Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Mike Yardley is a seasoned traveller.  He’s been all around the globe, experiencing nearly everything you can imagine, and as a result, is quite familiar with scams and swindlers.   He joined Jack Tame to delve into a couple of the most common scams affecting travellers – plus tips on keeping yourself safe from theft.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When thinking about punishments for crime, at least minor ones, there is often a balance between teaching someone a lesson to make sure they don’t do it again and not being so harsh that it ends up doing more harm than good. New research from the US shows a possible new pathway that might get this balance right, called Creative Punishments.   Creative punishments were made popular by a particular judge in the US who, for example, sentenced a man who didn’t pay his taxi fare to have to walk the same distance as his taxi ride.   Creative punishments are alternative forms of discipline that are designed to fit the specific nature of the crime, often by making the offender experience the consequences of their actions in a direct, meaningful way.   Other examples of creative punishments include:   A woman who threw food at a fast-food outlet employee sentenced to work at a fast-food restaurant for 60 days instead of jail.  A man caught vandalizing a public statue was sentenced to cleaning graffiti.  A young person caught stealing mail was sentenced to go and sort and deliver mail.  It has also been used in workplaces. For example, a worker who verbally abused and bullied a workmate had to go and work in a customer service department that often involved verbal altercations with the public.   The key features of creative punishments are:   The punishment involves doing something related to the harm caused.   It’s specifically matched to the crime.   And the goal is to help the person understand why their behaviour was wrong.   The research showed that the general public think creative punishments:   Are more appropriate.   Teach offenders better lessons.   Are less harsh but still effective at deterring future crimes.   Interestingly, when asked to imagine what it would be like if you were the person who committed the crime, the majority of people preferred creative punishments when given the choice.  Some parents will have experimented with these sort of natural consequences in disciplining their children e.g., for breaking a toy belonging to someone else, the child has to buy a new one for the friend out of their own money, or for constantly not cleaning up Lego, having the Lego taken away for a week.   One of the key things was that creative punishments work best when they match the nature of the crime. Random or unrelated punishments don’t have the same positive effect. Maybe it’s time for our courts to try something new!  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A bit of drama this week raised a question for Kevin Milne.  Though it turned out to be nothing serious, Kevin had a bit of a health issue in the middle of the night. He convinced his wife to put off calling an ambulance, in case it came right, but he’s now pondering the question: should you always call one immediately?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rents are on the decline and housing is becoming increasingly affordable – but is the property market crashing?  Ed McKnight joined Jack Tame to look at some of the biggest property crashes in world history, and how they compare to New Zealand’s current property market.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for 27th of September 2025, as one third of The Police, Stewart Copeland has played at some of New Zealand’s and the world’s biggest venues, and he tells Jack about his experiences in the music industry.  Jack is drawing a line with Apple after the release of a new product.  Nici Wickes has a snappy recipe for cheap and easy fish tacos.  Plus, Paul Stenhouse tells Jack new details about the TikTok deal between China and the US, and whether other nations will opt to take the US version.  Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Habits of High Performers by James Laughlin   In Habits of High Performers, renowned strategist, mental skills coach, and award-winning podcaster James Laughlin uncovers the seven musts of a high-performing life.  This collection of principles is a game-changer for anyone wanting to earn more, be healthier, grow, or the best at what they do.  Habits of High Performers will show you that high performance is hormonal and plays a massive role in your ability to perform at your best. Cortisol, dopamine, and oxytocin all influence how we handle stress, stay motivated, and build connections. This book will also show you that high performers focus on their strengths, take their MEDs, supercharge their belief systems, understand that desire is to a result what fuel is to a fire, and when your why is clear, your how is easy.  Habits of High Performers is a roadmap for everyday people to achieve extraordinary things.     The Secrets of Secrets by Dan Brown   Accompanying celebrated academic, Katherine Solomon, to a lecture she’s been invited to give in Prague, Robert Langdon’s world spirals out of control when she disappears without trace from their hotel room. Far from home and well out of his comfort zone, Langdon must pit his wits against forces unknown to recover the woman he loves.  But Prague is an old and dangerous city, steeped in folklore and mystery. For over two thousand years, the tides of history have washed back and forth over it, leaving behind echoes of everything that has gone before. Little can Langdon know that he is being stalked by a spectre from that dark past. He must use all of his arcane knowledge to decipher the world around him before he too is consumed by the rings of treachery and deception that have swallowed Katherine.  Against a backdrop of vast castles, towering churches, graveyards buried twelve deep and labyrinthine underground passages, Langdon must navigate a shadow city hiding in plain sight, a city which has successfully kept its secrets for centuries and will not readily deliver them. This is a battlefield unlike any he has previously experienced, one on which he must fight not for his only life, but for the future of humanity itself.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In case you are trying to call me on the phone in the next few weeks... sorry, leave a message!   I’ve just come back after a week on an offshore Island in the Marlborough Sounds – its name is Maud Island (Te Pākeka).  One of those wonderful closed Island Reserves, managed by the Department of Conservation. All sorts of pretty special birds and native frogs, as well as rare insects of course.   And in the water, all sorts of marine beauties, such as colourful hermit crabs.   These critters move into an empty snail shell to protect themselves from being eaten by predators, live in front of your eyes!    But this wasn’t just a jolly trip to Paradise, it was a lot more important than just a field trip.   DOC organises overnight trips for local school kids in the Marlborough Region. A dozen or so board a boat late morning and end up walking around the island with some DOC rangers, my friend Richard, and myself. And the stuff we come across is literally part of their environmental curriculum that will stick inside their brains for decades to come.   Seeing these students live locally, these 24 hour education experiences are likely to be beneficial for the young locals of the future. This was teaching time for students! Wouldn’t it be a great idea to have these kinds of amazing encounters for all of our kids (so they learn about the Operations Manual of Planet Earth)?  