1 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to Part Time Genius, the production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:13,319 Speaker 2: Guess what's that Mango? 3 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:16,800 Speaker 1: So you're never gonna believe this, but I finally found 4 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: a new Zealand bird that's even more endearing than the Kiwi. 5 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 3: I actually feel weird saying this, but i know I 6 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 3: need to congratulate you, because I'm pretty sure this has 7 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 3: been a dream of yours for a while now. So 8 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 3: so congratulating. 9 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, thank you. I mean Sundays, I doubted it was 10 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: even possible, But this week I read about these big 11 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: green parrots that live there called Chaos, and they are 12 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:42,239 Speaker 1: so mischievous and so clever that I just had to 13 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 1: give them the top spot because I know it's a 14 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:47,599 Speaker 1: controversial pick, but I like to keep things spicy. 15 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 2: Wait, you're saying this is actually controversial. 16 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, So i'mlike Kiwi's kaas aren't universally adored. They are 17 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: kind of these one and a half foot tall mischief makers, 18 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: and they will steal laces from boots or strip the 19 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 1: rubber off your windshield wipers. But the wildest prank I've 20 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: heard is that kias actually dragged traffic cones into the 21 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: middle of the road and leave them there and some 22 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: researchers believe this is an intentional act, like it's a 23 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: crafty way to get drivers to slow down enough that 24 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: the parrots can beg for food. 25 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:18,680 Speaker 3: Wow, I mean that is kind of a nee trick. 26 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 3: It also does sound a little bit dangerous. I wonder 27 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 3: how many of these get hit. 28 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it's become a real problem. But the 29 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 1: good news is that there's this conservation team in New 30 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: Zealand that's been testing this ingenious way to keep the 31 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: kaas distracted. They've installed all these little parrot gyms by 32 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: the roadside, and so it kind of looks like a 33 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 1: miniature jungle gym with swings and spinning toys and little ladders. 34 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 3: I guess I kind of feel like everything you've said 35 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 3: to this point may not actually be true, but I'm 36 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 3: gonna go with it. So are these you call them gyms? 37 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 3: Are these gyms actually helping? 38 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: Yeah? They are so far fewer birds are messing with 39 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: traffic cones and the roads are a whole lot safer. 40 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: But you know, these parrot gyms aren't the only out 41 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: of the box solution that NEWSS come up with over 42 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: the past few years. From state approved wizards to car 43 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: driving dogs. The country has plenty of eccentricities to go around, 44 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: so for today's show, I thought we could dive into 45 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: some of that. 46 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 3: Hey, their podcast listeners, Welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm 47 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 3: Will Pearson and is always I'm joined by my good 48 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 3: friend mangesh hot Ticketter on the other side of the 49 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,399 Speaker 3: soundproof glass, just sipping his way through what he claims 50 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 3: is a hokey pokey milkshake. That's what That's what he says. 51 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 3: At least that is our friend and producer loll So. 52 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 3: I don't know what a hokey pokey milkshake is. 53 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: You dip one finger in, you dip one finger out, 54 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 1: I guess. So anytime anyone says hokey pokey, it reminds 55 00:02:58,360 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 1: me of that shirt we made at Metal Floss. 56 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 2: I was trying to remember it that it said hokey 57 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 2: pokey anonymous. Is that right? 58 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 1: Yeah? And the tagline was a place to turn yourself around, 59 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: which I kind of loved. I actually saw someone in 60 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: that shirt this year, which which amazs me, that's awesome. 61 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: Let's keep the focus on loll here the way he 62 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: likes it. Well, what exactly is a hokey poke milkshake? 63 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I've pulled it up here. 64 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 3: So hokey pokey is I guess what we'd call honeycomb toffee. 65 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 3: You know, we always call things honeycomb toffee. But it's 66 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:31,080 Speaker 3: like this light, crunchy candy made from brown sugar and 67 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:34,520 Speaker 3: corn syrup. And apparently everyone in New Zealand fell in 68 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 3: love with the flavor way back in the nineteen forties 69 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 3: and they have been obsessed with it ever since, especially 70 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 3: when it takes the form of milkshake. 71 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 2: So now I see why he just seems so happy 72 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 2: over there. 73 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: I mean, it's a great nickname. I also really like 74 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: the cup he's drinking it from. I wish listeners could 75 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 1: see it. It's a white cup with a red and 76 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: blue cartoon giraffe on the side, and in big red 77 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 1: letters it says the longest drink in town. I mean, 78 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: if you're going to tell how big your beverages, it 79 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: feels so much cooler than like a big goal. 80 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, A long drink. Yeah. 81 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 3: I actually I looked this up too, and the longest 82 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 3: drink in the world cup is actually pretty iconic. So 83 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 3: this design debuted in the nineteen sixties and for the 84 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 3: next several decades it was featured on just about every 85 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 3: paper milkshake cup in the country. 