It’s a very special holiday edition of the CA Library blog, featuring a Very Merry Podcast Friday! Each week we’ll compile some of the more interesting podcasts from around the web and list them right here for your listening pleasure!
This page features the Yahoo! WebPlayer, an easy way to bring audio and video into a website. All the podcasts listed below will open and play in the WebPlayer automatically. Cool!
Bits: Tech Talk from The New York Times
Politics in Your Pocket and Music in the Air (December 15, 2011) — Sarah Wheaton and Jonathan Ellis of The Times discuss the new Election 2012 app for the iPhone, and Pedro Rafael Rosado takes a look at AirPlay gear for wirelessly streaming media.
Book Reviews from The New York Times
The life and inventions of Hedy Lamarr and a sequel to “Pride and Prejudice” (December 16, 2011) — This week, composer John Adams on Richard Rhodes’s book, “Hedy’s Folly”, about the life and inventions of Hedy Lamarr; Liesl Schillinger discusses “Death Comes to Pemberley”, P.D. James’s sequel to “Pride and Prejudice”; Julie Bosman has notes from the field; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Sam Tanenhaus is the host.
Brain Stuff from HowStuffWorks.com
Which 4G services are available in the U.S. today? (December 21, 2011) — If you have a smart phone, you may be interested in 4G service for the data you receive. But which services are available, and which one will suit your needs? Listen in as Marshall Brain breaks down the differences between 4G services.
Why is a cell phone called a cell phone? (December 19, 2011) — Cellular phone systems divide areas of coverage into “cells,” hence the name. But how do they actually work? Listen in as Marshall Brain breaks down the nuts and bolts of cell phone systems in this episode.
What does a modern smart house look like? (December 16, 2011) — What makes a “smart” house so smart? These high-tech houses intelligently use resources and are responsive to the needs and habits of their occupants. Tune in to learn more.
Culturetopia from NPR
Culturetopia: Swearing And Songwriting Edition (December 21, 2011) — This week on Culturetopia: Bill T. Jones on a winter song that haunts him; a Minneapolis rapper finds hip-hop roots in poetry and jazz; Canadian guitarist Cam Penner
Pop Culture Happy Hour: Our Fearless Predictions For 2012 (December 16, 2011) — This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See’s Linda Holmes, Trey Graham, Stephen Thompson, and Glen Weldon make their big predictions for 2012. Plus What’s Making Us Happy this week.
Music Popcast from The New York Times
Memorable Songs of 2011 (December 22, 2011) — This week Ben Ratliff, Jon Pareles and Nate Chinen discuss some of the most memorable songs of 2011.
NOVA on PBS
In Defense of Pluto (Tuesday, December 13, 2011) — After Pluto was discovered in 1930, it enjoyed the title of planet for more than 75 years. But in 2006, that all changed. At a meeting in Prague, the International Astronomical Union adopted a new definition for planethood, leaving the solar system with only eight planets. But not everyone agrees with its decision. In this podcast, planetary scientist Alan Stern talks to us about Pluto’s demotion, and why he thinks it should be back on list of planets.
PopStuff
PopStuff’s Pop Culture Wishlist (December 21, 2011) — Are you wracking your brain trying to come up with the perfect gift for the PopStuff gals? Tracy and Holly have compiled fairly comprehensive lists of what geeks are hoping to find under the tree Christmas morning.
PopStuff’s Holiday Favorites (December 19, 2011) — It’s the most wonderful time of the year … for entertainment! The Oscar contenders come out to play, and the television schedule is full of holiday programming. What are Tracy and Holly eager to watch this year?
Stuff To Blow Your Mind
Sunken Dangers (December 22, 2011) — What mysteries rest at the bottom of the sea? Which embody nature’s diversity? Which tell the tale of humanity’s darker side? In this episode, Robert and Julie look to the vessels lost beneath the waves, and the things that linger in their rusting hearts.
Spontaneous Human Combustion (December 20, 2011) — Do people really just go up in flames? Do grannies really flare up like roman candles in their rockers and is there anything in science that explains why a middle-aged bachelor might burn down to his sneakers without warning? In this episode, Julie and Robert enter the dubious world of spontaneous human combustion. Where does the science end and the nonsense begin?
Stuff You Missed in History Class
The Christmas Truce (December 21, 2011) — During the first Christmas of World War I, British and German soldiers laid down their weapons and celebrated the holiday together. They sang carols, traded insignia and buried their dead. How did the truce start, and why didn’t it happen again?
The Halifax Explosion (December 19, 2011) — The Halifax Explosion was one of history’s worst man-made, non-nuclear explosions. The disaster killed about 2,000 people, and part of the city was completely leveled. So how and when did Halifax begin to rebuild? Tune in to find out.
Stuff You Should Know
Josh and Chuck’s Christmas Extravaganza (December 22, 2011) — Have you ever wondered why the poinsettia is the official plant of Christmas or why we hang stockings by the chimney with care? Join Chuck and Josh for this very special Christmas episode. Who knows, maybe even St. Nick will make an appearance (he doesn’t).
How Pepper Spray Works (December 20, 2011) — Lt. John Pike of the Davis, Calif., police department brought the wrath of the Internet on himself when he casually doused peaceful protestors with pepper spray. Find out what was in the can in this eye-watering episode of Stuff You Should Know.