One of the cool things you can do with kids on an environmental trip away, is putting on a bright light at night – especially lights with some Mercury Vapour emissions that attract the moths, beetles, flies, and all the nocturnal flying invertebrates on a nice dark night. The numbers of species can be significant, and the stories always come down to the question: “What do these creatures do, out here in the night? What’s their job? What is the ecosystem service?”  The research is brilliant work for teachers and the kids – it never ends!   The next few weeks (in the school holidays) it’s the teachers turn. The Sir Peter Blake Trust tackles a lot of environmental education in the form of virtual reality sessions whereby kids (and teachers) see the marine creatures through 3-dimensional masks, as well as the quality of our coastlines – or the not so beautiful areas destroyed by pollution and kina barrens.   Gathering plankton and magnifying the incredible life. Visiting Campbells Bay rock pools, Stardome Observatory, getting into Matauranga Māori and spending a day at Tawharanui in the most wonderful forest track with rare birds, orchids and Kiwi. The whole idea is to create nature literate teachers who create cohort after cohort of nature literate kids – a key part of our Education to restore our Country and its Ecology.   And you know what? I love the way we’re going!  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're learning more about how the TikTok deal will look and just how much money will flow back to China This isn't going to be just an ownership play, which largely explains why US Vice President JD Vance said the price tag for the sale would be about $14 billion – far below the $35-$40 billion estimate analysts had expected. They will have an ownership stake, but that's in addition to licensing fees and profit sharing.  This group of investors is said to include names like Rupert Murdoch and Michell Dell, as well as Oracle who currently host TikTok's US data. Between the two, it's estimated about half the profits of TikTok US will go back to ByteDance.  Critics will say the law doesn't allow for "cooperation", while those in favour will focus on the "operation of" part of the language.    Will other nations opt to take the US version?   In Australia this is the question on the table. Liberal senator James Paterson is suggesting that if the deal went ahead, then Australia should move to the US version of the app.   Ad-free Facebook and Instagram is coming to the UK   Paid versions of Facebook and Instagram in the UK will remove advertising from both platforms. Users will be given the choice to pay £3-£4 a month to access ad-free versions of either service. The UK's privacy watchdog, the Information Commissioner's Office, "welcomed" the new model, saying it moves Meta away from targeting users with ads as part of the standard terms and conditions. Based on that price point, it means we're each worth about $65 USD a year to Meta – around $110 NZD a year.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I Fought the Law  Determined to overturn double jeopardy, Ann takes her fight to the Home Secretary and the House of Lords. The law is eventually repealed, and Julie's killer is finally convicted of murder and given a life sentence at the retrial (TVNZ1 and TVNZ+, from Sunday).     Wayward   A small-town cop suspects that the local school for troubled teens and its dangerously charismatic founder may not be all it seems (Netflix).     House of Guinness   In 1868, the Guinness family patriarch is dead in Dublin; his four children, each with dark secrets to hide, hold the brewery's fate in their hands (Netflix).    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tacos are a great way to get more vegetables into your diet and they’re quite cheap to make as the fish goes a long way!   Makes 6 tacos – enough for 2-3 people     Ingredients   100-150g gurnard, cut into three pieces (can use any fish really)   ½ tsp sea salt   2 tbsp flour   1 tsp cumin seeds   1 tsp each butter and oil   6 small corn or flour tortillas   Guacamole   1 avocado   A small handful of fresh coriander   Lemon or lime juice   Chilli (fresh or flakes) to taste   Salt and pepper to taste   To serve   1 cup shredded lettuce (or cabbage, spinach, or grated carrot)   1 tomato, diced (leave out if not in season)   Fresh coriander   Hot sauce   A squeeze of lemon or lime juice     Method  Dust the fish pieces in sea salt, then in the flour and finally in the cumin seeds. Fry with oil and butter in a pan over medium heat.   While the fish cooks, warm each tortilla in a dry pan. I do them in a stack and keep rotating and turning them, so they all get well warmed through.   To make the guacamole, smoosh together (in a blender or by hand) the avocado, coriander, lemon or lime juice, chilli, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Thin with a little cold water, if you like, to get a smooth purée.   To serve, smear each tortilla with guacamole, top with lettuce, then fish pieces, tomato, fresh coriander, and hot sauce. Squeeze over some lime juice. Fold and EAT!    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister   Chronicling Jacinda Ardern's tenure as New Zealand PM, navigating crises while redefining global leadership through her empathetic yet resolute approach.    Holy Cow  After the tragic death of his father, 18-year-old Totone must look after his younger sister and their failing family farm. He assumes even more responsibility when he enters a cash competition for the best Comté cheese made in the western part of the French Alps.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I make no bones about it – I'm a bit of an Apple yuppy.    I was hooked at a critical time. Travelling across the US as a one-man tv-news-making band, I often found myself in seat 32B on a cut-price red-eye flight, totally dependent on a laptop with sufficient grunt to edit HD video for hours at a time, and sufficient durability so that when it got knocked about in the overhead locker, the casing would remain in one piece.   And the way these companies work is that the moment you rely on them for one thing, they get their claws out and squeeze you ever closer. I went from being a MacBook user, to an iPhone user, to an iPad user, to an AirPod user, to an iCloud subscriber, too. I’m more or less trapped within the system now. Locked into paying Apple every month until I leave this mortal world.  But finally, I think I’m drawing the line.  Apple has just released its latest Apple Watch and finally caught up to much of the smart device competition by giving users a daily sleep score.  The idea is that you wear your watch to bed. It measures your heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, temperature, and your movement. It records what time you go down, the number of disturbances you have, your various sleep cycles, and how much time you ultimately spend between the sheets.  And then, 1-100, it gives you a score.    Of course, you can be smart scored on all manner of things in life, these days. You can get a smart toothbrush that’ll connect to an app on your phone and give you personalised feedback on your brushing technique. Breezed over a lower molar too quickly? That’ll affect your score.  You can get a smart razor that’ll do the same thing. Pushed a bit hard on a tricky chin dimple? Stiff cheese. That’ll affect your score.  You can buy a smart water bottle that’ll score your hydration. You can be scored on your light exposure and your posture. Apparently if you’re really curious, there’s even a market in devices that’ll score individual sexual wellbeing. Just maybe don’t Google them at work.  