Podcast obsession

I am obsessed with podcasts. I know, I'm about a year behind the curve. All the cool kids became obsessed with podcasts long, long ago, and now merely think of them as an indispensable part of life. The only people who didn't beat me to podcasts are the occasional grandmother who isn't online (I don't actually know any, but surely there must be some out there) and the Amish. I'm amazed by the variety of podcasts I can download and listen to without paying a penny. Yesterday, I loaded up my iTunes with NOVA's ScienceNOW podcast, a six-part series of Noam Chomsky discussing the War on Terror, several NPR podcast offerings (including Science Friday, All Songs Considered, and Wait Wait--Don't Tell Me!), and a They Might Be Giants podcast--all free! I was irritated to discover that every episode of This American Life will cost me four bucks, but I can't really blame them. They gave me my chance to listen for free. If I didn't manage to tune in to the radio station at the right time, that's my problem. Rumor has it my favorite celebrity chef, Alton Brown, will soon start having his own podcasts. I can hardly wait! I'm learning a lot from these podcasts. For example, Senator Barack Obama's podcast informed me that the senator voted to extend the Patriot Act for three months. What?? Obama voted in favor of that? I'm shocked. Here I've been thinking of him as the perfect senator, a man who does no wrong. I'll have to reevaluate. I've been listening to Al Franken's Air America show via podcast--this way, I don't have to listen to those annoying AM radio commercials. Al's show keeps me up-to-date on the latest vicious lies spewed forth by Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, and their ilk. Infuriating, but informative. Also, Al keeps me frothing at the mouth about current Washington scandals, including the Jack Abramoff business and the wire-tapping travesty.

Here's the problem with podcasts, and every other form of media--I lose at least a quarter of everything I attempt to listen to, watch, or read to the cries of needy babies. I know Al was talking about Valarie Plame today, but I can't for the life of me tell you what he was saying. I get a pretty spotty picture of current events these days.

And if you'll excuse me, this post is going to be cut off by the cries of needy babies. Maybe I can finish that Al Franken podcast later today. I'll let you know what he says.