Hello! It's the most wonderful time of the year... when everyone works double to earn enough to splurge on Christmas presents. But it is all worth it when the only person benefiting from your overtime is the company you work for? Torsten Bell and Heather Boushey join us to talk straight about where Britain is going wrong when it comes to overtime.Geoff cries and Ed wins against MurdochANDWe're joined by Jessica Fostekew who's hacking human biology to create a forgetting serum, shaking up democracy and enjoying the sight of dancing babies FURTHER READINGResolution Foundation report: http://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/time-for-time-and-a-half-exploring-the-evidence-and-policy-options-on-overtime/Washington Centre for Equitable Growth: http://equitablegrowth.org   CONTACT USreasons@cheerfulpodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/reasonstobecheerfulpodcasthttps://twitter.com/cheerfulpodcastLeave us a voicemail on skype - search for "Cheerful Podcast"CONTACT OUR GUESTSTorsten Bell https://twitter.com/TorstenBellHeather Boushey https://twitter.com/HBousheyJessica Fostekew https://twitter.com/jessicafostekew Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! "Culture" noun: Relating to the arts and to intellectual achievements. But what does it really mean for the towns across the nation? Renowned artist Grayson Perry, Sharon Darley from Goodwin Trust in Hull & Dr Dave O'Brien share their thoughts.Ed & Geoff are taking selfies, swapping awards and treading the boards.ANDHelen Monks wants us to talk to each other, more empathy and free tea.ANDKevin the Cat! FURTHER READINGhttp://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17530350.2016.1248474https://policypress.co.uk/after-urban-regenerationhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrkrvAUbU9Yhttps://twitter.com/Drug_Science/status/937663875868176389https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/27/opinion/sunday/powerful-and-coldhearted.htmlhttps://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/AGMzBtXGoqC1?domain=tandfonline.comhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00729d9/episodes/downloadshttps://www.facebook.com/TheSceneVideo/videos/1600937229973624/https://hbr.org/2015/04/becoming-powerful-makes-you-less-empathetic CONTACT USreasons@cheerfulpodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/reasonstobecheerfulpodcasthttps://twitter.com/cheerfulpodcastLeave us a voicemail on skype - search for "Cheerful Podcast"CONTACT OUR GUESTSGrayson Perry https://twitter.com/Alan_MeaslesSharon Darley https://twitter.com/GoodwinDevTrustDr Dave O'Brien https://twitter.com/DrDaveOBrienHelen Monks https://twitter.com/Helen_Monks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! Time to debunk some myths about the millionaires and their tax habits. Spoilers... It's highly likely we can make them chip in a bit more without them upping and leaving. Cristobal Young has the stats to prove it, Karen Stewart is happy to pay more and Prem Sikka is our expert in the UK.Ed & Geoff are reunited and sharing their holiday anecdotes, but NOT the presents that have been misplacedANDAngela Barnes joins us, pleading for - horn variety, flirting lessons, child-friendly carriages and a tour of the cold war bunkers FURTHER READINGhttps://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2017/nov/20/if-you-tax-the-rich-they-wont-leave-us-data-contradicts-millionaires-threatshttps://patrioticmillionaires.org/who-we-are/https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0AMoBU7lFUACONTACT USreasons@cheerfulpodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/reasonstobecheerfulpodcasthttps://twitter.com/cheerfulpodcastLeave us a voicemail on skype - search for "Cheerful Podcast"CONTACT OUR GUESTShttps://twitter.com/cristobalyoung5https://twitter.com/patrioticmillshttps://twitter.com/premnsikkahttps://twitter.com/AngelaBarnes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! With Geoff in Chicago, the birthplace of modern community organising, we thought it’d be a great opportunity to discuss the transformative power of community organising and why it’s a Reason To Be Cheerful. We are joined by veteran community organiser Jerry Kellman, who gave a 24 year old Barack Obama his first job as an organiser in Chicago in 1985. We also speak to Dan Firth from We Can Win about the transformative power of community organising in the U.K.Geoff talks grilled cheese and Thanksgiving with the inlaws and Ed discusses parental leave and feminist foreign policy in Sweden.ANDWe’re also joined by US comedian Emily Galati who pitches her ideas. FURTHER READINGMore on Jerry and Barack: https://mobile.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/us/17cncwarren.htmlWant to be a community organiser? Contact We Can Win: http://www.wecanwin.co.ukSwedish Feminist Foreign policy: http://www.government.se/information-material/2017/10/swedens-feminist-foreign-policy--examples-from-three-years-of-implementation/ CONTACT OUR GUESTShttps://twitter.com/danfirth1 https://twitter.com/emilygalati Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! With increasing newspaper scare stories about transgender rights, we thought it might be an idea to give some airtime to the perspective and voice of trans people so those of us who aren't experts on the issue can understand a bit more. We talk to a parent of a trans child, Joe, award-winning writer Paris Lees, and Dr Helen Webberley, a doctor who works with trans young people who explain why advances in trans rights are Reasons To Be Cheerful.Ed and Geoff open the listener art gallery and break up to travel the world.ANDMiranda Kane joins us to recommend we haunt political buildings, get Benedict Cumberbatch to her house and shut everyone up after a million words FURTHER