MacDirectory Magazine

Fall-Winter 2010 (#43)

MacDirectory magazine is the premiere creative lifestyle magazine for Apple enthusiasts featuring interviews, in-depth tech reviews, Apple news, insights, latest Apple patents, apps, market analysis, entertainment and more.

Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/4631

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MacDirectory 37 DEPARTMENT The Curling Show Unless you're Canadian, you probably only come across curling during that 30-minute block of NBC's Winter Olympic coverage. Believe it or not, though, there's a rich culture and fierce competition behind this sport, which is dissected in well-produced episodes of The Curling Show. Admittedly, this isn't a show for novices looking to learn more about the sport, but listen to just a few episodes and you'll feel more informed than any American when it comes to brooms and ice. Host Dean Gemmell not only has a vast knowledge of the sport, but his enthusiasm and interviewing skills are on par with ESPN anchors (if they were to report on curling). This show proves there really is a podcast for everything. Savage Love Cast Only Dan Savage could host a show exploring the risks of cramming marshmallows where the sun don't shine and not seem like a total creep. He brings his wit and sensibility from his newspaper column to this weekly podcast, demonstrating that he may very well be the best advice columnist in the history of mass media. Savage touches on politics without becoming too preachy, and he often brings guests into the studio, like porn expert Violet Blue, in order to break the show up for listeners. If you're an avid reader of his column, it is a bit odd to hear the actual voices of people asking questions, as opposed to reading a two-sentence blurb signed by a clever acronym. So whether you have a fetish for centaurs and need some reassurance or you're looking for the best way to fool around with a cantaloupe, tune in because there's nothing you can't ask on the Savage Love Cast. Friday Night Cranks Prank calls are the lost gem of the '90s. The ubiquity of cellphones and their damned caller ID has killed the once reliable practical joke. Thankfully, the handful of pranksters at Friday Night Cranks have breathed some life back into the forgotten art of dialing a phone and disguising your voice. Nearly every Friday, the three-man crew broadcast a live show, which is then distilled into a podcast of hilarity. Gags span the spectrum from classic pizza delivery pranks to torturing employees of NetFlix and Playboy. While the podcast is strictly the highlights of the live show, Friday Night Cranks is an expansive brand, extending into YouTube and other such social media sites. Sometimes, though, the video aspect of the podcast seems to takeaway from the essence of the prank call. Legal Lad's Quick and Dirty Tips for a More Lawful Life There's a reason lawyers make tons of money; law is incredibly complex. The Legal Lad podcast won't deliver the same results as shelling out more than $100,000 for a JD, but it will lay a basic foundation of legal knowledge. Obviously, many aspects of law are tedious and dry, so host Adam Freedman does a wonderful job of succinctly explaining the gist of different concepts in less than 10 minutes. The show provides a nice mix of historical quirk, relative information and provocative subjects, including confidentiality with clergy and ownership of home run balls. One episode even explored the legalities of public breastfeeding. Did you know Missouri requires mothers to nurse as "discreetly as possible" when doing so in a public place? Download Legal Lad for additional judiciary factoids. PRI's The World: Yes, it is just a recap of the radio show, but any news junky will appreciate having an on-the-go podcast version to accommodate their schedule. The World, which is a collaborative project among Public Radio International, the BBC and Boston's WGBH, gives listeners a global rundown of that day's news. Interviews with expert sources bolster the show's fine reporting, making for an informative and enjoyable listening experience. Five days a week, 51 minutes and 50 seconds per episode, The World rarely fails to deliver. HOTTEST PODCASTS MACDIRECTORY PRESENTS ITS PERIODIC LOOK AT THE HOTTEST PODCASTS ON THE WEB. THE WINTER OLYMPICS IN VANCOUVER ARE APPROACHING, SO GET AN EARLY LESSON IN CURLING. SURPRISE YOUR FRIENDS WITH CRANK CALLS. AND EXPLORE THE WORLD. WORDS BY CHRIS SWEENEY

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