Finding a Happy Medium With Podcast's

I choose to do this assignment on three very different podcast's.

The first was a result from the search term "meditation". I was expecting to find something more along the lines of maybe tips on meditating, or maybe even the benefits that meditation has. When I began to listen to the podcast it was actually just music, to be more specific a new age track. At first I was a little confused as to why someone would just upload a podcast of music, that was until I actually listened to the podcast. Although it was not a particularly long song it was very relaxing. In my opinion I can see why someone would search and or listen to this podcast. Meditation in my mind is about relaxing and getting outside of yourself, this podcast definitely seems as if it could help someone do that.

http://marbleteameditation.podomatic.com/entry/2013-01-25T13_34_02-08_00

The second podcast was a result from the search term "woman and finances". Again this isn't a very long podcast and leans more towards motivational than actual finance advice. The podcast is narrated by a woman named Mariusa Reyes and I believe the "advice" that she is giving is pretty basic and can be applied to any gender. The only thing that makes this podcast specific to women is that is a woman speaking and the example that she gives you is related to women. Even though the podcast isn't totally pointless it could give more actual tips on financial information and not just a quick general motivational speech.

http://sheandmoney.podomatic.com/entry/2012-09-23T14_48_42-07_00

The last podcast I listened to was a result from the search term "creative writing". This particular podcast seems to have been produced from a radio show. The host is speaking to an actual published author by the name of Harry Bingham. This podcast was the longest of the three and actually my second favorite. I felt that speaking to someone who has actual experience with writing and being published made this podcast more educational and helpful than the other two podcast. The author gave very good advice and seemed to speak from a very genuine place. My only critique of this is, because of the fact that I get bored easily the length of the podcast was a little too long for my taste.

http://ccs.podomatic.com/entry/2007-08-10T05_40_36-07_00


In all this experience with podcast was a positive one. I think that for me shorter podcast are definitely the way to go, being that I can't seem to focus on one for too long without getting bored. With that being said, I would still like to find ones that do have some substance to them. In the mean time, I may just revisit the meditation podcast in the future.

Cooking, Prank Calls & Photography

Start Cooking

The first podcast that I watched was a cooking podcast and it was a short video on how to make shrimp scampi. I chose this podcast because I’m interested in cooking and shrimp scampi is something that I don’t know how to make. I think this video was well-made in the sense that it was very direct with the directions and the ingredients. At the end, all of the ingredients are listed and shown which I thought was super helpful. I didn’t really like the way that the video was filmed, I thought the camera was a little blurry and there were too many cuts. However, I would definitely watch this again because it was a very short and clear way to learn how to make a nice dish.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/start-cooking/id208070383?mt=2

Friday Night Cranks

This podcast was under the comedy category. Friday night cranks is something I’ve always thought was entertaining whether they were on TV, the internet, or the radio. They’re hilarious prank calls that people do in their basement and are recorded. The one that I chose to watch was a guy prank calling a Walmart and saying that he left his child inside in a picnic basket about 30 minutes before he called. He was passed along to several employees, most of which didn’t take him seriously, but by the end of the call he had the Walmart on a lockdown. It was entertaining but also a little dumb at the same time. This podcast wasn’t useful, but it was definitely entertaining and it’s something I would watch again. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/friday-night-cranks/id303862544?mt=2

The Art of Photography

This podcast was a photography podcast and the specific episode that I watched was called Photography: Truth vs Beauty. This podcast talked about  how in photogaphy there is a line between what is beautiful and what is truthful. The man in the podcast talked about how photographers will edit their photos so that they’re visually appealing, but sometimes they are not a truthful depiction of what the photo was before it was edited. I thought that this podcast was unique and made a very true and interesting point. It was useful in the sense that if I were looking at edited photos for a news station or a tv show, it would be interesting to be able to tell if the photo is exactly how it was taken or if it were edited to give any type of effect to its’ viewer. At first I thought that this podcast may be boring, however there was a video to it which included visuals that boosted its entertainment value. I enjoy photography but don’t know too much about it so this podcast may definitely be one that I visit again. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-photography/id294540619?mt=2

