Episode 018 = Make Your Vote Count & New Species Amount

In an upcoming election, I want to vote for a novelty candidate, not just because I think it would be funny, but also because I think they would be good if they won. But I'm also aware that novelty candidates rarely ever win, and I'm worried that voting for them could be an irresponsible use of my vote. What should I do?

Matt is an amateur voting system nerd. The system used in the UK is first-past-the post, where the candidate with the most votes wins. Australia has (compulsory, with democracy sausages) ranked-choice voting, where you rank candidates instead of voting for a single candidate. As candidates drop out, your vote rolls down your list to the next candidate. For completeness, there is also is approval voting, where you mark all candidates that you would approve of winning, and the candidate with the most approvals wins. Matt mentions Arrow's impossibility theorem, which states that no voting system can be perfect. Nonetheless, some voting systems are better in practice.

In conclusion, first-past-the-post (and approval voting) encourage strategic voting. If it's going to be close, maybe don't vote instead of the novelty candidate. Bec reveals she was the novelty candidate once. She also mentions Antanas Mockus, who was a mayor in Columbia with over-the-top but working initiatives.

Finally, the big reveal: Bec was considering voting for Count Binface, who appears live on the podcast. He notes the London mayor election does not use a first-past-the-post system. Because many seats in the UK's system are safe, novelty candidates like Boris Johnson and Donald Trump do arise from time to time.

How do I explain Eurovision to Americans?

It's X-Factor, but where the contestants are countries, and crossed with a circus.

A "ding, that works" by Matt

What's something I can say or do to make a good impression when meeting people for the first time?

Bec briefly did door-to-door sales. One of her co-workers, now-comedian Chris Knight, would have a pack of cards. As people opened their door, he'd hold up a card and ask "Is this your card?". Matt holds up a card and asks Bec the same question, though sadly it was not Bec's card.

Bec also suggests to use people's names more often, both to remember it better and because people like hearing their own name. Matt suggests asking people about themselves. Bec suggests body language mirroring, or matching the energy. She also suggests showing up on time. Though if you're in a position of power, be very slightly late.

If the location name "Wyoming" was a name (i.e. running, parachuting, kerploding), what would it mean?

It's the verb of wyome. Matt thought it was to question why you're meditating (why omm?). Bec suggests it's being unsure when asking questions (why — umm...). Urban dictionary suggests "wondering" or "wandering", or "to flap about like a worm". Matt googles that it comes from a word meaning "at the big river flat", so "wyoming" means arriving at such a river flat.

A "ding" by Bec

How many podcasts should I subscribe to?

There's no "too many", subscribe to as many as you want to listen to. Bec listens to lots of podcasts. She suggests "Office Ladies", "Swindled".

A "ding" by Matt

How many people have successfully faked their own death?

Bec doesn't know the answer, but she recommends the true crime podcast "Casefile", who are releasing a new series "Pseudocide" about people who fake their own deaths. Matt reckons you might be able to estimate it if you have different methods for measuring population size, e.g. sewage. Bec notes that if somebody is claiming to be dead, they're lying. But after a certain amount of time, any fake death becomes a real death.

An "I think your advice to go listen to a podcast about it is the best ding we're going to give it" by Matt.

A very special, limited edition ding.