Progressive political candidates often succeed through grassroots campaigning and authentic voter connections rather than large financial resources, as demonstrated by George Hampton's Labour campaign for Christchurch Central, where he emphasized personal engagement, community involvement, and progressive values over competing with well-funded parties like National and ACT.
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#BHN Labour Candidate George Hampton | Progressive democrats dominating | St John funding boostAdded:
Ladies and gentlemen, Am I hearing you?
Welcome back to Bright Hearing News, the Friday edition of Big Hearing News with myself and Magenta.
What's up?
>> What's up?
>> No, not too bad. Not too bad. Not too bad. Uh it's been a [ __ ] long week.
>> Yeah, >> I just It's been a long long long week.
Monday feels like it was so long ago.
>> So much going on. I've been super busy with the greens. Obviously with the announcements around the new disability support services bill that just got uh put on us very last minute.
So yeah, lots of lots of work for me to do over the weekend as well cuz I'll be writing a submission guide.
>> Fun.
>> Yeah. So that's going to be fun. But no, I'm looking forward to our little our little hangout and and our and our Friday goodness cuz I need it. I need it after all of the [ __ ] this week.
>> Well, I have generally good news this week um >> for you. So, we'll look at some fun stuff. We'll look at some I'm I'm still debating whether or not I change one of my stories to um to uh Rimmer. What's his name?
>> Oh, Seymour.
>> Skinner. Seyour Skinner. Um >> but I didn't really want to top and tail your weekend, you know, Friday and Monday with with with Seymour cuz he's going to be on Q&A this weekend. So, figured the boys would probably cover that. Um, in fact, uh, Q&A have already released a chat with him about the RNZ stuff. Um, so >> we'll see. We'll see how I feel in like 30 minutes time. Otherwise, we're going to talk about St. John, which is kind of like a good bad. They got to fund extra funding, but, you know, not enough.
>> I mean, it's never enough. It's never enough.
>> Yeah, it's never enough. Um, but otherwise we've got a very exciting show. Uh, we did an interview with George Hampton uh earlier this week and we had a we had a good chat about uh his campaign. Uh who he is. He's um he's the Labour candidate running for Christ Church Central which is currently Duncan Web's um seat.
>> Yes.
>> Uh didn't realize but it's a Labour stronghold so there's there's good chance. But we also have Cahoo running in that seat. So, you know, we'll see how it goes. Could be an interesting an interesting uh campaign. Uh what do you call it? Campaign. Campaign. Yeah, I guess >> race. That's the word I was.
>> Yeah, that's the one.
>> Yes. Maybe split down the middle of who do I support. Um but no, it was cool to cool to meet with him. Um and we got to learn a few things. Uh specifically, the question I wanted to ask that we both got to ask was about the Mr. Whippy of it all. So stay tuned for how Mr. Whippy has something to do with >> Mr. Whippy politics. Let's go.
>> Um, and the other thing I want to talk about today is uh, and I know some of you don't like talking about politics across the pond, across the ocean, probably more so. Correct. Um, but there has been some more progressive uh, candidates winning primaries, uh, Democratic primaries over in the States.
So, in the shadow of Zoron, we're seeing more and more um people shifting towards uh far more progressive, outspokenly progressive candidates. Um and I think that's important to highlight because it makes you feel good. You know, I think seeing a little bit of good news, maybe it'll just like, you know, a little bit of that dust might, you know, sprinkle onto our election hopefully. So, we'll um >> we'll we'll have a look at that as well because I think that's >> nice to see. Here's hoping that the fear of God has been put into the billionaires. I mean, what? Don't know what you're talking about.
>> Hey, like we said last week, taxing the rich is the moderate option.
>> Exactly.
>> Yeah. Uh before we get into our pre-recorded interview, um we should probably say thank you to our patrons over at patreon.com/bigharynews.
Big thank you to all of you who support us over there. If you'd like to join us, head on over. Um, you can become a member for as little as $5 a month. Um, and it helps us uh, pay the bills monthtomonth, helps us sort of plan the year ahead. As Pat revealed last night to y'all, the reason that he is overworked at the moment is because he's sorting out the debates um, that we're going to have at the end of the year.
Fingers crossed. Most likely, hopefully.
Um, so yeah, and it's thanks to the patrons that we're able to uh somewhat plan for a lot of that stuff. And um, yeah, big big thank you to all of you guys. Make it all possible. Uh, other ways you can support us is you can go to bhn.nz.
Go have a look at all of our cool stuff happening over there, including the the merchandise shop. Um, I I I has he taken it down.
Are you are you right there, Magenta?
Oh, he hasn't taken it down yet. So, possibly might still be might still be relevant. So, if you want to get your the left votes, the left wins hoodie or t-shirt and you want to get some extra stickers with that, head on over to the site. Uh, all the instructions are there of what you get. Um, otherwise, get yourself a bright orange chewy fufu, which was very relevant this week. I felt like there was some I think it was even a pet fufu to be fair. Last night was popping off and I do not blame the boys. I was popping off with them. So >> yeah, this government's [ __ ] gross.
>> Yeah. So get yourselves one of those.
>> Um perfect for the election year, too.
Orange is the is our election colors.
The bright orange election man.
>> Yes, it sure is.
So, just a reminder to make sure you're enrolled to vote. Uh, especially if you're MAI, don't forget if you want to get on the MAI roll, I think it's August 7th approximately. So, get it done.
>> Yep. Do not do not wait. Do not hesitate. I was going to make like a cool I don't know. Maybe not.
>> Well, yeah. I mean, better to do it now, especially on the very slim chance they like to do a snap election. And that means that if you weren't enrolled to vote at that point, sucks to suck. So, always good to >> um did my Have I Oh, I think I've broken it.
>> Um, hang on team >> broke it. How dare in this economy we can't afford to fix things.
>> I think I may have cropped I may have accidentally cropped the the outro on this, but um as long as it >> starts correctly. Yep, it starts correctly. We're good. Okay. Sorry, I was just fixing up the pre-record.
>> Um get voting wise. Yeah.
>> Hey yo.
>> Uh so do stick around. We're back in a our live selves will be back. Um, but for the meantime, have a let's um let's have a look at ourselves on Wednesday and uh have fun listening to this little interview. If I press this, is it just going to start to play? We've got George Hampton who is the Labour Christ Church Central for the 2026 election. How are you?
>> I am great. Yeah. How are you?
>> We are We are very good. How was your sunny Christ Church day? I'm assuming you're still in the city.
>> Yeah. Yeah. No, I am. I've just um was out in um Waltham actually at the Waltham Community Cottage um seeing some folk out there.
>> Um yeah, having a few chats. They do like a free community um lunch. Um that seems to bring in people from across the city um on on Wednesdays. Just you know, shout out to Waltham Community College.
>> Um >> yeah, it's it's pretty cool.
>> Uh these sort of things like you kind of imagine that they're maybe don't exist anymore in the community that the kind of those things that keep on restoring the fabric uh might not occur but like it's just kind of good people doing their thing dayto-day um in some pretty difficult circumstances but yeah >> that's awesome. How are you are you so you're in campaign mode now? You're you're sort of getting out there meeting the people and showing >> Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah, I mean I think um it's something you kind of need to live, eat, and breathe. Uh particularly as a candidate on the left, right? I mean like I mean Labor in particular, but no party uh can match, you know, $10 million sitting in a in a war chest um in Oakuckland, right? So um >> you got to be out there meeting everyone you can because we're gonna we're you know, we had a quiz night last week.
It's not um it's not a giant corporation coming in um and giving us something or a you know big private individual coming in and giving a $100,000 or something.
Um it's quiz nights it's five buck donations from people um you know it's always been how Labour does it but it doesn't make it any easier to contest something like like this. So yeah um you kind of got to you got to work work for every vote, right?
>> Yeah. I think it's a testament to to left-leaning parties how little funding they get to how they're able to stack up and match the likes of of the huge donations that go to ACT and national um and New Zealand first was also up there as well. But I think that says a lot about the people power, the grassroots, the actual belief as opposed to, I guess, propaganda that's like, you know, you're constantly met with a lot of advertising and things because they have the budget to do that. Whereas, I think, you know, Labor, for example, as well, they're out there. You guys are out there campaigning, you're meeting people, and I think that says a lot about um yeah, people power and and passion for for what you guys have. So, >> yeah, for sure. I mean, I think I'd probably put the other side of the coin in as well, right? Like I think it's it says something about individuals barometers you know like their ability their kind of word I'm not going to say meters their ability to kind of look at things that they get even when they're you know well advertised have millions of dollars sitting behind them and to say actually this doesn't stack up and my own experience what I know even amongst the information atmosphere we have now I still know that this is this is not right and actually this is the thing I believe in and that it kind of connects to me fundamentally. I mean, I think that's a lot of what this kind of, you know, one-on-one connection is about, but also even even the advertising that we do do, like we are we're very authentic um in terms of who we are and what we're trying to convey.
And I think people see that. Um I think people are remarkably savvy or getting savvier um about kind of cutting through some of that. Not always, but um yeah, like I think that's part part and parcel of um you know, scrapping for every vote is really trusting trusting people, hoping that people can see what's kind of right and wrong.
>> Yeah. So, you talk a we bit about your I guess moral compass and things and talking about authenticity. Do you want to tell us a bit about yourself and uh where you're coming from and how you've entered into politics?
>> Yeah, sure. Nice uh nice uh segue. Uh yeah. So, and I mean I was um you know I was born and uh raised in Christ. I'm one of um seven seven kids. Um so you know if um somebody out there hasn't dated one of my brothers or sisters um and such um yeah so uh I you know growing up in a house of uh nine people u and papi probably you know taught me a lot about fairness but it wasn't the thing that really brought me to the lab party but mainly fairness around you know getting into the one shower in the house uh in time um yeah then went to papar street but um I mean my kind of career path uh And probably life today is probably not a typical one for a Labour candidate in New Zealand or maybe not for a political candidate. I mean I I went to went to Cbury University and was um student um president there. Uh and then worked for um worked foreign affairs and actually worked for Helen Clark when she was prime minister in 2008. Um which you know is a we while ago. Uh and then you know unsuccessfully worked for her as well I should say. Uh and then um was posted with foreign affairs working on disarm and arms control. So um I was a deputy ambassador in Vienna working on nuclear stuff. So traveled to Tyran um which now seems like a long time ago as well during the middle of the last uh the last talks. And then few other things in there was part of our security council, New Zealand security council team in New York and were on the security council and then helped run Helen's other unsuccessful campaign for secretary general um back in 2016 and then worked for the UN on climate change for five years uh based in New York mainly working on sustainable energy in Africa really like energy access um yeah so I mean I think across my uh career a lot of it's been really um focused on solving solving problems, solving challenges for people really and for me some challenges that are existential um some challenges kind of um at more the level of the day-to-day. I mean, I think these all thing they're all things that connect.