Canines, mosquitos, and beauty

http://www.smarterpodcasts.com/second-opinions-and-medical-insurance-with-dr-na/

I am a huge animal lover, my dog is seriously my baby, so as crazy as it may sound, I am definitely considering pet health insurance. I have it for myself, why not get it for my dog? Vet visits are insanely expensive, I would know, I worked in a vet's office. So I liked the different points and ideas to consider that Dr. Nancy Kay brought up. She really had me thinking and definitely engaged as she talked; and I felt at ease knowing I could trust what she said given that she is a practiced veterinarian. I also liked that she touched on the ideas of second opinions, mainly because it is again something many people do when it comes to themselves, but rarely do it when it comes to their pets. It's just a well though out podcast that is good for beginner owners and advanced owners alike.



https://www.ted.com/talks/hadyn_parry_re_engineering_mosquitos_to_fight_disease

I absolutely love ted talks, and this one was just as well done as all the others I have seen. Again, this content may not appeal to everyone, but I think this biotech entrepreneur Hadyn Parry, still gives his information in a way that keeps me listening and entertained throughout his speech on the ever important mosquito epidemic. I think this is an issue that doesn't get much attention, but definitely should, and right from the very begging Parry was able to give startling statistics that really made me listen. Like the first podcast, Parry had a strong authority of voice the trade me trust what he had to say, and how he said it made it demanded to be listened to. Not only did he make us aware of a major problem in this world, but also had what seemed like a very viable solution to the problem; a solution that has been thought about at a different angle than previously attacked at. It was refreshing, hopeful, and made me want to think about this issue more and more. From a student perspective, it was very well filmed, voice was clear and not muffled or disturbed, and seamlessly edited.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Kj0vDCUKQI

Another one of my passions is definitely make up, I always like trying out new products and new techniques; I personally feel there is no limit on how much you can learn about make up. This vlogger/podcast in particular has a soft spot in my heart. I think the author Shonagh Scott really knows her stuff and the step by step videos are well edited and nicely voiced over. She almost always has proper lighting and used a high quality camera that focuses nicely. I do love that she lists all the products she used in the information bar down below so you can easily reference them at any time. And as well as being able to subscribe to her videos, she includes links to follow her on Facebook, twitter, instagram, and her very own website. This is very different from the first podcast, as there is a video to go along with this, unlike the first one which is just sound. That makes this more similar to the ted talk because there is video, but the content both appeal to very different people for very different reasons.

Kevin Hart, Science, and Technology.

1. Podcast Title: Kevin Hart, Meet the Comedian. 

I chose this podcast because Kevin Hart is my favorite comedian. I think he is hilarious. In this podcast, he tells the audience about himself and his future endeavors. He explains a few details about his personal life and how he is quite different from other comedians when it compares to his career. He describes of his new films that will be released in a few months. Kevin tells about his parents and what it was like growing up. As both an audience and a student, I think this podcast would be generally entertaining. It will make both the audience and a student laugh!  

Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/kevin-hart-meet-the-comedian/id500275236?mt=2 

       2. Podcast Title: Science Friday: Hr1 

This podcast seemed very interesting to me. I love finding about new things and discovering different types of technology. In this podcast, they talk about developing an app for your smartphone that acts as a HIV test, finding lost cities, and the Mars Rover budget. These topics caught my eyes and my ears. They explain how you can conduct blood tests through your phone, discoveries of different cities resulted in lost explorers, and also NASA's rover budget for going on Mars. I think this podcast will attract those audiences that are science freaks or really into science. As a student, this would be entertaining if you're inquisitive or a science major.  

Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/science-friday-audio-podcast/id73329284?mt=2 

       3. Podcast Title: What's Tech: Snap Chat 

This podcast was quite amusing to me. It explains what the App "Snapchat" is to audiences such as your mom. This was hilarious. They talk about everything that are tech savvy these days. This podcast describes about snapchat and it's features. I think both student and audience will like this because everyone uses apps on their phones and are literate of them.  

Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-tech/id966621017 

Baseball, Mark Cuban, Bill Simmons

 The first podcast I decided to listen to was Baseball Tonight with Buster Olney. The episode I picked was called “Ready For The Show” and it was mainly about is Chicago Cubs third basemen prospect Kris Bryant read for the big leagues? Buster was also talking about how Will Ferrell played in five different spring training games for ten different teams. I like how Buster asks questions then goes to the phone to get other peoples opinion. I think this podcast is very entertaining because Buster never stays on the same topic for to long and also I just love the game of baseball, which is all he talks about. The main thing they were debating about was if Kris Bryant should make the the Chicago Cubs big league team. He already has eight homeruns in very little spring training games and is batting 480. Kris has more homeruns then anybody in spring training right now and Buster believes he should make the big league team and so do I, the Cubs need all the help they can get. This podcast was very useful for me and I learned some things that I didn't already know and this is a podcast that I would visit again.

https://player.fm/series/espn-baseball-tonight-with-buster-olney-4939/baseball-tonight-ready-for-the-show-31315

The second podcast I listened to was Chive featuring Mark Cuban. This podcast was done a little different then the first one I listened to. In the first podcast Buster Olney had the phone lines open and people were calling in and giving there opinions. However, in the second podcast the cast of Chive are sitting down next to Mark Cuban talking to him for the podcast. Mark Cuban talks about how he sold his broadcast.com company to yahoo for 5.7 billion dollars and how he is the luckiest man in the world. He also went into detail about how he doesn’t really go crazy with his money, after he brought the private jet, the NBA team the Dallas Mavericks, and a few apartments that was enough to handle. He also told a story about how he was at electronic convention in his mid 20’s and he was doing pretty well at the time. So he had a few girls with him that he was suppose to take home and when he turned around for a second and looked backed his girls where gone. Bill Gates ended up taking the girls home which I thought was pretty funny. This podcast was put together very well and I really liked it, I would definitely visit this podcast again.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id960377228/

The third podcast I listened to was The B.S report with Bill Simmons, featuring Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen A. Smith. Bill Simmons was talking to Jimmy Kimmel about his show and how it has evolved over the years. Bill Simmons was talking to Stephen A. Smith manly about boxing, I thought the they were going to talk about basketball. The main topic was the Mayweather vs Pacquiao, which could bring Vegas about 400 million dollars in revenue. This will be the biggest fight in marketing history and this is the fight that everybody has been waiting to see, including myself. Simmons thinks that Mayweather will beat Pacquaio and Stephen A. Smith thinks that Mayweather will win in 11 rounds. They were also talking about Mayweather as a person outside of boxing and how he is kind of polarizing to the public, which I can see why Simmons said that, However Mayweather has been my favorite boxer for years now so his opinion doesn't affect my look on Mayweather. I like the way Bill Simmons asks his guest each question he presents and how open he is with his guests. This is a podcast that I would definitely visit again. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/espn/id127434126?ign-mpt=uo%3D6

Fictional town, t.v show and a youtuber? What's Next

This podcast was written by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor in 2012 and published by commonbooks. It is also narrated by Cecil Baldwin. The podcast is also free and can be found here or any podcast site such as iTunes. It produces two episodes per month. The podcast centers on a fictional town called Night Vale and the events that occur that day (episode released).

When I first listened to WTNV, I didn't know what to make of it. The style of the podcast is updated from a radio host, Cecil, reporting weather, announcements from the Sheriff's Secret Police and other events in the small town of Night Vale. It is well written and entertaining to listen while on a bus or driving long distances. And the weather announcements are amusing when they come on because they don't always regard the weather in Night Vale. There are other voice actors besides Cecil Baldwin that do appear in the podcast as their respected character.  

The creators and voice actors have even performed live shows of episodes that may or may have not aired. I was lucky to attend a live show when they were doing a show in New York. It was at 10:00 pm Brooklyn, New York (I remember this because New York Comic Con was that friday and I did not sleep).

Unfortunately I have fallen very behind on WTNV due to other obligations and not having access to it when I'm not home. It is worth listening to one episode. 

This podcast was created by Rhett and Link about a year ago. It can be heard here for free. 

The first time I heard of this podcast was through a "Let's Play" youtuber named Markiplier. And that was because he was on their latest podcast (Episode 61- Markiplier). This podcast was not only entertaining but insightful as well. Most podcast I listen to regarding "Let's Play" youtubers only talk about youtube or "what's next". But not this podcast. Rhett and Link give an introduction of their podcast and who their guest on the episode. They also give an audio piece of what content their guest does or is in.

