Recommend me a (non-gaming) podcast

NPR's Planet Money podcast has been invaluable for me throughout the banking crisis. It's a three-times-weekly half-hour podcast from the crew that did the This American Life shows on the economy, and they do a very good job of breaking down complex economics discussions into more plain language while also providing better news coverage than you're going to find in a lot of places. Highly recommended.

adam.greenbrier wrote:

NPR's Planet Money podcast has been invaluable for me throughout the banking crisis. It's a three-times-weekly half-hour podcast from the crew that did the This American Life shows on the economy, and they do a very good job of breaking down complex economics discussions into more plain language while also providing better news coverage than you're going to find in a lot of places. Highly recommended.

I just subscribed to Planet Money myself, based on the teams work on This American Life. Absolutely fantastic.

These are they shows I listen to regularly:

Dan Carlin's Hardcore history (already recommended)
Dan Carlin's Common sense (already recommended)
Penny arcade downloadable content (new episodes only come out occasionally but they are worth the wait)
Start the Week with Andrew Marr (they don't allow access to old shows. You've got to wait for new ones to arrive)
Point of Inquiry (a skeptical/Humanist podcast)
The Skeptic's guide to the universe (already recommended)

I also listen to quite a few NPR shows and, of course, This American life.

There were some episodes of the Dungeons and Dragons Podcast (don't usually listen to it) that featured a gaming session with the Penny Arcade guys. It starts funny and gets funnier as it goes on.

I use to listen to Point of Inquiry, but it's too dry for my tastes (I listen to podcasts at work to help stay attentive).

Higgledy wrote:

There were some episodes of the Dungeons and Dragons Podcast (don't usually listen to it) that featured a gaming session with the Penny Arcade guys. It starts funny and gets funnier as it goes on.

They're midway through the sequel to that right now.

Switchbreak wrote:

They're midway through the sequel to that right now.

Great news. Thanks.

I recently have been watching SuperNews. It is a video format, but can still be downloaded as podcasts. I find it to be quite funny from what I've seen so far.

I just started listening to podcast of Free Culinary School, it has just one host, but the quality is great and he is really passionate about cooking, with examples and real-life experience of a sous-chef. After three podcasts I improved my knowledge of several cooking techniques and am listening on. If you want to learn how to cook properly, this one is really fun.

wanderingtaoist wrote:

I just started listening to podcast of Free Culinary School, it has just one host, but the quality is great and he is really passionate about cooking, with examples and real-life experience of a sous-chef. After three podcasts I improved my knowledge of several cooking techniques and am listening on. If you want to learn how to cook properly, this one is really fun.

Oh nice. I'll give this a try. I've been meaning to learn more recipes but I never get round to studying the cooker books I own.

I like the podcast In Our Time hosted by a chap by the name of Melvyn Bragg.
History, philosophy, science, you name it, produced by BBC Radio 4, high quality and entertaining

Higgledy wrote:
wanderingtaoist wrote:

I just started listening to podcast of Free Culinary School, it has just one host, but the quality is great and he is really passionate about cooking, with examples and real-life experience of a sous-chef. After three podcasts I improved my knowledge of several cooking techniques and am listening on. If you want to learn how to cook properly, this one is really fun.

Oh nice. I'll give this a try. I've been meaning to learn more recipes but I never get round to studying the cooker books I own.

I listened to a few more and I should add the adjective "enlightening". The guy goes to great lengths to explain not only how certain things are done, but also why. Simply following the underlying chemical processes is great experience in itself.

inspiringsn wrote:

I recently have been watching SuperNews. It is a video format, but can still be downloaded as podcasts. I find it to be quite funny from what I've seen so far.

Quite funny indeed! Thanks for the link.

Relic Radio podcasts old radio dramas from the's 40's, 50's and 60's. The have close to a dozen different feeds arranged by genre. I started listening as a novelty but most of those old shows are actually really good, enough to hook me, at least.

Slice of Scifi is a great weekly podcast about all things science fiction, though they tend to focus on tv and movies they also cover tech, comics and occasionally games. In addition to the main show they also include in the feed a shorter "voicemail episode" each week, which is usually a cavalcade of cheesy jokes, internet memes and callers impersonating Keanu Reeves in movie remakes he shouldn't be in. Whoa, Luke, I'm like- totally your father!

I'll add Skeptoid to the list of skeptical-based podcasts mentioned. Unlike the others mentioned so far, though, Skeptoid is pretty short, most episodes lasting no longer than 15 minutes. Host Brian Dunning picks a myth/urban legend/fad/conspiracy topic every week, boils it down and then concisely blasts it out of the water with research and critical analysis. The best part is that the show is apolitical and pulls no punches so at some point his truth gun is going to aim at something you believe in.

