Episodes

  • #78 | The Biden vs. Trump 2024 Presidential Debate: Reflections and More

    #78 | The Biden vs. Trump 2024 Presidential Debate: Reflections and More
    Jul 9 2024
    Welcome to a special, one-topic-driven episode of Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, I (Colin) am joined by Punching Up co-host Gene Park, Sacred Symbols co-host Chris Ray Gun, and storied game designer David Jaffe, and we gather for a some-four-hour chat all about the first of two scheduled presidential debates for the 2024 election cycle between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. This is obviously an exclusively, deeply political conversation, so be warned before you hit play. We touch on just about everything imaginable: The debate itself, the fallout thereafter, who we think will ultimately win, if we believe that Biden specifically will even ultimately be one of the nominees, and -- of course -- we get deep into the weeds on all of the important issues they spoke about during the debate, and more. Again, be warned: If you don't like or care about politics, or if you get upset when you hear serious, adult opinions you don't agree with, don't listen or watch. For those with open minds and a curiosity for a wide variety of opinions, however, please enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 13 mins
  • #77 | Indie Games, Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse, Downloadable Content, Gardening

    #77 | Indie Games, Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse, Downloadable Content, Gardening
    Jul 2 2024
    It's time for more Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, I (Colin) am joined by Defining Duke's Lord Cognito, Summon Sign's Brad Ellis, and Lockmort's Edit's... Lockmort. We have a very nerdy episode in store for you. I start things off by talking about my love of plants, flowers, and gardening. My hobby has blossomed (pardon the pun) into a larger part of my life recently. Is anyone else nurturing a green thumb? Cog wants to dive into the realm of indie games, a widely-evolved subsection of the console and PC space that has grown far beyond its traditional definition. Do we partake in the scene? And just what is an indie game, anyway? Lockmort's intrigued by a hypothetical zombie apocalypse, in which we'd all be tasked to survive on our own. What would be our first moves following the outbreak? Would we rely on our humanity to stay alive, or potentially lose it along the way? Finally, we come to Brad, who waxes about downloadable content, or DLC. What was our first-ever encounter with digital add-ons? Do we purchase much DLC in our day-to-day gaming lives? What's the best expansion ever? All of that -- and more! -- on the other side of the play button. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 53 mins
  • #76 | Lore, Idioms, Retro Gaming's Appeal, Fashion

    #76 | Lore, Idioms, Retro Gaming's Appeal, Fashion
    Jun 25 2024
    Welcome back, one-and-all, to another episode of Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. It's me, Colin. This week, I'm joined by LSM's associate producer Ben Smith, Sacred Symbols' Chris Ray Gun, and Summon Sign's Brad Ellis. Our meandering chat begins with Brad, who wants to know what we think about fashion. Do we care about clothes? Are we into certain brands? Do we have what we'd consider an individual style? From there, we move onto Ben, who gets into idioms, the nomenclature that we use constantly, but that has a meaning beyond the literal. Which ones do we enjoy employing? From here, we move onto Chris, who inquires about the lore of our favorite pieces of fiction. Do we like getting into the nitty-gritty beyond what's right in front of us? Do we delve into in-game documents, novelizations, and iceberg videos? Finally, I round things out by laying out my love for retro gaming, while wondering if I'm enamored with old and old-style games because they're what I grew up with, or if they really are, in fact, the cream-of-the-crop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 51 mins
  • #75 | Biggest Disappointments, Canon in Fiction, Entertaining Guests, Cold Cuts

    #75 | Biggest Disappointments, Canon in Fiction, Entertaining Guests, Cold Cuts
    Jun 18 2024
    It's me, Colin, and I come bearing bad news: Dagan is going to be gone for a few weeks. His work demands his presence over the next several Fridays, and thus I've slid (!) back into the host's chair. Joining me this week are LSM executive producer Dustin Furman, coordinator Micah Moriarty, and special guest Rick Hoeg of Hoeg Law. As always, topics vary wildly. Micah begins by talking about throwing parties and entertaining people at our home. Do we enjoy the process, or is it stressful? I go next with a deep cut (literally): Cold cuts, the glorious sliced meat that make the finest sandwiches imaginable. What are our go-tos? From there, we welcome Dustin's topic, all about our respective lives' biggest disappointments, from games, film, and TV, to work, love, and life in general. Finally, Hoeg brings up the rear with what ended up being our most-explored inquiry of the week: How we deal with fictional canon when we don't like all of it. Are we able to divorce ourselves from some of it and embrace the rest? Is "The Death of the Author" the true law of the land, or is authorial intent everything? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 11 mins
  • #74 | Online Algorithms, Trump's Guilty Verdict, Rose-Tinted Nostalgia, Greatest Compliments