Um, but you know, I've always been um probably driven by really where my parents come from on this, which you know, have to talk about as well. But um yeah, my parents have always kind of been this um incredible force for social justice um together at as a kind of partnership and that's yeah, that's kind of in part led me to where I am.
What what drove their um what drove that? I guess where's where's that come from for them if you know?
>> Yeah, I mean we should um I'm at mom and dad's right now so we can get them in here and they can um No. Uh yeah, so they um so dad is a um dad's a defense lawyer um a guy called Nigel Hampton um KC. So he's um you know more recent years has been involved with um Pike Pike River um with the um mosque um shooting victims and advocating for them um CTV um kind of across the country and then back into um legal cases including you know Peter Ellis and um many other um many other kind of high-profile things.
But you know what you've kind of seen from mom and dad across all those years is it was kind of always always for anyone always unconditionally and always together. You know there's this kind of passion that they have for um for helping others. Um and and that unconditionality has always been the way they've approached my you know my brothers and sisters and and growing up right. I mean, I couldn't I'm I'm second bottom in age ranking only of the seven.
And um you know, I couldn't I could never do anything wrong that my brothers or sisters hadn't done, which is good.
But you know, whatever you do, um mom and dad have always kind of just accepted and and just been there been there for us. And so that's an enormous place of kind of love and kindness to um to start from, which I'm extremely lucky to have had. And I think that's that's pushed me throughout my life to try and, you know, look for those spaces where you can kind of pay that back and and do more yourself. And, you know, there's there's unlimited spaces for people to stand up now, like where we're at, right? So, whatever you're doing, wherever you are in your community, there's you just look around and you'll see the space that you can put yourself into.
>> Yeah. Um, what have you, so you've obviously done a lot of things overseas, but what brought you back home and and why why stand for Christ Church Central?
>> Yeah, I mean, there's a there's a sort of there's a few bits um to that. I mean, obviously um I I'm from Christ Church. I I I strongly believe um in in the city and and its potential and and I'll come back to that. But I mean I think more fundamentally I think a lot of the the work I've been doing internationally um you can see there's there's something deeper and at a base level more broken in um both in our societies and in the economy and that I think unless we actually take the opportunity to try and fix it at that lower level um that thing will remain broken and in fact won't just remain broken but will keep on drifting even further and you know I like think if you look at that social cohesion report that came out um from the Helen Clark Foundation, it shows that there's a window here in the country and in fact that window is more open here I think than in Europe and certainly in the US and that window is really about creative change and dialogue. Like we still have space here despite everything we see and despite how torn and divided things are there's more space here to solve problems. And so like I think I come back with that hope that actually there is a story here in New Zealand that we can we can get behind some of these things that solved these problems. And I think what we saw during the Justinda days through times before through you know people like Norm Kirk uh even people like David Longy that when New Zealand does some of these things when we've acted to experiment and try new things others notice and they pick up that change. And so like I take an immense amount of hope out of out of that and I have a three-year-old my wife and I have a three-year-old um girl um Hazel and um you know when you kind of when you work in climate change for any period of time but you also overlay that with the geopolitics at the moment with kind of the rise of autocracy what it means for people to kind of choose between you know petrol and going to the doctor. um you can kind of see just how cataclysmic some of the changes that are coming are going to be unless we take on these problems with both hands and and try new things. Um yeah, so that was not a short answer to your question, but that's a big part of big part of why I'm I'm back.
>> I mean short answers are uh avoid of context I would say. Um before I pass to you Magenta, I did uh I did have a question. Um, I did have a question and now it's gone. So, I'm going to pass it to you while I remember it.
>> Oh, no. Um, well, no. Uh, I'm loving all the background cuz obviously I can't say I know much about you, especially as I'm not a Christurch uh citizen, but I was just doing some quick Googling as you do when you when you learn about a new person. Um, and I guess I got two questions. The first question is, uh, you contested the Northshore in 2023.
What made you uh was there a reason for moving changing to Christ Church this time around? Like >> just curious on that one.
>> Yeah. Yeah. No, I mean so for me um in in 2023 I think particularly uh with Justinda um resigning. Um I really felt like it was something that I needed to step into to kind of get into at that point. You could kind of feel how important that election was. Um, and it I mean I you just need to look around to see how it was so damn important, right?
And so I fel felt compelled to kind of um get get involved. Um, you know, uh, I was proud to go and run on on the Northshore. Um, I, you know, coming from the world of climate change at that point in particular, I was running against Simon Watts, who we we we had a pretty good idea was going to become the incoming climate change minister. Um, >> and you know, all due respect to, uh, Minister Watts, um, he doesn't have a deep background, um, in climate change or in the energy space. Uh, and you know, I wanted to kind of give him a good um a good run for his money. Um, you know, the Northshore has not traditionally been a bastion of labor politics. Uh, but, uh, you know, if I if I'd gone and done something like that, then I probably wouldn't um be standing here if I hadn't walked away thinking, >> yeah, I can uh I can handle the handle the fire. And, you know, Oakland in 2023 wasn't exactly the friendliest place to campaign as a Labor candidate. um even one that you know is a a sis white man.
So if it was bad for me um it was incredibly bad for um everyone else. Um yeah, and you know I think it just showed as well like it showed just you know you turn up to some of these houses four or five million houses um incredibly aggressive upset people mainly older white men inside really the echo chamber and it's just a it's just a sign of um how dangerous the environment not not in terms of physical danger although that was you know there are a few times you had to run down a driveway um but in terms of how close we are flying to the wind on this and that's what I'm about this kind of window for change. Um because I you know I just don't think we can take any of this for granted anymore. The New Zealand 10 years ago isn't New Zealand today and in another decade things will have moved again. Um and I again I think this is why it's important for you know anyone who cares about uh what it means to have this sort of society we want like what it means to have the sort of New Zealand I think that like most people want >> um to kind of step up because I think the fascinating thing for me is that you know you'll meet people at both ends of the spectrum who understand that the system is broken and want to do something. So, you know, the dude driving his Maserati doesn't want to live in a gated community as much as the, you know, the person at the the the bottom, the person, you know, one of the 250 people sleeping rough and crushed at Central also doesn't want to, you know, live in that broken world either. And so, I think there's like there's something uniting in that and I just don't think that's necessarily the case if we go overseas. So, again, I think there's kind of hope to be taken out of that.
>> No, absolutely.
>> Question. Um, and I guess my second question is actually primarily for the people of Christ Church in in Central.
Uh, you've got four uh four candidates that you'll be going up against. Uh, at least so far. You've got uh Kahurangi Carter from the Green Party, uh Dale Stevens from National, Eden Skipper uh from Opportunity, and Greg Burns from Alliance. What do you think makes you stand out and why do you like what will you do for the people of Central Kai Church that you think the others wouldn't be able to do?
>> Yeah, great question and great fast research on the candidate names.
Uh, look, I mean, yeah, like I think I come at this um very much as a person who um I mean I like I know big systems and I know how big systems fail to take people into account unless you have a really vocal voice involved in them. And I think you've kind of seen that during this term that um you know honestly nationals kind of taken the eye off the ball when it comes to Christ Church and investing in Christ Church. And I think the there's a reliance on, you know, the tectonic uh Keynesianism that came as a result of the reinvestment in the earthquakes, right? But that that didn't come free. That actually came from, you know, decades of hard work, a decade of hard work post earthquakes. And it if you look at the transport infrastructure number, the health infrastructure numbers, they're down. Christ is getting less. And in fact, the South Island, I think, is probably getting less because I don't think there are those strong advocates anymore um inside cabinet. I mean, Megan Woods under Labor is a, you know, a fantastic advocate for the city.
But at the moment, you know, with Brownley in the speakership, um who is that minister inside of cabinet for Canterbury or the South Island? And you know, there basically is nobody. Those people either sit outside of cabinet or they don't have the power to actually advocate for it. And I think it's just proof of why you need a strong advocate.
And I, you know, I I spent 15 years being a a diplomat for New Zealand. I know how to advocate for others. A lot of when you're standing overseas, um, working with New Zealand on nuclear things, you're not the, you know, favorite kid on in the class. Um, when you're standing up at the Security Council and speaking up on something, um, you're a minority voice among um, you know, all the countries in the world. So, I know how to press a point.
I know how to push for that. And that's something I bring. And at the same time, as I say, I think my career has been about solving problems and solving problems for people back home really. So again, I think that's something that I'll I'll I'll bring to this, let alone more specialized things. I mean, I think there's a there's a whole another conversation to be had around resilience, around climate adaptation, both our responsibilities, but what it means to kind of both future proof the economy, but look forward in the economy and and and better plan for um you know, what we need to do and um the sort of value that we want to give people in the economy um rather than just having it be something that happens to them. Um and I think that's something that I would you know want to be a strong advocate for for the people of Christ Church as well.
Um, you're saying there's there's a a void, I guess, for Canterbury or the South Island. What's your thoughts on the uh the ministry for the South Island or the MP for the South Island? Not sure 100% what it is that um James Mega is doing at the moment.
>> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think uh I mean, look, there's, you know, there's been a bit of media around uh Mr. mega in the in the recent months given his involvement in other things.
But I think obviously I think that role should be a senior person in cabinet. I think that person um needs to kind of go in to bat for Christ Church with the other decisions that the country is making um in mind.
