The Blue Hawaii Podcast

You'll never believe this, folks... we're back(sort of, kind of, not really)to introduce our friend Tony Vega and his exciting new podcast: Transmissions from Hawaii! Each episode features a new storytelling adventure, with special attention to the weird, wacky, and wonderful. If you like what he has to say about the mac nut (starting at 5:01), then check out the links below for more episodes and great content!!! www.transmissionsfromhawaii.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/transmissionsfromhawaii/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/transmissionsfromhawaii Twitter https://twitter.com/hawaii_podcast

Folks, like Boyz II Men said... it's SO hard to say goodbye. Please join us, dear listeners, for (probably) one final journey into the weird and wonderful world of The Blue Hawaii Podcast. As a preview, here's what it would sound like if some of this episode's highlights were newspaper headlines: - Proud MAN Adrian Tam Crushes Trumpy Ochs at Ballot Bochs - Taika Waititi Cool and Good, Surveys Say - Augie T(otally unqualified) - Kat's in the Klink for Korruption, Kops Kope - "IDEOLOGY." - Slavoj Zizek - Jim Morrison Estate Sues Hawaii Podcast for Copyright Infringement All this and more, on the GRAND FINALE (again, like...95%? who knows, weird year) of THE BLUE HAWAII PODCAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wait, we still have a podcast? Wasn't there a primary election like three months ago or something? Where am I? Who is this? How did you get this number?

By popular demand, we give to you, our 2020 Primary Recommendations! We've been getting inundated with DMs and texts from listeners wanting to know who they should vote for. We can't tell you who to vote for, but we can tell you who *we're* likely voting for. So, that's what we do. We give our final thoughts on the OHA races, the Honolulu mayoral race, the Honolulu prosecutor's race, our local races (District 20, State House; and District 5, City Council), as well as a few that we can't vote for (shout outs to: Alan Akao, Adrian Tam, Patrick Branco, and Makana Paris). If you've got friends and family who want to know which way to go, share this episode with them! Then, stick around, because we put our banter/catch-up segment after the break! Like, tag, share, and thanks for listening!

92! Ryan and Josh hop on the phone to reunite with long-time friend of the show Colleen Hanabusa, who has decided to get back into the arena and run to be the next mayor of Honolulu! We find out about her plans for rail, homelessness, and police reform; go behind the scenes of Hawaii News Now's "The Job Interview" (we don't like to give our competitors free PR, but we'll make an exception); and discuss the one book Colleen thinks we should all be reading right now. All this and more, on the newest episode of your favorite esoteric co-hosted Hawaii-focused political podcast!

90! Ryan and Josh dial-up friend of the show Adrian Tam, who has decided to throw his hat into the ring and run to represent Waikiki-Ala Moana in the Hawaii State House! Hear about Adrian's vision for the densest urban district in our islands -- part tourist paradise, part concrete jungle -- and see how he fares at everyone's favorite new Blue Hawaii Podcast game: "Proud Boy, or Nazi?!" Check it out and stay tuned for more .... we'll be back next week with a State House contender from Kaimuki and a friend of the show who is running for Mayor! xoxoxo

89 and feelin' fine! Josh and Ryan welcome Patrick Branco to the show, a Kailua boy and former US State Department diplomat who is back home and running for office for the first time. Hear about his tours of duty in Pakistan, Colombia, and (Trump voice) VENEZUELA!!!!!! -- as well as why he thinks he's the best candidate to represent District 50 in the Hawaii State House. District 50 covers Kailua and Kaneohe Bay -- if you listened to Episode 87 with Alan and Kaui, Patrick is sandwiched right in between them, so listen to this episode and complete your virtual political tour of Oahu's Windward Side! Check it out and stay tuned for....you guessed it: more great content!

It wouldn't be an election season unless we interviewed all the good ones! This episode we interview Keith Amemiya, a leading candidate to be the next Mayor of Honolulu. You probably know Keith as the friendly smiling face on all those banners around town, or maybe you know him as the guy that single-handedly saved high school sports in Hawaii; but soon you'll know him for giving the best answers possible to all the hardest questions we could think to ask. Seriously, you're gonna love this guy. Whether it's rail, minimum wage, affordable housing, or mental health services for Oahu's homeless community, Keith Amemiya knocks it out of the park. Listen to the episode, then like, tag, and share!

