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the personal site of eric a. Farris
Here are the podcasts I’m currently subscribed to through iTunes:
Though I’m no fan of bluegrass, the podcast is pretty funny. And short, like this description. Comes out sporadically, usually about 5 minutes long. In the list of podcasts for the Jeep.
Merlin Mann of the awesome productivity website 43 Folders rambles on about topics he’s posted to the website. The podcast comes out sporadically, and is usually pretty short. Also one I listen to while commuting.
Garrison Keillor’s daily podcast is a sort of ‘this day in writing and poetry.’ Always soothing and mellow, Keillor’s podcast is sadly sometimes the best thing about my day. Usually right around 5 minutes long. Queued up via Applescript first thing in the morning.
While I’m not a particular fan of sci-fi, I am a fan of Cory Doctorow, and, in this podcast, usually under 20 minutes, he reads some of his own work, often times works in progress. Enjoyable. Comes out sporadically. It’s in my commuting list.
Brian Ibbot’s podcast of cover songs. Usually under an hour. Brian has a tremendous knowledge of popular music and music history, and isn’t afraid to use it. You’ll hear some real gems on here, as well as some duds. Queued up via Applescript to play over my lunch breaks on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Comes out 2-3 times a week.
A part of the TWiT podcast network, Leo Laporte and Dick DeBartolo go over some nifty, usually tech, gadget every weekday. Dick is a writer for MAD Magazine, so you know he’s going to be funny, and he’s very funny. The two have a good back-and-forth, and Dick’s stories of days at MAD and when he was writing for old game shows are very entertaining. Comes out every week day and is usually 10-20 minutes long. Queued up via Applescript to play after 9:00 in the morning. Sometimes if they don’t come out in time I’ll re-queue for before bed.
I’m so happy that Pardon The Interruption is available as a podcast. While you don’t get to see Mike and Tony’s expressions or role play faces, or costumes, or the penguin dance, it is the banter and bickering between the two that keeps the show great. I often miss the broadcasts of the show on ESPN, so the podcast is how I get it most times. Usually 22 minutes long, and comes out most every weekday, though it seems at different times. If it’s out before I go to bed, I queue it up manually to listen to at night. Otherwise, it waits until the next day at work. The link to the podcast is for all ESPN’s podcasts. I subscribed to it via the iTunes Music Store.
Another TWiT podcast, this time Leo and Chris DiBona talk Free, Libre, and Open Source Software (FLOSS). They’re interviewing some of the biggest names in the FLOSS movement, including Python creator Guido vanRossum, Jimmy Wales, Randal Schwartz, and Rasmus Lerdorf. Occasionally Chris gets sidetracked, but it’s an entertaining and informative podcast. Usually under an hour. Comes out every few weeks (not truly weekly like the name). Part of the commuting podcast list for me.
Lullabot is one of the top commercial companies dealing with Drupal, and the four key members, Jeff, Matt, Ted, and Angie, put out a podcast every so often about what’s new in Drupal Land. It’s of questionable quality at times, but they’re funny and don’t make any claims that it’s a professionally produced podcast (it shows). Still, good to listen to. Usually 30-40 minutes long, comes out sporadically. One of the podcasts I listen to while commuting in the Jeep.
Derek Warren reads from , a great site set up by Andy Hertzfeld on the early days of the Apple Macintosh computer. Those are great stories, before the computer industry became an industry, and was still little more than hobbyists doing what they love. Usually under 5 minutes long, comes out sporadically. Part of my commuter list.
Pretty much self explanatory. It’s a five-minute news summary that is released every hour. This podcast is what got me started fooling around with using Applescript to . Comes out hourly, about 5 minutes long. Queued up to play on the half-hour during work hours.
Run by the , this podcast deals with secular humanism and overcoming superstitions and religions through rational thought and reason. Usually an interview of a prominent secular humanist about a new book or program, but occasionally has great speeches by some of the great rational thinkers of our day including Paul Kurtz, James Randi, and Derek Araujo. Usually under an hour long, and comes out weekly. Part of my commuting list.
An NPR-produced podcast taken from the Friday afternoon radio show. The topics are usually interesting, the guests are usually superb, and the conversation usually though-provoking. Three to four episodes come out every Friday, some under ten minutes, some over 50. Part of my commuter list, though, if things get backed up, I’ll queue them up manually throughout the day.
Another of the TWiT family of podcasts, this time Leo and renowned (and infamous) security researcher Steve Gibson talk about network security. Steve is a fair teacher, making complicated things easier to understand, at least within the confines of a podcast; however, his incessant fear-mongering leaves a bad taste in my mouth at times. Nevertheless, I usually come away from the podcast with at least one thing new learned or to try, or a better understanding of how things work than I had before. Comes out every Thursday, usually about 50 minutes long. Part of my commuting list.
This married couple, a Pagan and a recovering Christian, ramble on for 30 minutes or so every weekday about various topics from their farmhouse in rural Wisconsin. They’re often gross, usually raunchy, and always funny. There’s a lot of running gags in the show, and occasionally it gets a bit self-referential, which, I think, is part of its appeal. Comes out about every weekday, about 30 minutes long. Part of my commuter list. Though I’ll occasionally get behind in them, they’re definitely not safe for work, so sometimes I’ve got lots of them to play in the Jeep.
Little snippets of fake news from some of the funniest people around, the editors of . Queued up to run every two hours. Comes out sporadically, usually under 5 minutes long.
No, not the real one. (ewwww.) This is a fake one from the folks at . Sometimes it’s pretty darn funny, though the guy doesn’t do the best GWB impression. Usually comes out on Saturday, about 3 minutes long. I have it queued up via AppleScript for Tuesday mornings.
Jonathan Coulton’s (usually) weekly podcast of a new song. Coulton’s songs are usually kinda geeky, folksy rock; sometimes he hits, sometimes he misses. Usually about 5 minutes long, comes out mostly weekly. Part of my commuting list.
The flagship podcast of the TWiT network. Leo brings his old buddies together (like John C. Dvorak, Alex Lindsay, and Robert Herron) and they chat up the latest news in technology. Occasionally hard to listen to, but most often very enjoyable. Sometimes he’ll have guests on like Cory Doctorow, Steve Wozniak (who may not be back), and Jerry Pournelle, to varying degrees of success. Usually under 90 minutes long, comes out on Sundays. Part of my commuter list, and I bump it to the top of the list when it comes out.