Muzman on 18/8/2011 at 12:11
So I spend hours each day rendering scant seconds of footage. In my zeal to speed this up I don't run a browser at the same time or much else for that matter. Instead I rely on listening to the modern remnants of radio for my amusement and information.
But there's not enough! My weekly assortment only covers about two days worth. So I need more to drown out the noise in my head the rest of the time. That's where this thread comes in. A place to list all your radio shows, podcasts and whatever else. (there's probably one of these threads already, but I don't care! in that hope that gives me some sort of action man sex appeal)
Here's some of my regulars
(
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/) This American Life
The daddy of them all. Eons of interesting stuff illuminating a people who aren't nearly as fat and stupid as you may have heard, internationals. I know. Amazing, right?
Seriously, if you can't find something interesting in there consider yourself a failure as a brain. The various episodes on the GFC, healthcare reform, oddities of life under Bush and so on are
unmissable. The attention to little out of the way stories that marks the show, and not grand mass media narratives, makes the oversimplification politics and economics tries so hard to achieve completely impossible.
Plus I learned that corrupt New York cops (
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/414/right-to-remain-silent) talk exactly the same as they do in the movies
(
http://www.radiolab.org/)
Radiolab
Kind of This American Life gone geeky and hip. They use a similar thematic format and personal stories but usually tie it to deep philosophical conundrums, psychology and neuroscience.
The production is also kind of insane, filled with broken conversations, overlapping dialogue, leaving in the glitches of microphones being bumped, outtakes and somehow making it work. It's like TAL remixed by Fourtet.
Worth checking out: (
http://www.radiolab.org/2009/sep/07/) Parasites, (
http://www.radiolab.org/2011/jan/25/) Lost & Found <---insanely good.
(
http://monstertalk.skeptic.com/)
MonsterTalk
Irregularly scheduled but flat out awsome. There's often something a little sad and po faced about weeing on ghost hunters and Bigfoot believers, but these folks manage to avoid it. Interviewing people who don't just point out the flaws in weirdo theories but actually try to solve the mystery of what they saw in the first place.
Any time the very sweary Prof Ken Feder appears, (
http://monstertalk.skeptic.com/fee_fi_fo_fum_) you must listen, (
http://monstertalk.skeptic.com/ancient-alien-astronauts-interview-with-ken-feder) seriously
(
http://www.hitfix.com/site/search?q=Firewall+%26+Iceberg)
Firewall and Iceberg
Not particularly exciting, these are a couple of TV critics I enjoy though. Alan Sepinwall is one of the great critical champions of The Wire, which is basically how I've heard of him. They do amusing roundups of trash TV and lengthy break downs of shows like Breaking Bad and Twin Peaks.
(
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00lvdrj)
Kermode and Mayo
Many movie geeks will already know of course. The podcast is sometimes quite different because of scheduling problems. And they have breaks and holidays all to regularly so you're stuck with the annoyingly smug Colin Patterson at the moment. Oh well.
(
http://www.ohnopodcast.com/)
Oh no, it's Ross and Carrie
Kinda new and not long, this pair subject themselves to new age practices and road test religions for your entertainment. This varies from just being professionally ear candled to a 5 month infiltration of the Mormons.
(
http://www.theskepticsguide.org/) Skeptics guide to the Universe
A weekly wrap up of critical thinking failures in the media and elsewhere. It's more Oprah and homeopathy than aliens and ghosts, but they still make it pretty fun.
(
http://www.skepticzone.tv/)
Skepticzone
Kind of the Australian Skeptics Guide to the Universe, recently augmented by peculiar Aus media personality Maynard who interviews all the people you'd think they'd hate from Astrologers to 911 truthers and just lets them speak for themselves. Interesting approach.
You can probably detect a bit of a theme there. I don't have any regular game ones really. I liked Idle Thumbs, but they quit which was annoying. Gamers with jobs is decent, but a bit dull and rarely covers games I care about.
Anyway, more!
madwolf on 18/8/2011 at 12:45
Listening to Kermode and Mayo's weekly squabbles is a treat. I finish work for the week just before they begin and listen on the drive home. Great start to the w/e.
