The Recombobulator Lab

This week on The Recombobulator Lab we are excited to announce our media partnership with the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) for their Zero Waste Month this January. Jason and Chris spoke to Froilan Grate, Executive Director of GAIA Philippines and Asia-Pacific Co-Coordinator for GAIA. 

Zero Waste Month has traditionally been a South East Asian event but this year GAIA is encouraging people all around the globe to get involved. Froilan speaks to the guys about GAIAs mission and about the events we can look forward to for Zero Waste Month. 

Froilan says Zero Waste is both a destination and a journey. The idea is to reduce the amount of waste produced by managing resources. The movement wants to reduce toxicity in the world by making goods without toxic chemicals and avoiding burning and burying waste. 

Burning waste can be on a small scale or a larger scale. Small scale burning, called open burning, is people burning their own rubbish. 

Incineration is when waste is burned on a large scale as part of a country or city’s waste management process. 

Froilan says that either way, burning waste is problematic. These are some of the issues with burning waste: 

Burning waste pollutes the air, releasing toxic dioxin chemicals into the air. 

Incineration releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere which contribute to climate change. 

Resources used to make the products we use are finite. Burning these is a total waste of these finite resources. 

Building incinerators is expensive and they cost a lot to maintain. Typically governments will invest in incinerators and offset the cost over multiple decades. Making the initial decision to incinerate waste in a country means that country is committed to incinerating for the foreseeable future. 

There are far less jobs in incineration than there are in recycling. 

Incineration has been “rebranded” around the world. Incineration companies refer to it as “waste to energy” processing. 

Jason spoke about his time in Japan and can remember since as long as he’s been going there that they have ‘burnable’ and ‘non-burnable’ bins. Incineration is deeply woven into societal norms there. 

In Hawaii they have a “waste to energy” system on Ohau. However, with the small population they struggle to produce enough waste to justify having the privately owned incinerator. This results in the city paying penalties. 

In Europe a lot of countries are scaling down incineration. However, due to the high start up costs or contract agreements a lot of countries are locked into incineration for 20+ years. 

Aside from Japan, Asian countries don’t incinerate waste, yet. Incineration companies are targeting these countries now as their European business dries up. Froilan calls this waste colonialism. 

Jason notes that this is similar to what happened in Australia when they previously did not have regulations on car emissions. Companies like Ford and General Motors who could no longer use certain engines in North America and Europe started selling them in Australia. 

South East Asia and specifically Indonesia has to deal with waste from all over the world. This is for two reasons. 

The ocean has long term currents and these currents bring waste to the same parts of South East Asia, meaning they have a constant issue of waste washing up on their coasts. 

Countries around the world send waste to South East Asia for recycling. The waste is often not sorted and can contain a lot that cannot be recycled. 

The theme for this years Zero Waste Month is Zero Waste for Zero Emissions. 

As part of Zero Waste Month GAIA is organising:

For more information on these you can check out @zerowasteasia on Instagram and Twitter. 

Forest fires, historic droughts, dried-up rivers, and an ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war – certainly, not everything that's out of sight can be out of our minds. As the world conjures up innovative ways to end the global environmental crisis, inventing legislations, bills, carbon footprints, and the like, many of us are left wondering: how much of the shebang translates to actual field work? Do our contributions really matter in the big picture? Are our well-intended investments reaching the right hands? Most importantly, can you even pay your way out of your carbon footprint? Like, REALLY?

Luckily for us, Tom Osdoba has qualified arguments explaining the factors that led to this crisis-laden state of the world. Tom is the Director of NetZeroCities EU and the Senior Advisor at Climate-KIC.

Aside from our varying levels of cynicism the factors in question are as follows:

Chris and Jason invite Tom to The Recombobulator Podcast today to logically explain these factors. Tom's work on sustainability and core ecosystem preservation is laudable, his plans even more so. Tom intends to mobilize 100 cities to be climate-neutral by 2030! (Wait till you hear him get into the practical side of it today.)

Listen in for all the knowledge you must know about the ongoing environmental crisis.

