, shuttered stores and factories. They pored over the giant map in their classroom, tracing their fingers over the world that awaited them, vowing to escape. In the end, Monica left Clinton for university and fulfilled her dreams. Darci, along with many in their circle of friends, did not. Years later, working as a journalist covering poverty, Monica discovered what she already intuitively knew about the women in Arkansas. Their life expectancy had steeply declined - the sharpest such fall in a century. She returned to Clinton to report the story, trying to understand the societal factors driving disturbing trends in the rural south. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Yardley: Outdoorsy adventures in Vanuatu
- Waterfalls and cascades are a huge draw in Vanuatu. Where's best? - If you've got a head for heights, the Sky Bridge sounds like a plan. - And there's a ziplining trek as well, right? - What about day trips to islands beyond the mainland? - And they have massive coconut crabs on Lelepa! - What about Mozo and the Turtle Sanctuary. - Further afield. Tanna Island Coffee. Can you visit the island? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Hall: Hidden plastics
- Acknowledging how brilliant it is that people are becoming more aware of the detriments of plastic and avoiding it more often. - Discussing what plastic is found in: chewing gum, tea bags, our clothes, makeup (IN the product, not just the packaging!), paper coffee cups (lined with plastic) - In preparation for Plastic Free July we can become more aware of where plastic is and start using alternatives - Alternatives to that list = no chewing gum (I use mouthwash and tongue scraper instead to reduce bad breath), loose leaf tea (I use a reusable metal tea bag replacement), clothes made from natural fibres (wool, cotton), makeup free from plastic, no cup no coffee + BYO reusable + sit in + use a reusable cup scheme. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bic Runga: New Zealand music icon ahead of her nationwide tour
Bic Runga is a true icon of New Zealand music. She’s been awarded just about every music award in the country and was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2006. And can you believe, it’s been 20 years since the release of her hit album Beautiful Collision. It has tunes like Something Good and Listening for the Weather and Bic is celebrating by going on tour across the country next month. Tickets to Bic’s tour are available at LiveNation. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Campbell: Wine - 2022 Thornbury Pinot Gris, Waipara
Why I chose it: - Pinot Gris is to wine what mashed potatoes is to cuisine – a bit taken for granted. It’s a comfort wine, a crowd pleaser that is quietly growing both locally and internationally. - This is classic example – smooth textured and pleasingly fruity – seductively easy to drink. - Pinot Gris falls into two categories: Lusciously intense wines in the style of the French wines from Alsace and the leaner, drier and often tangy wines Pinot Grigio from Italy. (both are made from pinot gris grapes). This follows the French model. What does it taste like? - Attractive floral/honeysuckle aromas and flavours suggesting ripe pear, nectarine and peach with a subtle spicy influence. The wine has a nice sweet/sour balance with some pleasing tension. Why it’s a bargain: - A lot of bang for a high quality wine priced at around $15 Where can you buy it? - The Good Wine Co., Auckland $13.99, Vino Fino, Chch $13.99 and Wine Freedom Ltd, Otago $13.99 Food match? - Quite a versatile food wine, my favourite match is onion tart. The sweetness in the onions matches the subtle sweetness in the wine. Will it keep? - Drink up. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ruud Kleinpaste: Significant trees
Just before we start winter (almost 12 more days to go) on 22 June at 2.57 am, it might be a nice idea to look at planting trees The soil is still relatively warm – and hopefully not too wet yet What am I looking for there? Fruit trees you really like – take your favourite variety of apple or pear or an elegant, fast-growing Sanguine peach that doesn’t show a lot of brown rot or any other typical peach diseases. Your heart goes out to spring and summer and now’s the time to plant that stuff Remember: if you are short of space, grab a young tree with two (or three) varieties grafted on the Main stem/Trunk; Have a look at the catalogues of New Zealand’s best tree Nurseries. As an entomologist, this is what I’d be looking for: host plants/Trees for our native insect taonga. Mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus) (AKA marble leaf) is one I use all the time. Tree weta love to eat it (and I use heaps of the leaves to feed my captive specimens. Maori use the soft wood of mahoe to make fire, by rubbing it with Kaikomako (Pennantia corymbosa) a very hard wood species, endemic to NZ. Both small-ish trees produce fruits that are devoured by some of our native bird species: the violet-blue Mahoe seeds are eaten by kereru and geckoes. The purple berries of Kaimakomako are in demand by birds, large and small. Plant both trees and you can make fire, boy-scout style! Another great example is planting a putaputaweta (Carpodetus serratus) also known as marble leaf. Native of New Zealand and serving many creatures well. One of the most favourite host plants of the Puriri moth. The caterpillars live inside this tree for many years – growing into a beautiful bright-green moth in the North Island of Aotearoa. When the moths have vacated their tunnel in the putaputaweta, they leave behind a perfect second-hand dwelling for our Tree weta. Planting this tree will support a heap of native species through an ecological system and food chain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Stenhouse: Tech - Apple unveil raft of new features and products
FaceTime on your TV Instead of gathering around a phone, or a laptop to connect with family or friends, why not gather around the biggest screen in your house - the TV. The new feature allows you to use your iPhone as a camera, connected to your Apple TV. Plus, it'll have the 'centre stage' capability so if you move around it will automatically reframe you. Would have been amazing for the pandemic lockdown, but will still be future going forward. Your iPhone as a smart display Apple is calling it StandBy. When your phone is charging (usually beside your bed) your phone will turn into a smart display showing you the time in a large font (like an old clock radio), what time your alarm is set for and other things like the weather forecast. Obviously, Siri is right there too - which now doesn't need the "hey". Plus - wait for it- you can now have more than one timer at the same time. Huge. Interactive widgets On your iPhone and iPad you'll be able to interact directly with the widgets. Today they take you to their associated app. On Mac, you'll b able to add these interactive widgets to your desktop, allowing you to quickly see and do things you'd usually need to open an application to do. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tara Ward: Screentime - Tour de France Unchained, Fortitude and Based on a True Story
