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
This Week’s Picks: The Mynabirds, St. Vincent, Fiona Apple And More (Tuesday, April 24, 2012) — Okay, who let Bob Boilen have a book of “rock ‘n’ roll” baby names? The damage is done, and he’s discovered that people named “Bob” are “beloved weirdos.” This revelation led Bob and Robin on a trip to find a few of their favorite “beloved weirdos” who are making great music today. St. Vincent’s Annie Clark is one (emphasis on the “beloved” and creative side), with her continuous quest to craft denser, darker rock songs. Clark’s new song, “GROT” — the B-side to her Record Store Day single — mixes wordless, haunting vocals with aggressive blasts of guitars and drums to create a beautiful clash of harmony and noise. Also on this week’s show: Fiona Apple just released her first new song in seven years and we’ve got it. “Every Single Night” is a highly detailed, orchestral imagining of her own creative process; The Mynabirds’ members get political with the fierce, stomping cut “Generals”; a sneak preview of the brooding, epic new full-length from Exitmusic; and Fenster crafts dreamy bedroom pop with “White to Red.”
Book Reviews from The New York Times
Book Review Podcast (Friday, April 27, 2012) — This week, Nell Freudenberger discusses The Newlyweds, her new novel; Julie Bosman has notes from the field; T. M. Luhrmann talks about how evangelical Christians relate to God; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Sam Tanenhaus is the host.
Books Podcast from NPR
A Screwball Parisian Adventure, Books On Writing Well, Teens Behaving Badly, more (Monday, April 23, 2012) — 1) Hellbent For Living: A Screwball Parisian Adventure — 2) Jargon To Jabberwocky: 3 Books On Writing Well — 3) The Wrong Crowd: A Tale Of Teens Behaving Badly — 4) 3 Books To Whisk You Away — 5) The Amazing, Untrue Story Of A Sept. 11 Survivor — 6) ‘Heretics’: The Crisis Of American Christianity
Brain Stuff from HowStuffWorks.com
How do you add a USB device if you’ve run out of ports? (Friday, April 27, 2012) — Desktop computers and laptops only have so many USB ports, so what do you do when you want to plug in more USB devices and they’re all full? You buy a USB hub. Find out how these hubs work, and which kind you should get, in this episode of BrainStuff.
How does a credit card’s magnetic stripe work? (Wednesday, April 25, 2012) — The magnetic stripe on the back of the card plays a key role in transactions made by credit card. Learn more about how these “mag stripes” work in this episode of BrainStuff.
What is an autograph worth? (Monday, April 23, 2012) — An autograph is a famous person’s signature, but what determines how valuable it is? Marshall Brain discusses the relative value of autographs — and what you can do to increase the value of your own signature.
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
On Location (Friday, April 27, 2012) — Ever watched a movie and become so entraced by the scenery that you started to wonder where it was filmed? That’s what we’re exploring today. We’ll be traveling to England, New Zealand and the U.S.A, learning about the scenery in countless blockbusters.
Culturetopia from NPR
Pop Culture Happy Hour: ‘Veep’ Talk And Spoilery ‘Cabin In The Woods’ Chatter (Friday, April 27, 2012) — This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See’s Linda Holmes is joined by Glen Weldon, Trey Graham and Stephen Thompson for a chat about the Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard horror movie ‘Cabin In The Woods,’ and as expected, they inevitably spoil some of the films plot twists, so beware if you have not seen it! The gang also talks about HBO’s ‘Veep,’ the political satire starring Julia Louie Dreyfus as a fictional vice president. All that plus What’s Making Us Happy.
Film Junk
Episode 366: Lockout (Monday, April 23, 2012) — We get trapped watching Lockout and discuss the Magic Mike trailer, plus The Three Stooges, Birth, Escape from L.A., The Conversation and Girls.
PopStuff from HowStuffWorks.com
The PAX East Episode (Wednesday, April 25, 2012) — Concerts, exhibits, panels — the Penny Arcade Expo has become a huge show for all things geek, but it remains a gaming paradise. Tracy shares her experiences from this year’s PAX East, and her enchantment with the many independent games she saw there.
Crazy Pet People (Monday, April 23, 2012) — Some people think of pets as their children, while others think that’s ridiculous. Spending on pets has dipped slightly in the recent past, but why? There’s also talk of rescue organizations and whether or not it’s OK to put clothes on your furry friends.
Science Talk from Scientific American
Killer Chimps and Funny Feet: Report from the AAPA Conference (Friday, April 27, 2012) — Scientific American editor Kate Wong talks about the recent conference of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists in Portland, Oregon, where subjects included killer chimps, unprecented fossil sharing among researchers and divergent hominid foot forms.
Getting Guinea Worm Gone: Report from the AHCJ Conference (Thursday, April 26, 2012) — Scientific American editor Christine Gorman talks about the recent conference of the Association of Health Care Journalists, including Jimmy Carter’s efforts against guinea worm and trachoma, and Rosalynn Carter’s mental health initiatives.
Sound Opinions
Show #335: The Rock Doctors (Friday, April 27, 2012) — The Rock Doctors clinic is open for business. Tune in to hear Drs. Kot and DeRogatis prescribe a dose of new music to some listeners in need. Later they review the new solo record by Jack White.
Stuff To Blow Your Mind from HowStuffWorks.com
Contact Lenses of the Gods (Thursday, April 26, 2012) — Imagine a contact lens that displays data against your eyeball, delivering everything from sports scores to soap operas. Contact lens display technology may make this a reality. In this episode, Robert and Julie explore this future augmented reality.
Oh the Lucid Dreams We Weave… (Tuesday, April 24, 2012) — Whether we’re awake or dreaming our neocortex is always shuffling about data and creating stories. But what if you could enter your dream and become the master of your fate? Join Julie and Robert as they weave a tale about how and why we lucid dream.
Stuff You Missed in History Class from HowStuffWorks.com
Who was the real Professor Moriarty? Part 1 (Wednesday, April 25, 2012) — Professor Moriarty was based on a real man: Adam Worth. After being falsely reported as dead during the Civil War, Worth began a life of crime. When Worth moved to London he began his Moriarty phase, but his peculiar criminal quirks led to his near ruin.
Four Flights of Female Aviators (Monday, April 23, 2012) — Amelia Earhart is the most well-known female aviator, but there were several notable female aviation pioneers. Raymonde de Laroche was the first woman to earn a pilot’s license, and Jacqueline Cochran became the first woman to break the sound barrier.
Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com
How Medical Marijuana Works (Thursday, April 26, 2012) — Some quarters of the medical establishment endorse it, others abhor it. The DEA is cracking down on it, but the Veterans’ Administration supports it as a treatment for soldiers. Medical marijuana is indeed a contentious issue. Learn all about it here.
How Air Traffic Control Works (Tuesday, April 24, 2012) — You know how when you fly in an airline you usually don’t die? You can thank the battalion of air traffic control professionals who studiously track every moment of your flight to ensure its safety. Learn all about this unsung field with Chuck and Josh.
WNYC’s Radiolab
Shorts: Crossroads (Monday, April 16, 2012) — In this short, we go looking for the devil, and find ourselves tangled in a web of details surrounding one of the most haunting figures in music–a legendary guitarist whose shadowy life spawned a legend so powerful, it’s still being repeated…even by fans who don’t believe a word of it.