One way we entertain ourselves is listening to podcasts, so what is on our list of favourites?
We love our podcasts. Susana has been into them for a long time, listening on the train to work and often falling asleep to them. I, on the other hand, only used to listened to a couple. With the extra time the trip has provided, I have really got into them and find them quite relaxing. They work really well with the travelling, we can download a bunch when we have access to the internet and then listen as and when needed. As you would expect there are certain podcasts we both like, others that are Susana’s favourites and others mine, they also come under several topics;
Religion- well actually the opposite really, the atheist, or anti-theist podcasts.
We both listen to;
The Thinking Atheist
American, presented by Seth Andrews
Usually a quite light-hearted rant against religion usually around a specific subject or with guest speakers recent ones include;
Christian music, For goodness sake, Co-exist. Not particularly intellectual but quite fun and easy listening. These days it is getting a bit introspective and self referencing; his new book, his lecture tours, but it must be difficult to keep these things going, week in week out year after year.
I listen to, and Susana used to listen to;
The Atheist Experience
American, presented by Atheist community of Austin, Texas and presented by Matt Dillahunty, Russell Glasser
A call in show, so you often get theists, mainly christians, trying to defend their positions. This used to be great fun as Matt, in particularly, is very sharp and the counter arguments are usually well rehearsed and obvious. Less theists call in these days, which is a shame, but the old episodes can be priceless listening. As this is America, you may get christian fundamentalists defending a young earth (6,000 years old) or denying evolution. Great fun, but can get bogged down in philosophical arguments, which Matt Dillahunty seems to love.
I listen to;
Penn’s Sunday School
American, presented by Penn Jillette, Michael Gidou and Mathew Donnelly
Penn is half of the magic duo Penn and Teller and have appeared on UK TV show Fool Us. They also presented an American sceptical show called ‘Bullshit’, the title speaks for itself but covers religion, alternative medicine, cheer leading and mineral water, you can pick up some of these of youtube;
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL975FB7124770C03E
They have the longest running magic show in Las Vegas history.
There is an interesting parallel between magicians and atheists, many seem to be sceptical because they are know how easy it is to fool people. Derren Brown is another outspoken, sceptical, atheist magician.
The Format is again light hearted, sometimes around atheist or sceptical issues, sometime alluding to how their tricks are performed. Very easy listening although sometimes a little introspective.
What I really like about this podcast is Penn’s honesty; when he makes an error, gets something wrong. Also the eureka moments, he recently realised he was fat and it was affecting his health…Duh. He lost a third of his bodyweight in three months?
There are some UK atheist podcasts but they tend to take themselves much to seriously!
Economics;
We both listen to;
Wake up to money
British, presented by Adam Parsons and Mickey Clarke
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/money
The latest financial news, sometimes in-depth but also frustrating not as much as you would like. Also there is something about it being at 5.30 am that is so wrong, actually quite sad, financiers don’t sleep, it is there greed that keeps them going!
Money box
British, presented by Paul Lewis
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/moneybox
Savings and investments, usually around personal finance, quite useful really, but the questions. You often want to throttle the caller ‘Do some research, look it up, it is so bloody obvious’
More or Less: Behind the Stats
British, presented by Tim Hartford
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/moreorless
Are those numbers in the news, right, wrong or bullshit. A great insight into politics and how to use numbers and often get away with it. We take so many ‘facts’ for granted, those on your own side of belief, and those on the opposite. The sceptic, is just that, OK so prove it. But the numbers can mean anything, slippery bastards, these guys sift through them good and bad, black, white and grey.
Science
This is down to me, although I talk a lot about them with Susu, she is very patient;
The Infinite Monkey Cage
British, presented by Brian Cox and Robin Ince plus abstract guests both comedians and scientists
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/timc
Fabulous topics that really get you thinking and usually quite frivolous as well. Really short series runs, so they end just after they start which is really frustrating. You need to concentrate though and occasionally might require several goes. Guests can be seriously annoying; Brian Blessed, just be quiet! There is a beautiful chemistry between Cox and Ince that really works. Susana and I saw Robin Ince at an atheist comedy festival recently, really grating, really harsh, really difficult.
Inside Science
British, presented by Adam Rutherford
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/inscience
A broad discussion about current science, which will cover several unrelated topics each week. New scientist in podcast form. This is science at its best, approachable, understandable and you left wanting more. I keep reaching further back into the archives.
The Life Scientific
British, presented by Jim Khalil, currently the president of the British Humanist society, you see the links here; atheism and science….Hmmnn, wonder why that is?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/tls
A interview with an eminent scientist each week. Some you know, many you don’t. You get hooked by the celebrities; Brian Cox, Richard Dawkins, Steve Jones and the insights are delightful, but it is the ones you don’t know, the ones only known amongst the science community, these are fascinating.
TED talks
International, presented by always new, often unknown
Not always about science. Usually about fifteen minutes lectures about all sorts of topics from tech to futurology, ‘Google glass’ to ‘trickle-down techonomics’, also an insight into our future world. Sometimes a load of garbage, so you have to keep your sceptics glasses on; glass roads with PV panels, not such a great idea. Easily digestible, sometimes they might challenge your preconceived ideas.
General
This American Life
American, presented by Ira Glass
An hour of stories. Sounds simple, but they are usually really challenging. Set around a theme, you might get three or four a week. So well produced, you wonder how they make money out of this. Can’t wait for the next episode.
Series
American, presented by Sarah Koenig
The same team as An American Life, this time one story, true, over twelve weeks. Tough, harrowing, challenging and still available. Can’t wait for the next series.
The Moth
presented by various
An hour of stories, usually two or three. People get up in front of a stage and tell stories, usually about themselves, usually writers. Lovely to listen to.
I got into listening to podcasts years ago. I love walking and, back in London, I used to walk an average of two hours a day. I don’t read newspapers on the train, I prefer to read my book. We didn’t used to watch TV news in the evenings, we preferred to watch series or a film instead. So I found listening to podcasts, whilst walking, an efficient and effective way of keeping up to date on what is going on in the world. I first started with UK and Business news but then I moved on to economics and financial analysis podcasts as I am really interested in this area, and it is also what I do.
Over the years, I have got into other type of podcasts such as history, science, biology and atheism, even logic! a subject that I am passionate about. I used to have so many downloaded that my iPhone battery couldn’t cope, I had to recharge my phone twice a day! Needless to say that I didn’t have the time to listen to all of them, even if I walked hundreds of miles.
Unlike Gary, I have taken a different approach to podcasts since we have travelled. For me, this is the year of enjoying but also a year of thinking, and reflecting. So rather than having a queue of podcasts and eventually having to deleted them without listening because of lack of time, I have now chosen the two or three ones that I am really interested in, listen to them from the beginning to the end, reflecting on them. I have reduced the number of podcasts but improved the quality of how I am listening to them.
So, what are my favourites:
Economica directa – collectivo burbuja
http://www.ivoox.com/podcast-economia-directa_sq_f130951_1.html
An Spanish podcast which analysis deeply the economy from many different angles: local, worldwide, macro and micro. Each podcast is over an hour long.
Money Box and Wake up to Money (description provided by Gary)
Amateur Traveller
This is a new podcast I got into in my travels. XXXX, travels around the world for living (not a bad profession), and puts together podcasts to talk about his adventures and gives travel advice.
GDR and Susu