Tour de France Unchained: A new documentary series on Netflix. Through tears and triumph, this series follows several cycling teams as they compete in the 2022 instalment of the world's most gruelling bike race. Fortitude: A crime thriller starring Richard Dormer, Dennis Quaid and Stanley Tucci, set on the edge of the Arctic Circle. Fortitude is one of the safest towns on earth, where there’s never been a violent crime - until now (Neon, 3 seasons). Based on a True Story: Kaley Cuoco stars in this true crime satire about a realtor, a former tennis star and a plumber who seize a unique opportunity to capitalise on America's obsession with true crime (TVNZ+). LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nici Wickes: Gluten Free broccoli and three-cheese pizza
Yes, you read that right – broccoli on a pizza and let me tell you, it’s AMAZING! Makes 4 GF pizza base Makes 3-4 medium 450g gluten free flour, plus extra for dusting ¼ baking soda 1 tsp salt 2 tsp sugar 1 egg, lightly beaten 80ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing 160mls lukewarm water - Sift gluten free flour, bicarb of soda, salt and sugar into a large bowl. Pour in egg, olive oil and water and mix to combine. - Divide dough into 3-4 portions and roughly knead each into a ball. - Working with each portion of dough, use floured hands to press and flatten and then roll out to desired shape and thickness – I aim for an oblong shape. Transfer to lined tray, brush with oil and now it’s ready for any toppings you choose. Topping 1 head broccoli, cut into florets, stem sliced Juice and zest from one lemon ½ cup grated mozzarella 50g grated parmesan 100g feta, crumbled Sauce ½ cup sour cream ¼ cup cream ¼ tsp sea salt Freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 220-250 C. Add broccoli to food processor and pulse briefly to roughly chop. Mix with zest and juice and cheeses. In a bowl whisk together sour cream, cream and seasonings. Spoon this sauce over pizza bases, top with broccoli/cheese mix and bake for 12-15 minutes until broccoli is cooked and even charred in some places. Serve immediately.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francesca Rudkin: Film - The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Tank
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry A seemingly unremarkable man in his 60s named Harold one day learns his old friend Queenie is dying. He embarks on a walk, only to keep going for 450 miles until he reaches Queenie's hospice, much to the despair of his wife Maureen. The Tank After inheriting his mother's abandoned coastal property, Ben and his family accidentally unleash an ancient, long-dormant creature that terrorized the entire region -- including his own ancestors -- for generations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne: What I'm learning as a grandparent
Kevin Milne joins Jack Tame to talk about what he's learning as a grandparent looking after a baby for one day a week - and how he sleeps so well after it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jack Tame: Christchurch has crossed the threshold of becoming a better city than it was before
I first realised it this week, running through the city and around Hagley Park on one of those beautiful, still, cold South Island evenings. For me, it was a long time coming. Twelve years and three months, all up. Maybe others felt it earlier. Maybe others haven’t reached the point yet. I know those who’ve lived in Christchurch right throughout, who never left the city, might have a completely different perspective, and that’s ok. But as a Cantab at heart, for the first time I feel I can say it with absolute confidence. It’s emphatic. Christchurch has crossed the threshold. For the first time since 2010 I reckon the city today is better than it was before the quakes. There’s no one thing. There’s one project or development that’s pushed it past that point. It’s a collection of little things that make Ōtautahi so good. For starters, the city. Finally the Cathedral isn’t just lying in ruin. The remote-controlled digger cleaning up the masonry and bird crap finished its job in record time. The build’s progressing, and fast. Te Pae, Christchurch’s glorious new convention centre, is a stupendous venue. Across the road, Tūranga, the new library is surely the best of any big city in New Zealand. The art gallery is amazing. The Margaret Mahy playground is the stuff dreams are madeof for kids and adults alike. The food in Christchurch is so good. Christchurch’s old strip was seedy as, but Riverside Market, The Terrace, and New Regent Street have energy and life. The central city’s new shape works with Ōtakaro, the Avon River. The water’s clear and clean and meanders from the gleaming new buildings down near the splendid historic Arts Centre, and into the World-class Botanic Gardens. I bristle with envy when I think of all the things on Christchurch’s doorstep. Taylors Mistake, New Brighton, and Sumner have surf. Mt Hutt has snow. Lyttelton has perhaps the most interesting music and arts community in New Zealand. Hagley Oval has a gorgeous cricket ground and the Christchurch Adventure Park is the gateway to World-class mountain biking. There are young people in the city and they want to be there. At a time when many New Zealand universities are being forced to cut jobs, Canterbury University is hiring. This year, they tell me the university is on track for a record number of students. Domestic enrolments are up. International enrolments are up. There are students from 100 countries studying at Canterbury, from Mozambique to Myanmar to Mongolia. The number of people enrolled is up 7% at the end of March compared to the same time last year. It’s the University’s 150th birthday this year, and the halls of residence are at absolute capacity. The cost of housing in Christchurch is so much cheaper than Auckland, and the quality is so much less depressing than in Wellington. It’s younger than Tauranga, more coastal than Hamilton and warmer than Dunedin. I know it’s not perfect. I know how much pain and stress it’s taken to get things to this point. I’m under no illusions that places out East – Bromley, in particular – have a hell of a long way to go. The sprawl North and West means the traffic can be a total pain. But with good leadership and planning, the city should only get better. Maybe it’s too big. Maybe it’s too expensive. But just imagine the atmosphere in town for that first All Blacks test in Te Kaha. Years ago when I was living in New York, I asked the city’s chief urban designer about lessons from Manhattan’s recovery after the 9/11 attacks. He had a tear in his eye when he spoke to me about the transformation he’d experienced. “Instead of asking yourself what happens if you get it wrong, ask yourself the opposite,” he said. “What happens if Christchurch is too good? What happens if you remake your city and it’s so good that everyone wants to live there?” I don’t reckon we’re far off. Christchurch has energy. Christchurch has mojo. Christchurch is better than ever. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Fishwick: The Bank of Dave
