• Margo Timmins: lead singer of the Cowboy Junkies on the band celebrating 40 years together
    Jul 20 2025

    The Cowboy Junkies are still going strong as they approach a significant anniversary.

    This year the band is celebrating 40 years together, and they've managed to stay together and not take any significant breaks, a rare feat for the music industry.

    Ahead of their upcoming stop in New Zealand this November, lead singer Margo Timmins says it's 'overwhelming' to see that the band's been able to keep it going for all these years.

    "I think that as you age, you stop worrying about the little stuff, like what you look like and how many people are here and who's in the audience and who isn't in the audience - you're just playing your show."

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    14 mins
  • Whitcoulls Recommends: The Stars are A Million Glittering Worlds and Polkinghorne
    Jul 20 2025

    The Stars are A Million Glittering Worlds by Gina Butson. This is the first novel from a New Zealand writer, about a young woman who leaves home after a tragedy and travels the world for a year, running away from the hurt and running towards something she’s not quite sure of. Her travels take her to Asia, then Central America where, in Guatemala, she befriends two people who have significant impacts on her life, each in a different way; and though she often thinks about going home she only makes it as far as Tasmania, with so much in her life that’s hard to face up to.

    Polkinghorne by Steve Braunias. From one of our finest writers this is the definitive book on the trial of the century – Philip Polkinghorne, being accused of the murder of his wife Pauline. Much has already been written about it – and of course there’s the TV documentary which many people may have seen- but for anyone who has the slightest bit of interest in the case, this book is a must read. It’s thorough, insightful, critical and compassionate, and the last chapter in particular is extraordinary.

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    4 mins
  • Megan Singleton: BloggerAtLarge.com writer on her experience in Bangkok, Thailand
    Jul 20 2025

    BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton's latest stop is in Bangkok, Thailand, and she's been taking it all in.

    Despite the muggy weather, Megan's been able to get around via water taxi, and it's allowed her to take in some shopping and dining - and she's also experienced the Sky Train.

    She recapped her experience further here today.

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    5 mins
  • The Sunday Panel: Does NCEA need an overhaul?
    Jul 20 2025

    This week on the Sunday Panel, partner at Freebairn and Hehir Laywers, Liam Hehir and journalist, TV producer and commentator, Irene Gardiner, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

    This week, we saw the Government end open-plan classrooms in schools. And today, we hear there are significant concerns about NCEA and changes are being mulled over. Both issues that have been repeatedly talked about - how much pressure is there on the Government to get this right? Especially with any changes to NCEA?

    The UK has lowered its voting age to 16 - what do we make of this? Do we need to follow suit?

    Would we buy a movie ticket a year ahead of its release?

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    10 mins
  • Erin O'Hara: naturopath and wellness expert reveals what's actually in supplements
    Jul 20 2025

    Supplements are regarded as a healthy choice to give you an extra boost - but do these products really have the benefits they claim they do?

    Numerous studies have identified tainted supplements or misleading labels, so it's important to do your research before you take them.

    Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explains further - and explains why supplements aren't an insurance policy or a substitute for a good diet and healthy habits.

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    5 mins
  • Mike van de Elzen: Dry rubbed lamb ribs with quick chilli sauce
    Jul 20 2025
    Dry rubbed lamb ribs with quick chilli sauce

    Cook time: 30 minutes

    Prep time: 20 minutes

    Serves: 6

    600g lamb spare ribs

    5 star anise

    1 tbsp salt

    5 bay leaves

    2 tbsp Dijon mustard

    5 tbsp house rub

    Mike's house rub

    1 tbsp each mustard, cumin, coriander seeds, toasted and crushed

    1 tbsp mustard powder

    1 tbsp garlic powder

    2 tbsp sea salt

    1 tbsp smoked paprika

    1 tbsp dried mixed herbs

    2 tbsp brown sugar

    ½ tsp cayenne pepper

    Quick chili sauce

    2 red chili, deseeded and chopped

    pinch of allspice

    1 can whole peeled tomatoes

    3 Tbsp cider vinegar

    1 Tbsp honey

    ¼ tsp ground allspice

    pinch salt

    Preheat oven to 190*c or BBQ.