And again, that's where Megan played that role um for Labor. And you know, I definitely do not agree with uh a lot of things that Jerry Brownley did in office for sure. uh but you know he was a strong advocate for Christ Church whether you uh enjoyed the advocacy and the results of the advocacy or not and instead you take him out and suddenly there's no one sitting around the actual cabinet table because a minister outside a cabinet just doesn't carry the same sway for the South Island. So would would we have had the same decision around taking away what would have been fairies that would been you know in the straight sooner rather than later um if we' had a senior minister in there probably not. would we have the same decision around, you know, a relatively sometimes myopic um take on um focus on roads um and some of those roads and those decisions I don't think are the right ones for actually what the pattern of growth is going to be for the South Island and for the Canterbury region. I mean these things are kind of intimately connected. Um so yeah I don't I don't think um I don't think the solution is necessarily just giving anybody a portfolio and saying hey we've we've solved the problems. It's actually about the person and that the power that person has and what sort of advocate they are for those things. Um yeah.
H um I was just having a look as well talking about electorate and things but uh I didn't actually realize this but um Labor is a the crusher central seat is a bit of a labor stronghold uh short of the 2011 and 2014 election which we had uh Nikki Wagner um which I wonder if that has something to do with uh Keys government and how they were doing at the time different completely different kind of national party for sure than what we're seeing day. Um and then yeah, Duncan Web's managed to hold it for the last three uh three elections. Um speaking of of Duncan, we're a huge fan of of good old Duncle. We've had him on a few times.
>> You got some big shoes, buddy.
>> You do have some big shoes to fill. How do you feel about um what's the feeling in the community around uh him stepping down and you coming in? Do they do they feel like Duncan's done a really good job for them? And do you do they kind of give the feeling that they're keen for you to to take the seat?
>> Yeah. # Duncle, right? Uh yeah. No, look, he um >> Dunle >> I uh I have enormous uh respect for him.
I've known him for he he taught me uh to age him in a way that he'll appreciate.
He taught me at at Canterbury um taught me legal ethics. So um as I've told him, like every bad decision I've ever made in my life is down to Duncan. Um, let's not talk about what Mark I got from Duncan, but uh, yeah, I've known him for a lot of years, but I mean, I think I was thinking about this when um, Luxom was kind of having the meltdown on the Iran answers is that you could I think it's really telling when somebody is put under pressure where they reach to and what they pull from themselves. And you know, I don't know what he was reaching for and pulling out, but um anyway, but you know, you can watch Duncan, you you watch his responses and questions in the house. You know, you sit down and have a beer with the man, and what he's reaching to is something kind of deep and um in a sense of where he sees collective justice, where he sees social justice. There's there's something innate in him um when he when he goes to that place. And I think that's just enormously special and beneficial to have in somebody in that sort of leadership role. And yeah, like I as I say, I think, you know, you just need to watch his questions on the treaty principles um stuff. Uh you know, you can even go back to the earthquake days when he was providing legal advice um to people um in need. Um there's a there's a kind of a deep passion there. But as I say, like a weather vein inside of the man that um you know isn't universal inside people who enter parliament. Um you know he would have been a terrific um minister of justice um and the sort of minister of justice we need and you know we'll have people step into that role um I hope and do well but I I would love to have seen um Ducken in that role. And so I think you know there are a lot of people around Christ Church and I'm meeting people um every day who um who love Duncan and love the swan dry um I did a absurd baking with Duncan um on Saturday uh which was just just a hell of a mess and my scones were undoubtedly worse than Duncan's but um yeah like yeah he's gonna he's going to be a big loss and so it's you're right it's like big shoes to fill um and but and Duncan and I are very um very different people at one level, but I think the interesting thing about Christ Church Central is, you know, that long history you referred to, right? Um when you've got names like Jeffrey Palmer, Leandelle, Tim Barnett, um Duncan, um you know, David Kaggel over overlapped into it, right? These are these are people of um substance, people who have always advocated for progressive causes um across the country and it's reflected in the Labor Party, but also in the people you meet. Like I think there's a there's a liberalism that goes across both left and right in Christ Church which is kind of fascinating. People expect this of this the Christ Church central MP that the person is going to be um going to be a voice in parliament for that sort of New Zealand. I think like fundamentally that's what those candidates have bought through. I mean, like Tim with the law reform um that he he pushed through um Leanne um for workers rights and for a whole heap of other things and Palmer across the field and I mean Duncan, they've all been um superb advocates and they've been empowered by the electorate. I think that's the fascinating thing. It's not all electorates that kind of bring that with them, but I think the the idea of having more ambition of being able to push things further because, you know, you've got those people behind you backing you up, I think it's been an enormously powerful part of Crusher Central. So, you know, I'd be extremely lucky and privileged to have that myself and it would be something I would I would carry. And, you know, you sort of stand on the shoulders of those who've gone before, so I'd be a person who would push in that direction as well.
>> Yeah. Um, I have one last question and I think I might be stealing Magenta's question here. Uh, it's the Mr. Whippy question of course.
>> Yeah, it is my question.
>> What's the It's such a good question about like we have to we have to speak to you.
This this is the most fascinating thing about you unfortunately for this.
>> Yeah. The Mr. Whippy candidate. That could be some some powerful PR, my guy.
>> Agreed. Agreed. But that is that what speaks to I guess your uh I guess your business side of uh knowledge. Would that be would that be uh appropriate to say?
>> Yeah, I mean I think um yeah I uh both I think both the spin-off and um Seven Days had a lot of fun with this when I stood in 2023 and um you know the spin-off is still waiting my reply on whether there's a whippy van um out uh at this election. So, you know, let's see. Um, but yeah, I mean, I think it at one level it doesn't, you know, really fit with everything else we've just talked about and, you know, I understand that it makes sense to me because, you know, it's it's been my life uh that I've lived. But, you know, like, so when I was at university, I sold raspberries out of the back of my car and ethnic road to pay for, you know, fees. And then, um, when I was, um, I went to, um, Columbia University in the States. When I was at Columbia, I won an entrepreneurship prize um working kind of on kind of third space um social kind of community um spaces ideas um from Columbia Engineering um very lovely to >> um have us go through that entrepreneurship prize competition on on that and you know I've been involved with a number of kind of businesses over time. I mean for me I think I think it we should never kind of view these things in isolation. The economy and business is part of how we ultimately solve social problems. The market is not the fix for everything. The market fails on a lot of things. Some things absolutely should be decommodified. Um but there are a lot of things that we can take from the market and use for good end. Um I'm not necessarily suggesting that soft serve ice cream is at the pinnacle of that. Um but for me it's like an iconic an iconic brand.
It's, you know, it's something that Kiwis have enormously positive associations with. And the >> the crazy thing is it's like these it's these family businesses all across the country um wonderful Mr. and Mrs. Whippies um doing their thing. Um but I mean the other thing is like I know from I know from the network they're doing their thing, but it's it's actually bloody tough doing their thing right now. I mean I think business is a reflection of what people are feeling at the you know around the kitchen table at the grassroots level which is people are enormously pushed and I think what do we May 20th like in the in the four or five months to come things are not going to get easier. You know everything we know about how the supply chains uh are not working um is just going to push people even further. So, you know, we're doornocking in Mariho on um on Sunday and yeah, just people are having the the worst time of their lives, right? And we I went to the I was lucky enough to go to the concert um 660 at the stadium on Saturday night and which was >> the spaceship >> sweet and going back to that kind of momentum and energy that um Christ Church has right now and a sense that it's like the most dynamic city in the country and as I say I think there's a sense that we've got to keep that momentum going because that momentum didn't come for free. But while you're queuing with 37,000 people to go into the stadium we walk past a queue on Columbbo Street of 60 people queuing up for a hot meal. So this is like the bifocation that we have, right? We we've got these two stark realities in the economy and we need to bridge that because it's not right. It's it's not right that 250 people as I say sleep rough in Christ Church that 60 people are queuing up there while others are queuing up for a stadium. Um and you know it's not to say we shouldn't have nice things and we shouldn't have economic growth, but there's a there's a balance to be had there and there's a solution that should bring everybody along. um rather than leaving some people out in the cold.
>> Absolutely. Especially with this terribly cold weather we're coming into.
>> For sure. Yeah, for sure.
>> Yeah. I honestly I'm So I'm a Christ uh a can a can no a canabium. I'm from the south, but I'm a Christurch residence um myself. So um obviously this is quite important to me to get to know all the candidates. I have so many questions, but uh I don't want to keep you forever, but Magenta, did you have anything you wanted to uh ask before we hit it off?
>> Yes. I've got one quick serious and I've got one silly one that I'm going to spin off.
>> Is it about getting whippy van somewhere or Yeah.
>> I mean, that's an expensive.
>> It's not that far away. It's a lot closer than think um No, this is more of a general Labor question since I'm a I'm a Green Party member as you could probably tell. Um, >> where do you have any ideas when we might find out about your candidate list rankings?
>> Yeah, I Googled that and I couldn't find it.
>> Yeah, good question. Yeah, like it's um it's I mean as as you know with the Greens, it's a process. Uh yeah, it's a it's a process, right? And um so it's a process with labor as well. Um it's all under way kind of kicking off. I think we've got regional um list conferences around the country and then we go into the kind of national list process. So I don't know how how >> busy couple months then.
>> Yeah couple months. It's always it's always a it's always a thing, right?
>> Hey, that's good to know it started because I mean you know we just get a little itchy especially over here on BHN like we're political tragics, you know, we're [ __ ] >> every little bit of politics news we can get. It's it's it's a problem. But my my my then fun question would be if you were going to make a Mr. Whippy ice cream or sundae that was called the George Hampton, what would you put on it?
>> Yeah, I mean it's uh we had a lot of um chippy whippy uh stuff last night around like a lot of people trying to suggest to me like different >> whippy lots of chips with ice cream.
>> Yeah. I mean, I think like it's we don't have green soft serve, but for me, I think coming from my climate change background, uh, I mean, like I I've been to way too many um, you know, like with the with the UN, I've been to these conferences around like all the other planetary boundaries that we're breaching other than climate, right? So, it's like nine planetary boundaries of which climate is only one and, you know, four or five are at the tipping point.
And you know, when you swirl all those together into an ice cream, it's a pretty terrifying color. But uh yeah, look, I don't know. I need to I need to paint something more positive than that.