Dave Fishwick left school at the age of 16, determined to become the largest supplier of minibuses in the UK as well as a self-made multi-millionare. During the economic crisis of 2011 banks stopped lending money overnight, so Dave picked up the slack. He began lending money to struggling businesses in his hometown of Burnley, starting the Bank of Dave. Dave joined Jack Tame to have a chat about the business and the Netflix film based off it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estelle Clifford: Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
It's a stunning response to the pain of last year... As is the rest of the album, which hums with an intensity and focus that Foo Fighters' more recent outings have lacked. Musically, it's back to basics. Muscular chords and melodic riffs are the order of the day, as the band power through their sadness. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catherine Raynes: Hang the Moon and Knowing What We Know
Hang the Moon – Jeanette Walls Most folk thought Sallie Kincaid was a nobody who’d amount to nothing. Sallie had other plans.Sallie Kincaid is the daughter of the biggest man in a small town, the charismatic Duke Kincaid. Born at the turn of the 20th century into a life of comfort and privilege, Sallie remembers little about her mother who died in a violent argument with the Duke. By the time she is just eight years old, the Duke has remarried and had a son, Eddie. While Sallie is her father’s daughter, sharp-witted and resourceful, Eddie is his mother’s son, timid and cerebral. When Sallie tries to teach young Eddie to be more like their father, her daredevil coaching leads to an accident, and Sallie is cast out.Nine years later, she returns, determined to reclaim her place in the family. That’s a lot more complicated than Sallie expected, and she enters a world of conflict and lawlessness. Sallie confronts the secrets and scandals that hide in the shadows of the Big House, navigates the factions in the family and town, and finally comes into her own as a bold, sometimes reckless bootlegger. Knowing What We Know – Simon Winchester With the advent of the internet, any topic we want to know about is instantly available with the touch of a smartphone button. With so much knowledge at our fingertips, what is there left for our brains to do? At a time when we seem to be stripping all value from the idea of knowing things—no need for math, no need for map-reading, no need for memorization—are we risking our ability to think? As we empty our minds, will we one day be incapable of thoughtfulness? Addressing these questions, Simon Winchester explores how humans have attained, stored, and disseminated knowledge. Examining such disciplines as education, journalism, encyclopedia creation, museum curation, photography, and broadcasting, he looks at a whole range of knowledge diffusion—from the cuneiform writings of Babylon to the machine-made genius of artificial intelligence, by way of Gutenberg, Google, and Wikipedia to the huge Victorian assemblage of the Mundanaeum, the collection of everything ever known, currently stored in a damp basement in northern Belgium. Studded with strange and fascinating details, Knowing What We Know is a deep dive into learning and the human mind. Throughout this fascinating tour, Winchester forces us to ponder what rational humans are becoming. What good is all this knowledge if it leads to lack of thought? What is information without wisdom? Does Rene Descartes’s Cogito, ergo sum—“I think therefore I am,” the foundation for human knowledge widely accepted since the Enlightenment—still hold? And what will the world be like if no one in it is wise?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Yardley: Bites and Sights in Port Vila, Vanuatu
Mike Yardley joined Jack Tame to chat about his visit to Port Vila, Vanuatu. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Dougal Sutherland: Reinventing yourself after a relationship break up
A recent survey from TradeMe has shown that people often invest more in themselves after a breakup. They spend more time and invest more energy into doing things like working out, eating healthier, buying things for themselves, and relaxing alone. Clinical Psychologist with Umbrella Wellbeing Dr Dougal Sutherland joined Jack Tame to chat about this change. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ruud Kleinpaste: Plagues of skinks
In our old Auckland garden we used be surrounded by so-called rainbow skinks. They were everywhere and… what a cool name! The best way to describe them: a small grey-brown skink with a dark brown, lateral stripe along the body. When they are sun bathing it is easy to find a spectacular rainbow-coloured sheen on their scales. I quickly learned these fascinating and quite pretty animals are actually Australian interlopers, arriving here in the 1960s. Common in the North Island, especially in the northern half: Northland to Waikato with populations in New Plymouth, Hawkes Bay, Whanganui, Palmerston North and Wellington. There are a few records from Blenheim too. I was hoping they were not in the South Island – but they are… They can easily live here too – In Tasmania they’re well-established. Impact: They are numerous and aggressive; accused of eating our native invertebrates and ousting our timid native skink species through competition for space, habitat and food. Our native skinks are already under pressure from cats and stoats and weasels, so this exotic Aussie skink is likely to add some more pressure. They are classed as “invasive”, here in New Zealand and if we look at their track record in Hawaii (established there since early 1900s), I would not be surprised if these skinks are having an impact on our herpetological fauna and perhaps other delicate ecological balances. Isn’t it ironic that this skink’s scientific name is Lampropholis delicata? Scientists and Biosecurity creatives have re-named that “rainbow skink” to “plague skink”; Our best approach is to be aware of them and learn to tell them apart from our native skinks Identifying them from native species is not that easy: you’ve got to look at them up-close and focus on the top of their head; Right in the centre of the head – right on top and between the eyes – is a large diamond-shaped scale. That is the plague/rainbow skink. If that large scale is divided into two smaller scales, you’re looking at a Native species. Once you know what to look for, you can’t really miss the interloper. And then there are the creamy white eggs. You often find these 8 mm eggs in clusters in the soil or underneath rocks. Apart from one rather rare native species of skink (Oligosoma suteri), the Plague Skink is the only one that lays eggs. If you’re sure you can tell them apart, try catching and dispatching them. Please don’t think they are great “pets” for your kids or grand kids, because they are not! And be aware they are masters at hiding in your luggage when you are travelling. That way they spread themselves all over the place. Once again, the concept of Biosecurity sneaks back into the garden!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hannah McQueen: The tide is changing when it comes to the property market
