Saturday Morning With Jack Tame

One of the rottenest pests gardeners get on their plants are Pseudococcus longispinus, or any of its close relatives.  Longispinus derived from the word meaning “with a long spine or tail”, so we’re talking about the Long-Tailed Mealybug. Mind you, there are other rotters that don’t look anything like these mealybugs – a variety of scale insects do the same kind of damage, which you really don’t want to see in the garden.  All these insects feed by plumbing their mouthparts into the veins of the plants where they extract honeydew, a sweet sap that contains Nitrogen, which makes the young bugs grow.  Ah! Yes, the group of sap-sucking bugs is the only invertebrate cohort that can be called “bugs” in the naming game of Entomology!  They ingest the sap and poop out honeydew. But their numbers (huge groups) and activities are debilitating for your plants, causing yellowing and ill-thrift, plus black sooty mould all over the place.  The sooty mould is a fungal cover that feasts on the sweet

The Landing Chardonnay 2024, Bay of Islands. RRP from $55.00   If you’re heading to the Bay of Islands this summer, then I can highly recommend a day visit to The Landing. The land’s suitability for viticulture was long ago identified by the missionary Reverend Samuel Marsden. He established the first permanent European settlement in New Zealand, near where our vineyard now sits.     The Landing takes its name from its history as a place where early Polynesian and European immigrants to Aotearoa New Zealand made landfall and built new lives in a new country. And as the home of the first community where European missionaries and indigenous Māori people lived together in New Zealand   The wine: A delicious wine with the stamp of site written throughout the aromas and flavours; beginning with a clay and stone mineral idea then salty seaside suggestions laced with fresh apple and grapefruit, then ripe yellow stone fruits. The layer of wood spice and lees adds complexity and texture accentuated by t

Netflix is buying the studios of Warner Bros Discovery   Netflix will also get HBOMax (but I can't see that sticking around long). Shareholders of WBD will get $23 in cash and $4.50 in shares of Netflix common stock, valuing the deal at $83 billion ($144 billion NZD).  The TV networks that were part of the old Discovery company, plus the Warner Brothers networks like CNN, TBS, TNT, etc, are all moving to their own publicly listed company known at the moment as "Global Networks".   This is of course all subject to regulators, not just in the USA but internationally too – Netflix already operates in 190 countries.     NYT is suing AI startup Perplexity   The suit alleges Perplexity has illegally copied and distributed The Times’ copyrighted content, including stories, videos, and podcasts. It uses this content to formulate responses to user queries. The Times says the AI also generates outputs that are “identical or substantially similar to” The Times’ content.   Publishers ha

Sean Combs: The Reckoning   Unpacking the allegations behind Sean "Diddy" Combs and his Bad Boy empire, spanning decades of his life and career (Netflix).     25 Years of Location Location Location  Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer have been finding homes for the people of the UK. Now, as they hit their silver anniversary, Kirstie and Phil remember the happy moments and turbulent times of helping house hunters navigate their search for a home (TVNZ+).     South Park   New season is absolutely brilliant, massive return to form as they take on the Trump presidency with malicious glee. Stan, Kyle, Eric and Kenny are four foul-mouthed friends who live in South Park. They have several bizarre misadventures in and around town, involving both the ordinary and supernatural (SkyGo).    LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Giving edible gifts at Christmas is a winner I say! Some ideas take some forethought, like preserved lemons, fruit pastes, chutneys and sauerkraut, but there’s plenty of other ideas that you can whip up over a day or weekend right before the big day. Think shortbreads, flavoured oils, scented salts or sugar meringues, spiced nuts, dukkah, gingerbread loaf, or one of my favourites, biscotti.   Jars, bottles and small wooden or cardboard boxes can all be found in second hand shops, as can ribbon, wool, cotton etc to make them all look pretty. Tie some rosemary or bay leaves to jars and bottles for a festive look or decorate boxes with potato and paint stamps. Get creative!       Pistachio and cranberry biscotti    Homemade biscotti makes for a wonderful Christmas gift as it keeps well (so can be made ahead) and it’s one of those things that’s so much better than the store-bought variety.    Makes about 30    Ingredients  3 medium sized eggs, at room t

