Constellation: Last Stand Media's Conversational Podcast

Welcome back to Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, Colin Moriarty slips into the host's chair, and is joined by his wife, Punching Up co-host Micah Moriarty, and the Defining Dukes themselves, MrMattyPlays and Lord Cognito. As usual, the topics are varied. Considering the makeup of the cast today, Colin kicks things off with an inquiry into Xbox's catastrophic hardware situation. Can the brand survive as-is while selling fewer than a million units a quarter? Inspired by his new multimedia YouTube project, Matty wants to talk about new ventures we've undertaken, or perhaps still plan to in the future. Leaping off of that is Cog, who recounts important milestones in his life, and wonders which moments are truly the most important in getting us to our respective today. Finally, Micah wraps things up with one of her great passions: The grill. It turns out that no matter what Micah's doing, she'd Rather Be Grilling. Get 20% off your order with free shipping at https://www.buyraycon.com/constellation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to an unusual episode of Constellation. It is I, Colin! Some time ago, I expressed that I'd like to pursue 'themed' episodes on occasion, and indeed we pursued such a program with episode 60, which was purely political in nature. This time around, I wanted to cover another of my deep passions -- music -- and I wanted to do so with the perfect companion: My best friend, Ramon. Ramon is the writer and musician behind all of Last Stand's theme music, yes, and it's true that we met as freshmen at Northeastern due to our shared love of 311. But, in his own right, he's also an accomplished and experienced working musician with excellent insight into the business, who knows obscure bands and records like I know Vita games, and who's currently toiling away on a new project of his own. We touch on a lot of topics, and we do so loosely, so... no timestamps (sorry). Click play to listen to us wax about Coachella's lame crowds and the grind of touring, the rise of the mega-festival, how the '90s helped fashion our musical tastes, the downside to the streaming economy, how the pandemic affected live music, and so much more. We discuss bands like No Doubt, Limp Bizkit, Blur, Ben Folds Five, and the Deftones, and touch on some non-music fare, too, like pro wrestling and baseball. Please enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's time for another Constellation, folks. Welcome back to the conversation! Micah kicks off this week's craziness with a fitting topic: Nuts! Eaten by the handful or as an ingredient in a wide variety of foods, which nuts tend to be our favorites, and which aren't worth their salt? Next, Chris leads the gang in a discussion about adaptability. What experiences have we had adjusting to new conditions, and who do we admire for demonstrating the talent and ability to do just that? For this week's third topic, Colin would like to talk about Nintendo. As the storied video game giant continues to ride the wave of tremendous success, the team breaks down Nintendo's past, present and predictions for their future. Dagan brings the festivities to a close with some stories and concerns about scams. With the harsh uptick in frequency and sophistication, what experiences have we had with scams and being taken advantage of by those shadowy entities trying to steal our personal data? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s time for a themed episode of Constellation with the Brothers Moriarty, LSM’s Executive Producer Dustin Furman, and Summon Sign host Brad Ellis! This week, we’re focusing our topics around Last Stand’s recent trip to New York City for Sacred Symbols 300. Dustin wonders what our favorite local delicacies are when traveling. Dagan asks who our favorite content creators are and if we’d be willing to see them live. Brad ponders our favorite spots to visit in NYC. Colin reflects on his past living in the city, and whether suburban living can be argued as inferior. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Greeting Constellation faithful, and welcome back to your favorite LSM conversational podcast! This week, Lord Cognito wants to know how we recover when we're feeling under the weather. Which rituals and remedies tend to cure and comfort us whenever we're down for the count? Next, Micah takes us on a pleasant stroll down to the mailbox as we reflect on our favorite magazines, past and present. The landscape for periodicals has changed drastically over the last couple of decades, but which defunct magazines do we miss the most, and which of those remaining zines could be next up for extinction? The jet-setting Gene Park is no stranger to travel, and he always remembers to pack his toothbrush and an engaging topic for conversation. This time Mr. Park would like us to discuss the planes, trains, automobiles, helicopters, horses (and unicycles) that get us from Point A to Point B. Finally, Dagan invites the gang into his dojo for a little martial arts action! Four brave warriors take to the matte in order to discuss everything from our practical experience with combat sports to our pop culture martial arts favorites in film, TV, anime and games. And don't worry, of course we talk about ninjas! 