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Podcasting & Cars

I'm totally addicted to Podcasting. My main source of Podcast marterial is Doug Kaye's "The Conversations Network" which covers an enormous variety of conferences and other interesting conversations. I'm able to make much better use of almost three hours every day with Podcasting [two hours during my commute & an hour when I walk & exercise] . But this has some implications and that's where the "& Cars" comes in.

Many people have observed that Podcasting is taking share from mainstream Media [e.g. I never listen to radio anymore, even PBS] and that its business model is disruptive. But I discovered another little subtly of Podcasting that's a bit problematic. I listen to my iPod via a pair of good noise-cancelling headphones. The obvious benefit is great audio quality. But there is a downside that I discovered today. It's kind of a guy thing. You get accustomed to the sounds that your car makes especially if you like cars and you kind of know what's making those sounds. Good sounds [remember that cool rumble of glass-packs] are like a security blanket that make you feel good without your being consious of it. Bad sounds that you shouldn't hear, even though they are still subtle, are a warning to get it fixed before it becomes a disaster. Listening to Podcast via headphones make all those sounds go away!

Have I lost touch with my inner carbureator? Oh my god, I think I have...and that's kind of sad.

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