Ryan and Josh have a #zoom chat with two young, inspiring Native Hawaiian community leaders and changemakers seeking political office for the first time: Kailua's Alan Akao and Kaneohe's Kau'i Pratt-Aquino. Hear their stories, what makes the Windward Side of Oahu unique, why this election is so crucial for Kanaka Maoli, and so much more! Tune in now, like/share/subscribe, and stay tuned for more great content!

Hello again! Judge Steve Alm (ret.) joins us on this episode, as wrap up our interviews with the candidates to be Honolulu's next prosecutor -- at this point, we've interviewed all the good ones. Judge Alm talked with us about life, his long career in the law, and HOPE probation, a program Judge Alm created that has been proven to keep people out of jail and lower recidivism rates among convicted people. We also talked with Judge Alm about the importance of ending cash bail (he agreed) and training Honolulu's prosecutors to do what's right, rather than what looks good. Take a listen, subscribe, and pass this episode along!

When the world's on fire, it's important to talk with people who are trying to put it out. This episode is an interview with one of those people. Her name is Jacquie Esser and she's a candidate to be Honolulu's next prosecutor. Jacquie sat down with us a few months ago to talk about her campaign, her values, and her vision for Honolulu. We've sat on the interview because we didn't want it to get buried in the COVID news cycle, but we just couldn't wait any longer! Jacquie's got a great message and vision for the future, and you deserve to hear them both. Take a listen, leave us a review, and drop a comment to let us know what you thought of the episode!

New episode! In Part 2 of our two-part series featuring Canadian Consul General Rana Sarkar,  Ryan and CG Sarkar discuss Canada's response to COVID-19 (hint: it's much better than the United States' response), what life will look like post-COVID, and the significance of Canada's #1 national treasure: Justin Bieber. Big Mahalo to CG Sarkar and his staff for making this series happen, and reminding us that a sane, compassionate government response to disasters is still possible. Be sure to rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts!

What's that you said? You want Blue Hawaii to go international AND you want us to interview a high-ranking diplomatic official from our great neighbor to the north AND you want us to sit on the episode for 4 months because of a global pandemic. FINE. We did it. This episode, you'll hear the first of our two interviews with Canadian Consul General Rana Sarkar. CG Sarkar serves as Canada's diplomatic representative to North California and Hawaii, and is generally one of the coolest people we've ever met. You're really going to love him. As always, please rate on wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a kind review. Also, if you follow us on facebook/twitter/instagram/TikTok (we're not on TikTok) share the episode!

The plagues keep coming and the next episode has risen! Ryan and Josh hopped on the phone yesterday evening to exchange Passover and Easter greetings and discuss the latest political, economic, social, and theological fallout from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in Hawaii and around the world. PS - They say that when the student is ready, the teacher appears....well, these students are ready, so congratulations to Bartholomew I of Constantinople, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople of the Eastern Orthodox Church, primus inter pares, and the new official spiritual advisor of The Blue Hawaii Podcast!!!

This episode Ryan checks in with our friends Lindsay Kukona Pakele and Brandon Maka‘awa‘awa, two young kanaka maoli (Native Hawaiian) community leaders and representatives of the Nation of Hawaii -- Hawaii's oldest independent Hawaiian sovereignty organization. Lindsay and Brandon talk about how their communities are responding to the COVID crisis, how haole fragility is making Hawaii's response to COVID-19 less effective, the bright spots they've seen in their communities' responses to this crisis, and mention some great resources for anyone (especially Native Hawaiians) impacted by the COVID crisis. Share the episode and be sure to rate/review us on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts!

Josh is back (from a responsible social distance)! And he brought a friend: Dr. Thomas Lee, an epidemiologist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (Go 'Bows!). Dr. Lee talks with us about the spread of COVID-19 throughout the Hawaiian Islands, who you should listen to (Dr. Fauci), and the danger of removing Lt. Gov. (and actual medical doctor) Josh Green from Hawaii's coronavirus taskforce. Dr. Lee also answers all our burning questions about COVID-19, like "when will social distancing end?" and "is it safe to go get takeout?" Be sure to listen, like, tag, and share! Also, please rate us on iTunes and leave a nice review!

In our 2nd special interview on the Coronavirus crisis, Ryan talks with Kauai Prosecutor (and friend of the show) Justin Kollar about COVID-19's impact on Kauai.

