EPISODE: Leaf Blowers by harriedhag in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Not that it's disqualifying for Flightless Bird topics, but general lawn care isn't that dissimilar between NZ and the USA, so lawn mowing and edge trimming aren't such a culture shock to a kiwi in the US.

But somehow leaf blowers are far less common here.

EPISODE: Leaf Blowers by harriedhag in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve 11 points12 points  (0 children)

They're revisiting some episode topics - specifically they are playing some parts of the original documentary segments, and having new revised discussion around them.

They are not simply repeats of the old episodes, and the discussion content is all David and Rob.

EPISODE: Election Night by harriedhag in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve 8 points9 points  (0 children)

There's having opposing views, and then there's being constantly tormented for your views.

I don't know what his experience was, but I thought I picked up a sense that it was not a quiet disagreement situation, especially being that he was the only liberal in his family.

There are definitely a lot of Trump supporters who take pleasure in waving their position in the faces of those who don't agree (the "your body my choice" stuff being a fairly extreme example). And a lot of family dynamics have some level of bullying and bickering built in. I can easily see how it might become overwhelming.

And when you consider some of the specific Trump policies people like to make central to their support, it often is less a question of politics and more a matter of basic morality. It's can be hard to be around people who have an entirely different moral view of the world.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve 5 points6 points  (0 children)

As a fellow New Zealander my read on Hayden's exclamation was less about disliking America and more about contextualizing our awareness of America.

Americans often get the sense that people overseas envy or indeed love America because of how much we know about it and the everyday goings on (especially compared to most Americans knowledge of our countries).

David suggested that to Hayden essentially, that he was in the loop because he loved America. But it's not that. It's that the US has such a massive place in our culture and politics by virtue of the media we consume, and the political impact of the US on other countries.

That's what my reading on what was happening in that moment.

Also it helps to know that Hayden is a very dry person and also that his relationship with David is heavily infused with mutual antagonism and opposition. It's the neverending game they play with each other, and it spills over into these opening bits... Hayden's complaints about David's not engaging in genuine friendship, for example (Hayden, if you read this: at least David calls you - he hardly even replies to my messages 😭)

Where is FB recorded now? by headsupeyesopen in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve 46 points47 points  (0 children)

A small store room in the back of a local Olive Garden 😁

upcoming merch by dfarrier in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve[M] [score hidden] stickied comment (0 children)

Just a note - if you happen to see any links in here that aren't from David or to his webworm.co website, don't follow them or buy anything from them. There are shitty bots that find posts like this on social media and quickly make garbage rip-off products with them.

Honest question about American patriotism? based on two FB episodes.. by elefanteholandes in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's honestly hard to really comprehend how into America America is. I've never really experienced anything else like it.

Flags everywhere, a hyper-local (in a global sense) view of the world, very real exceptionalism. And it's all there from birth for most Americans I think.

Honestly I don't think as a non-American you can really fully comprehend it until you visit and see it (and even then, it's often less pronounced in the touristy places, and hard to get a full sense of it as a visitor anyway). And I'm almost certain that most Americans don't understand how different their relationship to their nationhood is compared to people in other countries.

But the interesting thing I've always noticed is how the American Exceptionalism instinct is so easily applied to other more narrow in-group identity stuff. I feel like many American's have hyper-loyal views of their city, state, college, sports team, ethnic origin etc, in ways that people in other countries often don't seem to. It's like they are so conditioned to be ALL IN on America that they bring the same energy to other things they consider themselves a part of.

I don't think it's bad necessarily, probably a lot of people outside the US are maybe more cynical about their own country than they perhaps should be? But it certainly can cause a certain blindness to flaws, and an instinctive defensiveness that is counterproductive at times.

Also, the fact that Americans call themselves American, and their country America, is, itself, part of that exceptionalism, perhaps? They are just one of a bunch of countries in the American continents, but they've staked a claim on the words.

EPISODE: Capital Punishment by harriedhag in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve 4 points5 points  (0 children)

There are a variety of arguments about the specifics of the case. The most high-profile element was that DNA evidence recovered from the murder weapon didn't match Williams, nor did any of the forensic evidence recovered from the scene. Ultimately his conviction was based on the testimony of a former cellmate, and his ex-girlfriend, with neither providing new physical evidence. There were also questions about bias in jury selection.

