Gum chomping drive you crazy? This might be why

Anyone who knows me very well knows I can't stand people who chomp their gum or otherwise create a lot of drama while chewing. 

Some people close to me have told me I need to let it go, but I must say I broke out a huge smile this week when listening to a "Soundcheck" podcast about a disorder called Misophonia that's, you guessed it, a formal recognition that over-the-top chomping is a public health threat. 

I kid -- kinda. I think it's somewhat silly to formalize what I consider a personal quirk. Then again, I think I have my "problem" under control, so others who go off the deep end may indeed need professional help. 

What's comforting is I know I'm not alone, as this follow-up "Soundcheck" segment attests (you can listen to the first show above and the listener comments below). 

Preview of 'Public Parts'

Prolific blogger and digital media sage Jeff Jarvis will be releasing a new book later this month and he's posted a preview online. 

"Public Parts: How Sharing in the Digital Age Improves the Way We Work and Live" is Jarvis' second book, following his popular "What Would Google Do?"  

The emphatic tone in Jarvis' introduction to "Public Parts" (read it below) should come as no surprise to those who read his Buzz Machine blog or listen to him weekly on "This Week in Google." Jarvis argues privacy is the new currency and one worth trading freely as we rapidly transform as a global culture. 

Love him or hate him, Jarvis will make you think, and for that I'm grateful. 

Public Parts by Jeff Jarvis - Read the Introduction

"Pop Culture Happy Hour"

I've been enjoying the silly but thoroughly enjoyable "Pop Culture Happy Hour," a weekly podcast from NPR. 

The cast of characters includes Stephen Thompson, a regular on "All Songs Considered." 

Topics are wide ranging, but full of surprises. My favorite after about a month of shows: "Pop culture blindspot," in which the participants share their deepest secrets about popular icons they need to bone up on (confessions include opera and "a schooling in hip-hop" and "half-hour female-led quasi sitcoms, quasi dramas on premium cable"). 

Kinda snobby yes, but all good fun.