"Doctors are just not trustworthy, at all, ever.
That's why I'm not a doctor, kids.
Can't trust a doctor, gotta trust your profoctor."

         - Profoctor Davy from Episode 1: Viruses

Profoctor Davey is the woefully underqualified host of the children's educational radio show known as Children's Hour of Knowledge. A profoctor is a cross between a professer and a doctor but with out any of the skills or training of either. His co-host Bongo McTweedlepants on the other hand is a overqualified felt puppet who has had trouble finding work in the puppet job market.

Every week Davy and Bongo answer children's letters from the Kid's Only Super Genius Treehouse Lab. Davey's grasp of actual facts is shaky to nonexistent and he commonly mangles the truth to comedic ends. Bongo tries to be the voice of reason correcting Davey's more blatant lies but often gets over his head as the guest puppets also spout hilarious misinformation.

No real knowledge is to gained by these shows but the result is extremely funny but defiantly not for kids. While curse words are at a minimum and are beeped when they are said, the language can get somewhat suggestive.

Profoctor Davey is voiced by Brendan Adkins and Bongo McTweedlepants is voiced by Stephen Heintz who also does the voice of the guest puppet of the week.

Why should you check this out? First, it's funny. Second, the writing is witty and smart. Third, the first episode is only six minutes longs so you can listen to it without a major investment of time. Fourth, did I mention it's funny? And fifth, at the time of this review the show is on break preparing for it's second season, so now is the perfect time to catch up.

As Bongo says, "Remember kids, knowledge is half the power."

Name.............. Children's Hour of Knowledge

Format............ Audio

Length............ Five to eight minutes

No. Episodes.. 15 in season one

Rating............. PG-13

One weekend I took a trip to Best Buy and spent some gift money on an iPod Touch. I had no idea that my life was about to change - and I am only slightly exaggerating.
After loading up my favorite tunes, I discovered that I still had over 10 gigabytes of space available. I had heard about podcasts and was somewhat interested. I searched through some of the more popular offerings in the iTunes podcast section and downloaded a few.
A podcast, for those who don't know, is essentially a talk radio show - some of the newer shows are also done as videos. These are not necessarily well produced radio-style programs. A podcast can be produced with a simple microphone and free computer audio recording software. Since new episodes are added often, you can use your computer or media player software to subscribe and automatically download new episodes of each podcast as they are made available.

Imagine any expert on any topic being able to create a talk radio program specifically about their interest and knowledge. This is only the beginning. Authors have podcasts, doctors have podcasts, even churches have podcasts. Not all podcasts are limited to talk-show format. Some podcasts are comparable to audio books or old serial radio shows.
Podcasts range from graduate course material to the obscene and everything in between. The best part is that nearly all podcasts are completely free.
Perhaps the reason that podcasts haven't been discovered by the world at large is due to several misconceptions.

1. Podcast enjoyment does not require an iPod.

   You can listen to podcasts via the host's website. Just click the play button. You can also download the audio files and put them on any digital media player or CD.

2. Podcast enjoyment is difficult.

   If you want to make subscribing to podcasts extremely easy, buy a portable media player that advertises the podcast support on the packaging. Microsoft Zune and iPod both support one-click subscription to podcasts, but there are others. Software is also software that makes subscribing to podcasts easier.
   

3. Podcast enjoyment is for geeks.

   There are hundreds of thousands of podcasts being produced in all languages and topics. There are knitting podcasts, equestrian podcasts, business management podcasts, religious podcasts, etc., etc., etc.
   
   The best part of podcast enjoyment is that it is a totally personal experience. As you drive around town, exercise or just listen as your work, you can ditch the usual radio or music experience and listen to something new every day. The content is not only new, but guaranteed to meet your individual interest.

If you are looking to get started enjoying podcasts, give Juice a try. It is a free program that allows you to subscribe to, and download, podcasts. PodcastDirectory.com is the most logical place to find a podcast you are interested in.

