Saturday Morning With Jack Tame

Movie reviewer Francesca Rudkin has been watching French film The Godmother, and female-led action movie Gunpowder Milkshake.LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two weeks ago, a heatwave in Canada and the U.S caused one thousand deaths. Yesterday, floods in Germany killed at least 125 people. As we go to air, hundreds of people in Buller are being evacuated because of massive rainfall. And New Zealand’s farmers are back home.You’d have to agree, for the most part the protest was a good bit of theatre. There were a few loopy extremists with whack-job signs, but the majority of tractor drivers are normal and presumably decent people who turned out because they feel unfairly picked on. Freshwater regulations, a ute tax, emissions reductions; they feel they’re being subjected to special treatment of the worst kind.Speaking of special treatment, did those protesting farmers feel the same way when their industry received the best part of a billion dollars in support for Mycoplasma Bovis? Did they take to the streets to protest hundreds of millions of dollars they received in irrigation subsidies? Did protestors turn out in anger at drought relief packages, or flood relief,

Nature Connections With school Holidays coming up and winter days often variable, here are some of my observations on how to connect kids with nature. I’ve noticed that bombarding kids with science and scientific principles is usually not a great intro into working in and with nature. Each person has different interests and those are the ones that allow a connection to be made.  Image from Ruud KleinpasteIf you have kids there’s no doubt that each one is different – one may enjoy running around outside. While the other is content playing with lego; or building roads with trucks, setting possum traps; technology. Another loves to draw or paint pictures, read a book or engage in role-play….  When I work with students or teachers, I often tell stories, use language, or play piano. And all these activities have a really nice connection to our natural world. Image from Kate Parker - Kowhai and the Giants For example, last week I got a book by Kate Parker “Kowhai and the Giants” and basically it’s about Predator-Fr

Mike Yardley has been doing some real-life international travel, and he has some tips for trips to Cairns & the Reef.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estelle Clifford has some special music for the school holidays, Ziggy Marley’s new children’s album “More Family Time”.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By Malcom RandsYes we do live in disposable times. I heard managers at big box stores saying they wanted the public to be able to buy anything they wanted out of one pay packet. So that meant a radical decrease in quality to make this possible. So things don’t last long, and hey, for the retailers and manufacturers it means you will be buying from them again, real soon. And the eco impact of manufacturing and transportation all these products that soon become waste is enormous.  Back in the day we bought from a local store, often only one of each item, and the retailer wanted it to be the best, so they were looking after you, their valued and regular customer. When I was young I thought these cheap prices were amazing, bought some garden tools, some only lasted a few days before they bent. As an alternative, I still have some tools from my great grandfather, manufactured over 125 years ago, and still in great condition. And we call this progress.  So what do we look out for in buying something that will last.

This week, our book reviewer Catherine Raynes has been reading Mrs England by Stacey Halls and Yours Cheerfully by AJ Pearce.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, treasury warned us the government’s on an unsustainable debt track, partially due to the aging population and the cost of superannuation. Enable Me's Hannah McQueen's been talking to Jack Tame about whether we need to raise the age of eligibility. If you to get in touch with Hannah, head here.LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you own a PC, you need to install a security update now  The exploit is codenamed PrintNightmare because of a flaw in a pre-installed system application that manages the printer functions. It’s in every version of Windows. The bug allows someone to remotely take over your PC. Microsoft has issued patches for all the latest operating systems as well as some of their older unsupported operating systems. Look out for the update and make sure you install it.   Google Calendar is designing for a hybrid workforce Google is now allowing folks to rsvp to invitations with more details about how they plan to attend. The new dropdown allows attendees to indicate if they’ll be in person, or virtually. That’s going to be important as US offices begin to open back up in major cities in the next couple of months.  The Billionaire space race blasts off this weekend Branson is off to space this weekend. It’ll happen Sunday here, Monday NZ time but the exact timing hasn’t been announced. We just know that the live stream wi

We Are Lady Parts: A British comedy that follows the highs and lows of Muslim female punk band Lady Parts, as seen through the eyes of Amina Hussein, a geeky PhD student who is recruited to be their unlikely lead guitarist (Neon).  White Lotus: HBO’s new drama is a social satire set at an exclusive Hawaiian resort, and follows the vacations of various hotel guests over the span of a week as they relax and rejuvenate in paradise (Soho from 12 July, Neon from 19 July).   Big Timber: An oddly compelling reality series that follows the dangerous work of Canadian logger and sawmill owner Kevin Wenstob, as he and his crew go to extremes to keep the family sawmill and their way of life alive (Netflix).  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My kitchen rules for reluctant adults letting non-adults into the kitchen:  * Understand that there will be mess! Give kids a lesson in how to wash up + BE prepared to act as kitchen lacky and tidy up after them (controversial I know but it does save you getting bad-tempered).  * Don't let them cook whatever they want, guide them into cooking what you want. Kids will always want to make fancy cakes (because making and eating icing is the attraction) and elaborate desserts which are often not practical. Give them some recipe choices to choose from.  *Get them to read out the ingredients as you get it out of the cupboards to ensure success and minimise food waste (from missing out ingredients) and it saves on the constant "where's the XXX"  *Tackle some savoury recipes too even though kids will nearly always prefer baking sweet items.  *Always let them lick the beaters!  Baking biscuits or cookies is a school holiday right of passage if you ask me! These cookies/biscuits are so fabulous – chock full of oats, ra