There are plenty of indicators suggesting that things could be about to turn when it comes to the property market. Building consents, migration numbers, LVR changes, auction clearance rates, interest rates peaking, etc – however, it’s important to call out what we’ve (hopefully!) learned from the pandemic surge and slump. Property is not just a one-way bet, it’s best as a long-term investment, so that means people need to go into it with their eyes wide open in order to be able to hold it long term and avoid getting burnt. Especially if things do start to rise again, you shouldn’t rush in without doing your homework, knowing your numbers, and understanding your hold strategy (people definitely seem to suffer from FOMO if they think they’re missing out on a rise in the property market and rush in). LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Stenhouse: Virtual Reality - Apple vs Meta
We've been talking about the AI wars, now get set for the VR wars Apple is expected to launch a brand-new device next week at its developer conference - a virtual reality and mixed reality headset. Meta seems to have wanted to steal their thunder by announcing their new Quest 3 this week. It's far lighter and thinner than the v2, which makes it more comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. It has a new processor, but it won't have eye tracking which could be where Apple beats them if they're going to create a high-end product that's packed full of features. Meta says they've sold 20 million headsets so far.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tara Ward: Deadloch, Maternal, and Fubar
Deadloch: Madeleine Sami plays a police detective in this dark Australian comedy-drama set in the Tasmanian town of Deadloch, who must investigate the mysterious death of a local man during a popular festival (Prime Video). Maternal: A British drama about three female doctors all returning to work in the NHS after the birth of their children (TVNZ+, also TVNZ 1 10.05pm Saturday nights). Fubar: Arnie is back! Arnold Schwarzennager makes his TV series debut as a CIA operative near retirement, who discovers a family secret and decides to go back into the field for one last job (Netflix).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nici Wickes: Homemade Danish Pastries for a long weekend
These are wonderfully easy to whip up on a long weekend and you can choose whatever fruit you like – pears, apples, stonefruit, berries – whatever is in season! Ingredients: 2 firm pears 400g flaky puff pastry (I use Pannetton or a block of puff pastry) Flour for rolling ½ cup store-bought custard, cream cheese or sour cream (if using these 2, add 1-2 tbps brown sugar) 1 heaped tbsp ground almonds 2 tbsps honey, warmed Icing sugar to dust Method: Preheat oven to 220 C. Lightly flour an oven tray. Peel, halve and neatly core pears. I use a teaspoon to remove core. Use a small knife and slice thinly keeping each slice attached at the stem end. This is so that you can fan them out. Dust a bench with flour. Roll pastry to 36x36cm square. Divide into 4 squares. Transfer to prepared tray. Score a 1cm border around each square. Mix custard with ground almonds or if using cream cheese / sour cream with sugar and almonds. Dollop a heaped tablespoon onto each pastry. No need to spread. Fan out each sliced pear halve and lay onto custard, keeping within the border. Brush pear with honey. Bake until puffed and golden and pastry bottom is cooked – about 15-20 minutes. Brush with more honey whilst still warm and allow to cool. Dust with icing sugar to serve. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francesca Rudkin: Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse and Bank of Dave
Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn's full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. However, when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders. He must soon redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most. Bank of Dave A working class man and self-made millionaire, struggles to set up a community bank to help the town's local businesses thrive. To do so, he must battle London's financial institutions and compete for the first banking license in over 100 years. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne: How we should celebrate Everest Day
This week Kevin’s here to chat about Everest Day and throw his support behind an idea of how to celebrate it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Yardley: Halong Bay, Vietnam
This week Mike Yardley joined Jack to chat about his recent visit to the beautiful Halong Bay in Vietnam. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estelle Clifford: Lewis Capaldi - Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent
Beating out Ed Sheeran, Lewis Capaldi's second album 'Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent' is the fastest selling album of the year thus far. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catherine Raynes: The Wager and The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece
The Wager, David Grann On January 28, 1742, a ramshackle vessel of patched-together wood and cloth washed up on the coast of Brazil. Inside were thirty emaciated men, barely alive, and they had an extraordinary tale to tell. They were survivors of His Majesty’s Ship the Wager, a British vessel that had left England in 1740 on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain. While the Wager had been chasing a Spanish treasure-filled galleon known as “the prize of all the oceans,” it had wrecked on a desolate island off the coast of Patagonia. The men, after being marooned for months and facing starvation, built the flimsy craft and sailed for more than a hundred days, traversing nearly 3,000 miles of storm-wracked seas. They were greeted as heroes. The Wager is a grand tale of human behavior at the extremes told by one of our greatest nonfiction writers. Grann’s recreation of the hidden world on a British warship rivals the work of Patrick O’Brian, his portrayal of the castaways’ desperate straits stands up to the classics of survival writing such as The Endurance, and his account of the court martial has the savvy of a Scott Turow thriller. As always with Grann’s work, the incredible twists of the narrative hold the reader spellbound. The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, Tom Hanks Part One of this story takes place in 1947. A troubled soldier, returning from the war, meets his talented five-year-old nephew, leaves an indelible impression, and then disappears for twenty-three years. Cut to 1970: The nephew, now drawing underground comic books in Oakland, California, reconnects with his uncle and, remembering the comic book he saw when he was five, draws a new version with his uncle as a World War II fighting hero. Cut to the present day: A commercially successful director discovers the 1970 comic book and decides to turn it into a contemporary superhero movie. Cue the cast: We meet the film’s extremely difficult male star, his wonderful leading lady, the eccentric writer/director, the producer, the gofer production assistant, and everyone else on both sides of the camera. Bonus material: Interspersed throughout are three comic books that are featured in the story—all created by Tom Hanks himself—including the comic book that becomes the official tie-in to this novel’s “major motion picture masterpiece.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate 'Ethically Kate' Hall: Temu and the waste caused by online shopping
