Sunday Morning for Sunday 15 August 2021

8:11 New Zealand -- the land of plenty (of housing issues) 

Research New Zealand has taken the pulse of the nation on how Kiwis rate their current homes (owned or rented) in terms of a series of "decent homes" factors. While the majority surveyed rated their homes "good" in terms of having enough bedrooms (87%) and working amenities (87%), only 63% rated their home's affordability the same way. Managing Partner Emanuel Kalafatelis is with us to cover off the results. 

8:25 How colourful fruit and veg may reduce risk of cognitive decline 

A new study out of Harvard University that followed almost 80,000 middle-aged people for more than 20 years has found that those who consumed the most flavonoids - the chemicals that colour  bright fruits and vegetables - significantly reduce the risk of experiencing early signs of cognitive decline. Study author Dr Tian-Shin Yeh explains. 

8:39 The Weekend Panel with Richard Harman and Brigitte Morten  

Among other topics this morning, our Weekend panellists will be looking at the tough Covid-19 decisions that are currently being made, the disappearance of cash in society (and the Winston Churchill painting from Parliament) and the Taliban's twitter account.

9:06 Mediawatch

This week Mediawatch looks at RNZ's controversial decision to air a scoop sourced from data hacked by criminals looking for a ransom. Also: a landmark report on climate change had some confronting conclusions for us all this week. How did the media handle that?

9:37 Bubble burst: the rise and fall of chewing gum 

Sales of chewing gum fell by 14% worldwide in 2020, which is hardly surprising given Covid-19 reared its ugly head last year. But chewing gum had long been losing its cool before the pandemic came along. Will Coldwell is a London-based journalist and editor who recently composed a piece in The Economist about the demise of chewing gum, which has been used in various forms since ancient times.

9:47 Americans falsifying information to get third dose of Covid-19 vaccine 

Our U.S. correspondent Karen Kasler is the Statehouse Bureau Chief for public radio and television in Ohio. She joins the show to discuss the commencement of the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, people trying to wangle a third dose of Covid-19 vaccine for extra protection, and Biden's Administration leaving Afghanistan.
 

10:04 Calling Home: Sean Barry in Baku, Azerbaijan

Wellingtonian Sean Barry lives in Yasamal, which is a city fringe area 10 minutes' walk from the centre of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. A teacher by trade, Sean lives in an apartment with his wife Jamila (who is Baku-born and bred) and 16-year-old daughter, Eileen. He first arrived in Azerbaijan in October 2000 after a brief stint in Turkey and has no plans of returning home anytime soon.  

10:38 Top cooking tips with Vanessa Baxter: Butter

There was a time not so long ago when butter was in the news for the wrong reasons, with supposedly healthier alternatives promoted over a product that dates back to 2000 years B.C. However, butter is back, and better than ever, thanks in part to some fascinating things chefs are now doing with it. The Fearless Kitchen's Vanessa Baxter joins the show to share some top tips and offer up a traditional bread and butter pudding recipe.

You can find her full bread and butter pudding recipe here

10:50  My Current Song: Gitbox Rebellion, 'Dhoggs 

Gitbox Rebellion is an Auckland-based guitar ensemble, playing original music composed by the group. Originally formed by Nigel Gavin in 1988, he reformed the group at the beginning of 2017 after countless requests from people who had attended live performances. The group is currently on tour throughout the country and performing songs from the new album Curveball. Nigel joins the show to discuss the tour and his favourite track 'Dhoggs' (My Dog Doesn't Respect Me). 

11:05 Testosterone's link to men's success questioned in new study 

It's a commonly-held belief that your testosterone can affect where you end up in life, with several studies linking higher testosterone to socioeconomic success. However, a new study out of the University of Bristol --  which analysed data from more than 300,000 British adults -- claims that higher levels of testosterone in men doesn't give them an edge. Study author Amanda Hughes is with us to discuss.

11:23 138 Dates: an epic journey to finding true love 

New Zealand entrepreneur Rebekah Campbell seemingly had it all -- she was the founder of a hot startup, had delivered a Ted talk, and was named a Woman of Influence. But she didn't have love, and she wanted to start a family. So Rebekah set out on an epic adventure that would see her date 138 different men from Sydney to New York, despite not having been on a date in 10 years. She explains the process of writing the book, 138 Dates: The true story of one woman's search for everything, finding love, and what she learned along the way.