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Podcasts  

An excellent source of information and entertainment, podcasts are becoming increasingly popular. You can listen to podcasts on your phone, tablet, or computer. According to Wikipedia: "Podcasts, previously known as "audioblogs", have roots dating back to the 1980s. With the advent of broadband Internet access and portable digital audio playback devices such as the iPod, podcasting began to catch hold in late 2004. Today there are more than 115,000 English-language podcasts available on the Internet, and dozens of websites available for distribution at little or no cost to the producer or listener."

For those who are new to podcasts, the easiest way to access a podcast is by using the podcast app on your phone. To get the podcast app on an Android phone, you look up Google Podcast App, and then click on subscribe. For Apple devices, go to the app store and search for podcast. Then select Apple podcast. Once you have a podcast app on your device you don't need links.Search the app for the podcast you are looking for.

You can access podcasts on the podcast app on your phone or tablet. Just search by name of podcast. If you have suggestions for podcasts, please send them to newsletter@brooklinecan.org.

Here is the list from past newsletters:

Ultra, by Rachel Maddow. In this podcast, Rachel describes past political crises and how they affected our democracy.
"Homegrowen:OKC". This eight-episode podcast, produced by USG Audio, Western Sound and Esmail Corp., is based on Jeffery Toobin's 2023 book Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Rightwing Extremism. Narrated by the author, the podcast looks at the Oklahoma City bombing through a wider lens - scrutinizing the crime, prosecution and punishment, but also where McVeigh's extreme views originated and where there might be parallels with the events of Jan,6. (Spoiler: There are.)
On your phone or tablet podcast app, search for these podcasts by title.

On his podcast, "Risking Old Age in America," Harry Margolis interviews experts on topics such as long term care, planning for senior women, and social security. Each podcast is about half an hour.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus's "Wiser Than Me,'' which just returned for a second season. Louis-Dreyfus, of "Veep'' and "Seinfeld,'' talks to famous women, including Carol Burnett, Julie Andrews, and Darlene Love, about getting older. She brims with respect for her guests, as she asks them about the processes of aging, both physically and psychologically.

"OnPoint: The Jackpod." In this weekly special podcast, On Point's news analyst Jack Beatty offers his unique perspective and insight on aspects of current political life in the U.S. Recent editions include How to Steal an Election and The Xanadu Effect: how presidents lose touch with reality. (From WBUR)
Many times, we find ourselves waiting, perhaps for a medical appointment, or for a plane or train. These three podcasts can help pass the time. They present reports on a variety of current topics. They can be accessed via the podcast app on your phone or tablet.
  • Post Reports. Daily from the Washington Post. Program length, about an hour.
  • This American Life. Radio show hosted by Ira Glass. Program length is an hour or more.
  • TED Talks Daily. "thought-provoking ideas on every subject imaginable" Short programs, usually less than 20 minutes.
Our suggestions for the month are:
  • New York Times Book Review- bi-weekly discussion of books
  • Short Wave. New discoveries, everyday mysteries, and the science behind the headlines in just under 15 minutes.
  • Strict Scrutiny - lively discussion of Supreme Court issues
  • Hidden Brain - explores the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior and questions that lie at the heart of our complex and changing world.
These podcasts were suggested by Ruth Seidman. Members of BrooklineCAN are encouraged to make suggestions of podcasts they enjoy.
  • Hard Fork. Lively and engaging. Two journalists, one a NY Times writer, cover weekly doings in the tech world.
  • Aria Code. From the Metropolitan Opera, each episode discusses one operatic aria from both a musical and topical perspective. The podcast concludes with a full presentation of the aria from the Met stage.
  • This Jungian Life. Three Jungian analysts converse on a wide range of topics as they "share what it is like to see the world through the depth psychological lens of Carl Jung". Each episode ends with a discussion of a dream submitted by a listener.
If podcasts are new to you, here are links to three podcasts suggested by John Seay.
 

Support Disclaimer: Inclusion of services on this website does not represent a recommendation from the Brookline Council on Aging, the Brookline Senior Center, or the Brookline Community Aging Network.

Disclaimer: Inclusion of services through this program does not represent a recommendation or guarantee of work performance from the Brookline Council on Aging, the Brookline Senior Center, or the Brookline Community Aging Network. The user of this program therefore agrees to release the above named from any and all liability. The user should make whatever investigation or other resources that they deem necessary or appropriate before hiring or engaging Service Providers.

 

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