Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Master of Wine Bob Campbell's Best Buy for the week is the Momo 2020 Organic Rose, Marlborough $19.99.LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your car's license plate could be the next thing to go digital This has been a work in progress since 2009, but now California and Arizona are starting to adopt them. Why head down this road? + They can display messages to other cars to say "I'm stolen". + In the USA, your license plate follows you if you buy a new car, so you could very easily change it to your new one. + It could also broadcast "Amber Alerts" to alert motorists that there is a missing child. They could even broadcast other statewide important messages too, like "wear a mask" as is currently displayed on many electronic road signs today. If this catches on, you might even be able to buy your next car with built in digital plates. No more ugly add ons, they could be sleek and part of the design. Apple's self-designed processor is blazing fast This really is the next chapter of Apple's computers. The iPhone and iPad have been made possible thanks to Apple's self-made chips, and now they're coming to their computer lineup. It's impressing the tech community. The new chip delivers better processing performance than a fully tricked out $6,000 MacBook Pro using an old chip. It also runs cooler and uses less battery. The challenge is that all the software that currently runs on Macs but won't work natively on this new laptop until its been redeveloped, so it may pay to be a second or third adopter, rather than a first. It also means that iOS and Mac apps will be able to run cross-platform which will make app development more efficient. Twitter is ditching its conversations view They've been trying to make it easier to follow conversations on Twitter - because oftentimes, apart from fun memes and quippy lines, following conversations between two informed people can be super beneficial and enjoyable. But the interface they rolled out to try and do this actually made it harder. So now they're back to the drawing board. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being a God in Florida: Kirsten Dunst stars in this dark comedy drama about a minimum-wage water park employee who lies, schemes, and cons her way up the ranks of the cultish, multibillion-dollar pyramid scheme that drove her family to ruin (TVNZ OnDemand). The Wilds - Amazon Prime Video’s new drama which was filmed in and around Auckland and drops on Friday. Coronation Street diamond jubilee: TVNZ celebrate 60 glorious years of Coronation Street with a special week of Coro programming, including a variety of daytime and primetime special episodes for fans of the beloved British drama to enjoy (from Sunday 6 December, TVNZ1) LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s time to accept that Christmas is well and truly on the way. What better way to embrace the spirit of the season, than with a heart-warming sequel to 'A Street Cat Named Bob' - 'A Christmas Gift From Bob'. It's the story about a world-famous street cat and his owner, James Bowen. For those unaware of their story, James was fighting a drug addiction and surviving as a busker. Then, a video of him playing with Bob on his shoulders went viral. He was approached to write a book, which sold 8 million copies. He's been speaking to Jack Tame about the journey from homeless man to best-selling books, and two movies. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Festive Wreath This dessert is always a standout at Christmas and it’s actually very easy to make! Dress it up with whatever gorgeous fruit and berries you fancy to suit your menu. Serves 10-12 7 egg whites 340g caster sugar (about 1 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons) 1 ½ teaspoons vinegar (can use lemon juice but I find vinegar more reliable) Topping 400mls cream, whipped 100g mascarpone 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Fruit – I used strawberries and thinly sliced mango ¼ cup almond flakes or anything else you like (I added pieces of pistachio cranberry nougat) Preheat oven to 130 C. Line a flat tray with baking paper. Draw a 28cm circle on the baking paper. Make the meringue: Beat egg whites until soft peak stage. Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, beating for about 20 seconds between each addition. It’s important to not rush this phase and to keep beating after all the sugar has been incorporated until it is stiff, glossy and the sugar has dissolved. At this point add the vinegar and beat for 1 minute more. Assemble the wreath: Spoon out large tablespoons of meringue, arranging them to overlap slightly, around the drawn circle, leaving the inner area free. Aim for 12-14 large spoonfuls. Make an indent in each one with the back of the spoon as this is where the whipped cream will sit. Bake for 1.5 hours then leave in the oven to completely cool down. Do not open the oven or you risk the meringue cracking. To serve: Whip the cream with the mascarpone and vanilla and spoon this into the little indents then creative with your toppings. I used thinly sliced mango and strawberries, some flaked almonds and some Christmassy cranberry and pistachio nougat. You could use lemon curd and candied orange, stonefruit and walnut, fresh cherries and dark chocolate…the options are endless! LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Movie reviewer Francescsa Rudkin has been watching Christmas movie Happiest Season, and Miss World comedy-drama Misbehavoiur.LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne's worried about the damage done with 'Crate Day' every year - a day when young people get together to drink an entire crate of beer to mark the beginning of sumer. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ll take the vaccine. I’ll do it live on telly or live on the radio, if you like. I don’t care if I’m first or last in line. If the health authorities here deem it safe, I will gladly be vaccinated against Covid-19 at the first available opportunity.And you know what? I think most Kiwis will, too.I get it – there is a sense of anxiety in some quarters and in some countries about the safety of the vaccine. Not just with the usual anti-vaxxing crowds, either, but people who are all good with MMR but feel a little nervous about just how quickly the Covid-19 vaccines have been developed. Even Dr. Anthony Fauci managed to contribute to some of the anxieties around the vaccine by undermining the British health regulators who have approved it for distribution.But I feel comfortable. I feel confident. I trust that the incredibly speedy process of development and approval for the Pfizer vaccine in the UK is a product of the unprecedented urgent global demand, rather than shortcuts in the process. I might not be quite so keen to take that Russian vaccine that’s been knocking about, but if the British authorities reckon there one’s ok, that’s good enough for me. It’s clearly going to take a bit more effort in some other countries to get people to agree to be vaccinated. Even in those places hardest hit by the pandemic. Presidents Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, all say they’ll be vaccinated in public if doing so will help to make Americans more comfortable. The fact they feel that might be necessary speaks to just how much public trust in the American authorities, and trust in scientific expertise, has decayed over the last few years.That’s why I don’t see it being an issue here. Call us a nation of goodie-two-shoes or sheep or whatever you like, but for whatever reason, Kiwis have largely trusted the authorities and valued scientific expertise throughout this pandemic. And I think most of us hobnobbing at cafes this morning, or attending kids’ end-of-year school prizegivings, feel we have been rewarded for that trust.I’m in the somewhat unique position of having spent time this year in New Zealand and several weeks in the U.S as the cases numbers there spiked again. And I can tell you first-hand, that day-to-day life here is vastly more enjoyable right now than it is in the U.S.If trusting our scientists when they say a vaccine is safe, and taking it as soon as its available, means we can lock in regular life… I think most Kiwis will feel the same way I do.They’ll roll up their sleeves – ow! - and get on with it.LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neem Oil Neem oil has become a popular insecticide and fungicide that is used by many gardeners. It is natural, organic, and relatively safe. It can be used to control or kill a wide range of pests, and it’s available on the NZ market. There are a few different types of Neem Oil and - surprise surprise! – they have different modes of activity and control different organisms in different ways. Neem comes from the neem tree (Azadirachta indica), (India, Sri Lanka, Burma, etc). The tree produces nuts which are ground and cold-pressed to extract their oil. The active ingredient in neem that harms insects is called azadirachtin and the cold press process ensures that it does not degrade. Further processing removes the azadirachtin from the rest of the oil. The remaining oil is called “clarified hydrophobic neem oil”. How does Neem Oil work when sprayed on a plant? Well it may disappoint you, but when the leaves are coated, insects are not killed by the deposit, but it makes the leaves taste bad, so the damage is very much reduced. But when juvenile insects eat the azadirachtin-coated leaves, their metamorphosis can be severely disrupted – they simply can’t shed their skin! That means that neem oil sprays are not a quick fix.Azadirachtin is rapidly degraded in direct sunlight – it last less than a day, although the oily substance itself might linger a lot longer (until it gets washed off by rain). When it comes to systemic activity: azadirachtin does not penetrate the plant very well, but as a soil-drench it appears to be a lot more effective, as long as the soil pH is below 7. It is absorbed by roots. Azadirachtin is not an effective compound on adult insects so if they eat the sprayed plant parts then it’ll be business as usual. There about few hundred insect species that are affected by neem oil sprays – many “don’t give a toss”! Some of the species that are negatively affected are beneficials, such as lacewings, which are inhibited from laying eggs. There are varying efficacy data for all sorts of insects when sprayed with Neem Oil; Whitefly might be OK (but target the underside of the newer leaves!) and aphids tend to suffer as well; hard-bodied and adult insects are largely immune, as are spiders and ants. The Clarified hydrophobic Neem Oil (the stuff without the azadirachtin) is just like any other spraying oil: it suffocates insects when applied in dense-enough quantities to coat most insects. It works against things like scale, mealybugs, leafhoppers, mites, whiteflies and aphids, but it does not control many of the other insects that are controlled by neem oil. It can kill insect eggs. As with all spraying oils: repeated applications are crucial to cover future generations as well. (and remember to thoroughly coat the plants!Neem oil and disease control It’s the oil that does the work by sticking the spores on the leaves and drying them out (preventing spore-germination). What I read in literature is that ordinary conqueror oil does a much better job in sticking the spores to the plants, and a bicarbonate solution works even better! LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Relationship expert Steven Dromgool has some tips on managing pre-Christmas stress. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Music reviewer Estelle Clifford has been listening to Sam Smith's new album, LoveGoes. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catherine Raynes has been reading Stephen Fry's new book Troy, and David Baldacci's Daylight. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Yardley has been on some adventures in Te Anau. FOR TRAVEL TIPS - LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're getting some very positive news around new vaccines for COVID, but the question everyone's asking is when will we get our hands on it? Bryan Betty is Saturday morning's resident GP, as well as Medical Director for the College of GPs and he’s also on the Covid-19 advisory committee. He's been talking to Jack Tame. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple's self-designed processor is blazing fast This really is the next chapter of Apple's computers. The iPhone and iPad have been made possible thanks to Apple's self-made chips, and now they're coming to their computer lineup. It's impressing the tech community. The new chip delivers better processing performance than a fully tricked out $6,000 MacBook Pro using an old chip. It also runs cooler and uses less battery. The challenge is that all the software that currently runs on Macs but won't work natively on this new laptop until its been redeveloped, so it may pay to be a second or third adopter, rather than a first. It also means that iOS and Mac apps will be able to run cross-platform which will make app development more efficient. Elon Musk’s wealth continues to grow The SpaceX and Tesla founder has now surpassed Bill Gates, the former Microsoft founder, to be the second richest person on the planet. He’s worth $128 billion - increasing $100 billion this year alone. That’s largely thanks to Tesla’s $400 billion increase in market cap. SpaceX has also had a very successful year sending 6 astronauts to the ISS. It should be noted that Gates would probably have more wealth than Musk if he hadn’t have given so much money to charity. Amazon is starting a pharmacy “Amazon Pharmacy” is licensed for dispensing in all 50 states. Prime members will also be able to get free two-day shipping. You can use your health insurance, or they’ll have 80% discounts available on the retail price of generic drugs - which will likely cause some competition in the market. They’re making it easier to compare prices too. Share prices of pharmacy chains fell on the news. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Screentime Queen Tara Ward has some good tele for your weekend:Taranaki Hard: a new documentary series. In the heat of the beautiful Taranaki summer, a diverse group of characters all hope 2020 will be their year. Growing up in Waitara comes with as many blessings as there are challenges, and although the young people who live here may be on their own paths, they all share the same spirit of 'going hard' no matter what curveballs may come their way. (Three, Tuesday nights). Industry: A group of young graduates compete for permanent positions at a top investment bank in London, but the boundaries between colleague, friend, lover, and enemy soon blur as they immerse themselves in their new world (Neon, from 2 December). Dash & Lily: A whirlwind Christmas romance builds as cynical Dash and optimistic Lily trade dares, dreams and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations around New York City (Netflix) LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you like a sweet treat like Jack, or got into a bit of baking over lockdown, you might have heard of Kiwi baking legend Bernadette Gee. She was a teenage mother with no formal training. But thanks to a huge online presence and plenty of determination she’s now a caking-making entrepreneur. Bets is the owner of café, cake business, and north auckland destination Magnolia Kitchen. She’s already produced one record-breaking cookbook, and her new book Magnolia Kitchen Design is out now. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francesca Rudkin has been watching Six60 documentary Till The Lights Go Out and Liam Neeson's new movie Made In Italy. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Homecoming Ginger Crunch Here’s a treat for Jack as he’s out of MIQ! Ginger sesame crunch Makes 16-20 squares 135g butter, softened ½ cup sugar 2 tbsps brown sugar 1 ½ cups plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 4 tbsps sesame seeds 1 tsp ground ginger Icing 75g butter 1 tbsps golden sugar 1 cup icing sugar, sifted 5 tsps ground ginger Heat oven to 190 C. Line a swiss roll tin with baking paper. To make the base, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients and mix to a stiff dough. Press dough into prepared tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Make icing by melting butter and golden syrup together. Stir in icing sugar and ground ginger and stir to combine. Pour icing over hot slice and encourage it to spread evenly. Slice when cool and eat!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The dress code for men in the parliamentary chamber is being reconsidered. The current rules say that men should dress in a businesslike way. But what is "businesslike" in 2020?Kevin Milne has been discussing with Jack Tame. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One person from my plane tested positive for Covid-19. We knew pretty soon thereafter. The day three test results came back and everyone in our MIQ facility got a phone call telling them to stay in their rooms until further notice. No walks in the car park. No trips to the nurse. The poor soul who tested positive was picked up and taken to JetPark in Auckland. The staff called us a couple of hours later and said we were good to resume our normal schedule. I can’t say how typical my experience of MIQ was. People in different facilities in different cities have different experiences.I was at The Distinction hotel in Hamilton, and my experience throughout the two weeks was that the system in that facility was extremely well-organised. Despite the fact everyone when I was there was from the same flight… the hotel divided us into different groups, just as it does when people from different flights have to be separated. Every day, our dinner bag had a little piece of paper with the next day’s schedule. It would tell you what time your group could go for a walk, and what time you had to go and see the nurse to have your temperature taken. The idea was that the groups didn’t cross over each other. Despite