    #74 | Online Algorithms, Trump's Guilty Verdict, Rose-Tinted Nostalgia, Greatest Compliments
    Jun 11 2024
    Welcome back to another episode of Constellation! This week, Lockmort gets things rolling with a discussion about Online Algorithms. What are the pros and cons to the patterns we create while shopping, searching and watching content on our computers and phones? Next, Gene wants to talk about Donald Trump's guilty verdict. Now that the polarizing presidential candidate has been found guilty on all counts in his hush money case, what do we think this could mean for the United States and the world ahead of the 2024 election? Next up, David Jaffe returns to steer the conversation away from current affairs and straight towards nostalgia. Specifically, are we too quick to remember the past with rose-tinted glasses? Were the periods of time that we reflect on so fondly really that wonderful, or was it just our specific perspectives and circumstances during those years that encourage us to reminisce? And for this week's final topic, Dagan asks his cronies to remember the greatest compliments that they ever received. What are some of the nicest things that people have said to us, and which words of praise do we remember most? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 14 mins
  • #73 | Family Resemblances, Playoff Sports Passions, Loyalty Programs, The Coolest Brand Names

    #73 | Family Resemblances, Playoff Sports Passions, Loyalty Programs, The Coolest Brand Names
    Jun 4 2024
    Welcome back to Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast! This week's panel offers up a thought-provoking batch of topics for discussion. Micah has been thinking about family resemblances, and she'd like the rest of the gang to share their thoughts and experiences on the topic.Which of our family members do we look like most, and which physical characteristics are we grateful for inheriting? On the other hand, which cherished genetic attributes do we feel we missed out on, and how did our children fare in the resemblance department? Next, Ben wants to talk about loyalty programs. Are we inclined to take advantage of the common corporate promise of saving money in exchange for being faithful to a specific brand or retail outfit? In our experiences, which companies offer the best monetary incentives for shopping with them, and which don't inspire much loyalty at the end of the day. Batting third, Matty shares his deep passion for post-season sports. Are we crazed and rabid fans during the playoffs, especially when our favorite teams are in the mix? How do we handle the emotional roller coaster of winning and losing with the cities and the teams that we love the most? Finally, Dagan wants to share his obsession with awesome brand names. Do we recognize when a product, company or brand has an amazing moniker? What about next level game, book and movie titles? Simply put, which stuff has the coolest and most creative names? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 57 mins
  • #72 | That Dude, Unforgettable Quotes, Old School Jokes, Not Safe For Work

    #72 | That Dude, Unforgettable Quotes, Old School Jokes, Not Safe For Work
    May 28 2024
    Welcome back to Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week's chat is packed to the brim with fun topics, so gather around the water cooler! Kicking off the discussion, Cog wants to commiserate about "that dude", aka that person in our lives that we just can't seem to gel with. Inevitably, we all have that one incompatible coworker, neighbor or friend of a friend that we'll probably never click with, and is it us or them? (Spoilers,, it's probably them). Weighing in next, Micah shares her most memorable quotes. What words of wisdom or kernels of enlightenment do we remember best, and how did we learn them? Was it the advice of a beloved family member, a movie quote or a character's line from a favorite book? For our third topic, Chris wants us to get serious about our favorite old school jokes. Just good, old fashioned set-up and punchline, like the classic comedy of yesteryear. Which timeless jokes do we simply never get tired of? Lastly, Dagan trolls his fellow podcasters and the Constellation audience with a topic purposely designed to be Not Safe For Work. Everybody is tasked with telling their best real-life R-rated story, and at least one tale is a hard NC-17! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 hrs and 38 mins
  • #71 | Anthropomorphizing Our Dogs, Meditation, Ice Breakers, Rap Beef

    #71 | Anthropomorphizing Our Dogs, Meditation, Ice Breakers, Rap Beef
    May 21 2024
    It’s time for another episode of Constellation, welcome back to the discussion! This week, Colin gets things started by sharing an unbelievable tale of grand adventure featuring his dogs, Treble and Rush. Do we all create intricate and possibly fictional back stories for our pets like Colin and Micah do? Next, Dagan wants us to quiet our minds with some talk about meditation. What are the potential benefits of embracing the ancient practice of TM, and is it worth exploring what all the hype is about? As the party rages on, Micah breaks the ice with some conversation starters. Will these ideas for encouraging stimulating dialogue make us master minglers or awkward social outcasts? Finally, Dustin wants to rap about the ongoing beef between two of the world’s biggest hip-hop stars. As the battle between Kendrick Lamar and Drake continues to escalate, the gang takes an opportunity to discuss the feud and all things hip-hop, past and present. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    4 hrs and 20 mins