Temu has been covering the internet in advertising over the past couple months, and the app has been topping free app charts on a regular basis. Kate Hall, an expert in sustainability has a few thoughts on the app, and on online shopping in general. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ruud Kleinpaste: Bags of Silks
One of the most incredible endemic insects in the collective New Zealand garden flies largely under the radar, yet it is as common as muck and lives for most of its life in a silk sleeping bag. Liothula omnivora is known in the trade as the “bag moth” or “case moth”. Tiny, baby caterpillars spin themselves a small silken case in which they incorporate pieces of foliage, twigs, mosses or lichens, to either jazz it up a bit, or – if you are a boring entomologist – for camouflage. This Caterpillar silk is very strong indeed (try ripping a silk scarf in half!) and our case moth caterpillar's efforts are right up there in terms of strength. They carry their private bags with them as they move long grazing on foliage at night. As the insect grows, it extends it bag to suit its needs. Along the way it feeds on its favourite host plant (often conifers, but also titoki, roses and even elms or flax) and adds more desiccated plant materials to its bag, to blend in with its surroundings. In the New World car park at Kohimaramara I once found a whole colony of case moth bags constructed of bits of torn plastic shopping bags; these bags were blown about and trapped by the fancy Chamaecyparis bushes on which the larvae fed. I even heard of liberal European entomologists, no doubt indulging in mind-altering substances, providing their captive colony of case moths with psychedelic bits of coloured paper – just for a laugh. Technological Tricks: At the top of the bag the caterpillar has constructed a draw-string system: when there’s trouble brewing, the insect can withdraw into its case and quickly close the opening behind it. One simple movement. Safety! A similar draw-string contraption exist right at the bottom of the case. It avoids the problem of ablutions in the bottom of the sleeping bag. Makes sense too! The pupa, or chrysalis is also formed in the bag, ready for metamorphosis. Most moth species emerge from their pupa and cocoon as full-winged imagoes, or adult specimens. In the case of our native bag moth only the male is winged and able to fly. It has dark grey to jet-black wings and can motor along very rapidly. These guys also have a very acute sense of smell, so that they can pick up the merest whiff of a suitable female. All they have to do is just follow the scent trail. Female bag moths have no wings at all and are therefore confined to the very same silk case in which they lived all their larval life. They can’t fly or move much at all, for that matter and they appear nothing more than a bloated insect with stumpy legs and an abdomen full of eggs. The best they can do to assist the searching male is sticking out the abdomen from the bottom tip of the case, to make the pheromone a bit easier to spot. When the female is fertilized, she dies and her eggs simply hatch from inside her dried-up body. The first nourishment of the brand new caterpillars could well be bits of the maternal carcass, before they leave the old silken case and settle in the same tree where mum lived. Some tiny caterpillars may drift a wee distance on their strands of silk, which act like balloons in the gentle breeze. Most of the offspring, however will stay on the same old maternal tree for the next generation… and the next and the next. This explains why we often find heaps of case moths on the same host – a real "infestation". A population like that can eat voraciously and sometimes plants are damaged. But does it require wholesale slaughter of these clever silk spinners? I don’t think so, but the reason why is a completely different story. The story is the wonderful Maori legend of Hineraukatauri (the goddess of Māori flute music); she loved her pūtōrino flute (shaped like a case moth bag) quite a lot; so much so that she transformed herself into the moth and living inside the pūtōrino bag…. mātauranga pepeke!!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Stenhouse: WhatsApp will let you edit messages, Elon Musk's brain chip Neuralink
WhatsApp will now let you edit your messages There are some restrictions though - it has to be done in the first 15 minutes of sending it. It can only be edited once. It'll show as edited, but won't have a way to see the previous message. So good news, if you edit it before your recipient reads it, they'll never know what you said originally. To do it, long press on the message and select edit. Neuralink: Elon Musk's brain chip firm wins US approval for human study Elon Musk's brain-chip firm says it has received approval from the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to conduct its first tests on humans. The Neuralink implant company wants to help restore vision and mobility to people by linking brains to computers. It says it does not have immediate plans to start recruiting participants. Mr Musk's previous ambitions to begin tests came to nothing. The FDA said it acknowledged Neuralink's announcement. An earlier bid by Neuralink to win FDA approval was rejected on safety grounds, according to a report in March by the Reuters news agency that cited multiple current and former employees. TikTok is suing Montana TikTok has filed suit too claiming the law is “unconstitutionally shutting down the forum for speech for all speakers on the app”. They say it's a violation of the first amendment, and an overreach of the powers afforded to the states. A group of content creators agree, and are also suing the state claiming it violates the First Amendment. The law bans the app from the App Stores, but also prevents the operation of TikTok in Montana. Users though will not be liable for penalties. TikTok's CEO said this week Oracle has begun to review the TikTok source code to verify data isn't leaving the US and can only be viewed by authorized parties (eg. not China's government). It's part of 'Project Texas' which has Oracle host all the user data for US users. The law will come into effect in 2024. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tara Ward: The Clearing, Platonic, Merpeople
The Clearing: Miranda Otto and Guy Pearce star in this adaptation of J.P. Pomare’s book about a woman who must confront the secrets of her past to prevent a local cult from brainwashing members of her community (Disney+) Platonic: A screwball comedy starring Seth Rogan and Rose Byrne as platonic best friends who reconnect after a long rift, only for their friendship to become all-consuming in their lives (Apple TV+) Merpeople: A new documentary series about the whimsical world of -wait for it- professional mermaiding, where people’s passion for swimming in glitter and fins has exploded into a huge, money-spinning industry (Netflix). LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shaun Wallace: The Chase and NZ Tour