    Place ribs, star anise, salt, bay leaves and peppercorns in a large pot and bring up to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain well and turn ribs out onto a tray.

    Rub ribs with Dijon mustard and sprinkle dry rub over.

    Roast or place into BBQ for 30 minutes to hot smoke.

    Arrange ribs onto a large serving dish either whole or cut into fingers and spoon over chili sauce

    For Mike's house rub, mix all the ingredients together. Store in a airtight container

    For the chili sauce, place all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

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    6 mins
  • Full Show Podcast: 20 July 2025
    Jul 20 2025

    On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 20 July 2025, ahead of the release of her new film 'Four Letters of Love', British actress Helena Bonham Carter shares her experience of the vast change in the film industry.

    Cowboy Junkies lead singer Margo Timmins talks about why the band is one of the few to stay together over 40 years and why they never conformed.

    Education Minister Erica Standford into the damning report into NCEA and what she's going to do about it and Francesca shares her personal experience of being a parent whose children have gone through the national qualification.

    And what's really in your supplements? Erin O'Hara lets us know.

    Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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    1 hr and 56 mins
  • Dr Michelle Dickinson: nanotechnologist on the research revealing why it's harder to wake up on some mornings
    Jul 20 2025

    Most of us know the feeling: the alarm rings and you either spring out of bed ready to face the day, or you groggily fumble for the snooze button.

    But why does waking up feel so different from day to day?

    New research published in the journal Current Biology has revealed what’s happening inside the brain during those first few seconds of waking up.

    Using high-density EEG (electroencephalography) to record over 1,000 awakenings, they discovered a consistent pattern of brain activity that helps explain why we feel alert or not after sleep.

    The researchers found that waking up is not like flipping a switch. Instead, it’s more like a wave rippling through the brain, with certain regions turning on before others.

    The found that:

    The front of your brain (prefrontal cortex) wakes up first. This area is responsible for decision-making and attention.

    The back of your brain (visual and sensory areas) lags behind by a few seconds.

    If you're waking from deep (NREM) sleep, your brain shows a brief burst of slow brain waves (delta waves), a kind of transition signal before ramping up to faster, more alert-like activity.

    Waking from REM sleep, by contrast, skips the slow-wave burst and jumps straight into high-frequency activity.

    The team also found that this order was consistent across different types of awakenings, whether spontaneous or caused by an alarm.

    Participants who had a strong slow-wave signal (linked to a type of brain wave called a K-complex) just before waking were less sleepy once awake.

    It seems that a little bit of “sleep-like” brain activity right before you wake up might help you feel more alert. These waves seem to act like a “reset” signal that prepares your brain for the shift into wakefulness.

    But too much of another type of slow brain activity (called “type II” slow waves) right before or after waking? That was linked to feeling groggier.

    In short:

    Helpful slow waves (type I): Lead to more alert wake-ups.

    Unhelpful slow waves (type II): Make you feel sluggish.

    So, how can you apply these findings to your own mornings? Here is what the research found:

    1. Wake Up at the Right Sleep Stage

    Use a sleep tracker or app that wakes you up during light sleep (N2 stage) if possible. Waking during REM or deep sleep increases the chance of grogginess.

    2. Use Gradual Alarm Sounds

    Loud, jarring alarms can skip over the natural slow-wave transition, especially in REM sleep. Try gentle sounds or wake-up lights that simulate sunrise to help your brain transition naturally.

    3. Consistency is Key

    Stick to a regular sleep schedule. The more your brain is in sync with your circadian rhythm, the more likely it will initiate a healthy wake-up sequence.

    4. Get Moving Quickly

    Since your brain finishes “waking up” from front to back, physical movement (even just sitting up or stretching) can help speed up the rest of the brain’s activation.

    5. Don’t Snooze Too Much

    Snoozing might send your brain back into deeper sleep stages, increasing the odds of waking up groggy when the alarm rings again. One solid wake-up is better than several mini ones.

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    6 mins