86 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:20,599 Speaker 1: Oh wow. 87 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 3: It became synonymous with summertime in New Zealand, and thanks 88 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:27,720 Speaker 3: in large part to that widespread nostalgia, the longest drink 89 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 3: in the world is still served up at New Zealand 90 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 3: ice cream parlors today. Also, just because I kind of 91 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 3: fell in love with the lingo this week, I have 92 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 3: to mention that if you're inspired to bring ice cream 93 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 3: or cold milk to work, just like Loulda today, a 94 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 3: cooler in New Zealand is called a chili bin. 95 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 2: I kind of like that. 96 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: I like that. So where do you want to start today? 97 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 3: All right, well, how about we start with the country's name. Like, 98 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 3: this is something that's always confused me, because if the 99 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 3: country is New Zealand, that kind of implies that there 100 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 3: is an old Zealand out there, right, so maybe just 101 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 3: or just Zealand. 102 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 2: I guess I was curious about this. 103 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: I guess I hadn't really thought about that, Like, is 104 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 1: there a Zealand in Europe or somewhere. 105 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:11,159 Speaker 2: There actually is? 106 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 3: The original Zealand is all the way over in the 107 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:16,719 Speaker 3: far west of the Netherlands. And just like with the 108 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 3: names of early American cities and states. It goes back 109 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 3: to the era of European exploration, and in New Zealand's case, 110 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 3: it goes back to a Dutch explorer named Abel Tasman, 111 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 3: the namesake of Tasmania. So in sixteen forty two, Tasman 112 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 3: was off exploring the southern Pacific Ocean. This was on 113 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 3: behalf of the Dutch East India Company, and it was 114 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 3: on that voyage that he stumbled upon the territories that 115 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 3: we now know as Tonga, Fiji and New Zealand. So 116 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 3: when Tasman got home, he told his fellow navigators what 117 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 3: he'd found, and pretty soon the islands were added to 118 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 3: the charts of their day. So as for the name, 119 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 3: Dutch map makers were already calling Australia New Holland at 120 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:58,720 Speaker 3: the time, so they just decided to keep this convention 121 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:03,279 Speaker 3: going and name Tasman's territory New Zealand, after a coastal 122 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 3: province in the southwest region of the Netherlands. So British 123 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 3: colonists later settled on the island about one hundred years later, 124 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,719 Speaker 3: but by then the Dutch name was so established that 125 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 3: they just decided to keep it and just anglicize the 126 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 3: spelling of it. 127 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 1: Do we know why the Dutch named it Zealand in 128 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 1: the first place, Like, was there something about New Zealand 129 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 1: that reminded them of this old Zealand? 130 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, I guess it was the geography. 131 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 3: I mean, apparently the province and the Netherlands is made 132 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 3: up of a bunch of little islands and peninsulas with 133 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 3: rivers crossing through them. And because of that that yet 134 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 3: it really is I've actually never been Have you ever 135 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:35,040 Speaker 3: been there before? 136 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:36,479 Speaker 2: The New Zealand? Oh I haven't. 137 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:39,119 Speaker 3: I haven't either, And so because of that, the Dutch 138 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:43,720 Speaker 3: called the region Zealand, which translates as Sealand. So it's 139 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:45,479 Speaker 3: maybe not the most creative name in the world, but 140 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 3: certainly a fitting one for the area. 141 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 1: Well, since you brought up geography and Matt Makers, I 142 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:52,039 Speaker 1: think it's time we addressed the fact that a lot 143 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 1: of modern maps don't include New Zealand and the country 144 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,239 Speaker 1: is just straight up missing, with nothing more than ocean 145 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 1: where it's cluster of six hundred plus US island should be. 146 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 3: Actually, I had heard about this. I mean, this is 147 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 3: a pretty widespread era though, right it is. 148 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 1: Yeah, there's actually an entire maps without New Zealand subreddit, 149 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:12,120 Speaker 1: where users have cataloged hundreds of examples of places that 150 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: use bad maps, including video games, magazines, textbooks, hotels, restaurants, ikea. 151 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: Even for instance, did you know that giant rotating globe 152 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: that sits in front of Universal Studios that is missing 153 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 1: New ze Also the map on the risk board missing 154 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 1: New Zealand. There are even some international airports that have 155 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 1: maps without New Zealand hung in their terminals, even though 156 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 1: they offer flights straight to New Zealand. 157 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 3: Wow, I mean the country that, according to their maps 158 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 3: doesn't exist. It gets to a point where people just 159 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 3: feel like they should just keep going with it just 160 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 3: to be jerks about it. 161 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I'm sure it's some sort of existential problem 162 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: for New Zealanders, but it's pretty funny how far this goes. 163 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 1: So Like, there's a World map in front of the 164 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: United Nations office in Geneva, and apparently New Zealand isn't 165 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: on that, despite the country being a found member. And 166 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:04,239 Speaker 1: if all that wasn't bad enough, New Zealand actually uses 167 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 1: these maps themselves. Gabe pointed me to this, but it's 168 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: on their four h four error page for its official 169 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 1: government website and it shows a world map that doesn't 170 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: include its own country, which is intentional. 171 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 3: Actually, I just pulled this up and it's pretty funny. 172 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 3: It has this four or four map and says something 173 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 3: is missing, and you know, it's cute that they've got 174 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 3: this sense of humor about it. But why does this 175 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:27,360 Speaker 3: phenomenon of cutting New Zealand off maps keep happening? 