Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Summer is nearly here! …and with it comes outdoor entertaining, friends around for BBQs and of course, Christmas lunch or dinner. Impressing your guests in the kitchen doesn’t need to be a stressful affair – that's the ethos of sisters Rosa and Margo Flannagan a.k.a The Two Raw Sisters. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’d forgotten how loud the subways are. The way they clatter and shudder and screech and smash as they pull into a big station. There are no niceties with the subway. No comforts. No safety barriers on the platforms. No fabric or armrests or cushions on the seats. It’s all utility. Grime and rats. Every car, designed to be hosed out with a water blaster at the end of a very long night. I love the way the delivery guys on their electric bikes ride wtih plastic bags on their hands to protect them from the cold. I love the way strangers will compliment strangers’ outfits.‘I love your coat!’‘Thank you!’I love the yelling, the hustling, the what-the-f**k-is-that-smell? The way you have to pull off to the side on the footpath. I love that everyone constantly jay-walks. I love the grandeur. The stone, the steel, the glass. The way you can be lost in Midtown in the shadows of all the skyscrapers then suddenly reach a little gap of streaming sunshine. Hallelujah! The pianist playing a baby grand in the park as auburn leaves swish all around him. Those little pockets of peace amidst the go-go-go. I love the old tenements. The way people are prepared to pay thousands of dollars a month for a scummy apartment up six flights of stairs with a bathroom in which you can only close the door if you sit on the toilet at an angle. I love the food. I. Love. The. Food. I don’t love the way that when you walk in the city, mysterious droplets of air conditioner fluid sometimes drop onto your face from high above. But I love that people don’t seem to care. And more than anything, I love that they’re from everywhere. Every colour. Every age. Every style. Every accent. Every language. Every job. Every dream. Humanity’s great smorgasbord. There cannot be a more intensely diverse place on this Earth. I love cities. You don’t hear that enough. Any schmuck can appreciate a mountain range and a waterfall but there is also real beauty in a good city. Sure it’s easy to be distracted by the filth and the clatter. But beyond that, there is elegance in communal living. The way people always use good public space. Usually when I explore a place for the first time, I don’t expect to return. Unless I have friends or family or a specific reason to visit in the future, I just figure I probably won’t be back. There are too many places to explore in this World. Why waste an opportunity by revisiting a place you already know? But there are a handful of exceptions to the rule, a handful of cities, that are just different. They are just so very alive, oscillating and changing in a way that makes it refreshing to return time and again. And for me at least, there’s one city at the top of the heap. New York. It’s not a great city. It’s the great city.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spicy, buttery, crispy . . . they’ve got it all going on. I first fell in love with spicy wings over 30 years ago whilst on a working holiday in USA. They were a revelation to me — devastatingly spicy but tempered by a cooling sour cream sauce for dipping the wings into. Serves one 4 free-range whole chicken wings, or use 8 nibbles salt oil for baking juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon chilli sauce - I use tabasco ½ teaspoon smoked paprika ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 tablespoons melted butter ¼ cup sour cream 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or frozen blue cheese (see note) Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Using kitchen shears, cut between the joint of the wings to produce a drumette and a wingette (I may have made that word up, winging it, as it were, but I’m sticking with it) if using whole wings. Place the chicken pieces on the lined baking tray and liberally season with salt. Drizzle with oil and place in the oven to bake until cooked through and golden, about 25–30 minutes. In a saucepan, whisk together the lemon juice, chilli sauce, paprika and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Whisk in the melted butter and return to a simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove the chicken from the oven and toss in the hot sauce. Season. Combine sour cream and cheese in a small bowl. Dip wings into the cooling sour cream sauce and eat. Note: Freezing blue cheese makes it super easy to grate LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bros Bobby is a neurotic podcast host who's happy to go on Tinder dates and content not to have a serious relationship. That all changes when he meets Aaron, an equally detached lawyer who likes to play the field. Repeatedly drawn to each other, both men begin to show their vulnerable sides as their undeniable attraction turns into something resembling a commitment. The Woman King In the 1800s, a group of all-female warriors protects the African kingdom of Dahomey with skills and fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen. Faced with a new threat, Gen. Nanisca trains the next generation of recruits to fight against a foreign enemy that's determined to destroy their way of life. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne has managed to track down his journalism class from 1970, and this weekend the group is having a reunion. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Midnights is the upcoming tenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, set for release on October 21, 2022, via Republic Records. Announced at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, the album marks Swift's first body of new work since her ninth studio album, Evermore. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boys from Biloxi - John Grisham The #1 New York Times bestselling author returns to Mississippi with the riveting story of two sons of immigrant families who grow up as friends, but ultimately find themselves on opposite sides of the law. Grisham’s trademark twists and turns will keep you tearing through the pages until the stunning conclusion. I'm Glad my Mon Died - Jeanette McCurdy A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Resident traveller Mike Yardley has been visiting Liechtenstein. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steven Dromgool has some relationship advice around what are known as 'apology languages'. You can find out about your apology language with a quiz here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The next lesson in language and definitions: Native – Endemic – Beneficial – Pest Remember: a Native organism is firmly established in NZ; it’s origin could be from overseas (or an ancient continent like Gondwanaland), but it got here, somehow, on its own accord (flying, drifting on logs, floating in the air, etc) without assistance from humans (luggage, commercial goods, planes, boats, smuggled, imported, etc). When I work with Teachers (and kids) at schools (Mazda’s Treemendous Education Program; Blake Inspire; Field-Based STEM), I often analyse this definition of native species. So: I ask the question: “What is the latest or newest native bird of prey in New Zealand?” Examples: Silvereyes (white-eyes, Wax-eyes) established here in the 1830s. The first recorded nesting/breeding took place in 1832. Not many people know that, especially since these birds are very numerous in Aotearoa. The Māori name is “Tauhou”, which means stranger or new-comer This sentinel tree can tell an enormous number of stories – a serious curriculum full of nature knowledge. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mortgages are the story of the week – that inflation reading has pushed up fixed term interest rates for the first time in a while, when most thought that fixed term rates had peaked. Whether it’s hit you yet or not, interest is soon going to be taking a bigger chunk of your income – so what should you be doing to ensure you not only continue to survive, but continue to make progress while interest rates are rising? Rather than panicking about what lies ahead, what do you need to be thinking about with your mortgage in conditions like these? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon's bold plan to fire 75% of Twitter's staff The Washington Post reports that's his message to investors as he secures funding to buy Twitter before October 28. He wants to stack rank employees and cut the bottom. The company had planned to cut 25% of its staff before Elon's bid, but this is three times that already large number. What would it mean? Probably less of a focus on moderation, trust, safety and security? Maybe less stability of the service too? Dig around in your drawers, because an original iPhone just fetched $40,000 at auction See mum, this is why you keep the packaging! Like a relic frozen in time since 2007, it was in its original packaging, unopened, and, at the time, was worth $599. It sold for 65x that! It was interesting comparing the price to today. $599 in 2007 would be $857 in today's US dollar. Today an iPhone 14 retails for $799. So it's 'cheaper' than it was at launch. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grace Tame has been called many things. Unstoppable, an inspiration, strong – and of all things, rude. You might recognise Grace after she was named Australian of the Year 2021 for her fierce advocation and dedication to helping survivors of child sexual abuse. This time, Grace is telling it like it is in her own words with her memoir just released called the Ninth Life of a Diamond Miner. Grace Tame joined Jack Tame. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Somewhere Boy: An emotional British drama about Danny, who has lived his life locked at home with his father after the death of his mother. But when Danny turns 18, his whole world explodes in an instant, and he has to come to terms with a new world he never knew existed (TVNZ+). Gangs of London: A new season of the gritty drama about the international gangs that control the city of London, as they struggle to fill the power vacuum created when the head of London's most powerful crime family is assassinated (Neon). From Scratch: Zoe Saldana stars in this American drama as an American student studying in Italy, who meets and falls in love with Lino, a Sicilian chef. When Lino faces health issues and the couple's future is threatened, the two families come together (Netflix). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coffee and walnuts are old friends and in these cute little cakes maple syrup adds an extra dimension. Makes 8 small cakes or 10-12 muffins 100g soft butter 2/3 cup brown sugar, loosely packed (about 100g) 3 eggs 50g yoghurt or sour cream 100g walnuts, chopped + extra pieces to garnish 1 ½ cups plain flour (or 1 ¼ cups GF flour) 3 tsp baking powder 3 tsp espresso powder or 2 tsp instant coffee 1-2 tbsps milk ¼ cup maple syrup Icing: 100g cream cheese 2 tbsps sour cream ½ cup brown sugar 4 heaped tbsps icing sugar Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease and flour an 8-hole mini-cake tin or 12 hole muffin tray. In a bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until it is creamed, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Continue mixing until light and fluffy. Stir in the yoghurt or sour cream and half the walnuts until just combined. Stir in the flour, baking powder and coffee and mix until combined. Add enough milk to get a dropping consistency. Spoon cake batter into tins and cook for 20-25 minutes until risen and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave for 5 minutes before turning out to cool. Toast the remaining walnuts and drizzle over maple syrup to coat. Briefly simmer then set aside to cool. Make the icing by beating all ingredients together until smooth. Ice each cake and garnish with cooled maple walnut pieces. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dame Valerie doco This 90’ feature documentary named More than Gold is the candid and inspirational story of fivetime Olympian, double Olympic gold medallist, Tongan/New Zealander Dame Valerie Adams; one of the world’s most celebrated athletes. It is also the story of a mother, a daughter, a sister, and a survivor. At a time when sportswomen globally are struggling with pressures beyond the field of play Dame Valerie Adams is a beacon of hope. Competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games required all the shotputter’s determination and courage. At 36, following two major surgeries and the birth of her children, she was considered an ‘older’ athlete. Struggling to balance her role as a mum with her job as an elite sportsperson, Valerie was forced to navigate emotions every mother will identify with. Mrs Harris Goes to Paris In 1950s London, a widowed cleaning lady falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress, deciding she must have one of her own. After working to raise the funds to pursue her dream, she embarks on an adventure to Paris that will change not only her own outlook -- but the very future of the House of Dior. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne is most nervous about the university exams starting next week, yet he isn't sitting any. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m on the road at the moment. North America. Toronto and New York. And like anyone who’s been fortunate enough to take a holiday in the U.S lately, I’ve been swallowing hard at just how much stuff costs. Tomorrow night I’m staying one night in a mid-range New York hotel. It’s probably a 3.5-star establishment. The room is tiny. But for a sliding door, the toilet is more-or-less right next to my pillow and if I want to open my suitcase, the only space to do it will be on my bed. How much is it costing? About $NZ420 for one night. It’s not cos there’s a special event in New York this weekend. It’s not because we’re staying in a Penthouse on Central Park. It’s because the hawkish response to inflation from the U.S Federal Reserve is driving up the US dollar to its highest point in years. The index that follows the US dollar compared to other currencies shows the USD is up 20 percent compared to this time last year. Obviously I chose to come here on holiday so I’m not gonna moan too much! But the ripple effects of the strong USD aren’t just hurting tourists. And as the inflation battle continues, they’ll continue to impact countries around the World. The Consumer Price Index numbers for New Zealand this week were yet another sobering indicator that for all our optimism and wishful thinking, we still have a lot of pain to come in the economic aftermath of the pandemic. So far it’s tourists and a few mortgage-holders who are swallowing hardest, but I’m not convinced the New Zealand public has fully grappled with the looming alternative to high inflation. I don’t think many of us have paused and considered how life could feel in the next 12-to-18 months as the Reserve Bank hikes again and again, and we start to see the impact of much higher borrowing costs on the labour market. We are likely headed for a recession and presuming the Reserve Bank continues raising the OCR, we are likely headed for a meaningful, painful spike in unemployment. It’s a bit of an economic Sophie’s Choice, really. What’s worse? High inflation or high unemployment? Both options are bad and although central banks and politicians are gonna’ try and find a middle ground of sorts, there aren’t many causes for jolliness. For incumbent politicians everywhere it presents an enormous challenge. Liz Truss’s diabolical tenure will serve as good warning that reckless economic policies won’t get you far. The piper has to be paid. Even if you can sell a free lunch delusion to your voting base, it’s a tougher ask, selling it to the bond markets. What does it the bad numbers mean for the New Zealand election next year? As it so often does, essentially it will all come down to voters’ back pockets and the parties’ economic credibility. But even more than by policy differences, debates, and campaign strategies, the New Zealand election will be decided by the actions of the US Federal Reserve. Stare at a crystal ball and what the Fed will do over the next 12 months, and you’ll have as good an