Ryan talks with Senator Kai Kahele (SD-1, Hilo) about Hawai‘i's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Kahele gives an honest appraisal of what we've done well and what we've done poorly, and talks about the difficulties facing Hawaii Island during this crisis. If you like what you hear, please rate us on iTunes, Soundcloud, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts! Reviews are also always welcome. Get in touch and let us know what you like and what you think we could do better! Stay safe, friends.

Everything is cool! Everything is totally fine! We are both quarantined, but we called each other to talk about how totally cool and fine everything is! Come listen and see how cool and fine we sound!

*Recorded before COVID-19 completely upended every aspect of daily life* Third time's the charm, better late than never, we're back! To kick off season three, we sit down with FairVote's Maria Perez (17:15) to learn about Ranked Choice Voting -- the hot new political sensation sweeping the nation, coming soon to Hawaii's Presidential Preference Poll. (Supposedly on April 4, at least for now?) We also respond to some rather discourteous listener comments and shout out friend of the show Kim Coco Iwamoto's return to Hawaii politics. Stay close (but not too close) dear listeners -- more episodes to get you through quarantine are coming soon! PS: to learn more https://www.fairvote.org/

Hey, let's talk about Season 3. We missed y'all.

In our season 2 finale, we're talking baseball, billionaires, booing, braddahs, bluster, and a whole bunch of other BS. What's in store for Season 3? Well, you'll just have to stay tuned to find out!

We're bringing out the heavy hitters! Our BFF @HawaiiDelilah joins us for a special interview with Senator Kai Kahele, who is running to be our next District 2 Congressman (representing rural Oahu and the neighbor islands).  Hear his story and what inspired him to launch a primary run against Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, what's changed since she dropped out, and why he thinks a different vision is needed to steer us into the future -- particularly on Native Hawaiian rights (Mauna Kea, Waimanalo, and Kahuku, the sites of three key standoffs, are all in CD2).  We also have some banter on the lighter side, reminisce about his days playing UH Rainbow Warriors volleyball, and get the top restaurant recommendations for a trip to #Hilo. Check it out!

73! We're back from a very long hiatus and kicking off the 2020 election season by interviewing RJ Brown, who's running to be Honolulu's next prosecutor. (In case you haven't been watching the news, things over there are ....not great!) We talk about his vision for restoring integrity and accountability to the office, the importance of criminal justice reform and ending our reliance on private prisons and over-incarceration, Big 12 Football, the New Testament, chicken feet, and so much more. Give it a listen and stay tuned for more great interviews coming soon!

This week, we're recapping all your need-to-know news and poking fun at a certain PBS classic (HEADS UP: IT'S WISHBONE, THE DOG THAT READS STORIES TO WHITE CHILDREN). Later, Kelly Dietrich, CEO of the National Democratic Training Committee ("NDTC") joins us via Skype to talk about the free in-person training that the NDTC is putting on in Honolulu September 14, 2019 from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at the ILWU Local 142 Office. If you've ever wanted to get involved in Democratic politics, this is the event for you! Also, shout out this week to The Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice for hosting us, and to Officer Ernie Chang of the Honolulu Police Department for just being such a damn good guy. If you like what you hear, like us on the socialz, tag a friend in our post sharing the episode, and share the episode yourself!

Bem-vindo to another "podcast maravilhoso!" Ryan and Josh went to Hawaii Public Radio's Atherton Studio and sat down with the wonderful and inimitable Sandy Tsukiyama, host of Brazilian Experience on HPR-1.  We talk about her travels in Brazil, what it's like to host a radio show, the passing of Joao Gilberto, the legacy of bossa nova, the tragedy of the #Amazon fires, President Jair Bolsonaro's malfeasance, and so much more. If you like jazz and Latin music -- or if you just like learning new things and having a wonderful time -- be sure to listen, share, and check out her show, Sunday nights from 6-8pm! https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/programs/brazilian-experience-0

The world's eyes are on Mauna Kea and the battle over the Thirty Meter Telescope, but newspaper headlines and social media clicks only tell part of the story. To try and gain a deeper understanding, Josh sat down with dear friend of the show Kumu Hans Keoni Wilhelm, PhD, who teaches Hawaiian language, history, and culture at Kamehameha Schools. We were also joined by two of Kumu Hans' amazing former students, Tiana Kuni and Max Mukai, who shared their stories and perspectives with us. (Tiana recently returned from Pu'uhonua o Pu'uhuluhulu, and Max headed there shortly after our recording). We discuss the false narrative of "science vs. religion," what it truly means for something to be "sacred," how this inspiring movement is about so much more than "just a telescope," and why everyone who cares about the future of Hawaii -- Kanaka and non-Kanaka alike -- should take a stand. Please listen, share, and keep the conversation going! #KuKiaiMauna #AoleTMT (Recorded while emergency proclamation was still in effect, post-Dwayne The RockJohnson but pre- Damian Marley)

SPECIAL EPISODE ALERT: DANE COOK IS IN THE STUDIO (by phone). Episode 69 (nice) is LIVE. We talk with world-famous comedian Dane Cook about his new "Tell It Like It Is" tour; his show THIS SATURDAY, JULY 20th, AT THE BLAISDELL CONCERT HALL; how his comedy's changed over the years; what he's been up to since we last saw him; and whether he'll follow us back on Twitter (probably not). Look, we know we're *supposed* to be on summer break, but we couldn't turn down an interview with the guy who shaped comedy for a generation -- and you shouldn't either! Take a listen, and share with your friends! Also, be sure to grab tickets to his show tomorrow (7/20)! You can get tickets here: https://www1.ticketmaster.com/event/0A005587A2D93115?camefrom=CFC_BLAISDELL_DANECOOK_WEB Also, Summer Break startsssss....NOW!

HEY YOU GUYS LISTEN TO THIS ONE! In probably our most important (and fun) interview yet (ever?), we spoke by phone to Desmond Meade, Executive Director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition and one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World! Hear about his amazing story and the battle for voting rights and restorative justice in Florida and around the country. Our conversation touched on everything from A (Abrams, Stacey) all the way to Z (Zippy's Zip-Pac)! We're taking a short summer vacation, but we'll see you soon....maybe in time for the 2nd Democratic debate? Until then, listen, subscribe, and tell a friend about your favorite podcast [as long as it's us]!

Our most famous Twitter friend @HawaiiDelilah joins us to recap and unpack nights 1 and 2 of the first Democratic Primary debates. PLUS - US women's soccer continues to be epic and our boy Will Caron is sounding the environmental alarm in Civil Beat. Check it out -- and then like, rate, share, and subscribe wherever you get your podcast fix!

Bombing #Iran. Concentration Camps. #Reparations. #Abortion. The #NBA Draft. And most controversial of all....we say something positive about Brett Kavanaugh? Mahalo to our dear friend Sarah Sumire for joining us and sharing her personal story -- and for saving you from having to listen to two dudes ignorantly rant about women's reproductive healthcare! PS: Josh mixes up Aaron Brooks and Aaron Gordon at 89:11 PPS: The race for Tulsi Gabbard's #Hawaii congressional seat is already getting feisty! PPPS: Marlins pitcher and St Louis alum Jordan Yamamoto is killing it! PPPPS: Narluga. PPPPPS: LIKE, SHARE, RATE, AND SUBSCRIBE!!!

This week: Our H.A.O.L.E. team of the year is dethroned and we congratulate the Toronto Raptors; the war against #Venezuela gets off to a rocky start; we survey the general state of the world (not great, but h/t to @dwdavison and @fx_newsletter anyway); the 2020 #Democrats get their groove on; Tiger Mom sells us out by lying about meritocracy; and the US Women's soccer team just can't win (even though they win all the damn time!!!). PS: Congrats to friend of the show Amanda Pohl on winning her VA Senate Primary! PPS: Scuba divers, please keep your genitals in your wetsuit and away from Hawaii's marine life PPPS: LIKE, SHARE, RATE, AND SUBSCRIBE!!!

Josh jinxes the Toronto Raptors, rich liberals are destroying our cities, and the decline of the American Republic continues apace -- but it has nothing to do with Donald Trump! In better news (at 30:20), we catch up with our dear friend (and fan favorite) Dr. Akiemi Glenn of The Popolo Project. Hear what she's been up to since we last spoke, and what she would pack in her desert island bag. PS: Shoutout to Iolani's Shane Sasaki, the Backstreet Boys coming to Honolulu, and Paul Pierce living up to his nickname. "The Truth" eventually comes out... but thankfully, not on the Boston Garden floor. PPS: If you want to meet Akiemi (and lots of other awesome people), come on down to Saltwater People at the Hyatt Centric on June 23! PPPS: LIKE, SHARE, RATE, AND SUBSCRIBE!!!

It's short and sweet episode for you this week -- if you haven't heard, we were a little preoccupied with LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB WINNING THE GOSH DARN EUROPEAN CUP!!! We chat with Kauai Prosecutor and Twitter-friend Justin Kollar about criminal justice reform, rough-and-tumble neighbor island politics, and how excited we are for the continued devolution of our hellworld in 2020. And Justin was so thoughtful and generous, he gave us 3-square-meals' worth of of Restaurant Recs! Breakfast: Kalapaki Beach Hut; Lunch: The Greenery Cafe Dinner: Streetburger or Avalon Gastropub So if you're on Kauai, stop by and say hello! (Also, please try not to break the law). Like, subscribe, share, and we'll see you next week on The Blue Hawaii Podcast!

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE INTERVIEW ALERT! Alright, gang. Today you're going to hear our chat with Senator Mike Gravel -- a statesman, icon, rabblerouser, and true O.G. We get into: how a group of young activists convinced him to run at 88 years young, his policy platform, what he hopes to accomplish with this run, and how he would implement his finer policy points. We're also joined by our good friend, THE Kauai Prosecutor: Justin Kollar, who introduced us to the legend himself. Y'all, you don't want to miss this one.

This week we put a bow on our way-too-long Lil Wayne/Weezer discussion. Spoiler alert: Ryan's opinions are still very white. Then, we jump into another #sharestoshouts challenge shout from a totally real, living, actual person. After that, we talk about who made the best decisions of their lives this week -- following us on Twitter! Then, we get into the news: Apparently, Republicans don't like numbers? Makes sense when you look at their tax bill. Also, congratulations Millennials, payday lenders will now lend you rent money at 6,000,000% interest! We also briefly discuss whether you'd prefer to be drafted into our war with Iran, or our war with Venezuela, since it looks like we're gonna do both -- especially if Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas)(but, we didn't have to say the R part, did we?) has anything to say about it! The trade war with China also slogs on with no end or reason in sight. It's almost like 90% of everything this administration does makes zero sense and lacks realistic objectives. Also! Joe Biden showed that delusions aren't just for Donald Trump -- he thinks republicans are going to have an epiphany and work with him if he's elected. Because that worked out really well for the last 3 democratic presidents. Also, Trump loves fascists (gasp!), the conservative propaganda war machine is making bad faith claims of anti-semitism (double gasp!), and Mike Pence tries to act like Christians are persecuted in the United States (TRIPLE GASP, Y'ALL.). Then, we sit down with the lovely Lucy Valentine of the Podcast Boonta Vista Socialist Club to talk about: her show; Australia's national nightmare and why bad people keep convincing everyone that they're the guy to vote for; what can be done to prevent this all from happening again; and just how lovely our Australian accents are. Crikey! So, throw some shrimp on the barbee, grab a Foster's, and share. this. episode. And don't forget to like our facebook page, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Instagram!

"If we can't do it, let's fail in the most beautiful way." - Jurgen Klopp What. A. Week. After going down a Wikipedia rabbit hole about Sewanee University, we discuss Liverpool's triumph over Barcelona, Tiger Woods and the Red Sox visiting the White House, and True Confessions: Bernie Sanders edition. Then, because all the human news is depressing (and Mike Pompeo sees the melting polar ice caps and gets dollar signs in his eyes), we continue our pivot to cute animal stories from around the world. Plus, a Blink-182/Lil Wayne mashup takes Ryan and Josh down memory lane to the dawn of their adolescence. (CD burners and debating the Iraq War, good times!) And Charlie Kirk's honorary PhD from Liberty University gets us thinking -- what's our best bet for a future right-wing sellout grift? Just picture it: Jacob Wohl, Ben Shapiro, Dave Rubin....and The Blue Hawaii Podcast! #IntellectualHaoleWeb We have some killer interviews and features lined up over the next month that we can't wait to share with you -- but until then, like, tag, share, and stay tuned for more!

*Recorded before Hawaii volleyball lost to Long Beach State :-(* Happy early Mother's Day to all the mamas and mamacitas out there! It's time for some more of that sweet podcast magic you've grown accustomed to: our favorite rants about Joe Biden, Indonesia moving its capital city before it falls into the ocean (definitely nothing to worry about in Honolulu, right?) and cute animal stories from around the world. Plus, it's easy to get lost in the 2020 speculation and madness (trust us, we do it all the time) but don't forget -- there are elections happening THIS YEAR! Our guest (at 22:30) is the wonderful Amanda Pohl, a chaplain and healthcare worker who is running to unseat an extreme right-wing nutjob incumbent in Virginia's 11th Senatorial District. Hear about her strong pro-woman, pro-family, pro-education, and pro-healthcare platform, the hopeful rise of the religious left, and why we need to focus on more than just who occupies the Oval Office. PS: Shoutouts to our friend Kimiko LaHaela Walter of YPDA, Japan's Emperor Emeritus Akihito, John John Florence, and Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, and much aloha to former world surfing champion Sunny Garcia. Like, tag, share, and stay tuned for more!

Another shooting at a synagogue, because we live in a normal, healthy, well-adjusted country. The Supreme Court looks set to help the GOP rig the census, make it legal to fire gay people, and keep screwing American workers. And our nation turns its lonely eyes to...Joe Biden?!?!?! Plus, continued fallout from the horrible Easter attack in Sri Lanka: how do the privileged and well-off end up becoming suicide bombers? And how are American Evangelicals' grievances over things like cake-baking minimizing the real persecution faced by Christians around the world? The Hawaii Legislature refused to increase the minimum wage or pass automatic voter registration (clearly they aren't listening to our show -- so much for the Blue Hawaii Bump), but there is one nice piece of local news: Jahlani Tavai (Detroit Lions) and John Ursua (Seattle Seahawks) are going to the big show! Like, tag, share, and stay tuned for more! PS: Shame on you, Prince William.

Back by popular demand! After such a positive reaction to last year's epic sportschat (Episode 20 - Let's Go Bows!), we brought back friends of the show and UH aficionados Peter Boylan and Danny Cup Choy to help us do a review of the truly epic (and distressing) year it's been in the world of sports (and politics). After friend of the show Jon Schoenfeld makes Josh say nice things about the New England Patriots (shudder), we each share our greatest sporting heartbreaks of 2018-19: Auburn basketball in the final 4, the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, Liverpool in the Champions League final, and the Detroit Lions... existing. We also discuss some of this year's key questions: What the hell happened to LeBron and the Lakers? How many Nancy Pelosis would it take for you to do a "Pete Rose?" Dirk Nowitzki or Hakeem Olajuwon? Can Rolo take Cole McDonald (EIEIO) and UH football to the next level? How can UH basketball coach Eran Ganot get better recruits and more Eastern European wonderkids? Why is Max Holloway so much better at 145 pounds than at 155 pounds? When will meathead human thumb Dana White bring the #UFC to Aloha Stadium? Why does Conor McGregor insist on validating every toxic stereotype about the Irish? And WHY THE HELL AREN'T WE PAYING COLLEGE ATHLETES??? Finally, we host our first-ever award show, and hand out some trophies for Human Achievements Of Legendary Excellence, (also known as H.A.O.L.E.'s). Honorees include: Golden State Warriors Giannis Antetokounmpo Bruce Pearl Tiger Woods Pete Buttigieg Clay Travis Diego Maradona J.R. Smith Gritty Rand Paul's neighbor Attorney General William Barr Tom Brady kissing his kids on the mouth Patrick Mahomes Zion Williamson and many more! PS: Congrats to the UH Rainbow Warriors Men's Volleyball team -- after our recording, they beat Long Beach State to win the Big West Championship and punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament! If you like what you hear, subscribe and listen for more audio goodness coming soon!

We're definitely having another normal, stress-free week! Josh and Ryan discuss the daily deluge of bad-faith garbage streaming out of our nation's capital, with last week's kerfuffle over Ilhan Omar and "white nationalism" being the latest example. (PS: Stephen Miller is definitely a white nationalist, and Lee Zeldin is an embarassment). We also talk about Bibi's return to power in Israel, Brexit's new Halloween surprise, and Luke O'Neil's (@lukeoneil47 on Twitter) New York Magazine article about how the Fox News fear-and-outrage machine is ruining lives and destroying families around the country. In the sports world, Dirk, D-Wade, and Magic all concluded their NBA careers last week, but former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville is looking for a new job carrying water for Donald Trump in the U.S. Senate! If you think Roy Moore's defeat was our last foray into Alabama politics, you were sadly mistaken. As much as Ryan hates it, if it's #WarEagle vs. #RollTide for Mitch McConnell's job...then #RollTide and #RollDougJones! PS: Shoutout to friend of the show Jun Shin for our quote of 2019 so far: “'Land and Power in Hawaii' is not meant to be an instruction manual!” Listen, discover, enjoy, subscribe, share, get in touch, and stay tuned for more!

