Tuesday, March 11, 2008

List #11: Podcasts that I enjoy

With all the traveling I do, my iPod keeps me sane. I enjoy listening to audio-books and also downloaded news, music and fiction programs.

1. Escape Pod - one of my favorite programs, with new science fiction short stories every week. They also have some affiliate programs - horror stories on Pseudopod and the soon to be launched fantasy program, Podcastle.

2. BBC has a whole bunch of great feeds - I download the two daily news programs on Global News Hour from BBC's World News Service, plus 'From our Correspondent' and documentaries. Check out their podcasts page. They even have football news in Mandarin; wish I could understand Mandarin.

3. I love science, especially astronomy. Astronomy Cast has a great weekly podcast. This past week, the topic is "How Big is the Universe?"

4. Quirks and Quarks, presented by the CBC is another fun listen.

5. When I lived in the US, I listened to National Public Radio all the time. When I moved to Asia, I had to deal with the loss of my main addiction. For a while, Audible had the programs, "All Things Considered" and "Morning Edition" but they stopped offering these downloads (apparently copyright stuff) and I listen to past programs when I have a broadband conncetion. However, NPR offers many podcasts such as NPR Books, NPR Science and Health, Story of the Day and World Story of the Day, all of which make me very happy.

6. NYU has a Wagner Public Service podcast is a recording of the school's speakers program which explores different aspects of social issues, such as their "Conflict, Security and Development" series, which is very thought-provoking.

7. Podrunneris a great podcast for exercise music. DJ Steve Boyett puts together mixes in various speeds that stimulate any intensity of travel, from walking to fast runs. There's a new intervals podcast as well as groovelectric, with a R&B and Motown flavor. I read some time ago that running or exercising to music does help to keep you going.

8. Lifehack has a podcast. I often look at the blog to get ideas on making my team work more effectively.

9. Since I also try to write science fiction, a few writers podcasts that I enjoy. Writers on Writing has interviews with writers; I just listened to an interview with Ursula Hegi that I found very inspiring. Writing Challenges, from the University of Warwick, has thoughtful ideas on approaching writing. The Odyssey Writing Workshop has selections from their annual writers' workshops. All good podcasts presenting thoughts on the nature of writing.

10. And one of the best podcasts is Science Talk, a weekly series from Scientific American. They present interesting interviews from people who wrote the feature stories in the magazine plus the funniest quiz show called "Totally Bogus."

There are lots lots more. Podcasts, which you can probably say is another child of globalization, help me keep my mind active while traveling!


Most of these programs can be accessed by iTunes, so all you have to do is search podcasts in the iTunes music store, or subscribe on the websites by clicking the iTunes button and everything is set.

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