Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

What do you reckon…Entomophagy?? When I was born, there were 2.5 billion people on the planet and now we’re pushing eight billion. (No wonder it’s getting more difficult for Kevin Milne and myself to get a decent car park in the city).Seriously, our economic “growth at all cost” really has had its day. We’re using resources in an obscene tempo, creating a carbon bubble in the place we don’t need carbon (the air!) and pollute water, rivers, lakes and oceans. On top of that we are changing the earth’s Natural resources and life-forms go extinct at the estimated rate of 150 species per day. In one sentence: we are crossing our Planetary Boundaries and seem to have dumped the term and concept of “limits”. Converting good horticulture and agriculture land to more and more dwellings is part of the growth gig too and that has repercussions for the way we “produce” protein. On my travels through New Zealand Schools (Teacher PLD via FieldBased STEM, Treemendous Education Programme and Blake Inspire), I have started chatting with students and educators about entomophagy and in particular our humble garden snail, Cornu aspersum. This species was imported by the French from North Africa for their famous culinary product called escargot. It’s one of their preferred species! This very same species was accidentally introduced into Aotearoa and is considered a pest in the garden, requiring slug bait, snail bait, metaldehyde and other toxins to “control” them. How easy is it to cultivate these snails in captivity? How do you “feed” them and in what kind of conditions. How do you clear their gut-contents before cooking and frying in garlic butter and what are the benefits of eating molluscs? (human health, conversion of green material into protein, compared to the efforts of a cow, sheep or pig) What about breeding locusts, crickets, chrysalises of silk worms, etc etc. Why stop at Molluscs? Imagine the emotional roller-coast ride the kids wen trough when I talked about the brilliant taste of Tarantula cephalothoracic muscles! A few weeks after visiting Riverdale school in Palmerston North (a Treemendous event), I received a booklet with the most delightful prose around the issue of entomophagy. They had obviously organised a serious debate on this topic, requiring a heap of scientific research and literature investigation. Luckily, my alma mater (Wageningen University) have always been strong in that topic of eating bugs (publishing bug cooking books and having a yearly festival on useful bugs and edible critters), so there’s a growing interest in that stuff. Here are some cool comments: Growing forests through pollination: ”if we ate bugs than they wouldn’t be able to do their very important jobs” “DEATH!! Something no one likes; this might happen if we start eating bugs, because some of them have a thing called venom…” “Did you know that for one pound of beef you need 22,000 L. of water, but you only need 1 L. for a pound of crickets…” “Think about the landscape: Farms take up a lot of space: one pound of meat takes 200 sq meters of land to grow; to raise a pound of crickets it only takes 15 sq meters” “if you’re a mum you do lots of jobs and once you’re finished you will get very tired; but if you eat bugs it will give you the energy, so you will only get tired at the end of the day” “Humans shouldn’t eat yucky bugs because some bugs can actually make you sick. Did you know that?” “if you want to eat crickets you have to eat 75 of them in a meal. And it will take a really long time to find that many, so why bother” “Bugs make up 80% of all known kinds of animals on earth; by eating bugs we help the crops grow (because they eat our plants” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Bryan Betty talks about the importance of sleep and how many hours you should be ticking up a night.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sherwood: It’s the British drama everyone’s talking about. When two shocking murders shatter a small ex-mining community in the north of England, the manhunt threatens to inflame long-held divisions sparked during the Miners' Strike three decades before (TVNZ+) The Old Man: Jeff Bridges stars in this drama about Dan Chase, a man who absconded from the CIA and lives off the grid. When an assassin arrives and tries to take Chase out, the old operative learns that to ensure his future he now must reconcile his past (Disney+). Only Murders in the Building: the return of this warm-hearted comedy. Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez star three strangers who share an obsession with true-crime podcasts, who find themselves entangled when a murder takes place in their New York apartment building (Disney+) LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comedy and controversy can often go hand-in-hand when it comes to Jimmy Carr. The British comedian quit a job in marketing at the petrol giant shell and his way in comedy with his famous boundary-pushing one-liners. Love him or loath him, Jimmy's gone on to become one of Britain's most successful comedy exports. He speaks to Jack Tame ahead of bringing his show, Terribly Funny, here next year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roll out a tray of these fabulous little treats for a rugby-watching crowd and you’ll be more popular than an All Black scoring a try!Makes 1212 bread rolls – I use soft white buns or sliders from supermarket ¾ cup store-bought onion jam or relish 300g shaved ham 1 cup grated cheese – tasty or whateverTOPPING 50g melted butter 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce ½ teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon dry English mustard 2 large eggs 1 cup grated cheese1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking dish that will fit the buns snugly, with baking paper.2. Split each bun in half horizontally, or do this as a whole unit if they’re all stuck together. Place snugly in the lined dish so that they’re touching.3. Dollop each bottom half with onion jam then top with plenty of ham and cheese. Place the tops on each and cut a cross in each top so the topping will soak in.4. Next, whisk the butter, Worcestershire sauce, salt, mustard and eggs together in a bowl then stir in the cheese. Spoon this onto each roll.5. Bake for about 8-10 minutes until the topping is golden and bubbling.6. Serve immediately, with plenty of napkins!LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ring of Fire In 1962 the sport of boxing suffered an enormous setback to mainstream acceptability, when Benny ‘Kid’ Paret died after being pummelled by six-time welterweight champion Emile Griffith at Madison Square Garden, on live network television. Dan Klores and Ron Berger delve deeply into this event, drawing a wealth of testimony and analysis from a gallery of veteran New York boxing identities and commentators. Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a journey, a song A documentary deep-dive into the life and legacy of legendary Canadian singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen told through the prism of his most anthemic and well-known song. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne returned to his old stomping ground of Auckland this week and has some thoughts to share.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Thursday night, New Zealand Today went to air on TV3 with roughly half of its show dedicated to an exchange between the show’s host, Guy Williams, and Auckland mayoral candidate, Leo Molloy.The piece was funny if not especially edifying. Even for the minority of us who do engage with local body politics, Leo Molloy is probably better known for his character rather than his policy positions.Leo Molloy spent the vast majority of the segment teasing and insulting Guy. He used various low-level juvenile slurs and repeatedly accused Guy of being woke and soft. It ended with the pair having a boxing fight with novelty gloves before Guy recorded a parody endorsement video for Leo’s campaign.Guy Williams is now facing a backlash for the piece. He’s been accused of platforming a mayoral candidate, of normalising offensive behaviour, and of ultimately helping Leo’s campaign. These are ridiculous critiques that only serve to further entrench the things they’re criticising.Context is important. New Zealand Today’s audience is looking for a laugh. I can’t imagine many of the viewers tune into what is clearly and obviously a comedy programme, expecting serious and robust analysis of local body politics. New Zealand Today is a comedy. It isn’t Q+A.Anyone who watched will have been left in little doubt as to the sort of mayor Leo Molloy might be. He’s rambunctious. Entertaining? Sure. But he can also be crude, volatile, childish, and offensive. This comes as little surprise to those who have been following the campaign. Only a few weeks ago, Leo Molloy lost his temper at a mayoral debate and challenged a member of the audience to fight him. Are these the qualities you want in a mayor? Maybe not. But they’re qualities that make for funny TV, which is surely why Guy Williams chose to film with him.People have compared Guy’s piece to late night comedians’ treatment of Donald Trump in the lead up to the U.S election. The comparisons are unfair. Last I checked, Leo Molloy is running on a platform of local body infrastructure issues. He isn’t advocating to ban Muslims. The piece has been compared with the media treatment of Toronto’s late scandal-ridden former mayor, Rob Ford. Last I checked, Auckland voters will elect the mayor, not Guy Williams. If New Zealand Today helps Molloy and proves to be a turning point in the campaign, voters will frankly be electing the mayor they deserve.Comedians everywhere operate in an environment in which they’re constantly monitored and regularly hammered for offending people.It’s true, I view the World from a position of privilege. Nonetheless, I err on the side of wanting a society where comedians are free to push the line. I want comedians to offend from time to time. Not because I find comedy funny – although I do – but also because I think those who are too readily offended ultimately hurt their own kaupapa.New Zealand Today is the perfect case in point. In the grand scheme of things, Guy Williams’ segment wasn’t offensive or problematic. It was comedy. Love him or loathe him, it showed Leo Molloy as he is.As part of the piece, Leo himself reminded Guy that the more attention he gets, the more he thrives. He’s right. Those who’ve kicked up in offence at the segment are only giving him more.