Best of November 2015 Part 1 - Freakonomics Radio - Food + Science = Victory!

Freakonomics Radio - Food + Science = Victory!

   How often do you cook? Once a week? Twice? There's been a huge push in the last few years to eat local, cook your own food and eat organic and like everyone else who has a connection to the internet I've been trying to figure out how to eat healthier.
   Starting over half a decade ago, first quitting soda (before I quit smoking even) and moving toward cutting out fast food and eventually into creating home cooked meals and shopping at the local farmer's markets, monitoring what goes into my body has become a full time job. I spend almost as much time learning about how a food is good for you as I do cooking it. With so much information available today even when you get some answers there are other sources that claim the exact opposite.
   Take a look at kale! The push for people to start eating kale was huge the past couple years. I wasn't around when the broccoli heads were still a topic of conversation but I'd imagine this recent kale movement rivals even that. But with a big push to do something comes the push from the exact opposite direction and that push came under the name of cancer. That's right, fresh, raw kale is slightly cancerous. Is that true? I don't know, go google it for an hour and let me know what you find below.
   That's why any well put together podisode about food or nutrition really grabs my attention. Any trustworthy knowledge on these topics can only add to your life in a positive way. I don't want to be the guy who repeats the mantra of the current zeitgeist (or do I?) but it has to be said; Cooking your own food will change your life.
   In this podcast you'll here Kenji López-Alt, the managing culinary director of www.seriouseats.com and science food writer, will be your guide to the world of food science. Then later at the end Jo Robinson comes out with all sorts of fun facts about the food we eat today. She's part of a group that lobbied against Coca-Cola being sold (like, at all) and were known for being critical of the Agricultural Department for saying we should eat white bread instead of whole-grain. These two give some pretty good insights into the world of food so why not see what you can bring from the Freakonomics universe into your own kitchen?

99% Invisible #188 - Fountain Drinks

   Got extra time this week? First of all, HOW!? So many good podcasts have already filled up my queue! However, if you really do want to go back to the beginning of November you should definitely check out the 99% Invisible from the 10th. It's about the first public drinking fountain in London. The date? April 21st, 1859. That's right, not that long ago. Give it a listen!

The Wisest Podcast

   As a bonus for the hardcore listeners of podcasts out there wondering how to make a podcast (how to make a FREE podcast) the right way check out The Wisest. Rhonda Olson had an amazing idea for a show and made it happen. The podcast follows her search for the wisest person alive by referral only. I can't really say much else about it except that I'm 3 episodes in and I'm loving it. Everything from the idea to her interview style jives with what I look for in a podcast. Check it out and let me know what you think below!

Good news for the fans of the Serial Podcast!

   When was the last time a piece of media really changed your life? When was the last time you heard a story that changed how you looked at things? Was that last movie you paid for worth that $12-$20? Did it change your perspective on anything? Has Kim Kardashian ever taught you something over the course of her hour long (42 minute?) show that you took into real life and changed your day to day actions or ideas? 

   Podcasts have been a part of my life for a few years now (and a few before that When I didn't really understand what podcasts were) and over that time I've ingested a lot of useless information. Anyone who thinks every episode of the Joe Rogan Experience is must-hear for all people may just as well be watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Well... Maybe it's not that bad, but it's still a type of fanaticism that would push you to listen to every one of his releases. If I did that I would barely have time for any other podcasts. Certainly not any of the other long-form style podcasts I also listen to. You (and by that I mean, "I") have to look at who the episode is with and maybe listen to the first 10-20 minutes to see if it's going in a direction you'd (I'd) find entertaining/informational/whatever you're (I'm) looking for and make an executive decision as to whether or not you want to push through.  

   For instance, I just stopped an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience with Christopher Ryan after about an hour. Don't get me wrong, I love them both and I especially like when they are together with Duncan Trussell, but I don't have time in my life to listen to Christopher Ryan for 3 hours once or twice a month. That's over a day of my listening life in a year that would go into hearing Joe Rogan and Christopher Ryan bullshitting. Yes, every once in a while they have profound things to talk about but they're fewer and farther in between as time goes on and there is an endless sea of amazing podcasts out there that I want find.  

   Wow, I spent two paragraphs explaining what I didn't want to talk about. None of this was meant to say that Kim and the rest of the Kardashians is useless (though it is what I believe) or that Joe Rogan and Christopher Ryan don't add anything to my life (far from it). What I want to say here, is that some podcasts can change your life. The right person interviewing the right people about the right subject at the right time can change the way people think. Don't believe me? Go listen to The Joe Rogan Experience #670 - Michael A. Wood, Jr. Michael is a retired Baltimore police officer (among other things) and gives his very unique perspective on how the police are part of a system that systematically puts minorities in prison. If you listen to that and don't come out with a very different perspective on the prison system than this is not the blog for you. It's an example of the type of podcast I search for.  