176 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 2: I mean, there are definitely smaller places in the world. 177 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it's mostly because of that Mercator projection, 178 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 1: which is the one that most world maps are based on, 179 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: and as you might expect, it has a serious old 180 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: World bias. This map places Europe in the dead center 181 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: often while poor New Zealand is shoved way down in 182 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:47,079 Speaker 1: the bottom right hand corner. And the result is it's 183 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 1: kind of an awkward placement and it's easy to crop, 184 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 1: and if a designer isn't careful, they might try to 185 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 1: turn some of the Pacific Ocean from the image and 186 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 1: wind up blopping off an entire country in the process. 187 00:08:57,240 --> 00:08:59,319 Speaker 1: But you know, judging by the number of places that 188 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: these have turned up, it's apparently something that happens all 189 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 1: the time. But New Zealand just kind of take it 190 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: in stride. Actually, there's this Kiwi comedian ree Starby, and 191 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 1: this is how he puts it, quote, we are quite 192 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 1: a fiddly looking shaped country, a bit like a half 193 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 1: eaten lamb chop. Perhaps people are just leaving us off, 194 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 1: thinking we're a mistake. 195 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 2: That's such a great line. 196 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's funny what you said about European bias, because 197 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:24,080 Speaker 3: I guess you could use a projection of a Mercader 198 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 3: map that places New Zealand at the center and it 199 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 3: wouldn't be any more inaccurate. 200 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: That's true, and in fact, many maps in New Zealand 201 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 1: classrooms actually do that. They place Middle Earth in the 202 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 1: actual middle of the Earth. 203 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 3: I mean, it's hard to argue with the logic on 204 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 3: that one. But well, here's another thing I read this 205 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 3: week and wanted to talk about. So this was in 206 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:46,959 Speaker 3: twenty sixteen, New Zealand spent over seventeen million US dollars 207 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 3: on a contest to redesign its national flag, and then 208 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 3: the country voted to just keep the flag they already had. 209 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 3: I guess it turned out to be not such a 210 00:09:56,360 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 3: bad flag, So that seventeen million dollars it's crazy. 211 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: I know, it kind of makes me want to see 212 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:04,679 Speaker 1: the other designs, Like, do you know how bad they were? 213 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 2: So well? 214 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 3: I mean, the contest was open to the public and 215 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 3: over ten thousand people submitted designs, many of which were 216 00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 3: actually pretty elegant and well designed. I mean, there's some 217 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 3: really pretty ones on there, but yeah, there were also 218 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:20,280 Speaker 3: some really horrible ones. One of my favorites is this 219 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 3: blue and red one here. It's got this very cruelly 220 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 3: drawn sheep on the blue half because New Zealand has 221 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:29,400 Speaker 3: a lot of those, obviously, and then on the red 222 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 3: half there's an equally crudely drawn ice cream cone. 223 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 2: So just you know two things they like to think about. 224 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 1: I mean, I bet I can guess what flavor that is. 225 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:41,959 Speaker 2: Oh, I know you can. It's rum raisin. No, I'm kidding. 226 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 3: It's hokey pokey, of course. And the artist even included 227 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,560 Speaker 3: little flex of the candy in there, drawing to make 228 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 3: that as clear as possible. 229 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 1: Can you imagine this about the cand the new flag, Like, 230 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:53,959 Speaker 1: and they cleaned up the design, it'd be the most 231 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:55,200 Speaker 1: beloved flag in the world. 232 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:56,319 Speaker 2: I think you know it does. 233 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 3: I mean, it feels like because they're able to sort 234 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:00,079 Speaker 3: of laugh at their situation, they might have gone on 235 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:02,319 Speaker 3: with something like that, but it was actually another one 236 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 3: that has a black flag with a silver fern, which 237 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 3: is one of the country's national symbols, which is elegant enough, 238 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 3: but the real highlight is it's got this Kiwi bird 239 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:14,400 Speaker 3: on the other side and it's blasting this green laser 240 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 3: beam from its eyes. So it's probably not the most 241 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 3: scientifically accurate flag in the world, but you know, it's 242 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:21,560 Speaker 3: pretty interesting. 243 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 1: It might be the most badass, though, I might. I 244 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 1: can see why New Zealand kind of decide to stick 245 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 1: with their old flag. Why was there like such a 246 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 1: push to change it in the first place. 247 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 2: Well, I don't know how familiar you are with the 248 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:36,960 Speaker 2: real New Zealand flag very. 249 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 1: I said a lot of carbon San Diego as a kid. 250 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:41,680 Speaker 3: That's right, well as a refresher for anybody who's listening. 251 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 3: It's basically a blue flag with a Union Jack symbol 252 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 3: in the top left hand corner and four red stars 253 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:52,000 Speaker 3: on the body representing the Southern Cross constellation. So the 254 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 3: original design is one hundred years old or so, and 255 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:57,960 Speaker 3: for a long time now people have debated whether it 256 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:00,520 Speaker 3: was appropriate to have a British symbol on the New 257 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 3: Zealand flag, you know, since it's a sovereign country but 258 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:06,160 Speaker 3: technically still part of the British Commonwealth. 