A few important highlights from today’s conversation:

Capitalism has flourished in the absence of strong governance of markets and ownership structures. It’s challenging when governments lack the ability to make changes and pass necessary laws (including environmental laws) at the scale, speed, and precision needed.

It’s the same as getting tax credits when paying taxes. When you invest in carbon-reducing activities somewhere, you’re allowed to represent your proportionate reduction in the global contribution. In some cases, the resources invested definitely move to places that can make meaningful progress. You'll have to do your research to figure this out.

Capitalism deflects attention away from our own role in contributing to the systems that we participate in, even elections. The power of democratic capitalism lies in the creativity of the economic cycles.

Tom will be back next week on the podcast to continue today’s discussion, and to talk a bit more about “greenwashing”! So, stay tuned!

Did you know that America is one of the few countries in the world where people have an entitlement to guns if they have all their rights? Something else that might surprise you entirely is the fact that Australia is one of the top 3 gambling countries in the world despite its low population.

In today’s episode of The Recombobulator Lab, Chris and Jason get to discuss their respective country’s biggest issues. They have been kicking the idea around for a long time and have even teased it a bit in a previous episode. These issues are guns in America and gambling in Australia.

Chris and Jason share a quiz on gun and gambling statics in both countries. They discuss the problem and share their thoughts on what can be done to curb the issues.

Question 1: What are the top 3 gambling countries in the world?

Answer 1: Australia, Singapore, and Ireland.

Question 2: What percentage of Australians participated in some form of gambling last year?

Answer 2: 66% of the adult Australian population.

Question 3: If we think about 60% of Australians participating in some form of gambling, how many millions of people would've gambled 10% or more of their annual income each year?

Answer 3: 10%

Question 4: How many dollars would the average American spend a year gambling?

Answer 4: $400

Question 5: How much more do you think the Irish gamble than Americans per person per year?

Answer 5: $600

Question 6: What do you think the average Australian spends a year on gambling?

Answer 6: $1600

Question 7: What does the average Australian poker machine player spend?

Answer 7: $2400

Question 8: How many people in the United States died from gun-related injuries in 2020?

Answer 8: 45,000 people

Question 9: What percentage of those deaths were suicides?

Answer 9: 54%

Question 10: What share of all murders and suicides in the US involve a gun?

Answer 10: 79%

Question 11: What 3 states have the most gun-related deaths?

Answer 11: Louisiana, Mississippi, and Wyoming.

Question 12: How many active shooter incidents were there in 2020?

Answer 12: 40 moments

One of the problems with gambling addiction in Australia is that the government benefits from it. The government takes a cut of every dollar gambled and then throws it back into gamble responsibly education. Twenty billion dollars a year is spent on gambling, and 10 billion of it is on just the pokies or gaming machines. Jason explains how pubs in Australia are now valued purely on gambling revenue when selling rather than beer and food.

Suicide rates are connected to gambling too as addiction is a mental health issue.

When it comes to guns, in countries like Switzerland and Israel everyone has to do some time in the military so they learn about gun safety. In America, however, anyone can just get a gun without necessarily taking a test or anything of the sort.

Guns have always existed in America, but the crimes have only accelerated since the year 2000. Could the internet be the problem? For years, murders and suicides have been increasing which could be related to the publicity other such incidents get.

Most people would like to see some form of gun restriction and also better mental health care. Chris would advocate that people retain their right to own guns but also take tests when upgrading. There has to be a way to make it reasonable for everyone.

In today’s episode of The Recombobulator Lab, Chris and Jason have the pleasure of having the knowledgeable Doug Keene on the show, who is a third-time guest in the Lab. Doug, a former clinical psychologist and an epic trial consultant, will discuss authoritarianism in this episode, including studies done over the years to support it and its positive and negative impacts.

Authoritarianism is the process and exchange where there is essentially a strong leader and a subject that will be expected to comply with the instructions or guidance of the strong leader. Authoritarianism is not purely political. There are lots and lots of circumstances where people either turn toward or against authoritarian leadership. It could be in religion or it's how children are parented. In general, Doug says, people may look toward authoritarian solutions when they're scared. 