indicator as any as to what major party will win the election. Maybe if the Fed keeps aggressively hiking rates, Jacinda Ardern will decide it’s not worth it after all. She’ll succumb to the whispers and unfounded speculation and take a job at the U.N instead of fighting another campaign. If she does move to New York, my only advice to her would be to make sure she gets paid in greenbacks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Long Shadows – David Baldacci Killer twists. Heroes to believe in. Trust Baldacci. Memory man FBI agent, Amos Decker, returns in this action-packed thriller to investigate the mysterious and brutal murder of a federal judge and her bodyguard at her home in an exclusive, gated community in Florida from international bestselling author David Baldacci. Our Missing Hearts – Celeste Ng From the #1 bestselling author of Little Fires Everywhere, comes one of the most highly anticipated books of the year – the inspiring new novel about a mother’s unbreakable love in a world consumed by fear. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OK… as promised, last week... Language and definitions: Native – Endemic – Beneficial – Pest A NATIVE organism is firmly established in NZ; it’s origin could be from overseas (or an ancient continent like Gondwanaland), but it got here, somehow, on its own accord (flying, drifting on logs, floating in the air, etc) without assistance from humans (luggage, commercial goods, planes, boats, smuggled, imported, etc) ENDEMIC means it naturally occurs only in New Zealand, nowhere else, unless it has been introduced there. It is therefore a Native organism that is really special as it has been part of our ecosystems for many many years (millions of years) Because our Native and Endemic organisms are important contributors to our ecosystem, they are BENEFICIAL to a lot of other species that live here – pollen-providers, pollinators, nectar manufacturers, food source, etc etc A PEST is often and introduced species (either by accident or stupidity) that has a negative impact on our ecosystems or… our ABILITY to grow crops/fruit/food; a PEST can also be a species that got here on its own accord through unfortunate migration Flowers right now and can be absolutely stunning! It naturally occurs from Cape Reinga (Te Paki) all the way down to line from Taranaki to Mahia Peninsula. So… it is an ENDEMIC plant species It doesn’t like frost very much at all, but when you plant it in a nice location, protected from the frost you’ll find it’ll thrive all the way down the South Island. It grows well on the Port Hills, where it is a fabulous nectar source for native birds and native bees, moths and butterflies – I suppose you could call it beneficial You can see it is a close relative of the famous endemic relative Metrosideros excelsa aka Pohutukawa. (Similar distribution area in NZ) The carmine rātā is normally a “climbing rātā”, winding its stem around a tree trunk to get to the top where light levels are higher and photosynthesis is enhanced. But when you take semi-hardwood cuttings from this rata, it will form as a shrub and it won’t climb. Most carmine rātā you can buy are taken from cuttings and therefore stay as a spectacular red-flowering bush, up to almost a meter high. It loves well-drained soil with lots of organic material (think of the conditions in the soil of a native forest with lots of compost, formed by fallen leaves and branches); don’t let them dry out and keep the roots cool-ish… Climbing rātā will go up rock walls and tree trunks in your garden; the shrub form does need quite a bit of sun if you want to see the spectacular crimson flowers. Seeds form in summer to early autumn (in case you want to try and propagate a climbing crimson rātā) The only PEST encountered on these Metrosideros species is MYTLE RUST. Blown on the wind (by itself – like a NATIVE!!!) from Australia and settled in North and Western areas of the North Island and slowly spreading further south A PEST with a Capital P. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Hall shares the strange things she gets up to in order to help the planet - and you might just learn a trick or two. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boby Campbell usually picks a wine with a price of tag of $20 or below but this week, he's shaking it up and chats to Jack Tame about one of our most expensive wines - Destiny Bay 2020 Magna Praemia, Waiheke that retails at $550 a bottle. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Netflix reveals how much you'll pay to watch with ads In the USA the new "Basic with Ads" plan will be $6.99 a month, saving folks around $3 a month. It won't allow downloads or offline viewing, and won't offer 4K content, or multiple devices. Expect 4-5 minutes of ads an hour, ads will be 15-30 seconds in length, and they'll be both before and during the show. It's launching in 12 countries in November, but not in NZ just yet. US government looking to ban Huawei The FCC has prepared a draft order according to CNN sources, which would block sales of their new telco equipment in the US on national security grounds. The FCC today needs to sign off on any device which emits a frequency before it's sold, to prevent harm. This is in direct response to President Joe Biden's Secure Equipment Act signed last year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This England: Kenneth Branagh stars as Boris Johnson in this drama based on the British prime minister's tumultuous first few months in Downing Street, as he grapples with the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic (TVNZ1, Sunday). The Watcher: Naomi Watts stars in Ryan Murphy’s latest drama about a married couple who purchase their dream home only to be threatened by terrifying letters from a stalker, signed "The Watcher” (Netflix). The Empress: a sumptuous costume drama series based on the life of the 19th century Austrian Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria (Netflix) LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wedding Crashers, Confessions of a Shopaholic and Borat a.k.a Sacha Baron Cohen They all have one thing in common: Isla Fisher. The actress has worked in TV and film for more than 25 years. You’ll be familiar with seeing her face walking the red carpet at movie premieres but what you might not be familiar with is her name on children’s books. Isla loves writing, having released her first kids’ book as a teen. She’s just released her latest called Mazy the Movie Star following on from her bestselling Marge in Charge series. Isla Fisher joined Jack Tame.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As well as a savoury ingredient, polenta is a truly wonderful baking ingredient - it’s cornmeal so is GF and has so much texture. Serve these little beauties with whipped cream. GF syrup ½ cup icing sugar Juice of 3 lemons (use zest in cakes) Cakes 175g butter, softened 175g caster sugar 2 large eggs 80g fine instant polenta ½ cup freeze-dried raspberries + extra for topping 175g ground almonds ¾ tsp baking powder Zest of 2 lemons Preheat oven to 150 C. Grease a 12-hole muffin tin and line each hole with a small square of baking paper. Make syrup by simmering sugar and lemon juice together for 3-5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Using a standing beater, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beating between each. Fold in the polenta, raspberries, ground almonds, baking powder, lemon zest and juice. Spoon batter into prepared tin and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean and cake has begun to pull away from sides. Once cooked, prick the top of each cake with a few small holes. Spoon over cooled syrup so that it soaks in. Leave cakes to settle for 5-7 minutes before removing and serving with whipped cream and a dusting of crushed freeze-dried raspberries. Tip: Feel free to use this recipe to make one large cake using a lined 20cm spring form tin and cook for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Movie reviewer Chris Schulz gives us his thoughts on Amsterdam and the doco Katrina Babies. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A week on from the Peter Ellis Supreme Court ruling and Kevin Milne had had a chance to digest. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I was trying to think how long it had been since we were all in a room together. It was before Dayle and Jeremy each had a family. Before Matt became a doctor. Before Alex announced to everyone that he’d taken a job in West Africa and by any chance did anyone know what the weather was like in Togo at this time of year? Five mates who grew up in the middle-class Christchurch suburbs and all knocked around a high school together. We read the same stuff, watched the same shows, studied the same subjects, played in the same sport teams and chased the same girls – all, with mixed success. And then one day, like dice in a Yahtzee cup, life shook us up and we scattered around the World. Since we last lived in the same city, we five mates have lived in five different continents between us. Alex lives in Tel Aviv and speaks Hebrew. He spent years guiding people through Jerusalem and the West Bank. Matt’s medical career has taken him from Melbourne to Medellin. Dayle’s a doctor too – recently he worked out of the back of emergency helicopters and he prides himself on differentiating different models by the thump of their rotor blades. Jeremy’s the only one of us to have visited Angola on business and was the first of the group to take on perhaps the greatest adventure of all – he has a wife and two wonderful kids. But how long since we’d all been in a room together? Sheesh. My best guess is that it was for someone’s 21st birthday, back in the day. The kids who were born in our final year of high school are now in their final year of high school. We’re starting to see age in each other’s faces, each other’s wasitlines, each other’s hair. Part of me thinks it’s the one big benefit of being part of the Facebook generation: Social media didn’t exist when we were in school, but it came in soon enough afterwards that we could keep in touch over the years. But the five of us still had to want to keep in touch. I think that’s an important point. Last weekend, Alex held a lunch to celebrate his marriage. It was a perfect, still, Spring day in Christchurch. Having travelled here from the Middle East, he and his wife gathered with his family and a few friends at Mona Vale. After a few hours, after lunch wrapped and everyone else had pushed on, we sat down on the banks of the Ōtākaro/Avon River with a few beers and a bottle of champagne. The sun was glorious, twinkling through the leaves of the trees along the riverbank. There wasn’t a breath of wind. Families, kids, wives, girlfriends all lay down on the grass and for that little moment, the lives of my oldest friends all came together once again. I laughed and laughed until my belly ached. It struck me on Monday when we split once again, farewelling each other and returning to our respective corners of the Earth: After all this time, all these years, all these experiences and jobs and relationships in isolation... everything’s changed and yet somehow, nothing’s changed. And I reckon that might be the best definition of friendship there is.