Vernon on 18/8/2011 at 14:07
I dunno why I even listen to (
http://blog.stackoverflow.com/category/podcasts/) these two geeks talking about their phpbb killer, but I do and jesus christ I have to stop it sucks. I was roped in by Jeff Atwood's presence on the show but they repeat themselves a little too much
(
http://thisdeveloperslife.com/) This Developer's Life is vaguely tawdry as well but what do you expect from a couple of smartass software developers. Apparently it is based off the idea behind This American Life. I am going to have to give that a whirl at some point and stop listening to software developers.
Looking forward to more good suggestions because my podcast cup runneth empty, as is clear with my two anti-suggestions above
Matthew on 18/8/2011 at 14:40
Radio 4 is insanely good, even the driest subjects can be fascinating to listen to.
I am officially Old.
CCCToad on 18/8/2011 at 21:17
I'd give you one thumbs up and one down.
Skeptic's Guide to the Universe is quite entertaining, and its a pity I don't get to listen to it nowadays. The only thing wrong with that show is that there's so much out there they can't possibly get to all of it.
However, I'd have to give This American Life a pass. For the most part the remarkable "oddities of life" they cover aren't at all they're cracked up to be. The events they cover are a dime a dozen and stories that the hosts seem fascinated by aren't all that fascinating. Their coverage just isn't that interesting to the stuff you encounter every day if you are either willing to go looking for it or have a diverse social circle in real life.
Also, don't listen to Winning on Wall Stret. My own investments have been successful mostly because I ignored everything he said.
Has anyone else ever listend to (
http://www.cartalk.com/) car talk?
SubJeff on 18/8/2011 at 21:43
Quote Posted by Matthew
Radio 4 is insanely good, even the driest subjects can be fascinating to listen to.
This is the only radio I listen to. If it's not on in my car it's either engine noise, which is nice, or Spotify over the FM transmitter from my phone.
Favourite shows are the News (natch), PM, some of the comedy stuff (though I'm not a huge fan of Just a Minute). But the biggies for me are Any Questions and... The Moral Maze! It's not always good but sometimes it's great.
Muzman, that's an intriguing list. Some of looks up my street. I shall sample.
henke on 5/9/2011 at 17:24
Been meaning to listen to a lot of the stuff mentioned in this thread but haven't gotten around to it. Posting to BUMP THREAD and also add a recommendation:
I've been listening to (
http://www.wtfpod.com/) WTF with Marc Maron lately. Only podcast I've ever listened to so I can't comment on how it compares with others, but I am enjoying it very much. Maron is a stand up comedian and he interviews fellow comedians and showbiz-people in his garage-studio. As you'll notice if you see the guy's act he is very open and sincere, and this I think makes it easier for his interviewees to open up more and be more candid as well. The interviews with (
http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_163_-_conan_obrien) Conan O'Brien and (
http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_165_-_ed_helms) Ed Helms in particular I thought were good. Only the latest 50 episodes are free though, the earlier stuff you need to pay for. Check it out!
Ulukai on 6/9/2011 at 20:20
Quote Posted by Matthew
Radio 4 is insanely good, even the driest subjects can be fascinating to listen to.
Quote Posted by Subjective Effect
This is the only radio I listen to.
I've started listening to Radio 4 only recently, although I tend to find the subject matter either grabs me or leaves me cold with no middle ground. Randomly tuned in when Ross Noble was on a few weeks back which was an awesome alternative to listening to the inane simultaneous clusterfuck of drivel being pumped out by Radio 1, 2 and the local radio station. I think (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y58OT6jlLvE&feature=relmfu) "Swagger Jagger" was partly responsible.
Also, if I accidentally hear 'sally traffic' one more time on Radio 2 it'll be once too many
nickie on 7/9/2011 at 18:50
Quote Posted by Matthew
Radio 4 is insanely good, even the driest subjects can be fascinating to listen to.
I am officially Old.
No, no! Only middle-aged. Truly! :)
Radio 2 when travelling so I can swear at the sanctimonious blah blah Jeremy Vine who really makes my skin crawl. And that other one who sounds like Wogan. The music is more my sort of era though so I relive sort of happy memories. But most favourite now is 5 Live. After, of course, Nicky Campbell has left the building.