Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

If I could charge a dollar for every question I answer on talkback radio concerning spittlebugs and passionvine hoppers, I’d be retired and lying on a beach in the Bahamas – or perhaps more likely in Namibia or Amazonia, the high desert of Arizona. Characteristic patches of bubbles up (spittle) and down the stems of lavender, Coprosma and a heap of other host plants. Many of these are caused by the so-called meadow spittle bug (an exotic species from Europe. We have about 15 species in NZ - many native – few introduced ones. Most gardeners in southern regions will know these frothy bubble-houses and most gardeners think they are “disgusting”. I reckon they’re a marvel of engineering! The larval critters suck sap/fluids from the plant, excrete this through their bottom and add some glue-y excretion from a gland on the abdomen. Then they use their abdominal contractions as a “bellows” and pump air into the watery mixture, causing fine and coarse bubbles to form. Try that in the bath, next time! When you wipe away the bubble, the green-ish creature is exposed and immediately starts “repairing” it’s home – that way it will remain in a moist environment and – more importantly: hidden from predator’s view! Damage and consequences to the plants? NIL Ecosystem service: the adult froghoppers emerge with wings from that bubble, jump around the garden and usually end up as food for insectivorous birds. All good! The Passionvine hopper is a more northern sap-sucker, found Northland to Marlborough/Nelson. It can become very numerous indeed on some desirable plants, often climbers like wisteria and passionfruit vines, as well as perennials like salvia, hydrangeas, and camellias. Huge numbers can debilitate these hosts as both nymphs and adults relentlessly such phloem juices from the stems and lianes. They excrete honeydew which can cause a bout of black sooty mould deposit all over the plants. When that honeydew is splattered all over or native tutu vine in the bush, bees can pick some serious poisons, which are then incorporated in the honey produced! Very poisonous to people! In early November the nymphs hatch from their eggs. I call them fluffy bums – as their “nylon-filament tails” are prominent features. Slowly they grow larger and larger shedding skins along their journey, until they reach adulthood: moth-like insects with delta-shaped wings, showing prominent vein-markings; they, too, suck plant sap. These insects have the ability to jump quickly and far and the adult passionvine hoppers also flick and fly very smartly, avoiding the insecticides you may want to spray at them! But there is some other trick you can play right now, to control the numbers of hoppers in your garden, this summer: The babies are just hatching now and climb to new growth in the top of their host plants. On still mornings, you can simply cull their numbers by using an aerosol spray can (that emits fine mist of insecticide) and spray the tiny nymphs in a misty cloud of spray. They can jump all they like, but won’t be able to avoid contact with that aerosol in the still of the morning; those new-borns are far more susceptible to insecticide sprays than in a week or so now’s the time! LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back in 3500 BCE, the Ancient Egyptians used baking soda as a cleaning agent and to dry out bodies for the process of mummification. Also known as sodium bicarbonate, it's actually a salt. Go ahead and try it; you’ll find that it tastes like a milder version of the salt in your shaker. It is slightly alkaline (the opposite of acidic), which is key to understanding why it’s such a good cleaner. Keep your fridge smelling nice: Baking soda absorbs odors, so just leave a box of it in your fridge. That’s because most odors are acidic and, because baking soda is alkaline, it reacts with the acids in the air to neutralize them. Unclog your drains: Baking soda reacts with vinegar, and this acid-base reaction is the reason baking soda and vinegar are cleaning partners in crime. The baking soda and vinegar volcano might be a science-fair classic, but that same explosive chemical reaction can do wonders in your kitchen or bathroom. Pouring baking soda and vinegar down a drain can unclog it; slathering a baking soda paste inside your filthy oven and then splashing a little vinegar on it cuts through grease and leaves it gleaming. Use it instead of soap/jiff: It’s slightly abrasive. For some things, baking soda works better than typical soap. Although both are alkaline (not acidic), soap contains fat molecules that make it less harsh. Baking soda, on the other hand, is abrasive, which gives it the grit to dislodge particles and remove stains from a number of surfaces. Use it as a fire extinguisher: It passes gas, carbon dioxide, the same stuff you exhale. When baking soda is heated above 300°F, it releases the gas. That makes baking soda a great fire extinguisher (and the only way to put out a grease fire) because the influx of carbon dioxide cuts off the oxygen that had been fueling the fire. Use it for pest control: It’s a great nontoxic form of pest control, because when ingested by cockroaches or ants, gas builds up inside their hard-shelled bodies and causes their organs to fail. And that’s not all - it can also clean your veggies, revive stale-smelling sponges and scrub a BBQ. Recipe: Kitchen Cleaner and Deodorizer 4 tablespoons baking soda 1 litre warm water To clean kitchen counters, appliances, and the inside of your refrigerator, all you need is baking soda. "It makes a great deodorizer and can be used to shine stainless steel sinks and appliances," says Carolyn Forte, director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab. To deodorize surfaces, use the solution above or pour baking soda straight from the box and into your drain or garbage disposal to remove odors. To shine and remove spots from stainless steel, make a paste of baking soda and water. Apply it with a damp cloth and rub gently in the direction of the metal’s grain. Rinse and buff dry. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pink Icing BunsAfter the week we’ve had (all that US politics!!) I feel like we need something absolutely frivolous and fun and these cream and jam-filled finger buns do the trick!Makes 14-16Buns100mls milk50g butter1 heaped tablespoon caster sugar1 medium egg, lightly beaten2 tsps instant yeast250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting250g high grade flour175mls tepid water½ tbsp sunflower oil Icing1 ½ cup icing sugar1 tsp raspberry juice2 tbsps waterCoconut for sprinklingFilling300mls cream, whipped¼ cup raspberry jam Warm half the milk and butter together until butter is melted. Whisk in egg and sugar and remaining milk. Sprinkle over yeast and allow to sit for 5 minutes.Sift the flours into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk/yeast mixture and 100mls of the water. Stir with a wooden spoon until you have a scraggy dough, adding more water as you go, to get a soft, sticky dough. You may or may not need all of the water.Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 mins. Cover loosely with a plastic bag nd leave in a warm place for 1 hr or until the dough has doubled in size.Knock the dough back and divide into 14-16 pieces. Roll each into a finger about 12-14cm long. Transfer to 2 baking paper lined trays, spaced well apart. Cover again and leave in a warm place for 30 mins or until doubled in size.Preheat the oven to fan 180°C. Bake for 8-10 mins until lightly golden. Leave on the trays to cool completely.Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl and stir in 2 tbsp water and raspberry juice for colour. Mix to a smooth icing that’s thick but a little runny too.Spoon the icing over the fingers, sprinkle with coconut and leave to set.Split each bun and pipe in jam then whipped cream. Eat and enjoy!!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most of us know plenty about Annabel Langbein’s professional life. More than 30 cookbooks down, including the wildly successful Annabel Langbein: The Free Range Cook, her recipes are staples in Kiwi kitchens.But there’s a huge amount more to her story than that - from living as a Maoist hippie to possum trapping for a living. She’s written about her adventures - with some recipes thrown in for good measure - in a new book “Bella, my life in food”. Langbein joined Jack Tame to discuss her former wild side!LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the borders closed, Mike Yardley has been getting out and about and travelling a little closer to home, seeing what New Zealand has to offer.He joined Jack Tame to talk about his latest trip to Great Lake Taupō, exploring the mountain biking tracks, trails around Huka Falls, the Wairakei Thermal Terraces and discovering the best eats around. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roadkill: a British four-part television political thriller starring Hugh Laurie as a self-made, forceful and charismatic politician positioned in the cabinet as Minister for Transport whose public and private life seems to be falling apart – or rather is being picked apart by his enemies (TVNZ OnDemand, from 9 November).A Suitable Boy: based on the novel by Vikram Seth, A Suitable Boy is a vast, panoramic tale charting the fortunes of four large families, exploring India and its rich and varied culture at a crucial point in its history (Netflix).The South Westerlies: A lighthearted drama about a town in the south west of Ireland that is earmarked for a Norwegian-owned offshore wind farm, and the woman who is tasked by her company NorskVentus to go undercover and quash local objections (Acorn TV).LISTEN ABOVE TO TARA WARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Medsafe's medicines classification committee last month considered coronial recommendations about the sale of paracetamol made after the inquest into the death of a Dunedin student.Alannah Lee Spankie, 20, died from acute liver failure in June 2017, after the University of Otago science student took a large amount of paracetamol.Coroner David Robinson in September found that Spankie had not intended to take her own life, and recommended tighter sales restrictions be placed on drugs which can currently be bought without controls at supermarkets.The committee received 18 submissions on Robinson's recommendations before today's meeting, being held in Wellington.The National Poisons Centre, based at the University of Otago, said in advice provided to the committee that paracetamol was the most common single substance involved in cases of intentional self-poisoning, and the substance it received the most inquiries about.In the last five months of 2016 there were four cases involving people who took 30g or more of the drug, centre records showed.In 2020, up until October 12, there were 54 such cases.Dr Bryan Beatty joined Jack Tame to talk about paracetamol and what you need to know about this ongoing conversation.