But to me, at least, there’s a fundamental contradiction at the heart of the sleep score concept. If I’m having a bad night’s sleep, few things are guaranteed to make it worse than knowing I’m being assessed. I’d get anxious. I’d stress out, toss and turn, flip my pillow back and forth. And for what? Just to read a number in the morning that tells me what I already know.  I don’t need a smart watch or a special ring to know I’ve had a bad night’s sleep. I know because I feel bad. So I should’ve gone to bed earlier or shouldn’t have had that late afternoon coffee? I should’ve turned off those other screens and devices earlier? Thank you, but instead of looking up a score I’ll look in the mirror instead.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kaylee Bell is one of the most accomplished voices in the New Zealand country music scene.  She’s not only the most streamed female country musician in Australasia, but has a Country Music Award for Global Country Artist to her name.  ‘Cowboy Up’, Bell’s new album, releases next week – an album she made in the midst of being pregnant.  “This record was particularly fun to make,” she told Newstalk ZB’s Jack Tame.  “I was about 34 weeks pregnant when my producer flew out from Nashville .... to bring a bit of Nashville to New Zealand to make the record.”  Previously the record making process was hectic, but ‘Cowboy Up’ came about more collaboratively, created slowly in a studio at home.  “I was like, this is how I want to make my records now,” Bell told Tame.  “It just felt like such a wholesome way to make a record.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The last few years have been filled with highs and lows for Tami Neilson, but out of the emotional rollercoaster comes ‘Neon Cowgirl’.   It represents Neilson’s lifelong dream of chasing Nashville and country music – a love letter to the literal Neon Cowgirl in downtown Nashville that watched Neilson grow up and chase her dreams.  Music reviewer James Irwin isn’t the biggest fan of country, but this album might change his mind. He joined Jack Tame to give his thoughts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin met up with more than just family on his trip to London, meeting some interesting personalities with fascinating connections.  Highlights include a mate of one of his sons who works in television over in the UK, working on the likes of ‘James May and the Dull Men’.   And his wife Linda met singer Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters, a friend of their other son.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been an extraordinary week in Nepal – going from protests and revolution to a new government and peace in a flash.  Mike Yardley arrived in Kathmandu a few days into the upheaval and can assure that he’s had no issues during his time in the area.   He joined Jack Tame to delve into what his experience has been like and the highlights of his trip.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin   You are cordially invited to the Secret Book Society…   London, 1895: Trapped by oppressive marriages and societal expectations, three women receive a mysterious invitation to an afternoon tea at the home of the reclusive Lady Duxbury. Beneath the genteel facade of the gathering lies a secret book club—a sanctuary where they can discover freedom, sisterhood, and the courage to rewrite their stories.   Eleanor Clarke, a devoted mother suffocating under the tyranny of her husband. Rose Wharton, a transplanted American dollar princess struggling to fit the mold of an aristocratic wife. Lavinia Cavendish, an artistic young woman haunted by a dangerous family secret. All are drawn to the enigmatic Lady Duxbury, a thrice-widowed countess whose husbands’ untimely deaths have sparked whispers of murder.   As the women form deep, heartwarming friendships, they uncover secrets about their marriages, their pasts, and the risks they face. Their courage is their only weapon in the oppressive world that has kept them silent, but when secrets are deadly, one misstep could cost them everything.     Clown Town by Mick Herron   Spies lie. They betray. It's what they do.  Slow horse River Cartwright is waiting to be passed fit for work. With time to kill, and with his grandfather - a legendary former spy - long dead, River investigates the secrets of the old man's library, and a mysteriously missing book.  Regent's Park's First Desk, Diana Taverner, doesn't appreciate threats. So when those involved in a covert operation during the height of the Troubles threaten to expose the ugly side of state security, Taverner turns blackmail into opportunity.  Over at Slough House, the repository for failed spies, Catherine Standish just wants everyone to play nice. But as far as Jackson Lamb is concerned, the slow horses should all be at their desks.  Because when Taverner starts plotting mischief people get hurt, and Lamb has no plans to send in the clowns. On the other hand, if the clowns ignore his instructions and fool around, any harm that befalls them is hardly his fault.  But they're his clowns. And if they don't all come home, there'll be a reckoning.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 20 September 2025, it's a country music takeover as rising global star Kaylee Bell joins Jack in studio to celebrate her upcoming ‘Cowboy Up’ album release and perform a brand new track.  Plus, music aficionado James Irwin highlights the latest release from Tami Neilson.  Dr Bryan Betty discusses the importance of Blue September.  And Nici Wickes celebrates NZ-grown with a mouthwatering Peach and Vanilla Custard Slice recipe.  Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It can be difficult for people to live sustainably – but what about animals? Is it possible to own a pet and still be sustainable?   Kate Hall tackles the question, offering up a few pieces of advice for pet care that takes sustainability into question.  Choosing pet food: consider brands using by-products or sustainable protein sources (like Feed My Fur Baby).  Compostable poo bags (plus a reusable system I used to have for my dog that involves a little glass jar!) or training cats with eco-friendly/paper litter.   Buy second-hand pet gear where possible (toys, beds, crates). There is SO much out there.   Think about your pet’s impact on local wildlife (especially cats and dogs around native species).   Considering if you truly have a lifestyle that will mean the animal will thrive - most people have apartment spaces, so a dog share situation could work better.   Pets bring joy and small choices in how we care for them can make a big difference.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Its Blue September – New Zealand’s Prostate Cancer Awareness month. We’ve talked about it in the past, however it’s good to remind all the men out there of the importance of the prostate.       Why is Blue September important?   It’s a campaign promoting awareness around prostate cancer.   Raises money for Prostate Cancer Foundation.  Its key focus is to make you think about prostate cancer and talk about it with your GP.   Some key reasons to think about prostate cancer:   4000 men are diagnosed per year – it's the most common cancer for men in New Zealand.  1 in 8 men will develop it over a lifetime.   More than 600 men die from prostate cancer each year.   Early detection often means early treatment.   Most cases occur to those over the age of 60.       What does the prostate do and what do we need to look out for?   The prostate is the size of a walnut and sits at the outlet to the bladder.   It produces fluid for sperm.   Naturally increases in size as get older, which is normal. However, cancer can sometimes develop inside the prostate.   If it enlarges, the prostate can block the entrance to bladder casing, which can result in:  Passing urine a lot.   Getting up at night to pass urine.   Feeling the sudden need to go to the toilet.   A weak urine stream   Any symptoms or change in passing urine, you need to see your GP for check-up.   