Josh and Ryan sat down with an all-star team to talk about the KĀKOU App, which aims to increase civic engagement in #Hawaii by making it easy for users to contact elected officials, weigh in on hot button issues, and collaborate with community partners. Hear from State Representative Della Au Belatti, Laura Nevitt of the Hawaii Children's Action Network, Will Caron of Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, and Melanie Kim of PRP - Pacific Resource Partnership, as they share how the KĀKOU App is helping them to engage with voters, stakeholders, and volunteers to build a more informed and politically engaged community. (Don't worry though, we still get up to our usual hijinks!)

Why are Josh and Ryan so worked up? Well, The Atlantic published a pearl-clutching #boomer screed about the so-called "radicalization" of the Democratic Party (by a #NeverTrump Republican who worked for Reagan, both Bushes, and now for a Koch-funded thinktank, so you know he really cares!), and we had to digest it line-by-line. From the #GreenNewDeal to #Medicare4All to #AbolishIce to #FreeCollege to #Taxes to #Israel to abolishing the electoral college and packing the Supreme Court, we discuss why you don't have to be "radical" to know that huge changes to the status quo are needed for young people in the US and around the world to have a real shot at a better future. At 31:15, our guest is author, wordsmith, and visionary Michael Poore. His latest novel, Reincarnation Blues, was named one of National Public Radio's Great Reads of 2017 (https://www.npr.org/2017/08/26/543933403/take-a-walk-on-the-wilder-side-of-death-with-reincarnation-blues). You can visit him at michaelpoore.live and follow him on Twitter at @mikepoore227. PS: Shoutout to our dear friend Delilah Asterales (a.k.a. @HawaiiDelilah on twitter) for coming down to Honolulu to hang with us, shoutouts to Bar Leather Apron and Bethel Union for showing the three of us a good time, and shoutout to the fine folks at Hawaii Public Radio for letting us join them and answer phones at their pledge drive! What a fun week. Listen, discover, enjoy, subscribe, share, get in touch, and stay tuned for more!

BONUS SUPER SPECIAL SECRET PROMO EPISODE ALERT! Josh sat down with Cathy Lowenburg and Dave Hayakawa, the organizers of Rock for Justice III, a rip-roaring rager starring musical acts from all over Honolulu's legal community and the courthouse ohana. (https://www.facebook.com/events/590346724817468/). All proceeds will benefit Advocates for Public Interest Law at the University of Hawaii at Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law. 4/18, 5:30 PM, at Artistry Honolulu in Kakaako. Be there or be square!

*Recorded before Auburn's win over Kentucky and Duke's loss to Michigan State* Surprise! It's been another insane week. We extol the virtues of Bruce Pearl, refer Devin Nunes to our favorite constitutional law scholar, and debate the merits of student loan forgiveness. Then, at 19:30, we sit down with Cindy Ng and Kaʻimi Cambern, two University of Hawaii undergrads who host The Social Manoa podcast, which highlights the many cool happenings around UH's social science departments (https://soundcloud.com/user-741700868). Spoiler alert: their restaurant recs are Olive Tree and Fook Yuen! Shoutouts to: Zippy's for making big moves, Brian Piotrowski and the Colgate Pep Band for beating the drum of truth, and Carolina King (and friend of the show from episode 22) ReUp843 for dropping his FIRE new music video. Listen, discover, enjoy, subscribe, share, get in touch, and stay tuned for more!