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Looking for a trip around the country while the borders are closed? Kevin Milne has a recommendation for you - the Northern Explorer. After he and his wife went from Auckland to Wellington, Milne told Jack Tame that it is "first class service" and there is plenty to enjoy - from the wonderful scenery through to the commentary and the food on board.However, there is one thing he noted that could make the service far more enjoyable.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Sentinel by Lee ChildJack Reacher gets off a bus in Nashville, Tennessee, in a quest for food, lodging and some good country music. But when he encounters a band of musicians who have been cheated by an unscrupulous bar owner, he steps in to help…A Time for Mercy by John GrishamClanton, Mississippi. 1990. Jake Brigance finds himself embroiled in a deeply divisive trial when the court appoints him attorney for Drew Gamble, a timid sixteen-year-old boy accused of murdering a local deputy. Many in Clanton want a swift trial and the death penalty, but Brigance digs in and discovers that there is more to the story than meets the eye. Jake’s fierce commitment to saving Drew from the gas chamber puts his career, his financial security, and the safety of his family on the line.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bruce Springsteen’s new album Letter to You released at the end of last month, he’s made history as the first artist to have a top 5 album on the Billboard 200 in six consecutive decades.Estelle Clifford’s been taking a listen, and joined Jack Tame to discuss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I Am Woman Tilda Cobham-Hervey plays Australian musician and activist icon Helen Reddy. In 1966 Reddy landed in New York with her three-year-old daughter, a suitcase and $230. Within weeks she was broke. Within five years she was a superstar, the first ever Australian Grammy Award winner, and an icon of the 1970s feminist movement.ReunionIvy is packing up an expansive old Victorian home after the recent death of her in-laws. Her husband Jack, wheelchair bound from a stroke, haunts the halls moaning and muttering incoherently.Ellie, Ivy’s estranged daughter, shows up at the front door. She has been away for years, teaching at university and now 6-months pregnant. Ellie says she has come back to be alone and finish a research book on the origins of medieval science. The mother and daughter’s initial awkward interactions gradually fall into the familiar dynamics of previous years.But the old house conjures disturbing memories for Ellie who is haunted by the ghost of her dead sister Cara. Ellie grows more erratic and confused as Ivy tries to comfort her and contain Ellie’s increasingly strange behaviours. But Ellie’s anxiety over her baby, Cara, her guilty past and the supernatural curse on her unborn baby send her over the edge. In the end, Ellie discovers horrors from her past that she never expected.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the world’s largest batteries to store renewable energy is set to be built in Victoria to help drive down power costs for Victorians.The Victorian government on Thursday announced the 300 megawatt Tesla lithium-ion battery would be installed near the Moorabool Terminal Station, just outside Geelong, and would be ready by the 2021-22 summer.Energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said it would be the largest lithium-ion battery in the southern hemisphere.She said an independent analysis had showed the battery would deliver more than $2 in benefits to Victorian households and businesses for every $1 invested.She said consumers would pay for the use of the battery through their power bills, but the reduction in wholesale energy prices delivered by the battery would mean Victorians paid less for power.The battery will help reduce wholesale prices by storing renewable energy at a time when the weather makes it plentiful and at its cheapest and then discharging it into the grid when power is needed the most, such as on a 40C day.The state government said the battery would also reserve a portion of its capacity to increase the power flow through the Victoria-New South Wales Interconnector by up to 250 megawatts to help reduce the chances of unscheduled power outages in peak summer months.Global renewable energy company Neoen will pay for the construction of the battery and for its ongoing operation and maintenance.Construction of the battery was expected to create more than 85 jobs, the state government said.Ms D’Ambrosio announced on Thursday she had directed the Australian Energy Market Operator to sign a contract with Neoen to deliver the new Tesla battery.“What we want to proof against is that lack of reliability when we’re in the middle of summer, when businesses need that power to keep running and Victorians need that power at home when they crank up their air conditioners to keep cool and to keep healthy,” she said.AusNet Services executive general manager of regulation and external affairs, Alistair Parker, said it was a “terrific idea”. AusNet will be responsible for connecting the battery into the electricity transmission network that they own and operate.“The particularly smart feature of this battery is the way it enables more capacity around the network day in, day out,” he said.Ms D’Ambrosio said the service was an 11-year contract worth $84 million, and the Victorian battery would be double the size of the one already installed at Hornsdale wind farm in South Australia.text by Jack Paynter, NCA NewswireSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A posthumous album has been released by Kiwi legend Ian Morris from Th’ Dudes. Estelle Clifford has been taking a listen. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Book reviewer Catherine Raynes has been reading Impossible: My Story by Stan Walker, and Breathless by Jennifer Niven. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Resident traveller Mike Yardley has been touring Whataroa and Okarito in South Westland.FOR SOME TIPS, LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christmas isn't always a time of joy, especially when you can't be with your loved ones. Relationships expert Steven Dromgool has some tips on managing the festive season while coping with loss. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Birds in your garden. It’s breeding time! And although you may not realise it, there are likely some species making nests and breeding in dense bushes in your garden. First the story of James Russell: he’s the scientists that works of predator control and subsequent translocations of birds to pest-free islands and restored native bush. During lockdown he decided to do some bird banding in his garden. He was keen to catch his resident fantail that would visit every late afternoon, and he did! Every late-afternoon he caught another fantail – until he realised there were 36 “resident fantails” I in his garden. Moral of story: There are far more birds in your patch than you realise! Bird-banding often reveals a lot about bird populations. I have noticed, so far: 2 blackbird nests, 1 song thrush, 2 dunnocks (hedge sparrows), at least 1 gold finches, a green finch and a few chaffinches in the dense macrocarpa hedge. I also suspect a sneaky bellbird, and am hoping that the Californian quail like my dense wind-break at the bottom of the section. Code of Conduct around nests: If you do stumble across a nest in some shrubbery, while pruning, for instance, have a quick look to see if there are any eggs or young birds in it. If so, back out and conceal the nest as much as possible. Put branches back in their position asap; that gives them privacy from prey-ing eyes of predators. Most bird species can cope with a bit of disturbance – depends on how far in the brood-cycle they are. Usually when they have young in the nest, parents will keep on feeding them. Eggs are a “rather new” investment for the parent birds and they may sometimes pull the plug on that nest. Blackbirds and thrushes are often quite touchy: I noticed that as soon as the nest has been “discovered” and their privacy is breached, the young will fledge far too early and before they can actually fly away from cats and dogs! This puts them in a much more vulnerable situation.During the breeding season, the young birds sometimes do silly things, like fly clumsily into your windows. If you find those top-gun fails sitting on the ground like a stunned mullet, carefully pick them up and put them in a dark card-board box for an hour or so. Out of the light and no interaction. No feeding, watering or handling. Keep them quiet for a while and you’ll be surprised how they recover from such a knock! If your patient is a rare/endangered bird, please contact a local vet and organise some professional hospital care. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's talk the Reserve Bank will bring back strict LVRs because the property market is so hot. If you're wanting to get in first, what do you need to consider first? Enable Me's Hannah McQueen has been giving Jack Tame some tips - and if you want to get in touch with her in person, her website is www.enable.me LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's talk the Reserve Bank will bring back strict LVRs because the property market is so hot. If you're wanting to get in first, what do you need to consider first? Enable Me's Hannah McQueen has been giving Jack Tame some tips - and if you want to get in touch with her in person, her website is www.enable.me LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where does your Uber driver go to the bathroomThere almost isn't a type of service that isn't available on-demand in the US.. getting a meal delivered, hanging a picture frame, restocking the booze cabinet, getting a lift somewhere.. but what do the estimated 55 million gig workers do if they're out and about and need to go to the bathroom? Especially in a pandemic when lots of public restrooms are closed? Now they can open Wizz. Whizz has been developed "by gig workers for gig workers" to not only help find them a restroom, but a meal too. They can use the app to get access to a nearby restaurant's bathroom and get a discount on a meal for while they're there. A win/win. Because sometimes, even if you're delivering food for a restaurant, they won't let you use their facilities! It's starting in California, with plans to go national.What recession?! Just listen to these numbers.. Alphabet's Q3 revenue was up 14% on last years. YouTube alone bought in $5 billion. Google made $46 billion in PROFIT last quarter. Amazon made $2 billion more in Q3 than it did in Q3 of last year. Net sales reached almost $100 billion. Apple's Mac division and its services division are posting record revenues, but total revenues are flat. That quarter doesn't include the usual iPhone bump due to coronavirus production delaysYahoo has launched its own Yahoo Phone It's in that wonderful Yahoo purple too and comes preloaded with all your favorite Yahoo apps. It's basically an Android phone with some Yahoo flair. It's yours for $50, but you'll also need to get a Yahoo Mobile phone plan - that's $40 a month. You might ask whyyyyyyyyy!? Well, Yahoo is now owned by Verizon a big US phone company, so it seems they really want to make the most of that IP. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.