54 MacDirectory
DEPARTMENT
Psychology Podcast
Texas Tech
University's
department of
psychology has
turned to podcasting
in an effort to
enlighten the general
public on the workings of our brain. This
podcast avoids getting bogged down in
the hard to understand, and often cryptic
specifics of psychology, by talking about
everyday issues that anyone can
understand and relate to. Recent episodes
explore the effects of divorce, the tools of
persuasion and the always frightening
psychology of road rage. The short
episodes, usually no more than 10 minutes,
call on a variety of sources to explore these
issues. Established professors of psychology
and other experts provide keen insight into
the important topics at hand. The only
thing Psychology Podcast is lacking is a
regular production schedule. Episodes are
sporadic, but informative and quick enough
to keep everyone engaged. Find it at
Skeptoid.com
In his weekly podcast,
Skeptoid, Brian
Dunning sets out to
debunk what he
claims are "pseudo-
sciences that infect
popular culture." In
each episode, Dunning asks one question,
such as are "superfruit juices anything more
than super rip-offs?" and concentrates on
tearing apart the myths around it. With the
release of the most recent
Indiana Jones
movie, Dunning dedicates a whole episode
discussing the history of crystal skulls.
According to Dunning, the Germany Capital
of Gemstone Industry was carving crystal
skulls in the late 19th century from a large
bulk of quartz-crystal they had purchased
from Brazil. Sorry, fans of
Indiana Jones.
Another entertaining episode of Skeptoid
explores the scientific merits of different
tools used on ghost hunting shows. From
infrared thermometers to EMF meters,
which detect electromagnetic fields,
Dunning explains how each tool operates
and why they can't detect ghosts. When
discussing the EMF meters he explains that
the necessary camera, sound and lighting
equipment needed for a television show all
emit small electromagnetic fields, so of
course the EMF meter is going to pick up
some type of reading. While Dunning's
sarcastic wit grows old throughout the
episodes, his thorough and detailed
examinations are spot-on.
Word Balloon
Comic Book Guy
from "The Simpsons"
would be delighted
with this podcast.
John Siuntres, who
has been working in
broadcast for
decades, delves into the world of comics
on his podcast Word Balloon. The prolific
podcaster puts out about eight episodes a
month talking with creators, illustrators and
industry leaders. For those of you who
haven't picked up a comic book since
grade school, this podcast will still be
entertaining. Hearing about the legal issues
involved with certain comics, the creative
process and the comic industry as a whole
is somewhat baffling- it's a creative
industry that many of us forgot about and
neglect. Past episodes have him talking
about NBC's hit "Heroes" and how the
writer's strike affected it. And, with Frank
Miller's (director of "Sin City") new film
"The Spirit" coming out this December you
can be sure Word Balloon will have the
latest and most in-depth scoop on it. Find
it at
IndieFeed
We all remember the battle between
Napster and Metallica -- it brought the
nebulous world of downloading music into
the spotlight. As new music sharing
programs are developed and prohibited
many of us are left searching for a way to
discover new artists without spending
nearly $20 on an album we could hate. The
IndieFeed podcast series provides a great
alternative to illegally downloading music.
Each episode is just one song by a different
artist, a quick introduction and a very short
bio of the artist at the end of the song.
Currently, IndieFeed has eight different
channels: Alternative/Modern Rock, Indie
Pop Music, Hip Hop, Electronica Music,
Dance, Blues Music, Performance Poetry
and Big Shed Audio Documentaries. The
list of artists in each category is extensive
and more than 10 new songs are added
each month. This is a great new way to
discover bands you've never heard of and
songs you'll probably love. Find it at
HOTTEST PODCASTS
MACDIRECTORY PRESENTS ITS PERIODIC LOOK AT THE HOTTEST PODCASTS ON THE WEB. WHETHER IT'S HISTORY, POLITICS, HUMOR OR
TECHNOLOGY, WE HAVE IT COVERED, EVEN MENTIONING A PRODUCT THAT IS REVIEWED ELSEWHERE IN THE CURRENT ISSUE – THE
AXIOTRON MODBOOK.
WORDS BY CHRIS SWEENEY
