Saturday Morning for Saturday 28 October 2023

8.10  Bottled water, everywhere: Daniel Jaffee

Bottled water is now a $300 billion global industry and the most consumed packaged drink.

So why are we drinking so much of it, and what's the environmental and social cost?

Associate Professor of Sociology at Portland State University, Daniel Jaffee's book Unbottled - The Fight against Plastic Water and for Water Justice dives into the increasing distrust of tap water, and the rapid growth of bottled water in countries where tap water is safe to drink.
 

8.40 The Final countdown: Jeff Wilson

Considered one of New Zealand's most gifted sports people of his generation, Jeff 'Goldie' Wilson lined up with the All Blacks the last time they faced the Springboks in a Rugby World Cup final, in 1995.

Wilson scored 44 tries in 60 Tests for the All Blacks.

These days you'll see him on Sky TV, commentating the big games. He joins Kim ahead of the final, from Paris.  So, was it food poisoning?

9.05 Misophonia: when small noises are a big problem

Does the sound of ticking clocks, noisy eating, or loud breathing cause you physical distress?

If so, you may be one of every five people who suffer from misophonia.

The condition can trigger fight-or-flight mode, a surge of rage, anxiety, disgust or an urge to escape the sound as soon as possible.

Oxford University-based Australian clinical psychologist and misophonia sufferer Dr Jane Gregory has written a practical guide to coping with the condition.

9.30  Jesmyn Ward: the hell of American slavery

Two-time US National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward's latest novel Let Us Descend tackles the hellish reality of life as a chattel slave.

Modelled on Dante's Inferno, and based on extensive historical research, the book details a gruelling journey teenager Annis makes from a North Carolina plantation to the slave markets of New Orleans.

It's being hailed as an instant classic; announced this week as Oprah's latest book club pick.

Jesmyn Ward is a professor of creative writing at Tulane University. She is the youngest winner of the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, and a MacArthur Fellow. Her other works include novels Sing, Unburied, Sing and Salvage the Bones, and a memoir Men We Reaped.

10.05  Chuck D rapping lyrical

2023 marks the 50th anniversary of hip hop, a cultural and political movement that started in the Bronx and went global.

As a founding member and main MC for Public Enemy, Chuck D was a pioneer of the movement, with his booming baritone rapping on seminal tracks like Fight The Power, highlighting social issues affecting Black communities.

He's remained a revolutionary voice in hip-hop and co-produced a four-part documentary series Fight The Power: How Hip Hop Changed The World. He's also launched culture media app Bring the Noise.

A recipient of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Chuck D was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

 

 

10:45 Smiling about his boys: Kevin Barrett

Veteran Taranaki rugby player Kevin ‘Smiley’ Barrett has three sons playing in the Rugby World Cup final against the Springboks tomorrow.

So how is he, and mum Robyn feeling ahead of Jordie, Beauden and Scott all starting in a game which could restore the All Black's status as the best rugby team in the world?

 

11.05 Robyn Davidson: an Unfinished Woman

Internationally bestselling Australian author Robyn Davidson's new memoir Unfinished Woman delves into her past to investigate time and memory, asking how can we learn to be 'at home everywhere'?

A constant traveller, Davidson's career writing about her journeying and nomadic people has spanned 40 years.

Known as the 'Camel Lady', Davidson trekked through the Australian desert aged 27, leading to the bestselling book Tracks, and global fame.

If you or someone you know is affected by this story, you can get more information or help from:

Mental Health Foundation - www.mentalhealth.org.nz
Lifeline: 0800 543 354 - available 24/7
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) - available 24/7

11.45  Megan Dunn: the private life of public sculpture

Author and art writer Megan Dunn celebrates artworks often hidden in plain sight.

From Wellington's bucket fountain, to Llew Summers' majestic maternal nudes, public art comes in all shapes and sizes, which research initiative Public Art Heritage Aotearoa is documenting.

 

 

Books featured on the show

Unbottled. The Fight against Plastic Water and for Water Justice
By Daniel Jaffee
Published by University of California Press
ISBN: 9780520306622

Sounds Like Misophonia
By Jane Gregory
Published by Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 9781399404983

Let Us Descend
by Jesmyn Ward
Published by Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 9781526666734

Unfinished Woman
By Robyn Davidson
Published by Bloomsbury
ISBN: 9781408837160
 

Music played in this show

Song: Fight the Power
Artist: Public Enemy
Time played: 10:05

Song:  Don't Believe the Hype
Artist: Public Enemy
Time played: 10:15

Song: Harder than You think
Artist: Public Enemy
Time played: 10:30

Song: Let it Be
Artist: Beatles
Time played: 11:40

Song: He Got Game
Artist: Public Enemy
Time played: 10:45