Shaun Wallace, the Dark Destroyer, is a man with a big brain and a lot of knowledge. The Londoner shot to fame when he won the BBC’s legendary Mastermind in 2004, and is one of television’s most beloved Chasers. But he’s not only a quiz champion, Shaun’s also a successful barrister and has been a criminal defence advocate for more than three decades. Shaun joined Jack this morning ahead the events he’s hosting all over New Zealand over the next week. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nici Wickes: Caramel apple sultana & spice cake
Celebrate the apple season with this absolutely gorgeous apple cake. It’s full of warming spices and with a golden caramel topping, it’s a winner. Ingredients: 85g (about 6 tbsps) butter ½ cup sweetened condensed milk 1 tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp cinnamon 2 medium apples, peeled and sliced thinly Cake batter 120g butter, softened ¾ cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 ½ cups plain flour 1 ½ tsps baking powder ½ tsp baking soda 2 tsps ground cinnamon ½ tsp nutmeg Decent pinch salt ½ cup sultanas 6 tbsps milk (you may not need it all) Method: Turn oven to 180 C fan bake. Grease and line a 21cm cake tin with baking paper. In a small pot, heat butter with condensed milk until butter is melted. Stir in vanilla and cinnamon. Pour into lined tin then layer up sliced apples on top. Chill while you make the batter. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time and beat until creamy. Add in dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt - and beat briefly until combined. With the beater running, add in the sultanas and drizzle in the milk to form a nice soft, but not sloppy, batter. Spoon batter on top of apples. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Set aside for 10-15 minutes then turn out onto serving plate so that the apple-y cake bottom becomes the top. Serve warm or room temperature with whipped cream. Yum! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francesca Rudkin: The Innocent, Deep Rising
The Innocent - Cannes International Film Festival 2022 Familial tensions, criminal hijinks and unexpected romance collide in the uproariously entertaining new comedy hit from the multi-talented Louis Garrel (A Faithful Man). Lyon, present day. When widowed marine biologist Abel (Garrel) learns that his impulsive mother Sylvie (Anouk Grinberg) is once again re-marrying – this time to an inmate she met whilst teaching theatre in prison – he’s more than uncomfortable. Doubting that convicted burglar Michel (Roschdy Zem) is capable of staying out of trouble, Abel’s protective streak kicks in, and with the help of his best friend Clémence (a sensational Noémie Merlant), he begins tailing his new stepfather’s movements. Their amateur sleuthing is quickly uncovered by Michel and triggers an unlikely – and bold - business proposition for them both… Joyfully paying homage to the great crime capers of the French New Wave, and partly inspired by events from his own life, Garrel’s witty and beautifully constructed film is a delirious mix of comedy, romance, suspense and action, with several twists too good to spoil. Selected as the special Gala Screening to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival - where it drew a thunderously positive response - this hilarious comedy aims to please, and does so effortlessly. Don’t miss it! Deep Rising - Doc Edge Film Festival Narrator is your old mate Jason Momoa. On at cinemas in Auckland and Wellington and virtually for others. Delving into the pressing issue of deep-sea mining and its destructive impact on the environment, director Rytz provides a rare insight into the secretive world of the corporations that are extracting valuable metals from the ocean floor, with the help of cutting-edge technology. Narrated by Jason Momoa, the film highlights the urgent need to protect the deep ocean ecosystem, which plays a crucial role in sustaining life on Earth. Through stunning visuals and compelling storytelling, viewers are made aware of the little-known practice of deep-sea mining and its devastating consequences. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne: Remembering Tina Turner
This week Kevin wants to remember Tina Turner, going right back to the first time he saw her perform as Ike & Tina Turner and the Ikettes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jack Tame: It's no longer a personal cause
It took Sanitarium an awfully long time to finally dedicate a series of its Weetbix collector cards to the World Cup-winning Black Ferns. My colleagues at Fair Go covered it in depth, and when it was finally announced that Weetbix would publish a Black Ferns series, most of us assumed that would be that. But a fascinating story in the Herald revealed the best-known women’s rugby player in the World will not be appearing in the trading card series, becuase Ruby Tui insisted on appearing on the cards with a rainbow flag. Sanitarium is owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the church’s official stance opposes same-sex relations. But what’s remarkable about the reporting this week is that when Ruby Tui made the request to appear with a rainbow flag, it wasn’t necessarily Sanitarium that shut it down. According to reporting from Gregor Paul, the company was open to discussing the issue and it was actually New Zealand Rugby that blocked the plan, not wanting to set a precedent in allowing a player to use a commercial proposal to advocate for a personal cause. If this it true, it’s remarkable. Because last I checked, rainbow rights aren’t just a personal cause. New Zealand Rugby has signed up to the Pride Pledge, a public committment to diversity and inclusion. The organisation’s diversity and inclusion strategy specifically names rainbow communties as one of its targetted groups. And of course, many of the Black Ferns team are openly members of the rainbow community. If Ruby Tui had wanted to appear with the logo of a specific political party, of course that would be different. If she’d insisted on wearing branding for a personal company, that would be different too. But surely if a player’s personal cause directly overlaps with the broadly-stated and celebrated cause of the organisation they’re representing, then it’s no longer just a personal cause. I’m glad we live in an age where players feel they can make a stand. I admired Sonny-Bill Williams for his decision not to wear logos from sponsors in industries he opposed. In Ruby Tui’s case, she’s ultimately leaving money on the table and making a principled stand. We’d all like to think that for an issue or a cause we cared about, we’d have the integrity to do the same thing. We don’t know what would have happened if Ruby Tui and Sanitarium had properly discussed her request. Given it’s owned by the church, there’s good reason to believe Sanitarium might ultimately have opposed Ruby Tui’s appearance. I wonder what might have happened if other players had followed Ruby’s lead and insisted on holding rainbow flags. Sanitarium might have found itself in a very tricky position indeed. But that’s on Sanitarium. And if the reporting this week is accurate and it was ultimately New Zealand Rugby that stepped in, it adds a very different dynamic to the whole situation. I think it says something about the character and priorities of the organisation. Sure, we’re all for rainbow rights, until it impacts our bottom line.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estelle Clifford: Music - The National, 'First Two Pages of Frankenstein'