Eternity   In an afterlife where souls have one week to decide where to spend eternity, Joan is faced with the impossible choice between the man she spent her life with, and her first love, who died young and has waited decades for her to arrive.     Twiggy   A portrait of international supermodel, actor, singer and iconic British figure, Twiggy.    LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The moment the syllables spilled from my mouth, I knew I’d screwed up.     “And a repeat offender...” I said.  “Verse a detective dog.”    Verse.    It was the opening few stanzas of last night’s news, the part of the show where we tease a few of the evening’s top stories. And as the opening credits played, with my microphone fader pulled down, I called out to my producer in frustration with myself.     “Versus!” I said. “VERSUS.”  The emails flooded in. I knew they’d be waiting for me. Polite but gently critical messages, kindly informing me that due to myriad inadequacies in the New Zealand education system, I’d used a term more appropriately associated with Shakespeare or Keats than that of the cunning pest control dog starring in the evening bulletin.  But hey. Did you notice there how I used myriad? I don’t know about you, but it drives me crazy when I hear people talk about a myriad OF something. It shouldn’t because apparently a myriad ‘of’ is perf

Eighty years ago, the Nazi high command was put on trial in Nuremberg.  A brand new film, named for the trials, follows a lesser-known story, that of a US Army psychiatrist tasked with determining whether the detained officials were fit to stand trial.  It features Kiwi actor Russell Crowe as the charismatic Hermann Göring, Hitler’s longtime second in command, and Rami Malek as psychiatrist Douglas Kelly.   The film was written and directed by James Vanderbilt, best known for his work on The Amazing Spiderman and Zodiac.  As much as the film is about the atrocities committed by the Nazis, it's also very much about the dynamic between Göring and Kelly.  Vanderbilt told Jack Tame that one of their early inspirations was ‘Silence of the Lambs’, with a person going into a cell and sitting with a prisoner.   “In our film they’re both trying to get over on each other a little bit, they’re both trying to get something out of each other.”  “I sort of loved the idea of these two men,

This week Kevin Milne wants to give a boutique business their flowers.  All Better is a toy repair business run by Janice in Te Awamutu. She specialises in fixing wooden puzzles for kids – a service Kevin was in dire need of after their dog caused a bit of damage to their vintage family puzzle.  If you’re in need of her services, you can contact her via email: jgdownhome@yahoo.co.nz  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The days are getting longer and warmer and the festival season is set to begin.  Although a couple of major festivals have been cancelled, there’s still plenty of events to sink your teeth into this summer.  Chris Schulz joined Jack Tame for a chat about how the festival landscape is shaping up.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"The great New Zealand summer calendar is generously sprinkled with some sure-fire seasonal hits to add a bucketload of fun to your family holiday. I’ve rounded up a selection of signature events and exhibitions, strung across the nation, that you may well want to thread into your domestic summer holiday plans." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Driven by Susie Wolff   Life in the fast lane, with a perspective like no other: Formula One superstar Susie Wolff lifts the bonnet on her incredible journey to the top of motorsport, and her ambitions for what comes next.     Unlucky for Some by Tom Wood   In his latest gripping adventure, the world’s deadliest assassin is all out of luck.  Malmo, Sweden. What should have been a simple job - to kill the heir of an organised crime family - spirals out of control when assassin-for-hire Victor is shot and wounded.  Forced to hide out in a hostile city while he recuperates, he doesn’t realise that multiple enemies are circling to take advantage of his circumstances.  Faced with a vengeful criminal organisation, corrupt officials, ruthless bounty hunters, elite mercenaries, and the most dangerous assassin he’s ever faced, Victor’s luck has finally run out.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The hottest season is nearly upon us, with Summer kicking off very soon. And with the heat on the way, it’s likely water restrictions are on the way as well. So how can you save some water this summer? Kate Hall has a few tips:  Reuse greywater wisely. e.g. Collect shower warm-up water in a bucket and use it in the garden. Place a bowl in the sink when rinsing fruit/veggies (use this water for watering plants).  Water plants early or late (watering in the cool hours (morning or evening) stops evaporation). Focus on roots, not leaves; plants absorb moisture where it matters.   Shorten your showers. Aim for a 4-minute shower; try playing one short song as your timer. A water-efficient showerhead can cut usage by up to 50%.   Capture and reuse (keep a bucket near the washing machine or outside to catch rinse water).  Wait for full loads: Run washing machines and dishwashers only when full. One less cycle can save 50–100 litres a week.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 29 November 2025, 80 years on from the Nuremberg trials, writer and director James Vanderbilt joins Jack to discuss a brand-new film that tells a lesser-known side of the story.  Jack draws attention to an issue affecting tens of thousands of Kiwis and considers who should be responsible for the fallout.  Margo Flanagan does her best to convince Jack avocados have a place in desserts.  Mike Yardley lists the best NZ holiday hits for the summer.  And Kevin Milne highlights a local Kiwi business doing good things.  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.