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estelle Clifford has been listening to PRE PLEASURE from Julia Jacklin. The Australian songwriter’s empathetic, understated rock songs sift through a litany of relationships and beliefs, seeking a balance between thinking about life and actually living it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catherine Raynes has been reading My Darling Daughter by JP Delaney and Forever Home from Graham Norton. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Yardley has been venturing around Milano. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steven Dromgool shares his advice on how to make a good apology and the magic time zone of when to. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tropaeolum is the Latin name for that almost weedy, but seriously colourful plant called Nasturtium Most gardeners know them, many grow them (in frost-free locations), some eat them and others find them a bit of a pain in the bottom due to their rampant growth. The famous painter Monet was a huge fan too! They hail from Central and Southern America; flower colours are bright in the red, orange and yellow spectra (plus a heap of other bred, fancy hues) and I reckon they literally brighten any garden with that blast of colours; They are easy to grow in almost any type of soil (especially the poorer soils), don’t really like rich soil with lots of fertilisers and their best attribute is the ability to give a huge dash of colour in the most boring part of your garden; Tropaeolum makes you smile – you simply can’t help it! Remember that frosts can kill them, but seeing they are actually annuals, their seeds will give you a brand new crop every spring. A really interesting did-you-know is that Nasturtium is an alternative host for the white cabbage butterfly caterpillar, despite the fact that Nasturtiums are not a Brassica, nor are they closely related to the cabbage family. So if you don’t want white butterfly caterpillars in your cabbages, broccoli, caulis and sprouts, don’t grow Nasturtium near your cabbage patch! You can eat the leaves, the seeds and the flowers – taste is described as “peppery” or resembling “honey-mustard” The flowers can be eaten or used in fancy cookery recipes, stuffed with cream cheese or topped on vinaigrette-laced salad, but remember that the flowers tend to wilt quite quickly, so chuck them on that salad at the last moment before serving. Even washing the flowers makes them “flaccid”, so keep them au naturel and consume them raw… without washing! And that last bit of info might sound weird, but makes perfect scientific sense. If you look at the plant after a shower of rain, you’ll find that the leaves actually hold the raindrops on the surface in perfect little bubbles of “quick-silver”. We have a scientific term for that: the leaf surface is Hydrophobic; it repels water. There are a few plants that show this hydrophobic feature: Lotus, some types of water lilies, and indeed: cabbages! If you look further into the natural world you may find that the wings of flies (crane flies!) and heaps of other insects have a similar repellency of water droplets. For nasturtium and Lotus, etc, this repellency is caused by a nano-structure on the leaf surface. It literally forces the droplets of water to become slippery objects on the leaf that removes dirt from the surface and tosses it all off the leaves when the droplets become too large. In other words: due to those nano-structures, those leaves become self-cleaning surfaces! All you need is a bit of water to clean it on a regular basis. Now, wouldn’t it be a clever idea to – somehow – put that nano structure on the glass of your shower door? Guess what: that system exists already. Not just on glass but also on floor tiles, roof tiles, on concrete and on paint. Biomimicry! It’s how we learn from Nature and design according to ancient natural processes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Bryan Betty has the rundown on what we can do to help treat osteoporosis. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Google is joining the smart watch market This week they announced their first ever Pixel Watch. They bought Fitbit last year for $2.1 billion and that tech is front and center in the new watch.It's a circular design which differentiates it from the Apple watch, boasts a 24 hour battery and has all the health tracking Fitbit offers such activity tracking, heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking. It integrates with Google's other services too like the Google Wallet. It's unlikely to grab market share from the Apple Watch because you'd need an Android phone to pair with it, but it is another reason for Android users to stick with their Androids built by Google. They announced new Pixel phones too which come with new camera features, an improved screen, and longer-lasting battery. Elon is going to buy Twitter after all For the price he agreed. So for now, that means the court case is on pause, Elon is now securing his funding, and the deal will happen before October 28 or it will end up in court. What a messy and unnecessary debacle. His friend's text messages are all over the