Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Resident traveller Mike Yardley has been reflecting on a year of travels in Covid times. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wrap it up  Doesn’t it bug you to see the mounds of plastic ribbons going into the rubbish on Christmas morning? Or make you uncomfortable to wonder just how they make wrapping paper so shiny and colourful, who made it, and where? In fact, much of that glossy stuff isn’t recyclable. The glittery and metallic papers contain plastics, so they need to go into the rubbish.  But gift wrapping gives us...

Air traffic Control  Heading towards summer there are soooo many shrubs, climbers and trees in flower, luring in pollinators and other organisms, interested in the protein of pollen and the carbohydrates of nectar. On some plants it simply is great entertainment to just sit or stand still and watch what flies there. And it all flies there without air traffic control!  Pohutukawa and some of the ra...

It may be time for all the Christmas treats, but Dr Bryan Betty wants us to keep our sugar intake in check. He's a GP, medical director for the College of GPs and has been talking to Jack Tame.  LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re going to be hearing a lot more about the hack of the US government   The more details that come out, the worse this is getting. US intelligence says Russian hackers are behind this highly sophisticated attack.   How’d they do it? Simply, they managed to first hack and embed malicious code in a trusted piece of software used to manage their IT networks. It was undetected, then activated and s...

Bridgerton: Shonda Rhimes’ first Netflix production is a sumptuous period drama set during the Regency era in England, as eight close-knit siblings of the powerful Bridgerton family attempt to find love (Netlfix, Christmas Day). Yellowstone: A modern-day Western about the Dutton family, who control the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. Led by patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner), the...

If you’re after some new Christmas music, Delta Goodrem is here to deliver. She spent lockdown looking forward to the festive season with her family, and produced a surprise album of Christmas tunes including original song "Only Santa Knows".She's been speaking to Jack Tame. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nici Wickes has got a list of things you should have on hand this summer: Dairy   Parmesan cheese  Greek yoghurt  Sour cream / cream cheese / creme fraiche    Pantry   Olive oil + sesame oil   Red wine vinegar  Tins of guava, salmon, tomatoes, creamed corn   Sushi rice  - great for sushi & for rice pudding & risotto  Protein   Quality sausages  Frozen prawns  Eggs   Veges/Herbs/Fruit    Bunches of...

Movie reviewer Francesca Rudkin has been watching Wonder Woman 84, A Call to Spy, Blithe Spirit, and The Thief and the Painter. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne's not so sure 2020 was as bad as we're making out. He's been talking to Jack Tame about some of the good things that came out of this year. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the end of the nationwide pandemic lockdown, I sat down in my spare bedroom and recorded myself speaking for an hour. Maybe it sounds a bit silly, but I just figured we were living through a fascinating historical moment. I wanted to record my memories and experiences while they were fresh. I dunno; I thought it might help someone’s Year 11 History project in a few decades’ time.   2020. Yep. I...

Music reviewer Estelle Clifford has been listening to the Smashing Pumpkins’ eleventh studio album "Cyr".LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Relationships expert Steven Dromgool has some tips on cultivating gratitude in the festive season. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Book reviewer Catherine Raynes has been reading The dressmaker of Paris by Georgia Kaufman and Hidden in Plain Sight by Jeffrey Archer. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Travel writer Mike Yardley has some tips for summer in Cromwell. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bag moths  Ever wondered what it's like, living in a bag? There are many different species that live in bags or cases for prolonged periods of time and the cool thing is, they make those bags themselves. Silk appears to be the material of choice in the majority of bag-builders. That silk can be really strong too. One of the most obvious (up to 80 mm long) insects that shows off its bag in our gard...

Apple's expensive holiday surprise  It was a genuine apple surprise - the AirPod Max headphones were announced on Monday.. just in time for Christmas shopping! But the price tag is wild. Even tech's biggest geeks were shocked at needing to spend $550 on the latest gadget. That's almost the price of the iPhone 11! Don't forget the $35 cable to allow you to plug them into a 3.5mm audio jack. In true...

enable.me's Hannah McQueen has some tips for you, if you're going to put ‘finances’ on your New Year resolution list. If you want more personalised advice, you can get in touch with enable.me at  www.enable .me  LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Screen Queen Tara Ward has some picks for your weekend watching: Your Honour: Bryan Cranston stars in this drama about a respected judge, who's son is involved in a hit-and-run that leads to a high-stakes game of lies, deceit and impossible choices (Soho/Neon, 15/12).  ESPN Films: TVNZ OnDemand welcome a new collection of intriguing sports documentaries, produced by ESPN and following the lives of...

If you're looking for something to relax with on Boxing Day, look no further than the new Pixar film Soul. Featuring Kiwi actress Rachel House, it's about a middle-school band teacher whose life hasn't quite gone the way he expected .. until he travels to another realm and discovers "what it means to have soul".The film is released in New Zealand on Disney+.Jack's been talking to Rachel House abou...

Movie reviewer Francesca Rudkin has been watching Mank, Ava and Amundsen. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Turkey with kumara & sage stuffing & roasted cherries  Turkey sometimes gets a bad rap and I can’t fathom why. Cooked and rested properly it’s a wonderful centrepiece for the festive table and feeds a crowd beautifully.   Serves 10-12   Size 3.5-4.5 turkey   1/4 cup olive oil   2 tsp sea salt  2 medium onions, peeled and chopped roughly  ½ cup red or white wine or water  2 cups fresh cherries    S...

I’m going to start the show this morning by crossing my fingers and very publicly knocking on wood. I’m not trying to stress you out. I’m not trying to spook anyone. But. Have you imagined what would happen if there was an unexpected outbreak of Covid-19 some time in the next week or two?   EEEEE... ! I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It’s a prospect so hideous I hate to even mention it. But it’s a possibilit...

Kiwi singer-songwriter Anna Coddington has just released her fourth studio album, Beams, and our music reviewer Estele Clifford has been taking a listen. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Book reviewer Catherine Raynes has been reading The Searcher by Tania French and Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly. LISTEN TO AUDIO ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.