Most gardeners are aware that certain plants appear to be great for pollinators. Pollination is important for the reproduction of plants, and it comes in many different ways. We often just sit and watch the spectacle unfold as we have a cup of tea in front of our shed.  Pollination is done through ABIOTIC ways: (wind movements) or through BIOTIC techniques (Mostly insects: bees, flies, butterflies, moths, beetles and birds). It makes sense that early flowering plants rely on early pollinating insects. Dandelions are a good example; they often use small native bees to do the job.    By the way, about one-third of New Zealand’s plants are wind-pollinated (think grasses and the various plants that cause hayfever).  Here’s a line-up of all sorts of pollinators in the group of insects. For the flowers pollinated by insects, especially bees, it’s interesting to note that they have different colour vision to humans. Blue, green, violet and ultra-violet are the key colours.     The blue

Managing finances doesn’t come easily to everyone, and for some, it simply takes more time and energy than they have. So if you’re in the market for a financial adviser, how should you go about picking one? Ed McKnight has a few tips.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Much has been happening in the tech world as of late, and Gorilla Technology’s Paul Spain joined Jack Tame to delve into some of it.  Two major New Zealand banks are now forcing behavioural and device tracking with no opting out – is this truly about fraud?  Warner’s new deal with Suno lets artists like Ed Sheeran opt in for AI versions of their voice – will this create real new income for musicians or just flood the charts with AI tracks?   And over 1,000 Amazon staff say the company’s AI sprint is causing mass layoffs and huge environmental damage – is the human cost of “warp speed” AI finally becoming clear?   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stranger Things    The final season. In 1980s Indiana, a group of young friends witness supernatural forces and secret government exploits. As they search for answers, the children unravel a series of extraordinary mysteries (Netflix).      The Beatles Anthology  The Beatles’ landmark “Anthology” documentary series has been restored and remastered.  The series’ original eight episodes trace the legendary journey that began in Liverpool and Hamburg and soon captivated the world. They bring to life the timeless stories — of Beatlemania, the band’s groundbreaking arrival in the USA, their role at the forefront of the 1960s counterculture, their spiritual exploration in India, and their eventual breakup. And through it all, the constant thread: the music, always the music.  There is now a completely new Episode Nine, including unseen behind-the-scenes footage of Paul, George and Ringo coming together between 1994 and 1995 to work on “The Anthology” and reflecting on their s

Train Dreams  A logger leads a life of quiet grace as he experiences love and loss during an era of monumental change in early 20th-century America.     Christmas Karma  A hard-nosed businessman, Mr. Sood, is forced to confront his past, present, and future over one fateful Christmas Eve —guided by three unforgettable spirits— on a journey toward compassion and redemption.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you are looking for a sweet treat that's super easy to make, requires minimal ingredients, and is completely moreish – these avocado chocolate truffles are the perfect option. They will satisfy your sweet cravings while also making you feel great!    Makes: 8  Time: 15 minutes      Ingredients  2 avocados   150g dark chocolate, melted   2 tbsp coconut oil, melted   2 tbsp maple syrup   1 tsp sea salt       Method  Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.    Spoon the truffle mixture into a bowl and place in the freezer to set for 2-3 hours.   Once set, roll the mixture into balls and coat in cacao nibs or cacao powder.   Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.