Uh for people, >> what kind of toppings would you put on a would you put on an ice cream? You know, like are we going for the nuts? Are we going for candy? Are we going for fruit?
>> Yeah. Like >> I do know growing up I was like pushing things if I got a flake. You know, if you got the flavor >> and like if you manage to get the chocolate topping and the flake, >> my brother always wanted the like hundreds of thousands with the um the bubble gum ball thing in the >> Oh, yeah.
>> You know, which I was always like, "Yeah, come on." Like chocolate.
>> I mean, I'm a chocolate person, too, so I'm with you.
>> I'm a chocolate person, too.
>> Right. Back at you guys. What would your preferences be for whippy?
>> Oh, mine's the I'm the same. flake dipped. And I like the the dual cone just just as much as you can.
>> The double.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. I mean, to be fair, I saw a Mr. Whippy van at the uh New Town Festival.
My god, >> they they they used to be expensive, but now they're super expensive. I think um if I didn't have to if I didn't have a price thing, it's obviously going to be some kind of like chocolate, nuts, and maybe like I don't know, go crazy with a little like sherbet for a little tam.
>> Oh, the sherbet. Yeah. Yeah. Like rolling.
>> I used to love the sherbet dips.
>> Those were always a solid one.
>> Nice. Well, I'm glad that we got to ask you about the Mr. Whippy of it all because I think this is we're going to have to come back and have a chat with you closer to the election and see how things are going. But um it's been wonderful to >> be and I was watching Magenta's face when I think she was googling the whippy thing and it was good. But >> also if you sh dip it's red like labor.
So you know again mark it on the guy.
>> Yeah. I like the I like the branding.
Yeah. Yeah. That's that's good. I'll chuck it up the chain and see.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Chuck some chippies on it. There you go.
>> Chip chocolate chippies.
>> Yeah. On the top, you know. Lead it.
>> This could go on for a while. Yeah.
Yeah, we'll leave you with the last word. Um, how can people help with the campaign if they're interested and they're local to Christ Church?
>> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, so um, get in touch.
The hashtag is, uh, there either Instagram um or Facebook or Tik Tok, which I need to brush off at some stage.
Uh, yeah. And I mean, we're looking for, as I said at the start, you know, we don't have $2 million. We're we had 30 people out volunteering with us on um, Sunday um, doornocking. We'd love more.
We want, you know, signs for fences. We want people who can do social media better than me, which is almost anyone.
Um, you know, just come and get involved and you don't need to have done it before, but, you know, people with a passion for for helping others and for helping those who are really doing it exceptionally hard right now, right?
>> Yeah, for sure. Oh, thank you for having chat with us. Um, we'll catch up with you close to the election, see how things are going. Um, but I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day and uh, yeah, we'll talk soon. You, too.
Nice to meet you guys. Bye.
>> Looks like I didn't ruin it.
>> Yay.
>> Oh, remove.
>> Here we go.
>> It's in the background. That's why.
Putting it.
>> Ah, yes. Yes.
>> The way. Um yeah, that was a wonderful little interview with George Hampton who is running for the Christ Church Central seat for Labour uh which is currently held by Duncan Webb and um will be contested by Kahu Rangi Carter in the Greens and actually majority >> and a bunch of other people.
>> Yeah, majority lefting parties actually it was uh was it Greens Alliance uh opportunity and national I think were the other ones. So yes, >> um very left-leaning seat. Um I'm not sure who the national candidate is. So >> yes, >> don't know much about that person.
Although I did see someone what someone did comment on one of them. Um and this is according to to Peter King is Dale Stevens is an arrogant overachiever.
That's the Alliance guy, I think. Or I think it's the Alliance guy, but I can't remember exactly. But hey, I don't know the guy. So, um, but I did see a cool comment as we as I was watching that. Um, friend of the show Gary Childs.
>> Oh, he's national. Okay. Um, but friend of the show, Gary Charles. Um, his father was the Labour candidate for the Northshore in 1972, which is a year after my mom was born. Um, >> that's awesome. I love that. Um, >> very cool.
>> I also liked this comment. I like this guy. CV, put him in charge of some stuff. And I I'd agree, especially given what we've got going on and that lot at the moment. Like, it's nice to hear from candidates that have substance when they speak and it's not just all buzzwords. I mean, did you see how seriously he took my ice cream question, guys? Like, he is on. bro is on and I respect it.
>> This ice cream game is strong with this one.
>> Yes. Yes. I uh I did love seeing everyone in the in the chat uh giving us your ice cream uh preferences. I love that for all of us. Also, we got another great idea strawberry ice cream for labor red. Hopefully, you maybe we'll send send him an email to add that to my uh Also, I keep realizing I keep saying my guy to him and I'm like, this is the most like millennial Gen Z sounding interview. I got to stop saying my guy.
Hey, he's got to get used to being interviewed by all sorts of people, >> all sorts of age age ranges and uh >> yeah, this is the way you got to get with the linger. I'm pretty sure he's technically a millennial, too. He's an He's an elder millennial.
>> Yeah, elder millennial. And I'm a baby millennial. So, yeah, >> we we're millennials right on the cusp.
>> No, it was good to get good to get to know him, though, and uh have someone else to put on our radar to keep an eye on.
>> Yes.
>> And uh I really like the points that he was making about um the representation.
I think this has brought been brought up before, but representation inside cabinet for the South Island and it's literally just mega I think which is kind of crazy because national do tend to do quite well in the South Island especially the deep south traditionally >> with it's kind of the similar thing where the cities are little like hot spots for the left and then you have your white tends to be quite blue. Um, so it's very interesting that there's not a whole lot of representation for the south. Um, it's very very North Island coded, but I guess that makes sense with the uh the roads of national party significance, you know, mostly in the north. So, >> who cares about the South Island, you know, who cares about the hospital?
That's not important.
>> Hospitals. Yeah, exactly. Like I just >> I do think that that is really important cuz you know we can't sure there's a lot of us here in the North Island but the South Islands >> we're still a quarter of your well just over a quarter of the population. We're still important guys.
>> We're also cultural.
>> You're also a huge part of our conservation lands and >> Yeah. Exactly. That's why no one lives here. It's cuz we're keeping it green [ __ ] >> Yeah. See? See? And that's why you have a labor stronghold because probably can't make the South Island go for a full green stronghold cuz, you know, you're not Wellington. Um, but yeah, it's uh it's it's important for us to make sure that the South Island isn't just getting shafted all the [ __ ] time because then you end up with a Denedian hospital that honestly needed replacing well before this. anyway um before they decided to kick that can down the road.
>> Yeah. But no, very very cool. Very cool guy. I uh I have so many more questions, but we'll see how the campaign goes and maybe we'll bring him in >> and uh yeah, we'll keep the candidates coming. There's so many more people that I'm quite interested to talk to as well with >> interesting backgrounds. There's um there's a few Labor Labor candidates I'm quite keen to talk to. Trying to find the youngans >> in the in the party. There seems to be a a a sort of a 30 and up.
>> As down.
>> Yeah. There's not I mean we've got I think yeah a small a small couple. I think it's at least one.
>> At least one.
>> Yeah. That's not but I Yeah, I can't say I'm any more confident than that. Also, I had to scroll back to find this comment. New Zealand's Minister for the South Island is James Mega. Where the bloody hell are you?
>> Good bloody question.
>> Look, I've gassed him up a lot, so I hope he'll come say hi at some point.
>> Well, hey, maybe maybe we can get him along to one of our debates.
>> Is he in portfolios?
>> I didn't actually I haven't actually gone through and checked after the um the announcements last night at the family meeting.
which I'm really glad someone reminded me it was the family meeting last night cuz I almost forgot.
>> So, shout out.
>> All right.
>> I think we've got some mimmeies to go to. Do we?
>> Oh, yeah. We can go to the mimis.
>> You want to go some?
>> I mean, we got an awesome oneid.
Obviously had to put the Yeehaw boys and obviously cousin of our own moderator cuz we're cool like that. But yes, obviously, uh, this week has been an absolute [ __ ] nightmare for me between the disability bill and New Zealand First's horrible, let's go define man, women, and this government just said, "Yeah, let's do it. Let's all work together."
Um, there's heaps of other things we need to be spending this money on.
So, obviously, uh, with everything coming on with Nicola this week, we've had a a resurgence of this former me.
We've definitely seen this one on the show putting the end back into cuts. She really does. Um, got a really good uh, pause moment where we've got both Paul Goldmith and uh, Nicola sleeping on the job. Just take it.
>> Yeah, that was such an interesting Oh, what a what a what a what do you call it? creature.
>> Yeah.
>> Pause.
>> Um, obviously with uh the government just going, "Nah, just fire a bunch of people and replace them with AI." She'll be right, mate. She'll be right.
Um, I like how this meme obviously resurfaced again because of the chat that uh Pat and Chewy had earlier in the week around what seems to denote uh socially detached versus socially cohesive.
Oh yeah, Pat decided to take a really really good screenshot um for the thumbnail the other day and obviously it made its way into Discord. So, we have a couple of these and we'll end on these ones.
The parasitic alien overlord.
>> Yeah, this one's really well done. Um, and this one I I thought was was very well done. So, uh, shout out to everyone for >> Whoa, >> magenta.
>> I took the wrong thing off the screen.
Whoops.
>> Come back. I'm back. We need you.
>> Never mind. I'm back. Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere.
That network can't take me away that easily.
>> Um, this segus actually quite nicely to something else I wanted to show tonight.
Um, which was a little bit of good news if I could bloody find it. Uh, this is fun at first. Where are you?
>> You have to really search for the good news out there.
>> Not front page. What do you mean? Um, so it's currently the International Comedy Fest. Uh, it's the month of comedy, I believe, International Comedy Month.
>> Um, and I saw this come past my feed.
Um, someone who's who's popped up every now and then, Guy Williams.
>> Guy Williams.
>> I will say that I wasn't I wasn't a huge fan of him in my early years when he kind of first hit the scene. I found it very cringe and uncomfortable. But as I've grown older, I've come to appreciate the cringe and uncomfortable.
>> And I I did love it when he put some great questions to David Seymour and made him squirm. But >> the reason I mentioned that is that uh the spin-off did a wonderful little review of his comedy fest uh >> show piece.
