The humane working place - SRR podcast review

I used to listen to every chapter of Shrink Rap Radio, but this podcast publishes at least weekly and I manage to squeeze in only a monthly listen. The backlog grows larger and large and as a consequence, the episode I have picked up to review today, stems from a long time ago: #151 - Relationships in The Workplace (May 2nd, 2008)

Dr. David van Nuys interviews Bob Murray and Alicia Fortinberry about their work with corporations dealing with good relations at the workplace. The title was originally misinterpreted by me; I thought they would speak about people getting privately involved with one another at the workplace. I was expecting issues of abuse of power and mixed interests, but the issue was much more general: all relationships in the working place. That is, the professional relationships and as a consequence how to make and keep them good. In my own words I'd say, Murray and Fortinberry help companies build a healthy working environment.

They are hired by all sorts of companies, including such consulting giants as PWC. What they seem to propagate sounds like the basis for a truly humane atmosphere at work. What surprises me a bit, is how clear they see the working place easily slides into a nasty jungle of kicking down and kissing up, of office politics and divide and conquer management. I have experienced this myself in a couple of working environments and I hear most of my acquaintances complain about it. So what is happening here? Are we all naggers, or do so few companies really listen to the likes of Murray and Fortinberry and implement what they teach?

As usual a great and interesting podcast by Dr. Dave. Check out his site, there are hundreds of splendid others to be found.

More Shrink Rap Radio
Nirvana and the Brain,
Psychoanalysis - Shrink Rap radio review,
Conscious Living,
The Happiness Hypothesis,
Sign language for babies.

Alexander Samsonov - veertien achttien recensie

In zijn serie Veertien Achttien besteedt Tom Tacken ook aandacht aan het oostfront. Je bent geneigd vooral aan het westelijk front te denken, met de spreekwoordelijke loopgraven. Daarbij komt dan hooguit nog Gallipoli ter sprake, maar dan heb je het zo ongeveer gehad. De Russen worden vaak slechts genoemd aan het begin, wanneer ze - eerder en sneller dan het Von Schlieffen Plan berekend had - zich mobiliseerden, waardoor de oorlog sneller begint. Dan is het een tijd stil en komen de Russen pas weer op het toneel met de vrede van Brest-Litovsk, waarmee ze de oorlog vroegtijdig verlaten, waardoor die weer langer doordrijft in het westen.

Wat er allemaal gebeurde aan het oostfront blijft in zo'n constellatie nogal summier en je gaat al gauw denken dat de Duitsers het redelijk makkelijk hadden daar. En de Dubbelmonarchie? En de Ottomanen? Je moet het me niet vragen. Wat ik helemaal niet verwacht had, was dat de Duitsers in het begin bijna het onderspit delfden en snel meer troepen naar het Oosten moesten zenden. En dat daar de regie werd gevoerd door Von Hindenburg en een carriere werd begonnen door Ludendorf.

Het komt allemaal aan de orde in de laatste aflevering bij Tom Tacken als hij stil staat bij de Russische generaal Samsonov. De tragiek van Samsonov is dat zijn voordeel teniet wordt gedaan door een slechte samenwerking met een andere generaal (Rennenkampf). Een herhaling van de voorgaande oorlog, de desastreus verlopen confrontatie met Japan. En zo verspelen de Russen een kans op snel succes en weten de Duitsers het tij te keren. Al levert het ze niet meer dan een spagaat op waarin ze de snelle overwinning ook niet meer kunnen halen en terechtkomen in de stellingenoorlog waar ze niet op berekend waren.

Ook van Tom Tacken:
Dicke Bertha; Bertha Krupp,
Veertien Achttien - recensie,
Sterke Geschiedenis.

7th son - Fictional podcast review

Since I started digging into fictional podcasts I ran frequently into the name J. C. Hutchins. I had heard of Hutchins before and now that I began to understand what a name he had made for himself in the world of fictional podcasts, I decided to investigate on his podcast novel, 7th Son. Then I found out this series has reached beyond its third book and its first cycle. (legacy feed)(current feed)

I should have listened back in 2006 when the novel began and quickly developed into a success. Hutchins has made a very effective and professional novel weaving together elements of SciFi, conspiracy and thriller genres. Apart from great story telling and a podcast worked out to the finest details, Hutchins also shows the ability to work his audience, create a community and let it take and active part in the podcast's success. But let's give a hint to the story.