Anchored by evocative melodies and an enthralling lyrical narrative, First Two Pages of Frankenstein signals a thrilling new chapter in the band’s discography. The 11-song album was produced by The National at Long Pond Studios in upstate New York and features guest appearances by Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens. The follow-up to 2019’s top five hit album I Am Easy To Find, First Two Pages of Frankenstein was initially stalled while lead singer Matt Berninger navigated “a very dark spot where I couldn’t come up with lyrics or melodies at all, and that period lasted for over a year. Even though we’d always been anxious and argued quite a lot whenever we were working on a record, this was the first time it ever felt like maybe things really had come to an end.” Instead, The National “managed to come back together and approach everything from a different angle, and because of that we arrived at what feels like a new era for the band,” according to guitarist/pianist Bryce Dessner. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catherine Raynes: Books - The Diamond Eye and The House of Eve
The Diamond Eye – Kate Quinn The brand-new historical novel based on a true story from the bestselling author of The Rose Code and The Alice Network In the snowbound city of Kiev, aspiring historian Mila Pavlichenko’s life revolves around her young son – until Hitler’s invasion of Russia changes everything. Suddenly, she and her friends must take up arms to save their country from the Fuhrer’s destruction. Handed a rifle, Mila discovers a gift – and months of blood, sweat and tears turn the young woman into a deadly sniper: the most lethal hunter of Nazis. Yet success is bittersweet. Mila is torn from the battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America while the war still rages. There, she finds an unexpected ally in First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and an unexpected promise of a different future. But when an old enemy from Mila’s past joins forces with a terrifying new foe, she finds herself in the deadliest duel of her life. The Diamond Eye is a haunting novel of heroism born of desperation, of a mother who became a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever. The House of Eve – Sadeqa Johnson 1950s Philadelphia: fifteen-year-old Ruby Pearsall is on track to becoming the first in her family to attend college, in spite of having a mother more interested in keeping a man than raising a daughter. But a taboo love affair threatens to pull her back down into the poverty and desperation that has been passed on to her like a birthright. Eleanor Quarles arrives in Washington, DC, with ambition and secrets. When she meets the handsome William Pride at Howard University, they fall madly in love. But William hails from one of DC’s elite wealthy Black families, and his parents don’t let just anyone into their fold. Eleanor hopes that a baby will make her finally feel at home in William’s family and grant her the life she’s been searching for. But having a baby—and fitting in—is easier said than done. With their stories colliding in the most unexpected of ways, Ruby and Eleanor will both make decisions that shape the trajectory of their lives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Yardley: Bites and Sights in Hanoi
Mike Yardley joined Jack Tame to chat about his time in Hanoi, Vietnam. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steven Dromgool: Relationship expert on how to support a partner with chronic illness
Relationship expert Steven Dromgool has some advice for us around supporting a partner that suffers from a chronic illness. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Campbell: Wine - 2022 Framingham Classic Riesling, Marlborough
Wine: 2022 Framingham Classic Riesling, Marlborough $31.99 Why I chose it: - I love Riesling - Riesling is the best value NZ wine - Framingham is one of the country’s top Riesling producers What does it taste like? - Medium-dry riesling with lime zest, oyster shell and white wildflower flavours supported by vibrant acidity that reacts with a suggestion of sweetness to give a deliciously vibrant character. Good purity and power. Why it’s a bargain: - One of the world’s great grape varieties and low demand. Where can you buy it? - First Glass Wines and Spirits, Takapuna $26.99; Regional Wines and Spirits, Wgtn. $29.99 Food match? - Onion tart. Seafood and slightly spicy dishes (foods with a bit of sweetness) Will it keep? - Yes, at least 10 years with good storage. Becomes toasty and mellow, sometimes with a touch of kerosene. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ruud Kleinpaste: Planting time for trees and crops
We had a great autumn… quite warm! – getting cooler now Some fruit trees are still producing fruits: All you need is relatively warm autumn conditions for ripening to be successful. Feijoas and figs and some apple varieties Feijoas: select you favourite variety; they are all more or less similar when it comes to resistance of frosts, so chose what you like. Feijoas are still dropping at my place (don’t “pick” them, let them drop!!!) Many varieties to plant in autumn – they are pretty hardy and make great hedges! If you want to create a “hedge”, put two or three different varieties in that hedge and create an opportunity for cross-pollination. If you are in the far north, guava moth may become your nemesis Figs can be a little more tender in the cold, so grab an early-ripening fig variety (Brown Turkey, Mrs Williams, Brunswick, Cape White, etc) when you think you’re “on the edge” Apples would also be a great tree to plant before it gets too wet and too cold – it reduces the fungal infections underground; in really wet spots, think about planting apple varieties “in raised beds”. Before planting a tree or two: ask around your district what grows well and ripens well. The trees really need not huge amounts of fertility at all (if they are on perfect soils they become tall and lanky too quickly, requiring pruning a lot) Select varieties you like to eat or process into apple-sauce (“applemoes” in Dutch); remember: if you are short of space, grab a young tree with two (or three) varieties grafted on the Main stem/Trunk Garlic should be in the soil this weekend – (to be honest, I planted mine a month ago!!) to avoid that dreaded garlic rust disease. It works for me as the bulbs are ready to harvest in late October before it becomes a pain! Another important tip is to put garlic in a different bed each year – simply to escape old rust spores hotspots The same goes for the Egyptian walking Onion (a kind of shallot that’s really easy to grow); it too suffers from a bit of rust (but not as bad as garlic), so keep these two crops separate! Cos lettuce will do well too – regular plantings of seedlings ensures a constant supply of salads Broadbeans and Peas are also still plantable for an early feast of Legumes in winter and spring;See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Stenhouse: Tech - Apple's new accessibility features and Montana's TikTok ban
