The Panel

The man who paved the way for our laptops and smartphones has died. Paul Allen spearheaded the operating system for IMBs first personal computer in 1980. And put Microsoft on the map. What the Panelists Ella Henry and Peter Elliott want to talk about. It's a big day in Canada, or wil be shortly. Recreational cannabis use will be made legal. There is huge investment money going in. Corona Beer's investment in the cannabis company Canopy Growth saw its share value grow by $4 billion in a week. Investors were betting that Corona will launch cannabis-based drinks.

It's well and truly on. Former National MP Jami-Lee Ross has been the Pied Piper to the media on his trip to a Police station in Wellington. He's laid a complaint against National Party leader Simon Bridges about a $100k political donation. He's also publicising an audio recording which he claims proves Mr Bridges was asking him to commit fraud. Journalist Richard Harman delivers his verdict on the damage this is causing the National Party. The Salvation Army has developed a schme which it says will help 50, 000 people to buy their own homes. KiwiBuy would see th government contribute $1bn annually. The Salvation Army's Alan Johnson says it's a bold plan but it's needed by many to give them hope of owning a house.

So far this year 1771 vehicles have been abandoned in Auckland. That doesn't count the ones just left on the road that are still registered. Auckland Transport says the number of abandoned cars is growing. Growing petrol prices could be contributing to the problem.

We've rounded up a couple a few things that are interesting the internet lately, how to store your cutlery and whether avocado is vegan friendly....

Smoking on planes, neanderthal DNA and FM radio frequencies.

October 15 2017 was the day actress Alyssa Milano tweeted a call for survivors of sexual assault and harassment to post "me too" on social media to raise awareness about the pervasiveness of the issue.

Air New Zealand and Zephyr Airworks have signed an agreement to bring the world's first autonomous electric air taxi service to New Zealand. Cora's already being tested around Christchurch. It's half drone half plane and is 100 per cent electric-powered.

Former National Party leader Don Brash is going to give it another go. He's accepted another offer by the University's Politics Society to speak on campus tomorrow morning. His previous booking was cancelled after the Vice-Chancellor Jan Thomas said there were security issues. However it later became clear it was because of assumptions around what his message would be. Michael Curtis of the Politics Society explains why they're getting Dr Brash back.

What the Panelists Gary McCormick and Catherine Robertson want to talk about.

British GPs may soon be writing prescriptions for cooking classes, art classes and ballroom dancing. It's all in a bid to combat scial isolation.