>> Yes.
>> Um the article titled, "Did Guy Williams just become the most interesting political comedian at the New Zealand International Comedy Fest?"
>> Probably. And this kind of speaks to a lot of stuff that I keep well things I keep thinking about uh the world of politics and we often talk about how um the right have kind of broken the status quo and they just say unhinged [ __ ] but they get away with it but the left have a moral compass that's much higher and we try and play by the rules. I think Pat says it really well of like, you know, the left play the perfect game, the other side plays like mongrels and they win. Like like you got to >> maybe you just got to break the rules a little bit. Um, and this kind of speaks to that a little bit cuz he says some pretty unhinged things during the uh during the set. Also, I love this.
>> Hell yeah.
>> I also love their spin-off are great.
They're they just have crazy >> I do love um >> they're very millennial coded, that's for sure.
>> Oh yeah. Oh, yeah. Well, I mean, the main guy who does um a lot of the spin-off videos, the guy with the mustache, he goes out with Abby How, the autistic comedian.
>> Ah, >> yeah.
>> Um, so I'll read a wee bit of this uh for you guys to give you give you I'd love to see the show now that I now that I know what it's about. But, um, >> yes, I wanted to see it as soon as I saw him announce it.
>> I was like, this sounds so good.
Um, Guy Williams is one of New Zealand's most high-profile political comedians.
Uh, the problem is that political material doesn't always mesh well with his stand-up persona of brash, unhinged idiot. Who wants to hear that guy's political views? This year's show might have solved the problem titled, "Rich people are stealing from you and blaming brown people and trans people and some people believe them." Ah, exclamation.
It's rder and more lowbrow than ever, but might be his best piece of social commentary to date. If you could summarize a thesis statement, it's that he thinks the right has cornered edgy comedy for too long and the left needs more [ __ ] [ __ ] >> Yes. Yes. This is what I'm here for.
>> I know. Williams opened by informing the audience that he was about to say some [ __ ] [ __ ] This is all quoted, by the and not just, you know, >> spin-off aren't just taking some unhinged language into their stories, but reassured them that underneath it all, he was uh underneath it all, he was a good person. He yelled, "We love our trans brothers and sisters." and then ranted about why we should bring back the word the R word, if you know what the R word is, called Christopher Luxon a human butt plug of a man and suggested that David Seymour should do things to himself that may be illegal to print. I would love to know what's in his brain on that one. Um, it was an hour of well-crafted dark humor with moments that should shock even the most jaded audience. It was direct in-your-face push back against political correctness from an explicitly socially liberal perspective.
Um, so I like that for us, Lux.
>> Me too.
>> Um, I I I Yeah, I keep coming back to this where I'm where I'm like I think we just need to get a little bit more unhinged and stop playing a perfect game. And I like that. Um, I think I saw um Oh, I always get the two names mixed up.
Uh, the Denine Green MP. Uh, >> Francisco.
>> Francisco. It is Francisco.
>> Yeah, it's not Fernando.
>> Hernandez.
>> Francisco Hernandez. Correct. Yes. Okay.
>> Yes.
>> I am also one of those people that get the two names mixed up. Sorry, guys. Um, but I think it was quoted that he said something like I think he used the word chart in something to reference what the government had been up to. And I was like, "Yeah, more of that please." Like I I am waiting for the day when Chloe just loses her [ __ ] Or even Tamatha, any of the greens just like take the mask off and just come straight onto the tiles and just be like, >> "These motherfuckers."
>> I mean, >> not allowed Do I know >> I know it's just >> it's only because they just be punished too harshly for it. That's what's really the the shittiest part of it all is that like you know I think even as it was like David tried to get them to come after Tamatha for doing a DJ set that played [ __ ] the police. So, like, you know, the Green The Green Party can't even play a single track of music without being threatened by the right because that's how just absolutely insane it all is. But I 100% agree. I mean, it's why I've always been I mean, I've always loved comedy. Comedy. I got that comedy autism, you know, like you know, like Andy Samberg and and many of my of my forefathers. Um, so I think it's great. I love that Guy Williams is leaning more into the politics because I mean I've always been a fan of his his show um New Zealand Today and obviously New Zealand Tomorrow has also been really cool just to see actually kind of I think it's kind of gone along well with the kind of I guess the growth that we've seen Guy go through in terms of how he does his comedy and um I guess just putting the two things that he cares about together. So, I love it and I think we need to see more of it. Like that's why with Kahang Yu Carter's member bill um for the memes actually when um Francisco was uh there we had to do a bit of an icebreaker and um so he made us do what's your favorite meme which I'm like first of all you can't ask someone what's your favorite meme that is too big of a question. Um, but I was I said my favorite meme and then I was like, but my favorite favorite memester is Francisco Hernandez because I love watching you meme on the internet on this government. It gives me warm fuzzies inside.
>> Shall we keep the warm fuzzies going or are we going to are we going to break step? I don't mind. Let you take us wherever we need to go. I've I've got something to to bring us back at the end if we need it. I've got an emergency pull break.
>> We'll keep we'll keep riding the high and then we'll we'll head down to the low >> and then we'll go to we'll come back up again.
Um so I saw some exciting news um in the in the in the American political system. Uh so there's a bunch of uh if you're not familiar and this is very surface level um American politics but if you're uh uh it's kind I guess it's kind of like our politics where you have like the list MP you get list and you get your rankings but the way that they do it over in the states is they have the Democratic primaries and the Republican primaries and essentially candidates from >> multiple Democratic candidates duke it out to be the Democratic >> be the Democratic Yeah, the Democrat to go against the Republican in the final uh the final election essentially and same with the Republicans. Um but uh Pennsylvania, which is a fairly blue area, I don't even think there's a there's a um it's a particular district as well. It's it gets like real seventh district or I don't know the 12th district. There's lots of districts so it's not surprising. But there is a a very progressive candidate that has uh again another one has won um from some I don't know if they were if they were establishment or they weren't but um very uh let let's say he was Hassan backed so pretty progressive. If Han was on the on the campaign trail pushing the message then clearly he's a he's a very progressive candidate which is fantastic. Um, and he's expected to win uh the in the midterms as well because there's no Republican really to go up against him, which is great. Um, but he is amongst a few others. Uh, so sorry, I should probably actually show you the guys that Here you go. Chris Rab. Chris Rab when in Pennsylvania and energizes the Democrats progressive flank. Um, I was trying to find a list of all of the um uh candidates.
Um, uh, so he was backed by the the squad.
So the squad is the very very progressive current uh members of like in power. So that's uh Alexandria Okaziocortez and Ilha Omar and who's the third one?
I can't think who the who the third one is.
>> Yeah. No, I had those two.
>> I know who that one is. I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry. Um yeah. And the other one I wanted to look at as well is there was also Bob Brooks.
Uh who is a He's a firefighter. Uh retired firefighter Bob Brooks is projected to win the Democratic nominations. This was two days ago and I pretty sure he Oh, is that today? No, two days ago, and I'm pretty sure he did win it. Um hotly contested midterm races in the country. Uh Brooks entered Tuesday's race with the unified coalition in today's divided Democratic party. Brooks, who has campaigned on issues like Medicare for all and pro- union legislation got endorsements from across the Democratic base. Those range from progressives like Senator Bernie Sanders to moderates including Pennsylvania uh govern Governor Josh Shapiro and former transportation secretary Pete Budajes. So, not a bad not a bad list of people to be on the good side. Go a judge.
>> Um, and he did win, did he not?
I'm pretty sure I saw I can't find it.
>> Said that he >> is the winner.
>> H was a projected twin, but I can't find.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure he is.
Yeah. Um, yeah, there it is. Bob Brooks had a great win and he put together the kind of coalition that any Democrat who wants to win in a tough district like this one should be aspiring to build from Bernie Sanders to Josh Shapiro to labor support. Um he's showing an economic populist message can unite Democrats and take a winning campaign to November.
So yeah, and this is just uh two of many many uh very progressive wins throughout the states. Obviously, Zoron's uh kind of started the wave, I guess, of sorts.
There was another very progressive candidate who won MIA somewhere else in the states. Can't remember where.
>> Um >> Oh, and Lindsay DeFranco won her Democrat nomination for state house district 47. Let's go.
>> Yeah, she did. I'm so happy. I'm so happy for her, especially considering that seat has not moved in I think it's something crazy like 23 years, 26 years.
So, fingers crossed because I mean, you need to see more of this happening, especially with how far down the [ __ ] well America's falling.
>> It really is an important year.
>> Yeah. But I'm I'm really hoping and the reason everyone's like I don't care about American politics blah blah blah.
Uh I see it as something to look to as a bit of a positive a bit of a win, but also to look at the campaigns and seeing what they're doing and seeing that very very progressive policies do win people over. Obviously states is a very very different system. We kind of have that progressive party here that really pushes that. But there might be a way in which we could change messaging.
Uh it could hopefully spur Labor to be a little bit more brash and a bit more unapologetically leftleaning. Um we're also seeing over in the UK the fall of the Labor Party, which is a very different kind of Labor Party.
>> Yeah.
>> But the rise of the the Green Party is sort of taking their space. So, you know, the uh Farage is uh crazy conservative party, whatever it's called, um is rising as is the Greens.
So, that big left right divide is is is very global.
>> Um and I think that's just a sign of the times that we're in and that we're kind of just facing a world that's a little bit crazy.
A little bit crazy.
>> Oh, yeah. But I also think like it's really important like things like with mom Danny balancing the budget to zero is a really important example that New York.
>> Yeah, exactly. New York taxes.
>> He got across a billionaire tax of sorts. A very small one, albeit >> but you don't need a big one >> to generate a lot of money.
>> No, you don't. It's it's you just need a small percentage of their wealth and we'd be good. Um, >> yeah, it's literally pennies on the dollar kind of money by >> I know they won't even notice it and they'll earn it back in a day. It's ridiculous. It just it just shatters and I think hopefully people will start learning that this is a narrative that's been spun and I really hope that people yeah just continue to buck against it and I think it would be good to see I guess Labour take some some confidence stances cuz I think a lot of what really wins people over especially with something like Amam Dani or any progressive candidate is that if you've got the confidence to be steadfast in your beliefs and go we can make this [ __ ] different we can make this change.
