Posted by Adam Kuban, September 7, 2006 at 8:00 AM
As you know, A Hamburger Today rarely deviates from its burger content. Despite daily temptations to blog about other worthy topics, we remain relentlessly on-message here. So I'm glad to have this excuse to tell you about one of my favorite podcasts.
It's called Escape Pod, and, as you can tell from just a brief glance at its logo, it's a science-fiction podcast. Escape Pod is produced by Steve Eley, who puts together weekly doses of engaging and imaginative short stories, ultrashort stories, and reviews that you can listen to on your computer or MP3 player at your leisure. I discovered it on Boing Boing a few weeks ago and have been rocketing through its archives, nearly exhausting all the available audio to date. Mr. Eley is an astute and professional editor, and the stories he buys for the show—all authors are paid for their contributions—rarely fail to entertain me. And, unlike many podcasts, the audio quality is, with a few exceptions, high. (The episodes' audio quality is subject to, and varies with, the recording equipment used by various guest readers.)
I finally had a chance to listen to Escape Pod Episode 2, a reading of a story called "Feng Burger," by author John Aegard. What follows is an excerpt of the story from the Escape Pod site, but it doesn't begin to hint at the surprise ending. I already know you're a burger fan, but if you're also a science-fiction fan, you would do well to download the story and give it a listen.
The Chinese are particular about their designs, and for good reason. A design with good feng shui—one that satisfies the universe’s sense of metaphor—attracts chi, the energy that raises mountains and pushes rivers and draws good fortune near and keeps tax collectors far away. Whether by accident or design, no one can say, but the Burger Pods have potent feng shui. Where normal men would see nothing but gleaming stainless-steel cabinets and a charbroiling grill, a feng shui practitioner would see arms and hands, cradling the Burger Pod’s occupant and bathing her in chi.
Escape Pod rates this particular story PG—for "sexual innuendo, mild profanity, and food service employees slacking off." (Did I mention Mr. Eley has a good sense of humor, too?)
Now this is the coolest blog shoutout we've had in a long time. Thank you! I'm glad to see that the deep bonds between science fiction and hamburgers can be celebrated on both sides of the divide. This makes my day. (And just in time for lunch, too...)
Oh wow! A comment from Stephen Eley, himself! Thanks for clicking through, and you're very welcome for the shoutout. Not only is Escape Pod enjoyable on the face of it, but the way you handle all aspects of the show is admirable -- from actually paying the writers to the respect you show your listeners. The whole enterprise is a class act.
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As you know, A Hamburger Today rarely deviates from its burger content. Despite daily temptations to blog about other worthy topics, we remain relentlessly on-message here. So I'm glad to have this excuse to tell you about one of my favorite podcasts.
3 Comments:
I listened to that story when they first posted it and loved it (and most all of their stories). Highly recommended podcast! Brian
Hamburger Brian at 3:25AM on 09/08/06
Now this is the coolest blog shoutout we've had in a long time. Thank you! I'm glad to see that the deep bonds between science fiction and hamburgers can be celebrated on both sides of the divide. This makes my day. (And just in time for lunch, too...)
Hamburger Stephen Eley at 6:48PM on 09/12/06
Oh wow! A comment from Stephen Eley, himself! Thanks for clicking through, and you're very welcome for the shoutout. Not only is Escape Pod enjoyable on the face of it, but the way you handle all aspects of the show is admirable -- from actually paying the writers to the respect you show your listeners. The whole enterprise is a class act.
Adam Kuban at 7:09PM on 09/12/06