Podcasts--favorite shows, features of note

There are so many good podcasts out there--from NPR or BBC or independent shows airing around the world.

What are your favourites, what has caught your ear recently? Do you worship Ira Glass like a latterday saviour?

On another note, some of my in-laws recently visited Italy and listened to travel podcasts on various churches and sites, rather than join a tour group. Personalized and hassle-free (listening in on their phone).

This morning I listened to a well-informed, intelligent interview with David Harvey, who has taught about capitalism, communism, neo-liberalism for five decades. You can tune in here:

http://whomakescents.libsyn.com/david-harvey-on-a-brief-history-of-neoliberalism

I've got a soft spot for The New Yorker Fiction Podcast where a writer reads a story that was first published in the magazine. Not all the writers are great readers but they usually have something interesting to say about the story itself.

As for this - The History of Philosophy with Nothing Taken Out - it's just an incredible undertaking. 257 episodes so far and it's only in the 13th century, and that doesn't include the 20 episodes on early Indian philosophy.

I am not as highbrow as you guys. I like the "You are not so smart" podcast series by David McRaney. But mostly I find it hard to focus on podcasts, it's easier for me to read than just listen and not get distracted.
https://youarenotsosmart.com/podcast/

"This American Life" spoofs Dr. Seuss...and Kafka:

http://m.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/470/show-me-the-way

'Floydpodcast.com'
Live gigs and fan recordings of Pink Floyd tours and concerts

'Powwow radio'
Streaming feed of actual Native American Indian pow wows, drum circles, tribal chants

p.s. anyone know a website to gather in news items of strange accidents, freak incidents, people getting into trouble?

Having you tried tuning into your local news lately?

These are actual examples of calls received by the Saskatchewan RCMP Dispatch Centre in 2014.

Male called 911 to ask what time it was.
Female called police to report her toque missing.
Male called to 911 to report he caught a bed bug in a cup and the hotel owner didn't want to take it.
Female called 911 from her stagette party and wanted police to come over and pose for pictures with them.
Female called 911 looking for a handyman.
Male called police just to let them know he drank too much that night.
Male called 911 to advise he lost his contacts and can't see and he had a show to go see the next day.
Female called 911 to report ten horses keep coming in her yard and licking her cars. Now all her cars have lick marks on them.
Female called 911 looking for her friend’s phone number.
Male called police because he wanted a bath and didn't want to spend his day in bed.

I never watch local news, no. What I need is an information-aggregator of some kind. Specifically interested in just one kind of news; I suppose it's all 911-related yes--but I need just the most unusual life-threatening cases. Victims trapped, that kind of thing. Not items like ...horse licking! ha

If all my cars had lick marks on them I'd be mighty annoyed too.

Not a podcast, but some EMT/ER stories might fit the bill.

http://emtlife.com/threads/what-is-your-most-ridiculous-call.7954/

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1wg74z/doctors_of_reddit_what_is_you...

True Emergency Room Stories (http://www.erbook.net) (Awful politics, good stories)

Good leads! Thanks

I have three podcasts that I rotate on my morning walks (no EMT stories, since my kid is a paramedic and I get enough of those firsthand):

Longform, because I'm a journalist/nonfiction writer and this is totally my thing. The interviews are great, and on their website they link religiously to everything they mention, which is helpful for obsessive thread followers like me.

Design Matters, precisely because it's NOT my field (though it is a former discipline of mine), so it sparks a lot of sort of oblique creative thoughts, plus it's always interesting.

On Being—guests loosely connected to topics spiritual but not usually overtly religious, and often completely secular (I'm not a religious person myself), but I find them very refreshingly honest and uncynical in a time when I feel like that is terribly necessary.

My son Sam introduced me to "WTF", podcasts featuring interviews conducted by comedian Marc Maron:

http://www.wtfpod.com

Weird, edgy, worth a listen.

I recently picked up an iPad and have been riveted by a number of fascinating, insightful podcasts I've discovered or have been recommended to me.

Big favorites include "S-Town", a lengthy documentary about a suspected murder in small town Alabama and "Invisibilia", a series that recently featured two great shows about "Emotions" and "Thoughts". In our film thread I alluded to a seven-part piece on cult film maker Val Lewton that was unbelievably good. The diversity of programming and personalities is impressive.

Always looking for more tips so feel free to toss out some of your favorites.

I list some of my favorite podcasts so far this year:

https://cliffjburns.wordpress.com/2018/07/08/podcasts-are-eating-my-brain