Horray For Podcasts!

I was once an avid AM radio listener with a huge allegiance to fanatics like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Mark Levin, but I've since changed my tune because of one simple word: Podcast.




I'm not announcing a change of ideals; I'm still an advocate for hating everything. Rather, I'm announcing how wonderful podcasts are, and I encourage everyone to try on at least one for size. If it fits, you may want to try on another.



I won't say talk radio is manipulative and indoctrinates listeners, but it's amazing that after only a few months of driving around in my truck and listening to the rants of far-right pundits I found myself taking their rhetoric into serious consideration.



Of course there were always things I agreed with, even before discovering talk radio. The whole "green" movement, for example, is completely contradictory to me, and since many of those talk radio loudmouths felt the same way, I was inclined to listen and agree with the other opinions they expressed.



But thanks to podcasting I no longer have that issue (although I still think "being green" is just a farce).



My review for talk radio hosts is four days with their mouths duct-taped shut and thus having to do their radio broadcasts in sign language. They get an additional review of two more duct-taped days having to listen to callers–without the option to disconnect calls when the hosts don't agree with the listeners.



Just weeks before Salt Lake City's Radio From Hell show made a visit to the DSC campus, I discovered the show offered a podcast. Since I'd been an avid listener when I lived up north I decided to take a leap into the world of iPod and iPad radio and subscribe.



Suddenly I realized I could not only listen to AM radio talk shows, but listen to almost any talk show I wanted! I wasn't confined to the claustrophobic cab of my Toyota Tacoma. No longer would I have to sit and idle in my gas-guzzling truck to listen to something interesting on the radio.



Touch, hippies. It looks like you've won this round.



Podcasting in general gets a review of five gold stars. And I mean movie stars–movie stars dipped in gold so they can be easily placed upon a very large mantle.



I decided to subscribe to The Geekshow Podcast, which was recommended through Radio From Hell. Since both podcasts are produced by uber-liberal people, the content reflected uber-liberal ideals.



At first I respectfully disagreed with much of their opinions because, in a way, I was still brainwashed by angry conservatives. But after a few weeks of listening to the other side of the argument I found myself changing my own opinions.



I already know what you're thinking because podcasts have given me the power to read minds.



"You're just being indoctrinated by the other side," you say.



Well, you're wrong. Instead of agreeing with everything I heard on podcasts, I started to identify which opinions were actually my own. By hearing various points of political arguments I was able to better form my own views on things.



The time for re-tweeting a Sean Hannity (or Rachel Maddow, if that's you're cup of tea) quote was over!



To the act of indoctrination via media, my review is one year of all those involved being submerged by indoctrination, only replace "indoct" with the letter "u."



After a few short weeks I found podcasts for various topics I was interested in. There's beginning to be a wear mark on my iPad screen where the "subscribe" button appears when I look through podcasts.



Almost every podcast is free. Believe it or not, the podcasts of the AM radio shows I used to listen to are actually most of the podcasts you have to pay for.



Paying for podcasts is like buying a couch circa 1973 for $1,200. You could get the same couch near a dumpster at a storage facility for roughly, well, nothing.



My review for podcasters who charge is a three-month period of having to pay a simple fee. A fee to breathe oxygen. It will be a low fee of course: only a $30 subscription per week.



From music to movies and politics to news, podcasts have everything AM radio has, only better. If you subscribe to a particular podcast, your iTunes account will automatically update whenever a new episode comes out. Most podcasts are released on a weekly basis, but some come out every day.



So whatever your fancy, there's a podcast for you. Did you know there's even a Dixie Sun podcast? And even better, there's a Skewed Review podcast, which will start with this issue!



Go to www.dixiesunlink-.com to subscribe to our podcast. For my first podcast I will be giving a few recommendations for super-awesome podcasts, as well as a review for those podcasts and some thoughts about this semester so far.



Subscribe and you'll get better grades. I just know it.



Bravo, podcasts! You've turned me into one of those people who will never hear someone calling their name because they always have buds crammed into their ears.