I’m a recent convert to podcasts. Well, sort of. There were a couple of radio shows that I really loved but for some reason couldn’t always listen to. When I bought my first iPod, I hunted them down and started downloading regularly. But then my attention started to wander: how many podcasts are there anyway? Those first podcasts were like a gateway drug. Now I’ve got a real monkey on my back. I can’t get enough of the damn things. The great thing about them is you can take them with you everywhere and listen to them while you’re cleaning or installing those damn brackets under the new countertop. The are an infinite number of subjects too from Celtic myths to coffee break French to anthropology. Here are a few of my favorites:
- This American Life: Hands down, one of the best radio shows today. Funny, sad, poignant, informative. Ira Glass has an uncanny ear for the best new Americana stories. They have a TV version as well on Showtime that just won a couple of Emmys. My daughter Brooke is hooked on TAL. Not to be missed.
- Planet Money: Alex Blumberg, Adam Davidson, Laura Conaway and David Kestenbaum break down the financial lingo piece by piece until we all get the picture of how royally screwed we all are. It might seem too simple at times but that’s the beauty of it: the financial wizards are trying to baffle us with bull#$%^. Planet Money does away with all the obfuscation.
- Hardcore History with Dan Carlin: I got through 22 gallons of DryLock and paint with Dan relating the history of the Punic Wars in my ears. If you like historic turning points, battles, strategies and other tidbits on history’s movers and shakers, download Dan.
- How Stuff Works- Stuff You Should Know: Josh and Chuck give you the facts and fiction about things you probably wanted to know but were too afraid to ask. They tell you the chemistry behind the awful collision of toothpaste and orange juice as well as how to make moonshine (if it weren’t illegal). Their segues are hokey but that’s part of what makes this podcast work. They’re funny, entertaining and informative.
- HowStuffWorks- Stuff Mom Never Told You: If you are interested in gender differences, this is a cool podcast that just started. Co-hosts Molly and Christin tell you all about how to play gender office politics, the differences in male and female brains and why more excitable female brains get migraines. I like the way this pair is starting off and can’t wait to see how they develop this podcast. Something tells me they didn’t like the way Hillary was dumped. Just a hunch.
- The Dinner Party Download: This podcast speaks to me. It starts with a lame joke, your icebreaker, like: A pirate walks into a bar with a steering wheel in his pants. The bartender tells him, “Hey, buddy, you’ve got a steering wheel in your pants” and the pirate says, “Arggg, it’s driving me nuts” Ba-dum-dum! Then, they talk about unusual news stories and feature one news story that inspires a cocktail, which they provide a recipe. Then a short interview with someone you’ve probably never heard of. Finally, they end with a foodie feature like Korean BBQ Tacos. Each segment is short, about 15 minutes. But if you’re looking for a good pick-me-up, you can’t beat it. One other thing: one of the hosts of this dinner-cocktail hour is named Rico. From Pittsburgh. Cue the theremin music.
Do you have any favorite podcasts?
Filed under: Blogosphere
The theremin podcast is here
http://spellbound.purplenote.com/index.php
Spellbound, a brief program of music for theremin
Sun 10 PM to 12 AM
Music from the ether, from around the world and around the Internet. Spellbound is the only program of its kind in the world, a live radio program with performances of music featuring that oldest and most exotic of electronic musical instruments. David Vesel hosts this program which takes you through classical, jazz, rock, electronic, and ethnic music performances.
my favs are Stardate and Thistlepod, but Thistle doens’t update regularly. I also love the college courses at Berkely, and Stanford…
and GODDESS RADIO PODCAST here
Goddess Radio
Sat 10 AM to 12 PM
Goddess Radio celebrates the
women of Independent Music, women with that divine spark of creativity , the finest voices and the very best music ; music not homogenised,sterilized ,or sexualised for mass consumption , but made by women musicians who make music because they love it.
http://goddessradio.podomatic.com/
There’s a little of the Goddess in every woman. Your hostess, SwanSpirit, showcases the women in music from all genres and around the world.
http://stardate.org/radio/listen/
http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=5495233
http://itunes.stanford.edu/
http://itunes.berkeley.edu/
So sorry! How could I forget? You really deserve to be a headliner in a podcast blogroll. I’ll work on it when I get back…
sorry, my links didn’t pass spammy
Stardate looks AWESOME !!! if you like stardate there is also
http://www.slooh.com/
it isn’t a “podcast” but its awesome ..
THAT is exceptionally COOL! I’ve read about it but haven’t tried it yet. I might have to get it my Easter for my daughter…
A great one from the BBC…..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/inourtime/
Leonard Lopate Show (Culture)
John Schaefer Soundcheck (Music)
http://www.wnyc.org/podcasting/
I was a big fan of This American Life before moving to TX. In NOLA, the program was carried late Sunday afternoon, at which time I could frequently catch it while working on various projects. Not so where we live now. I’m assuming podcasts can be downloaded to an iPod – yes? If so, I’ll get my husband (resident tech support) to figure out the process. Thanks for the new leads on some great sounding programs.
I used to listen to This American Life on the radio for years. Glad to know there’s a podcast!
From NYC, snow makes anything look better. Except for Bloomberg
http://edgeoforever.wordpress.com/2009/03/02/snow-can-make-garbage-look-better-but-not-bloomberg/
What the hell is a “podcast?”
It’s same as a broadcast, cept it’s pod people sending the signals. Why does this have to be explained. Aren’t you one of us yet.
maybe this link will help you understand all things pod-like myiq2xu:
(I particularly enjoy the “amazing grace” playing in the background)
a POD cast is just a BIG FILE …
like a very long song , or series of songs or a talk show … that you either listen to online , or download to your “player” to listen later at your leisure …. most are about a half hour in length … but it varies some are just saved live shows … like the NPR shows .. so you can listen later if you didn’t hear it at the original time it was broadcast live .
( Don’t worry about the pod people reference just tune in your tin foil hat and you will be fine …………………………..eventually )
Swanspirit,
probably not, but I’ll ask anyway:
did you ever live in Santa Barbara and participate in the Big Mountain Support Group way back in the early eighties?
If so, we know each other. You can reach me at gabriele dot droz at g mail dot com.
like a downloaded radio show, which can be played on a computer/mp3 player.
New post up.
I found this a couple of days ago-bbc iplayer world service-free.
Tried the folk music-it was heaven.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/radio/bbc_world_service
ColumbiaJournalism podcast or on blogtalkradio:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ColumbiaJournalism
Conversations and interviews by host Sree Sreenivasan – Dean of Columbia University Journalism Grad School – with guests in new technology – about understanding new communication tools and technologies — for journalists.
They did a good one on LinkedIn and Twitter.
I’ve become hooked on WNYC’s Radio Lab. Each one-hour show highlights fascinating and often surprising scientific findings around a major theme, like Sleep, or Stress. Frequent appearances by one of my favorite science authors, neurologist Oliver Sacks.
You can find all episodes listed here:
http://tinyurl.com/bkjsum
I particularly recommend the episode on Memory and Forgetting. New ways to think about the baloney surrounding Hillary’s Bosnia “lapse,” as well as how repetition can distort our perception of the past.
*****A