   Now on to my main point. Do you remember my post a few weeks ago about the podcast Serial? If not check it out but for those who don't bother clicking that link the main idea of the podcast is that the interviewer, Sarah Koenig, is delving deep into the murder of Hae Min Lee whose boyfriend Adnan Syed has been in prison for for over a decade. Sarah interviews Adnan, friends of his and Hae's from that time as well as professional investigators and more. The series became immediately one of the most referenced and popular ones out there and for good reason! This real life scenario became an amazing audio drama not just for the characters in the case but for how Sarah Koenig is literally pulled in a million directions as the series went on. You know the type of podcast I told you I search for? Well, every episode of Serial was one of these.  

   I lied. Now onto my point. Check out this article HERE. Normally there's no way I'd ever send you over to Entertainment Weekly unless it was to laugh at how laughable it is but it's worth it. Come back when you're done reading. … … .. . That's right, Adnan is getting a hearing. Turns out that people involved in the case got to hear all the other sides of the story and have spotted multiple discrepancies. Which means, that early next year a judge will hear Adnan's plea to get a new trial.  

   Bam. Proof that podcasts can change the world. I already knew that from the way my thoughts and perception have been altered by listening to fascinating conversations but to see it applied to the real world is a whole 'nother ball game. It made me look at podcasts differently. As if podcasts are more of a tool of social change... 

   Follow me here! The internet revolutionized the way we communicate with one another. It replaced the old world centralized communications in less than 10 years. Next came the Facebook which changed the way we "socialize" digitally as well as curating what information comes to us rather than we hunt it down. Next was Twitter which put the ability share thoughts/images/situations from any person to literally any other person in the world instantly. Now the big thing is Periscope which lets us broadcast our experiences in real time to anyone who bothers to watch. All of these things are tools for society. Facebook to reorganize our more "local" groups of friends as well as communities, Twitter to make anyone on the planet available to you and Periscope to make any injustice (or asshole) visible to the whole world (among other uses I'm sure...).  

   What if podcasts are the next step? I know podcasts aren't exactly new tech but what if we're using it wrong? What if it is another tool we can use for social change? What if we're already using them in that way naturally?  

   Well I know I am. I believe podcasts are the starting of a new way to learn. Instead of waiting to get to high school to learn about astrophysics kids can just listen to StarTalk Radio with Neil deGrasse Tyson. Want to know more about insects? Find an insect podcast. I enjoy etymology so I listen to The Allusionist. Every time I find a new interest I seek podcasts about that subject. Even if I don't find a whole podcast series dedicated to it there's always at least one podisode somewhere with an expert on the topic, even if I have to search weeks to find it.  

   Anyway, I just wanted to share the update with Adnan because a possibly innocent man may get a second chance at freedom. And it's all because of the amazing creators over at the Serial Podcast. Bravo to the people behind the podcast and good luck Adnan. I'll be patiently awaiting the next season to see how your prep goes. 

   PS I will be posting the best podcast of the first half of November soon. A lot of good looking episodes came out in the past few days and I want to be fair. Check back around Monday. Until then let me know what your thoughts are on the Adnan hearing, or about Serial, or even about podcasts in general below! You could also go check out who won the best podcasts for October (part 1 & part 2)!

Best of October 2015 Part 2 - The Joe Rogan Experience #712 Wim Hof

   Okay so consistency is not my thing. This is obvious. I'm not going to apologize either. If someone wanted me to post something sooner they would have asked (or bitched about it) but you didn't. So I'm doing this on my time. You know what? I'm not even going to try very hard either. It wasn't the best time for great podcasts anyway so I'm going to give you a brief introduction to the best one I heard and I guess point you in the right direction for some other above average entertainment.

The Joe Rogan Experience #712 Wim Hof

   It wasn't exactly a competitive half month for podcasts but even if it was this would be in the running. The Iceman himself comes to the JRE to talk to Joe about his breathing technique, life philosophy and many other random things. The most important take away from this is how amazing the human body is and how easy it is to become "superhuman". Wim Hof goes into detail about how his breathing technique works and explains how deep breathing (or over oxygenating your body) literally changes your chemistry. Anyone who has meditated regularly knows this to be true. After a few minutes of deep breaths your entire mindset shifts. Add in the rule in this technique about breathing in more than you're breathing out and you will feel very different in less than a couple minutes. Totally worth your time.
   BONUS! Check out the VICE documentary about the Iceman. It shows his... training camp? Cultist training center? Group meditative ceremony? It's all in how you look at it. Either way it's a very eye opening piece.

StartUp #15 - Married To Your Business

   Ready for me to point you to another quality podcast? Well, if you haven't listened to StartUp before, now's a great time to go back and catch up. StartUp is a podcast about what it takes to start a business. More specifically, a media company that produces podcasts for season 1 and a look at what it takes to start a online dating company for season 2. It's hard not to get pulled into the world of Gimlet Media. To be honest I started listening early on because I had the same idea. In fact I'm still working on the same idea over at www.sparkfeedmedia.com, where I slowly work on starting a podcast company. The crew over at Gimlet works very hard to put out high quality and entertaining media and have been one of my main sources of inspiration in my own work. Even here!
   This episode is the start of a mini season interlude between seasons 2 and 3 where we go back to the main focus of season 1; Gimlet Media itself. Between the end of season 1 and the end of season 2 there was a lot left in the air as far as how the company was doing so it's nice to see behind the scenes once more.

Best of October 2015 Part 1 - ReplyAll #42 Blind Spot

   It was another good week in the podisphere. I was worried during the first 7 days. Could I really have a week where there was no podcast that would rise above the rest? I mean, nothing was particularly bad but... at the same time I couldn't honestly recommend any of them. If I can't imagine myself telling anyone in person I can't bring it here so what would I do then?
   Then BAM Radiolab drops a damn entertaining audio. Then a couple days past... And again, BAM ReplyAll comes in snakes the win right out of Jad's hands. Sorry boys over at WNYC, Gimlet takes the win for October.

ReplyAll - #42 Blind Spot

   Okay, yes. I will admit I have a skewed perspective on a certain aspect of this story. I wont say which because the narrative of the story is much better without knowing.
   It follows the story of Hope. A photographer who has strange migraines that pretty much disable her in the worst of ways and has absolutely zero luck finding out what is happening to her. Doctor after doctor passes it off as nothing while she gets worse and worse. She creates a journal tracking her symptoms and lengths of time in pain/blind only to have it dismissed.
   This story is very well done so I wont spoil anything. But! I will say there is more to this story that I'm not going to go into because they've hinted at having a second part to this podisode. I'm not sure if they're going in the direction I'm thinking but I don't want to jump on them before then.

Radiolab - Smile My Ass

   Another amazing podisode from Radiolab! In this one the WNYC team goes behind the origins of the phrase "Smile! You're on candid camera!" At this point the newest generations may or may not have ever heard it but I know I did. The 90's were the last time I last heard it used in a hidden camera show and ever since then it's been referenced every once in a while in TV and movies. After you listen to Gimlet's newest release from ReplyAll make sure to go snag this one.



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Best of September 2015 Part 2 - Love + Radio - A Red Dot

   The end of September 2015 had a podcast that has finally done something I've been waiting for. It's the type of podcast that really pulled me into the world of podcasting. In fact, I'm over a week late because I don't even know how to introduce such a grand piece of art (no, not really), so I decided to would just clumsily spit it out.

Love + Radio - A Red Dot

   A Red Dot is an interview with a registered citizen. I guess this is the new politically correct term we are supposed to use when referring to a registered sex offender because Frank is a registered sex offender. Now, it's not that I'm particularly interested in sex offenders but with the kind of deep dive interviews podcasts tend to produce it's always been hard to not to imagine what this would be like.
   Now, Frank isn't just going over what his life is like. Well, yes, he's mostly doing this, but he has his own agenda he's pushing forward as well. Frank is an advocate for the for the rights of these registered citizens. It's definitely not what I was imagining in my head but they got the perfect man for the job. He makes the obvious point amount how an 18 year old can sleep with a 17 year old being considered rape even it was consensual. If the parents don't like the situation, the kid, or are just going on a power trip, they can pretty much end the kids life.
   As far as registered citizen rights that's about as far as that goes. It's always been somewhat obvious that each of these cases should be handled on a case by case basis. There's no way that 18 year old needs to be on the list for the rest of his life, but with the problems we have with our unregistered citizens (race, sex, class, religious, etc...) and the complete disdain from a majority of the global population it's hard to see any of that coming soon.
   The best part of this podcast is listening to the interview play out. There's a particularly salty palpable tension in the room you can hear through the headphones. This is consistent even through the long sections that just have Frank talking. You even get to hear him blow his top and take several smoke breaks. It's exactly what I always wanted from this interview.
   In no way can I talk more about this. I've already spilled too much and the way this podisode of Love + Radio plays out is all part of the thrill of it. Head over there now and take a listen to this piece of art.

The Joe Rogan Experience #702 - Milo Yiannopoulos

   I'm not going to bother writing out a bunch of other podcasts from this time. There are too many new ones to listen to and share to bother going back in time. I will say that this JRE is very much along the same lines but instead of thick heavy tension it's more aggressive. This Milo character is very controversial (as any basic google search will show you) and while I don't agree with everything he says, he does bring up a lot of good points along the lines of radical feminist culture silencing men. That is, before the last 45 minutes where things get weird.

   That's all for now. If I'm keeping track of things correctly I believe I have another post due on Friday. We'll see if the week allows the time for it but I make no promises. Besides, it's not like I have any regular readers to keep happy right?