One of the great pleasures I encounter each week is my Saturday download. It’s the day I hook up my iPhone and download my nutty podcasts. My current favorite is Skeptoid, human enhancement which is described by Brian Dunning, the host as “…a weekly science podcast dedicated to furthering knowledge by blasting away the widespread pseudosciences that infect popular culture.” He’s done a couple of really great episodes about “organic” food and locally grown produce, but the most incendiary has got to be Sarah Palin is not stupid.
The Palin episode of Skeptoid points out how those of us who pride ourselves for being critical thinkers have to remember to refrain from ad hominem attacks, especially against those who have different beliefs than ours. It’s great stuff.
My other favorite, which I may have mentioned here, is the Skeptics Guide to the Universe. Steven Novella and his brothers, Jay, Bob along with Even Bernstein and one of several “skepchicks”, Rebecca, are the skeptic superfriends. Each week, they sit around and wax poetic about things skeptical. I was interviewed by them last week at TAM7, which is a true honor. Steven Novella has got to be the busiest man in the world. He blogs daily at Science Based Medicine as well as his own, Neurologica blog. Plus, he’s a neurosurgeon and does legwork for the Skeptics Guide podcast. The man is smart. Crazy smart.
I also listen to three tech podcasts: the Zend php framework, Ruby on Rails & JQuery. It sounds a lot like English. I’m pretty sure it’s English.
There’s also a guy who decided to read all of the Robert Ingersoll writings. Great. Nutty.
I put the new ones in the “Sleep” playlist and listen to that as I fall asleep. By the end of the week, from waking up in the middle of the night, etc., I’m pretty sure I’ve heard everything.
Fascinating, isn’t it?
I’m going to write about TAM7 real soon. No, really.