Podcasts

Music, Movies, Books, Shows...whatever you're feeding yer brain these days.
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kurtdesign1
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Podcasts

Post by kurtdesign1 » Wed Aug 26, 2015 8:50 am

I've been listening to a metric butt-load of podcasts lately. I have a short commute to the office but on a light day I spend close to 2 hours in the truck going too and from job sites. That allows me a lot of freedom to digest the new media. I started off a couple of months back with a podcast I was introduced to by Ian called:

-Hardcore History

The author is a man named Dan Carlin and he has the most intuitive ability to explain historical events in a positively brilliant, storytelling-like manner. I had zero interest in the first World War, nor the conquests of Genghis Khan, but after listening to Carlin's 20+ hour oral history of both accounts, I could not be more pleased with the fact that I devoted the time. He is a gifted narrator and I would listen to him discuss anything.
Along those lines, he has another podcast called:

-Common Sense

It is his opinions on current events and current happenings in his own life. He is a politically moderate individual who is not afraid to sway down both aisles. He has expressed interest in specific ideas from both Bernie Sanders and Rand Paul and always seems to bring past historical precedence to the discussion when digesting today's news. His take on Fergusson was illuminating when he brought up the comparisons to the Civil Rights movement of the 60's.
I also listen to our own recordings:

-Half Ashed

(albeit sporadically), usually only when trying to see how a certain conversation or debate came across to the listener. While doing so, I noticed that Kip and I really seem to have a better show when we are listened to at 1.5x the normal speed. I don't know if it's because I have become a casuality of the "More faster" generation of internet users or if it's purely for an actual improvement. All I know is that we sound a lot smarter and some of our radio "informality", let's call it, fades to black when we're sped up. The show seems much tighter.

(more to come. Posting now so I do't lose this)

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kurtdesign1
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Re: Podcasts

Post by kurtdesign1 » Wed Aug 26, 2015 9:33 am

Since I came to this medium from a cigar podcast (Dogwatch Cigar Radio, nee Dogwatch Social Club), I tend to think that I owe it to myself to listen to another cigar podcast on a regular basis. The only other one I subscribe to is:

-Stogie Geeks

I don't love the show but I do find it to be incredibly beneficial. I tend to not relate to Paul. He clearly has recording chops, as he's been doing this for over a decade on multiple shows, but there's something about the way he hosts to which I am not drawn. He doesn't rub me the wrong way like an irrational annoyance, rather I tend to not qualify what he's saying as being words of an expert, rather just the host. The show comes off more as Carson/McMahon or O'Brian/Richter than "Play by Play" and "Color". I don't think shows can have two people doing the same thing as the same personality but I certainly think different personalities can be the yin and yang to hosting (e.g. Bob and Dale). SG at times downplays Will which I think is to its detriment. There may be no finer cigar mind recording today than Will Cooper. He's not the most educated tobacco man but as far as industry goings-on mixed with integrity and a personality, he takes the cake.
Along those lines of a truly well suited podcast host, I have another one that is in a completely opposite vein.

-This American Life

This American Life is a PBS radio show which is also now published as a podcast. They have well over 500 one-hour long episodes that discuss and introduce one aspect of American life, or the life of Americans, and share their specific story in a beautifully narrated manner by host Ira Glass. Ira has it all (if you can tolerate a very specific accent that I recognize some find grinding. psst-- get over it). He introduces the story(ies) each week and then provides a reaction during and afterwards when the segment's individual author seems to come into the studio to discuss it's airing. It's a great accompaniment for a cup of coffee and a cigar on a Sunday morning before Church. I find myself getting lost repeatedly in their stories and looking frantically for the next episode (I've buzzed through probably 50 in 3 months).
This American life also introduced me to my next podcast that I'm sure many of you have heard of. A producer of TAL did a little side project where she followed a decade old court case that was brought to her attention by a concerned individual. It is called:

-Serial

This is the most popular podcast ever produced. Millions of people consumed it on a weekly basis last fall. It follows the story of one particular murder and trial from Maryland at the turn of the Millennium. The focus is that the facts don't all line up. The story is not as simple as the prosecution presented it. It involves untested technologies, eye witness conflicting accounts, potential police tampering, disbarred attorneys and teenage love. If for no other reason you consume this show, you'll feel that it is undoubtedly entertaining. I am reasonably certain that it will pass the time faster than you expect it to. Serial also opened my eyes to not the fact that This American Life isn't just a rewarding podcast but it is also produced by incredibly talented individuals who are, more often than not, in the background. As such, when another TAL producer started up his own podcast I chose to branch out and consume it as well.
Alex Bloomberg was a producer of This American Life and the Co-Founder of the podcast Planet Money. He left them in 2014 to begin his own company producing other podcasts.

-StartUp

is the first podcast produced by Bloomberg's new company and is centered 100% on the creation, or start up, of his company, Gimlet Media. It begins just after he has left his other jobs and follows him as he attempts to bring on investors, business partners, employees, shape the direction of his company/product and eventually leads to the creation of his other shows. The first of which is called

-Reply All

Reply All is a podcast about the internet. It is not a technically focused podcast. It is a podcast that walks the line between technical and pop-culture while still bringing you content that is in line with the storytelling method and outline that Gimlet Media (and also This American Life & Serial) implement. It is a bit "Hipster" but the hosts are extremely likable and the topics are so intriguing that the 25 minute show length never seems quite long enough. I really enjoy the show in almost a "Junk Food" type of way. I'm not gaining real knowledge from it but I always take something away when an episode is finished (YTMND.com is a perfect example of an introduced corner of the internet where you can lose time without even realizing it). I enjoyed Reply All and StartUp so much that when the 3rd podcast from Gimlet was introduced, I started consuming it also. It is called

-Mystery Show

and it is about what it seems: introducing and solving people's mysteries. It starts simply enough. A friend of the show's host tells of a video store where she rented a film 10 years ago that disappeared completely overnight without a trace. When she tried to return the VHS the next day the story was boarded up & all contents had been removed. The host sleuths around to find out the background (and always a rat hole or two) and shares the journey with the listeners. It's never heavy but always home-like. There's something relateable (sp?) to some story from your past that you never could explain.

So, that's it. These are the shows I'm breezing through recently. Some are produced more often than others but all are worthy. Share some of your favorites and any reactions you've had to episodes from the shows you enjoy. I always love hearing other people's thoughts.

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Kip
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Re: Podcasts

Post by Kip » Wed Aug 26, 2015 11:54 am

You know, I can speed up the audio when I render the files if you like. Then we'll sound smarter at normal speed....
White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise....

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jledou
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Re: Podcasts

Post by jledou » Thu Aug 27, 2015 6:49 am

A daily listen for me typically looks like

The Morning Stream - General Nerd and Geekery
Daily Tech News Show - Tech
ESPN Fantasy Focus Baseball and/or Football
CBS Fantasy Baseball

Others include
Half-ashed
Cigar Authority
Blowin Smoke
Current Geek
Science Friday
Freakonomics
You are not so Smart
Science Vs.
All About Android

I listen to everything on at least 1.5X and a lot of them at 2X speed. This general depends on the speaker's voice at the speed.

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IWinchester
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Re: Podcasts

Post by IWinchester » Thu Aug 27, 2015 2:16 pm

I like Welcome to Nightvale. It's 25 mins a show, about a fictional town in the USA that constantly has paranormal activity happening to its citizens, but that is the norm.
"In news, a mysterious glow cloud has appeared over the high school and seems to be forcibly removing all members of the faculty and replacing them with robots. Mrs. Myers would like to remind students that their reports on 'why mountains aren't real' are still due on Tuesday. "

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Zedman05
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Re: Podcasts

Post by Zedman05 » Sat Aug 29, 2015 10:58 pm

I usually have about 7-10 hours a day to listen to podcasts. I love my Beyondpod purchase for this. It updates automatically, and works almost flawlessly. I couldn't ask for much more from it.

-The Joe Rogan Experience.
-Ari Shaffirs Skeptic Tank.
-Bill Burr's Monday Morning Podcast.
-The Fighter and The Kid.
-dan Carlins Hardcore History.
-Half Ashed.
-Stogie Geeks.
-Cigar Authority.
-Cigar Federation.
-Boner City USA.
-Sleek Geeks.
-NYC's Radiolab.
-Irriligiosophy.
-Good Times with Steve Simeone.
-Bertcast with Bert Kreisher.

Too many to list what each are about, but I have narrowed it down over the years. These are the tops. There are a few that are irregulars, but are not mentioned.

Cigar F^iend

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IWinchester
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Re: Podcasts

Post by IWinchester » Mon Aug 31, 2015 4:06 pm

I can definitely vouch for This American Life and Reply All. Both are very fun and interesting

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kurtdesign1
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Re: Podcasts

Post by kurtdesign1 » Tue Sep 01, 2015 8:59 am

I'm trying "Invisibilia" from NPR. It's quite intriguing and in the style of an odd "This American Life". I think I like it.

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Zedman05
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Re: Podcasts

Post by Zedman05 » Wed Sep 02, 2015 8:56 am

I cannot recommend Boner City USA enough....if you like raunchy, filthy commedy. I had never laughed so hard as in the first 5 episodes. Don't blame me if you think it is a bit over the top though, and DEFINITELY don't listen while the kids are around.

Cigar F^iend

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kurtdesign1
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Re: Podcasts

Post by kurtdesign1 » Thu Sep 03, 2015 8:44 am

Zedman05 wrote:I cannot recommend Boner City USA enough....if you like raunchy, filthy commedy. I had never laughed so hard as in the first 5 episodes. Don't blame me if you think it is a bit over the top though, and DEFINITELY don't listen while the kids are around.

Cigar F^iend
This brings up a good point. I laugh at comedians but have absolutely, positively ZERO desire to listen to or watch one. If stand-up routines didn't exist, I would be a happier person. It's a rather strange character trait that I don't fully understand.

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