Afternoons for Thursday 16 August 2018

On Short Story Club after 3 we are going to discuss a brilliant short story by Janet Frame, called The Bath. 

The story can be found in the recently digitised Landfall Archive, run by Otago University Press. The Bath  was published in 1965 in Landfall 75. To read it you need to click on the landfall cover in the link here

Email us your thoughts - Jesse@radionz.co.nz

The writer of the best email wins a copy of To The Mountains: A Collection of New Zealand Alpine Writing published by Otago University Press

1:10 Helen Gillet: taking the cello on a joyride

Belgian/American cellist Helen Gillet was classically trained but her performances are far from classical - she plays punk, folk and atmospheric music, she sings and uses a loop pedal.

The New Orleans based musician is currently touring New Zealand and plays us a song from our Christchurch studio.

1:15 Sitting too long at work? Get off your bum and do some star-jumps

We spend about 75 percent of our days either sitting or lying down - and unsurprisingly that's NOT good for our health.

But a new University of Otago analysis says just two minutes of light exercise every half-hour can have genuine benefits.

We're joined by the study's author, Dr Meredith Peddie.

1:25 A play-centre that caters to autistic children

Sally Johnson's 7 year-old son Digby is on the autism spectrum, and used to find it a bit overwhelming at public play-centres.

So Sarah took matters into her own hands, and with the help of a local company converted an empty warehouse into an autism-friendly play-centre, complete with a flying-fox, rock climbing walls and an arts and crafts corner.

The differences are subtle, but hugely effective - and Sarah's with us to talk about the initiative.

1:35 The weird and wonderful marine wildlife of Antarctica

When you think Antarctica, you think penguins, seals, whales, and maybe polar bears if you get your poles mixed up.

But living under the ice is a cornucopia of curious and colourful marine life.

The problem in in mapping and tracking that marine life - but some Australian researchers have a plan for that, too.

One of them, Nicole Hill from the University of Tasmania, joins us on the line.

1:40 Great album

2:10 Podcasts with Katy Atkin

Podcast fan Katy Atkin recommends two new podcasts, Wrong Skin from the Melbourne Age, and I, Survivor from Wondery.

2:20 Simon Wilson: why Auckland is on the hot speakers circuit

Cornel West and Douglas Murray are debating each other in the Aotea Centre on Friday night, and in the next few weeks and months we're also getting Nigel Farage, Jordan Peterson and, ahem, Pauline Hanson. And of course we just had Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux.

Simon Wilson from the NZ Herald asks what's going on? Who are these people and what do they want with us?

2:30 The history of university controversies in NZ

The recent controversy over Don Brash being unable to speak at Massey University has sparked a debate over the role of universities in New Zealand's society.  While Massey University is currently at the centre of this debate, New Zealand universities have often being sites of controversies. 

Historian, Grant Morris of Victoria University takes a  look at some of these controversies since 1869. 

3:10 Short Story Club

The Bath  was published in 1965 in Landfall 75. To read it you need to click on the landfall cover in the link here

Email us your thoughts - Jesse@radionz.co.nz

The writer of the best email wins a copy of To The Mountains: A Collection of New Zealand Alpine Writing published by Otago University Press

3:25 Tell me about your thesis

Marta Rychert tells us about her thesis, which looked at the Psychoactive Substances Act from 2013 - which was introduced in response to the prolific use of legal highs in New Zealand

3:30 BBC Witness

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

4:05 The Panel with Nevil Gibson and Paula Penfold