Sunday Morning

8:10  US Correspondent Mitch McCann 

We get the latest from the US from our correspondent Mitch McCann in New York. 

8:25 The Sunday Morning Quiz 

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen is back with his Sunday Morning quiz.    

Jack is the mind behind the questions on BBC's infamous quiz show Only Connect, known for being both hard — and at the same time totally obvious.     

Wake up your brain and have a go!  

8:35 The burden of choosing the perfect baby name 

Naming a child is important, as we know. And it can attract unwelcome opinions from friends, family, and even strangers. In an effort to alleviate some of that pressure, there are baby-naming consultants that can usher you towards the perfect nomenclature for your newborn, something classic yet quirky.  

Laurel MacKenzie is an associate professor at New York University who teaches a  linguistics class about names. She joins Jim to discuss why and how names come and go from popularity. 

9:10 Mediawatch 

This week Mediawatch looks at the interest the media has shown in the latest official inquiry into our Covid 19 response and why we might have more bickering about ‘fiscal holes’ in the next election. 

9:40  Frances Cook: Is it wise to cut back on insurance?  

Financial journalist and creator of the Making Cents podcast, Frances Cook is back with Jim to discuss making decisions around insurance when money is tight, as well as the latest figures from the property market. 

10:05 How smelly was ancient Rome? 

Ancient Rome stank to the high heavens, according to Dr Thomas Derrick from Australia’s Macquarie University. Dr Derrick is an archaeologist specialising in the everyday lives of people in the Roman Imperial period. He joins Jim to talk about sanitation, odours, and hygiene habits in ancient Rome. 

10:25 Have we got the job for you? The rise of job scams 

Job scams are doing the rounds and are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Netsafe’s chief online safety officer Sean Lyons joins Jim to discuss the techniques scammers use. He also has an update on Re:Scam – Netsafe’s AI tool that wastes scammer’s time so they can’t target their next victims. 

10:35 Why 'The Salt Path' is stirring controversy

The once lauded movie, The Salt Path has become embroiled in controversy. Adapted from a book written Raynor Winn, it purports to tell the true story of a couple who suddenly become homeless, and the healing power of nature. Film critic Sarah McMullan is with Jim to discuss why she thinks stretching the truth on screen can be dangerous. 

11:10 Calling Home: Jack Timings in Copenhagen 

Jack Timings is an engineer in Copenhagen who works mainly on bioenergy projects. He’s also a former member of the New Zealand Youth Choir, and recently had a chance to support the choir during its recent performances in Denmark. 

11:35 What's My Book About: Lindsey Dawson 

Former journalist and magazine editor Lindsey Dawson joins Jim to discuss her new book, Poisoning on Parker Road, which looks at one of the country's most scandalous crimes. 

The true story begins in 1892 when a young settler William Thompson dies, causing a storm of debate in Auckland about whether his poisoning was suicide or murder. Intrigued by how the event affected his much-scorned widow, Dawson tracked the family into the 21st century to find out what happened next. 

The Sunday Poem: Hit The Road Jack

The first step to Jurassic park
Is being undertaken
With use of DNA they say
New moa will awaken

First they'll hatch and then they'll grow
Then with use of AI
And GM engineering
They'll spread their wings and fly

Before you know it there will be
Some moa in Samoa
New moa in Nouméa
Not just Aotearoa

For boffins seem quite confident
From shore to shore they're sure
That with its de-extinction there
Will be no moa no more

Robert Free, The Otago Harbour Bard

(P.S. So, hit the road Jack......
don't you come back no moa no more
no moa no more
Don't you come back no moa)