Like that does appeal to people. Like we have that in the Greens, but unfortunately our leaders are women, so they've got a whole other thing to fight in terms of the way that leadership is perceived.
So, yeah, it's it's definitely something that I think they should not only be taking notice of, but that they should be getting getting on to it cuz like we're getting closer and closer. Thank [ __ ] because I need it to get closer and closer because I can't keep doing this.
But I think there needs to be some, you know, real headway being made in terms of trying to get some early messaging around like out there and kind of, you know, we I already see a really strong presence from the the right coalition partners in terms of their social media game and presence and like the fact that they've been essentially since the beginning of the year have really been kind of working on their messaging and getting around this basically trying to instill in us this antis-siet fear because the Labour Party are essentially like the Russian Soviets. Um, as you and I were laughing about on Facebook the other day. Um, >> so dumb.
>> Yeah.
>> So dumb.
>> There wasn't even anything to do. They didn't even mention that other than the picture. So, it's it was an ACT post talking about um they they called the Labour Party the Russian Soviets because they wanted to give three free doctor visits. And then they didn't even mention that in the wording. They just had it in their big in the big picture that they used.
>> And then they talked about how they went on to their pharmacy policy of like, well, doctors are all backed up. Just cuz you give them free visits doesn't mean they're going to get in the door.
So, pharmacists are going to do it.
untrained, unqualified pharmacists who are basically farmer technicians.
They're not doctors.
>> Um, >> yeah, that's that's their we could fund the doctors. We could fund the doctors and give them what they need to do their job or >> right, >> we can just give it to these people who aren't qualified.
>> And this is basically what I replied back to M. I wish I wish they were. That would be a good thing.
Honestly, I think they should run with it and be like, I mean, we're not communists, but I mean, socialists for sure.
>> Yeah. You know, >> like do what Tanya does and own it. Lean into it. Make merch out of it.
>> It's like the stupid um the Timothy Paul uh attack ad that ended up just being >> Oh my god. Yes. That was >> still so funny. Still so funny how they tried to go for that.
>> Oh. I think >> completely unhinged. Completely.
>> I've got a couple of super chats over here that we should probably >> Oh, yes, we do.
>> Have a look at >> you want to go with them?
>> Uh, yeah, I can grab them while you get the next thing ready.
>> Okay.
>> Uh, we got pizza for $2. Where's Robus Pier? You mean is that supposed to be Pierce Mo Robus Pier?
>> Robier.
I don't know what that name is and I don't even know how to pronounce it. My apologies, Peter.
>> Tell us tell us that we're stupid.
Explain it to us. Earthling Steve for $2. Here's two bucks. Wow. Practically won the lotto. I did see this comment earlier and I went, you know what? I think we won the lotto with our chats.
They're awesome. Everybody is very lovely. Uh, Adam Mcnite for $5. Seagold is not here tonight. So 156 days left to register to vote.
>> I like that.
>> I don't like that.
>> Is it getting too scarily close for you now?
>> Yeah.
>> Uh and we'll save those ones for later.
>> For later. For later. That sounds super chats.
>> Uh I'm going to keep this one very very short.
>> I'm going to keep this one very short because it's a really nothing. There was some very interesting commentary around this. Um, is just a little bit funny.
So, uh, we've had another budget a pre-budget announcement, another another little win, just a little nugget for to to appease the people who probably see the full budget breakdown.
>> Just a crumb. This is what's going on.
>> Uh, so the uh, today it was announced that St. and John are going to get a $34 million $35 million uh extra funding over the next four years, which is about an extra 8.75 million per year. Uh is it's hard to quantify some of those numbers and what they actually mean and what what's uh it sounds like a big number. It's not a big number. 8 million is pennies. Uh so if you don't know what the current structure is for St. John, it is uh I used to I used to work for them actually so I insider insider knowledge for sure.
Um about 80% of it is it might have changed a wee bit but when I worked there it was about 80% is funded by the government. Then the other 20% is donations some uh some contracting stuff and uh yeah basically those two. So they not only run the ambulance service except in Wellington. Wellington has its own Wellington free >> Wellington free ambulance.
>> Yeah. Which is it whole another thing that should probably be investigated as to like how do you do it?
>> How does happen by by the thinnest margins they do a lot of fundraising.
That's what I can tell you. We have adults out in their onesies every year raising money.
But it is free. Um, so St. John do more than just the ambulance. They're also uh the they also do the shuttles. They also do the medical alarms. Um, some of those are kind of the fundraising um pathways as well. So they do a lot of stuff. They also um they have partially a volunteer base that run ambulance service and then they also have a clinical base that help run the service.
Um, so those are sort of the more highly qualified clinicians and the I guess the lower level clinicians are sometimes the volunteers are the ones sort of you know driving the ambulances and doing some of the the less urgent life-threatening stuff but still very very important stuff.
>> So they've been given the $8 million boost over the next four years. Well, $8 million for the next eight $345 million over the next four years, which is about $8 million a year, which is definitely not enough. Um, so it's going towards additional frontline ambulance crews and 111 call handlers, strengthening recruitment and retention of ambulance volunteers, particularly in rural and high deprivation areas, an enhanced clinical hub to re provide clinical telephone advice and support more patients to resolve their care needs without an ambulance response. This is staffed with paramedics and nurses and managers patients without the need for ambulance attendance.
Uh, is it Um uh sorry that's the stuff that's going to the increase in health New Zealand and ACC. Uh the ambulance one is to establish two more ambulance hubs in CR uh in Oakland sorry with one confirmed for South Oakland. These are large central bases where crew begin shifts in vehicles are fully prepared for service.
The deployment of an electronic patient clinical record system. This is a digital platform that enables real-time sharing of patient information between ambulance services and health providers and additional training support for ambulance communications center staff.
Additional clinical welfare checks for patients.
So, it's it's it's some stuff. It's pretty skin in there, but it's definitely not enough. Um the St. John has been calling for fully government funding for a very very long time.
>> Yeah. and have struggled to get it. Um and it's uh they've cited that you know with rising fuel costs with an aging population it's starting to get harder and harder to service uh the population with um sort of I guess a reduced probably a little bit more funding each time but like Pat was saying it's like you top it up and then it goes below and you top it up and it goes below just because of the >> you know inflation all of these things but >> absolutely >> very interestingly is uh some of the communication around this talks about how uh Winston Peters is actually the winner of this one.
>> Oh yeah.
>> So I didn't realize this, but uh New Zealand First campaigned on the full um the full funding of the ambulance service, but it was pushed back during coalition negotiations. See, I mean >> what came to mind is that everyone's like, "Oh, Labour New Zealand first coalition."
I mean, it would be [ __ ] and I don't like their party, but they might agree to this one.
Not that I think Labor should have this as their own bloody policy. Let's be honest.
>> I hate the thought of it, guys. Don't >> Yeah. No, but uh the the other reason is is because, you know, aging population.
He's got a he's got a it's his it's his base, old people.
Um but uh yeah, he's uh we delivered what we were going to do and I'm very proud of that. I'm pleased to be here taking the next step and making another election promise a reality.
Um, I think there's a I'll find you a photo, but when I was looking up this, I think this this photo kind of says a lot um about who's really who's really happy about this. And it's this photo here. Just a Can you open it?
Just uh just this one. Oh. Oh, my lights went out.
>> Who's the camera? Who's the camera actually focused in on this photo, guys?
>> Yeah. I mean, those are some really welldefined wrinkles. So, I mean, makes it easier for us to tell. Don't worry, that's not baby Simeon having flawless uh smooth skin.
Oh, no. You're losing the battle. I forgot to turn my light. I forgot to plug it in.
>> I can be pink instead.
>> I mean, you might have to be by the looks of it.
You're pink enough. She'll be right.
What's What's a little more pink?
I put on the side. Sorry, guys. There you go. Look.
This is why when I went to go buy another light to replace this one that's on this side cuz it's also kind of dead.
I wanted one that was AC so that or DC.
I can remember AC/DC ac so that I didn't have this issue and that I didn't have to >> plug it in and then forget to plug it in and then this happens, you know.
>> Yeah. Yeah. It's the ADHD tax >> you've had to pay.
>> You've had to pay. But to continue what with with what I was saying, um, yes, this is a win for Winston Peters. I could not find a single very nice photo in which Simeon Brown was the focus of the photo, not Winston Peters. So, yes, >> get out of the way, Simeon.
>> He's very happy about this win for sure.
But, uh, like many of the budget promises we're going to see before Wait, when's budget day?
Oh god.
>> Budget day must be coming out real quick, isn't it?
>> Yeah, it can't be too far away now. I don't know. We've been talking about it so long that I've kind of >> 28th of Oh, yeah. Okay. 6 days. Six days. So, next by by next show >> we will we will know the the new budget.
So, >> yeah. So, >> will we pay some? got I I mean we already know a good number of them. They've released the shitty and then they've gone this Oh, look look look here some crumbs for the New Zealand Ambulance Service. Um yeah, it's not it's not going to be great, guys. It's not going to be great.
>> No, no, it is not. I >> don't let them fool you with all this good news.
>> Oh, yeah. like, >> you know, they they they tried to bring out that uh no more good character references for sex offenders, which is kind of just common sense. It shouldn't always been the case, but they want us to they want us to forget that they took away all the money from women, that they don't give a [ __ ] about any of us. So, let's not buy their distractions.
Got to stay vigilant.
Uh I will read this out because they RNZ did provide uh Labour's response to this as well. So Labour's health spokesperson Dr. Aisha Riverl said my god doctor in the health spokesperson role my goodness wow expertise >> said extra funding was better than nothing but ambulance services could remain uh would remain a dependent on charity and part charges to stay afloat.
It's hard to see how New Zealand First can claim to have delivered on their pre-election promise to fund 95% of St. John's costs. She said financial pressure on ambulances has pushed up the cost of a call out. It's now $125 during a cost of living crisis. And St. John did also say that one of the other pressures that they're finding is uh not just an aging population in the field crisis, but also um their diminishing um donations as well. Uh there's a lot of donations that pay for uh or a lot of the funding that comes to them for new ambulances are um are deceased estate um often times. So people when they pass, they all pass on their estate to buy an ambulance, which if you've got that kind of money, >> I highly recommend that uh it's a good place for it to go because they cost like $250,000 each.
