Genuine Curiosity

Author Dwayne Melancon is always on the lookout for new things to learn. An ecclectic collection of postings on personal productivity, travel, good books, gadgets, leadership & management, and many other things.

 

A few Podcasts for “On The Go” Folks

I’m beginning to travel a bit more again (the summer was a lot slower) and looking for good things to listen to en route.  Lately, that means podcasts.

If you’re on the hunt for some good podcasts, here are a few (all free) that stand out for me.

WSJThisMorning The Wall Street Journal This Morning (non-iTunes link)
This is an entertaining, well-produced daily rundown of news highlights from the Wall Street Journal.  There are hard-hitting news stories, gadget updates, and a lot of unusual stories covered, and the hosts of the show have great chemistry, which makes this a fun listen.  It’s about 40 minutes long, with very limited commercial interruption.
crankygeeks Cranky Geeks (non-iTunes link)
Hosted by John C. Dvorak with a collection of randomly selected others, this is a panel discussion of the week’s tech news.  It’s fun to listen to, particularly if you’re into gadgets or involved in the tech industry.  I’ve linked the audio-only version, but there are video versions available (I am usually driving when I listen so I forego the video).
howstuffworks How Stuff Works (non-iTunes link)
This is a series of in-depth, but conversational, discussions of lots of interesting topics.  These are great for the curious mind – you can find out useful things (like how to delay the onset of physical aging) and just entertaining things (like the best place to be during a zombie attack).
TheBugle The Bugle (non-iTunes link)
This is a highly irreverent look at the news, featuring people like John Oliver (the British guy on The Daily Show).  It’s very much in the spirit of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report on the Comedy Channel in the US, so if you like those shows, you’ll probably like The Bugle.

I’m about to board a plane, so that’s all I can write up for now.  If you find this useful, let me know and I will share other podcast finds with you in the future. Happy listening!

Tabasco at its birth

Visiting relatives in Louisiana for Thanksgiving.  My father-in-law is gravely ill, so it was my job to take the kids out and keep them occupied and burn off some energy.  One of their favorite destinations is Avery Island, LA where all Tabasco is bottled.  Here are a couple of shots of the assembly line - pretty cool - they produce 170,000+ bottles per day, and every bottle of Tabasco produced in the world is bottled in this one plant.
Tabasco1  Tabasco2

These pictures replace the grainier camera phone shot I posted earlier - and you can click for a full-size view.

The factory tours are free, and there is an excellent gift shop.  This is about 45 minutes from my parents' farm and we go here all the time, but my kids never seem to tire of it. 

If you find yourself down here in Cajun country, be sure and add it to your list.  Besides the factory, Avery Island is home to an awesome Jungle Garden complete with alligators, a giant Buddha statue, and more birds & beautiful trees than you can shake a stick at.  More info at Tabasco.com.

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