259 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:08,079 Speaker 1: So, I mean, the other thing that's always struck me 260 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 1: as odd is like how close the flag actually looks 261 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 1: to Australia's flag. 262 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, that was one of the other main contentions, that 263 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:18,360 Speaker 3: the flag is too derivative and not really representative of 264 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 3: New Zealand. But despite all these complaints, when the issue 265 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:25,320 Speaker 3: was finally put to a national vote, fifty six percent 266 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 3: of New Zealanders voted to keep the original flag versus 267 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 3: forty three percent who voted for the new fern design. 268 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 3: And the reason for that upset is pretty interesting. According 269 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 3: to interviews conducted by The Guardian, many New Zealanders voted 270 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:40,320 Speaker 3: against the new flags simply because they'd grown disillusioned with 271 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 3: how costly the campaign was. 272 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 1: Seventeen million dollars is a lot of. 273 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 3: Money, yeah, and you know they didn't want the country 274 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 3: to spend more money on top of that to produce 275 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,320 Speaker 3: tens of thousands of new flags to replace all the 276 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 3: old ones. So anyway, well, now that we've gotten the 277 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:57,320 Speaker 3: lay of the land, let's zoom in a little bit closer. 278 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 3: And talk about the finer details that make New Zealand 279 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 3: such a special place. But before we get to that, 280 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:18,319 Speaker 3: let's take a quick break. You're listening to part time 281 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 3: Genius and we're talking about some of New Zealand's strangest 282 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 3: claims to fame. All right, Mago, the wheel is yours. 283 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:24,839 Speaker 3: So where do you want to go first? 284 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 1: So I really like that fact about where the new 285 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 1: in New Zealand's name comes from. But there's actually a 286 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 1: hill on the North Island of New Zealand with an 287 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:35,440 Speaker 1: even better story behind its name. It's this thousand foot hill. 288 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:38,720 Speaker 1: It's named after Tamata, who's a legendary explorer from New 289 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:42,120 Speaker 1: Zealand's Maori culture, part of their mythical culture there and 290 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 1: Tamata is said to have been one of the first 291 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 1: ever to step foot on New Zealand, long long before 292 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: any European columnists came along. And the summit of the 293 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 1: hill is where he supposedly played the nose flute for. 294 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 2: His beloved The nose flute. Is that what I think 295 00:13:58,280 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 2: it is? 296 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's exactly what it sounds like. It's a flute 297 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:03,200 Speaker 1: you play by exhaling through your nose. 298 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 3: Wow, this you know, I know how we like to 299 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:07,840 Speaker 3: give tips to our listeners, So I feel good about 300 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 3: this one. Like, if you ever need to charm someone 301 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 3: with a private nose flute concert, then Tamataya Hill is 302 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 3: that's the place to go. 303 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 2: It seems like here's the thing. 304 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 1: It's not actually called Tamatya Hill. The Maori people wanted 305 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 1: to really celebrate Tamataya's exploits and not sound short, so 306 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: they named the hill using an entire sense and roughly translated, 307 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 1: it's an eighty five character name. It means the summit 308 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:31,400 Speaker 1: where Tamataya, the man with the big knees, the slider 309 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 1: climber of mountains, the land swallower who traveled about played 310 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 1: his nose flute to his loved one. 311 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 3: And the name means all of that, Like wouldn't you 312 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 3: love to be known as the man with the big knees? 313 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 1: Like that? 314 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 3: I feel like that's great. But it's such such a 315 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 3: great title. I do feel like you bury the lead here? 316 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 3: What is this eighty five character name? How do you 317 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 3: say it? 318 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:56,120 Speaker 1: So I'm gonna apologize a little because my uh my 319 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: Maori is a little rusty, but this is how it 320 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 1: goes Tamatawaka Tonga Honga kara tom. I am butchering this right, 321 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: it goes. 322 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 3: I think. 323 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 1: It's so long, seman nogaru Akau, it goes. 324 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 2: You should really stop. 325 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:23,840 Speaker 1: And I'm really not trying to be disrespectful. 326 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, but it. 327 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 1: Is amazing and it makes for a very very long 328 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 1: street sign. It's actually the longest place name in the 329 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 1: world according to Guinness. The wildest part, though, is that 330 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:37,440 Speaker 1: there's actually an unofficial version of the name that adds 331 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 1: an extra twenty character. It's worth of details. 332 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 2: Wow. 333 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 1: So according to Atlas Obscure, the extended version translates as 334 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 1: the Hill of the Nose flute playing by Tamatao, who 335 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: was blown hither from Afar, had a split penis, raised 336 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 1: his knees climbing mountains, fell on the earth, and encircled 337 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: the land to his beloved and so good before you ask, 338 00:15:57,640 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: that one part is a reference to basically what's in 339 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:01,200 Speaker 1: my version of a circumcision? 340 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 2: Oh got it? Yeah, I was kind of curious. 