Kiwi artist Troy Kingi has just released his fifth album in the 10-10-10 series, where he’s producing 10 albums in 10 years in 10 different genres.  Called “Black Sea Golden Ladder”, this is his ‘folk’ installment.  He's been in the studio talking to Jack Tame about the album, and his upcoming tour.Sat 7 August @ Turner Centre, KerikeriSun 8 August @ Leigh Sawmill, LeighTue 10 August @ Forum North, WhangareiThu 12 August @ Clarence St Theatre, HamiltonFri 13 August @ Theatre Royal, New PlymouthSun 15 August @ Opera House, WhanganuiTue 17 August @ Theatre Royal, NelsonSat 21 August @ James Hay Theatre, ChristchurchSun 22 August @ Regent Theatre, DunedinSat 28 August @ Opera House, WellingtonSat 4 September @ Town Hall, AucklandLISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Movie reviewer Francesca Rudkin has one for the kids and one for the adults.For the school holidays, she's been watching animated movie Moon Bound. And for the adults, and maybe some of the older kids, the new Marvel movie Black Widow. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne has had his Covid vaccination this week, and he's got a tip for anyone wanting to get there's a little earlier than planned. He's been explaining to Jack Tame.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pollsters say it’s unprecedented.Act leader David Seymour is doing better in the latest Preferred Prime Minister rankings than the leader of our second biggest party. But I’m not surprised at all, because I think David Seymour is one of the best politicians in Parliament.Let me qualify that. I’m not saying necessarily I agree with him on stuff. It has nothing to do with ideology or policy positions or anything like that. I just think in terms of actual politicking... he’s a canny and cunning operator who is milking every inch of advantage out of a unique political moment. For starters, Seymour knows how to pick his fights. Gun restrictions? Bam. He was on it in a moment. Hate speech laws? Same thing. Regardless of your personal position, the End of Life Choice referendum will be chalked up as a significant political victory for many years to come. David Seymour attracted people from right across the political spectrum to the cause. In this term, it was his probing in the house that opened up the He Puapua

This week, book reviewer Catherine Raynes hass been reading a sequal to RWR McDonald's hilarious The Nancys; Nancy Business. She's also giving her thoughts on When You Are Mine, Michael Robotham.LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our travel editor has finally left the country! Mike Yardley has been in Queensland, and has some ideas for Tasty Bites in Port Douglas.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 34 years of talkback radio, the biggest fear of householders is finding heaps of moths. Any moths! And everyone believes that moths are bad, simply because they have to be clothes moths!  Okay. If you find a beautiful, very small moth which has golden wings (held like a roof structure over the body) and with a bright orange hair-do, you might be looking at the webbing clothes moth, Tineola bisselliella. It is no longer than 7 mm. This “webbing” cloths moth is really a recycler of woollen materials: yes, clothes, but especially carpets! It seems to like open spaces with keratin – lots of keratin. Our house is the archetypal “mechanics car”. In my case that means it’s usually full of pests and insects that gnaw away at soft furnishing, clothing garments, carpets and timber. Carpet is removed right to the backing and the woollen yarn ends up in bits and pieces, often sticking up from the remainder of the carpet. They usually end up in the my vacuum cleaner.  There is a second species of clothes moth: the C

Relationship expert Steven Dromgool has been looking at whether Happily Ever After is possible, or just a fairy tale. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parents with Lego.. here's an app you need!  Stuck for ideas on what to create with your kids? Download the coolest app I've seen in a very long time. You tip your Lego onto the floor, the camera scans the pile, recognizes the pieces adn then suggests things for you to build - step by step!  It's called Brickit. It's not made by Lego, but by fans! Lego needs to make it official!   It's only for iOS right now, but will be coming to Android soon. Battle of the billionaires Richard Branson is going to beat Jeff Bezos to space!  Virgin's rocket-powered plane will now take Branson to space on July 11 — nine days before Bezos's planned July 20th launch. It's a change of plan that I'm sure will annoy Bezos.  Bezos will blast off from earth's surface though, where Branson's rocket will be deployed from a plane in the air. Branson says when he gets back he'll announce a plan to open "space for all" so more people can become astronauts.   Trump's former aid has launched a social media platform It's called "Gettr" and i