#OpinionatedOctober - Reply All: The Crime Machine Parts I & II

October 15
Reply All: The Crime Machine Parts I & II
Podcast Episodes
https://www.gimletmedia.com/reply-all/127-the-crime-machine-part-i

I've been a fan of Reply All for a while, but I have to admit it took me a bit to hit play on the two newest episodes. For one, because they dropped both parts of a two parter in one day, meaning that there was a lot of extra minutes added onto my queue at once and I'm really against that. I have an idea of how long each thing takes to listen to and specific times I like to listen to them, throwing that apart by doubling the length suddenly makes me grumpy.

But this episode was worth every minute they spent on it. The amount of research and effort it must have taken for them to produce it really shows, and it's extremely admirable that they went looking for an answer and actually dug until they found multiple angles on that answer. It's one of the best kinds of stories because while it's very local (specific to New York City in a specific time frame) but the issues that it touches on are ones that are plaguing communities around the United States. Specifically, they're looking at how a computer system and crime statistic reporting is causing police in NYC to engage in procedures that are racist and unethical. I don't want to spoil any part of the story, they unroll the different pieces of it at a really good pace. It's well worth a listen.

#OpinionatedOctober - Science Update

October 14
Science Update
Podcast
http://www.scienceupdate.com/podcasts/

I randomly stumbled on Science Update a year or so ago, and it's quickly become one of my favorite podcasts because it has a format that it follows and it doesn't feel any need to stray from it. Every weekday morning it has a one minute episode about something new in science news, or answering a listener question. You find out something interesting, and it doesn't overstay its welcome or get too technical. Sometimes they interview the scientists about the topic, so you're hearing first hand how someone is explaining their research. But again, never over a minute. It's actually a blessing to find a podcast that doesn't start thinking that it's so important it needs to get more and more expansive. A minute a day is perfect.

#OpinionatedOctober - Spooked Podcast

October 4
Spooked
Podcast
https://spookedpodcast.org/

One of my favorite podcasts is Snap Judgement, they have some of the best audio storytelling I've heard. They always would do special Halloween episodes each year, with people telling real stories of weird happenings and ghost stories from their lives. Last year, they spun off the special episode into it's own once a year special edition podcast called Spooked. I wouldn't say I'm a ghost hunter or anything like that, I'm not going to go out of my way to vacation at a haunted hotel or anything. But I do enjoy a good ghost story, fiction or not. So far this year, they've released ten episodes, though I've only listened to the first nine. I have to say, this season is a bit more hit and miss than last season, there have been more stories where instead of just going along for the ride, I've not really been able to buy in. Perhaps the best episode this season is 37 seconds, about a woman who has a vision that she'll die in childbirth and no one believes her. But other stories have ended up almost revealing too much, which drains a bit of their power. In a two story episode, "The Perfect Tenant" both stories end in a kind of unsatisfying way because you get enough information to know there should be more to the story that's just left out.

Overall though, I have to say that it's still well worth it, and a perfect addition to anybody's queue if they're wanting to get into the mood for Halloween. Just be prepared for some episodes to chill you more than others.