Create a digital copy of your voice in just 15 minutes Apple's soon-to-be-released feature "Personal Voice" is designed for people who may be going to lose their voice, to be able to capture it digitally, and use it to communicate with others when they can't - Apple is calling it your "synthesized voice". It's open to everyone though, hinting at what may become more commonplace in the near future. Your digital avatar could actually sound like you, and read out the things you've typed. It takes just 15 minutes of training to achieve this and all happens on your device, no internet connection needed. That's just one of Apple's new accessibility features They've given an early look at some of the new accessibility features coming to iOS17. One is "Assistive Access" which allows an app to deliver an experience with just the essential features to lighten the cognitive load. Think of the camera app - make it as easy as possible to take a picture with one big "take picture" button and hide all the settings and options. Apple has created these experiences for their core photos, messages, phone, facetime and music apps adn I'd expect other app makers to be allowed to do the same thing. Montana's governor has signed their TikTok bill into law The law bans the app from the App Stores, but also prevents the operation of TikTok in Montana. Users though will not be liable for penalties. The counter legal action has already started with a group of content creators suing the state claiming it violates the First Amendment. The law will come into effect in 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Momoa: 'Fast X' star on playing the bad guy and his ‘unexplainable’ connection to New Zealand
Hollywood sensation Jason Momoa secured his famous feature as Khal Drogo in HBO’s Game of Thrones by performing a haka before assuming his blockbuster role as DC’s Aquaman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice that shot him into superstardom. Momoa has been cast in the tenth instalment of the Fast and Furious franchise, Fast X as bad guy Dante Reyes, somewhat of a juxtaposition from previous roles. There is, of course, a Kiwi connection. Momoa told Newstalk ZB’s Jack Tame he feels Native Hawaiians and Māori share a special connection of race and language, as well as parallels of having experienced colonisation. He recognises Māori as having been the first indigenous population to sign a treaty and says having seen how many Kiwis embrace Māori culture and language has strengthened his affection for Aotearoa New Zealand. “The Kiwis and people that take pride and know the language and understand that is beautiful, because that doesn’t happen where I come from and so there’s a lot of beauty in both cultures growing together – and it’s the greatest rugby team in the world.” For someone who considers himself an outdoorsman, Momoa told Tame his time spent in Aotearoa New Zealand going from summit to sea was “heaven.” He says our country is the most diverse ecosystem in the world – aside from the lack of desert – although “we’re all leading to that anyway,” he adds with a wry smile. In a very poignant moment, the mega-star becomes suddenly grounded and describes the moment when he landed in Auckland, saying he felt he had been here in a past life. “I think when I landed here, just the feeling that shot through my body when I was here… my people have been here, my ancestors have been here. I just felt a deep connection that’s unexplainable.” Having played such a well-known hero in Aquaman, there were a few raised eyebrows when it was announced he was cast as a villain. “I mean, playing the villain is the best, ‘cause you get to be bad,” he told Jack Tame. Momoa star says playing a role that opposes his own way of life is what makes it enjoyable. “You get to do stuff that you’re not allowed to do and I don’t necessarily sit by those values and I don’t follow that way so I’m playing someone that I don’t agree with, so that’s fun. That’s why I signed up for it.” As a self-confessed petrol head, Momoa is a perfect fit for a role in the Fast and Furious franchise. “I’d say about 80 per cent of the motorcycle stuff I did,” although he adds that’s that there were a few stunts that called for a professional as had he been injured “the movie would be over.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tara Ward: Screentime - Still, The Gone and Tracked
Still: A documentary about the extraordinary story of Michael J. Fox, in his own words - from his childhood on a Canadian army base to the heights of stardom in 1980s Hollywood and the private challenges of living with Parkinson’s Disease (AppleTV+). The Gone: An Irish-New Zealand drama about a young Irish couple that vanishes from a small North Island town, and the Irish and Kiwi detectives that must team up to find them (TVNZ+). Tracked: Hosted by Vinnie Jones and filmed in New Zealand, this series follows eight teams as they race through the South Island wilderness in an attempt to reach an evacuation zone before being caught by a group of elite trackers (Three from Monday, and on ThreeNow). LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eleanor Catton: Youngest-ever Booker Prize winner on her new book 'Birnam Wood'
In 2013, our very own Eleanor Catton became the youngest-ever winner of the Booker Prize at 28-years-old with The Luminaires. In the decade since, she adapted the book for television, wrote the feature film screenplay for Jane Austen’s Emma, moved to the UK and had a child. And now, a decade on, she’s back with her new book Birnam Wood. Eleanor’s currently in New Zealand for the Auckland Writer’s Festival and she joined Jack Tame. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rosa Flannagan: Feijoa Maple Oats
Everyone in the kitchen was fighting over the last spoonful of porridge when we first created this. If you need recipe inspiration for feijoas, definitely put this one on the list. When feijoas are out of season, use any other in-season fruit you have at home. Serves: 1 Time: 10 minutes - 1/2 cup rolled oats - 3/4 cup plant based or dairy milk - 1/2 cup feijoas, flesh only and roughly chopped - 1 tbsp almond butter - 1 tbsp maple syrup - 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract - ¼ tsp sea salt Method: Place all of the ingredients into a pot and heat over a medium heat. Stirring regularly, bring the porridge to a boil. Reduce the porridge to a simmer and cook until thick or until it reaches your desired consistency. This takes roughly 3-5 minutes. Pour the porridge into a bowl and top with yoghurt and extra feijoas. Eat immediately. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Have them cold or reheat in the microwave or in a pot. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.