Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Mike Yardley has his tips to have the best time in Rarotonga. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adobe - the inventor of Photoshop & Illustrator - has just bought their competitor for $20 billion Figma is a web-based design tool which allows multiple designers to collaborate together. It doesn't require anything to be downloaded, and is loved by many across the design industry -- think of them as the Google Docs to Microsoft Word. The trouble.. these big companies often don't have a good track record of integrating the products they buy, or continuing to invest in what makes them great. Adobe though is lagging behind in the web/app design space and this acquisition means they now don't need to build it themselves. Wall Street didn't seem to love the deal, with Adobe shares dropping 17% almost instantly - their worst day since 2010. It's 23% down from the start of the week. Uber is investigating a security breach The hacker announced themselves in their Slack groups claiming to have access to a number of systems and then finished the message with the hashtag "Uber Underpays drivers". In response, Uber took a bunch of its internal systems offline, kicked off an investigation and contacted law enforcement. The NYTimes reports, through conversations with the apparent hacker, that they got in through social engineering.. tricking an employee into giving them their password which then gave them access to a range of systems. Once they discovered an admin password they could get into even more systems. Uber says "sensitive" customer data doesn't appear to be breached. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the recent rather crappy weather, we really need to start the mahi for Spring and Summer (Spring on 23 September at 13.03 to be precise) Christmas spuds need to go into the ground if you want them before Xmas: Seed potatoes: “chitted” (= the “eyes” have started to run out) is often a quicker way to getting the plants to develop. I intend to put them in large, plastic containers (Bunnings) with holes drilled in the bottom and filled up with good growing mix; five or six potatoes; leave just 4 or 5 sprouts on the blunt top of the seed potato and dig them 30 cm deep and 30-40 cm apart. I have no time to “add” soil mix to the growing shoots when they pop their heads above ground – Just bang them in a foot deep. Potato fertiliser always has a bit more “P” (Phosphate) in it to encourage root growth and tuber growth Jersey Bennes and such early varieties are probably the best to use before Christmas. That’s all I do this year so I don’t play Russian roulette with solanum pests such as Psyllids, later in the season. (AND I WANT TO PROTECT MY MAIN TUNNELHOUSE CROP: TOMATOES!) Tomatoes Should be sown now in seed-raising mix and transplanted outside when frost danger is over; in tunnelhouse I don’t have that problem, so can bang them in as soona s they are 20 cm tall with good roots. (There are still tomatoes ripening in my tunnelhouse from last year on really old and rubbish vines, so they’ll need removing asap) more about tomatoes and how to do it, next week! Another crop I totally ignored this last year is Witlof (endive). It grows well here but due to far too much education work, never had the time to “harvest” them in autumn and grow the white chicons in a large tub of light-free sand. So: prepare a good free-draining bed in which to sow your “chicory” to get decent-sized roots for “burying” in the next autumn. They’re easy to grow in the South Island too and witlof is simply one of those weird, bitter Dutch crops that is otherwise hard to “buy off the shelf. I usually keep up with my lettuce (COS!) and spring onions, but will need to plonk in the peas and Broad beans asap before the summer sun creates havoc. These crops have a habit to grow in just about any soil condition. As long as they have good light and are not kept too dry. Liquid fertiliser seems to be the best way to keep’em happy and when I chuck Seafood Soup and Seaweed Tea on them they shoot up with vapour trails And Vapour Trails is what I will produce this weekend – honestly … it’s panic stations!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gaslit: Julia Roberts stars in this political thriller as the real-life whistleblower who alerted the world to Richard Nixon’s involvement in the Watergate scandal (Amazon Prime) Monarch: Susan Sarandon and Anna Friel star in this musical drama about America's first family of country music (TVNZ+) Abbott Elementary: winner of two Emmy awards this week, this mockumentary comedy is set in an under-fun public school in Philadelphia (Disney+) LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This one pan wonder of a dish is the perfect way to say hello spring, good bye winter! It’s full of fresh flavours but is creamy and comforting too. Serves 4-6 4 free-range boneless skinless chicken breasts Salt and pepper to season 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 1 onion finely diced 1 cup chicken stock 2 tablespoons lemon juice 3 garlic cloves, minced ½ teaspoon chilli flakes ¼ cup cream 1 ½ cups peas 2 tablespoons chopped parsley Remove tenderloin from chicken breasts. Slice each breast horizontally in half so you have two thinner pieces plus the tenderloin per breast. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken. Heat oil in a large pan on a medium heat. Brown chicken on both sides, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken to a plate. Add butter to the pan and add onions and cook gently until softened. In a bowl mix stock, lemon juice, garlic and chilli flakes and pour this over onions. Bring to a rapid simmer and cook for 10 minutes or so. Add chicken back into the pan to heat through then pour over cream. At this stage it can be either placed over a gentle heat or popped into an oven heated to 180 C to cook for a further 6-8 minutes until sauce is thickened a bit. Pour boiling water over frozen peas and let them sit for 5 minutes then drain. Add the peas to the pan in the final 2 minutes of cooking. To serve, top with chopped parsley and a decent grind of black pepper and serve with some buttercrunch or cos lettuce. Nici’s note: Adding the peas towards the end of cooking ensures they keep their vibrant green colour. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estelle Clifford has her hot take on The Beths' brand new album, Expert in a Dying Field. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A major milestone in Kevin Milne's life occurred this week - he became a grandparent. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sustainability expert Kate Hall has her tips on what to look for in an eco sunscreen and the reason why 'reef safe' doesn't actually mean anything. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francesca Rudkin has been watching Ticket to Paradise, starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts. She's also got her review of Official Competition, with Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catherine Raynes has been reading Taylor Jenkins Reid's new novel, Carrie Soto is Back and Better the Blood by Michael Bennett. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Bryan Betty shares his advice on how to beat hayfever season this year. LISTEN NOWSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In many ways, tennis is the ultimate individual sport and to excel requires three qualities in equal measure. Obviously, you’ve got to be fit. But you can’t just be fast, reactive, and strong. You’ve got to have stamina and stickability. Tennis players are finely balanced athletes. There’s no point being big and strong if you can’t last three (or five) sets. And there’s no point lasting five sets if you don’t have the strength to hit a few winners along the way. The World’s best tennis players have extraordinary technical skills. The sport demands supreme hand-eye co-ordination, timing, vision, and the mastery of a simple but extremely powerful tool. And perhaps above all, ythe World’s best need an incredible mental edge. In Grand Slam tournaments, players cannot be coached during their games. They rely only upon themselves to shoulder the insane pressure of life-changing moments in life-changing matches, the huge ups and terrible downs of a game’s shifting momentum. No player has impacted the sport of tennis quite like Serena Williams. But no one has played tennis like Roger Federer. One of my favourite-ever pieces of sports writing is a feature on Federer by the late American literary hero, David Foster Wallace. The author was a tennis prodigy as a kid, and he sought to describe the Federer ballet not just as an athletic contest or a ticket to multi-million-dollar electrolyte endorsements, but as a form of human beauty that transcended sport. “Federer’s forehand is a great liquid whip, his backhand a one-hander that he can drive flat, load with topspin, or slice — the slice with such snap that the ball turns shapes in the air and skids on the grass to maybe ankle height. His serve has world-class pace and a degree of placement and variety no one else comes close to; the service motion is lithe and uneccentric, distinctive (on TV) only in a certain eel-like all-body snap at the moment of impact. His anticipation and court sense are otherworldly, and his footwork is the best in the game.” – Roger Federer As Religious Experience I spent an afternoon once with the Nike footwear designer who worked with Roger Federer to design his playing shoes. The designer told me he’d been surprised to discover how unusually wide Federer’s feet are. It makes sense when you think about it – wider feet presumably allow a player to balance and change direction, to set himself, much more efficiently than someone with narrower feet. Federer popularised several tennis shots in top level tennis: the so-called squash shot, and the SABR (Sneak Attack By Roger) in which he surprised his opponents by running up to the service box just as their service toss hung in the air. But it his was balance that made that magnificent backhand so glorious, so perfect. I was lucky to see Federer live at several Grand Slams over the years. He hasn’t been at his best for some time now, and his retirement was inevitable. But sometimes if I’m home alone, I’ll still watch highlights of his greatest moments on YouTube. It’s like sitting in a room with Beethoven as he knocked out his sixth symphony. Fluid. Dazzling. Genius.