Timcast IRL · January 19, 2021 · 2h 0m

Timcast IRL #205 - NJ STEALS $173k From Gym After Defying COVID Lockdown, Gym Owner Joins

politicsnewseconomygovernmentfree-speech

Episode Recap

Timcast IRL #205, recorded on January 19, 2021, opened with Tim Pool discussing the sudden change in stance from governors and mayors who had previously enforced strict COVID lockdowns, now calling for reopening the economy. The episode featured Ian Smith, owner of Atlas Gym in New Jersey, who had defied lockdown orders by reopening with a comprehensive 15-point safety protocol including temperature checks, touchless entry, and contact tracing. The central controversy was that New Jersey authorities had seized $173,000 from Smith's bank account, specifically from a legal defense fund that had been built through member donations. Tim and the co-hosts, including Ian Crossland and Luke Grodowski from We Are Change, discussed the implications of this government action against a business owner who had attempted to operate responsibly during the pandemic. The conversation also covered international news, including riots in Tunisia with over 600 arrests and in the Netherlands with 142 arrests as people defied lockdowns globally. Additional topics included the discovery of COVID in ice cream in China, Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations, and cultural commentary. The episode featured a sponsor read for PocketNet news.

TL;DR

  • →Ian Smith, owner of Atlas Gym in New Jersey, joined the show to discuss how the state seized $173,000 from his legal defense fund after he defied COVID lockdown orders with a comprehensive 15-point safety protocol
  • →Tim Pool and co-hosts debated the constitutionality and reasonableness of government actions against small businesses during COVID lockdowns
  • →The show discussed international COVID protests and riots, including 600+ arrests in Tunisia and 142 arrests in the Netherlands
  • →Guests analyzed the sudden reversal by governors and mayors who now advocate for reopening after previously enforcing strict lockdowns
  • →Discussion of COVID detection in ice cream in China and broader concerns about the food supply chain
  • →Tim and Luke Grodowski discussed the new Rudowski Gym location at the beanie Compound where Luke is a member

Key Moments

  • 0:00
    Opening and Introduction
    Tim Pool opens the show discussing the change of heart from Cuomo and Lightfoot about reopening the economy after COVID lockdowns
  • 0:38
    Guest Introduction: Ian Smith
    Ian Smith from Atlas Gym joins to discuss his defiance of NJ COVID lockdown orders and the 15-point safety protocol he implemented
  • 1:38
    The $173k Seizure
    Tim reveals the main story about NJ authorities seizing $173,000 from Smith's legal defense fund before any court ruling
  • 2:45
    International COVID Protests
    Discussion of mass riots and arrests in Tunisia and Netherlands as people defy COVID lockdowns globally
  • 4:23
    COVID in Food Supply
    Tim and co-hosts discuss Chinese study finding COVID in ice cream and broader concerns about frozen food safety
  • 5:37
    Sponsor Read
    Tim begins sponsor read for PocketNet news before it cuts off

Notable Quotes

“Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced that he thinks we need to reopen the economy. We can't do it soon enough. We also heard from Mayor Lori Lightfoot of Chicago that bars and restaurants need to reopen. I wonder what caused the sudden change of heart from their previous positions that basically defied the science.”

— Tim Pool · opening segment discussing the reversal of COVID lockdown positions

“When we reopened, we didn't do it to be defiant. We didn't do it to push back against government. We did it to provide a solution where there was none. We social distanced. We have temperature checks at the door. We have an entirely touchless system coming in. We had contact tracing. We have record of every single person who's been in the facility, what time, what their temperature was with a health questionnaire.”

— Ian Smith · explaining his gym's safety protocols and motivations for reopening

“They stole $173,000 out of your bank account. They took it before there was even a ruling on what was going on, and it was your legal defense fund, wasn't it?”

— Tim Pool · pressing Ian Smith about the state seizure of his legal defense fund

“We haven't charged our members since the beginning, so that was all donations towards the legal defense fund.”

— Ian Smith · clarifying the source of the seized funds

“In the Netherlands, 142 people are arrested. Some officers were injured. A horse was injured somehow. I mean, it's getting out of hand. And it's weird now that we're seeing some Democrats come out like, oh, they're going to change their mind.”

— Tim Pool · discussing international COVID protests and riots

“COVID's in the food supply, apparently, according to some Chinese study. They found it in ice cream, thousands of pints of ice cream. Apparently, they think it can live in animal fat.”

— Luke Grodowski · raising concerns about COVID in food supply from Chinese study

Mentioned

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