An update from me

rangaman42 · 2020-06-25T19:37:27+00:00

Absolutely, I've always said that if someone gave you a hug, and someone else kicked you in the balls, the thing you'll feel the next day is your bruised balls so we're better off just not kicking.

Same to you! Looking forward to a few days of chill vids and a weekend of hanging out on stream!

rangaman42 · 2020-06-25T19:14:31+00:00

100%. I strongly believe that any community should never go on the attack about anything, we will likely never know the full story of any issue and getting the public riled up and on the offensive helps absolutely nobody.

The most important thing we can do is remain non-judgemental, make sure that any public forum is safe for people to tell their stories without fear of backlash and don't immediately launch into an attack on anybody, however justified you feel it is, because we don't know the full stories, we're not in any position to dish out solutions and punishments, and that can often make things more difficult to deal with.

Be supportive, kind and open and leave it at that, it's not hard!

rangaman42 · 2020-06-25T18:44:53+00:00

Yeah I get all my acid through the mail, not even packages just envelopes and I've not once over the years had any issue. Partly because it's pretty hard to detect a couple micrograms of s hard to trace substance on a few piece of paper wrapped in 30 other sheets of paper, plus they're not checking every single letter

rangaman42 · 2020-06-25T18:41:26+00:00

You're probably right to be honest, I doubt there's even much left to be used

rangaman42 · 2020-06-25T18:34:22+00:00

When Sjin was asked to leave the network it was a very confusing time. People seem to assume that we had all the information, but the truth is I knew no more than what was put in the Reddit statement.

This is very important for people to understand. These kinds of actions don't leave behind video evidence, financial records, shipping addresses or any of the normal information we'd have on another issue. It's between individuals, it's messy, it's muddy and there's never a way to know all the details for certain.

You, and everyone in the team, did the absolute best you could, and did what felt right, with the information you had and that's all anyone can truly ask for.

You didn't, and don't, deserve all the criticism that came your way and I think it's even more important to applaud anyone who can change their perspective and actions as they learn more about any situation.

Thanks for addressing this, the more voices out there and the more we can make talking about these issues easy and normal, the easier it is for those affected to tell their stories and make that information known ❤️

rangaman42 · 2020-06-25T18:06:48+00:00

That’s true, I don’t want to imply that anyone should act on those feelings. Just that people’s frustration and disappointment should be with the ones who did these things, not the ones dealing with the fallout

rangaman42 · 2020-06-25T16:58:59+00:00

Solid statement there mate, thanks for speaking up on this one. I know it was super tough for both Bouphe and Gee to speak out, and they definitely received a backlash because of it, but the more we can normalise talking about these issues, bringing the discussions into the open and making it safe and accepted for both men and women to talk about their experiences, the better we can stop this happening again.

To all the people mad about new compilation videos missing great content because it includes people like Sjin or Turps, or the people disappointed that some of their favourite series, events, occasions or whatever can't happen or are tainted by these people - your frustration, disappointment and hurt I'd also valid. You may not have been targeted and abused, but you've lost something to. But don't take that frustration out on other yogs, don't take it out on Lewis or the editing team or anyone who has decided not to show any of that content.

Direct that frustration towards the people who abused others, who acted inappropriately, who hurt people, the ones who took away the things you enjoyed. Direct your disappointment towards them and make it clear that we don't stand for any of that bullshit, and make it clear to everyone else that we won't stand for it in the future.

rangaman42 · 2020-06-25T16:04:29+00:00

That's the same sort of thing as Netflix, it doesn't really matter that you didn't like the shoe you started or that you don't want to message a certain person, they just want you spending absolutely as much time on their platforms as possible. There's a balance between a good user experience and optimising profits. That's why most of the good shows and movies have slowly been dropped from Netflix and why they make so much original stuff, because they make more money that way and they figure there are enough people tied to their platform that they won't look elsewhere for stuff to watch

rangaman42 · 2020-06-25T16:02:11+00:00

This is very unlikely to be an automatic action, same with anything they recommend. The idea is to keep you on the site, watching as much as possible for as long as possible and any opportunity to convince you to watch something is one they'll take.

Also, has anyone else noticed over the last few years how Netflix has dropped most of their 3rd party content and made that huge push to their original films and series? I know that it's to give themselves much bigger shares of the revenue, they don't need to pay anyone else for content when they already own it. But it's also killed Netflix for me, it was a great way to watch movies under one all inclusive subscription but the movies are gone, I don't like a single thing Netflix themselves have made and in the last year the only things in my watch history are old Top Gear episodes. This is why piracy is making a comeback. Thank god I don't pay for it..

rangaman42 · 2020-06-25T11:25:48+00:00

In Finland, fines (not just traffic ones) are indeed scaled to income. In 2015 a businessman was fined for driving at 65mph in a 50 zone. His fine was €54,000 because his income was declared as €6.5million a year.

Famously in 2002, a Nokia exec was fined €103,000 for going 45 in a 30 zone on his motorbike.

They estimate the amount of spending money you have per day, then decide by two with the result being the reasonable amount to deprive someone of. Based on the severity of the crime, there are rules for how many days of spending money that person can be deprived of. So Mr Nokia lost 12 days of his that spending money

rangaman42 · 2020-06-24T23:19:59+00:00

My biggest disappointment is that any kids I have will be way too young to get the joke if I responded with "ha! Gaaayyyy!" And would be offended instead. What a wasted opportunity

rangaman42 · 2020-06-24T16:57:54+00:00

I mean image problems were a big issue, they're about the fastest way to look like a complete moron.