It often involves a prostate blood test (PSA), sometimes a rectal exam, and maybe a urine check.   High PSA can indicate the need for further tests to exclude prostate cancer.       Should we get a regular prostate check if we have no symptoms?   From the age of 50 it is something you should discuss with your GP.   There is no national screening program so it is an individual decision – many men will choose to have a blood test from the age of 50.   Presently there is no firm evidence that a national screening program saves lives.   However, a big study is happening in Europe to see if it should be done.   Many doctors do recommend check-ups from the age of 50.   If you are concerned or reached the age of 50, please discuss a prostate check with your GP.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here we go – it’s spring and people wake up to some troubles with their lawns.  Starlings dig their beaks into the soil and cause “holes” everywhere – some dunnocks (hedge sparrows) follow the starling’s idea.  Grass grubs have always been a “problem” in NZ gardens and lawns. C-shaped grubs that live underground, feeding on roots of grasses and other plants/shrubs.   There are a number of species in the Beetle Family Scarabeidae (scarab beetles) but the native grass grub, Costelytra zealandica, has always been in New Zealand. Its traditional habitat and host plants were native grasses, such as tussocks, and they occur at quite high altitudes.   There is no doubt that these beetles considered the new high-nutrient imported grasses as ice-cream, especially when we started planting whole paddocks full of that stuff!  With all those birds, your lawn becomes a lot more biodiverse – personally, I love that!  Mosses grow as the pH lowers; they are miniature forests in which an enormous range of caterpillars, millipedes, beetles, and flies as well as mites and predators, parasites, and other beneficial critters do their brilliant jobs. Moss in lawns is not really a “problem”.  For those people that want to “restore” their lawn, the best time to “sow” a new lawn (after totally spraying the old grasses and weeds, leaving nothing but a bare soil) is autumn. Of course, you can also get yourself a series of rolled-up turf mats (ready-lawn) or, as I noticed some school principals prefer, create an “all weather” playing field from artificial grass – spare me!  You’ve got it, I really am not impressed with perfect lawns – few ecosystem services, very low biodiversity and far too “sustainable” (to use a much over-used marketing term).  A lawn can have flowers and lots of perennials, a place where you can walk from one end of the garden to the other, a pathway, mowed to low growing and easy to maintain – the kids can play there and birds graze the grubs from under the roots.   It certainly should not be a monoculture of grass plants trimmed to an inch of their life and meticulously cut along the edges.  Imagine a lawn with heaps of flowers, and all you have to do is mow a meandering track through it all.  Other troubles: homeowners let their dogs use the backyard as their own personal toilet. Often after a winter of such potty practice, when the snow melts, you’ll often find your lawn speckled with unsightly yellow patches.   What causes these patches? Dog urine contains a variety of nitrogen compounds. Too much nitrogen will burn the grass and create yellow patches. But appropriate concentrations of nitrogen can actually be beneficial to the lawn, which is why you’ll often see rings of thick dark green grass around the yellow patches. This makes sense since the main ingredient in lawn fertilizer is nitrogen.   The concentration of nitrogen in the dog’s urine depends on the type of dog, its sex, and what the animal eats. Larger dogs will pee more and cause more damage. Female dogs also tend to cause more damage than males because they squat and urinate in one concentrated patch whereas the males spray their urine over a larger area. Diets high in protein can increase the concentration of nitrogen in the urine since protein breaks down to release nitrogen compounds.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump's expected shakeup of the tech job market   Bloomberg is reporting that President Trump is looking to slap a $100,000 fee on the visa popular with tech firms to access top international talent. The White House claims the visa is being used to undercut American workers and give too many high paying jobs to people from overseas.   There are 85,000 of these visas available each year and many end up going to the top tech companies, but there is abuse of the system by outsourcing and staffing companies flooding the lottery with duplicate candidates.     Jack Tame's desire for one Apple operating system to rule them all is a step closer   Having used the latest OS 26 across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, it's clear Apple is converging the design patterns. It feels like we're now just one step away from having a single OS across all devices. On iPad, the multi-tasking is much, much more MacBook like.     Meta had an absolute demo fail live on stage while showing off their AI glasses   They were trying to show how their AI agent could help you while cooking —it could see the ingredients and help you step by step— but it didn't go to plan. It kept responding with things it wasn't being asked for and the poor 'content creator' paid to do the demo got flustered and blamed the WiFi.   It wasn't the WiFi, but reason was kind of amusing – when the demo asked "Live AI" to do a thing, every device in the room heard it and all tried to respond at the same time. And worse, because they were all connected to the same internet, all their requests went to the same special demo server only expecting to deal with ONE device. Face palm.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Black Rabbit  A rising-star restaurateur is forced into New York's criminal underworld when his chaotic brother returns to town with loan sharks on his trail (Netflix).    Tangata Pai  Five lives collide during a land occupation - an activist musician, a conflicted cop, a grieving nurse, a struggling father, and a torn politician (ThreeNow).    Boyzone: Life, Death and Boybands  30 years ago five lads from Dublin took the world by storm. The remaining members of Boyzone reflect on their accelerated journey to fame - how it affected the trajectory of their lives, relationships, mental health, and the pop music industry as a whole (TVNZ+).    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Splitsville   When his wife asks for a divorce, a man runs to his friends for support, only to learn that the secret to their happiness is an open marriage.      Swiped   Whitney Wolfe Herd breaks into the male-dominated tech industry by launching two innovative dating apps, making her the world's youngest self-made female billionaire.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In spring I start to get impatient for those gorgeous summer fruit. It’s then that I’ll resort to using tinned fruit, and New Zealand peaches are some of the best you can get.   Makes 20x30cm tray     Ingredients   200g butter   1 cup sugar   1 egg   1 tsp vanilla   2 cups plain flour + extra 1 tbsp   2 tsp baking powder   1 can tinned NZ peaches, drained and fruit chopped   1/3 cup sour cream     Method  Preheat oven to 175 C. Line a Swiss roll tin.   Cream the butter and sugar and then beat in the egg and vanilla. Mix in 2 cups flour and the baking powder and press all but ½ cup of the mixture into tin.   Scatter the chopped peaches over the base. Add the extra tablespoon of flour to the remaining dough and mix together. Strew this over the fruit and dab teaspoons of sour cream over the top.   Bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden.   