Afternoons for Wednesday 22 August 2018

Short Story Club

Our short story for this Thursday afternoon is Gina Cole’s Black Ice.  We will give away a copy of Gina’s collection of short stories Black Ice Matter to the writer of the best email.  jesse@radionz.co.nz

1:10 First song: Dean Lewis performs live

If you haven't heard of Dean Lewis you soon will. His latest song Be Alright has just hit number 1 on the Australian singles chart - overtaking Drake. He's also broken into the top 50 on Global Spotify.

He joins us to perform the song live in our Auckland studio.

1:15 Will the Cohen and Manafort cases hurt Trump?

Trump's campaign chief Paul Manafort has been today convicted on multiple counts of fraud, at the same time Trump's former Lawyer, Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to fraud and campaign finance violations.

We ask our Washington correspondent how significant this for Trump, with Cohen implicating the President in his campaign finance violations

1:25 Could we measure wellbeing instead of GDP? 

The Government says next year's budget will be the "Wellbeing Budget". It intends to focuses on how we are doing rather than GDP.

It's a nice idea, but can it work? Economic research group BERL is using its inaugural wānanga to explore what this would mean practically, especially given GDP continues to be the standard. 

The agency's chief economist Dr Ganesh Nana is here to explain whether this is feasible. 

1:35 New Zealand's first kite-surfing book

The burgeoning sport of kite-surfing lets water-loving daredevils soar up to 20 metres above the ocean, with nothing more than a board and a thin layer of canvas supporting them.

Two decades after it first arrived here, the sport's getting its first book - The Leading Edge, looking at its origins and unique culture.

The book's author, Tom Crosse, joins us to talk all things kite-surfing

1:40 Great album: Tim Buckley: Morning Glory, the Anthology

2:20 Bookmarks with Sue Scott, Auckland Uni's first female civil engineering graduate

Sue Scott got her civil engineering degree 1975. Since then has gone on to a multi-coloured career in the industry, with spells working for Wellington Regional Water Board, the Ministry for Works, Opus, and a bunch of other public entities.

She shares her story plus her favourite books, music, movies, TV shows, and other things that inspire her.

3:10 Michael Pollan on psychoactive plants

Every time you drink a cup of coffee and get a caffeine kick or take a bite of chocolate for a sugar rush, you are using a plant to change your consciousness.

Food writer Michael Pollan  has spent his career looking at how the natural world converges with human culture.   So his latest topic doesn't come out of the blue.

Pollan investigates the history and potential benefits of psychoactive plants like magic mushroom, even trying some himself.

His new book is called, How To Change Your Mind: What The New Science Of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, And Transcendence.

3:35 Science and environment stories

Stories from Our Changing World.

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

4:05 The Panel with Rebekah White and Joe Bennett