living alongside them for two weeks, I wouldn’t recognise the vast majority of people who flew with me back home from the United States.A couple of days after I arrived, I felt a bit phlegmy. This isn’t the sort of thing I would usually burden you with, except that it was interesting to go through the experience in an isolation facility. Basically, it was the sort of sickness I would usually expect after a month of crazy work, two elections, no sleep, and travel around the World. Nonetheless, I told the nurses, and they immediately put me in isolation. For two or three days, I wasn’t allowed to leave my room for anything. A nurse would come up, in full PPE, accompanied by a soldier, to take my temperature and check in on me. Even though I tested negative on my Day three test, I wasn’t allowed to have any washing done or leave my room until my symptoms had gone and the medical staff were satisfied. How did I pass the time? Was it intolerably boring? This is the first question everyone asks. For me, the answer’s no. I had a bit of work to do, but in two weeks. I didn’t actually get half of the stuff done that I’d been planning. I didn’t get through half of my reading or watch half of my shows. And I was never bored. Part of that, was the MIQ kept us pretty busy. Each of our groups was assigned two one-hour walks in the carpark every day. As well as that, you could go for a run in the morning, and at a different time every day you had to go and visit the nurse and have your temperature taken. So, with three meals, on a typical day, my schedule might go like this:6.30am Wake up. 7am. Run in the carpark. 8am. Breakfast in my room. 10am One hour walk in the car park. 12.30 Lunch in my room. 2pm. Visit to the nurses. 4pm One hour walk in the car park. 6pm dinner. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. The walking space was definitely a major bonus of our hotel. I reckon there were people from our flight who probably left isolation fitter than when they arrived. I didn’t, because I was eating everything. The food was plentiful, hot, rich, and tasty. People in my group ordered in Dominoes and KFC. The first week I got a delivery from Countdown with chocolate and lollies. The second week I was feeling a bit guilty, and got fancy yoghurt and fresh blueberries instead. Again, I can only speak for my experience in MIQ. My auntie is in isolation in a fancy downtown Auckland hotel. She doesn’t have opening windows and she has to catch a bus to go for a walk every couple of days. That’d be tough. But here are my overall observations:When an MIQ facility is well-organised just as mine was, there aren’t many chinks in the armour. Yes, there will always be little failings, but at no time in my two weeks in Hamilton did I...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stella Rose Bennett, better known as Benee, was once again the darling of this year’s Aotearoa Music Awards. She once again won all four categories she was nominated in, including the Single of the Year Tui for her song Superlonely. Estelle Clifford's been listening to her new album "Hey u x" which features collaborations with Lily Allen and Grimes. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Book reviewer Catherine Raynes has been reading No Time Like the Future by Michael J Fox and A Promised Land by Barack Obama.LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vinegar To make wine, the sugar has to be converted to alcohol in a process known as fermentation. After the sealed bottle has been opened, there’s a second kind of fermentation that happens. During this process, the alcohol is turned into acetic acid, the main compound in vinegar. Acetic acid isn’t the only compound in vinegar, but it’s the one that makes vinegar acidic. In fact, with a pH of 2.4, distilled white vinegar is a pretty strong acid, more acidic than coffee or orange juice, but still less acidic than your stomach juices or, say, the liquid inside batteries (luckily). Vinegar’s acidity is what makes it such a good cleaner. Because vinegar is so acidic, it can counteract some icky buildups. It can dissolve away soap scum, brines left by hard water, and glue left behind by stickers. Vinegar is great for giving windows and mirrors (use a combination of vinegar and water and wipe with a newspaper instead of a paper towel to avoid streaks), no-wax floors, and wood paneling or cabinets an extra-clean shine. Another use for vinegar? Getting rid of stubborn stains. Lots of stains, whether from sweaty armpits or grass, are slightly acidic, which means they will dissolve away in the presence of another acid, like vinegar. Cleaner recipes Scented All-Purpose Cleaner One part white vinegar One part water Lemon rind Rosemary sprigs Combine the above ingredients together, pour into a spray bottle, shake, and then let infuse for a week before using. Once done, you can use the natural solution to remove hard water stains, clean trash cans, wipe away wall smudges, and much more. Besides a fresh scent, the lemon rind may help boost cleaning power. Caution: Do not use acidic cleaners on granite, as they will etch the stone. DIY Glass Cleaner 2 cups water 1/2 cup white or cider vinegar 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol 70% concentration 1 to 2 drops of orange essential oil for smell (optional) The next time you need to wash your windows and mirrors, combine these ingredients and pour them in a spray bottle. Hint: Don't clean windows on a hot, sunny day, because the solution will dry too quickly and leave lots of streaks. For mirrors, spray the solution on a paper towel or soft cloth first before wiping. De-clog a drain Clear a stubborn drain by pouring a 1/2 cup of baking soda down it, followed by a 1/2 cup of vinegar Cover with a wet cloth to contain the science fair-like effects (remember DIY volcanoes?). Wait five minutes, then flush with hot water. Stain and smell remover A paste of vinegar and baking soda can dissolve set red wine stains. Vinegar can even get cat or dog urine out of carpets or other cloths and, bonus, that pungent smell can keep pets away from places you don’t want them to go. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Yardley's been celebrating The Best of the Buller region on this week's show. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s plant some Beans A typical summer crop from the vegetable garden, it's always good to get ultra-fresh beans on the menu. They can be grown right around the country, although in cooler areas the growing season may be somewhat reduced. Beans originate from Central and South America. I remember seeing them grown on tepee-like wooden structures in the Amazon jungle by the local tribes, in open patches where the dwellings received some sunlight. That suggested that the original varieties produced their beans in dappled sunlight. Our modern varieties require almost full sun to be prolific. “French Beans” are my favourites. They require nice, well-drained soils with some fertility added. I often mulch the plants to stop competition from weeds. There are many different varieties, see Kings Seeds catalogue and pick the one that you like.Sow them about 12 cm apart in rows, and sow the seeds 3 cm deep in that friable soil. Sow them in their spot, they don’t really like transplanting a lot. Keep watering when weather gets dry and harvest the bounty regularly.Because these French Beans are small-ish plants (as opposed to the “climbing beans”) they tend to produce all their pods in rapid tempo and mostly all “at once” in a window of a few weeks. To continue the supply through summer. Repeat sowing the rows on a three-to-four-weekly basis. Even on Christchurch's Port Hills I can still sow the French Beans till early February. Climbing Beans are often true “perennials”. The common old “scarlet runner” (which I often find too tough and stringy) is one of those varieties that comes up every year if you leave the crown and root system in the ground. Climbers require a climbing framework. A tepee or a metal, tall “fence” structure. It pays to make these structures strong as the weight of a fully-grown bean plant can be quite substantial, especially in rough winds. I prefer the Blue Lake in taste and texture. “King of the Blues” yields a lot too, and I reckon it’s closely related to the “Blue Lake”. The trick with climbers is to pick frequently (and don’t let the pods go too old and tough!!), which makes the plant produce more and more flowers and - hence – beans. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fleets are the new way to Tweet Fleets are disappearing Tweets, or they're Twitter's version of Stories. Twitter says the fleets make people feel more comfortable posting, knowing it disappears. They tested this first in Brazil, then Italy, India and South Korea before rolling it out globally this week. It's also a way to try and stop harassment. The idea is that knowing that the messages are sent directly to someone and not public for others to see and 'like' makes it less appealing. There've also been changes to Instagram The homescreen has been redesigned to make it easier to access their Reels and Shop offerings. Reels is the TikTok competitor and Shop is something IG has been building up for some time now to allow people to buy products directly in IG. You can even tag items in photos for people to shop like an interactive catalogue. What makes this more sneaky, is that they've put these new icons in the spots where the 'create' button used to be! Muscle memory is going to be a mission. Instagram is fast becoming ‘Facebook 2’ Apple's self-designed processor is blazing fast. This really is the next chapter of Apple's computers. The iPhone and iPad have been made possible thanks to Apple's self-made chips, and now they're coming to their computer lineup. It's impressing the tech community. The new chip delivers better processing performance than a fully tricked out $6,000 MacBook Pro using an old chip. It also runs cooler and uses less battery. The challenge is that all the software that currently runs on Macs but won't work natively on this new laptop until its been redeveloped, so it may pay to be a second or third adopter, rather than a first. It also means that iOS and Mac apps will be able to run cross-platform which will make app development more efficient. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you've got a mortgage, low interest rates can be a huge relief. But for those living off their savings, often retirees, it is making life pretty difficult. Enable.Me's Hannah McQueen has been looking at the impact with Jack Tame. If you want more help, head to www.enable.me LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Screentime Queen Tara Ward has some tips for TV shows to get into this weekend: His Dark Materials: A new season of the HBO drama based on author Philip Pullman’s beloved trilogy of books. His Dark Materials follows Lyra, a brave young woman from another world, whose quest to find her kidnapped friend leads her to uncover a sinister plot of a secret organization, encounter extraordinary beings and protect dangerous secrets (Neon). Seachange Revisited: Set 20 years on from the original Australian drama, SeaChange sees Sigrid Thornton’s character Laura Gibson return to Pearl Bay to attend the birth of her estranged daughter’s baby. Rising sea levels, community cover-ups and some very stormy weather conspire to convince her this town now needs her as much as she needs it (Acorn TV). We are the Champions: a lighthearted documentary series that explores an array of unique competitions, from the quirky (cheese rolling) to the bizarre (frog jumping), and the passionate communities who compete (Netflix). LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phenomenally successful podcaster Guy Raz is best known for his series "How I Built This".In it, he quizzes the world's most successful business people about how they got to where they are. Now, he's got a new book out about what he's learned, called "How I Built This: The Unexpected Paths to Success from the World's Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs"He's been speaking with Jack Tame. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The weather is getting hotter, so Nici Wickes has some hints on how to make sensational salads. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Movie reviewer Francesca Rudkin has been watching post-World War Two drama The Secrets we Keep and Sam Neill dark comedy Rams. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne's old stomping ground, Avalon TV Centre, is being made into apartments. He's been reminiscing with Jack Tame about his time there. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2013, I was living in the U.S and charged with covering most of North America as a reporter for TVNZ. I remember ringing my manager early in the year and asking about our plans for the San Francisco America’s Cup.“No one really cares about the America’s Cup.” She said. “If it was here in New Zealand, maybe we’d do a bit more. We’ll have one reporter in San Francisco but that’ll be more than enough.”To be fair, my manager at the time was from overseas and had only been living in New Zealand for a year or two. Subsequently, I felt obliged to push back a little bit.“Ummm…” I said. “I think you’re underestimating what this competition means for New Zealanders. “I get it… sailing’s a bit off-Broadway. But there’s something about this competition in particular that Kiwis just LOVE. Between events, sure everyone’s a bit ambivalent. Some of us moan about the court battles and the politics. But just wait! Just wait. When the America’s Cup rolls around, every New Zealander is suddenly a match-racing, hydro-foiling, sail-trimming expert.”By the end of the Louis Vuitton cup a few months later, such was demand, about a third of our entire newsroom had relocated to San Francisco. But I’m sure that same pattern applied heading into the Bermuda competition. Call it the lifecycle of the average Kiwi America’s Cup fan.We love the event. We’ll plan our day around the regattas, and turn out at victory parades for our sailors. Then in the years the follow, we only pay a little attention to the new rules and the squabbling between different syndicates. Maybe we whinge a bit about how it’s a sport for rich guys and who cares about sailing anyway. And it takes us a good few rounds of match-racing to pay any attention to the next competition. Then, though, Team New Zealand starts winning. We’re reminded that their budget is a fraction of the budget some of the other big players enjoy. Jimmy Spithill gets a good couple of digs in our collective, and whattaya know?! Talk about fair-weather sailors. All of a sudden we’re all back onboard the boat.I’ve been in isolation this week, sitting in my hotel room, watching all the videos of the new Team New Zealand boat, Te Rehutai. The Ocean Spray. It looks spectacular. Several of the boats do, and when those monohulls are up and foiling, my mind boggles over the physics at play. And sitting here in managed isolation, I’m reminded of just how lucky we are to have an event like this to host, given the state of the World. An event where any and all of us can theoretically go and gather on the North Shore beaches or North Head, and watch those yachts compete. If ever there was to be an advertisement for New Zealand… however many million-people tuning in from shuttered countries, to a jewel in the South Pacific with glorious scenery and no community transmission (touch wood). This is a significant opportunity. So. Enjoy it. You owe it to everyone around the world counting down to a miserable winter of lockdowns. That’s my challenge. If you’re one of those who blushed just a little when I described the lifecycle of the average America’s Cup fan, and you usually leave it until the last minute to get on the Team New Zealand bandwagon… do it differently this year. This America’s Cup will not be without scandal. It won’t be without scrutiny. And nor should it. But let’s not be cynical for the sake of being cynical, as I think we sometimes are when it comes to the America’s Cup. We always say this competition is an opportunity to showcase New Zealand. But on and off the water, never has that sentiment been more true. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kylie Minogue has a new album that's bringing back Disco, and Estelle Clifford's been taking a listen.LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Relationships expert Steven Dromgool has some advice for your relationships with the little people in your life: how to build your child's self esteem. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Relationships expert Steven Dromgool has some advice for your relationships with the little people in your life: how to build your child's self esteem. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catherine Raynes has been reading Annabel Langbein's new memoir Bella, and Dawn French's new book, Because of You. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Controlling aphids It’s the time for aphids to explode in your garden. Whether you are growing roses, peaches, or at least another 400 different plant hosts, aphids will turn up at some stage in your life. Aphids are known as sap-sucking insects. But most importantly, aphids are great at transmitting virus diseases, from which a host plant rarely recovers. Aphids will continue to be a pain right through the summer and well into autumn, so get ready! Parthenogenesis is their game: females produce live young daughters who – in turn – will be able to produce their own off-spring within 10 days or so. This can explode quite quickly! Control has to be swift, to reduce female populations quickly. “Digital control” is the art of squashing the blighters between thumb and forefingers. It’s easy and organic – no pesticides! Biological control has many different versions: Buy yourself some parasitic wasps (Aphidius is the parasite to look for) and you can get them on-line. Alternatively, get some ladybird beetles that devour aphids, or some larval lacewings. Mind you the trick is to attract these goodies, by