Soundtrack of the Week
After nearly 40 years of white-knuckling life with anxiety, Jay has finally joined Team Psych Meds™. Meredith and Ty — seasoned pros in the world of pharmaceutical mood maintenance — welcome the rookie to the roster. From side effects to life upgrades, the gang kicks back on the imaginary shrink’s couch and swaps war stories about mental health, meds, and the weird, wonderful ways our brains respond to modern chemistry. Side effects of this episode may include headaches, diarrhea, and sexual dysfunction. Consult with your doctor before listening. (0:00:00) - Intro (spooky season...
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Donald J. Trump is flexing unprecedented power, backed by a Republican-led Congress and a conservative-supermajority Supreme Court. But could the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein be his unexpected undoing? This week, the gang unpacks the explosive controversy surrounding the Epstein files—exploring whether the most notorious pedophile in history is posthumously challenging the most powerful man in America. (0:00:00) - Intro (Meredith's trip to Omaha, famous pedophiles, Jay's first time on meds) (0:22:23) - Sounds of the Week: (0:40:56) - The Epstein files Songs: "Seventeen" by...
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Journalism's having a moment—and not in a good way. We're only halfway through the year, and mainstream media's already managed to trip over its own feet... again. Truth is, it's been a slow-motion train wreck for years, and a lot of the damage is self-inflicted. This week, the gang digs into how legacy outlets keep botching the basics, what they're getting wrong, and whether there's any hope of turning things around. (0:00:00) - Intro (Meredith's Colorado porch pirate, hotels suck, immigration update) (0:26:08) - Sounds of the Week: (0:48:58) - Roles and responsibilities of...
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It's the Fourth of July Episode! What's more patriotic than liberal protests railing against the government and right-wing glorification of the military? This week, the gang talks about the nationwide No Kings protests and President Donald Trump's military parade. The discussion turns into a critique of the mainstream media and how they are dropping the ball in a big way. (0:00:00) - Intro (protest traffic, Ty's conflicting feelings about a manchild Royals fan) (0:20:28) - Sounds of the Week: (0:41:40) - No Kings protests and military parade Songs: "Kill the King" by...
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Ty is out this week, but the show must go on, so Jay and Meredith take the helm and bring in special guest Chad (). It's June, so the gang discusses Pride Month, including some of the many challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community. This time, someone with direct knowledge and experience speaks about the main topic. (0:00:00) - Intro (Ty is dead, SOTW welcomes Chad, Meredith and Chad are prepping for protests) (0:17:20) - Sounds of the Week: Me Too is back! ICE protest in Los Angeles (0:38:58) - Pride and other monthly observances Songs: "Ever Fallen in Love" by...
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It's Memorial Day Weekend! Like other summer holidays, people are hitting the roads and the skies to enjoy the three-day weekend away from home. Other people, like Meredith, are afraid to travel and staying home. This week, the gang discusses their traveling fears, including money, stressful itineraries, and dying. Air traffic controllers getting DOGEed isn't helping. (0:00:00) - Intro (news update, Meredith totally doesn't have COVID, in memoriam car window decals, Tesla is the new BMW) (0:26:29) - Sounds of the Week: (0:41:09) - Traveling Songs: "The...
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Third places are neutral public spaces outside the home (first place) and work (second place) where people can gather and interact, e.g. churches, coffee shops, bars, parks, malls, movie theaters, clubs, etc. Since at least the 1990s, third places have been disappearing, leaving people nowhere to go. This week, the gang explores why third spaces are going away, what the consequences are and what can be done to get back to a world where people just simply hang out. (0:00:00) - Intro (Jay's mouth got probed, to go or not to go to the doctor, news update) (0:26:00) - Sounds of the Week: ...
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Keeping good on his promise to purge the country of dangerous, illegal immigrants, President Donald Trump has executed a massive deportation campaign. However, Trump's immigration crusade may have gone too far, resulting in a constitutional crisis that has put potentially thousands of innocent people in the crosshairs, many of whom are U.S. citizens. This week, the gang breaks down the federal government's immigration crackdown and why every American should be concerned. (0:00:00) - Intro (Artificial intelligence in Little League baseball, the workplace and Soundtrack of the Week) ...
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Democracy is on the line, so the left is doing the only thing they know to do: Protest! From the recent "Hands Off" movement to people demonstrating outside Tesla dealerships (and some setting Cybertrucks on fire), people are hitting the streets to express their disapproval of the current president. But are they affecting change? This week, the gang discusses the merits of protesting in the United States and what needs to be done to see action on Capitol Hill Intro (white people love casserole, Metallica road trip, Jay's dentophobia, news update) Sounds of the Week: ...
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Jay and Ty recently discovered they have a half brother that no one knew about for more than 30 years. How did they find out? Ty submitted a 23&Me. Ty sees nothing wrong with obtaining this information, Jay is vehemently against a corporation collecting DNA data and flipping families upside down, and Meredith tries to rein the two in. This week, the gang discusses the topic of data privacy, including how much data they are willing to give up and at what price. 0:00:00 - Intro (Harlem Globetrotters, Ukrainian ballet, Ty finally took time off work, super spicy food is dumb,...
info_outlineThe amount of hate on social media has ramped up over the years, especially during an election year, but has the amount of contempt and disdain for one another bled over into the physical world? Jay seems to think so. This week, the gang talks about whether or not cities across the United States are turning into New York City in Ghostbusters 2, with everyone feeding on each other's hate and general negativity.
(0:00:00) - Intro (AI update, SantaCaliGon Days, Irish Fest, fall sports)
(0:17:15) - Sounds of the Week:
- Fox News on election polls today
- Fox News on election polls a month ago
- Democratic National Convention jokes
(0:39:27) - Mean girls ... and boys
Songs:
"Steve Polychronopolous" by Adam Sandler
"My Friend of Misery" by Metallica
"Asshole" by Denis Leary
Notes:
- Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act (0:04:10)
- States move to protect recording artists from AI-generated likenesses (0:05:13)
- Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act (SB1047) - bill in California regulating AI. One the same day of recording, the bill passed the state legislature and awaits final approval from Gov. Gavin Newsome (0:05:45)
- Barack Obama's dick joke during the Democratic National Convention (0:25:05)
- 2008 presidential election map in Missouri (0:39:30)
- 1996 presidential election map in Missouri (0:45:55)
- The Daily Show clip showing Jesse Walters talk about DNC with a split screen contradicting what he's saying in real time (0:45:12)
- Traffic fatalities up in first quarter despite less driving (0:58:28)
- Social media and online hate (1:03:00)
- Social Norms and the Dynamics of Online Incivility (1:03:30)
- Social Approval and Network Homophily as Motivators of Online Toxicity (1:03:30)
- Taking a One-Week Break from Social Media Improves Well-Being, Depression, and Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial (1:14:35)
- Need a Break from Social Media? Here’s Why You Should — and How to Do It (1:14:45)
- The Effect of Problematic Social Media Use on Happiness among Adolescents (1:14:45)