Leave to cool and slice either into fingers or squares.   Serve warm as a dessert with whipped cream or ice cream or keep airtight in fridge and eat as a slice.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the years I lived in New York, I always had visiting Kiwis crashing on my couch. And more often than not, when they came to town and were listing off the things they wanted to do in the Big Apple, they’d make it a priority to try and get into the audience at one of late shows.    I went to Letterman and Colbert. I actually bumped into Jimmy Fallon at his studio when I interviewed the leader of his band for this show.     Back then, just a decade ago, late night hosts were more than mega-stars. Their shows were institutions. Even with social media, it felt like their programmes or versions of them were set to exist in some form for decades to come.    How quickly things change.    I really love the US, but Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension feels like another little moment in which we are watching a superpower destroy itself in real time.    To be clear, I’m not a huge fan of Jimmy Kimmel. He’s fine I guess, but I wouldn’t seek him out. I thought his comments about Charlie Kirk’s assassination were pretty distasteful. But they were flippant, passing comments, that were clearly the opinion of a comedian. And to see the head of the Federal Communications Commission react by threatening broadcasters for airing Kimmel’s show was extraordinary.    “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” he said. Yeesh.   First, there’s the hypocrisy. It’s only a few months since Vice-President JD Vance told the Munich Security Conference this:   “I believe that dismissing people, dismissing their concerns or, worse yet, shutting down media… protects nothing. In fact, it is the most sure-fire way to destroy democracy.” Interesting. Now his government agency is threatening to remove the broadcasting licenses of companies who broadcast views they don’t like. ‘Cos nothing honours the memory of a proud free speech advocate who was literally murdered while speaking, by actively suppressing, limiting, and punishing the speech of his critics.    Perhaps even more remarkable is the way in which these media companies are routinely capitulating.    On multiple occasions now, big corporates have wilted under pressure in order to try and curry favour with the President and protect their business interests. Paramount and CBS capitulated with his 60 Minutes complaint. Just two weeks later, they fired Stephen Colbert, the best comedian on late night and a frequent brutal critic of the President. And for now, at least, Kimmel is gone too.  It’s interesting to compare the ways in which media companies have dealt with pressure from the White House and the ways other countries have dealt with the US tariffs. It’s pretty similar. Instead of organising a collective response, grouping together with a collective resistance to the pressure, the big acronyms, the likes of CBS and ABC are acting in what they think is their own self-interest. They cut a deal and try to move on. Whether they’re international leaders or media executives, everyone is stooping to kiss the ring. But is there any evidence it works? If you give a bully your lunch money, does he leave you alone thereafter? Or does he come back for more? They think it’s in their self-interest to acquiesce, but one capitulation leads to another, and another... it snowballs, and before you know it, the President of the United States is deciding which comedians are allowed on TV.  He now says some networks that are critical of him should have their licenses taken away. Like everything, it’s hard to know it it’s a serious idea. But the mere suggestion is so profoundly un-democratic, so profoundly un-American. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elizabeth Knox is one of the country’s most esteemed authors, known best for her novels ‘Vintner’s Luck’ and ‘The Absolute Book’.  She’s also a dab hand at essay collections and young adult stories, though it had been over a decade since she last wrote for a younger audience.  That changed with the release of ‘Kings of this World’, a young adult novel focused on the sole survivor of a cult massacre.   The book is a long time coming, Knox having written it over the span of several years.  “I had the bad habit of writing several books at the same time,” she told Newstalk ZB’s Jack Tame.  “I developed the strategy when I had a lot of distractions in my life, and I decided to distract myself, so I had some power over that.”  “And then I came out of it and thought I'd solved the problem and could always keep doing that, but no,” she told Tame.  “Bad habit.”   Writing young adult fiction is not dissimilar to writing for adults, but there is one central principle Knox abides by when writing for younger audiences.  “You can’t deprive the readers of hope,” she explained.  “With that in mind, I was able to write a, you know, pretty scary thriller, and I don’t think that young readers need to be defended from suspense and fear and things like that.”   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed Sheeran has released his eighth studio album: ‘Play’. It’s the first of a new series of themed albums, with titles based on electronic media buttons – ‘Pause’, ‘Fast Forward’, ‘Rewind’, and ‘Stop’ set to follow.  Although there’s plenty of new influences and stylistic changes, with traditional Indian percussion, Hindi and Punjabi vocals, and a guest appearance from Bengali singer Arijit Singh, the core of Ed Sheeran’s musical style is clear.   Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to give her thoughts on the album.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having arrived home from holiday a short few weeks ago, Kevin Milne's recent travel experiences are still fresh in his mind.  Every time you travel, you learn something new, and this time around he learned that there’s a better way to book your flights.  He joined Jack Tame to pass on the tips and tricks he learned.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Magical, golden, and steeped in mystique, “The City of a Hundred Spires’ is one of my favourite European capitals. Prague lays on a smorgasbord of stunning architecture, from Gothic, Renaissance and baroque to neoclassical and cubist. Unshackled from the claws of Communism, the capital of the Czech Republic’s rock-solid status as a powerhouse tourist destination continues to shine." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Vanishing Place by Zoe Rankin    A child who ran from the forest. A woman who must return to it  Growing up with her younger siblings in the unforgiving New Zealand bush, Effie believed their parents had cut them off from civilization because they loved Nature. She never suspected that their reasons might be more menacing. After witnessing a terrifying episode of violence, she escaped the wilderness to forge a life for herself halfway across the globe.  Now, when she learns the only witness to a murder is a little girl who looks just like her, Effie is compelled to return to the scene of her troubled childhood, where the secrets of her upbringing and the terrors of her past come rushing back to the surface. In order to find out once and for all what became of her family—and possibly help this mysterious girl who could be her younger self—Effie must face her greatest fears once more.     Become Unstoppable by Gilbert Enoka   In a career spanning almost three decades, visionary psychological coach, Gilbert Enoka, changed the way the All Blacks played their game. With a 77% winning record in test match rugby, the highest of any professional sports team, they are the only international team to have a winning record against every opponent. That is only possible because they leave no part of their preparation to chance. Their winning mindset and resilience are as important as the physical training and Gilbert Enoka was their secret weapon.  