In the 60s’, American social psychologist Stanley Milgram conducted research on how far people would go to comply with authority figures' commands. A researcher instructed the participants to shock a different person with electric shocks that got stronger. Two-thirds of the subjects were willing to continue shocking them even after they stopped responding. This was horrifying to Milgram, who had expected 3% or 4%, somewhere in that range. The participants were unaware that the shocks were phony and that the person receiving them was an actor.

Doug thinks American Individualism is a a form of autocracy.

The idea being that "The cultural and environmental bath we have been stewing in from birth just makes us singularly qualified to accomplish great things and representative of all things good, which is incredibly autocratic."

Doug would do away with fake news and the alternative realities people are trying to spin up, creating constant anxiety and fear. It's really important that people monitor the way it's affecting them and the degree to which they expose themselves to fake news, making sure it gets balanced and counterweighted with things that are authentically loving and genuine.

This week on The Recombobulator Podcast, Jason and Chris are diving into part two of their conversation with Zane Lamprey on taking offense. Who gives it, where and why do we take it? From our siblings to strangers on social media, we are all capable of being triggered by something or someone. Later in the episode, the trio discuss the importance of maintaining a clear head before going on stage and Zane delightedly divulges how he whimsically came up with his brand’s unique name.

Zane begins by quoting Ricky Gervais in that there is a certain “arrogance” in the belief that “everyone can walk around the world and not be offended.” Chris agrees stating that if Gervais or Dave Chappelle walk off stage and no one is offended, they would question where they went wrong.

Jason asks Zane what he gets offended by, to which Zane concludes that “everyone gets offended by something” and that “we all have these triggers”, referring again to one of many people’s earliest memories: our siblings offending us as they “know our triggers” more than most.

Zane highlights the importance of “being in the best state of mind” before going on stage, divulging his pre-show routine of calling his wife to “talk about nothing” because she puts him “in a good mood”.

Jason highlights the contemporary issue of ‘third-party’ offense on social media wherein people get offended by another person offending someone else. Zane describes who he calls the ‘PC Police’ who are “speaking on someone else’s behalf.” Chris chimes in with the concerning matter of people who “are looking for an opportunity to blow something up” and consequently receive “free media” attention.

Zane makes a connection between people who comment on other people as someone “who had a trigger” themselves and describes the internet as a place “where you can speak before you think”, leaving the mess to be cleaned up by other people.

Zane discusses the struggle for his apparel company in competing with “the big dogs” and their name switch from ‘Adventure’ to ‘Pleepleus’, the uniqueness of which Chris compliments Zane on, which originally came to Zane during his trip to Galway, Ireland.

Zane discusses the importance of reminding people that he is a comedian, and of rebranding himself to allow him to continue growing his brand today.

Introducing ‘Lightly Toasted’, Zane’s new podcast. Chris describes it as “a vehicle” to “extend the brand”. Zane agrees, saying that he is “making himself relevant by talking to people on a podcast about current things”.

Jason is third party offended by a frozen pizza raising some questions with Chris about the nature of offense and how it relates to comedy. Is offense a key part of comedy? Is targeting certain demographics just a bit of fun, or is it part of a bigger problem in society? What about targeting WASPs? Is that ok? 

Zane Lamprey- also known as the Anothony Bourdain of drinking- joins The Recombobulator Lab to help tease this out. Together they try to identify 'the line' in part 1 of this 2 part episode and better understand the idea of taking offense. 

After such a fun episode in season 1 with Zane, Chris and Jason couldn't wait to get him back on for season 2 to talk about the hot topic of taking offense. Since they spoke last Zane has been doing a stand-up tour around breweries in the US. He also did a show at a weed farm. It was a shareholders night with a difference. Everyone was h1gh and Zane had to figure out the audience dynamic a little differently to how he usually does.

Zane addresses a question that is on a lot of people's minds about being a comedian on tour. How on earth do they stay in shape while drinking at every show? Alcohol and comedy go hand in hand almost as well as comedy and offense. So what is Zane's secret and how does he stay such an 'attractive man' to quote Jason?

The topic of offense is on the tip of everyone's tongues in interviews with comedians, according to Zane. The way he sees it the landscape is always changing. Comedians are consistently setting and moving the bar. That's how comedy works. the problem now is that there's video. Things that were ok to say 10 years ago can be shown again now and ruin someone's life. The job of a comedian is to push the envelope and ride the edge but the edge is always moving.

Zane thinks that some people deliberately keep things up their sleeves as ammunition and use it at a time that will really hurt someone's career or life.

This is part 1 of a 2 part episode. In episode 2 Chris and Jason will talk about Ricky Gervais' view on taking offense and hear more of Zane's stories.

For more about Zane Lamprey see https://zanelamprey.com/

It has been over a year since season 1 of The Recombobulator Lab finished. Chris and Jason’s schedules have filled back up with everything from Jason and his wife presenting at the World Economic Forum to Chris jet setting all over the USA. But somehow they managed to pull together season 2. 

This episode Chris has a COVID quiz for Jason and the guys discuss their highs and lows of the pandemic. Why bring COVID back up, you might ask? To package it up and put it away for good.

Thanks to everyone who made season 1 such a success and for making season 2 possible.  

Since the pandemic eased both Jason and Chris have been travelling with work. Jason and his wife had the honour of doing a presentation at the World Economic Forum about G-Diapers, their environmentally friendly diaper company. Some highlights of the trip include sharing an umbrella with Bill Gates and finding out that the world is not being controlled by 3 people. 

Chris has also been ‘back on the big metal bird’ since last season with work trips to Longview, Texas; Seattle, Washington; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Oklahoma City; Dallas, Texas; Eugene, Oregon; Las Cruces, New Mexico; Washington DC; Las Vegas, Nevada and Denver, Colorado. He learned a thing or two on his travels including the fact that the view in Longview is actually not that long. There’s not much of a view at all. 

Question 1: In the first half of 2020 name 5 Google searches that saw a huge percentage increase. Eg. Yeast grew (or rose?) 280% 

Answer 1: Any of 5 of the following. 

Question 2: How many people died in Australia during the COVID 19 pandemic as of Aug 2022? 

Answer 2: 13,000 people

Question 3: How many people died in the US during the COVID 19 pandemic as of Aug 2022? 

Answer 3: 1 million people 

Question 4: What percentage of the world is fully vaccinated?

Answer 4: 62.8% 

Question 5: What percentage of the US is fully vaccinated?

Answer 5: 67.8%

Question 6: What percentage of Austrailia is fully vaccinated?

Question 6: 84.7% 

Question 7: What percentage of Australians feel they can trust their healthcare system?  

Answer 7: 76% 

Question 8: What percentage of Americans feel they can trust their healthcare system?  

Answer 8: 34% 

Make sure to listen to the podcast to see how Jason did. 

The effect on mental health, the impact on teenagers, the impact on those graduating and starting college. 

The pandemic changed the experiences of a generation of people

Learning to not take things for granted, things have slowed down, pandemic forced a behaviour change, everyone was forced to use things like Zoom meaning people can move to where they want to and not be dependent on cities, people questioning their pay and their jobs which led to ‘The Great Resignation’  

A diaper executive and a jury consultant walk into a bar...madness ensues--for the second season in a row! The Recombobulator Lab covers knowledge and society topics from the perspectives of two old friends who are both dedicated to facts, evidence, science, and bouts of comedic rants. 

"The Lab" is hosted each episode by the Co-Founder of gDiapers, Jason Graham-Nye, from Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia, and The President of Tsongas Litigation Consulting, Chris Dominic, from Portland, Oregon, USA.

Jason & Chris wrap Season 1 with internet pioneer and entrepreneur Pascal Finette. Pascal shares some history of his journey, beginning with his education in Cologne, starting his first company, and the Internet when the first web browsers were being developed.

Jason & Chris catch up about challenges in their respective backyards before making an important announcement and gratefully reflecting on the last 31 episodes of The Recombobulator Lab.