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OPINION: Three leaders. Three countries. One week. Boris Johnson's resignation felt like a rare little win for the convention. There can be no doubt Donald Trump's leadership style inspired him, and the way Trump just thumbed his nose at all of the previous standards of behaviour for world leaders. Scandal after scandal, Boris Johnson managed to duck and dodge and deflect and survive what would have been politically fatal for most other leaders in the pre-Trump era. The temerity of having had your staff caught out partying, defying lockdown rules, and drinking together at Downing Street at the same time as the Queen was forced to sit alone at her husband's funeral! In one sense it is astonishing Boris Johnson survived as long as he did. But in another, I'm still surprised he announced his resignation. Entertaining he may be, but the man clearly isn't burdened by any great sense of integrity. I'll only fully believe he's gone when he's gone. But it's interesting to compare Johnson with Trump. In the end, it wasn't the public that forced Johnson's resignation. It was his own party. His political colleagues stood up and decided he'd gone too far. It's interesting to compare that with the Republicans in the United States, many of whom continue to undermine their democracy and deny the election result to stay onside with Trump. In a way, Johnson's resignation shows us just how messed up America really is. I think it's pretty evident Jacinda Ardern is much more popular overseas than she is in New Zealand. Overseas, they focus on what her leadership represents rather than the detail of what she has (or hasn't) achieved. They see a charismatic, empathetic young woman. Kindness. Stephen Colbert isn't digging too deep into KiwiBuild, child poverty stats, healthcare workforce shortages, and gang shootings etc. That being said, I think even Ardern's harshest critics have to give her credit her for this overseas trip. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Photo / Getty Images The pathway to citizenship changes announced for Kiwis in Australia, and Anthony Albanese's new 'common sense' approach to deportations should have a really significant impact on the future of 501s. Keep in mind, there's very little domestic political upside for Albanese to stop the deportations – his political opponents would immediately accuse him of being soft. He couldn't announce he was flat-out scrapping the policy. But from our perspective, he's done the next best thing. They're changes that were never going to happen under Scott Morrison and all come down to the relationship between the two current Prime Ministers. With the change in government across the Tasman, Ardern has managed to soften the impact of the 501s policy about as much as is politically possible in Australia. Well done. Finally, Shinzo Abe. What to say? Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Photo / Getty Images I lay in bed last night tossing and turning and thinking about it. I was a bit stunned. It's just awful, truly shocking. We're fortunate to live in an age where political assassinations are relatively rare – especially in big, developed economies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Harper Finn joined Jack Tame to discuss his debut EPLISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estelle Clifford has been listening to Paolo Nutini's new album, Last Night In The Bittersweet. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Comes Down to This - Theresa Anne Fowler Meet the Geller sisters: Beck, Claire, and Sophie, a trio of strong-minded women whose pragmatic, widowed mother, Marti, will be dying soon and taking her secrets with her. Marti has ensured that her modest estate is easy for her family to deal with once she’s gone––including a provision that the family’s summer cottage on Mount Desert Island, Maine, must be sold, the proceeds split equally between the three girls. The Patient Doctor - Ben Bravery A powerful and inspiring memoir about how one man's cancer diagnosis led to him becoming a doctor and advocate for change in the healthcare system. At the age of twenty-eight, with his Beijing-based science communications business doing well and a new relationship blossoming, Ben Bravery woke from a colonoscopy to be told he had stage 3 colorectal cancer. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Travel expert Mike Yardley has been travelling around SydneyLISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Hall has been on the hunt for someone to fix her mini oven cord and has her tips on why we should be on the repair bandwagon over buying new. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few weeks ago, we dealt with lemons and other citrus – never got around to solving some pests and diseases and … pruning tips Lemons should be fruiting. Ensure that the load of fruit on the branches is not too heavy (breaking!), so remove fruit accordingly, especially from young trees and prune some off to let the frame-work develop; next year let a few more grow as the tree strengthens its branch system. Pruning should achieve a nice “open” structure of branches; if a bird can fly “through” the citrus tree/shrub it will be open enough to let the wind come through to keep things dry, after a rain shower Prune from now until August, so that the pruning cut can heal, which prevent lemon tree borer for entering through the pruning wound Not Fruiting well, this winter? (Meyer) Lemons have a habit of fruiting well every second year (usually in winter and spring months); therefore it’s best to plant two or three lemon trees to have a continuous supply of lemons! Peeled lemons hanging from your tree? Get a Timms Trap! Possums are the culprit Sooty Mould on leaves and fruit; If you have sooty mould (fungi growing on sap sucking insect’s excrement) now’s the time to use some spraying oil (Conqueror Oil) to get rid of the cause: scale/mealybug/whitefly) Neem Oil is often a good, organic “suffocator” of small sap-sucking insects. Use the Oils frequently (every two weeks or so) and spray both sides of leaves and branches. Diseases Citrus scab (Verrucosis) is easily identified by the rough patches on the skin; Largely a “cosmetic” disease that won’t affect the inside of the fruit (the stuff you eat); if you don’t like it (need to get citrus zest etc) then a spray with Copper sulphate or Natures way Fungus spray (containing copper) will control the disease for the next year. Just every now and then… keep it simple! LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elizabeth Blake from enable.me asks what gives on three of the big main banks cutting interest rates in the past week.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More affordable satellite internet is coming to campervans and boatsElon Musk's Starlink has got a new customer base - those on the move. The FCC has given approval for cars, trains, planes and boats to be connected to Starlink's internet.It was previously only available to homes and stationary campervans. The Starlink service is significantly cheaper than other satellite operators, who typically use geostationary satellites. Starlink uses thousands of lower altitude satellites which move, but are arranged so there's always a cluster in view.Hawaiian Airlines has signed up for the service to provide free internet for passengers.Twitter is trying co-authored TweetsIt sounds like an influencer dream - where two Twitter accounts can together send a Tweet and have it appear on both timelines. It's currently only available to select accounts in the USA, Canada and Korea. Twitter is also testing 'Circles' in the USA which allows you to Tweet to only a select circle of followers.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Life after Life: New Zealander Thomasin McKenzie stars in this BBC drama based on the book by Kate Atkinson, about a woman stuck in a time loop who dies and is continually reborn (TVNZ+) Blackbird: A drama inspired by real events, about a prisoner who gets an incredible offer. If he can elicit a confession from a convicted killer, he’ll be freed, and the mission becomes a challenge of a lifetime (Apple TV+) The Midwich Cuckoos: Keeley Hawes stars in this science fiction drama based on John Wyndham’s classic book about aliens in the midst of a small English village (Neon). LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne's daughter has turned 21 and is having a big bash this weekend, which doesn't bode well for Kevin's fear of hosting parties.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francesca Rudkin has been watching Thor: Love and Thunder and The Princess on Disney+.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are tamarillo’s the Brussel sprout of the fruit world? You either love them or hate them. I’m a lover and cooking them – stewing, baking etc – mellows their flavour beautifully. This cake is a good keeper but served warm with ice cream, cream, custard or yoghurt (or heck, all of them!) it is just magical. 225g (about 1 ½ cups) self-raising flour 1 cup caster or raw sugar + extra for topping 1 ¼ cups desiccated coconut 125g butter, melted 2 large eggs, lightly beaten ½ cup milk or yoghurt 4-5 ripe tamarillos, halved and flesh scooped Ice cream, whipped cream, custard or yoghurt to serve Preheat oven 180C and grease a 20cm round cake tin. Line with baking paper. Combine flour, sugar and coconut in a medium bowl. In another bowl, lightly whisk together the melted butter, eggs and milk (or yoghurt) until combined. Pour this into the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Scrape the cake batter into the tin. Chop or slice each of the tamarillo halves into 2-3 smaller pieces/slices. Scatter these over the batter, pushing some into it and leaving others on top. Sprinkle with extra 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake for about 1 hour or until skewer comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before turning out to cool completely. Serve with ice cream, cream etc.