On this episode you learn more about Markiplier and get more information regarding his personal life. It was clear that Rhett and Link knew what they were doing and what questions to ask. I was very impressed with this podcast because while it does sound professional, it feels like it's not. I felt that I was in the room with them and having laughs.

I would be visiting this podcast again and starting from their first podcast. 

This podcast is based on the t.v show "Supernatural". I heard about this podcast through a friend and decided to check it out. It was founded in 2005 but didn't become a reality until 2007. It's free to listen here. This podcast could be entertaining if you watch or know of  "Supernatural" .

This podcast is entertaining. After an episode has aired on t.v, the host would do a podcast discussing the episode and then release the podcast a few days later. The host of the podcast would have actors, directors and producers appear on podcast asking them questions on their character, or how they went with directing the episode. They would even bring actors from past "Supernatural" seasons or episodes and talk with them and what they are doing now. The host are prepared. When they have a guest, they know what questions to ask. While they are fans of the show, the host are professional. Before they go on air, the host would put out a tweet on their twitter giving fans a chance to ask questions for the guest to answer.

I wouldn't visit and listen to this podcast again because I've stopped watching "Supernatural" and would be lost with the podcast if you're not up-to-date on "Supernatural". 

Note: Season 8 Episode 13 of "Supernatural" was the podcast episode I listened too but did not talk about it due to spoilers regarding the episode discussed. 

Educational, Funny, Sentimental - Assignment #2

The three I chose for my podcast assignment was StarTalk- A Universe of Inspiration, How Did This Get Made?- 106 Deep Blue Sea and StoryCorps - I Shall Be Released

StarTalk features Neil deGrasse who has different guest hosts who range from comedians, scientist, to celebrities, where he delivers a show that involves science and comedy in which they discuss physics, the environment, astronomy and life in the universe in general. The episode I picked was the latest podcast recorded, A Universe of Inspiration, where Neil and his co-host Lynne Koplitz discuss the human mind and how perception defers in artistic views.

I absolutely love StarTalk. Not only do I find in very interesting and well made by Neil deGrasse, but extremely useful and educational. Neil deGrasse is a brilliant man, and his knowledge influences many. His podcast allow his subscribers to not only think for themselves, but to better their knowledge in physics, the environment, earth and astronomy in general. Not only is in educational, but humorous as well.

I found StarTalk when I took an astronomy class in WCC with professor Paul Robinson, and have been subscribed ever since when I became fascinated with his class.

StarTalk, A Universe of Inspiration -  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/universe-inspiration-repeat/id325404506?i=337693663&mt=2

How Did This Get Made? is a comedic podcast I once came across after browsing the comedy section in iTunes nearly 5 months ago after I fell in love with the show The League, a comedy show on FX. It features Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas and June Diane Raphael (cast members of The League).

The episode I chose was their latest, 106 Deep Blue Sea, which featured Paul Scheer, director Evan Goldberg and Paul Thompkins. This podcast was actually recorded live in front of an audience. In short, they make fun of the movie Deep Blue Sea. It is stupid yes, but also hilarious. This goes on for over an hour.

If one watched Deep Blue Sea, they can get a chuckle from this episode. There is profanity, stupidity and possibly a waste of time listening, but I chose this episode because it is the silly humor that I love and that is why I subscribed to them to begin with. I enjoy their mean, funny remarks in their podcasts when they usually poke fun of other people, shows or movies.

The sound and quality is decent, and sometimes Paul Scheer reminds his listeners that he does not care if the quality of his show is good or not. The show is belligerent (hence the name of it), but it is also perfect.

How Did This Get Made?, 106 Deep Blue Sea - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/106-deep-blue-sea-live!-w/id409287913?i=338047831&mt=2

The last podcast I chose was StoryCorps, and my favorite podcast to listen to. This podcast involves individuals who interview random everyday people around the world to get to know them as a person. They are unscripted. Some stories are sad, while others are filled with joy.

The one I picked was their latest podcast called "I shall Be Released", which they interviewed a man named Rick who was a bodyguard at the Isabella Stuart Garden Museum in 1990 where two individuals dressed up as police offers, approached the museum when closed, and was granted access when Rick let them in. They went on to steal 500 million dollars worth of art.

