Podcasts?

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Pew Internet & American Life Project released it's study on podcast downloading today, 12% of internet users have downloaded a podcast, but only 1% do so on a typical day (check out the study results here). I am part of that 1%. Lately, I spend more time listening to my favorite podcasts than I do the radio. Nearly everyone I know uses the internet; all but a few friends or family members have an active e-mail address and some, like me, have personal web pages. But podcasts? Nope. Besides my twin brother Mike, I don't know anyone who even knows what a podcast is. I have a feeling that the number is actually lower than 1%.

So, who's downloading podcasts? I have a theory. First, let's assume there are two types of podcasts. There are those that are produced professionally (or excerpted from radio shows) and then there are the rest: the mutlitude of 'casts that are done in living rooms and basements in Anytown, USA. This population, the Mom and Pops of podcasting, are the very ones most likely to regularly subscribe to and download podcasts. That's the great thing about podcasting: anyone can do it, and so many actually are. So who's downloading podcasts? Podcasters, and me.

I openly admit that I am a self-professed podcast junkie. I like podcasts because anyone with a computer and a microphone can publish a show. I enjoy podcasts because they are a welcome break from mainstream, overly politically correct, radio. I enjoy podcasts because, given that the audiences are so small, regular people can actually participate with the shows. It's the intimacy of the format that is the cause of it's growing popularity, and the reason that it's mostly podcasters that are downloading podcasts.

Some of my favorite podcasts:

Diggnation Chicken Fried Radio Manager Tools NPR: Sunday Puzzle NPR: Motley Fool Profiles Mostly Trivial For What It's Worth Productive Talk on 43 Folders The Typical Mac User Podcast MacCast Mac Attack Mac Tips Daily iTunes New Music Tuesday One Minute Tip Business Week Cover Stories Technorama Mac OS Ken

Kayne West, John Kerry and Faith Hill

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What does Faith Hill have in common with Kayne West or John Kerry? Well, if you were watching the CMA Award show last night it was apparent that she has stolen the playbook of one of them. As we watched the announcement of the female vocalist of the year (I already knew it was Carrie Underwood because I cheated and looked online) it was very clear that Faith Hill blew up when her name wasn't called for the award.

Now, in the aftermath, her manager is saying that it was all a joke. A joke? Like Kerry's recent blunder about "getting stuck in Iraq", she should leave the jokes to the professionals (just as MarkDayComedy said in a recent YouTube spot).

So, was she really ticked about Carrie winning? If so, I would have liked to see a good ol' fashioned cat fight on TV... at least then there wouldn't be a debate about how she really felt.

If you've not seen the clip from last night's show, check out these videos and give me your verdict.

video#1 (the best view) video#2 video#3

fhillCMA

Oakland Faders

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I love football... I love Monday Night Football... and I love to see the Raiders get shut out on national TV. As I flipped through the local paper this morning something jumped out at me and had me bustin' a gut! faders

9 - Time Oakland Faders Andrew Walter was sacked Monday night in Seattle. The Oakland Faders... ha ha ha... I haven't heard that one this year yet! But let's get real here for a second... don't blame Walter (isn't he the 5th string QB)... blame the line and blame Shell! Gotta love them Raiders... love to see 'em lose that is.

Stockton Thunder!

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Picture 2Our new October tradition... Stockton Thunder Hockey!

Early last year, when we heard that Stockton's new arena would be home to a minor league hockey team, we were less than impressed. Hockey was never a sport that we followed in our house and it didn't seem to match very well with our warm weather and culture. We were much more excited to be getting Arena Football and Major League indoor soccer.

As the season started to get closer we decided that we wanted to be part of the hype of the new team and went to the second home game. From the moment we walked in the arena we knew this was going to be cool! When the game started we were on our feet, along with 9,000 other Stockton Thunder fans and we have been hooked ever since.

So, tonight we showed up, decked out in Thunder gear, ready to scream our lungs out for our hometown Thunder!

If you're a sports fan and live within an hour of Stockton, you have to check this out! Trust me when I say that hockey is meant to watched live; so many people have the same comment after watching their first game: "I could never get into hockey on TV... but this is awesome!"

What a game! The Thunder start the season 2-0 and right in the middle of the Pacific Division and end tonight's game being the only undefeated team in the ECHL.

thunderfight1 The first fight of the night. The Arena went crazy when Huxley (Stockton) knocked Neilson right on his bum.

The Long Beach Ice Dogs scored an early first goal but the Thunder tied it up before the end of the first period (click here for the video from the first goal scored at home this season). The same pattern would continue for the second and third period with Long Beach scoring first and then Stockton getting a goal. The final shot in regulation came from Stockton with only 34 seconds left on the clock. The 5 minutes of overtime passed with no scoring so we were treated to a nail-biting shoot out. We tied throughout the first group of attempts so then we went into sudden death shoot out mode!

After 6 failed attempts by each club, Brendon Hodge slaps one in and the Thunder win a close one!

Congrats Thunder... you rock!

game stats click here for pictures