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Travel expert Mike Yardley has been travelling around FijiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estelle Clifford has been listening to Jack Johnson's new album, Meet the Moonlight.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catherine Raynes has been reading Lying Beside you by Michael Robotham and The 6:20 Man by David Baldacci.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few weeks ago, I made a quick comment about taking care when gardening and walking on wet soil. Compaction of the soil often causes removal of air bubbles from the soil and the roots will then be permanently surrounded by moisture; this can cause rotting and a heap of health problems for the plant. The “Rhizosphere” is the area around the roots of plants (trees, shrubs, herbs, annuals, perennials etc). It is the soil-zone that literally does all the work for Life on the Planet. Here the soil is probably its most Bio-diverse, with an incredible array of species, working to create fertility that is often utilised by the plants. It makes perfect sense that the roots of plants therefore inhabit that area of the soil. We’re talking Fungi and Bacteria, Insects and other invertebrates that literally consume dead plant materials and turn it into organic matter and compost that can chemically grab minerals and all the fertiliser elements and slowly release it to the plant roots. Rhizospheres contain a huge number of species, each doing their own job. Most of these jobs are in the field of “recycling”, others in “transport” (taking organic nutrients down to the roots) and then there are the predators and parasites (critters such as centipedes and nematodes) that take advantage of the abundance of life. I love the Tardigrades (“water Bears”) which are famous for their ability to survive being thrown into liquid nitrogen (cryptobiosis) and stay alive in that hostile environment for decades, while their normal life cycle spans just one year. But even these remarkable critters will struggle in compacted soil! The Soil (and especially its Rhizosphere) is – no doubt – one of the most important habitats on our planet. It provides us with food, supports huge food chains, is habitat for huge numbers of invertebrates and fungi, it grows trees (carbon sink – Oxygen – clean air – complex sugars – Supports a healthy water-cycle – stabilises climate – creates micro-climates – fixes Nitrogen – etc) So why the heck do New Zealanders call it “dirt”? If only we could have a look inside the soil layers and watch what’s going on. Well… when it comes to the actual root structures of plants and trees: we can! I recently came across a website from my alma mater University (Wageningen) in the Netherlands. This site is absolutely plastered with pictures of root structures of garden trees, shrubs and plants in the most incredible way. It literally gives you a view of the Rhizosphere and how every botanical species has its own characteristic shape and size of the root zone. You can see what a deep-rooted tree looks like (and why it can enter your sewer drain when it is planted too close to the house) and you can get an idea how certain shallow-rooters cover huge areas. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Campbell's best buy this week is the Kumeu River 2020 Kumeu Village Pinot Noir for $20 a bottle. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your Gmail may start to look different The new design brings together Gmail, Chat, Spaces and Meet in one 'Workspace'. It's meant to make it easier to access these new tools. Users have been able to opt into this change since February but Google is now making it opt-in by default. If you really hate it, you'll be able to change it back in the settings, but know that at some point in the future that option will too go away. Alexa can sound like your dead relative This is creepy as hell. With just one minute of recorded audio, Alexa can learn how to talk like someone. Amazon showed off this tech by having a child ask her dead grandmother to read her a bedtime story. There isn't yet a plan to make this available to the public. With these advances in technology, it's soon going to be very difficult to tell what information is real, and what is a 'deep fake'. There's also new AI tech (DALL-E 2) which can generate realistic images from words. "Aliens on the streets of New york" or "Surfing Santa" would generate multiple options of that scene. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Terminal List: Chris Pratt stars in this all-action drama about a Navy SEAL officer who investigates why his entire platoon was ambushed while on a high-stakes covert mission (Prime Video). The Lazarus Project: A science fiction thriller about a mysterious time loop that lets a secret organisation go back in time whenever civilisation is threatened (Neon) Good Grief: The return of the New Zealand comedy series starring Grace and Eve Palmer, about two sisters who inherit a funeral home after their grandfather’s death. TVNZ+ LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re normally used to hearing the bright and cheery voice of Nici Wickes before 10 each Saturday. Her delicious recipes and ideas have kept our tummies rumbling for many years on the weekend. However, this Saturday we thought we would turn the tables and put Nici in the hot seat as our feature interview. She’s releasing a new cookbook called A Quiet Kitchen. Not only does Nici share her recipes in it, it’s filled with her gruelling journey through menopause, her decision to stop drinking and how - after a lifetime of soul-searching - she has found profound joy in living alone. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Makes 6 / prep time 15 minutes / cook time 5 minutesDelicately cardamom flavoured yoghurt panna cotta is a perfect do-ahead entertaining dessert. These are easy to turn out to present on plates, but if you prefer you could serve them in the glasses, topped with the oranges and candied nuts.100 mls milk100 mls cream (or use all milk)⅓ cup caster sugar4 oranges3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed2 gelatine leaves1 x 380g tub Clevedon Buffalo Co Vanilla Bean yoghurt½ cup toasted walnuts½ cup caster sugarLightly grease ramekins or glasses with 100ml capacity with a neutral oil.In a small pan heat the milk, cream, first measure of sugar, zest of 1 orange and cardamom pods until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes.Put the gelatine in a bowl of cold water to soften for 5 minutes. Squeeze the gelatine of excess water and add to the pan of still warm milk mix stirring to dissolve. Cool for another 5 minutes, then strain through a sieve into a bowl. Whisk in the yoghurt. Divide the mix between the ramekins or glasses. Cover and refrigerate overnight to set.Remove the peel and any white pith from the oranges. Using a sharp paring knife, cut orange segments from the membranes and put into a small bowl.For the candied nuts, line a tray with baking paper. Heat the sugar in a small saucepan with ¼ cup water until the sugar dissolves and begins to turn amber, around 5 minutes. Add the toasted walnuts and stir to coat, then put onto the baking tray in a single layer. Cool and roughly chop. This can be made ahead and kept in airtight container.To serve, dip each ramekin briefly in a bowl of very hot water, run a knife around the edge and slip out the panna cotta onto a plate. Spoon over the orange and any juice and scatter over the walnuts.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francesca Rudkin has been watching Spiderhead with Chris Hemsworth and Jennifer Lopez's doco, Halftime.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne has been pondering the question - should New Zealand citizens living outside the country have their own electorate with their own MP?LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s perhaps my favourite thing about New Zealand politics. Just about as Kiwi as you can possibly get. Whenever it’s time to select an MP’s member bill for debate before our parliament, we don’t pick it out of some golden, jewel-encrusted box or have it delivered by regal horsemen from an impenetrable Swiss safe.We pick it from the biscuit tin. The biscuit tin. A thirty-year-old, blue-and-white biscuit tin with a label, ‘Members’ Bills,’ sellotaped on the front.It’s as though our democracy is a game of charades.The funny thing about the biscuit tin – aside from it being a biscuit tin – is that it seems to have a habit of throwing forward particularly interesting bills. That’s where Louisa Wall’s marriage equality bill originated. And this week it happened again. Chloe Swarbrick’s booze bill was pulled from the biscuit tin.I’m not someone who prickles at a good time, but I think our collective approach to alcohol is one of the biggest hypocrisies in New Zealand society. We won’t legalise cannabis, and we’ll live in a state of near-constant panic over the damage caused by methamphetamine, but we do almost nothing meaningful when it comes to alcohol harm.And it’s hardly like we don’t have the evidence of the harm, and advice on what we should be doing differently. One of the only recommendations from the Mental Health Inquiry that hasn’t yet been acted on is this:26. Take a stricter regulatory approach to the sale and supply of alcohol, informed by the recommendations from the 2010 Law Commission review, the 2014 Ministerial Forum on Alcohol Advertising and Sponsorship and the 2014 Ministry of Justice report on alcohol pricing.That 2014 Ministerial Forum was chaired by former Kiwis coach Sir Graeme Lowe, hardly someone who needs to be schooled on the role that sport plays in our society.Chloe Swarbrick’s bill would act on his recommendations and restrict alcohol advertising and sponsorship in sport. It would also give local communities far greater powers to decide how many liquor outlets can operate in their neighbourhood.There will be some people who think it’s inconsistent for Swarbrick to crack down on booze when she was a public advocate for legalising cannabis. They miss the point. She isn’t advocating to ban alcohol. She doesn’t want prohibition. She wants to take a few little steps in order to reduce alcohol harm.Alcohol arguably causes the most harm of any drug in New Zealand. Not weed. Not even P. Alcohol. I doubt Chloe Swarbrick’s bill will make it into law in its current form, but at the very least our politicians will have to debate it. Until now, every time this issue comes up,They’ve humm’ed and hah’ed and re-ordered their papers, mumbling and ducking for cover. They’re scared of the alcohol lobby. They’re scared of being called Nanny State.This time, there is no running from the debate.