Ryan is still on the continent, but Josh is taking us international with this week's news. Instead of telling you about New Zealand's reaction to the Christchurch tragedy, we decided to bring on an actual Kiwi on to share his perspective with us (starting at 13:00) -- Dr. Simon Gray of the University of Waikato, who specializes in international relations and security studies with a focus on violent extremism and radicalization. He tells us about what's happening on the ground and where he expects New Zealand to go from here. *At the time we spoke with Dr. Gray, his understanding was that 51 people had been killed, but later confirmed this to be 50, with a number still in intensive care. We've also got updates on Brexit and the love affair between Donald Trump and Bibi Netanyahu. Which is more cringey and damning? You decide! Closer to home, a Hawaii case makes it to the Supreme Court, there's another series of questionable government expenditures, and one 2020 candidate puts some skin in the game and takes a stand against harmful cuts. Plus, an update on the one thing holding our fractured nation together: College Basketball. And don't forget to mark your calendars for 2 great events: Island Soldier screening on PBS Hawaii (3/28) and Rock for Justice III (4/18) Listen, like, subscribe, and share -- you know what to do!

Have you ever thought about running for office? At 9:38, Josh sits down with Aria Juliet Castillo, who manages the Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action (HAPA)'s Kuleana Academy. We talk about some of the big issues facing our state and discuss how the Kuleana Academy is training the next generation of young leaders and advocates to help shape Hawaii's future. (We also have some great 2020-related banter, because it's never too early!). If you apply (by April 15) for HAPA's Kuleana Academy, not only will you get crucial lessons on public speaking, campaigning, fundraising, organizing, and a myriad of other topics -- you'll also have the chance to join a distinguished group of alumni that includes amazing local changemakers like Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, Amy Perruso, Will Caron, Tiare Lawrence,Tina Wildberger, Daniel Anthony, and many more. Visit hapahi.org for more info! PS: This week's restaurant recs are Opal Thai, Kauai Beer Company, Hukilau Lanai, Il Tappo, and Il Buco. Shoutouts to the happy folks of Pearl City (96782), Sha Ongelungel and #BeingMicronesian, and Stephen Tsai of the Star-Advertiser! Listen, like, subscribe, and share -- you know what to do!

Special Episode Alert!!! Aloha, listeners! Tommy Waters, a.k.a. Tommy Aloha, a.k.a. Braddah Tommy is in the studio this week to talk about the upcoming Special Election for City Council District VI (East Honolulu). He talks about why we're having this election at all, what the issues he cares about, and what separates him from his opponent. Be sure to listen, and as always, LIKE, TAG, SHARE!

51! Ryan has some fightin' words for Grassroots Institute of Hawaii and the #Kochtopus, R. Kelly is doing his best Brett Kavanaugh impression, Hawaii's infrastructure gets a not-so-great report card, and we look at some bills that are definitely NOT passing the state legislature this year. Then, we sit down with author and journalist Melanie Warner, formerly of Fortune Magazine and the New York Times, to talk about her latest opus: The Magic Feather Effect: The Science of Alternative Medicine and the Surprising Power of Belief. We talk about where she gets her inspiration, what the "placebo" effect is really all about, and what discoveries surprised her along the way. Oh, and her favorite restaurant in Honolulu is Mud Hen Water! Check her out at melanierwarner.com or on twitter @melanie_warner Plus! Shoutouts to Russian Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, outgoing UH Law School dean Avi Soifer, birthday celebrant Hokulea (she doesn't look a day over 43!), LeBron James, the Cook Islands, Southwest Airlines, and most importantly -- Iolani Baseball/Auburn baseball stud Everett Lau! Listen, Enjoy, Subscribe, Share, and GET IN TOUCH! Brought to you, as always, by Royal Thai Garden Ewa Beach. Accept no substitutes!

Another low-key and totally normal week! We're talking Hanoi, Michael Cohen, Bibi going ByeBye, the Kealoha scandal, and more. Then, we're joined by two wonderful, talented, and passionate guests: Dawn Morais Webster and Corie Tanida. They tell us about the critical effort to push for Automatic Voter Registration in Hawaii, and we also get into the need for a living wage (shoutout Nate Hix!), the current state of religion in politics (check out Dawn's writing on needed reforms in the Catholic Church -- https://dawnmorais.com!), and of course....their favorite restaurants in Honolulu (shoutout to Olive Tree, Hugh Lee's, and Island Brews)! PLUS we have shoutouts: the most ferocious dynasty in Hawaii high school sports -- the Iolani Math Team, good news for the Hawaiian hawk,a great new podcast from NBA legends Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson, and congratulations to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit on achieving the federal subpoena triple crown. And surprise -- another one of Trump's judicial nominees doesn't know shit about Native Hawaiian rights or history! Like, tag, share, subscribe, get in touch, and enjoy....we'll see you next week!