341 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 3: Well, for any geography nerds who find themselves in New Zealand, 342 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 3: another cantonss landmark on your list should be the slightly 343 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 3: more plainly named Baldwin Street. So it's located in the 344 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 3: city of Dunedin, and Baldwin Street is one of the 345 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 3: steepest streets in the world. It only runs about three 346 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 3: hundred and fifty meters, which is less than a fourth 347 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 3: of a mile, but for every three horizontal meters there 348 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 3: is a rise of one meter, So the result is 349 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 3: that it takes ten minutes or more to basically climb 350 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 3: up this relatively short street. 351 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 2: It's pretty crazy. 352 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: What I want to know is why wouldn't anyone put 353 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 1: a street though to begin with? It seems like if 354 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:41,800 Speaker 1: the land is that steep, it'd be easier to just 355 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 1: kind of plan around it. 356 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 3: Right, Yeah, I mean that's true, and I'm sure that's 357 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 3: exactly what the city planner would have done had he 358 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 3: actually looked at the land he was planning for. Instead 359 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 3: that the city was planned by these London based designers 360 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 3: who never bothered to see the topography in person. They 361 00:16:57,200 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 3: just laid out a grid system on top of a 362 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 3: flat map and called it a day, I guess, and 363 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 3: that oversight resulted in a number of these incredibly steep streets, 364 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:07,880 Speaker 3: with Baldwin being the most extreme of them. 365 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 1: Wait, so are there houses on Baldwin Street. 366 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:13,119 Speaker 3: There actually are houses, and the cool thing is they 367 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 3: are all built into this hill at an angle. It's 368 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 3: worth taking a look at it. So if you walk 369 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 3: down or up Baldwin Street, you'll pass a row of 370 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:23,200 Speaker 3: these severely slanted houses. 371 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 1: I just hould it up. This is insane. It's like 372 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:27,639 Speaker 1: you're living in like one of those old v commercials. 373 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 1: Everything's built. It's amazing. It does feel like it would 374 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:34,360 Speaker 1: be a dream for Instagrammers, but probably a huge pain 375 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:37,120 Speaker 1: in the neck for residents. But you know what, we've 376 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 1: talked about a couple of special places that New Zealanders 377 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:42,479 Speaker 1: can boast about. But why don't we talk about one 378 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:44,399 Speaker 1: of their exceptional citizens next? 379 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 2: All right, so who would it be? Let me let 380 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 2: me guess. Is it one of the Flight of the Concords? 381 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:51,719 Speaker 1: No, I mean that's a good guess. But this guy's 382 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 1: birth name is Ian Brackenbury Channel. But today people around 383 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:59,119 Speaker 1: the world know him simply as the Wizard, and he 384 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 1: is the Wizard, mind you, not not a wizard, because 385 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:04,879 Speaker 1: not only does he have the driver's license to prove it, 386 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 1: he also has the backing of New Zealand's government. Back 387 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:11,199 Speaker 1: in nineteen ninety the country's Prime Minister made Channel the 388 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:14,680 Speaker 1: world's first and still only state appointed wizard. 389 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:17,440 Speaker 3: I have so many questions about this, but I guess 390 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:20,439 Speaker 3: the first one is how exactly one gets appointed the 391 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 3: official Wizard of New Zealand. 392 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 1: I think it starts with the wardrobe. But New Zealand's 393 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:29,719 Speaker 1: Wizard has a pretty impressive resiment. He was born in 394 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 1: London in nineteen thirty two and later served as a 395 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:35,800 Speaker 1: navigator in the Royal Air Force. In nineteen sixty three, 396 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 1: he earned a double BA in psychology and sociology and 397 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 1: began teaching in the Middle East in Australia, and given 398 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:44,840 Speaker 1: his dual fields of study as a teacher, Channel was 399 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:49,439 Speaker 1: especially interested in experimental teaching and social reform techniques. But 400 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:52,359 Speaker 1: as for his wizarding career, that started to take off 401 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 1: in the mid seventies, and that's when Channel began appearing 402 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: throughout New Zealand as a public speaker. He would dress 403 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,199 Speaker 1: in a long black robe and a wizard's hat, and 404 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:03,639 Speaker 1: of course he carried his staff. And then he'd go 405 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 1: to Cathedral Square in christ Church and he'd climb up 406 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 1: on a ladder and share his views on all sorts 407 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 1: of topics with passes by, no matter how taboo the subject. 408 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 1: So public officials initially tried to have a banned from 409 00:19:15,359 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 1: the premises, but eventually they gave up and the Wizard 410 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 1: kind of became this weird cultural institution slash tourist attraction. 411 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 2: All right. 412 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:25,760 Speaker 3: So to sum this up, you had a decorated British 413 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,919 Speaker 3: veteran turned Australian school teacher who made his way to 414 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 3: New Zealand, began dressing as a wizard, lost his mind 415 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 3: and began scaring people in the streets. 416 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:35,920 Speaker 2: That I have that right, yeah. 417 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,159 Speaker 1: I mean everything except that lost his mind part. Like 418 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:41,199 Speaker 1: the wizard was and is eccentric, but he still has 419 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:44,399 Speaker 1: a firm grip on his mind. His body, though, was 420 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:48,959 Speaker 1: donated to the National Gallery of Victoria, which officially recognizes 421 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:50,720 Speaker 1: it as a living work of art. 422 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:53,639 Speaker 3: Of course they did. I mean nothing about this surprises 423 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:56,400 Speaker 3: me at this point. But so he's harassing people on 424 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 3: this ladder and then what. 425 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:00,440 Speaker 1: Well from there the city of christ which kind of 426 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:04,119 Speaker 1: fell under his spell, he got super popular. In fact, 427 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:06,960 Speaker 1: the director of the Robert McDougall Art Gallery and christ 428 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:10,199 Speaker 1: Church actually contacted the National Gallery of Victoria and they 429 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 1: arranged to have the living work of art title transferred 430 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:16,879 Speaker 1: to christ Church. You're kidding me, No, this is all real, 431 00:20:16,920 --> 00:20:19,200 Speaker 1: and the Wizard's fame only grew from there. So in 432 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty he was appointed to be the official arch 433 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:24,959 Speaker 1: Wizard of Kenterbury, and then ten years after that he 434 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 1: was appointed Wizard of New Zealand by Prime Minister Mike Moore. 