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estelle Clifford takes us through Marlon Williams' new album My Boy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Resident traveller Mike Yardley based himself in Mt Maunganui as his had a tour around Tauranga. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Relationship expert Steven Dromgool runs through FAQs concerning around step-kids. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gardening expert Ruud Kleinpaste joined Jack Tame to highlight King Charles III's love and care for the environment. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The stats suggest not many of us do it, but there are compelling reasons why you would – and also circumstances when you wouldn’t. Most people think only of getting a better interest rate – but there are more strategic reasons why you might consider switching (and it’s not as much of a faff as it used to be) – plus there are some significant cash incentives on offer as the banks compete for business amid slower growth in lending. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple's latest devices have been announced. The big breakthrough is the ability to send emergency messages via satellite on your iPhone This is a game changer for anyone who gets outdoors tramping, boating, fishing, kayaking, mountain biking - now if you get lost, injure yourself or just generally require emergency assistance you'll be able to get a message out. How it works. You try calling 911 and if there is no signal it will give you the option to send a message via satellite. You won't type the message, you'll follow a series of prompts to indicate the type of situation you're in and the assistance you need. It'll take around 15 seconds to send, longer if you're under trees. The tech uses satellite technology covering almost everywhere in the USA or Canada that can see the sky. This is more than just an investment in the phone tech. Reuters reports its spent $450 million on satellite infrastructure, and has set up an emergency operations center to contact emergency services on your behalf. Apple says it'll be free for the first two years, and has plans to make it a global service. The 'always-on' display Now on the iPhone. Android fans will scream out that they've had this feature for years - which is true. Apple has gone the extra step though to allow your iPhone background to also be displayed, meaning the whole screen stays always-on. It uses specialized screen technology which allows each pixel to be controlled individually, including its brightness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Twelve: A courtroom drama starring Sam Neill. When 12 ordinary Australians are selected for the jury in a controversial murder trial, their own secrets and fears will decide the fate of the accused - and their verdict will change the lives of everyone involved (TVNZ+). Wakefield: Nikheel Katira is a gifted psychiatric nurse at Wakefield Hospital in Australia's picturesque Blue Mountains. There's just one problem - while his patients are getting better, Nik's grip on reality is starting to slip (Neon). Tara’s picks to remember and celebrate Queen Elizabeth: as our television networks pay tribute to the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II with a variety of TV specials and documentaries, we pick the best ones to watch or stream this weekend. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In honour of the passing of Queen Elizabeth 11, we’re making one of her favourite cake recipes. It’s a no-bake cake and this is the original recipe as shared by the Queen’s past royal chef Darryn McGrady. CAKE 225g tea biscuits, like super wine or plain digestives 115g unsalted butter, softened 115g (a scant half cup) caster sugar 120g dark chocolate 1 egg ICING 225g dark chocolate Grease a 15cm cake tin – use a spring tin if you have one. Break each biscuit into almond size pieces and set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Melt the dark chocolate until just melted and add this to the butter mixture, stirring constantly. Beat in the egg. Fold in the biscuit pieces until they are all coated with the chocolate mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake ring. Try to fill all of the gaps on the bottom of the tin as this becomes the top once turned out. Chill the cake for at least 3 hours. Gently melt the dark chocolate over a low heat. Once the cake has chilled, turn it out onto a wire rack. Pour over the melted chocolate and smooth the top and sides using a palette knife. Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature. Lift it onto a tea plate and serve in clean slices. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francesca Rudkin joins Jack Tame to discuss some of Queen Elizabeth's best on screen portrayals, most notably when Helen Mirren played her in The Queen in 2006. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne joined Jack Tame to add his voice to the many others expressing grief following Queen Elizabeth II's passing and finds the fact that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was woken up by Police in the middle of the night a little strange for this day and age. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK correspondent Enda Brady joined Jack Tame as King Charles III makes his first address following Queen Elizabeth II's passing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I was in bed when I heard the news. I can’t say I’ll remember the moment itself. It didn’t have the same shock value as Princess Di’s death and unlike most other historically significant events, we know exactly what’s coming over the next few days. The pageantry, the choreography, the careful coordination; it’s all quite deliberate and precise. I’ll be honest. I’m not a huge fan of the institution. I never have been. I prickle at the privilege of hereditary monarchies. I don’t like aristocracy. For me and many people of my generation, the monarchy feels like an old-time throwback to empire and an imperial place in the world that Britain no longer holds and should no longer hold. I think it’s possible to feel ambivalent (at best) about the institution and what it represents, and at the same time a deep respect for the Queen herself as an individual. In her case, the privileges of the role, the money and castles and special treatment, were surely offset by the extraordinary burden of service. The figure that stuck with me yesterday was 21,000 – the barely fathomable number of private service engagements the Queen undertook during her reign. No one on the face of the Earth will know a life quite like it. The small talk. The handshakes. The mindless monotony of having almost everyone in your company freak out when you walk in the room. One thing that has struck me is the sheer volume of people with memories and anecdotes of the occasions upon which they met the Queen. She was like a beach ball in a crowded stadium, passed along time and again for seventy years. Never stopping. A handful of plebs could reach out to her just for a moment in time, before the beach ball was bopped on. But everyone remembered their moment. In so many of those stories there is a lovely contrast. For the person she was meeting, the person with the story, the interaction was a huge moment, among the most memorable (and sometimes meaningful) few minutes in their life. But for the Queen, we can only imagine that in the vast majority of cases, the interaction represented the exact opposite. Just another Tuesday, just another handshake, just another how-do-you-do. I expect King Charles will have a difficult time maintaining the monarchy’s relevance in a modern world. There are many people who feel an allegiance or a loyalty to, or a reverence for the Queen, who don’t feel the same for King Charles. There will be scrutiny. There will be criticism. There will be many conversations about Republicanism. Without its matriarch, the Royal family’s myriad issues feel all-the-more exposed. Queen Elizabeth II took the throne when meat was still being rationed in Britain in the post-war years, and lived to see the impacts of globalization, mass-digitalization, and the rise of new threats to democracy. In an increasingly tribal and partisan world, she was a steady, neutral force. She was the steady force. I admired the Queen’s careful restraint. The Queen lived through arguably the greatest period of change the world has ever seen. And in that period of great change there is no figure on Earth who has represented a greater picture of stability. Queen Elizabeth was the constant. Now, the constant is gone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a summery delight that I absolutely adore. Serve with toasted pita pockets or roasted potatoes and a big glass of red wine. SERVES 4 About ½ cup olive oil 1 tablespoon dried oregano 2 large garlic cloves – minced 4 x 200 g (7 oz) lamb rumps 2 large eggplants A big handful of baby rocket leaves POMEGRANATE SALSA ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon sugar Zest of 1 lemon Juice of 1 juicy lemon ½ cup pomegranate seeds ⅓ cup roasted pistachios – roughly chopped 1 cup finely chopped Italian parsley ¼ cup finely chopped fresh oregano YOGHURT FETA WHIP 3 garlic cloves 1 cup thick Greek yoghurt 100 g (3½ oz) cow’s milk feta 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon honey Juice of 1 lemon Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) fan bake. Mix 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the oregano and garlic in a bowl. Add the lamb rumps, mixing well so the lamb is coated. Season with cracked pepper and set aside. Slice the eggplants into 1.5 cm (⅝ in) rounds. Cut the tops off the 3 garlic cloves for the Yoghurt Feta Whip, keeping the skin on. Place the eggplant slices and garlic cloves on a lined baking tray, drizzle with ¼ cup of the olive oil and season with salt and cracked pepper. Roast for 35–40 minutes on the lower shelf of the oven. To make the Pomegranate Salsa, place the olive oil, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a bowl and whisk with a fork. Season with salt and cracked pepper. Add the pomegranate seeds, pistachios, parsley and oregano. Set aside. When the eggplant has been cooking for 15 minutes, heat a medium pan over a medium/high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and when it is starting to smoke, sear the lamb for 1½ minutes on each side until browned. Place the lamb on a baking tray. Roast for about 13 minutes. Remove the lamb and garlic cloves from the oven. Cover the lamb with tin foil and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. To make the Yoghurt Feta Whip, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into a food processor or blender. Add the yoghurt, feta, olive oil, honey and lemon juice and blitz until smooth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Travel contributor Mike Yardley joins Jack to talk about what to do on holiday in Waihi Beach and Western Bay of Plenty. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estelle Clifford has been listening to Demi Lovato's new album Holy Fvck. She joins Jack Tame to share her thoughts on the album.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Hall from Ethically Kate talks to Jack about why she's doing a Wardrobe Freeze for 2022. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Book reviewer Catherine Raynes joins Jack to talk about the latest books she's been reading. This week Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney and The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warmer soils – new growth – plants wake up slowly – cells become active Plants, trees, shrubs, mosses, climbers perform LOTS of ecosystem services; One of the most important ones: Photosynthesis. They absorb CO2 from the air, run water with dissolved nutrients through roots and “vascular systems” (tiny pipes in stems, branches, veins, etc) and it all ends up in the leaves; green leaves. The reason those are green is because they contain cells with all sorts of active molecules, especially chlorophyll. This Chlorophyll, concentrated in chloroplasts is where all the action is: Water, nutrients, CO2 and sunlight (literally solar energy!) combine to manufacture carbohydrates (sugars) and Oxygen (O2) which we breathe in. Ecosystem Service: Take CO2 out of the air and turn it into Oxygen, while the Carbon ends up in the soil when leaves fall to the ground and are recycled by bugs, fungi, bacteria etc Simple, eh? To create a healthy, functional garden (or forest) with trees, shrubs, plants etc, we need to make sure that all elements are provided and that includes nutrients (fertilisers). If you go into a garden centre you’ll notice that most fertiliser containers give you an “N-P-K” ratio for the contents. Those three chemicals (Nitrogen, Phosphorus/Phosphates and Potash (the Latin name is “Kalium” – hence the “K”) are the macro-nutrients that plants take up in rather large quantities. They are, indeed, the most important fertiliser compounds needed for healthy plant growth. Trace elements (needed in much smaller quantities) are Magnesium, Iron, Manganese, Calcium, boron, Zinc, molybdenum, selenium, etc They are important certainly if they are lacking in the soil! (so don’t ingnore them). Let’s concentrate on the N, P and K. Nitrogen is the stuff that makes plants green; this molecule provides the building blocks for Chlorophyll. If you have plants that are valued for their leaves and green stems (grass, lawns, lettuce, ornamental trees and shrubs) they will need more N and than – say – P or K; Plants with important roots (carrots, parsnips, potatoes) and other underground organs that will grow as they explore for “food in the dark” need a little bit more P to do just that. And the K (Potash) is for reproduction. Plant reproduction is of course mostly through flowers, which are pollinated and hence become fertilised to produce seeds and fruits which, when deposited on soil, will yield new seedlings. That means that flowering plants and fruiting trees, shrubs, vines and berry bushes, really appreciate an extra dollop of potash, just to keep the cool stuff coming. Knowing the right fertiliser mix truly makes a difference; Don’t be tempted to “over-dose” your plants as too much shows up in certain symptoms that make your plants look “sick” My tactic is “Small amounts and Often” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Campbell joins Jack Tame with his wine pick of the week. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tech expert Paul Stenhouse joins Jack to discuss Twitters decision to add an edit button. It's said to be the biggest shift on the platform since the doubling of the character limit in 2017. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jack Johnson’s career has spanned decades. Songs like Taylor, Flake and Better Together are known and loved across all generations. But did you know music wasn’t always his first calling? The Hawaiian singer was a professional surfer before an accident set him on the path of song writing. Jack’s just released his first album in five years and is heading to New Zealand later this year. Jack Johnson talks to Jack Tame. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1) Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: the long-awaited and much-anticipated fantasy series based on JRR Tolkein’s books (and filmed in New Zealand) finally arrives on Amazon Prime. 2) The Bear: A chef returns to Chicago to run his family sandwich shop, but ends up juggling the realities of small business ownership, strong-willed staff and strained family relationships (Disney+). 3) The Suspect: Clinical psychologist Joe O’Loughlin appears to have the perfect life, but when he's drawn into a murder investigation, Joe's flawless existence starts to unravel (TVNZ+). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I dunno’ if you’ve noticed but there’s a lot of outrage in the World right now. Sure, there’s plenty of good reason for much of it. There are plenty of good reasons to despair. The economy is bad. The climate is changing. The pandemic has left us sick and exhausted. It’s winter. All of us are feeling spent. As someone who spends a good chunk of his day professionally doom-scrolling, I can’t help but notice that uncertain times often bring out the worst in people. We don’t trust each other. We’re intolerant. Our political discourse is nasty and tribal. Maybe that’s why I’ve been so surprised, so delighted over the last few weeks to find a reprieve from the gloom and funk. Throughout this winter of discontent, I’ve been astonished at just how much joy I’ve found… in a TV show. To be honest, I’m embarrassed about the whole thing. Embarrassed for a few reasons. First of all, I’m embarrassed it’s taken me so long to watch this TV show, given it’s already aired several seasons, has won all sorts of awards, and has been recommended to me a million times over by all and sundry. And honestly, I feel a little embarrassed to admit that a popular comedy, made by Hollywood mega-studios for the broadest possible audience, could tickle me quite as much as it has. The show is Ted Lasso. It’s on Apple TV+. If you haven’t seen it, the premise is pretty simple: An American football coach moves from Kansas to London, from coaching college football to coaching an English Premier League football club. This, despite the fact he has no experience coaching football and doesn’t understand the sport’s history, culture, or rules. It’s a comedy that pokes fun at the differences between Britain and the U.S. It pokes fun at football culture in both countries. It pokes fun at class divisions and celebrity culture. But really, it isn’t a show about football. Most of the Premier League in-jokes fly right over my girlfriend’s head but she’s still more enthralled by the story than I am. It isn’t a show about sport. It’s a show about one man, whose infectious, charming, unwavering decency and irrepressible optimism slowly turns a profoundly cynical World, one person at a time. I can’t imagine the writers ever pitched it that way. It wouldn’t have won over any network executives to say, ‘We just want to make a show about a nice guy who treats people incredibly well.’ That wouldn’t fly. And honestly, if you told me that was the premise of Ted Lasso, I would probably never have got around to watching it. But I’ve found Ted Lasso refreshing. It does what all good art does. It sits with me. It lifts me. I still think about it, days after I last watched an episode. I can see ‘Ted Lasso’ becoming a verb. I’m sure I’m not the only one. Can you ‘Ted Lasso’ a person or a situation? Sure you can. I’m sure, all over the World, there have been little moments of decency or acts of kindness inspired by Ted Lasso. Imagine if instead of sniping and bickering, we all took a page from Ted’s book, once in a while. WWTLD? What Would Ted Lasso Do? This will sound crazy. And I’m only admitting it because I feel it’s what the main protagonist would do. In a way, the best episodes of Ted Lasso have affected me, quite profoundly. Ted Lasso’s character exists to make a fictional World a better place. And though you can write it off as a silly TV show, I reckon Ted Lasso might be making the real World just bit better, too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Film reviewer Francesca Rudkin talks to Jack about new films Lancaster and New Zealand film, Muru.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne joins Jack Tame to talk about some great news he heard this week. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne talks to Jack about the death of Jimmy Nolan, the leader of the "unruly tourists" who died in England yesterday. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cellphone signal from the sky Elon Musk’s SpaceX and US mobile carrier T-Mobile are partnering to be able to offer cellphone coverage in more places than ever before. New satellites with improved antennas will allow current cellphones to be able to connect to send and receive text messages - then later calls and browse the internet. No ground cellphone towers or special adapters required as they’re using the same 5G frequencies already built into your phone. Man banned from Google after taking pictures of his naked son The images were scanned as part of Google’s efforts to combat images of child sexual abuse. But he wasn’t commuting a crime, in fact the opposite. He was taking pictures, as requested by a nurse, of his son’s swollen penis so the doctor could diagnose the cause ahead of a video consultation. The police agreed no crime had been committed but google disagreed and said it broke their terms and conditions. So he lost his emails, contacts, photos and even his phone number as Google also provided his cell service. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2014 adrenaline junkie Brad Smeele was a world champion wake boarder at the top of his game. He had the career, success, the woman and a lakeside home in Florida. In July that year, it all came crashing down when a fall while attempting a difficult trick left Brad quadriplegic. The next few years were anything but easy for Brad, he has now opened up about that journey and the peace he has made with his new life. His memoir is called Owning It: The Ride That Changed My Life. Brad Smeele joined Jack Tame to share his story. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We waste A LOT of bread in this country – over 15 tonnes per year, at a cost of over $62m! There’s no knead! This recipe is a great use for it and it barely matters how stale it is as it ends up soaking up the cheesy, egg mixture. Serves 4-6 6-8 thick (2cm) slices stale bread 2-3 tbsps soft butter 200g ham, bacon or chorizo – diced 6 eggs ½ cup cream ½ cup milk 1 cup grated cheese 1 tsp dried mustard 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves ½ tsp sea salt + decent grind black pepper 2 tbsps finely chopped parsley ½ tsp chilli flakes Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease a large loaf tin. Butter each piece of bread and arrange in the loaf tin or other oven proof dish. Tuck ham, bacon or chorizo between slices. In a bowl whisk eggs, cream, milk, ½ cup grated cheese, mustards and fresh thyme. Add salt and pepper. Pour mixture over bread. Top with remaining grated cheese, parsley and chilli flakes. Stand for 20 minutes to allow bread to soak up the egg mixture. Bake for 20-30 minutes until top is golden and middle is cooked. Serve big warm spoonfuls for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Note: You could use torn chunks of bread if it’s baguette, sourdough or even croissant. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Bryan Betty talks to Jack Tame about long Covid, what we know and how to treat it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Book reviewer Catherine Raynes has been reading Do No Harm by Robert Pobi and Rogues by Patrick Radden Keefe. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Travel correspondent Mike Yardley gives Jack advice for the perfect spring break away in Rotorua. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Relationship expert Steven Dromgool joins Jack to talk about how to use money well in relationships. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Music reviewer Estelle Clifford has been listening to Bret McKenzie's newly released album, Songs without Jokes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before I get the common questions about “need food for Monarchs” and… “What do the admiral butterflies need for their caterpillars?”, I thought I’d put the warning out now: Monarchs are coming out of “hibernation” – in fact I have already seen quite a few mating, so… it’s all on! Swan plants (bit boring in my opinion!) can be sown right now – Kings Seeds and other seed merchants have these popular plants in stock; Moths and Butterfly trust also stocks a heap of different seeds for Monarchs; Germination is good at warmer temps: 21 degrees is recommended. Fabulous Asclepias species with colourful flowers are also suitable host plants – more my gig! Whatever you sow: aim for heaps of plants and keep some of them in large pots as “spares” for when famine breaks out. Potted plants (covered with fine netting) are out-of-bounds for ovipositing female butterflies; they are also – later in the season – a movable object to confuse the GPS systems of marauding wasps! Good horticultural practice makes the plants grow bushy and dense, creating heaps of foliar food: pinch out the terminal buds from the tallest growing tips, which allows lower dormant buds to develop more bushy appearance Admiral Butterflies love nettles to lay their eggs on; if you have a safe space you can try the native Ongaonga stinging nettle; just be careful they are ferocious (Hence their name Urtica ferox) Red admirals are keen on that tree nettle (ferox) but will also feed on perennial nettle (dioica) Yellow admirals tend to go for the smaller nettle species as food for the caterpillars. I have both admirals in abundance, her in the Halswell Quarry; The reds seem to overwinter here too. Red admiral (left) – Yellow admiral (right) For our blues, sow some Trifolium, Medicago or Lotus species, and for coppers and boulder