Sunday Morning for Sunday 14 November 2021

8:11 Why you want to return to the office, eventually 

Many people in previously locked down areas remain reluctant about returning to their workplaces because of the ongoing threat of Covid-19, and there are frictions that are now breaking out along those lines.   
However, Auckland University Professor of Macroeconomics, Robert MacCulloch, says humans are fundamentally social animals who like being around other people. And for most jobs, it's important that they are around each other. He expects most people will make a return to the workplace when they can. 
Professor MacCulloch joins the show to discuss lockdown fatigue, the great resignation, and why people will eventually make their way back into the offices. 

8:39 The Weekend Panel with Al Gillespie and Lavina Good 

Joining us on the panel this morning are Waikato University's International Law professor Dr Alexander Gillespie and commentator Lavina Good. Among other topics, they'll be discussing vaccine hesitancy, Meghan and Harry, the All Blacks and Black Caps, and getting us out of our cars.

9:06 Mediawatch

Mediawatch asks if coverage of the big Covid protest at Parliament this week made anti-vaccination sentiment seem more widespread than it really is. And - is the increasing hostility to reporters a risk our media bosses now need to confront? Also: against the backdrop of the COP 26 talks in Glasgow, a climate reporter says every journalist needs to be a climate reporter to fully focus on the issue. 

9:37 Calling Home: Grant 'Axe' Rawlinson in Singapore 

He represented his adopted country of Singapore in sevens rugby as Grant Rawlinson, but those who know the man and his remarkable story simply call him 'Axe.'   
The Taranaki native went to a rural primary school with only nine other students - three of them being his siblings. Now, he lives with wife Stefanie and twin daughters Kate and Rachel in a city-state (one of only three in the world) that is home to 62 surrounding islands and holds the title of the most religiously diverse country in the world. 
A self-described 'Human Powered Explorer and Team Decision Making Coach,' Rawlinson has made 50 expeditions on five continents - including climbing Mt Everest and attempting to become the first person to cycle and row 12,000km from Singapore to New Zealand. He's Calling Home this morning. 

10:04 Stephen Fry: The day I stalked Andy Warhol 

The inimitable Stephen Fry is a celebrated actor, comedian, director, and writer whose newest book about neckwear, Fry's Ties, is an ode to the 64-year-old's decades-long obsession with man's most trusted and distinguished accessory.
With a personal collection in the hundreds and one that is colourful as the man himself, Fry had already amassed more than 40 ties by the time he was 15. And each of his ties tells a story, including the time he stalked American pop art icon Andy Warhol. 
Fry joins the show to discuss his curious obsession with ties and how COVID-19 provided him with the inspiration to write a book about them. 

10:45 Four seasons of fabulous eating 

Celebrity chef Nadia Lim knows a thing or two when it comes to good food and smart recipes. 
So when she says you'll love award-winning food writer Lucy Corry's new cookbook, Homecooked, due to the author's "simple, seasonal and flavourful recipes," it makes sense to listen. Especially those of us who are part-time cooks, at best. 
As Lucy puts it, Homecooked is a "collection of seriously cookable recipes for every New Zealand season and occasion," including lifesaving quick dinner fixes and inventive ways to use leftovers. (And did we mention the double peanut brownie cheesecake?) The book is divided into seasons and makes heroes of everyday ingredients like eggs, chicken, zucchini and even lentils. 
Lucy is with us to talk about her new book and share a sumptuous roast chicken salad recipe. 

Roast chicken salad with dates and almonds

SERVES 4

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES

COOK TIME: NIL

Adding crunchy almonds and sweet dates, plus a punchy dressing, helps stretch a small chicken a little bit further. If you have any leftover cooked kūmara, feel free to add that.

- 1 small to medium cooked chicken (or ½ a large one) ¾ cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped ¾ cup dates, halved 5–6 big handfuls of baby salad leaves 1 handful of fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

FOR THE DRESSING:

1 small clove garlic, peeled and crushed to a paste with ½ tsp salt ½ tsp hot curry powder ¼ tsp honey 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 3½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Make the dressing first. Put the garlic paste, curry powder, honey and lemon juice in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the oil and whisk again until emulsified. Set aside.

Cut the chicken into small chunks, discarding any bones (or save them for stock — see page 37) or fatty pieces of skin. Put the chicken in a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the dressing.

Put the salad leaves in a serving bowl, then add the chicken, almonds and dates. Pour over the remaining dressing and toss gently. Scatter over the coriander, and serve. 

11:05 New study offers clues to why dogs tilt their heads 

Dog lovers will tell you there are few things cuter than the sight of their canine tilting its head. (Humans apparently do it to make themselves more attractive.) Yet surprisingly little research has gone into figuring out why dogs do this.  
A new study of "gifted" canines out of Eötvös Loránd University showed that dogs often tilt their heads before correctly receiving a specific toy. Which suggests the behaviour might be a sign of concentration and recall. 
Dr. Andrea Sommese, who specialises in animal cognition and communication, led the study. He joins the show to discuss the research (An exploratory analysis of head-tilting in dogs) and why less cooperative dogs are not necessarily less intelligent. 

11:25 Taking a walk on the Wild Twins' side 

Not many people can say they have survived naked in the African wilderness for three weeks, but for Waiuku twin sisters Amber and Serena Shine (aka The Wild Twins) it's just another day at the office. 
Together, the redhead sisters have done everything from run the world's highest marathon on Mount Everest to sailing the treacherous seas from Hawai'i to San Francisco. They've also worked at a Bolivian animal sanctuary and been dog-sled tour guides.
Their new book, The Wild Twins: Tales of Strength and Survival sees the twins share their most extreme achievements and a few of the secrets behind their incredible strength and endurance. 
Amber and Serena are with us to look at the new book and some of the adventures they have planned for when the world returns to normal. 

11:50 Sir Hek Busby: 'He was the bridge builder of Oceania' 

Sir Hekenukumai 'Hek' Busby began his career building over 200 bridges in the Far North before quitting when he was 50 to follow his true passion of waka building and traditional Māori navigation. 
Whetū Mārama - Bright Star, a co-production by Toby Mills and Aileen O'Sullivan, follows Sir Hek's journey across the vast Pacific using star navigation and expertly details his significance for Māori in "rekindling their wayfinding DNA". 
Mills is with us to discuss the documentary, which premieres tonight in Wellington as part of the New Zealand International Film Festival, and how Busby continued building (metaphorical) bridges throughout Oceania once his engineering days were over.