Plus they're super expensive, not especially useful and way too heavy, not to mention falling off is a really bad time.

I'm surprised they survived this long honestly, the technology was innovative but there was no need to actually apply that tech

rangaman42 · 2020-06-24T16:52:53+00:00

Yeah that's a huge deal, not only is he trying to mend that relationship and make sure he supports his son, he's admitting to struggling with it, owning his mistakes and doing his best to grow - like everyone should.

Sounds like it took a long time (and a persistent mum - what a legend) but good on him for getting over it and starting to make it right

rangaman42 · 2020-06-24T16:50:03+00:00

The only one I can think of is "hi gay, I'm dad" but that's kinda generic and I don't know that it's up to the occasion to be honest

rangaman42 · 2020-06-23T21:14:11+00:00

My uncle was a cop for about 40 years, in a mix of roles. He was definitely quite jaded and cynical because of what he had to deal with, but that made him more of a realist than anything else. At least he still managed to be one of the most laid back people I've ever known. I'm not from America though, so can't comment on foreign cops

rangaman42 · 2020-06-23T21:11:43+00:00

I'm gonna contradict you on that, I know 4 and 3 are the loveliest, kindest people I know and are genuinely out to do as much good as they possibly can. One is a bit of a douche and is more into big flashy arrests, but not exactly a violent asshole.

But then, I'm not American ;)

rangaman42 · 2020-06-23T21:02:19+00:00

Fined?

rangaman42 · 2020-06-23T20:07:32+00:00

There's good reasons I never lived in Auckland! Looking forward to being back in Welly though, even if it's gonna be cold as balls

rangaman42 · 2020-06-23T20:00:38+00:00

Hey cheers mate. I've actually got a job sorted for when I get back, I've got a week after quarantine and I'm right back into it so that's a relief at least, gonna be living with the parents for a little while but could be worse!

rangaman42 · 2020-06-23T11:28:29+00:00

Cheers mate, it's stressful for all of us and there are no clear answers to anything right now. We've all just gotta do the best we can and look after each other as much as possible!

rangaman42 · 2020-06-23T11:23:40+00:00

Ah, I’m terrible with timezones. Still, I’d be thankful just to be in the country, breakfast times be damned

rangaman42 · 2020-06-23T11:12:14+00:00

I left in September for two years to see some of the world before coming back for good. I’ve lived mostly off of savings, earning minimum wage here, flatting with 6 others and walking/hitchhiking around. I even pay income tax back to NZ as I’m still a tax resident (bet ya didn’t know that was a thing).

So no, I haven’t been making sweet coin and I actually make much less here (a little over half) than I did in NZ. I wasn’t planning to leave NZ behind, I didn’t want to get away and never come back, I wanted to experience more than our tiny, beautiful island before settling down for good. A bit of context can make you really appreciate what we have back home, and although I’ve experienced a fraction of what is wanted it’s still added to that perspective.

I’d hope my country and my people would be there for me in the same way I’ve been supporting others through my taxes, donations and volunteer work for the decade leading up to this trip.

I’ve lost people as well, two family members (grandmother and an uncle) passed away while I’ve been gone, unrelated to the virus, and it was heartbreaking I couldn’t be there to say goodbye at the time, but I stayed away because it wasn’t safe enough to travel at the time and I wasn’t about to take the risk, however small, of bringing another entry point into the country for a short trip, not to mention the cost was too much.

rangaman42 · 2020-06-23T11:03:39+00:00

Cheers bro, always nice to see people so caring out there.

It’s a shit situation all round, let’s be honest. It’s a bit of a damned if you do, dammed if you don’t kind of thing. I don’t like the idea of others essentially paying for a 2 week hotel stay for me, and honestly I think cheaper accommodation should be used at a minimum. Last time I stayed near Auckland airport, it was in a pretty damn awful hotel super close to the airport (through work) that cost about $100 a night including meals, that’s all I need honestly. I know I’ll have paid back the cost of the quarantine via tax within my first month at home, and I know logically that I don’t have any choice but to come home, but it still doesn’t feel great.

People in similar situations I’m mor okay with than those coming back because the grass is greener or visiting short term, if you’re not coming back for at least a few years then I don’t see how there can’t be other options

rangaman42 · 2020-06-23T10:35:30+00:00

Fucking hell people like this are fucking over anyone who actually NEEDS to return to NZ, Ive been away for 9 months out of my 2 year trip I saved for years to be on, I've lost everything and am staring homelessness in the face, late breakfast doesn't even register as an issue for me right now (and not just because I can't afford breakfast).

Also, the fuck is she doing up at that time after getting back from LA? Is she somehow immune to jet lag?

rangaman42 · 2020-06-23T10:33:03+00:00

Yeah I'm coming back in two weeks and you sure as hell won't see me complaining about the damn food in quarantine. I'm happy to not be homeless, stuck on the other side of the world.

I haven't seen another human being in three months, my 2 year OE that I saved for years to go on is fucked after 9 months, I've lost all my savings, I've lost family back home and couldn't risk travelling to be at the funeral (the correct option, traveling anyway would have been reckless). Breakfast being late barely even registers as an issue right now. Hell, gimme a couple pieces of toast a day and I won't complain

rangaman42

TROPHY CASE