How is someone to find the perfect podcast? First, I guess I'll send you to some great sites that help you find those podcasts that have been patiently waiting to be found by you.

This is by far the best site to find podcasts (in this author's humble opinion). Podcasters submit their programs to be listed on the site. Once the show is successfully listed, the popularity of the podcast on the site is entirely dependent upon the listeners who must vote for the show. Vote tallies are reset every month to keep up with the changing popularity of shows.

Many podcasters list their shows on numerous sites, but I've noticed that there is a vast difference between the top one hundred shows on this site versus podcast alley, so I thought I should list it. I haven't found as many gems from this site, but it definitely lists some shows worth your time.

This, I suppose, is the most obvious to list. Simply go into the itunes store and select podcasts from the main menu. The main page will load with a wide variety of podcasts separated by categories. More importantly, itunes makes an effort to keep the front page from being dominated by any one media.

These resources should be useful in helping you find that perfect podcast for you. Now let me throw out some suggestions. The shows I'm about to list here are ones that I have been listening to for over a year. The audio quality is always good, which is important if you want to listen to the entire show.

As the name indicates, this is a political podcast. If you are left wing or liberal, this show will appeal to you. The host, Jack Clark, does an excellent job of presenting his opinions and viewpoints as well as backing up anything he says by citing the source. It is also important to note that the sources he uses are reliable and often used by the right wing which helps validate his arguments.

This is another political podcast that I use to help balance out my listening. Although not an all around right wing view point, the host Dan Carlin shares interesting and thought provoking non partisan opinions and ideas.

Yes, I know that this is a political podcast as well, but you have to admit that host Bill Maher is one funny guy. This podcast is the audio from Bill's weekly show on HBO. You don't have to subscribe to HBO to be able to download the show.

For those of you who want to gain knowledge from your podcast, I recommend this show. Host Mike Duncan does an excellent job of talking you through Roman history without falling into the trap of being boring. The information here is broken up by show into sort of chapters which helps keep all those repeating names from running together.

Another show meant to expand the horizons of its listeners, this show is a rebroadcast of the NPR intelligence squared radio debate show. The topic of discussion is always up to date and controversial. The debaters are well educated and notable in their respective fields. Listening is a little dry, but hearing the arguments is worth the suffering.

Host BJ Harrison weekly reads classic short stories from the public domain. The recording quality is excellent and BJ has an interesting voice that helps to present the stories nicely.

Stand up comic Keith and girl friend Chemda host this daily hour long show from their home in New York. They push the boundaries that radio cannot, due to their freedom from the FCC. The show contains explicit content but is very entertaining.

Host Tim Henson puts on this daily show of politically incorrect entertainment. The show is unique in that listeners can subscribe to a free side or to a paid subscription. The paid subscription provides more content to listeners. This show is also explicit and the humor is controversial.

This list would fall short of complete if it did not hold some video podcasts. The downloads from this show consist of up to five minute videos taken from National Geographic documentaries. They are as interesting and educational as you would expect from National Geographic.

This show, which is not anywhere near as edgy as the title suggests, is incredibly unique and entertaining. It features the video diary of a young girl with a made up disease that causes her to look like a middle aged man.

Hopefully this list will contain at least one show that you want to add to your subscription list. Feel free to leave comments of any shows that you think should have been included.

While I have submitted different articles and pictures, I like the idea of a quick and easy way to put my music out there, and Loudio lets me do this. It's kind of like test marketing. I can see what people like (or not) by the number of comments and views, just like when I write an article. Also, when I get a musical idea, it's usually spur of the moment. Most all of the stuff I do is improvised with no so called “title.”

A Word About Loudio

If you have been in the Triond community for any length of time, you no doubt have heard of Loudio. If you have not heard of it, then check it out. The content you submit does not necessarily have to be music , it can be just about any kind of sound (Podcasts, sound effects, and so on). There are a lot of categories to choose from for you to place your content, and just like writing articles, it's good to be able to either “specialize” in one category or genre, or be versatile, and cover several areas. For example: I love blues. While I don't consider myself a “blues player,” I am able to put my version of blues on the site. Who knows. Someone just might like it. I just recently submitted a spooky “Phantom of the Opera” sounding piece I titled “Dracula Meets Pink Floyd.” I have had 1,060 views in four days! (Only 9 Cents). That tells me one of two things:

1. Either people like the music, or:
2. People are curious about the title.

So, just as with articles, audio content should be creative in both the title, and the quality of the content. Without hurting any feelings, I must say this: Lot's of people want to be heard, seen, or noticed. Face it, you are probably one of them. It makes a person feel appreciated. We all have an ego that needs to be fed, however, as with many things this is all relative. What one person thinks is the “greatest thing,” another person may think is “junk.” Who knows, there just might be someone out there that loves “Japanese Punk Rock,” or “ Hillbilly Bongo Music.” There are many different levels of quality on Loudio, and this allows both the “pro” musician, and the “ novice” to be considered equal. So get out there and listen with an open ear (and open mind).

In closing this article I wish to thank some Triond writers: Jupiter King for support, comments, and submitting my music to stumble upon.com, and Nearly Anonymous for some cool guitar ideas. Also, for all of those who have taken the time to check out my music on Loudio.

Ghost hunting and paranormal investigations are on the rise, partly because of television programs like “Ghost Hunters” and “Paranormal State” that allow the general public to peek into the serious side of the paranormal investigating community. Now, thousands of new paranormal teams of investigators are forming and uncovering new evidence of the paranormal.

The following websites are geared to the world of ghost hunting and investigations and are not part of any top 10 lists. These websites contain very interesting and entertaining information, articles, photos, evps, and videos of ghosts, shadow men and orbs.

1. Taps

   
   
   What paranormal ghost fan doesn't tune in to watch TAPS television show that appears on the SCI-FI channel? Besides, being a great television program, their website contains quality information that any ghost hunter should want to know. This is the official website for TAPS and does contain advertisements, but I was not confronted with any popup adverts.

2. Ghost Mart

   
   
   Before any serious paranormal team can conduct a proper paranormal investigation they will need to be prepared with the right type of paranormal investigation tools and equipment. Whether the team needs digital cameras that has a night vision setting or EMP meters and tester or books about the paranormal, then this is one of the best and most reliable places to find and buy the equipment that your team will need.

3. Ghost Map

   
   
   This is a very useful tool that any paranormal investigator or ghost hunter could use to locate the exact location of some of the most baffling paranormal activities in the world. Now, any paranormal team can pinpoint exactly where they are going and how to travel to their investigation destination in a flash. Just follow the travel instruction shown on the maps and have more time to hunt some ghosts.

4. Haunted America Tours

   
   
   If there isn't enough paranormal television to watch in the real world, then this website will surely keep the most serious paranormal fan entertained for months to come. There is a lot of valuable information to be discovered at this website about ghosts, haunted places and ghost photos and videos to watch. If you prefer and own an i-Pod, then you can own a copy of their archive podcast programs.

5. Ghost Channel TV

   
   
   Here is an interesting website where visitors will get a healthy dose of the paranormal and ghostly activities in the form of photos, videos and real paranormal investigation reports that you can read through. Be sure to turn your popup blocker on, because there are some popup ads.

6. Ghost Videos

   
   
   Is watching a paranormal investigation unfold more your kind of thing, then this website will not disappoint the paranormal video viewer in you. There are quite a few interesting and unexplainable ghost and paranormal videos to watch on this site and you can even join their email club, so you never miss out on another fresh ghost video again.

7. Ghost Town Gallery

   
   
   This is a comprehensive source of photos, maps and articles about old and historical ghosts towns that are scattered throughout the United States of America. Looking for new places to conduct paranormal investigations, then this is a great place to begin your location research. Learn about the places that are potentially haunted or experiencing paranormal activity before actually setting up the first piece of equipment.

