Afternoons for Wednesday 20 December 2023

 

1:15 Franklin road residents concerned about commercial pop ups during light display

Residents who take part each year in the very popular Franklin Road lights display have been hit with a bit of grinch fever this year.

They have been lighting up their homes for the past thirty years with intricate and dazzling Christmas displays, purely to spread a bit of festive joy in Auckland.

Now they find themselves battling to keep, what can be best described, as money hungry opportunists ruining the experience.

1:25 New baleen whale fossil reveals evolution secrets

A 19 million-year-old whale fossil found on the banks of the Murray River in South Australia is forcing scientists to rethink how and when the world's largest animals, the baleen whales, first evolved their huge size.

It was previously thought that baleen whales evolved their large size about 3 million years ago.

Researchers say this new fossil suggests that larger baleen whales first emerged in the Southern Hemisphere.

James Rule is a vertebrate palaeontologist and Research Affiliate at Monash University and worked on this new study, he speaks to Jesse.

1:35 Taranaki business boosted through trans-Tasman partnership

Exciting times for a Taranaki business working at the cutting edge of cardio diagnostics.

A joint venture with an Australian company should mean that more Kiwis will benefit from the technology and get a faster diagnosis.

Jez Morris from Fast Pace Solutions talks to Jesse.

1:45 Emma Ferris on her new podcast the Bravery Academy

Emma Ferris was the victim of an expert romantic scammer, but managed to avoid losing her life savings by turning the tables on him. Her podcast of the story, made with her sister, Conning the Con has been downloaded more than two million times.

Today we catch up with Emma and talk about her new series which, aptly, is all about resilience and stress. It's called the Bravery Academy.

2.12 Podcast Critic: Ximena Smith

Today Ximena talks to Jesse about Walters War and Hot Money: The New Narcos.

2:20 Collectors corner: Rugby League Memorabilia

Today we meet Robin Smith, a former rugby league player and referee. He's got a collection of memorabilia about the sport that he's collected over the last 60 years.

2:30 Bookmarks with Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne

Today's bookmarks guest has been in Aotearoa's biggest films in recent years, Taika Waititi's Hunt For The Wilderpeople, Cousins and Whina.

Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne is unstoppable.

She's starring alongisde actor Guy Pearce in The Convert, directed by Lee Tamahori.

3:10 Counting down to Christmas for 364 days a year, Tim Babb's life

For comedian Tim Babb, the countdown to Christmas begins on Boxing Day.

All year long, he listens to holiday music, watches bad Christmas movies, and researches the history and traditions of the holiday season around the world. 

He's the host of a popular podcast called "Can't Wait for Christmas".

We'll talk to him about some interesting, even bizarre Christmas Legends, who sings the holiday standards best, and which Christmas movies are actually worth watching.

3:35 Stories from Our Changing World

Today on Our Changing World, podcast producer and major dinosaur nerd William Ray takes us on a tour through time, uncovering the evolution of the world's largest dinosaurs.

3:45 The Panel with Aimie Hines and  Johny O'Donnell