For the first time, Gilbert distils his essential lessons to building unshakeable staying power – particularly at times of high pressure where others would crumble – creating a winning team mentality – and leaving things better than how you found them so that we can all learn the All Blacks way. Discover how to build a winning culture, hone your leadership to inspire your team in times of need and establish iconic rules for performance that will become your competitive advantage for years to come.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wondered why you can’t stick to an exercise routine or why you hate the gym when everyone else seems to love it? You could be doing the wrong type of exercise for your personality type.   A recent UK study looked at how personality types could predict how enjoyable people find different exercise routines and who can stick to them.  Dr Dougal Sutherland joined Jack Tame to discuss the research.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Typical time of the year – we need to get on with Gardening in many different parts of the garden!   My tunnel house has to be prepared for spring and summer: the plastic cover is absolutely dirty and covered with algae and grime. That means that the sunlight is reduced, and plants will struggle to get into photosynthesis.   I usually grab my Wet-and-Forget Rapid to weaken the winter load of moss, mould, and grime so everything will brighten up and grow some decent crops, plants, and flowers.  The next step – equally important!   Order the seeds, bulbs, or cuttings you are wanting to plant. Not just in the glass house or tunnel house, but anywhere in the borders, along the paths, in raised beds, or simply in indoor pots, terracotta, or ceramic beauties.  Everything will now develop to a great, young plant, ready for trans-location to your garden. Remember, the best growth is between now and Christmas!   While you’re organising the new plants from your favourite supplier, it pays to consider getting some useful Seed Raising Mix.   I reckon that stuff is important to get the seeds growing marvellously. Not just quicker but also providing the right fertilisers to produce strong plants that utilise the N, P, and K for the future months.   When the plants are a lot bigger, you can always start playing with the phosphorus (root growth) and Potash (to stimulate flowering and fruiting) and Nitrogen (to get healthy leaves).  One of the things I often forget is the hedges: pruning them is generally a pain in the proverbial, but to be honest, the more you prune the hedges, the denser they’ll become!    We are now already a week or so too late for the first pruning (late August is great!), with a second one in October and the third in December. Every trim creates lots of new buds – hence the density in the long run.  And then there is the last opportunity to prune some trees. While some of the “late-comers” are still without leaves, it allows you to prune them efficiently; you can see where all the branches are, so you can shape them the way you want. A decent pruning job will also create new buds lower down the tree – you can then decide how high you want that tree to grow and how dense it will be in your garden.   The more you prune, the more “end-buds” you create – and that means that you can shape the tree exactly the way you like it.   To be honest: this part of September is ridiculously busy, which means that I have spent far too much time writing all these notes...   Gotta get on with it NOW.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 13 September 2025, legendary Kiwi author Elizabeth Knox joins Jack to discuss how to approach complex subjects with young readers and what drew her back to young adult fiction after 12 years away.  Waste not, want not... Nici Wickes has two recipe ideas for those leek tops that seem to sit around before being thrown away.  Francesca Rudkin dishes on the final ever instalment of the Downton Abbey franchise.  And Estelle Clifford discusses Ed Sheeran's super stardom and chameleon adaptability.  Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wine: Tiki Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Rosé 2024, North Canterbury RRP from $26.00   A distinctive colour with hues of orange and red that leads to a bouquet of ripeness and freshness, complexity and style. A sense of site with stone and mineral then red tea and roses, raspberry along with some tropical fruit ideas. A satin touch with a backbone of acidity and red berry fruit flavours. The wine has no tannins yet plenty of mouthfeel and crunch. Well made with best drinking from 2025 through 2027.   The season:   2024 was an excellent season for the vineyard overall in Central Otago. It was the only region in NZ with an above average yield, all the winemakers I spoke to were very happy, just hoping the sell as much wine as possible.   The food:   Rosé works remarkably well as a complement to most fare, some specific dishes that suit rosé well include: cheese boards that include lots of fruit like figs and fresh apricots, strawberries and plum sections; Minestrone soup; Poached flaky white fish dressed with butter and capers, or Christmas Day champagne ham.   Please don’t overchill Rosé – best serving temperature should be 10 – 12 Celsius    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new iPhone to add to the mix: the iPhone Air.   Is it really the thinnest iPhone? The body is, but not the camera area!   The announcement that caught my eye: eSIM is now the standard. It makes it much easier to change providers or grab a data plan when you're overseas. There's no need to try and track down a packet and remember where you put your old SIM card, you can subscribe fully digitally and be connected in seconds.     Spotify's music quality is stepping up   And they won't be charging you extra for the improvement, which is nice. It's rolling out to 50 markets around the world and New Zealand is on the list. Spotify says subscribers should receive a notification in the app as lossless becomes available, but you will need to manually select it in your settings. This has been a LONG time coming. In 2021, Spotify claimed it was “coming later this year”, and by May of 2024 it was “almost ready.”     Specialist AI Agents are coming to Microsoft's Copilot AI offering   The Sales, Service and Finance Agents will be part of the general Copilot offering, instead of being their own subscriptions. It'll mean you effectively get free access to them instead of needing an extra subscription, which Microsoft hopes will simplify things for businesses.   The finance agent for example can now integrate with your enterprise resource planning (ERP) tool, like SAP, and bring that data directly into Copilot, Excel, and Outlook to help finance teams manage tasks and gain faster insights. So you could draft an email to a client requesting payment and it'll grab the data direct from your system.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Task   An FBI agent heads a Task Force to put an end to a string of violent robberies led by an unsuspecting family man (Neon).    The Girlfriend  Laura's picture-perfect life starts to unravel when her son brings home a new girlfriend named Cherry; she becomes convinced that Cherry is a manipulative social climber -- or is she just being paranoid? (Prime Video)    New Zealand’s Best Homes with Phil Spencer    Property expert Phil Spencer showcases some of New Zealand's most stunning homes and gives a glimpse into the lifestyles they have to offer (TVNZ1 + TVNZ+ from Sunday night).    