👟Grab your pair now at https://vessi.com/constellation for 15% off your first order! Get 20% off your order with free shipping at https://www.buyraycon.com/constellation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome once again to Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast! This week's fearsome foursome bring a variety of fun and thought-provoking topics to discuss: Belgium's favorite son, the mighty Lockmort, gets things started with a bit of welcome nostalgia by inquiring about our earliest and happiest memories. Next, Dustin wants to talk about the movies that make us laugh. Which film comedies stand as our favorites and which ones do we think get overlooked? Colin takes a page out of Woodsy Owl's book (look it up) and would like to engage with the group concerning the environment. How do we feel about what we're doing to take care of the planet, and how can we do better? Finally, Dagan plays Constellation Creative Director and asks the gang to pitch him a Reality TV Show. Don Draper would be proud. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. Colin returns to the lineup this week to talk about the current kerfuffle across the pond. What is going on with Catherine, Princess of Wales and is this whole royal fiasco a total scandal or a complete nontroversy? Micah Moriarty explores Craigslist 'Missed Connections' and puts a question to this panel of smooth-talking casanovas; Have we ever locked eyes with a stranger across a crowded subway car or supermarket aisle but lacked the courage to pursue romance? David Jaffe would like us to revel in Life's Little Pleasures. What are the rituals and routines in our lives that we look forward to and delight in the most? Finally, Dagan would like us to sing the praises of our favorite living visual artists. See, we can express admiration for people without ending it in RIP. Who knows, maybe they'll even hear us! Get 10% off at https://www.thefreezepipe.com and use code CON Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Constellation is back with a very special episode. This week, Colin has left the keys to the kingdom in the hands of crazy uncle Dagan while he’s away and is joined by LSM Executive Producer Dustin Furman, Defining Duke host MrMattyPlays, and Summon Sign host Brad Ellis. To kick things off, Dustin wants to look back at how the work of Akira Toriyama has impacted us after his unfortunate passing last week. Brad wonders how we feel about amusement parks and our best memories of going to them. Matty asks about our blind spots in life and the things we wish we knew more about. And finally, Dagan ponders our worst ideas and the catastrophic outcomes. This is a unique episode, so don’t miss it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Constellation has returned for another episode. This week, the Brothers Moriarty are joined by Sacred Symbols co-host Chris Ray Gun and Last Stand’s Coordinator, Micah Moriarty. Chris asks about the optional luxuries in life we can’t go without. Micah is curious about asking for help online. Is it worth seeking advice from an anonymous forum like Reddit? Dagan wants to explore humor that goes too far. Can anything be funny in the right context, or should certain topics be off-limits? And finally, Colin ponders the state of YouTube and our viewpoint as creators. Has the platform changed for the better or worse? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to a very special episode of Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This year, we're going to try to execute on a small number of 'themed' episodes that revolve around certain sets of topics, and today, we present to you an all-political discussion. As such, joining the Brothers Moriarty this time around is Punching Up co-host Gene Park and storied game designer David Jaffe, and you should be warned that if you don't like politics, don't want to hear about them, or get upset when you disagree with people, you shouldn't watch or listen. Dagan starts us off with a brisk chat about Jon Stewart, who has recently returned to The Daily Show in a limited capacity. Is his presence more necessary than ever, or is he one of the reasons our discourse has sunk to its current level? Gene seamlessly executes his topic from Dagan's, wrangling a wide-ranging deep-dive into social justice. Are we in a better place than ever socially, or has everything been pushed too far? From here, Colin talks about the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, and regrets how deeply propagandized American society became in a war that didn't involve it. Should we be inserting ourselves into geopolitical situations, or seeking peace no matter the cost? Finally, Jaffe rounds things out by exploring claims of fraud in the 2020 election, which haven't