press, he has damaged his brand, and he still needs to buy it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interview with a Vampire: New streaming service AMC+ launches in New Zealand with a variety of new and exclusive shows, including a contemporary remake of Anne Rice’s famous novel (AMC+) Friends of the Family: Anna Paquin and Colin Hanks star in this true-crime drama about a family destroyed by a kidnapping that happens right under their noses (TVNZ+) Derry Girls: The third and final season of the delightful comedy about a group of teenagers growing up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles of the 1990s (Netflix) LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kita Mean’s life went from grunge rock to glitz and glam as he made an unforgettable entrance into the drag world. Kita Mean a.k.a Nick Nash was the first winner of global television hit RuPaul’s Drag Race Downunder. But it wasn’t all plain sailing to get there and Kita bares all in her brand new memoir, Life in Lashes. Nick Nash / Kita Mean joined Jack Tame. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asparagus is here and remember it’s a short season so make hte most of it with this gorgeous tart. It’s so simple to whip up and utterly delicious. Asparagus and mustard tart Serve 4-6 2 bunches (or about 20) medium thickness asparagus spears 1 sheet puff pastry 1 egg, beaten with a fork 150g sour cream or crème fraiche ½ cup grated parmesan + extra to serve 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard ½ teaspoon sea salt + decent grind black pepper Drizzle of olive oil Heat oven to 200 C. Trim or snap the tough ends off the asparagus spears. Line a tray with the pastry, twisting and pinching up the edges to form a rim if you need to. Brush the edges with the beaten egg. Whisk together the sour cream (or crème fraiche) with Parmesan and mustard. Spread this over the pastry. Lay the trimmed asparagus on top, season with salt and pepper and drizzle over olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden and cooked on the base too. To serve, grind over some more pepper and grate over some Parmesan. Nici’s Note: You could add chopped, crispy bacon or flakes of smoked salmon to this tart if you fancy it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francesca Rudkin has been busy watching Don’t Worry Darling and Catherine Called Birdie. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne joined Jack Tame to celebrate a milestone for an iconic Kiwi destination. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I once interviewed a man as he smoked cannabis through a gas mask. It was, it has to be said, an impressive and innovative contraption. The rubber gas mask was one that you’d pick up in an army surplus store. It sealed his face on all sides and connected to a hose, which in turn connected to a water pipe. Clearly his cannabis use hadn’t fully diminished his creative abilities. That interview was almost a decade ago. It took place in a public square right in the centre of Denver, Colorado, at the first 4/20 rally since the state legalised recreational cannabis. There were thousands of people in attendance all smoking cannabis together. At the time, the organisers celebrated it as the largest communal cannabis smoke in American history. Yesterday, history came calling again. On an order from Joe Biden, everyone with a federal possession conviction will be pardoned for their crime. The President, a man who turns 80 next month, and whose son has well-documented struggles with addiction, stood up and acknowledged that cannabis laws have ultimately caused more harm than good. To think what advocates would have done for that kind of political leadership here. Ultimately, it’s only a matter of time before New Zealand follows in America’s footsteps and regulates the sale and supply of recreational cannabis. But the result of the 2020 Cannabis referendum has delayed that inevitability longer than it might otherwise have been. Throwing cannabis legalisation to a referendum was an abdication of political leadership and the Prime Minister’s refusal to take a public position in the debate was an illuminating demonstration of her political priorities. She shirked basic leadership for fear her position might cost a few votes. Although her support may not have been enough to push the ‘Yes’ team over the line, in a general election that delivered her party a record result, one can only assume it might have helped. But for all the inevitable noise off the back of Joe Biden’s announcement, the result of the New Zealand referendum means neither of the major political parties will legalise recreational cannabis until they’re absolutely sure a clear and substantial majority of voters supports them doing so. Having seen it fail once, even by a tiny margin, there’s good reason to think a regulated market might still be several political cycles away. Since Colorado legalised recreational cannabis a decade ago, 18 other U.S states have followed suit. Cannabis has been decriminalised in 31 U.S states. But while New Zealand sticks doggedly to the status quo, cannabis use isn’t decreasing. A majority of Kiwi teens will have used it before their twentieth birthday. And just you watch, at exactly the same time as our politicians refuse to do anything about cannabis, many of them will vote against new restrictions on booze. We’ll criminalise the possession of one drug but happily promote a more damaging one. The hypocrisy riles.