Afternoons for Wednesday 28 February 2024

1:15 NZ's oldest department store branching out

Few department stores have stayed afloat in New Zealand. One of the big players Kirckladie & Stains closed it's doors in 2016. Australian-owned David Jones lasted 6 years on it's Lampton quay spot.
 
Auckland's Smith & Caughy's has been in business since 1880, famed for its Christmas window and is still going.

Today we're talking about New Zealand's oldest department store - Ballantynes, founded in 1854. This Friday they will open a store in Invercargill.

Ballantynes Chief Executive Maria O'Halloran speaks to Jesse.

1.30 Newshub closure, what it means

There was a shock announcement this morning that Newshub on Three will be closing down, effective from the end of June.

It means the loss of hundreds of jobs and a seismic shift in the media landscape in Aotearoa.

Veteran journalist and television broadcaster Janet Wilson speaks to Jesse.

1:35 Alice Snedden with more Bad News in an entertaining way

Why does no one care that the world is ending? How will we all survive when everything falls apart?

Those are the questions Comedian Alice Snedden has set out to answer with more Bad News, her documentary comedy series tackling everything from the wealth gap to voting rights for prisoners.

The latest installment is two-part climate special called Bad News Saves the World.

Since we last caught up, season three of the acclaimed TV series Starstruck has been realeased.

Alice co-wrote the show with Rose Matafeo, as well as playing the deadpan role of Amelia.

1:45 Heading Off: Tramping with young children

For heading off this week we're going bush.

Tramping with young children can be seen as difficult, something requiring lots of planning, extra gear and stress.

But according to Shoshannah Shand - a solo mum of two - it doesn't have to be that way.

Her children, 5 and 9 months old respectively have been tramping with her, often on difficult multi-day hikes, since before they could walk.

She shares her wisdom and advice with a budding community of parents via her instagram page Shoshannah.nz.

Shoshannah shares her experiences and advice with Jesse.

2.12 Podcast Critic: Jemima Huston

Today Jemima talks to Jesse about 'Just the Gist' and 'Escaping NXIVM'.

2:20 Collectors corner: Taxidermy collection in Taranaki

This week we meet John Ward who lives in Lepperton, Taranaki. 

For the past few decades he's been building up a mammoth taxidermy stockpile.

His collection includes hundreds of animals ranging from white rhino, to zebra and polar bears.

2:30 Bookmarks with Dr Kurt Krause

We often have famous actors, authors, and media people sharing their favourite things on Bookmarks.

But what does someone with a PhD in Chemistry from Harvard University enjoy reading and watching in their down time?

Kurt Krause is a Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Otago, and is our Bookmarks guest today.

Here are Professor Kurt Krause's choices: 

Books:
Born to Run, by Christopher McDougal
Well Lived Life, by Gladys McGarey
Slaughter House Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
Means of Ascent, by Robert Caro
Eighth Day of Creation, Horace Freedland Judson

Plus three remarkable sports books:
Instant replay - Jerry Kramer
The open man - Dave DeBusschere
Ball Four - Jim Bouton

Music Pieces:
Moonlight Serenade, Glenn Miller
A Day in the Life, Beatles 
Our House, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
Bach 3-part invention - No. 15, B minor BMV801
Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor BMV 565 
Let's Dance, David Bowie

Podcasts:
Smartless - especially the Letterman interview, Steve Carell, Seinfeld. 
The Daily - The New York Times

Films/TV/Series:
Breaking Bad
The Crown
BoJack Horseman
Death Note

3:10 Is getting married the answer to happiness?

Happy wife, happy life.

That's not completely off base according to Brad Wilcox  a professor of sociology at the University of Virginia.

He says there are too many voices, mostly on the left, claiming that the path to  prosperity and happiness must be taken alone, not in a marriage. 

Work hard. Play hard. Stay single. But Wilcox argues the science says otherwise, and he lays out his argument in his new book, Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization.

3:35 Stories from Our Changing World

Coming up on Our Changing World, we've got the first episode in a new podcast collaboration with New Zealand Geographic.

Voice of Tangaroa is all about the state of our oceans, and to kick it off - an exploration of the sound beneath the waves. Who is playing in the underseas orchestra, and are we drowning them out?

3:45 The Panel with Verity Johnson and Liam Hehir