at all convinced him. Will Trump ever admit he lost, or does he perhaps have a point that not all is at it seems? Get 20% off your order plus free shipping at https://www.buyraycon.com/constellation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Greetings and salutations! It's time for more Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, the Brothers Moriarty are joined by Defining Duke co-host MrMattyPlays and Summon Sign host Brad Ellis. Colin's worried about unabashed consumerism and unfettered capitalism, and expresses yet more concern that the haves and have-nots are on an obvious collision course. Dagan wants each cast member to regale him with interesting (and totally true!) facts that he (and most others) are unlikely to know. Where's the best place to live when it comes to 'biome'... forest... beach... the desert?! Brad inquires. Finally, Matty explores the idea of time travel with an eye towards things we'd change, if only we'd be willing to deal with the inevitable repercussions of our modified actions, be they what they may. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's time for another episode of Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, the Brothers Moriarty welcome Defining Duke co-host Lord Cognito and Sacred Symbols co-host Chris Ray Gun to the program. Chris has been sitting on a topic for a while, now, and it's a doozy: Which fictional characters would be on Epstein's vaunted 'list' of clients? Our answers may surprise you. Cog's curious about our ability -- or lack thereof -- to manifest positive outcomes in our lives. Do we think anything is possible, so long as we truly believe? Dagan wants to know in which ways we've succumbed to peer pressure in our lives (with a natural inclination towards old stories from our youth). And finally, Colin brings up Gina Carano's lawsuit against Disney, funded by Elon Musk, that seeks to get her reinstated on The Mandalorian. Naturally, this chat gets political, which is why we buried the topic towards the end. Be aware! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back -- one-and-all! -- to Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, the Brothers Moriarty welcome LSM's executive producer Dustin Furman and associate producer Ben Smith to the show. Topics are varied, per usual. Colin starts things off by reflecting on Last Stand itself, and inquires how the boys think the company is doing, what we might change, and how we may look in the future. Dustin has a deep and abiding love of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, widely considered some of the finest films ever crafted. Will these movies forever stand the test of time? Ben's been wondering, as of late, if he may have what it takes to try stand up comedy at open mic night. Should he take the plunge? Finally, Dagan chronicles his experiences with both ghosting and being ghosted. Have we been abandoned by people in our lives? Or are we the ones doing the abandoning? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, the Brothers Moriarty are joined by Sacred Symbols co-host Chris Ray Gun. A trio of topics therefore await you this episode, beginning with Dagan's deep-delve into gossip. It turns out Dag's a bit of a gossiper himself, and wonders if we partake, and if so to what extent. Colin thereafter turns everyone's attention to the so-called 'public domain,' where created works across mediums reside after a certain number of years post-launch, a space where anyone can play with the likes of Count Dracula, and -- yes indeed -- Steamboat Willie. How do we feel about the rules and restrictions placed around others' creations? Finally, Chris steers us into the realm of true crime, where for reasons unknown, people fixate about the grisly downfall of others. Do we share in this cultural obsession, or are we perplexed by it all? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's time for more Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, the Brothers Moriarty are joined by Defining Duke co-host MrMattyPlays and storied game designer David Jaffe. We begin our lengthy chat with a topic that's grown increasingly popular in recent years: Thrifting. Matty has found great value in buying secondhand, and wonders if we've had similar experiences. Colin, meanwhile, wants to delve into our respective brand loyalties -- not the obvious ones! -- but rather some of the automatic brand purchases we make without even thinking about it, from toiletries to clothing and beyond. Dagan harkens back to his earlier days to remember some legends from his youth, stories, people, and events that are almost always heavily-fictionalized if not outright fake, yet persist over the generations. Finally, Jaffe returns to a well-worn and host-favorite topic here on Constellation, and that's UAPs. Recent Congressional hearings, a mysterious new video, and the promise of more to come leaves us with plenty to digest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Greetings and salutations! Welcome back to Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, the Brothers Moriarty are joined by LSM executive producer Dustin Furman and coordinator Micah Moriarty. We have two food-related topics this week, and while they're not similar, we positioned them back-to-back. On the one hand, Dustin wants to talk about his move towards healthier eating, and how our respective daily diets add to or detract from our overall health. Then, Micah dishes about expiration dates, specifically with the things we eat. What is our confidence in these mysterious dates? Are we hardcore followers, or do we throw caution to the wind? Meanwhile, Dagan wants to opine about not only doing good deeds, but being on the receiving end as well, and how the reciprocity therein helps make the world go 'round. Finally, one listener compiled some interesting data about our humble podcast Constellation, and Colin goes through some of it, wondering how the show may morph and improve into the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. This week, the Brothers Moriarty are joined by Punching Up's Gene Park and -- for the first time ever! -- Summon Sign's Brad Ellis. Colin begins this week off by asking everyone how they spent their holiday breaks. Did we rest? Game? Read, watch TV or a movie, or spend time with family? It turns out we did a little bit of everything. Dagan has recently become captivated with the so-called Tetris Kid, a 13 year old midwesterner who obliterated the NES port of the famous Soviet-era game. Being that we have skateboarder Dagan as a co-host, Brad wanted to discuss extreme sports, their rise into the mainstream, and which iterations we've most taken to in our lives. Finally, Gene ends the show on an appropriately down note, as we go into various examples of rejection that have befallen us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome one-and-all to yet another episode of Last Stand Media's conversational podcast, Constellation. This week, the Brothers Moriarty are joined by Defining Duke co-host Lord Cognito and legendary game designer David Jaffe. Colin has an important question for his fellow gamers: Just what do we mean when we say 'role-playing game'? Do we need to be more specific with our classifications and definitions, or are we comfortable with Madden being an RPG? Cog wants to know how we deal with defeat and loss in life. We all feel an inner energy and competition, but how do we limit those feelings in public and learn to let go? Jaffe has rediscovered his long-dormant love of reading, and wants to share his passion with the crew. Where does reading fit into our lives? Finally, Dagan just turned 50, and as such, he's wondering about missed opportunities, specifically when it comes to those random pursuits that you just never get around to. If we could drop everything right now and learn something new, do something fun and exciting, or explore the unknown, how would we use that time? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome one-and-all to yet another episode of Constellation, Last Stand Media's conversational podcast. Accompanying the Brothers Moriarty this week are Gene Park and Micah Watson of Punching Up: A Nintendo Podcast. Since we're a cast full of writers, Dagan thought he'd probe our respective approaches to the craft, where we draw inspiration, and how we came to love the written word. Micah reflects on an old internet cartoon from her high school years, Salad Fingers. What is it that we love about surrealist and absurdist humor on the internet, and what are some of our favorite examples of similar fare? As a Washington DC resident, Gene has noticed first-hand the rise in criminality in his own city, and wonders if and when we as a society will get our heads around solving our myriad criminal justice-related problems. Finally, Colin wants to chat about Elon Musk. Do you love him, hate him, or fall somewhere in between? Is he an inspiration, a menace, a distraction, or perhaps just an annoyance? Believe it or not, no one holds back in their responses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to Constellation, Last Stand's conversational podcast. This week, the Brothers Moriarty are joined by LSM executive producer Dustin Furman, and -- for the first time -- popular YouTuber Finn Mckenty, the Punk Rock MBA. Let's get into the topics, shall we? Knowing that Finn is a fellow music connoisseur, Colin wants to probe his mind about one of his beloved musical genres: Raprock. Does it deserve more respect? And why is it experiencing a resurgence in recent years? Keeping seasonality in mind, Dustin's topic is Christmas, something fun for children but bastardized by commerce nonetheless. As adults, do we even care anymore? Finn's keen to chat about reality TV: Its history, its long run of success stories, and how it inspired our entertainment lives. Finally, Dagan's topic is one for the ages, all about our favorite bad guys in fiction. If we had to construct a so-called Mount Rushmore of Villainy, who would adorn it? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices