Welcome to Podcast Friday!, a weekly compilation of some of the more interesting podcasts from around the web, listed right here for your listening pleasure!
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All Songs Considered from NPR
Bands That Should Be Bigger (Tuesday, November 20, 2012) — The halls of music history are littered with bands that should have made it big, but never did. Maybe they put out a couple of amazing records and you feel like you’re the only person on the planet who appreciated them. Or maybe they’re still trying, and you’re holding out hope, along with the band, that that big break will finally come. We recently asked listeners to tell us their picks for bands that should be way bigger than they are and we were surprised by how many we didn’t know. On this edition of All Songs Considered, we share some of the discoveries we made, along with some of our own candidates for bands that should be bigger.
Book Reviews from The New York Times
Book Review Podcast (Thursday, November 22, 2012) — This week, Andrew Solomon discusses Far From the Tree; Leslie Kaufman has notes from the field; John Schwartz talks about recording his own audiobook; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Sam Tanenhaus is the host.
Books Podcast from NPR
NPR: 11-15-2012 Books (Thursday, November 15, 2012) — Stories this week: 1) ‘Round House,’ ‘Forevers’ Win National Book Awards 2) ‘Antidote’ Prescribes A ‘Negative Path To Happiness’ 3) ‘Testament Of Mary’ Gives Fiery Voice To The Virgin 4) Ian McEwan’s ‘Sweet Tooth’ Leaves A Sour Taste 5) Philip Pullman Rewrites The Brothers Grimm
Brain Stuff from HowStuffWorks.com
Securing Your Wifi Router (Friday, November 23, 2012) — Is it possible to get arrested for downloading illegal material even if you never download it yourself? Yes: When someone else logs onto your unprotected wifi, they can make a clean getaway while you get stuck with the blame. Tune in to learn more.
How does a CB radio antenna work? (Wednesday, November 21, 2012) — A citizens band (CB) radio is often used by truck drivers to communicate while on the road, but how does it work? Marshall Brain gives a detailed explanation of how a CB radio’s antenna works in this episode.
How do flies breathe? (Monday, November 19, 2012) — Insects like flies have a very different respiratory system than we do. Learn more about how flies and insects breathe in this episode.
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
Giving Thanks, Global Style (Friday, November 23, 2012) — In this episode, Rachel and Kathryn explore the origins of harvest festivals. Highlights include American Thanksgiving, Kwanzaa, Sukkot and more. Tune in to find out what a “Pearly King and Queen” is and what it has to do with harvests.
Culturetopia from NPR
Out Of Season Entertainment And A TV Quiz (Friday, November 23, 2012) — This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR’s Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson and Trey Graham are joined by producer and first-time guest Jess Gitner to talk about holiday-themed entertainment they happily consume ANY time of year. Among their favorites, ‘Love Actually’ and music by Sufjan Stevens. Also, Linda concocts a quiz on holiday television. All that plus, What’s Making Us Happy this week, including ‘My Fair Lady,’ Swedish film ‘Kyss Mig (Kiss Me)’ and a ‘Bob’s Burger’ cover by The National.
Film Junk
Episode 394: Lincoln (Tuesday, November 20, 2012) — We lobby for Lincoln and discuss the Oz: The Great and Powerful trailer, plus the Splinter Cell movie, Step Up to the Plate, In Bruges, Recount and The Amazing Spider-Man.
Freakonomics Radio
I Consult, Therefore I Am (Wednesday, November 21, 2012) — There are enough management consultants these days to form a small nation. But what do they actually do? And does it work?
PopStuff from HowStuffWorks.com
Turkey Day Dinner and the Culture of Consumption (Wednesday, November 21, 2012) — Gobble gobble! As the U.S. Thanksgiving celebration approaches, Tracy and Holly are ready to talk turkey. And stuffing, and gravy, and all the other delicious things that land on the table on this very food-o-riffic holiday.
How to Build a Gay Character for TV (Monday, November 19, 2012) — The television landscape is becoming more diverse, and that includes more storylines about LGBT characters. But how many of these characters are based on stereotypes, and how well do they represent the community?
Science Talk from Scientific American
David Quammen: The Spillover of Animal Infections to Humans (Sunday, November 18, 2012) — David Quammen talks about his latest book, Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic. From his Web site: “The next big and murderous human pandemic, the one that kills us in millions, will be caused by a new disease–new to humans, anyway. The bug that’s responsible will be strange, unfamiliar, but it won’t come from outer space. Odds are that the killer pathogen–most likely a virus–will spill over into humans from a nonhuman animal.”
Sound Opinions
The 2012 Sound Opinions Turkey Shoot (Sunday, November 18, 2012) — With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s time for Jim and Greg to take aim at the year’s biggest musical turkeys. They run down 2012’s biggest musical disappointments in our annual Turkey Shoot. And later, they review the new record from Oakland-based agit-rappers The Coup.
Stuff To Blow Your Mind from HowStuffWorks.com
The Science of Comfort (Thursday, November 22, 2012) — What does comfort mean to you? Thanksgiving dinner? A cup of tomato soup and a warm blanket? In this episode, Julie and Robert examine the particulars of comfort, why we crave it and what happens when we have too much of a good thing.
We Are All Scientists (Tuesday, November 20, 2012) — While it might not feel like it, humans were born to crunch numbers, engineer solutions and scientifically evaluate the world. Join Robert and Julie as they discuss the research on our inborn abilities and how science is ultimately a part of who we are.
Stuff You Missed in History Class from HowStuffWorks.com
Gertrude Bell: The Uncrowned Queen of Iraq (Monday, November 19, 2012) — Gertrude Bell was the first woman to graduate with a First in Modern History from Oxford. Instead of marrying young, she went to Persia. Inspired, she traveled across the Middle East on numerous exploratory treks. But would it last in a time of war?
Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com
Philanthropy: Humankind and Loving It (Thursday, November 22, 2012) — Sure the fatcats get all the credit for donating millions, but did you know US households making $20,000 or less contribute the highest percentage of their income to charity? Learn more (not to mention a sexy look at the U.S. tax code) in this episode.
Should we be designing our children? (Tuesday, November 20, 2012) — In 2009, a fertility clinic controversially offered parents the ability to customize their children. How will society take the idea of designing children? Do we have a moral obligation to design better people? Join Josh and Chuck for this heavy episode.
WNYC’s Radiolab
Inheritance (Monday, November 19, 2012) — Once a kid is born, their genetic fate is pretty much sealed. Or is it? This hour, we put nature and nurture on a collision course and discover how outside forces can find a way inside us, shaping not just our hearts and minds, but the basic biological blueprint that we pass on to future generations.