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale  A final hurrah for the stately saga. In the summer of 1930, the Crawleys grapple with the threat of social disgrace when Mary finds herself at the centre of a public scandal and the family faces financial trouble.      Sketch   Fantastical creatures come to life when a young girl's sketchbook falls into a strange pond. As the town starts to unravel, she and her brother try to track down the unpredictable, chaotic and real monsters before they cause permanent damage. Racing against time to find them, their father must navigate a community in crisis to reunite his family and stop the disaster they never meant to unleash.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the price of food we can’t afford to waste even a bit! Leeks are fat right now and if you’re someone who discards a lot of the green part, listen up. Here’s some fab ways to use them.          Crispy Leek Topping    Thinly slice the green leek tops. Rinse in a bowl of cold water to get any dirt out. Transfer to a towel and pat dry.     Heat a pan to medium, then add in 1 tbsp each of butter and oil. Shallow fry until slightly browned and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. You could add some thyme or tarragon towards the end of cooking. Transfer to a plate and season with salt and pepper.    Use as topper for fish, risotto, salads or cool completely and stir into softened butter to butter crusty bread with.         Softened Leek Compote     Chop green part of leek into 1-2 cm lengths.     Melt 3 tbsp butter plus 1 tbsp of oil in pan. Add the leeks, cover and cook on medium for 20 minutes.   Add in a crushed garlic clove, zest from half a lemon, a splash of white wine and ½ tsp sea salt and pepper. Continue cooking for 15-20 more minutes or until the leeks are meltingly soft. Season to taste.     Stir through pasta along with a handful of grated parmesan, serve on toast (maybe add a dollop of sour cream), smear over a pizza base and top with bacon and cheese for a ‘blanc pizza’, or loosen with some hot stock and treat as you would a soup.         Other uses:     Add them to a cheesy quiche / tart.    Omelettes love leeks.    Saute with mushrooms.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tell you what, when I saw the latest migration statistics this week and the net 47,000 New Zealand citizens who’d decided to move overseas in the last year, I had an instantaneous reaction.   You sure about that? I wondered. I know our economy isn’t exactly thriving, but have you checked any news headlines lately?   Israel had just bombed Qatar. Russian drones were being shot down in Poland. The British government was in disarray. Charlie Kirk had just been assassinated.    Put it this way: a sustained economic malaise isn’t half as bad as some of the other problems facing the world right now.    You know how when there’s a really big news event it’s all anyone wants to talk about? As terrible a week as it’s been for the world, it’s been even worse on social media. A great week, nay, a vintage week for bad takes.  Tom Phillips is a prime example. To think, even for a moment, that a man who’s been using his children in armed robberies, who’s deprived them of any outside social connections or formal education, who’s kept them in horrible, cold, dirty conditions and then ultimately exposed them to a Police shootout, to think that guy is misunderstood or is some kind of hero shows our species perhaps isn’t as developed as we’d all like to think.  The Charlie Kirk assassination social media fallout was maybe even worse. His death really affected me. I’ve been following Charlie Kirk for years. I saw him speak in person when he first came to significant prominence at the Republican Convention in 2016. His assassination has been one of those moments in which it feels like we’re watching a global superpower decline in real time. The video was everywhere, multiple angles of a father being shot in the throat in front of his family, reposted, retweeted, re-upped. The algorithm feeding a bloodlust. And then the profound division. Incredible bad faith takes on both sides of a political and cultural chasm. People openly celebrating his murder, others neglecting the ways in which they have excused, minimised, or ignored political violence in the recent past.   I truly think social media is responsible for some of worst aspects of our fraying world. It takes the worst parts of our nature as a species and acts a force multiplier.    And yet, it retains the capacity every now and then to pull off something great. A terrible week for the world ended with a bit of goodness on the Golden Bay Community Noticeboard Facebook page, last night.  Back in July, epic rainfall at the top of the South Island dislodged a bench from its spot next to the Takaka River. It was a memorial bench, heavy timber, beautifully crafted to remember a young man named Jack who passed back in 2018. But yesterday, Mum forwarded a post on Facebook through to the family chat.   Jack’s bench had been found! After being swept away in the flooding, it had travelled the six or seven kilometres down the Takaka River and into the ocean. Then, over two months, it had somehow navigated the roughly 160kms from the river mouth, across Cook Straight, around D’Urville Island, to wash up, albeit with a few barnacles, on Waikanae Beach on the Kapiti Coast.  Crazy! Amazing! But how to get Jack’s bench home after such an epic journey?    “I’ll do it free of charge, get in touch,” said someone called Steve.    A little faith in the world, restored. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After an extensive career in Hollywood and beyond as the star of blockbusters like The Hobbit and TV series like BBC’s Spooks, Richard Armitage has pivoted.  He’s turned his hand to the written word, releasing his first novel ‘Geneva’ in 2023, his second novel, ‘The Cut’ released just this month.  The story is inspired by a conversation he had in a cemetery, and the novel is unique in that it’s designed to be an audiobook before a physical text.  Writing for performance is slightly different to writing for reading, Armitage explained to Jack Tame.  “The way I work on it is to visualise it as a piece of cinema or television, and then I write it down in a sort of visceral way.”   “It’s slightly more pared back,” he said.  “And I’m kind of leaning into atmosphere.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Summer is nearly upon us, bringing with it the array of music festivals that call New Zealand home. The line ups are beginning to be announced, but what acts are worth making the trip?  Music connoisseur Estelle Clifford has compiled a list of artists and bands she thinks is worth shelling out to see. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Pint-sized Bratislava has the unique distinction of being the only capital city in the world wedged by three countries. Just inside the border of Slovakia, the city is also sandwiched by Austria and Hungary. You can lay your eyes on those three countries from various perches around town." "Bratislava’s old town is a little bon-bon, a perfectly formed tangle of twisting cobbled streets, studded with pastel-hued 18th century buildings. But far from simply being an urban relic from a bygone age, the Slovakian capital has an unmistakably cosmopolitan, contemporary feel and quirky personality, best exemplified by its infatuating public art installations." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne is back from overseas, where he was visiting his sons over in London. While he was, there was an incident at a Premier League football match in London where he left with his heart swelling with pride even though their team West Ham got thrashed 5-1. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Travelling can be a busy and challenging time, and making more sustainable choices can sometimes fall by the wayside.  