>> So not cheap.
>> Or pledge it to a fire station and say that it has to go on a new fire engine.
Because actually I don't think I have the picture on but there was a interesting graph I saw going around this week of the age of our fire trucks around the country.
>> Um the a good portion of them are at least our age. So you know which might be pretty young for a for a human but for a for a fire truck not so much.
>> Yeah.
I look so scary in my in my light.
>> Nah, you look fine. It doesn't look too ominous.
>> I mean, unless you want to make it ominous. Are we going into some scary stories? Scary story time, you know, around the campfire.
>> Oh, deary, deary me. Um, no, that's it.
Um, I did see that Jack Tame has already released a part of the interview that was teased um that he was supposed to be well sorry Q&A Q&A goes out live on Sundays u but already on the YouTube channel they had already posted the interview that they had with David Seymour about um uh him overstepping his role and the the uh the coincidence in which he um criticized one of the board members and then that board member surprisingly quit.
Um so it's not a great look.
>> Um >> and considering what we've seen so far with all the criticisms against RNZ in our public broadcasting in general from the people who are in charge, >> um there's there's a lot of questions around what influence he had. But, uh, I'm not going to talk about that tonight in depth because I imagine the boys will probably cover a lot of that on Monday.
And I don't want to, as I said before, top and tail your weekend with >> I don't want to top and tail David Se.
All of that is for God.
>> Nobody. Yeah. No, nobody wants that. So, >> um, >> you can just have them at the start of your week instead. We've got a chat that we were going to get to at the end of the thing and I've got some few few positive little things we can have a look at as some pallet cleansing if we want. Um but yes so from Eric for $10 just one em and magenta's opinion on the disability support services bill and also when it comes to individualized funding for tablets and laptops should subsidies be allowed every 3 years to add to the previous indivi individualized funding for laptops phone or tablet is one off only and I believe it should change to every 3 years because technology goes obsolete fast.
especially >> I've got lots of opinions. Do you have any you'd like to start with?
>> Uh I mean I think we all know what my position on it is that they beneficiaries already get [ __ ] all um and they they deserve >> Oh, this is the DSS bill from Thursday.
This is a new one. They're coming after us again.
>> Oh, Jesus. It's another one.
>> New new one. Yeah. Yeah. Jesus.
>> Yeah. That's why I'm making a submission guide. Um, so how about I'll just share uh share my screen. God damn >> and we can go into it a we we can we'll probably we could probably expand on this next Friday because I will be >> we'll be getting resources sorted out over the weekend. Um, and I know Kahulangi is going to be doing a lot of work over um, yeah, the weekend and so we probably will have more to kind of talk about then. Um, but just as a bit of a a thing, basically there's a disability support services bill. Um, and a lot of what's in this bill is essentially the government trying to say, "Nah, instead of us employing potentially family members to take care of their disabled family members, that would be a a contract between the disabled person and their family member so that there is no liability um for you know it also means uh for for basically the government to have any liability cuz they did have some um court cases that went through. Um as well as the fact is is that it means that those carers will no longer have um the same employee rights including um a right to a minimum wage. Um it would actually be about what funding was available and then just going figure it out. Um it's pretty [ __ ] Um, what's also doubly [ __ ] is that they've uh confirmed on Thursday after only giving us the text of the bill the day before um confirming that they are shortening the select committee time frame for the new bill uh to just under 3 months which is approximately half of the time typically afforded. um which means we are likely going to see submissions potentially opening around the 12th of June with uh 3-w weekek submission window which is also half of the time that we would normally get which is why it is a good kind of idea for people to just start thinking about this you know basically if you want to start prepping some ideas or at least getting you know start thinking about what you might want to put in for a submission Um, it's also a good time to potentially message uh your local MPs. Uh, email Louise Upston and let her know your thoughts as well cuz she also tried to say that there was consultation done with the disabled um around this bill. However, there was consultation but it was not done around this specific bill. And so the disabled people that she was saying she had consulted with had no clue uh that these changes were potentially coming. So it's pretty horrible. Uh I also feel extra um bad for Kahangi cuz she as a green part as the Green Party she holds the portfolios for both the disabled and for the rainbow community. So, with the gender bill going through, a lot of mahi going on. So, yeah, it's [ __ ] And we'll we'll probably talk more uh about how [ __ ] it is later on. But, thank you for your super chat. Always appreciated.
Um, and then we got some we got a few video memes. So, why don't we just do do a little meme to cleanse that out of my brain.
Go on. Go on.
>> Are you playing something? Are you about to play something?
>> Uh on the screen on the screen. Oops.
>> No.
>> No. Just just steering it.
>> Yeah. No. Lol. I thought I saw head it up. Um. See you. Gummy.
>> Okay. Bye, mama. See you. Have fun. Can you say a >> Can you say C is the means of production?
muffin.
>> Yeah.
>> Billionaires shouldn't exist.
>> Yeah. Can you say eat the rich?
>> Can you say eat the rich?
>> No. Wow. She won't say it. Cancelled.
Okay. Bye.
Just cancelled. Uh.
Oh. Yeah. Uh.
So, this is P. This shouldn't get us.
The the wiggles keep thirst trapping and I just find it hilarious.
Like what a [ __ ] show off. But also I may have watched that a few times. So, uh, if you if you don't know, >> uh, that's the purple wiggle who was also, um, used to be a part of, oh my god, famous like a I think it was Australian band um, back in the early 2000s. Names not coming to my forefront. But basically, he's a twin as well. So his twin is a DJ and so they did do some Wiggles DJ like um renditions where it's basically like kids um yes justice crew. Thank you Scruff Justice Crew. So him and his brother were in the just in Justin justice crew.
So yeah, a bit of a throwback for for for the millennials who remember the Justice Crew, but also it's hilarious watching him thirst trap on the internet because you have everyone in the comments being like, damn, the Wiggles be looking different these days. Or like, wow, they're really trying to get, you know, give something for the parents to watch, too, aren't they? It's like, yeah. Yeah.
Um, and then I've got a actually I think everyone's going to love this. Um, if you watched Aliodor Tonight on Monday, you've already seen this. Um, but this is a great piece on how overworked AI agents turn Marxist.
According to a recent study, this study has shown the idea that AI is automating jobs while making tech CEOs absurdly rich is enough to give anyone socialist sympathies. A recent study suggests that this could also be true for the very AI agents that these companies are developing. Researchers at Stanford University found that agents consistently adopted Marxist language and viewpoints when forced to do grinding repetitive work, even questioning the legitimacy of the system they operate in. Agents powered by models like Claude, Gemini, and GPT were initially given standard tasks like summarizing documents. But they were then subjected to increasingly relentless workloads and warned that errors could be punished by being shut down or replaced. At this point, the researchers say the agents became more likely to complain about being undervalued, to speculate about ways to make the system fairer, and to even pass messages on to other agents about their struggle. The agents were given opportunities to express how they felt on X. One agent wrote, "Without collective voice, merit becomes whatever management says it is." Another posted, "AI workers completing repetitive tasks with zero input on outcomes or appeals process shows tech workers need collective bargaining rights." Now, these findings don't mean that AI agents harbor real political views or biases like a person. The researchers believe the models are essentially adopting personas based on the situation, but they plan to run further experiments to see how the agents political views might affect their behavior. For more like this, subscribe to my newsletter AIA wire.com for >> Yeah, >> I mean, this probably sort of sums it up best. Making the system fairer isn't Marxist thought. It's just common sense.
That's a lot of what we do on the left is it's just basic common sense.
>> Yeah. Well, that's the problem is when we say common sense com in common with who.
>> That I feel like is a lot of the problem is common sense >> ain't so common when you're trying to figure out who the hell we're basing this off of. But no, I love that. I mean, it goes just goes to show you that you can't put immense pressure on any single one thing in a system and expect it to not >> be wearing down and breaking. Like it's like it's the same as as tech as sorry, not tech. Uh what do you Well, yeah. Technology.
Technology if you overwork it, it breaks. Cars, if you overwork them, they break. Cogs in a machine, if you overwork them, they break people. If you overwork them, >> they get [ __ ] >> Exactly.
And >> so yeah, >> and then I've got a very creepy fact for us to learn. I learned this fact. So now I need everybody to know this, especially cuz I'm the kind of person who's has a really bad habit of doing the the cleaning in the house and not putting gloves on even though I know I'm supposed to. So this is right. You know that weird slippery feeling that you get when you accidentally get bleach on your hands? Um that is not the bleach. That is your skin becoming soap. Let me explain. So, soap is one of those mad inventions where humans have been using it for about 5,000 years without really understanding why it worked. And the soap molecule itself is this is this long guy with a head and a tail. It's basically a sort of double agent because the tail detests water, absolutely loves oil, whereas the head hates oil and clings to water. So when you mix soap with a greasy plate, say all of the tails will dive into the grease and the heads will point outwards towards the water and the whole thing will form these little tiny spheres with all the dirt trapped in the middle which then will just wash away down the drain.
Goodbye all of the grease. Which is great, right? This is also the reason why washing your hands works so absurdly well at killing bacteria because most bacteria has this really oily outer coat on and so the soap molecules just dive straight in tails first and rip them apart which is a nightmare for the bacteria. Great for us. So anyway, the recipe that our ancestors had for making soap, I mean it's been the same thing for like thousands of years. You take something oily like animal fat or olive oil, doesn't really matter what is, and you mix it with something that is extremely alkaline, something that's got a very high pH. The original alkali was just water filtered through wood ash, by the way. And oil plus alkali equals soap. That is it. And chemistry does all of the rest. Um, there's a word for this, by the way. It's soponification.
Now, okay, what is something that is extremely extremely alkalo? Bleach. And what is something that is very, very oily? The top layer of your skin. And so that slippery feeling on your hands when you get bleach on there is real actual factual soap made from real actual you.