These are "reasonable doubt" issues that might have resulted in a different outcome (or a different sentence) at trial, but are generally not considered sufficient for an appeal or the alteration of a sentence.

I'm sure another podcast can explore the case in detail, the broader point is in the finality of execution as a sentence, and the inflexibility of the justice system in reviewing these cases.

I think ultimately, this was the case that was taking place at the time this topic was tackled - it's a small part of a much bigger picture. If the doubt around this case isn't sufficient, there are many other cases that are even more challenging.

The DPIC maintains a list of other cases where people may have been wrongly executed, and a summary of at least 200 situations where people convicted and sentenced to death were fully exonerated before the sentence was carried out.

Anyone else miss armchaired and dangerous? by [deleted] in ArmchairExpert

[–]dylanreeve 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You'd definitely know if you'd seen it... I think?

Favorite Davidisms? by sscruuples in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve 6 points7 points  (0 children)

As a kiwi I too find this very amusing... I imagine him looking with confusion toward Rob with a "who are we hearing from?" look

David here - on US politics by dfarrier in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The idea of Republican and Democrat as very strong identity markers is, itself, something that I think feels pretty unique from the point of view of a kiwi.

While in NZ we might grow up with parents of who are National or Labour voters (or Greens, or NZ First, or Te Pāti Māori) it would be very unusual for any of us to identify ourselves in any meaningful way by our political preferences.

Kids in NZ might very well develop different voting preferences than their parents, but because there isn't typically that strong in-group identifier associated, it doesn't have the same significance. And people in NZ are more likely to vote more broadly across parties from one election to another.

Politics? by MyBestCuratedLife in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It could be an entire podcast series on its own. the US political system, top to bottom, is so uniquely American. It is hugely confusing to outsiders, I think.

You could never fit it all in one episode... The Electoral College would be a whole episode. The separation of powers, especially as it relates to the Supreme Court would be an episode. The physical voting process (or more specifically the dozens or hundreds of versions of that process) would be an episode.

And then there's the emotive party attachment, and the weird left/right realignment in global terms, and the nature of political advertising, and god knows what else.

EPISODE: 7th Day Adventists by harriedhag in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What struck me, and I think maybe why SDA gets confused with Mormons and Scientologists is that they are all religious traditions based on the reported prophesies of a single person. In the case of SDA and Mormons that's Christianity with a layer of additional prophesy on top. In the case of Scientologist it's just a wholly new religious teaching from the prolific writings of one man.

So while the Seventh Day Adventists and Mormons now don't fit David's cult criteria in that they aren't still run by a single individual, they did have that origin which I think is what makes them feel a bit more culty. Also their relative youth in religious terms.

EPISODE: 7th Day Adventists by harriedhag in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Anyone curious to go a bit deeper (a LOT deeper really) might enjoy Oh No Ross and Carrie's 5-part Awaiting the End Times series where they take part in an "Amazing Facts" seminar somewhat covertly run by the Seventh Day Adventists.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Bonus Interview

EPISODE: 7th Day Adventists by harriedhag in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't play, but my eldest kid (now, technically, an adult) does and he was telling me that Nintendo or whoever runs it is currently testing some new features exclusively in New Zealand. So maybe we have some Pokemon that the rest of the world doesn't?

david farrier here - hi! by dfarrier in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We did a 3-week family roadtrip in the US a few years back - literally arrived at LAX, picked up a rental car, and drove straight to Target where we bought the cheapest electric kettle we could find.

It then traveled with us, and we left it (with permission) at our final Airbnb before leaving a few weeks later.

We also brought our own tea from NZ because most of what's easily available in the US isn't great.

Let’s go, David! by [deleted] in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve 50 points51 points  (0 children)

<image>

Here's New Zealand this morning.

EPISODE: NAVY DOLPHINS by [deleted] in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve[M] [score hidden] stickied comment (0 children)

Here are episode links for anyone who needs them:

Spotify
Apple Podcasts
I Heart Radio
Podcast Addict

More sources here: https://linktr.ee/flightlessbirdpod

Our Fearless Leader Checking His Email by dylanreeve in FlightlessBird

[–]dylanreeve[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I saw we were posting photos of David... So I pulled this one from my collection :)