435 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 3: And remind me again what a state appointed wizard actually does. 436 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:34,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a good question. So this is the official 437 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:38,879 Speaker 1: proclamation that was declared at the time. Quote. The first 438 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 1: Wizard of New Zealand is entitled to wear the appropriate 439 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:46,199 Speaker 1: regalia and required to carry out the duties of national Wizard, 440 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:49,920 Speaker 1: namely to protect the government, to blessed new enterprises, cast 441 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 1: out evil spits, upset fanatics, cheer up the population, and 442 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:57,800 Speaker 1: most importantly, design and promote a new and improved universe 443 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:00,160 Speaker 1: which puts New Zealand on top of the world, both 444 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:01,920 Speaker 1: physically and metaphysically. 445 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 3: So, now that the truth comes out, you forget Middle Earth. 446 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:07,439 Speaker 3: They actually want to be on top of it. I 447 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 3: think is the issue here, right. 448 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, So I'm rooting for them and for the Wizard, 449 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: and I don't think I'm alone in that either. The 450 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 1: Wizard retired from his active duties back in two thousand 451 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 1: and five, but he still speaks publicly on occasion, and 452 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 1: to this day he remains a beloved figure in christ Church. 453 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 1: In fact, there's one quick story that really shows how 454 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:27,480 Speaker 1: big a role the Wizard is played in the community there. 455 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:29,680 Speaker 1: This is back in nineteen ninety five when the christ 456 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 1: Church City Council hosted a whole week of activities to 457 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:35,639 Speaker 1: celebrate his twenty first year as the local Wizard. So 458 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:39,160 Speaker 1: festivities began with the Wizard hovering above a rugby match 459 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 1: in a helicopter and he was chanting a spell the 460 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,880 Speaker 1: whole time, which supposedly helped the home team win the game. 461 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 1: But it concluded with him hatching from a giant egg 462 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:50,160 Speaker 1: inside the city's art gallery. 463 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 2: So he hashed from an egg. 464 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, this is years before Lady Gaga did. But you know, 465 00:21:56,880 --> 00:22:00,359 Speaker 1: to complete the process, everyone in attendance had to chant 466 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:02,479 Speaker 1: the correct hum while he was hatching. 467 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:06,399 Speaker 3: All right, I feel like this is the perfect place 468 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:08,360 Speaker 3: for an ad break. We'll be back with more stories 469 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 3: in just a minute. Welcome back to part time genius. 470 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:24,960 Speaker 2: All right, Mango. 471 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:27,520 Speaker 3: So New Zealanders have a reputation for being some of 472 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:30,919 Speaker 3: the friendliest and really most cheerful people in the world. 473 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:33,240 Speaker 3: I think most of the stories we've talked about today 474 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 3: kind of a test to that in one way or another. 475 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:38,720 Speaker 3: But the people there do have a somber side just 476 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 3: like anybody else, and a growing number of Kiwis have 477 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 3: taken up a new pastime to help fill their more 478 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:48,160 Speaker 3: reflective moments, and that's actually building their own coffins. 479 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 1: Huh, that's unusual. Why is that? 480 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:52,439 Speaker 3: Well, it's a trend that's been going on for about 481 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:54,680 Speaker 3: a decade now, and it started back in twenty ten 482 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:57,400 Speaker 3: when the Kiwi Coffin Club was formed in the town 483 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,680 Speaker 3: of Rotorua. I don't know if I'm bouncing that right, 484 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 3: but according to its mission statement, the club is meant 485 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:06,440 Speaker 3: to provide quote an environment in which issues of death 486 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:11,520 Speaker 3: and loss can be raised, addressed, understood and accepted through discussion, support, 487 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 3: and the activity of painting and lining your own coffins. 488 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 1: I mean, I guess I can see how that could 489 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:19,400 Speaker 1: be cathartic or maybe even sobering in a way. 490 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:21,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, and I guess it's a you know, it's filling 491 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:24,719 Speaker 3: a need since the first one in twenty ten, coffin 492 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:27,679 Speaker 3: clubs have actually sprung up all across New Zealand, with 493 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 3: some of the bigger ones boasting more than two hundred 494 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 3: members and counting. In fact, most members view the actual 495 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 3: coffin building as a way to celebrate their lives and 496 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:37,560 Speaker 3: showcase their personalities. 497 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:39,480 Speaker 1: So are these coffins themed? 498 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:41,639 Speaker 3: Sometimes they are? Yeah, I mean it really depends on 499 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:44,600 Speaker 3: what the builder wants. Some people build plain wooden coffins, 500 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 3: others go a little bit more elaborate. So, for instance, 501 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 3: I saw one that had a hand painted nature scene 502 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 3: on the exterior and another that had a collage of 503 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 3: Elvis photos. And it turns out there are really no 504 00:23:55,720 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 3: rules for DIY coffin building. Is that line in the 505 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:03,399 Speaker 3: pressure I'm sure that is, Or if it's not, they 506 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:05,639 Speaker 3: can use it if they want. But it's a pretty 507 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 3: upbeat way to embrace death. And the meetings are kind 508 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 3: of this three part blind like it's a woodworking class, 509 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:15,720 Speaker 3: it's a therapy group, it's a social mixer and as 510 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 3: one club treasurer John Russell told The Atlantic, we had 511 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 3: a TV crew come to film one of our meetings 512 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:22,879 Speaker 3: thinking it would be formal, but they were astonished to 513 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:25,399 Speaker 3: see that we chat about everything but death and dying. 