Afternoons for Friday 8 December 2017

1:10 First song

1:15 The elderly binge-drinkers

Older New Zealanders are drinking more often and more heavily than adults in other countries.

That's the finding of a study lead by researchers at Massey University and the University of Auckland.

They're are now looking at why baby boomers are hitting the bottle so hard. 

One of the author's of the study, from Massey's School of Health Sciences, Dr Andy Towers explains.

1:25 Separated parents: How to help kids at Christmas

Christmas is often described as a time for family. But what if your family is breaking up? It can be a difficult time, especially for kids.

Timothy McMichael, a service manager at Family Works Resolution, has just won Mediator of the Year for his work with children who are dealing with separating parents. 

He gives us some tips on how to make things easier for kids around the holidays.

1:35 Cooling down birds this summer

While the high summer temperatures are being welcomed by beachgoers, some aren't handling the heat.

The country's birds are already overheated and with the hot weather bout expected to continue, we thought we'd ask Robert Webb, of Whangarei's Native Bird Recovery Centre, for some advice on how best to help our feathered friends cool down. 

And here are the birdbaths pictures you sent us, thanks!

1:40 Great album - Black Sabbath's Black Sabbath 

2:10 Film Review with Richard Swainson

Richard reviews The Man Who Invented Christmas and Wonder

2:15 Sharing food with your neighbours

Most of us had that moment, going away on holiday or moving house when we look in the fridge and realise we're going to have to chuck out half its content when we leave.

It can seem like such a waste, and that's exactly what British woman Tessa Cook thought a few years ago - and so she created an app, Olio, to share that unwanted food.

She tells us how it works.

2:25 NZ Live - Ocean Beach

Three-piece Ocean Beach play what they describe as "crunchy punk folk with shimmering resonance".

They have an unlikely array of musical backgrounds, ranging from reggae and ska to alternative rock.

Two thirds of the Auckland-based band hail from the South Island towns of Invercargill and Timaru.

Among their awards is the coveted Best Saturday Jam Session in West Glenfield Between 2 and 4 in December 2015.

3:10 Making jams and marmalades

It's looking like there's going to be bumper crops of summer fruits this year thanks to the very warm start to summer .. which is great for jam and marmalade makers!

We're joined in the studio by Kirsten day, whose new book In a Jam is just out - its filled with recipes for jams, marmalades, curds, jellies and cordials.

She shares a recipe for Strawberry, mint and vanilla jam.

3:20 Wine for summer BBQ's

Yvonne Lorkin has some suggestions for wine to have with summer BBQ's.

3:25 Critter of the Week NZ Cicadas: Kihikihi and Tatarakihi

New Zealand has about 40 species of cicada - all of them unique to us. There are about 2500 species known worldwide.  Our cicadas are in five Genera, three of which are endemic as well - Amphipsalta, Rhodopsalta and Maoricicada.  The other two genera are almost ours - each have only one or two representatives in Australia and Norfolk Island - Notopsalta and Kikihia.

Spending years buried in the soil feeding (the record goes to an American species spending 17yrs underground), the life of a cicada as we know (or hear) it, is all about mate attraction and reproduction.
The male song is produced by the rapid movement of a tymbal (like a plate) which oscillates up to 600 times a second.

Behind the timbals, most of their abdomen is hollow, which is effectively a chamber to amplify the sound.
They want to mate, get the eggs laid and die.

3:45 The Pre-Panel Story of the Day and One Quick Question

4:05 The Panel with Golnaz Bassam Tabar and Max Ritchie