But Kate Hall has a few tips and tricks on how to make travel a little bit more sustainable, both before you go, and while you’re away.  Before you go:   Switch off appliances at the wall, empty fridge/freezer if away for longer, manage heating/cooling.   Plan travel so you don’t overpack or buy unnecessary items.   While travelling:   Choose lower-emission transport where possible (direct flights, trains, buses).   Reusable items (water bottle, coffee cup, cutlery) to avoid single-use.   Support local food and businesses, minimise waste.   Mindset shift:  Travel lighter, consume less, and think about footprint beyond just flights.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 6 September 2025, actor turned author Richard Armitage joins Jack to discuss his new novel ‘The Cut’, how audiobooks are changing, and the differences when writing for a story that’s to be heard instead of read.  Jack reflects on an ailing body.  Kevin Milne is back from his trip abroad and shares a touching family experience at the Premier League.  Nici Wickes has a delicious Father's Day recipe that’s easy for the kids to be involved in making.  Plus, Mark Zuckerberg is suing Mark Zuckerberg... tech expert Paul Stenhouse breaks it down.  Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed McKnight has been working in personal finance for a fair few years and although he typically tries to be encouraging when giving advice, he does have some more brutal truths to tell.  He joined Jack Tame to offer up the three brutally honest pieces of money advice that most Kiwis will need to hear.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frosty by Mark Winterbottom   The incredible true story of the boy from Doonside who became a Bathurst king.   Mark Winterbottom's story is unlike any other in motorsport. It's not about privilege or million-dollar sponsors - it's the tale of a working-class kid with a dream so big it defied the odds.   Frosty's story is a motorsport fairy tale that is also proof that with heart, hustle and an unyielding will to succeed, you can achieve greatness. Mark went on to win 10 Australian national kart titles and 25 state championships before transitioning into Formula Ford in 2001. His meteoric rise continued in 2003 when he clinched the Konica V8 Supercar Series Championship and was honoured with the Mike Kable Young Gun Award. Mark would also become one of Ford's most famous drivers when he broke through to beat Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup by winning the 2015 Supercars Championship in his flying Falcon.   Frosty is more than a story of fast cars, chequered flags and brushes with some of motorsport's greats, including Lewis Hamilton and Peter Brock. It's about resilience, family and overcoming life's biggest challenges.   In this inspiring memoir, Mark shares the raw truth of his hardest battles: the irreparable fallout with his father, supporting his mother through cancer, and pushing forward when most would have given up. From the streets of western Sydney to the summit of Mount Panorama, Mark Winterbottom's story is a powerful reminder that impossible dreams can be chased - and won.     Reacher: The Stories Behind The Stories by Lee Child   From global bestseller and creator of Jack Reacher, comes Lee Child’s first-ever autobiographical collection.  From urgently scribbling out his debut Killing Floor in pencil (the stub of which he still owns), to taking a step back with Blue Moon, and everything in between, here are 24 fascinating personal reflections on his life and work, crafted across decades.  Whether it is through Lee’s moving account of meeting a fan years after her mother brought her to a book signing, to facing his first computer and the coming of the internet, to writing about New York just before – and just after – 9/11, to later seeing his novels adapted for the big screen . . . each riveting piece deftly evokes where he was, psychologically and physically, when he wrote each novel.  Lee has clearly felt unwavering gratitude for his readers since 1997. And these honest, witty and wise reflections were originally designed for fans of Reacher who may be interested in a ‘behind-the-scenes’ – or, in Lee’s words: ‘why the books turned out the way they did’.  But this collection is also so much more. It is the story of a man who once put pencil to paper in an attempt to turn his luck around . . . and who made every word count.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OpenAI is coming for LinkedIn   The company announced it'll be expanding and applying its AI knowledge to new applications. First up, matching employers and job seekers.   The "Jobs Platform" is designed to match those with AI skills to employers who want those skills. They're working on a certifications program too. There are also reports they're working on a web browser and a social media app.   The woman who runs this new "applications" vertical along with ChatGPT knows a thing or two about social media – she is the former head of Facebook and CEO of Instacart, a shopping and delivery marketplace.     Mark Zuckerberg is suing Mark Zuckerberg   It's a pretty famous name, huh? So imagine life for poor Mark Zuckerberg in Indiana. Facebook keeps suspending his account while falsely accusing him of "impersonating a celebrity". But when it suspends his account, it suspends his advertising account too. Mark S. Zuckerberg says there is a breach of contract because he paid $11,000 for advertising that was improperly taken down. In a statement, Meta says it has "reinstated Mark Zuckerberg's account, after finding it had been disabled in error". "We appreciate Mr Zuckerberg's continued patience on this issue and are working to try and prevent this from happening in the future”.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a regular complaint from gardeners: Lichen on the stems of our shrubs, trees and bark. In this case: Julie’s treasured Magnolias.  It kind of makes sense as the shrub or small tree often appears to have more lichen than leaves – mostly smallish buds, not large, impressive flowers. And few leaves that often look small and somewhat discoloured.  No wonder gardeners are concerned about Lichen!  Here are the identified species of lichen on our Magnolia: Cartilage Lichen and Common Sunburst Lichen.  Lichen do not live in or from the plants – they don’t invade the plants or steal nutrients, they just sit there on the branches in the sun. Often the more light or sun there is, the healthier the lichens are.  Gardeners often think that the plants’ lack of health is due to the presence of lichen but a far more accurate diagnosis is exactly the opposite. Shrubs and trees which are not in the most perfect place (with the best sun or shade) or with a minimal amount of healthy fertilisers or moisture are struggling to keep their growth rates in maximum condition.  The lichen simply takes advantage of increased sun and light.  Here is just one example that shows how lichen (in this case many different species) literally establish themselves on tiled roofs. The lichen do not have “roots” to get inside the tiles, or “feed” from the tiles. They therefore don’t damage the surface they live on.  Lichen is not a plant, but a symbiosis of two or three organisms that work together: fungi and blue-green algae (often Cyanobacteria) and yeasts. The fungus can store water for “the TEAM” and is the home of the algae. The algae can do photosynthesis and shares the sugars with the fungi. They all work together for the past 600 million years on Earth  “WHEN LIFE CAME OUT OF THE OCEAN… THERE WAS LICHEN!”  These lichen grow on metal, windscreen glass, and asphalt – known as Sexy Pavement Lichen.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.