Story Lines

We're living on island time, baby. Like (island style), follow (island style), and share (archipelago style ;)).

Discussion starts: 14:08 The journey continues, and the symbiote grows. Like, follow, download, and share with your friends! Sources mentioned: https://youtu.be/-zygIS-eERc?si=A0bNb3GVlEzWuP-3 [“‘We’re resonating’: Democratic Socialist looks to topple establishment Democrat in Colorado” by MS Now on YouTube from Jun 28, 2026] https://youtu.be/I1Dp7iJ8hDw?si=MDfqx603s2MOYEBR [“Behind the apparent r...

Discussion starts: 20:12 We're back and more busted than ever. Mr. Strawman, I miss you. Please come home. Like, follow, subscribe and do a flip for me. Sources mentioned: https://www.jhunewsletter.com/article/2025/04/the-myth-of-self-improvement [“The myth of self-improvement” by Leo Lin for The Johns Hopkins News-Letter from Apr 13, 2025] https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive/protein-...

We're on vacation, you get it! Like and follow to get ready for the greatest season launch of all time (according to Raf).

You're really deep in the sauce, huh? Well, welcome, I guess. Like, comment, follow, and share.

Discussion starts: 12:10 Better like, subscribe, follow, comment, and poll before season 2... Sources mentioned: "Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You'll Ever Need" by Jessica Brody from 2018 https://youtu.be/Juh0_Nr5qMo?si=8njIpzW4LyxAzCjS [“This movie is horrific | OBSESSION Explained” by Amanda the Jedi on YouTube from May 31, 2026] https://youtu.be/p72B2dz9Yt4?si=xy...

Discussion Starts: 23:00 Like, comment, subscribe, and share while you still can.... Sources mentioned: https://youtu.be/lwEwxKkCGJE?si=2HKkD0j9NL3mtOFg [“Understanding Kingdom Hearts (and every other story) | Unraveled” by Polygon on YouTube from Jan 27, 2019] https://youtu.be/P077b7ScJ_E?si=FLysEtCT5zGI8TuQ [“Well, The Boys is finally over and it’s kind of a mess…” by YungJunko on YouTube from M...

Discussion starts: 8:54 You should all read Dungeon Crawler Carl. It's really good. That's all for this week. Sources mentioned: https://youtu.be/lDT0QW7TZGU?si=DwKhotp1zL2ILdgj [“Why is D&D So Popular Again? (ft. The Russo Brothers, Deborah Ann Woll & More)” by IGN on YouTUbe from Oct 2, 2019] https://youtu.be/sfhkxF64OPI?si=P3QmtHaxuDk7opaH [“a deep dive into the heated rivalry f...

Discussion starts: 25:21 I can't wait for an episode where I'm not so so sleepy. Someday. Like, subscribe, follow, or engage in some way during your brief time on this mortal plane. Sources mentioned: "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" by Dave Filoni and Matt Michnovetz on Disney+ from 2026 (spoiled throughout) https://youtu.be/wSNYgHiB-N4?si=JY4GhF22fRlIXeOu ["Trope Talk: Sins...

Discussion starts: ??? This one had a strange energy to it, I can't lie to you. I hope you enjoyed it. Like, like, like, like or subscribe. Sources mentioned:“The Semantics of Social Media Reactions among Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z: An Exploratory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study” by Obenza, Brandon N., et al. for Canadian Journal of Language and Literature Studies vol. 5 no. 3...

Check below the description and sources for a list of media mentioned and spoiled! It's almost finals week. I don't have the energy for this. It's another episode of Story Lines, you get it. Also, Raf messed up, and Spotify DOES distinguish between non-binary and unspecified gender listeners. Make sure to clown him in the comments for this egregious sin. Simon says share the podcast. A...

We talk about the big bad boogeyman of politics, Hasan Piker—scary stuff. We have some fun, and I do some great impressions. Like, like, or like the pod. No options for you this time. Sources mentioned: https://youtu.be/C1bZyocQNEE?si=RyNjEOBHtKDhy7PT [“How social media influencers are playing a role in the presidential election” by PBS NewsHour on YouTube from Mar 19, 2024] https://youtu.be/AWzcp...

Is podcasting only for old people now? Probably... Like, follow, share on the town bulletin board, and telepathically will your friends to listen to the pod!

Raf has the flu, so we clearly did not succeed in making Story Lines healthy again... But it also means I don't have to cite my sources (but Raf still does)! When the cat's away, amiright? Like, follow, subscribe, download, share, repost, hashtag, illegally pirate and redistribute. Live your best life, king. Sources mentioned: https://youtu.be/N2lh-r7poLo?si=rYPQPXBEHR4YlujJ [“Right-Wing W...

Raf didn't review One Piece like he promised, and he did a voice for the whole episode. My revenge shall be swift and just. Likemaxx, Comment-mog, or Subscribe-goon! Sources mentioned: https://youtu.be/wJgV-usri0I?si=d49daa1X2c0eDUHk [“The Terrifying World of LooksMaxxing” by JimmyTheGiant on YouTube from Jan. 12, 2026] https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/04/looksmaxxing-tiktok-trend-explain...

Someone has to comment or else we'll never find the One Piece. Like, comment, subscribe, and follow your dreams. Sources mentioned: https://web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/15341_Readings/Motivation/Aronson_Mills_1959_The_effect_of_severity_of_initiation.pdf [" The Effect of Severity of Initiation on Liking for a Group" by Elliot Aronson and Judson Mills from June 9, 1958] https:...

Raf did a great job on this one. And that's not just my white guilt showing. Like, follow, and subscribe to become the main character. Sources mentioned: https://youtu.be/Ouv5CJ7Ig7c?si=gxDM5DWJeGiB7Jk_ ["Trope Talk: Writing What You Know" by Overly Sarcastic Productions on YouTube from Sept. 27, 2016]

Well, we finally did it, folks. And by "it," I mean the Oscars. No fact-checks this week, largely because I went so far off the rails that Raf didn't even bother. Comment below any traps you'd like me to set for my co-host next week on Story Lines! Sources mentioned: https://youtu.be/vkDRSgo6tdo?si=D6d94Ko_j3h3_Rzx ["How To Write Intelligent Horror - Sinners" by The Closer Look on YouTube from Jul...

Does it seem like I wrote this with AI if I use an em-dash?! No fact checks this episode, so Raf must be letting me off the hook—or we just properly cited our sources. Who knows which? Like, follow, subscribe, and engage in all of the other things available to you as a media consumer! Sources mentioned: https://www.npr.org/2025/09/05/nx-s1-5529404/anthropic-settlement-authors-copyright-ai ["A...

Raf made me promise that I would fact-check us and say that Fifty Shades of Grey did NOT outsell the Bible. My bad. Also, apologies for the audio not being in stereo. Premiere wants to destroy my soul, and we've got tight deadlines here on the Story Line. Like, follow, subscribe, etc.!

This week, Raf and Daly launch straight into the podcast with introductions, bits about Daly's heart of gold, and an in-depth discussion on the ethics of news consumption. Sources mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClhyXtoneOc&pp=ygURYXR0ZW50aW9uIGVjb25vbXk%3D [“You didn’t lose your attention span. It was stolen.” by Jared Henderson from Nov. 17, 2025] Follow/subscribe/like/engage...