8. Ghost Village

   
   
   Not all paranormal investigators are experts or professionals in the paranormal field. Even average people who have experienced something paranormal or would like to learn more about the paranormal can visit this website and communicate with real paranormal investigators about nearly anything dealing with the paranormal in the forums. Visitors can also read through articles, forum entries, examine ghost photos or listen to real evps of the voices from the beyond.

9. Paranormal Investigators of San Diego

   
   
   Although this website is not the best looking website that I have ever seen, it does offer some of the most interesting paranormal subjects in the field of the paranormal. Learn about the tools of the trade of paranormal investigation or study up on one of the most haunted places in the United States “Waverly Hills Sanatorium” or sit-down and listen to the evps offered here on this site. There is quite a bit of useful information to explore and more entertaining categories to choose from on this website.

10. Realhunts

    
    
    Here is another excellent source for gathering information about haunted houses and places in a city or town near where you live. This is a partly serious place to find valuable information about new places to ghost hunt and partly a less serious website to visit when in the mood to read a good ghost story. There is plenty to do and discover on your visit to Real Haunted Houses that bookmarking this website is worth the effort. (Popup Alert, turn your popup blocker ON).

These tips are meant to help you make your own personal audio podcast. As of yet I have not started making video podcasts, but in time I will and will be sure to share it with you. That said, making an audio podcast is much easier than you might think. First I'll list out the tangible things you need.

1. A computer
2. Internet connection
3. A microphone (headsets work best)

That's it, if you have those three things, you're almost ready to record a podcast. The next thing you need, and this could prove to be the difficult part, is a podcast subject. You'll want to aim for something unique. I would suggest staying away from the crazy and silly news, that market has been saturated. Some of the more successful podcasts that don't involve crazy news are political, religious, and historical. (Not all together of course, but you can try it.)

Now that you have found a subject (you have haven't you?) It's time to record your show. The electronics sections of stores are starting to fill up with all kinds of podcast software. Not necessary, in fact, many podcasters prefer the free software that is available online. The two that I have had the best experiences with are Audacity and CastBlaster. Audacity has unlimited recording capacity. CastBlaster will limit your use to fifteen minutes unless you purchase the software. I personally prefer Audacity because I find the editing easier to utilize.

So, now you've recorded a podcast. (You have haven't you?) It's time to share it with the world. There are a number of ways you can do this. However, I've only used one, so that's the one I'm going to share. Many sites offer free podcast hosting with a limited bandwidth. They then offer upgrades which you can decide to purchase as you go. I use Podbean, it is easy to navigate and has several upgrade levels. Also, when you use a podcast server site like Podbean, your RSS (real simple syndicate) feed will be generated for you. The RSS feed is important as it is how listeners will have your show delivered to their computers.

And there you have it, one of many methods available to record and publish podcasts.

1. You shouldn't even think of doing this, but for completeness' sake text files are loaded onto iPods in Disk Mode for use in tests and exams.
2. The free program TrailRunner allows you to plan your workout and set timing goals from the convenience of your iPod. Compatible with Nike + iPod.
3. Can't find your subway map? Check your iPod!
4. Live in the US? I don't. But if you do, you'll probably have to tip your waiters every time you go out. If it's too hard for you to work out the tip, make your iPod Nano, iPod Video or other colored iPod a regular dinner companion.
5. Are you a polyglot? Would you like to become one? Learn a language!
6. During a blackout, you're bound to want light. Now your iPod can provide that shining glimmer you need!
7. Hate telemarketers? They are now invading more than just your dinner time - using the iTrip FM transmitter clever marketers can broadcast messages in a traffic jam, car park or anywhere else with a bunch of FM radios.
8. Enjoy geocaching? If you own a Macintosh computer, you can export the descriptions (and the coordinates, etc.) to your iPod.
9. What's in store for you? MystikBall knows thinks it knows!
10. Like singing in the shower? The iPod Shower Dock is for you! It's a little waterproofed case that takes your iPod away from your eyes and the shower's water so you can just flick a switch and sing along. Released in January, you can find it here.