New Sounds In My Ear Hole

  I just discovered an interesting podcast called To The Best Of Our Knowledge. It's produced by Wisconsin Public Radio and distributed by Public Radio International. It's a little hard to distill, but I'll give it a shot. Otherwise, this will be a complete waste of a groggy, early morning post.

  It's kind of an audio idea tapestry. They do two themed hours every week, and they interview a bunch of people with really different backgrounds on each topic. It turns out to be a thorough, nuanced and often surprising treatment of each week's central idea. Think This American Life, replacing the "fascinating lives of ordinary people" with "the engrossing implications of commonplace ideas."

  I've listened to a few episodes so far, but I was really hooked by last week's second hour, "Revenge Of The Nerds." Five interviews illuminate some unexpected facets of a defiantly intellectual outcast culture. It was amusing and enlightening and weirdly empowering. I've always self-identified as pretty nerdy, and I suspect that I'm not the only one around here. =)

  I've blathered enough. Go check out the podcast. And consider yourself lucky that I spared you my little tangent about how much I love podcasts of radio shows that don't air in my geographical area.