coppers: plant the appropriate species of Muehlenbeckia. Details can be found of the Moths and Butterflies Trust website: https://nzbutterfly.info/ LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bad Sisters: An Irish comedy-drama starring Sharon Hogan about the lives of the Garvey sisters, who are bound together by the premature death of their parents and a promise to always protect one another (Apple+). Welcome to Wrexham: A docuseries that follows the purchase and stewardship of Wrexham AFC, one of Wales’ oldest football clubs, by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney (Disney+). Neighbours: Everybody needs good Neighbours, but after nearly 40 years on our screens, the final episode of the Australian soap screens this Friday with several fan favourites returning to Ramsay Street for one last visit (Friday, 7.30pm, TVNZ1) LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Biden cancelled student debt. Not all of it. $10,000 in federal loans per person for people who earn less than $125,000 a year. Call it an exercise in fairness or a cynical political play… either way, it won’t be happening here. And nor should it. This might surprise you - it’s certainly a different position to the one I held when I racked up my own student loan, constantly comparing my own tertiary fees to those of my parents’ generation – but I don’t think university should be free and I don’t think we should cancel student loan debt. For the individual, a university education is an investment. Although it’s by no means true for everyone, you are still likelier to earn more money if you have a university education than if you don’t. You might rightly argue that an educated population benefits more than the individual. Society is the winner. And you’re right. But the government already massively subsidises tertiary education. As expensive as it is, it would be unfair to those who’ve chosen different professional paths – especially workers in blue collar jobs – if we expected them to fully fund the education of people who will likely soon earn more than them. For the most part, New Zealand strikes a good balance. Our student loan scheme gives most people access to education whilst not burdening them with interest. By international standards, the scheme is generous. I have friends who borrowed the maximum weekly living costs for the years they were at university, fastidiously tucking away all of it away in savings accounts, who eventually used that student loan money as an interest-free deposit on a house. There aren’t many loan schemes that will allow you to do that! I say this as someone who paid off his loan, himself. I know I’m very fortunate, but so often this debate is defined by individual anecdotes. Fifteen years ago, I owed 25 or 30 grand. Fortunately, my education led me directly to a profession in which I earned enough money to live with dignity, even as I paid off my debt. That might not have been the case if I hadn’t done a degree. But my own experience taught me we can do a much better job of helping young people understand the ramifications of debt. I think too many people go to university too young. They default to studying something they aren’t very interested in only to wake up a few years later with tens-of-thousands of dollars owing. I think we can do a much better job of advocating for vocational training and careers in the trades. For the right person at the right time, tertiary education is fantastic. But even with a relatively generous student loan scheme, it can still be a debt trap. If we’re to change anything about university fees, I’d suggest bolder initiatives to address professional shortages in our society. Back in the 1980s, my parents only chose to settle in New Zealand because trainee teachers here received a stipend, and in Australia they didn’t. I’m broadly supportive of further subsidising fees or reducing debt for selected qualifications, if it means we directly bolster a chronically understaffed public workforce. Nursing? Mental health? Sure. Accounting and Public Relations? No thanks. One last point: Instead of cancelling student debt, we should be doing a much better job of addressing the immediate living concerns of university students, many of whom are among the poorest people in our society. We are already heavily subsidising their studies – as we should – so why do we accept that so many students are eking out life after housing costs on $50 or $100 a week? Poverty is not a right of passage. I think there’s a good argument student allowances and living costs should be increased. University shouldn’t be free for everyone. We shouldn’t cancel all student loan debt. But students also shouldn’t be living in poverty. Instead of following Joe Biden’s move, we’d be much better to address students’ immediate concerns, so if our young people do choose university, they have the best chance to succeed in their studies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Film reviewer Francesca Rudkin talks to Jack about new release films Beast and Farewell, Mr Haffman. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.