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  1. Not to shill, but...

    Thursday, June 23, 2011

    Hey!  I've been working on figuring out this whole Web 2.0 thingy that seems to be going on, and I found something cool.  I made a little Amazon.com shop on the sidebar! 

    Yeah, I know, shut up.  Uncle ViddyViddy wants himself a slice of that Internet pie he's always hearing about.

    The part I want you to know about is that I was able to pick a selection of books written by people who also host podcasts!  If you really enjoy a podcast that's been reviewed on this site, give my store a look.  There's a good chance that the host(s) have a book or two to their name as well.

    This site is a chance for me to try and show people things that I enjoy, in the hopes that they enjoy them as well.  I'll try to do the same with the little storefront I've got going on.  Give it a click, ignore it, never see it because you have Adblock installed, pretend to light it on fire, whatever.  I think it is nifty.

    Also, I named it "Uncle ViddyViddy's Pit n' Git."  Technology is a wonderful thing, children.

  2. The Nerdist

    Friday, June 17, 2011

     Once upon a time, long, long ago, some nerds invented the Internet.  Since then the Internet has long been known to be the realm of nerds and their kin.  Some of the major uses of the Internet include:

    1. Amusing videos involving either adorable animals or people visiting grievous harm upon themselves.
    2. Purchasing items of extreme value.
    3. Distractions from worth-while projects.
    And that's about it, right?  I think I summed up the main points.

    Anyways, it turns out in 2010 some nerds set up a podcast called, go figure, The Nerdist. 

    Chris:  Both my parents are sports fanatics and I did not get that gene, I can't be into something if I can't  participate in it, I don't understand it.
    Jonah:  I'm resentful towards sport growing up because my dad played football, and he never really forced me to get into sports, but society did because of my size.  Like, every time I'd go to a new school its always like "Okay, you're going to play basketball because you're tall, you're going to play football..."
    Chris:  My dad didn't force me to get into it, he just withheld food and hugs until I said that I wanted to put on a uniform.
    Jonah:  You know you can go two weeks without a hug?  Scientifically?


    Relevant Links:
    Main Site
    The Podcast via iTunes
    Podcast Archive
    The Nerdist Book!  That's pretty cool.
    Wikipedia Page
    Nerdist Twitter 

    The Nerdist podcasts covers subjects which are, go figure, tucked within the realm of all things nerdy.  There's mention of table-top gaming, technology, Firefly and whatever topic they wander into.  Hosted by Web Soup's Chris Hardwick and his accomplishes Matt Mira and Jonah Ray, a trifecta of entertaining banter is formed between them.  According to their wikipedia pages, they are all practiced comedians and that really shines through in this podcast.  The hosts nimbly toss jokes back and forth, lining one another up for punch lines and working to get a laugh.  The touch of professionalism gives The Nerdist an edge over some of the other "friendly banter around a mic" podcasts because they have their comedic timing down from the first episode.  

    To be honest (because transparency is just one of the core values of this blog) I've only listened to a handful of episodes from The Nerdist's mighty backlog.  From what I can tell it looks like one of the main draws for this podcast is a veritable plethora of guests hosts.  Taking a gander at the episodes it appears to be a fine stable of comedians, which I believe Chris mentioned in one of the later episodes were all basically friends of his.

    So you can expect a typical episode to provide about an hour of friends, who happen to be comedians, making jokes and talking about things they like for an hour?  C'mon, that is the only selling point we need, people! 

    MusicThe Nerdist theme song is by Anamanaguchi!  It if fully of blips and beeps and I find it charming.

    Average Episode Length:   A husky podcast that clocks in at no less than forty minutes and manages to breach the two hour mark on occasion. 

    Content Rating:  Explicit.  Some vulgaaaaar stuff sneaks in there. 

    Unintentionally Good Part:  Episode 90, about 1:12:10 into it (just nearly the end).  There is a spontaneous song that pleased me greatly.  



    Unintentionally Bad Part:  As it is with anything that features a variable that constantly changes, the guest hosts can provide and issue with your listening enjoyment.  One of the first episodes I listened to had a guest host that I did not like, and I almost dropped the podcast then and there.  Shop around, riffle through the archives to find the guest hosts you like, and delete the episodes you dislike.  Easy solution!

    Nerds, talking about nerd-type subjects and cracking jokes all the while.  Give it a chance, I think you'll like it.  Nerds!

  3. Savage Love Podcast

    Friday, June 3, 2011

    Before we get down to the review, a caveat, dear reader.

    The Savage Love Cast is by no means an all-audience podcast.  If you're familiar at all with Dan Savage's articles at The Stranger, you are already aware of this.  If you are not, allow me to give you a brief summary of the podcast's contents.

    This is, in general, a sex advice podcast.  You should read this review if you are interested in learning about a podcast that discusses, in no vague terms, sex and sex-related... stuff.

    You should not read this podcast review if you are:

    1. Not interested in what goes on in other peoples' bedroom.
    2. Grossed out by hearing about... shall we say atypical inter-personal relationship techniques.
    3. My mother-in-law.  Or anyone related to me or who knows me in person.  Seriously.  I will not look you in the eyes until 2014.
    4. If you are not interested in the following body parts being discussed:

    Relevant Links:

    Android Ap! This is a free download for Android-based phones. It offers access to Savage's articles, full podcast library and "exclusive text and video content.Savage Love Article
    Dan Savage's Blog at The Stranger
    Dan Savages' Wikipedia Page
    Wikipedia's List of Episodes
    It Gets Better Project From the site:  "In September 2010, syndicated columnist and author Dan Savage created a YouTube video with his partner Terry to inspire hope for young people facing harassment. In response to a number of students taking their own lives after being bullied in school, they wanted to create a personal way for supporters everywhere to tell LGBT youth that, yes, it does indeed get better."

    It's got George Takei backing it, so you know it's a good thing.
      
    Content Rating:  Excruciatingly obscene.  Not even joking.  In fact, to properly discuss this podcast, the rest of this review will be put behind a jump.  You know, to guard the childrens' eyes.