514 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:26,760 Speaker 3: It's a really great atmosphere. 515 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:29,359 Speaker 1: And has this expanded to other countries or is it 516 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:30,959 Speaker 1: just kind of stayed local in New Zealand. 517 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:33,239 Speaker 3: You know, I was actually wondering the same thing. And 518 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:35,879 Speaker 3: in that same story, The Atlantic reports that Coffin clubs 519 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:38,879 Speaker 3: have since launched in Australia and the UK, and yes, 520 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:42,080 Speaker 3: even here in the US. The first one opened earlier 521 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:45,360 Speaker 3: this year in Cleveland, Ohio. So heads up to our listeners. 522 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 3: There is a waiting list for the club right now. 523 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:50,160 Speaker 3: So if you're on a tight schedule, you might want 524 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 3: to think about just starting up your own chapter. 525 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: That is kind of amazing. I don't want to end 526 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 1: the show on build your own coffin themes. So I'm 527 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:01,280 Speaker 1: going to tell you about the time New Zealand taught 528 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: some dogs to drive a car. 529 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 2: Oh wow, and so successfully did this? 530 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:07,800 Speaker 1: Yeah. So this happened back in twenty twelve when New 531 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:11,720 Speaker 1: Zealand's SPCA realized that not enough people were adopting their dogs. 532 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:14,560 Speaker 1: So the organization came up with a very sane and 533 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:16,920 Speaker 1: very sensible solution. They were going to teach a couple 534 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,919 Speaker 1: of their dogs how to drive a car. And I 535 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:22,680 Speaker 1: guess for some reason, this seemed to make them more appealing. 536 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: According to the group's Facebook page quote, our dogs may 537 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:28,200 Speaker 1: be a motley bunch, but they're all smart and they're 538 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:30,720 Speaker 1: all lovable, so please don't write them off. Adopt them. 539 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 1: If we can teach one to drive, we think you'll 540 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:33,840 Speaker 1: do just fine. 541 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:35,680 Speaker 2: Wow. So how did they do this? 542 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:37,879 Speaker 1: The plan for the stunt was to have the dogs 543 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 1: drive a modified Mini along a racetrack while sitting on 544 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:43,920 Speaker 1: their haunches in the driver's seat, so they customized the 545 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 1: brake pedal and a clutch. For some reason, they didn't 546 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:50,640 Speaker 1: teach them to go automatic. They taught them to shift gears, 547 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:52,879 Speaker 1: but they made it long enough for the dogs to 548 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:55,520 Speaker 1: actually reach them. So the dogs went through five weeks 549 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:57,960 Speaker 1: of indoor training where they were encouraged to touch and 550 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:02,159 Speaker 1: move replica brake pedals and gearsticks and steering wheels. And 551 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 1: then once the dogs had mastered the driving position and 552 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:07,639 Speaker 1: how to steer, they moved on to these little goat courts. 553 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:09,639 Speaker 1: And after a few weeks of that, the pups were 554 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 1: ready to hit the road. So in December, one warm 555 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 1: December day in New Zealand, they these two dogs took 556 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:21,200 Speaker 1: to the racetrack and the first dog to make history 557 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:23,680 Speaker 1: was one named Porter. He was a ten month old 558 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:27,520 Speaker 1: Beardy Cross and he drove this mini straight and then 559 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 1: and then around a turn. And then Monty followed him. 560 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 1: He was an eighteen month old Schnauzer Cross and he 561 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:36,639 Speaker 1: completed the same course. And to their credit, both dogs 562 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:37,960 Speaker 1: were wearing seabelts. 563 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:41,320 Speaker 2: I'm curious, though, did this stunt work, like, did the 564 00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:42,320 Speaker 2: dogs find homes? 565 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 1: Yeah? So, as you might imagine that SPCA and Auckland 566 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:47,880 Speaker 1: was swamped with calls from people who wanted to adopt 567 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:51,000 Speaker 1: these two amazing dogs. In the end, they actually decided 568 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:52,919 Speaker 1: to give the pups to the trainer who'd spent these 569 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 1: two months training them to drive the cars. But Porter 570 00:26:56,480 --> 00:27:00,280 Speaker 1: and Monty stunt was broadcast live online and it helped 571 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:03,239 Speaker 1: drive up adoption rates kind of around the world. And 572 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 1: in fact, the campaign was so popular in New Zealand 573 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 1: that a year later at SPCA launched a follow up 574 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:11,480 Speaker 1: where every dog adopted was given its own car to 575 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:14,679 Speaker 1: drive home in. But this time it was kind of 576 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,879 Speaker 1: a crate. It wasn't a real car, and this box 577 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:21,320 Speaker 1: opened up into sort of a cozy dog bed. 578 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:24,959 Speaker 3: I feel like that's more my dog speed. But all right, 579 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 3: well you were right, Mago. That was a nice way 580 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 3: for us to close out the show, although we're not 581 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:32,080 Speaker 3: quite done yet because like a map without New Zealand, 582 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 3: our show isn't complete without a fiddly shaped fact off. 583 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 3: All right, So, like I mentioned earlier, I've been really 584 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:49,880 Speaker 3: digging Kiwi slang this week, and so here's another word 585 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:52,400 Speaker 3: you can expect me to slip into our conversation soon. 586 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 2: Jandles. 