The Weekend for Saturday 7 January 2023

 

08:12 Jo Morris: TikTok Educator

A retired High School English teacher is proving to be a bit of a hit on social media.

Jo Morris, also known as Jo the Write Coach has almost 14,000 followers on TikTok and some of her short videos offering tips on everything from grammar to writing tips have garnered hundreds of thousands of views.

She talks to Perlina about her TikTok journey.

@jothewritecoach What to do of you don’t understand the poem in the Unfamiliar Text paper. #jothewritecoach #ncea #nceaenglish #englishexternal #unfamiliartexts ♬ original sound - Jo | Writing Coach

8:20 Harry Ricketts: The Life and Influence of Fay Weldon

Novelist and screen writer Fay Weldon died this week

She had a 55-year long wiritng career, and is perhaps most know for her novel The Life and Loves of a She-Devil

She was shortlisted for the Booker prize in 1978 for Praxis

Perlina talks to Harry Ricketts is a poet, writer and professor who reflects on Weldon's legacy

 

8:35 Hannah McQueen: How to get the Best out of your Money in 2023

It's a new year - which means, many of us have set new resolutions or perhaps money goals.

It was a tough financial year for many - with rising mortgage rates, soaring food and petrol prices so how can you get the best out of your dollars this coming year.

Perlina talks to Hannah McQueen is a financial adviser, chartered accountant and founder of personal finance coaching firm - Enable Me

9:05 Celia Morgan: Could Ketamine be a key to treating Alcoholism?

The psychadelic drug - ketamine will be used to treat alcohol addiction in a Phase 3 trial in the UK trial this year.

Results from an earlier trial show 86 percent of participants stayed completely sober at their 6-month follow up.

Perlina talks to Professor of Psycopharmacology Celia Morgan at the University of Exeter who is leading the trial.

9:30 Lindesay Brothers: Running the Great Wall

More than 3000 kilometres, 131 days, two brothers and one epic journey along the Great Wall of China.

British Chinese siblings - James and Thomas Lindesay - spent 6 months running and walking along the main west to east length of the wall - starting in the desert all the way to where the structure meets the sea - near North Korea.

They've been literally following in their father's footsteps - William Lindesay who made the same journey in 1987.

10:05 Dr Roderick Mulgan: The Science behind a Healthy and Long Life

Most of us know the basic ideas on how to live a healthy life Eat well, get plenty of sleep and make sure to move your body.

But life isn't so simple and often can throw obstacles in our way to a healthier and longer life.

Dr Roderick Mulgan has been a medical professional for more than 30 years and believes the quality of our health particularly as we age is down to the lifestyle, with an emphasis on diet.

He talks to Pelina about the science of healthy living

10:45 Aotearoa New Zealand's Hidden History: The West Coast Beer Boycott

Thomas Rillstone creator and host of the award winning History of Aotearoa New Zealand Podcast uncovers some of the lesser known events and personalities from our history.

Today he looks at the West Coast Beer Boycott of 1947, when coasters came together to protest an organised move to raise the price of beer.

11:05 The Pua Brothers: Central Auckland's Pasifika History

 

11:40 RTE Documentary: Girl at the GPO (Part 1)

In 2013, an upset and distressed young girl was found wandering in Dublin. In need of help, members of An Garda Síochána - the Irish police - brought her to the children's hospital.

When they began speaking with her, she didn't talk but did draw pictures suggesting she was in serious trouble.

What followed was one of the most unusual Garda investigations ever seen, and it became a global news story.

The answers to that investigation lay with a woman named Samantha Azzopardi.

Fast forward almost 10 years, and the girl at the GPO is still making headlines...

Music played in this show

Music

Artist: The Rolling  Stones
Track: She's A Rainbow

Artist: Darondo
Track: Didn't I

Artist: Goodshirt
Track: Sophie

Artist: Fat Freddy's Drop
Track: Makkan

Artist: The Strokes
Track: The Adults Are Talking

Artist: Neil Young
Track: Like A Hurricane

Artist: The Beatles
Track: I'm Only Sleeping

Artist: Vaniah toloa With Ras Man & Ice Cream
Track: Samoa e Maopoopo Mai

Artist: Nesian Mystik
Track: Brothaz

Artist: Fazed on a Pony
Track: Piwakawaka

Book recommendations

A Terrible Kindness  by Jo Browning

Mussolini's Daughter by Caroline Moorhead

Overreach: The Inside Story of Putin's War Against Ukraine by Owen Matthews

The Shardlake Series by CJ Sansom

Grand by Noelle McCarthy

The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley

Three apples fell from the Sky by Narine Abgaryan

The Century Trilogy by Ken Follett

Your Fatwa Does Not Belong Here by Karima Bennoune

The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks

The Patient Doctor by Ben Bravery

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett