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Afternoons

RNZ•www.rnz.co.nz
Society & Culture
Jesse Mulligan presents an upbeat mix of the curious and the compelling, ranging from the stories of the day to the great questions of our time.
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Episodes

Heading Off: Keeping it local - Mangere

Louisa Tipene Opetaia & Ama Mosese were recommended to me by our news reader Marama T-Pole. They run a tour company focused on showing off South Auckland's Mangere, or as they put it "an underappreciated cultural gem."

Jul 23, 2025•9 min

The WW2 logbook with a fascinating story

The Airforce Museum in Christchurch regularly receives donations of WW2 memorabilia. But a recent donation stood out, a log book belonging to Sargent Charles Kronk. It had a big gash in the top, probably damaged in service. But that wasn't what made it interesting... find out what was as he chats to Jesse.

Jul 23, 2025•9 min

The people openly judging books by their covers

General advice is to never judge a book by its cover, but our next guests' job is literally to do that. Chloe Blades is one of the judges for the 2025 PANZ Book Design Awards, she tells Jesse what makes a cover stand out from the rest.

Jul 23, 2025•10 min

Calling all grammar fans! We've got the interview for you

Grammarian Ellen Jovin discovered that when she set up a table outside a subway station in New York with a sign encouraging people to ask their grammar questions, it was a huge hit. She and her husband Brandt Johnson took the grammar table on the road across America. The result is Rebel with a Clause, a book written by Jovin and a documentary directed by Johnson. They tell Jesse what they discovered.

Jul 22, 2025•24 min

How old is too old for recruiters?

A new report from the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Australian Human Resources Institute says that people over 50 are considered as "older" and that many employers are reluctant to hire workers under the age of 24 or over 50.

Jul 22, 2025•7 min

Tech Tuesday: Microsoft security breaches and more

Tim Batt joins Jesse to discuss the security breach affecting Microsoft's SharePoint, and also the company's plan to offset carbon emissions with a new deal with Vaulted Deep (via Tom's Hardware). It's a dual waste management solution designed to help remove carbon from the atmosphere in a bid to protect nearby towns from contamination, by burying a lot of waste deep underground.

Jul 22, 2025•9 min

Paying attention to giving people your full attention.

We've all experienced that moment when someone glances at their phone mid-conversation and you suddenly feel invisible. Kiwis check our devices around 50 times an hour, and it's costing us more than we think. Psychiatrist and writer Dr. Samaiya Mushtaq says attention is a form of care, and when we lose it, we lose empathy too. She writes for Modern Love in the New York Times and on her Substack, The Middle Path. In a new essay she explores how distraction lets us dodge discomfort and why real co...

Jul 21, 2025•24 min

Mastering pasta: How do you make the perfect pasta dish?

If you've ever cooked alongside an Italian, you'll know that cooking pasta properly is a very big deal. With around 350 different types of pasta, we are looking at which sauces pair best with which shapes and how to avoid some common mistakes along the way. Emilie Pullar from 'Burnt Butter Table' is here to help. Emilie runs the popular Instagram page and website of the same name, where she shares delicious recipes and tutorials.

Jul 21, 2025•27 min

Celebrating Aotearoa's book industry

The 2025 Book Industry awards took place over the weekend and Louise and Gareth Ward won a prize for their Bookstore Detective novels.

Jul 21, 2025•10 min

Critter of the Week: Alicella Gigantea

This week's critter of the week loves freezing temperatures, no sunlight and extreme pressure. It lives at extreme depths, seven kilometres down, not just surviving but thriving. Nicola Toki joins Jesse to discuss the supergiant amphipod, Alicella Gigantea.

Jul 18, 2025•16 min

Find out how to get your washing done in a wet winter

For most of us winter has brought with it a lot of rain, and that makes drying washing challenging, and more than often expensive. Fortunately, The Housekeeper's Rachael Quinn is here to help.

Jul 18, 2025•6 min

A twist on a French classic: Poires Belle Helene

Yellow Brick Road's Martin Bosley shares his recipe for Poires Belle Helene. The classic French dessert was invented in the 1800s, Martin explains why it's stood the test of time.

Jul 18, 2025•11 min

Canned corned beef: How do you like it?

We dip into the debate about which canned corned beef is best - Palm or Pacific. RNZ Tahi's So'omalo Iteni Schwalger shares his love of corned beef whatever the style.

Jul 18, 2025•10 min

The Christchurch bar named best in Australasia

This week Christchurch's 'Cellar Door' was named Australasia's best wine bar, by 'World of Fine Wine Magazine'. Whie that's great news, in even better news it means the bar goes on to represent the region in the world finals later this year. Owner Tim Ogle chats to Jesse.

Jul 18, 2025•8 min

North and South is back in print!

North and South magazine is returning to print this November. The magazine had moved to a digital newsletter in January, but positive growth and audience engagement means it is returning to being a physical magazine.

Jul 18, 2025•7 min
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