Agent Palmer

“Len Deighton, the mastercraftsman of spy thrillers, here applies his eye for stunning detail and his story-telling skill to the novel of action. With documentary precision, he has created a powerful panoramic account of a bombing raid over the Ruhr during World War II. And in the process, he has written a devastating indictment of war and of the mechanical processes – in man and society – that perpetuate it.”

That’s the first paragraph on the inside dust cover of Bomber by Len Deighton and it is a perfect description of the book.

Reasons Are Several was hosted by Matt and Scott. But what happens when Scott goes on hiatus and is replaced by Neil from Dark Angels and Pretty Freaks? You get the same quality of show and a different show at the same time.

Matt says it was “an easy transition” because he and Neil are similar, to a point. They also had “a connection” when they met for the first time last year in Portland. But what makes this most interesting is that it happened in the first place and it was successful right from the start.

By all accounts and measures, PodtoberFest 2016 was a success. I’ve written at length about the goings-on behind the scenes, but as the last of the episodes has now been released as part of 7 Days A Geek’s 30 Days of Podcasting, it’s time to take a look at what happened “on air.”

As such I have devised a Top 10 of my own for the things that happened when the mics were hot, so that if you missed it or decided to pick and choose episodes, I might steer you in the right direction.

Every year for as long as I can remember, I have listened to Arlo Guthrie’s classic “Alice’s Restaurant,” either on the day before or day of Thanksgiving. It’s something that my parents had started at some point and, more to the point, it’s a tradition I have continued since moving out of the house (to my father’s joy), even when I’m not spending Thanksgiving with them.

Now before I get into the song, and there’s a lot to get into, let’s talk about this tradition. As traditions go, it’s hardly odd, and there’s a part of me that wonders why I don’t encounter more people who share this tradition.