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Songs: Slow Burn Track in the news: Carry on Award-winning indie-folk artist Mel Parsons has today announced the release of her new album SLOW BURN for September 16, as well as revealing an 11-date national tour to follow in support of the album release. Featuring the already released moody and nostalgic single ‘Carry On’; the dark and intense track ‘Already Gone’; and most recently, the mellow and meandering single ‘Slow Burn’, the album is to be one of grit and grace, with Parsons’ dusky vocals consuming the eleven new tracks. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jane Harper – Exiles Critically acclaimed international bestseller Jane Harper returns. A mother disappears from a busy festival on a warm spring night. Her baby lies alone in the pram, her mother’s possessions surrounding her, waiting for a return which never comes. An outstanding novel, a brilliant mystery and a heart-pounding read from the author of The Dry, Force of Nature, The Lost Man and The Survivors. John Boyne – All the Broken Places From the author of the globally bestselling, multi-million-copy classic, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, and The Heart's Invisible Furies. Ninety-one-year-old Gretel Fernsby has lived in the same mansion block in London for decades. She leads a comfortable, quiet life, despite her dark and disturbing past. She doesn't talk about her escape from Germany over seventy years before. She doesn't talk about the post-war years in France with her mother. Most of all, she doesn't talk about her father, the commandant of one of the most notorious Nazi concentration camps. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the heart of Western Europe, Germany’s financial centre offers quick and easy connections to a plethora of enchanting destinations, courtesy of the masterly integration of the railway with Frankfurt Airport. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ve noticed a remarkable increase in Native Bee activity, over the past few weeks. Native bees? Yep – we have 28 different species and they tend to fly under the radar of most gardeners. We all know the introduced Honey Bees, that live I hives and pollinate a heap of crops and fruits we eat. Our native bees are much smaller, often black or dark brown and they are not “social” creatures that form a smooth-running colony in a neatly constructed hive. After silk worms, honey bees were domesticated many, many weekends ago. Native bees are “solitary” (a female and a male dig a nest and provide the larvae with plenty of food to complete their life cycle), but many pairs have a tendency to dig their nests close together in undisturbed, exposed soil or vertical banks of clay or loam. Those small holes are quite easy to detect and, more importantly, easy to accidentally destroy! Native bees are showing a declining trend in NZ; could be many reasons for that (including diminishing nectar resources as a result of honey bee growth). Our native bees are experts at pollinating our native plants species. Their demise can have ecological implications for the health of our native landscapes. I would urge awareness – let them be (let them bee) If you have an opportunity to create an almost vertical wall of soil (doesn’t have to be a huge wall – a foot high is more than enough), see if these tiny bees will come to live in your garden. They love a sunny exposure without too much shade from plants. I can sit in the garden for hours, watching these industrious little bees dig their hole, maintain the entrance, and fly in with pollen and nectar to store in their babies’ larder at the end of the tunnel Of course, their pollination job really helps the native plants in your garden too; I suppose that’s what nature is all about: Collaborative, allowing facilitation and creating topics of learning for the kids See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's most important product! The internet is getting more visual, so how do you find things without keywords? Google is exploring ways to take photos and search off those - the example they use is a photo of a dress effectively being one of your search terms, then adding words to say "in green" or "shorter length". They're also rethinking what is at the bottom of the search results page - you look at the 10 links, then what? Typically people try another search, so could they instead suggest related searches? Could they showcase things you might be interested in based on what they know about you? These ideas are being explored. That also includes how auto-complete works. Today it just completes with exact terms, but what about related terms? or more popular terms? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Massey University recently re-did its survey of what people of different lifestyles spend in retirement with the numbers shocking some - and yet we still put off preparing because it’s scary, because other things take precedence for example. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stewart Sowman-Lund is taking over from Tara Ward this week for Screentime.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The iPhone. And yes, we know the name Steve Jobs, but the brains behind the build and design of not just the iPhone but the iPod too is a man named Tony Fadell. He has 300 patents to his name and has been listed as one of the world’s leading inventors. Tony Fadell joined Jack Tame. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.