Ep. 249: nobody expects the portuguese inquisition
This time of year we always have a ramble episode or two, so here's one! After Corrigan explains why she can't tell Marko about the Portuguese Inquisition and instead tells him the strange story of the maybe-kidnapping of the founder of the Four Square denomination, we unleash a stream of consciousness episode about nothing and everything.
Highlights:
[0:00] Corrigan tells Marko about early megachurch pastor Aimee Semple-McPherson, who may or may not have been kidnapped off Venice Beach[44:30] We wonder if there's a proletarian cure for enshittification and media consolidation [01:03:15] What we watched: Pluribus, 9-1-1, Bugonia, Daddy's Head, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, The Thing[01:29:20] Corrigan has questions for everyone, including "does your esophagus make that sound?" and "did British people take out their teeth in the '70s?"
Stuff we referenced:
The “Lady Preacher” Who Became World-Famous—and Then Vanished
Aimee Semple McPherson dazzled Angelenos with flamboyant sermons. Then she disappeared
On This Day in 1926: The Scandalous Disappearance of Preacher Aimee Semple McPherson
The Fall and Rise of Aimee Semple McPherson
The American Experience: Aimee Semple McPherson
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1:39:19
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1:39:19
Marko Reads: The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
While Corrigan is away on the other side of the Atlantic, Marko takes the time to read a story suggested to us on our Discord by our pal Paul: Shirley Jackson's 1948 classic, "The Lottery."
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22:36
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22:36
Ep. 248: one last hurrah at the ramen glory hole
Marko continues his quest to find out if pain can be quantified objectively by diving into the McGill Pain Questionnaire, and Corrigan has questions about food, memory, and final meals.
Highlights:
[0:00] Marko tells Corrigan about the McGill Pain Questionnaire [25:49] Thanksgiving is coming, Marko's got a Santa thing happening in his house, and we wonder if Mark has had a fantastic idea or a really distasteful one[45:59] After an epic gaming sesh, we implore you to hang out with each other online (http://www.ko-fi.com/jackofallgraves) [54:49] What we watched! (Sweet Home Alabama, Ick, Hot Rod, Abruptio, Revenge)[01:34:14] Corrigan wants to talk about food and death
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1:51:03
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1:51:03
Ep. 247: mooninite panic & the goals of ai
What do the creators of all those AI chatbots and therapists and essay writing apps really wants from us? We're talking that out today, after Corrigan tells Marko about the Great Boston Mooninite Panic of 2007, and we share lots of cultural exchange.
Highlights:
[0:00] Corrigan tells Marko about the Great Boston Mooninite Panic[34:26] Marko has an iffy idea for corporate gatherings, CoRri finds out Spotify has comments and people have been commenting, there's new Fancave on the Ko-Fi, and we need your suggestions for the 2026 book club schedule[01:02:38] What we watched: Predator: Badlands, Life of Chuck, ANOES 2: Freddy’s Revenge, Shin Godzilla, Hearts in Atlantis, Ghost Ship, Death By Lightning, Devil in Disguise, Depraved, Black Phone 2, Frankenstein[01:41:05] We talk about the research that exists about what AI does to our brains, anecdotal stories about AI's impact, and ultimately why the people who create AI platforms are taking advantage of a broken society.
Stuff we referenced:
Adult Swim: How an Animation Experiment Conquered Late-Night TV
15 years ago, the Mooninites from Aqua Teen Hunger Force shut down Boston
Remembering the ‘Aqua Teen Hunger Force’ bomb scare that shut down Boston
Remembering the Mooninite Panic of 2007, tapping into something great at The Lilypad
It's been 17 years since Aqua Teen Hunger Force marketing campaign sparked panic in Boston
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2:24:01
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2:24:01
JoAG Classics: Death Lakes
With life getting in the way of recording this week, we're throwing it back to some classic cold opens: The many horrors of Lake Lanier in Georgia and the exploding Lake Nyos in Cameroon. If you're anything like Marko, you've forgotten the details from these four year old episodes, so it's time for a revisit!
[0:00] Lake Lanier[25:00] Lake Nyos (featuring Hollywood Steve of Hellrankers!)
A storytelling pod in which an American girl and a Welsh guy bond over a shared love of the terrifying, tragic, bloody, morbid, anxiety-inducing, and horrific -- a joyful and therapeutic exploration of very dark things.