Conner and Alek are joined by Rafael de Leon to discuss the Sicario movies! One is good, one is bad but they are both used to make your parents afraid of Mexico. Rafael also helps debunk some of the narco myths that the movies perpetuate and we're all left wondering if Benicio Del Toro can pull off a Mexican accent.

CIA Review of Sicario: https://www.cia.gov/resources/csi/static/Sicario.pdf

Episode art by Ned Gayle

Recorded on April 6th, 2024

This week, the show opens with Conner and Alek discussing two movies about social media: Not Okay (2022) and Mainstream (2020). This leads to a greater conversation about what it means to be a person and activist online and if it even matters. Finally, the boys discuss the proposed TikTok ban and Conner lays out the case for why it isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

04:53 - Not Okay discussion

30:31 - Mainstream discussion

49:01 - TikTok ban

Recorded on March 17th, 2024

We're back after an unintended break! This week, Conner and Alek discuss an actual propaganda film: The Battle At Lake Changjin. After that, a brief commentary on Joe Biden's SOTU speech and Trump's "fact-checking" on Truth Social. Finally, Conner talks about his experience getting bullied online.

Watch the film for free here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRVGP7GDm1E

Recorded on March 9th, 2024

Conner and Alek are joined by their good friend Rahul Rao to talk about Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, the the works of Mamoru Oshii as a whole and an exploration of various stages of police states. Alek goes OFF on this one!!!

You can hear the full version of A Nuanced Analysis Of Race Relations (Ytppl) by Rahul Rao & The Whites here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toAyF4MQBfg

Recorded on February 24th, 2024

We return to our original show concept and get into some media criticism! Conner and Alek break down the pilot of Designated Survivor, the Keifer Sutherland led Neoliberal post-apocalyptic fantasy series where the entire leadership of the United States is wiped out in a terrorist attack and absolutely nothing changes (kinda).

Recorded on February 16th, 2022

This week, Conner and Alek discuss Metal Gear Solid 2 (finally), Taiwanese elections, baptism culture, the defunding of UNRWA and discuss what propaganda actually is and how it works.

Recorded Saturday, February 10th

We tried and failed to record a full episode this week but life got in the way. Conner threw everything off by catching COVID-19 and infringed upon Alek's shift at the Parenting Mines. We'll see y'all next week, we promise!

Recorded Monday, February 5th

The incident at Shelby Park has escalated into the Standoff at Eagle Pass and Twitter is abuzz with talk of another Civil War! Conner goes through a brief history of Texas' secession obsession and fear of the federal government and Alek walks us through why the chances of a civil war is less than likely. It's all so stupid!

Special thanks to @jaketropolis on Twitter for the episode art

Recorded on January 27, 2024

Wow, can you believe it? We didn't give up after the first episode! Conner and Alek open things up by apologizing for making light of offensive and horrible crimes that was included in the original cut of Episode 1 and promise to do better moving forward (then proceed to break that promise).

Stories discussed in this episode include the court case of La Gordiloca and the Louisiana congressional redistricting. Finally, Alek gives Conner a breakdown on why the US is backtracking on Yemen and the Houthis before they both try and break down the various propaganda narratives coming from Washington.

Episode art: https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/LA-New-Cong-Map.png

Recorded on January 20th, 2024

Conner and Alek discuss the Clay Higgins/Tucker Carlson interview and the ever-changing media narratives regarding January 6th.

Notes: within this episode, Conner erroneously referred to Charlottesville as "Charleston" and mistook the journalist Gary Webb (who wrote about the US government's involvement in the international drug trade) as Mark Webb (who directed the Amazing Spider-Man).

Recorded on January 13th, 2024