Rick described to the interviewee that for the past 25 years he has been known as the person who was stupid enough to let to robbers in the museum, regardless of how well the robbers pulled it off. He has went on to say that the embarrassment has never left him, and that the FBI interrogated him for the first 10 years after the incident.

When Rick was tied up, he replayed the song I Shall Be Released by Bob Dylan for over 7 hours in his head until the police arrived http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHL5Y-ZCTY8

I appreciate this podcast because it is not long in length, and has a lot of meaning to it. I believe (like the Humans of New York) it allows people to have a say when no one else is listening. It opens our eyes and allows us to appreciate the people we meet as well as the people we walk by in the street, because we never know what they been through, or what secrets they may have hidden, too scared to tell the world. This podcast allows us to understand beneath the surface of one another.

StoryCorps, I Shall Be Released - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/storycorps-419-i-shall-be/id250500859?i=337771803&mt=2

Podcasts

The first Podcast I listened to was from "The Opie Radio Podcast" Episode 78 with the title "Artie Lange & Bobby Lee". I found the podcast to be interesting and entertaining, as the guests they had on were comedians and were telling a couple of their stories while making it interesting and funny to listen to, which made the time spent listening to the podcast enjoyable, and I would probably go back to this podcast depending on the guests that they have on.  
 
Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-opie-radio-podcast/id647370261?mt=2&i=325665451
 
The next podcast I listened to was a little bit different. The podcast was called "Psychology in Everyday Life: The Psych Files" Episode 225 with the title "What's Best for Memory - Coffee or a Nap - or Both?", which I chose since I find some psychology to be interesting and this podcast caught my attention. Michael Britt was the person talking in the podcast, and has some interesting points in his podcast. One negative was that he dragged out too long and made you wait for the answer to the topic he was talking about. Another negative was that he introduced himself in the beginning as "Michael Britt", but there was no mention of him being a doctor or having a degree in psychology, instead he introduced himself and asked people to check out his site to help him pay his rent, so I wasn't sure if this podcast was meant to teach people or just hear his opinion. I would only go back to this podcast if the topic of an episode is something I would be interesting in.

Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/psychology-in-everyday-life/id215516451?mt=2&i=319030774

The last podcast I listened to was called "Career Tools" titled "Resume Update 2014", which was a podcast about this person giving you tips on what you should be thinking about to put on your resume. I found this interesting since I'm going to be trying to
get a good job right after I'm done with college, so I thought that listening to this podcast would be helpful, which it was. In the podcast, they talk about what people are usually looking for in the resume and what not to do or put in a resume, and other helpful tips.

Link: https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=299826841&i=318499077

Overall, I found podcasting to be useful if you're trying to useful information or if you're just trying to be entertaining to help time pass by. The only negative I see in podcasting is the that almost anyone can do it, so you have to look hard for podcasts that are going to be useful and it's not only a random person giving you his/her opinion on the subject of matter.

PODCAST ASSIGNMENT DETAILS (also found on Blackboard)

***THE LECTURE/POWERPOINT ABOUT PODCASTING IS WEEKLY LEARNING MODULE #7 IN BLACKBOARD***

◦Choose three DIFFERENT podcasts to examine and explore (listen to at least 1 episodes of each)

◦Google… “+ Podcast” / use iTUNES, etc. for ideas

◦CHOOSE SOMETHING YOU ALREADY CARE ABOUT!

◦Make new blog post with the label “PODCAST Assignment” (remember that a LABEL is different than the post TITLE - be sure to give it a unique and fitting title, too)

◦Summarize, critique and compare/contrast the podcast episodes as an audience member and a student

◦INCLUDE LINKS TO PODCAST EPISODES!!!

—
Ask yourself, “Is this podcast episode…”

◦…well-made?
◦…useful?
◦…entertaining?
◦…something I would visit again?
◦…be sure to include your other impressions and EXPLAIN YOUR FINDINGS WITH SPECIFICS!

◦ASSIGNMENT DUE IN YOUR OWN BLOG POST BY MONDAY, 3/23

◦Be prepared to discuss findings with the group

◦Designed to expose you to the world of podcasts