Vice President Aaron Bur shoots the President during duel
http://mentalfloss.cachefly.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/burr-duel.jpg
I subscribed to audio podcasts from How Stuff Works through iTunes. The available episodes reflect a huge variety of topics relating to history such as the current episode addresses the controversy and conspiracy theory surrounding Aaron Burr. and ends with an invitatin for listeners to go to their website, Twitter, or Facebook to suggest future topics for programs.
After listening to the first episode sent to me, I went to the How Stuff Works (HSW) website. The topics covered range so far that Google lists several sub catagories as individual hits on its search page. HSW's homepage categorizes offerings into adventure, animals, auto, communicatin, computer, electronics, entertainment, food, geography, health , history, home & grden, money, people, and science. There are also links to quizzes, top 10s, and pics & puzzles, some provided as the "X" of the day to encourage individuals to return to the site regularly.
HSW is part of Discovery Communications, LLC, so it is resonable to expect a high degree of credibility. Content and contextualizing content in relationship to the world, history, and listener/viewer lives is primary. Even though HSW is highly delivery of knowledge and information bsed, there is plenty of opportunity for people to interact through blogs, submit ideas, and use interactive media.
I have mixed feelings about using podcasts. On the one hand, they are great because I can listen while I do other things. I love this because I do lots of hands on things such as pottery, crafts, art, and household tasks. On the other hand, if the topic of the podcast catches my interest when my time is limited, I could read the pertinent information much more quickly than the podcast delivers.
Thats a good point Kosia and kind of how I felt about podcasts in general. Unless you are looking for interesting background noise, most people are only willing to find the information they seek instead of listening to a lot of other seemingly useless information they will immediately forget. To this extent, a blog can be better for knowledge of the current culture (with their short attention spans).
ReplyDeleteHOW stuff works is the best. They have videos on everything, and are often easy to find. I learned how to edit on Final Cut from watching their videos so I know that they are credible and easy to use. I like how have text blogs, and video blogs on the same subject. It makes it really easy if you are in a place where you can't hear you can just read the text blog.
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