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estelle Clifford has been listening to the new Black Seeds album, Love & Fire. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meredith, Alone – Claire Alexander For anyone who has lost hope, Meredith will help you find it...discover the most uplifting and unforgettable debut of the summer.Nazi Billionaires – David De Jong A groundbreaking investigation of how the Nazis helped German tycoons make billions off the horrors of the Third Reich and World War II—and how America allowed them to get away with it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Yardley has been kicking back in Fiji.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our sustainability expert Kate Hall gives her advice on how to rely less on your car. Short car trips under two kilometres make up nearly a third of all car trips on our road in NZ!LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Citrus are “surface-rooting” and hence do not like a lot of “competition” from grass roots, so it pays to keep them mulched and avoid grass growing close to the trunk.Bark, Compost, Chippered branches; anything that suppresses the grass (especially Kikuyu) and will add organic matter is usefulFertiliser?Nah! In mid-winter plants do not take up much nutrients – wait till it gets warmer in springThey love a warm, sheltered spot in full sun – protected from wind; usually not good with heavy frosts. (Meyer lemons possibly a few degrees below zero); protect the trees from heavy frosts with frost-cloth…. So: ensure you have a lot of direct sunlight on your plant; (trim the trees that shade the citrus!)Lemons should be fruiting. Ensure that the load of fruit on the branches is not too heavy (breaking!), so remove fruit accordingly, especially from young trees and prune some off to let the frame-work develop; next year let a few more grow as the tree strengthens its branch system.(Meyer) Lemons have a habit of fruiting well every second year (usually in winter and spring months); therefore it’s best to plant two or three lemon trees to have a continuous supply of lemons!Peeled lemons hanging from your tree? Get a Timms Trap!Sooty Mould; If you have sooty mould (fungi growing on sap sucking insect’s excrement) now’s the time to use some spraying oil (Conqueror Oil) to get rid of the cause: scale/mealybug/whitefly)Neem Oil is often a good, organic “suffocator” of small sap-sucking insects. Use the Oils frequently (every two weeks or so) and spray both sides of leaves and branches.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Bryan Betty chats to Jack Tame about the 2020 Child Health Report that's just been released with specific focus on dental care – the biggest non-communicable disease for children in the world. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Netflix has confirmed ads are coming In April they said they were open to the idea, but now it's been confirmed. They'll still have an ad-free product, but they're adding an ad-supported lower cost plan to their offering. It's going to take Netflix time to build out an ad sales team and build its ad technology and infrastructure, so in the meantime it's looking to partner with companies who are already experts in this area. Changes to abortion laws turn a spotlight on personal data collection If state authorities were to investigate if an abortion has taken place, peoples' personal data could be used. Search history, text messages, phone logs could all be used, but so too could location data suggesting if someone had visited a known abortion clinic. Even period tracking apps could contain data helpful for the investigation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chloe: A thriller about Becky, a young woman who compares herself to the picture-perfect lives on Instagram and compulsively returns to one account: Chloe's. However, when Chloe dies suddenly, Becky's need to find out how and why leads her to assume a new identity (Prime Video) Loot: Comedy starring Maya Ruldoph, about a billionaire who’s life suddenly erupts in a tabloid-fuelled, self-destructive scandal (Apple TV+). Man vs Bee: Rowan Atkinson returns to the small screen in this Netflix comedy, as a man working as a house sitter is tormented by a mischievous bee. Wacky hijinks ensue. Eight episodes. (Netflix) LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘Ice Man’ Wim Hof has become a worldwide phenomenon. He has more than 20 Guiness World Records to his name, has climbed icy mountains in nothing but shorts and sandals and run a half marathon above the arctic barefoot. The method to Wim's madness is his cold therapy and breathing technique. The Dutch Native has lived an incredible, albeit slightly unconventional life, but says he’s on a mission to change the world. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sweet, crispy and scrummy, these hashbrowns are so delicious and perfect for a long weekend! Take advantage of parsnips and carrots when they’re in season, even though they’re available year-round, as they taste so good freshly picked. Makes one large or 4–6 smaller hash browns 1 medium carrot, grated 1 medium parsnip, grated 1 egg (can omit) a small handful of chopped parsley salt and pepper oil for frying a dollop of sour cream to serve chutney to serve Place the grated carrot and parsnip into a bowl. Add the egg and parsley and mix with a fork. Season well. Heat enough oil to coat the bottom of a medium-sized frying pan. Spoon the mixture into the pan as one large or individual hash browns. Cook for 4–5 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook until golden on second side. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or your favourite chutney.Other topping suggestions: Flakes of smoked salmon or other fish Crispy bacon Avocado LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francesca Rudkin has been watching Baz Luhrmann's Elvis and Kiwi film, Whina.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne has taken issue with the phasing out of Ernest Adams products. He joined Jack Tame to discuss this tragedy at the supermarket.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We were only two or three minutes into the game when it happened.The guy had the ball in midfield and I rushed up to mark him. He stepped backwards and brought the heel of his boot right down the front of my right shin. We don’t wear shinpads in our grade. Maybe we should. No foul! Play on! Seriously?!Maybe my leg was numb? I dunno. It felt bad when it happened and it looked bad when I stared down at my shin, but I wondered if maybe the freezing weather had muted the pain a bit. It just didn’t hurt like it should.This will shock you I’m sure, but contrary to my public profile, I’m not really very tough. I’m not someone who shrugs in the face of compound fractures and third-degree burns. I find pain, painful. I do my best to avoid it. But it wasn’t through heroism or bravery that I chose to play on, despite the large slit down my right shin and my blood-soaked sock. Maybe it was adrenalin! It just didn’t actually hurt that much.The most painful thing at the After Hours surgery was the wait. Not sure if you’ve heard, but our healthcare system has seen quieter periods. At first, the lady on the front desk told me it would be five hours before I could to see a doctor.‘Maybe just get it washed out by a nurse.’ She said.‘Wrap it up overnight and find someone else to stitch it, tomorrow.’ Hmm.The wait was only half that time, in the end. I braced for a terrible sting when they flushed out the would with saline and then jabbed me with anaesthetic, but in the end it was all good. They sewed up my shin like a hole in a pillowcase. I drove home and twisted myself into all sorts of highly-unflattering positions in the shower as I endeavoured to keep the wound dry.The next day wasn’t too bad. The nurse at my GP clinic cleaned and dressed my shin. He poked it a bit to see if there was any sign of infection. It felt pretty good.‘Does that hurt?’‘Nah.’‘Do you have a high pain threshold?’He reckoned that last night was a key milestone. 72 hours from the sprig digging out a large strip of my leg, I should know with a reasonable degree of confidence if the wound was infected or if it was healing efficiently, as it should. We should know if the stitches were working.‘All you need to do,’ he said.‘Is take off the dressing.’Huh.I started at the corner. I worked up just a couple of millimetres, a tiny little piece of bandage, but I could already see the problem. There was no sign of infection, but every single one of my leg hairs was absolutely, utterly determined not to let the bandage go without a decent fight.I mightn’t be very tough. But I am hairy. My leg hair could be accurately described as voluminous. If the shampoo marketing department was feeling a bit creative, I’d be hired immediately for a Palmolive ad. Stroking my leg is like stroking a border collie.I knew what I had to do, of course. Some cliches are cliches for a reason. I tensed my body. Inhaled deeply, to the bottom of my lungs. And I peeled that dressing off my leg like a ripe banana.Riiiiiiiiip.Tears pricked in the corners of my eyes. I gasped like someone waking from a fever dream.It hurt like a bastard.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estelle Clifford gives her rating of George Ezra's third album, Gold Rush Kid. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catherine Raynes has been reading Horse by Geraldine Brooks and Le Fric Family, Power and Money by Alex Duff.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Travel expert Mike Yardley has been eating and drinking his way around Marlborough. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s always difficult knowing the right things to say to someone who is grieving so Steven Dromgool is sharing his advice on how to help a partner that’s dealing with loss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.