It’s the last episode of the Recombobulator Lab and Chris and Jason are taking a walk down season 2 memory lane with a little current affairs (Chinese balloon anyone?) thrown in too, because that’s what we do. Chinese balloons Jason asks Chris what is going on in the United States, to which Chris replies nothing. He then asks if Chinese balloons ever float over Australian airspace. Jason points out that 90% of Australia is desert and that there’s nothing to see there. The Pandemic Jason and Chri...
Feb 15, 2023•35 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Chris and Jason are eager to understand the vaping or e-cigarette epidemic around the world. In this episode of the Recombobulator Lab they are joined by guest Dr. Laura Crotty Alexander, an Associate Professor in Residence of Medicine at UC San Diego, with undergraduate degrees in science and medicine, residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, and fellowship at Harvard. Laura busts some myths about vaping and shares some interesting stats and facts. The origins of vaping E-cigarettes were in...
Feb 08, 2023•32 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Chris and Jason have long been interested in the long term effects of concussion and head trauma. This week on the Recombobulator Lab they are joined by Dr. Ryan Takagi , nutritionist, chiropractor mechanical engineering PHD candidate. Ryan’s PHD is specifically looking at the prolonged after effects of concussion and how sleep impacts this. The Dangers of CTE Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) brain condition thought to be linked to repeated head trauma. Unfortunately, the only way to diagn...
Feb 01, 2023•31 min•Season 2Ep. 14
The Recombobulator Lab is discussing an important topic today - sachets. What is a sachet and why is it important? Sachets are small plastic packets used to sell smaller servings of food and other groceries in lower income countries, but they come with a heavy environmental cost. Chris and Jason spoke with Yobel Novian Putra , Climate and Clean Energy Campaign Associate for GAIA Asia Pacific , to learn more about the issue. The use of incineration in waste management According to Yobel, incinera...
Jan 25, 2023•25 min•Season 2Ep. 14
It’s been a while since Chris and Jason did an episode with just the two of them on The Recombobulator Lab. So they have a lot to chat about. They are going to talk about some predictions for the year of 2023 and chat a bit about what’s been going on in their respective countries so far this year. Inflation and employment Chris and Jason note that inflation is super high at the moment in both the US and Australia. Chris notes that in his local shop free range chicken cost $9.99 for about a pound...
Jan 18, 2023•32 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), and its main organisation UFC, has absolutely exploded in recent years with Irish fighter Conor McGregor becoming the highest paid sports person in the world in 2021, the first time an MMA fighter held this position. Chris and Jason are fascinated by this rapid growth and want to know more. They are joined by Irish journalist Ronan O’Flaherty to learn more. MMA versus Boxing The UFC is now a billion dollar organisation and is overtaking boxing in popularity. Ronan discu...
Jan 11, 2023•34 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Did you know that Australia's meat consumption is almost 3 times the global average? And 25 times higher than meat consumption per capita in India? This week on the Recombobulator Lab podcast Chris and Jason speak to Dr Tani Khara , research consultant with the Institute for Sustainable Futures. They talk about plant based trends around the world and discuss what role, if any, meat replacements play in this. India and vegetarianism 20-30% of people report being vegetarian in India. Religion and ...
Jan 04, 2023•32 min•Season 2Ep. 11
This week on the Recombobulator Lab Chris and Jason have brought in Dr Amy Pennay to help answer the question that is puzzling older generations: why aren't the kids boozing it up any more? Amy is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research at La Trobe University. Within CAPR she is the Strategic Lead of the 'Intersections of drinking cultures, health and policy' program.She has done extensive research on youth drinking patterns including the 2021 paper entitled Trends in ...
Dec 28, 2022•28 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Social media is an unwavering conversation in our lives today. But was it this way 10 years ago? You and I as well as Mike Hanley , our guest for today’s episode of The Recombobulator Lab , would agree it wasn’t. But unlike most of us, Mike was part of a digital content agency before social media even became a thing. So, he’s witnessed its explosive growth more closely than a majority of us, and even contributed to some of the biggest marketing trends, like including a quote with a person’s pict...
Dec 21, 2022•30 min•Season 2Ep. 9
For the longest time, consumer brands have made big billions by cunningly marketing their products as “green”. While FTC regulations against such marketing puffery have strengthened over time, has the average consumer gained any chance in the face of greenwashing? In the second installment of Tom Osdoba ’s conversation with Chris and Jason on The Recombobulator Lab , we’re getting into just that. Plus more. If you don’t know yet, Tom Osdoba is the Director of NetZeroCities EU and the Senior Advi...
Dec 14, 2022•32 min•Season 2Ep. 8
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 ...
Dec 07, 2022•36 min•Season 2Ep. 7
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...
Nov 30, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 6
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 ...
Nov 23, 2022•33 min•Season 2Ep. 5
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. What is authoritarianism? Authoritarianism is the process and exchange where there is essentially a strong leader and a subj...
Nov 16, 2022•28 min•Season 2Ep. 4
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. Comedians and...
Nov 09, 2022•33 min•Season 2Ep. 3
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 episo...
Nov 02, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 2
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...
Oct 26, 2022•33 min•Season 2Ep. 1
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, US...
