Nine To Noon for Thursday 5 November 2015

09:05 New charity to address environmental challenges in NZ

Former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Morgan Williams  says environmental research is under threat due to funding cuts, including job cuts at Agresearch. He's launching a charitable foundation to support clean rivers and  oceans in New Zealand. The Cawthron Foundation is supported by the Cawthron Institute

09:20 . UK correspondent Jon Dennis

Governments ignored warnings about charity Kids company finances, the impact of Uber; London's biggest training school for black-cab drivers shuts up shop next month because of lack of demand for new drive.

0935 Surviving the rise of AI machines - Simon Raik-Allen

Could machines capable of independent thought be workplace in less than a decade? The software developer MYOB thinks so and has published a report called 'Surviving the Singularity'. So what might that world look like? (provided we're not all subjugated by our robot overlords!) Simon Raik-Allen is the Chief Technology Officer of MYOB and has more than 15 years of industry experience and a background in computer science. He has worked the majority of his career based in Silicon Valley in areas such as trading exchanges, e-commerce, business intelligence, communications, banking, government, media and entertainment

10:05  Young UK based Afghan political refugee aims to be President of his homeland

Gulwali Passarlay is a young political refugee living in England, he'd like to eventually be the President of his homeland. He left his home in East Afghanistan nine years ago aged 12. His famly were pro-Taliban, and he was raised to hate the West.  It was a treacherous journey through 10 countries to reach Britian, where a family fostered him, he completed school, and gained a place at University. He has become an advocate for refugees, he is a Young Labour representative and the President of the United Afghan Peace Movement. There's  also a book about his escape to a new life called The Lightless Sky.  At 21, Gulwali Passarlay has big plans and aspirations, including returning home to Afghanistan to run for the Presidency.

10:30 Book Review: The Grown Up by Gillian Flynn

Reviewed by Elisabeth Easther, published by Orion

10:45 The Reading:  The Book of Hat by Harriet Rowland, told by Issy Stewart

(Part 4 of 5)

11:05 New Technology commentator Robbie Allan

Other Back to the Future technology: Given the hype around the Back to the Future hoverboard, what other technology is available that we've previously only seen in the movies...

1. Seeing-eye glasses (think Star Trek) - GiveVision

http://www.cambiarnews.com/worldnews/britain-created-glasses-let-blind-people-see/9643

2. Immersive virtual reality (think The Matrix) - Oculus Rift

http://www.wired.com/2014/05/oculus-rift-4/

3. Flying internet stations (classic sci-fi trope) - Project Loon

http://www.cnet.com/news/google-alphabet-project-loon-indonesia/

https://www.google.com/loon/

4. Human-like virtual assistants (think replicants from Bladerunner)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/09/24/clara-applying-your-virtual-personal-assistant-no-benefits-required/72713514/

The big question for the virtual assistants, of course, is whether a virtual assistant can pass the Turing test.  

11:30 Nathan Mikaere Wallis discusses teenagers and the justice system

Nathan Mikaere Wallis is founder of X Factor Education in Christchurch. He was formerly with the Brain Wave Trust and has been a lecturer at the Christchurch College of Education, lecturing in human development, brain development, language and communication and risk and resilience.

11:45 Viewing with Paul Casserly

Reviewer Paul Casserly on the rise and rise of online viewing and two new release movies: He Named Me Malala - The documentary film about the remarkable Pakistani school girl shot in the head by the Taliban; and Freeheld, the true-life drama of the dying Jersey cop who battled for marriage equality till her last breath.