Picture this: One day you are abducted and taken to an ultra-secret facility where you find out you are not the real you, but a clone, enriched with the childhood memories of the original. And there are six more sods like yourself. Of course, conform the genres, this part of a big conspiracy, is a global plot and a pretext to some hefty action, but what sets Hutchins apart is that he has worked out the characters and psychology of the seven clones very well and apart from the regular thriller stuff makes us partake in what they go through which greatly enriches the drama.

More narration and fiction podcasts:
Night's Knights,
New World Orders,
Namaste Stories,
Forgotten Classics,
Celtic Myth Podshow.

Historicast - podcast review

What is podcast if not audio? Silly question? Well, many history podcasts are no more than monologues or lectures. The use of audio is an exception. An example and a good one for such an exception is Historicast.(feed)

In its latest issue, it reviews the HBO mini-series about John Adams. Needless to say, sound bytes from the promos give a good feel of the work. The host, Jordan, speaks with acclaim of the series. He claims it serves well to refresh your basic knowledge of US History. (Well for me there is little, so it will probably tell me news) In addition he found a couple of new facts and especially liked the angles of the series. John Adams comes to life. Moreover, John Adams is a little less than Jefferson or Washington, a hero of the era and Jordan appreciates this relatively unlikely choice of hero for the story.

Historicast doesn't publish very frequently, but each time it does it is a pleasure on the pod.

More Historicast:
Hindenburg disaster.

When do I write in my blog?

Right now I am on vacation and have a series of posts that are regularly coming out while I am away. But normally pieces are written within the 24 hours preceding the publication date. With the occasional backpost, you may have noticed. I try to post at least once a day and that usually works out.

Normally I write in the early morning. I get up at 6 am, wake my kids and then have about 30-45 minutes to sit down and flesh out a post, while they are having a cereal, get dressed and ready for their respective school and daycare. Around seven I bring one of them to their place for the day and proceed to work. While I have a breakfast at work, I review the post and click the button to publish. Hence, you see, most posts are stamped between 6 and 7 in the morning, Jerusalem Time (GMT+2).

When I sit down to write, I have the ideas more or less ready in my head. They mostly present themselves while I am listening and I make a mental note of them. If there is nothing specific, I write some general impression that was left on me. What I always try to do is write something positive. I do not believe in negative reviews of podcasts. There may have been an exception or two to the rule and I will not completely rule it out, but in principle I write what is good about a podcast. I try to figure what reason one (if not me, then anybody) might have, to want to listen to this podcast and enjoy it.

More about the blog:
About Anne is a Man,
Why don't I give ratings to podcasts?,
What to write about a podcast?,
When do I listen to podcasts?,
Time to start again.

Night's Knights - fictional podcast review

I have read and liked Stephen King, but generally I am not partial to horror. Horror writer Emerian Rich figured that when she wrote me a request to review here horror podnovel Night's Knights. Nevertheless I took up listening to the first chapters of this fictional podcast.

Horror is a genre of effect, or at least that is the way I see it. It really doesn't matter too much how the effect of horror is established, certainly not whether it is logical or believable in any way. When it works, it is good horror. Emerian's novel does exactly that: it works the effects. To the extent I have listened to it, this much I can say: the story stands in its genre. Should you like it, it may well serve your taste.

Take for example the main character Jespa. She is a young girl living in San Francisco, working in a bar, being cheated upon by her boyfriend (and her best friend - of course) and she looks for a place to stay other than home. A place to 'crash' obviously. The atmosphere reminds me of Shadowrun roleplay, gritty, sleazy urban society. The sexual morality reminds me of Pohl's Gateway: bi-sexual across the board - and sex is a major issue. Jespa is walking sex, she is supposed to drive everybody's hormones crazy ("man or woman, from age 5 to 95"), yet she is cheated upon. And yet, she couldn't stand to be without a partner for the night. It really doesn't matter how coherent this is, it works like hell. Gritty, sleazy, down and out, that is where Jespa is at. The effect is completed with the music that is mixed in. The chorus is a hefty beat going: 'run, run, go and get yer gun' - which takes on very different meaning among the various scenes.

Here is the scene where vampires can appear and what have you. I trust it goes on just as well. The fact that I was not looking for this effect does not make it bad. As far as I can see it, it is well done, it sticks to the genre, it sticks to its tone, it rides at the proper pace. This is a podcast that does aptly what it promises to do.

More narration and fiction podcasts:
New World Orders,
Namaste Stories,
Forgotten Classics,
Celtic Myth Podshow.