Sep 03, 2022•1 min
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. The three discuss Pascal's "No Bullshit Zone" and relate it to some of their own experiences with people presenting as less than "real." Pascal then shares some of the exciting new developments in business, technology, and society an...
Jun 30, 2021•36 min•Ep. 33
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 . MealPass inquiries, please contact Jason Graham-Nye at jason@mealpass.org .
Jun 23, 2021•28 min•Ep. 32
Maxi comes over to Jason's house on a break from work, and they dial up Chris to talk about his work as a lifeguard, firefighter, author, educator , and cast member on the hit global factual TV hit Bondi Rescue . The three share some laughs, stories and debunk a myth along with a quiz on lifeguards and firefighting facts. MealPass inquiries, please contact Jason Graham-Nye at jason@mealpass.org . Quiz soundtrack, Giulia's Chase, © 2020 by Casting Nail ....
Jun 16, 2021•31 min•Ep. 31
Jason & Chris welcome Doug Keene, Ph.D. , back to the show to discuss some of the mental health terms being published in articles throughout the pandemic, such as Languishing, Cocooning & Hypernesting. Doug explains some misunderstood concepts about how emotions actually work, why the pandemic was so discombobulating for so many people, and some tips about making a strong mental comeback. MealPass inquiries, please contact Jason Graham-Nye at jason@mealpass.org ....
Jun 09, 2021•32 min•Ep. 30
Chris, Jason, and Christy pick up where they left off and somehow transition from race inequities in maternal care to noir movies in Nordic countries. Christy describes the good news of how the current Presidential administration is approaching maternal healthcare and takes on a myth to debunk before describing Every Mother Counts' "special sauce." Then the three talk about coming out of the pandemic and some of the good things that come with them, including Christy going to a baseball game to s...
Jun 02, 2021•32 min•Ep. 29
Chris is surprised to learn that the MealPass ad that he and Jason recorded is also being used on The Recombobulator Lab , then Jason describes his new triple-threat endeavor. Then the two transition to their interview with the Founder of Every Mother Counts , Christy Turlington . Jason and Christy talk about their history together, including their different takes on Vegemite. Christy gets into the personal origins of Every Mother Counts, an organization she founded after her own experience in c...
May 26, 2021•35 min•Ep. 28
Chris & Jason reverse roles—at least regarding cold-weather clothing, and Jason discusses how strict Australia’s travel restrictions are. Chris then reports some good news. Chris & Jason discuss the new premium on broadband when traveling, and Jason talks about the new shiny things he sees in the evening sky over Sydney. Chris then quizzes Jason on the worst 7 things parents can do to young athletes. Then the two switches to their interview with Jenn Heinrich , CEO of Girls Rugby, Inc. a...
May 19, 2021•32 min•Ep. 27
Jason & Chris have a conversation with musician and creative coach Carrie Akre who fronted the bands Hammerbox and Goodness and then contributed on vocals to the Rockfords with Pearl Jam's Mike McCready and went on to a solo career. She has opened for Iggy Pop, Oasis, & Pearl Jam. Jason presses Carrie for stories from Seattle's crazy music scene in the 1990s, and Chris inquires about what subcomponents of being a musician are soul-filling and what is soul-killing--stumbling into a story ...
May 12, 2021•32 min•Ep. 26
Friend of the Lab, Futurist Tom Osdoba joins Jason & Chris to talk about the post-pandemic workplace. Chris shares good news and Jason compares the literal darkness in France with the 3rd wave in COVID infections in France. Chris pits Tom against Jason in a competitive Annoying Business Jargon quiz. Then the three get into the pros and cons of the remote vs. traditional office post-pandemic workplace. Quiz soundtrack, Giulia's Chase, © 2020 by Casting Nail ....
May 05, 2021•32 min•Ep. 25
Aussie Olympic Gold Medal winner and World Champion swimmer Bronte Campbell visits The Recombobulator Lab in person by walking down the street to Jason ’s home. Chris starts them off by asking Bronte about her Malawi roots, and she takes the two through a tale of Hippos and crocodiles. Bronte talks about the challenge of training for the Tokyo Olympics after the delay from the pandemic. Chris talks about the different orientations people can have toward competitiveness, and Bronte explains just ...
Apr 28, 2021•31 min•Ep. 24
Jason and Chris catch up before Chris puts Jason through the paces with a quiz on the most prolific artists. Then the two talk with Zimbabwean-born UK recording artist Jerome Arab . His music has produced half a million streams, and he has set the ambitious goal to produce a track a week in 2021. However, Jason immediately takes the conversation off to Rugby and makes strong attempts at linking his comments to the topic. Jerome talks about how he moved from Zimbabwe and Zambia at a young age to ...
Apr 21, 2021•33 min•Ep. 23
Jason and Chris interview Chanel Contos , who has recently come to prominence to launch Australia’s me-too movement. Chanel discusses how discussions with her friends developed into a questionnaire asking others if they had experienced sexual assault and how in 24 hours, hundreds of people said yes. She then goes into some of the cultural elements that foster these experiences--including three things contributing to toxic masculinity. The three explore the parallels to, and the problems with, th...
Apr 14, 2021•29 min•Ep. 22