And my favoritest podcast of them all, The Geologic Podcast, a show made by indie musician and skeptical icon George "Geo" Hrab, and which consists of music, Geo chatting about his life, sketch comedy and weird/amusing segments such as "Religious Moron of the Week,"Rupert McLannahan's Indestructible Bastards" and "Geo's Mom Reads Jay-Z Lyrics."

A couple that I don't think I saw in this thread:

Free Talk Live - The podcast is a recording of their syndicated radio show (with fewer commercials) and comes out the morning after broadcast. They do the show six days a week. It's a liberty focused show with some Free State Project stuff thrown in.

2+2 Pokercast - Best poker podcast I've heard.

If you haven't checked out The Bugle, you're missing the funniest thing online. It's done by The Daily Show's John Oliver and Andy Zoltzman. Check it out.

CannibalCrowley wrote:

A couple that I don't think I saw in this thread:

Free Talk Live - The podcast is a recording of their syndicated radio show (with fewer commercials) and comes out the morning after broadcast. They do the show six days a week. It's a liberty focused show with some Free State Project stuff thrown in....

I used to listen to this daily (they used to come out the night of broadcast though), but then it lost it's poignancy once I could make the arguments before they opened their mouths. Not a bad thing though, just goes to show how hooked I was- And that was after the initial few weeks where I just yelled at the hosts.

Anyone interested in freedom or liberty (or Free-Market Anarcho-Capitalism) needs to listen to at lest a few.

Coverville - It's a music podcast focusing on cover versions of songs.

If you're the kind of person with a very sick and twisted sense of humour (like I am) I recommend http://www.distortedview.com/

Personally I find it hilarious, but it's very adult and not for everyone - you have been warned!

trichy wrote:

If you haven't checked out The Bugle, you're missing the funniest thing online. It's done by The Daily Show's John Oliver and Andy Zoltzman. Check it out.

Thanks for the heads up. Those bastards are brilliant.

I totally forgot - CounterSpin - it's a weekly(I think) report, news show style, that reports ABOUT the media and HOW they report the news. Kind of meta, and with all the folks talking about Jon Stewart doing the only good, hard look at the media, I throw this out.

Also:

CannibalCrowley wrote:

2+2 Pokercast - Best poker podcast I've heard.

Ok. Wait, what?

Penny Arcade do Dungeons and Dragons series 2

The SitePoint podcast.

I love the Radio Chick's daily podcast. It's short, fast, funny, done. Move on to something else.

Filthy enablers! All of you! What am I going to do with 40 subscriptions of Vibe 44 (!) podcast subscriptions?

(Thanks for all recommendations, guys.)

UCRC wrote:

Filthy enablers! All of you! What am I going to do with 40 subscriptions of Vibe 44 (!) podcast subscriptions?

(Thanks for all recommendations, guys.)

Happy listening

Another podcast that I've recently checked out is All Songs Considered from NPR. More specifically their live concerts. They have a lot of concerts on there and mostly from people I haven't heard of before. Still good stuff though and might be worth a listen.

inspiringsn wrote:

Another podcast that I've recently checked out is All Songs Considered from NPR. More specifically their live concerts. They have a lot of concerts on there and mostly from people I haven't heard of before. Still good stuff though and might be worth a listen.

Linky.

Yeah, All Songs Considered covers some strange gap between indie and mainstream. I like it.

garion333 wrote:
inspiringsn wrote:

Another podcast that I've recently checked out is All Songs Considered from NPR. More specifically their live concerts. They have a lot of concerts on there and mostly from people I haven't heard of before. Still good stuff though and might be worth a listen.

Linky.

Yeah, All Songs Considered covers some strange gap between indie and mainstream. I like it.

They did a great episode a while back called "Songs that give you chills." A very good collection of music on that one.

I have to also add my recommendations for Dan Carlin's Hardcore History and Common Sense and the "How Stuff..." podcasts already mentioned.

I also dig Savage Love (sex/relationship advice) and The Brewing Network (about beer brewing and beer drinking).

Switchbreak wrote:
garion333 wrote:
inspiringsn wrote:

Another podcast that I've recently checked out is All Songs Considered from NPR. More specifically their live concerts. They have a lot of concerts on there and mostly from people I haven't heard of before. Still good stuff though and might be worth a listen.

Linky.

Yeah, All Songs Considered covers some strange gap between indie and mainstream. I like it.

They did a great episode a while back called "Songs that give you chills." A very good collection of music on that one.

I just listened to that episode, it's quite good. I especially liked this track.