READINGhttps://growinguptransgender.wordpress.com/http://www.allabouttrans.org.uk/http://www.mermaidsuk.org.uk/http://www.wealthandwant.com/HG/the_condition_of_labor.htmhttps://twitter.com/ShoKon/status/930369286589308928  CONTACT OUR GUESTShttps://twitter.com/parisleeshttps://twitter.com/DadTranshttps://twitter.com/helenwebberleyhttps://twitter.com/miri_kane      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! In Episode 8 we learn about the tax which has been advocated since the 1800s, was supported by Winston Churchill and is widely regarded by economists as the perfect tax despite being elusive to policy makers. Our guests Joe Sarling & Catherine Cashmore guide us through the pros, cons and challenges of introducing a Land Value Tax Geoff and Ed talk about firing people, getting lost with Boris, and reflect on the team outing  AND David Axelrod with frank answers about the successes and failures of American politics. The stories from behind the scenes of Obama's running for office and reflections on Trump FURTHER READING https://commenttoday.org/category/land-value-tax/https://whoownsengland.org https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/business/behind-monopoly-an-inventor-who-didnt-pass-go.htmlCONTACT USreasons@cheerfulpodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/reasonstobecheerfulpodcasthttps://twitter.com/cheerfulpodcastLeave us a voicemail on skype - search for "Cheerful Podcast"   CONTACT OUR GUESTShttps://twitter.com/davidaxelrodhttps://twitter.com/joesarlinghttps://twitter.com/ccashmore_buyer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! 16-year-olds are allowed to have sex and are made to pay tax... so... should they have a say when it comes to who runs the country? We're joined by Professor Alan Lee Williams, who fought the original battle to bring the voting age down to 18 in the 1960s, Ruth Davidson MSP, who, as leader of the Scottish Conservative Party is pushing votes at 16 agenda, and Anna Barker, Chair of the British Youth Council, puts it the perspective of her youthful peers.Award Nominated Ed and terrible risotto chef Geoff take their shoes off and reminisce about what they were doing at 16ANDTiff Stevenson wants men to be taught what a compliment is, a ban on the phrase "as a father of daughters", and thinks cat videos can change the world FURTHER READINGVotes At 16 Briefing http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN01747The debate in 1968 on the Bill to lower the voting age to 18 including Alan’s speech http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1968/nov/18/representation-of-the-people-bill#S5CV0773P0_19681118_HOC_525And... Geoff mentioned the McCartney family’s new Meat Free Monday film ahead of this week’s UN climate change conference. More details here: https://www.meatfreemondays.com/mccartney-family-launches-new-film-one-day-week/   CONTACT USreasons@cheerfulpodcast.com https://www.facebook.com/reasonstobecheerfulpodcasthttps://twitter.com/cheerfulpodcastLeave us a voicemail on skype - search for "Cheerful Podcast"  CONTACT OUR GUESTShttps://twitter.com/RuthDavidsonMSPhttps://twitter.com/AnnaRoseBarkerhttps://twitter.com/tiffstevenson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! Episode 6 is on drugs. Legally? Illegally? Is the war on drugs ever going to end? Niamh Eastwood, Executive Director at Release and Sam Kamin, Professor of Marijuana Law at the University of Denver join us to talk about the merits and pitfalls of decriminalisation. Ed and Geoff talk Cheesecake, Halloween fun and Your Sinclair magazine   AND Comedian Ayesha Hazarika thinks the world would be better if we double our dishwashers, provide karaoke-for-all and have less choice.   FURTHER READING Release report on decriminalisation (with some helpful infographics) Portugal's model for decriminalisation Home Report comparing different countries approaches to drugs Home Office evaluation on the 2010 Strategy (check out Chapter 5)Release’s events   CONTACT USEmail us on - reasons@cheerfulpodcast.comLike us on FacebookFollow us on twitter Leave us a voicemail on skype - search for "Cheerful Podcast"  CONTACT OUR GUESTSNiamh Eastwood on TwitterProfessor Sam Kamin on TwitterAyesha Hazarika on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We were pretty comfortable on Sadiq's office sofa, overlooking Tower Bridge and The Thames, so we made the most of Sadiq's time and asked him a few more questions In this bonus, hear Sadiq talking about his all-time hero, wood burning stoves, Brexit and the tragic consequences of a no deal, the relationship between London and the rest of the country, housing, Uber, the strength of diversity, and London being a beacon of the world.  CONTACT USEmail us on - reasons@cheerfulpodcast.comLike us on FacebookFollow us on twitterLeave us a voicemail on skype - search for "Cheerful Podcast"  CONTACT SADIQSadiq Khan on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! Episode 5 is full of pollution, it's in the air and it's shortening lives. What can we do about it? Our wonderful guests this week have ideas. Hear from London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, Andrea Lee from ClientEarth & Jens Frolich Holte, Norway's Former Adviser to the Minister of Environment and Climate Geoff and Ed adventurously take on a GIANT revel, take a stroll and take a selfie.   ANDComedian Amy Annette wants the world to listen, and us all to be allowed to take up a bit more space.    FURTHER READINGThe Guardian suggests banning carsThe Financial Times on Norway's electric car dreamClientEarth website Manic Miner     CONTACT USEmail us on - reasons@cheerfulpodcast.comLike us on FacebookFollow us on twitterLeave us a voicemail on skype - search for "Cheerful Podcast"  CONTACT OUR GUESTSSadiq Khan on TwitterJens Frølich Holte on twitterClientEarth on TwitterAmy Annette on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.