2009‘s Podcast Finds

Since I've been travelling by train and tube more this past year so I've had more time to kill, and podcasts are an excellent way to do it (for some reason comedy and satire work really well for the tube). I came across a quite few new podcasts this year, many I dropped after a few episodes, however here are a few that have stuck around.

No Agenda - Adam Curry with John C Dvorak
Ok this is not new, but I only found it in 2009. The interplay between these two characters is always as entertaining, often insightful on politics and related conspiracy theories, but annoyingly wrong about pretty much anything scientific. Despite my regular disagreement with Adam Curry, and the show often being baggy and over-long, its still compulsive entertainment when you have the time.
Website
RSS

QN Podcast (formerly Quirky Nomads) - Sage Tyrtle and friends
Without doubt one of my best podcast finds this year. Sage and friends feature in a well produced bi-weekly podcast of flash fiction, overheard conversations, quirky facts and other information that apparently heralds the ‘New Victorian Age’. These podcast are generally short and consistently entertaining.
Website
RSS

Rathole Radio - Dan Lynch (from the Linux Outlaws)
A new podast that started during 2009; a fornightly 1 hour music show featuring some of the best music on the web. Dan’s a genial host who throws in a performance of his own each show. The show is recorded live with listeners participating via the show’s IRC channel. Most of the music is creative commons licensed, with links to the artists and music given in the show notes. If you are looking for new independent artists to listen to then Rathole radio is what you need.
Website
RSS

Beware the Hairy Mango - The monotone madness of Matthew Sanborn Smith
The best of Matthew’s short stories in podcast form. These short podcasts are dollops of concentrated sureal madness. With his somewhat unique delivery often the intro and outro are as entertaining as the story they encapsulate. Has to be heard to be believed, undoubtably mad but always entertaining.
Website
RSS

The Drabblecast - Norm Sherman
According to Norm a drabble is a 100 word story, which you get with every episode packaged along with some excellent flash fiction and often served up with Norm’s music. Norm is a talented guy and he obviously attracts talented authors and readers to his show
Website
RSS

Hacker Public Radio - Klaatu and the Correspondents
It does what it says: regular podcasts on a variety of topics by a number of correspondents. Some episodes are one-offs other part of series. Sometimes its entertainment another time something deeply techy, sometimes very informative. Its pretty much like public radio you have to take the good nuggets from amongst the irrelevent and indifferent. I’m finding some of this stuff can be worth listening to.
Webtop
RSS

The Leviathon Chronicles - Christoph Laputka
This is audio fiction with production values to rival the best, it rivals many commercial productions. An Epic SF Fantasy. A young woman finds that she is unknowingly at the centre of an age old conflict that will throw her into a fast paced adventure that will change her life and those of the mysterious imortals. This is a great podcast, the only downside is the slow episode turnround due to the complex production schedule, but its always worth the wait.
Trailer
Website (a work of art, but sadly Flash)
RSS

A Shot of Jaq - Aq and the "Community" guy
Presented by Stewart Langrage (Aq) and Jono Bacon both formerly of the Lug Radio podcast (which was a long rambling anarchic Linux User Group podcast). This is the newest of the selection; a techy, geeky short-form podcast (shot), where topics are raised, discussed briefly, then passed back to the listeners to extend the debate on the web site. They are only a few episodes in but are seasoned podacasters and produce a quality product. The Linux Outlaws' 'Jot of Shaq' parody seems to have confimed their place in the podosphere.