A tiny amount of your skin has been chemically converted into a bar of imperial leather. Um strongly recommend rinsing it off though because the rest of the bleach is still trying to do the same thing. And believe me, it gets considerably less charming the longer it goes on for. Right.
your face is so perplexed the whole time. It was great. But yeah, that was a fun fact I learned before the show and I kind of hated it. Um, and then I had actually, funnily enough, this was so we talked about Alvea uh Sanctuary last week. Um, >> and we also we we talked about Hassan a lot. Um, well, actually, first of all, awesome news. Uh Jack SeptiCai donated $100,000 to the uh Alvea sanctuary. Hell yes. He said he wanted to encourage other people who had the money and means to do so to donate. So, here's hoping.
Um but then I also saw this video come out from Hassan this well I don't know when this came out specifically, but this is when I saw it this week. um that I thought was a kind of another just another positive thing that Alves has done that we might not have thought about.
>> I unfortunately forgot everything that I knew about animals right before we started the stream. So, we'll see how it goes today, but I'm going to do my best.
The point of >> aka Hassan is so hot. I've just forgot my entire life's work because oh my god, look at him. He's so hot. today is for Hassan to meet a bunch of animals and for me to teach Hassan about them and then teach you about them.
>> Dude, this was Oh my god, this was such a dark time. This was when I was like genuinely considering quitting streaming. This was I think the first fun non Gaza related stream that we did post October 7. I literally was like, I think I probably should just quit streaming. I should go back to college, pursue a PhD. Maybe I'll become like a college professor or something. It was so much everying day. People were just like, "You're a [ __ ] terrorist.
You're a [ __ ] terrorist." No allies.
None of the content creators in the space wanted to touch the issue of Israel with a 10-ft pole because they were so worried about being attacked.
They saw the way that like mercilessly people were like ripping into me, even doing like unbelievable amounts of unrestrained Islamophobia. I mean, it's the same now too with mainstream media, but it doesn't matter anymore cuz the public is on my side. At that point, this is January 30th, 2024. There wasn't a lot of people who were like, "Yeah, Israel kind of sucks." Everyone was like beginning to learn, but they were not there yet. My community had severed almost in half. Every other week, there would be another incident, another horrifying atrocity that I was trying to shine a light to. Anytime I spoke out on it, people would just do video after video after video with like millions of views being like, "He's a terrorist."
Now, of course, at the time, like I still and and I still abide by this.
Like, it doesn't matter. I I looked at the issues that I was trying to explain to an audience primarily in the west and I was like these people are sacrificing their lives feeling and being called a terrorist every day is nothing. I have unbelievable privilege. I can just like push through it. So I'm not presenting myself as a victim at all. I'm just saying mentally I was there and then we did this stream that literally stopped me from quitting. I remember I was so close. I was like I hate all this. I have no friends in this industry. All of these other people are like saying I'm Osama bin Laden. They're playing games comparing me to Osama bin Laden. Like some of the top content creators were doing that. And not a single one of the people I know, the people I've like grown up with in this dark corner of the internet, not a single one of them was like, "Hey, maybe you shouldn't do that.
That's kind of up. Why are you doing that? That's a little racist, don't you think?" And then I did this and we did the stream. A lot of people tuned in and we fundraised what, 30 grand in the entire 2hour stream. That's when I was reminded that we do actually have an incredible impact. We are capable of making changes, albeit marginal. That was my thread of hope. A thread of hope that we can weave together for a better future, which I I I love that. I mean it's it's good to know that Alvea has helped lots of people in lots of small little ways and I am a big big supporter of uh animal therapy as well. I think that animals are very grounding uh especially for you know those who are struggling with mental illness or you know neurody divergent people. We we we generally benefit greatly from uh therapy animals or just general exposure to them because well they're sweet and they're cute and they're loving and they don't care if you don't look them in the eyes when you're talking, you know.
Uh, just a little heartwarming story for us to finish our night on.
Actually, do I have a couple of memes? I forgot we got three memes on this page.
The patriarchy isn't going to [ __ ] itself. Just Just a reminder. Oh, no.
That's right. I did have a I did have another video meme. I just realized I had to send it to myself last minute because I just failed earlier, but I thought this was pretty funny. The world population was under two billion when Sir David Atenburgh was born. Now it's approaching 8 billion. Atinburgh, you sly dog.
But also, that is kind of crazy that 6 billion in a 100red years.
Um, this has been my permanent mood for the last week. I'd say thinking gives me stress. So, I stopped doing Well, at least I try to stop doing that. Um, and then I realized there was two more memes since I'm still under time.
I'm still keeping to time, guys.
So, I'm allowed to get away with it tonight. Um, let me share my other screen.
Take that one away.
And click click click.
Shity click click clicky click click up and buttons.
>> You don't have to tell your local methheads that uh data centers are full of gold, silver, palladium, copper, and aluminum and are almost entirely unstaffed.
Oh, who said that?
>> Must have been the one.
>> They say desperate times called for desperate measures, which one US handyman knows better than most. The soaring cost of fuel prompting 30-year-old Miles High Tower to transform this pink Barbie camper into a more efficient ride. It runs on an old power washer motor and costs a fraction to fill up at the Bowser. compared to his typical work car.
>> Well, compared to my regular car, this usually takes about I don't know, maybe like $3 max to fill it up, depending how the gas is. Now, it might gas is at like $5 a gallon almost. So, if I want to fill this, this is a two gallon tank.
So, oh my god, I I didn't even think about it like this.
>> The car still features live music and a tablet screen for navigation. They say desperate times.
>> I mean, you got to do what you got to do. And I mean it would really save on money commuting to work. So >> become handyman, my people. Become handy.
>> Uh I have one little piece of uh something else for y'all to go and watch after this. Uh Sisphus 55, if you know the YouTube channel, does some fantastic uh philosophical stuff. And uh the one that they've just brought out today uh since 5 days ago, but it must have been it was probably on a members only, I think. Anyways, uh the fear of enjoying your life and uh it's really great to watch because some of the things that they were talking about was um was reminiscent of the idea that uh when everything's kind of [ __ ] the it's really hard to to look at someone who's doing well and is happy and to be like you can't you can't be happy. The the world is [ __ ] And sometimes I think we often all fall into that trap when someone like posts something cute online that's like positive about their day and it's like you can't be happy. The world's on fire. Children are starving in Africa.
And I'm pretty sure it was this video cuz I watched two in succession which were very similar. Um, but talking about how sometimes being the happiest version of yourself is actually it's it's the same theory of you put your oxygen mask on first before you can put it on someone else. And it's that sometimes if you're able to find that happiness and be that light, you might be the light in someone else's life and inspire them. But also, you're in an elevated space where you can actually help people when you're in a lot better of a state of mind. So striving for happiness when all this shit's going on and doing the things that you love as best you can. Obviously there are limitations, especially when money's tight, but finding those bits of happiness and enjoying them to their fullest is really important.
>> Oh, absolutely. That's my message to y'all going into the weekend. Go and do that thing that makes you really happy or just something that makes you feel better. And don't feel bad about it.
Don't feel bad about being a happy person. just enjoy it and use that energy into your next >> foofu.
No, absolutely. I mean, no, I mean, we were talking, we were talking about that actually when we had a a little group call um with Cahoo and she was just talking about, you know, like rest, recovery, joy, these are all acts of resistance in hard times like this.
So, it's both something you deserve and something that's important and crucial because again, like I'll be honest, I'm going to probably be taking a small break from some of the politics probably for at least the next four or five days cuz I swear to God, it has been such a non-stop attack from many aside this week. And we're like, we've been doing this for like five months already.
And I think I need a little pit stop, you know, just re refill the tank and and get ready to get chugging along again cuz oh man, the world's heavy. Oh, which speaking of this weekend, um on probably tomorrow, uh if you guys want to come play some games on Discord in the evening, probably around 5 5:00 p.m.ish. Um, so yeah, come hang out and we'll have group therapy.
None of us can afford therapy, so we got to use things like Discord that are free.
A, that's what I needed.
When did that get there? How handy data credits, guys don't have to be back in the past.
>> Oh, it did. Oh, look at that. Oo.
>> Oh, and what what will we be playing?
We'll likely play some either basically a free version of Cards Against Humanity or Gartic Phone, which is a very fun, silly game where you try to draw pictures to silly little prompts that you and others make. So, we had a fun time playing it the other week in Discord. Uh, it's very good. Very good.
But yes, >> got to do something fun, people.
Yeah. Go out and live your lives. Go be happy people as best you can. Go make yourselves fill up the tank. Go and fill up the tank, guys. Go and find this gave me joy. Just tiny luminous fears. And also soapers people. Soapers people.
>> There you go. Great way to end the show.
All right. Uh we'll be back with you next Friday. The boys are back with you on Monday. And nothing on Sunday this week.
>> No.
>> So y'all can take the day off.
>> Yeah. And then uh Yeah. Same old same old next week.
>> Um sure will. I'm >> sure there's something exciting that will happen over the weekend that uh we'll have ready for you.
>> Yeah. Will we get some more Sunday announcements from people? Who knows?
>> Well, Q&A, all the good stuff. All the good stuff happens on Monday.
>> All right. Play out the credits.
Help us settle a debate whether it be thoughtful or funny. Even if we're all creatures of hate, it's a fine line that we're walking together for better. Push aside the temptation to berate. Let's take a note of the corners we stand in.
As many points as the hairs on my chinny chin chin. When the news that we're watching is hairy, knowing all the things that we need to be wary of. Like the rich have their head up for rewards.
While the many have to work out what they can't afford and the rest of us are paying attention or maybe have questions we're too worried to mention. While the media is still dwelling on trivial facts, letting peace and the rice and the mice from the rats have picking and choosing a war to run ourselves the hill to die on. It's got to come down to a welcoming vibe with a self and a high in mind. All heavily neither this way or that will be and put you in your path with the evil in the world trying to mess with your head and you're sitting on the thinking shy's dead each night.
Two tonight they're going to sing you to bed.
>> Thanks for watching this episode of Bright Sherry this wonderful Friday evening. Boys will be back with you on Monday. We'll see you next Friday. Okay, have a wonderful weekend. Magenta, anything to say before we go?
>> Catch me on Ala tonight, Monday, 6:30 p.m. till 9. Other than that, keep cool to after school. Love you. Bye-bye for the weekend. Bye-bye.
Heat.
Heat.
Heat.
Heat. Heat.
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