providing them with the right flowers with pollen and nectar, so they will breed and multiply and lay eggs among the aphid colonies. The right flowers are Phacelia (the blue tansy), buckwheat, parsley flowers and carrot flowers, as well as dill, fennel, borage, queen Anne’s lace, and such umbelliferous delights. Sprays are tricky, as they can kill the good buggers that will hunt your aphids. Organic sprays are pyrethrum (which will indiscriminately kill any insect, to be frank) and neem oil, which may not affect hard-bodied critters, such as parasitic wasps and predatory beetles. Spraying oil (Conqueror Oil etc) will often smother the aphids and sometimes also the beneficials, depending on the dose-age. Then there is Insecticidal soap, also known as “fatty acids”, containing potassium salts. This is the ancient version of abrasive soap; the stuff we used to see on TV commercials with “Madge, you’re soaking in it!!”. The more abrasive the soap, the more it rips the skin off an aphid; no wonder the insecticidal soap or fatty acids (knowns as “Yates Nature's Way Vegie & Herb Spray) works pretty well! This stuff is usually rather survivable for predators and parasitoids So far, I have only mentioned organic materials that would be great for food crops. The trick is to spray at the sides on which the aphids are active – often the under-side of leaves. The other thing to consider is that it pays to repeat the spray process at least three times on a weekly basis.That way you’ll get the next generation of sucking bugs that weren’t killed by the earlier sprays. It means you really reduce the populations on your plants…so keep at it! LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Relationships expert Steven Dromgool has some advice for your relationships with the little people in your life: how to build your child's self esteem. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Resident traveller Mike Yardley has been having some wild Times in Turangi.LISTEN TO HIS TIPS ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Campbell has a special wine to share this festive season: HaHa Brut Cuvee, Marlborough $21.99 LISTEN TO HIS REVIEW ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Google is starting to limit how much storage you get for free Google Photos currently allows you to store an unlimited number of photos - it's one of the reasons that people love it so much. But as of June 21, 2021, any NEW photos you upload will start to be counted towards your 15GB Google account storage. Once you start to go over that, you'll need to start paying. The same rule also applies to NEW or modified files in your Google Drive folder from June 21, 2021. Also, if you’re over your storage limits and not paying, then Google may delete files or documents you haven't touched in some time. Instagram is changing up its home screen It’s going to make it easier to access their Reels and Shop offerings. Reels is the TikTok competitor and Shop is something IG has been building up for some time now to allow people to buy products directly in IG. You can even tag items in photos for people to shop like an interactive catalogue. What makes this more sneaky, is that they've put these new icons in the spots where the 'create' button used to be! Muscle memory is going to be a mission. Instagram is fast becoming ‘Facebook 2’ Space fans, there's another SpaceX liftoff this weekend The test earlier this year sending two astronauts to the ISS was a success, so now four astronauts are headed there on a SpaceX rocket. It's only SPaceX's second time sending humans on their rockets. Crew-1 will also be the longest-duration human spaceflight mission ever launched from US soil expected to be at the ISS for half a year. The previous record was 84 days. The launch is planned for 7:49 p.m. EST on Saturday, so 1:49pm Sunday NZT. Girlfriends are pranking their boyfriends The PlayStation 5 is a hot hot commodity at the moment and a new Instagram lense allows you to place a virtual PlayStation 5 box anywhere you like.. so at your front door, at the foot of your bed, in the kitchen.. and then you can send that picture to an unassuming partner. You can also send their response to social media.. and those responses have been joy, excitement and disbelief that their girlfriend would be so nice to them. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Screentime queen Tara Ward has some suggestions about what to watch this weekend. The Comey Rule: a political drama miniseries based on former FBI director James Comey’s book about his experiences in the run-up to the 2016 election and the early months of Donald Trump’s presidency (Neon). The Crown: season four of the royal drama hits the 1980s, this time starring Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher and Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth (Netflix, from Sunday) All Creatures Great and Small: a heartwarming reboot of the classic British series based on James Herriot’s books about a trio of vets working in Yorkshire during the 1930s (Vibe, from Monday)LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jessica Towsend is sometimes referred to as the “JK Rowling of Australia”...but it's no longer a name she relishes...more on that later. The first three books of her young adult Nevermoor series was sold for a six-figure sum, and the rights have been sold to 20th Century Fox. The series follows Morrigan Crow, who was born cursed - doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday. She's forced to take part in near-impossible trials in order to join the Wundrous Society and escape her fate. The third book in the series, Hollowpox, has just been released, and she's been talking to Jack Tame about the release. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Film reviewer Francesca Rudkin has been watching Freaky, which is based on the classic body swap premise, and Charlatan. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Golden syrup & sourdough tart There’s no other way to describe it, this tart is dead dreamy! Makes one 20cm tart / serves 4-6 1 sheet sweet short pastry Filling 2 medium eggs 50mls cream 1 teaspoon sea salt 350g golden syrup 70g butter, melted ½ cup sourdough crumbs 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1 tsp zest Ice cream or crème fraiche (or both!), to serve Heat oven to 180 C. Roll the pastry into a 5 mm thick disc to fit your tin. I used a 20 cm tin but you’d get away with a slightly larger, less deep one. Press the pastry firmly into the base of the tin and prick all over with a fork. Rest and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes Next, blind bake the tart shell. Line the pastry case with baking paper and fill with dried beans or rice – fill it right to the top. Bake for 20 minutes, carefully remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 10-12 minutes, until golden. Cool. Make the filling by lightly whisking the eggs, cream and salt in a bowl. Add golden syrup to the melted butter and mix to combine then stir this into the egg mixture. Add breadcrumbs, lemon zest and juice and stir until well combined. Reduce oven to 155 C. Place the tart tin on the heated tray and carefully pour in the treacle mixture, filling almost to the top. Slide it gently back into the oven and cook for 45minutes or until just set. The middle 3 cms ought to have a slight wobble. Place on a wire rack to cool. Transfer to a serving board or plate to serve and sprinkle over sea salt and serve just warm or cold with ice cream or crème fraiche. Nici’s note: Sometimes it’s worth blind baking a tart shell if your filling is quite wet, as with this tart, and you want that buttery crispness in the end result. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne's been looking at a new quiz that suggests career changes to those who've lost their job thanks to COVID.Keen to hear what the suggestions were?Listen to the audio aboveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This morning we’re making history together. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time a nationwide show has been broadcast in New Zealand, from within managed isolation. Hopefully the technology holds. Hopefully my tests come back negative. But if you hear a bang on the door in the background...it might be my breakfast. You don’t find out where you’ll be quarantining until the plane hits the tarmac in New Zealand. A policeman is the first person down the air bridge. He takes the microphone at the front of the cabin. “Hi everyone, welcome back to New Zealand. On behalf of the New Zealand Government I’m in charge of organising your transportation to a Managed Isolation Facility. Today, we’re taking you to Hamilton.” Bugger. Nothing against the Tron… but after schlepping across the states, and 13 hours over the Pacific, no one’s terribly keen for a bus trip. Before we passed through customs, we were screened by a nurse. You know the little arrival cards where they ask if you’ve got fruit or veggies or items worth more than 10 thousand dollars? They’ve added an extra couple of pages just for Covid-19. When we arrived at our Hamilton hotel, the army was waiting. A young captain dressed in camoflague, walked onboard the bus and explained that we’d all disembark, one by one, and be screened by another nurse. ‘I know it sucks,’ he said. ‘But it’ll be alright. You guys might not realise this, but the carpark here is one of the biggest exercise areas out of all the isolation hotels.’ A Tainui man came on and welcomed us with a waiata. ‘On the count of three, everyone say Kia Ora!’ A distinctly meek reply. ‘Come on! This is gonna be fun!’ he said. ‘We’re gonna do Zumba classes! Kia Kaha whanau’ Inside, they had trestle tables with KitKats, apples, and Whitakers Chocolate. Down the hall, there were five or six nurses set up. After each had them had finished screening a passenger, they sprayed down the chair with disinfectant. There was a welcome pack in my bedroom. A journal. A pack of cards. And an 86-page guide to life in managed isolation. One of our first priorities was filling out two weeks of meal requests. You get three choices for dinner and lunch. It arrives in a paper bag and someone bangs on your door. So far, it’s been great. Not Michelin starred, no. But good. Healthy enough, fresh, hot, and tasty. What have I eaten so far? Roast chicken, smoked salmon salad, chicken Caesar salad, vegetarian korma. You can order takeaways and get them delivered. My colleague had his Playstation delivered. I was walking down the hall when I saw a soldier and the hotel manager wheeling an exercise bike off to someone else’s room. For two hours a day we’re allowed to walk laps in the carpark. The hotel only has passengers from my plane and it’s split into five different groups. So for example, my group might get walking time from 9am til 10am. And then another hour from 7 'til 8pm. First thing every morning, ten people at a time are allowed to go for a jog. The entire perimeter of the hotel is surrounded by security fencing. There are soldiers and private security guards… and they’re sticklers for rules. We asked if we could leave a little GoPro camera at reception for one of our colleagues from the outside world to come past and collect? It would have saved us hours of work and the camera’s only the size of a lemon - it could have been disinfected with a couple of wipes. Sorry.. they said. The rules say nothing comes out. Fair enough, too. There are all sorts of little things that many of us might not think of. You can’t get any washing done until after you’ve passed your Day Three Covid-19 test. There’s no recycling, instead you just have to put your plastic and cans in a big black bag. One of the hotel managers told me that when we leave, it’ll take three days to do a deep clean of the whole building. Three days just to do the laundry from...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump may have lost the US presidency, but Jack Tame watched on in Washington, as 70 million people still voted for another four years of Trump presidency.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.