The 20-minute length is ideal.

Short single-idea podcasts are great.

They're intelligent.

They don't waste a lot of time.

I notice that podcasts are released in spurts, mostly around the end of business, east coast time, on weekdays. Probably would work better if some of them were released on weekends when we might have more time to listen.

There are a bunch of podcasts started recently that are different content flowed through the Serial template.

The latest is Startup, which is following the progress of a three-person startup that came out of Y-combinator, but apparently things have not been going smoothly.

I liked the first episode a lot. I wanted to give the entrepreneurs some advice about percentages, and how important the person who makes the product is.

That's a good sign -- engagement.

I want to grab some of the podcasters by the collar and yell -- get to the point! One podcast took 7 minutes of advertising, slowwwly talking about the products, before saying what the program is about. I only listened because I had heard good things about the show, and wanted to give it a try.

I think 5-minute podcasts are going to be nice!

I only have one in the mix, the daily writer's almanac by Garrison Keeler.

Of course it's very well done, and I learn something every time. That makes it a really good deal. I'm also learning to appreciate poetry. I think. ;-)

If there were a lot of 5-minute podcasts, it would become like podcasting a la carte. You design your own program from the people you like to listen to.

Encourage people to get. to. the. point. ;-)

One of my favorite shows is The Americans. If you love binge-watching, go watch it. There are three seasons. The third just concluded. It's a wonderful show.

And they have a podcast. Including the writers and the stars. But they just giggle. They think it's so cool to be in touch with their fans. Giggle. Hahah. Look they're really British. OK. I get it. Now fucking talk about the fucking program.

I'm sure they mean well, but this is a case where they need a good interviewer, someone who reps the listeners, and keeps them from being too full of themselves.

I love that we've gotten to the point where there's enough interesting stuff in the flow that you can write about podcasting as an emerging art.

Everyone keep on truckin! :-)