587 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 3: That's the New Zealand word for flip flops and it 588 00:27:56,800 --> 00:27:59,399 Speaker 3: was coined by a Kiwi businessman who was inspired by 589 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:02,200 Speaker 3: the footwear he saw on a trip to Japan. So 590 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 3: soon after he and his son started making their own 591 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:07,240 Speaker 3: version of the rubber slip ons in their own garage 592 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:09,880 Speaker 3: in New Zealand, and as a way to pay homage 593 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 3: to the culture that inspired it all, they named their 594 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:15,800 Speaker 3: product Jandles, which is sort of like a portmanteau of 595 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 3: the words Japanese and sandals. 596 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:22,240 Speaker 1: So you know the kids show Power Rangers, right of course, 597 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:27,119 Speaker 1: look at show on Power Rangers. I can explain it 598 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:32,320 Speaker 1: to you. So you know, the show was massively popular. 599 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:36,439 Speaker 1: It was filmed with this like existing footage in Japan 600 00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: and the new characters in California and other places. But 601 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 1: but you know, the show was a massive success and 602 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 1: it got imported all around the world, but not to 603 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:48,120 Speaker 1: New Zealand. The show was actually banned there for being 604 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:51,400 Speaker 1: too violent, and this was true even after production for 605 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 1: the show shifted to New Zealand in the late nineties. 606 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:56,360 Speaker 1: More than a dozen seasons of the long running show 607 00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:58,040 Speaker 1: were filmed there over the years, but kids in New 608 00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:00,920 Speaker 1: Zealand didn't get to see any of it until the 609 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:02,920 Speaker 1: band was lifted in twenty eleven. 610 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:04,800 Speaker 2: Wow, thank goodness, I was lifted. 611 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:07,360 Speaker 3: Well, you've probably heard all the rumors about all the 612 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 3: crazy laws that New Zealand supposedly has, like the one 613 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 3: that prohibits quote, malicious bell ringing. Unfortunately, while that was 614 00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:17,239 Speaker 3: really a law in New Zealand at one point, it 615 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:20,080 Speaker 3: is no longer on the books. In fact, the country 616 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:22,800 Speaker 3: has been pretty good about updating its laws and doing 617 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 3: away with weird, outdated stuff. But there is at least 618 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:29,640 Speaker 3: one exception though. According to the New Zealand Herald, it 619 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:33,040 Speaker 3: is still against the law to say no questions asked 620 00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 3: when advertising a reward for missing property. So if your 621 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:38,960 Speaker 3: dog drives off with the car one day. You can't 622 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 3: post a flyer asking them for their return, no questions asked. 623 00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:44,760 Speaker 3: If you do, you could actually be slammed with a 624 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:47,120 Speaker 3: fine of up to two hundred dollars. 625 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 1: Here's a nice feel good story from a few years back. 626 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:53,080 Speaker 1: In twenty sixteen, forty thousand New Zealanders banded together and 627 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 1: bought the country a brand new public beach. And when 628 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:59,000 Speaker 1: the eight hundred meter stretches In went up for sale 629 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:02,960 Speaker 1: early that year, two brothers in law, Adam Gardner and 630 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:06,080 Speaker 1: Dwayne Major, decided to launch a crowdfunding campaign to try 631 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:08,719 Speaker 1: and keep the beach from falling into private ownership. So 632 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:11,960 Speaker 1: during the campaign, individuals and corporations alike pitched in to 633 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:15,000 Speaker 1: help buy the park. The New Zealand government even got 634 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,240 Speaker 1: into action. They threw in two hundred and twenty five 635 00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:20,120 Speaker 1: thousand dollars US dollars to the effort, and in the 636 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:23,240 Speaker 1: end the donors raised about one point seven million dollars, 637 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:25,160 Speaker 1: which was enough to buy the beach from the original 638 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:27,640 Speaker 1: owner and today the beach is run as part of 639 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:30,720 Speaker 1: the Able Tasman National Park, where it's free and open 640 00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 1: to the public. 641 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:34,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's definitely a feel good story. But I actually 642 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 3: think I can top this story because one thing I 643 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:38,880 Speaker 3: learned this week is that New Zealand is home to 644 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 3: the first of its kind, a nationwide secret Santa Gift exchange. 645 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:46,480 Speaker 3: So this program started on Twitter back in twenty ten, 646 00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:50,640 Speaker 3: when one New Zealand user suggested that anyone interested should 647 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 3: connect through the site and then dig through the post 648 00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:56,320 Speaker 3: of their assigned person in order to sniff out clues 649 00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:59,360 Speaker 3: about the kind of gift that they might like. The 650 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:02,360 Speaker 3: first couple gift exchanges proved so popular with the public 651 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:06,680 Speaker 3: that in twenty thirteen, New Zealand's postal service actually signed 652 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:10,320 Speaker 3: on as the official sponsor. So the program continued in 653 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 3: the years since, even adding a physical warehouse to help 654 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 3: deal with all the packages. Now thousands of kiwis take 655 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:19,600 Speaker 3: part each year, and it's all for the sake of 656 00:31:19,600 --> 00:31:22,440 Speaker 3: making a stranger's holiday just a little bit brighter. 657 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:24,800 Speaker 1: Oh I really like that, and I think it is 658 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:27,880 Speaker 1: better than my beuch story. And it's also seasonal, is right, 659 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:31,400 Speaker 1: which is great. So congratulations, I think you get the trophy. 660 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 3: All right, Well, that's going to do it for today's 661 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:36,240 Speaker 3: part time genius for myself, Mango, Gabe and Lowell. Thanks 662 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:53,719 Speaker 3: so much for listening. We'll be back soon with another episode. 663 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:56,920 Speaker 3: Part Time Genius is a production of iHeartRadio. For more 664 00:31:56,960 --> 00:32:00,560 Speaker 3: podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Potodcast, or 665 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:09,280 Speaker 3: wherever you listen to your favorite shows. M HM.