Podcasts of note

Internet, how do I love thee? One of the ways near the top of my list is the elimination of much of the old time/space continuum; I no longer have to make a date with my radio or tv to listen to a program I enjoy. Ten years ago, I was struggling with a couple of VCRs, five years ago it was TIVOs; now there are many avenues to get television content and lwatch it when I have the time and interest. I also tend to take a few more risks, knowing if something didn't quite live up to how interesting it was supposed to be, I can simply hit delete. Even good old Netflix makes it much easier, now that much of their library is digitized for streaming.

Radio was never quite as easy, which is a shame, since it is in many ways a more dynamic medium. I have a few programs like Radio Lover that allow me to schedule recordings of favorite online programs, but I have to be careful to get the settings just right, and it still involves a lot of steps.

But the dynamics have changed, now that podcasts have reached maturity. If a program interests me, and is available as a podcast, I can tell iTunes to automatically get it for me. Some programs I never miss, and record all episodes, while with others I may just update the titles of new episodes, and grab the ones I want.

The only problem I have is how to support them; this is something yet to be worked out. The best thing to do now is to simply make a donation to the stations originating them.

Here is a list of some of my favorites, maybe a few will be new to you:

• Tank Riot - a couple of wisenheimers commenting on popular culture, along the lines of MST3K, but with more intellect. Listen to their Jerry Lewis episode and prepare to be amazed at what you didn't know about the auteur of The Day the Clown Cried. Fantastic stuff!
• Stuff You should Know - a spinoff of How Stuff Works, they answer such imponderables as can quicksand kill you and how flamethrowers work (my favorite episode so far).
• Fresh Air - superb interviews by Terry Gross, the best in the business. Very nice to be able to listen to this whenever I want to.
• Lullabot - not to be missed if you are in the world of Drupal development. Informative interviews and opinions from the smartest kids in the room.
• The News from Lake Wobegon - the cream of A Prairie Home Companion; even if the rest of the program isn't your cup of tea, you can't beat the gentle ruminations of America's greatest humorist, garrison Keillor.
• Vinyl Cafe - and if you like Lake Wobegon, you're in for a treat; Stuart McLean is also a great storyteller and humorist. This program originates from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and celebrates the music and humor of our neighbors to the north, in a very whimsical way. Not many Americans seem to be aware of this treasure, wel worth listening to.
• Leonard Lopate Show - calm, intellectual, and with a very wide range of guests and topics, this is as good as radio gets. WNYC has done us a great service by making this available. He never talks down or hypes things, and brings out the very best of his guests.
• A Way with Words - a weekly discussion show about the origins of words and our ever-evolving language. Fun and interesting, not mention the way it will expand your vocabulary.
• Hearing Voices - an amalgamation of some of the best short-form radio pieces you'll ever hear.
• On the Media - a superb bit of media criticism, edited by WNYC's Brooke Gladstone. If you want to know how media works, how decisions are made, and lots of insider stories, this is a great place.
• This American Life - Ira Glass and team assemble some great storeies each week around a common theme; oh, the humanity!
• Radiolab - stories of a scientific nature; very understandable, interesting, and usually fun.
• Selected Shorts - new and classic short stories, read by terrific actors.
• Wait Wait Don't tell Me - Peter Sagal and Carl Kasell host a witty, post-modern radio quiz - perfect for road trips.