Hello Counties! It's been a minute but we're back with a feed drop!

We were recently interviewed by the co-founders of SquadCast.fm, Zach Moreno and Rock Felder, on their podcast, Between Two Mics: The Remote Recording Podcast.

They asked us to join them because when we wrapped season 2 of our podcast, Arielle posted this epic tweet thread about podcast marketing. In it, Arielle writes about how in just 14 months, with no network backing, no ad budget, and a niche topic, we were able to reach 100,000 downloads for the podcast. In this interview, we explain how we did it. We also discuss how Counter Programming came to be, we talk about our friendship, and lots more. 

We hope you enjoy it. 

We've missed ya, Counties!

Sneak peek of what we discuss:

• Clear and concise messaging AKA over-communication
• Strategic promo & social swaps
• Pitching AND catching
• Sporadic guesting
• In-app placement

This episode is longer than usual but it's worth it!

Extras

• Helen O'Hara's Women Vs. Hollywood Podcast
• Arielle's epic twitter thread
• Submit your podcast pre-roll ad 
• Caio Slikta's Instagram
• Daniel's website
• Try out SquadCast’s remote video and audio platform for 7 days free
• SquadCast’s YouTube channel

Thanks, as always to Daniel Tureck and Caio Slikta! Follow us on Instagram!

Well Counties, the time has finally come for us to bid adieu. Today we say goodbye to Counter Programming with Shira and Arielle. This little podcast has been a distraction for us during a crazy year, and we hope it's been that for you as well. We promised we'd continue Counter Programming until we were all vaccinated...and somehow that day is finally here. 

So now for some thank yous...

Thank you, Counties, for tuning in each week to join us on this counter topics journey.

Thank you to Daniel Tureck who has worked his sound magic on each episode. He is truly the best in the biz and we feel so lucky to work with him. 

Thank you to our Season 2 guests: 

• Bethany Berger 
• Eric Johnson (founder of Bumblecast.fm) 
• Jess Goodman
• Every Day is a Food Day Pod
• County Cousin Remy 

Thank you to Caio Slikta, who designed our logos for both seasons.

Thank you to Jason Shaw, for our theme music that we can't stop dancing to, Tennessee Hayride.

Want to keep in touch? Wed do!
Email us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
Find us on IG: @counterprogrammingpod

Remember, the pandemic isn't actually over yet so stay safe and follow CDC guidelines! And of course, keep on counting. 

From our countertops to yours, 
Shira & Arielle  

Welcome to the penultimate episode of Counter Programming season 2. In this episode, we speak with Shira's cousin and recent bat mitzvah girl, Remy.

We get into all things Jewish "counter," including: why bnei mitzvahs take place at age 13, the counting of the omer, and more. We also discuss what it was like to have a bat mitzvah at the height of the pandemic. 

Credit:
Daniel Tureck - sound
Caio Slikta - logo
Jason Shaw - Tennessee Hayride (theme music)

Sponsors:
Podcorn

Email us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
Find us on IG: @counterprogrammingpod

This week, it's all about Sophie Countess of Wessex, AKA the wife of the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth. Why is she a countess and not an earl, like her husband, Prince Edward Earl of Wessex?

We've got you. Tune in to explore the British peerage system!

Credit:
Daniel Tureck - sound
Caio Slikta - logo
Jason Shaw - Tennessee Hayride (theme music)

Sponsors:
The Best Advice Show
Podcorn

Email us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
Find us on IG: @counterprogrammingpod

Today we're diving into the question that was on everyone's mind after watching Bridgerton...What the heck is a Viscount?

The good news for us here at Counter Programming is that Bridgerton was recently back in the news. Unfortunately for everyone else, the news was that Regé-Jean Page will not be in the upcoming season (even though Shonda Rhimes said this was planned from the start).

In order to fully understand what a viscount is, we explore the British Peerage system which is pretty confusing.

Credit:
Daniel Tureck - sound
Caio Slikta - logo
Jason Shaw - Tennessee Hayride (theme music)

Sponsors:
The Best Advice Show
Podcorn

Email us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
Find us on IG: @counterprogrammingpod

This week we're heading down to the County Fair with our friends from Every Day is a Food Day.  During this special crossover episode, we discuss the history of county fairs and we explore the food you can enjoy at 'em.

After you listen, you'll be craving fried Oreos, Chicken Charlie's, and a Petro. Checkout this list for ways to recreate your favorite fried fair food finds at home. 

Be sure to subscribe to "Every Day is a Food Day," a podcast that explores the stories, scandals, holidays and heroes behind your favorite foods, hosted by Anna Van Valin and Lia Ballentine. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and follow them on Instagram at @FoodDayPod.

Credits:
Daniel Tureck - sound
Caio Slikta - logo


Email us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
Find us on IG: @counterprogrammingpod

This week, more counters! Tally counters.

Welcome to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle. Each week, we bring you information on anything with the word "count" or "counter" in its title. We started as a pandemic distraction cast. And we will continue until we're both fully vaccinated and incubated.

Definition:
A tally counter is usually cased in metal and is cylindrical in shape. Part of the circle is flattened out and contains a window of plastic or glass. Inside the counter are a number of rings with the numbers from 0 to 9 in descending order going clockwise. Most counters have four such rings, allowing the user to count up to 9999. A metal ring may be attached to aid in holding the counter, and usually half the ring is bent to allow it to fold flush with the counter when not in use.
- Wikipedia

Credits:
Daniel Tureck - sound
Caio Slikta - logo
Jason Shaw - Tennessee Hayride (theme music)

Email us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
Find us on IG: @counterprogrammingpod

This week on Counter Programming we're joined by Jess Goodman, the Indiebound bestselling author of young adult thrillers They Wish They Were Us and They'll Never Catch Us. Most importantly for Counter Programming, Jess recently started a newsletter called WORD COUNT.

We chatted with Jess to learn more about her writing process, her books, and her most recent counter stats. She even shared some recommendations for romance novels including The Roommate and The Intimacy Experiment.

You can follow Jess on Instagram @jessicagoodman & on Twitter @jessgood

Credits:
Daniel Tureck - sound
Caio Slikta - logo
Jason Shaw - Tennessee Hayride (theme music)

Email us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
Find us on IG: @counterprogrammingpod

Sponsors:
Quikreturn 

It's THE FINAL COUNTDOWN. Today, we're headed to Europe.

Each week on Counter Programming, we bring you stories and info-tainment on any topic with the word "count" or "counter" in its name. You're catching us in our series on musical counters. Last week was all about the Counting Crows. Today, Europe's hit song "The Final Countdown."

We also sit down to chat with Eric Johnson, the founder of BumbleCast, a podcast production company, and host of the podcast Follow Friday.

Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jK-NcRmVcw

Credits:
Daniel Tureck - sound
Caio Slikta - logo
Jason Shaw - Tennessee Hayride (theme music)

Email us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
Find us on IG: @counterprogrammingpod

Today, we enumerate some birds. Just kidding. Today, we talk about the famous 90s band, The Counting Crows. Though, as you'll soon find out, the Crows may very well be coming back soon with some more.

Each week on Counter Programming, we bring you stories and info-tainment on any topic with the word "count" or "counter" in its name. You're catching us in our series on musical counters. Last week was Beyonce's 2011 hit song, "Countdown." Today, the Counting Crows are where it's at.

Credits:
Daniel Tureck - sound
Caio Slikta - logo
Jason Shaw - Tennessee Hayride (theme music)

Email us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
Find us on IG: @counterprogrammingpod

Are you part of the beehive? Beyhive?...Are you a fan of Beyoncé is what we're asking...?

Welcome to our musical "count"/"counter" series. First up, our breakdown of Beyoncé's 2011 hit "Countdown." Check out the music video here.

In this episode, we go through the history of Beyoncé's career, stopping to highlight her big wins. We focus this episode, of course, on "Countdown."

About this song:
The song was written by Beyonce, Terius Nash, Shea Taylor, Ester Dean, Cainon Lamb, Julie Frost, Michael Bivins, Nathan Morris and Wanya Morris, and produced by Beyoncé, Taylor and Lamb.

It was first released for radio on October 4th, 2011.

Beyonce wanted to mix musical styles from the 1970’s & 1990’s. Consequences of Sound’s Chris Coplan describes the song as "everywhere on the genre map."  Since It’s upbeat R&B, with hints of funk, hip-hop, latin pop, world music, reggae, and dance hall.

Sources:
- Pitchfork
- MTV
- Tumblr

Ads:
- Romer Skincare, use code COUNTERPROGRAMMING15 at checkout for 15% off your order
- Podcorn
- Quik Returns

Credits:
Daniel Tureck - sound
Caio Slikta - logo
Jason Shaw - Tennessee Hayride (theme music)

Email us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
Find us on IG: @counterprogrammingpod

It's the countertop series! We're learning about recycled glass today.

Definition:
Recycled glass countertops are made from glass (sometimes from curbside recycling programs) mixed with resin or concrete. They can be made to look like natural stone (the homogenous look) OR they can have a glassy, tiled look (terrazzo style).

Fun facts:
- The recycled glass countertop was invented in 1996 by Don McPherson, who was at the time a student at UC Berkeley.
- In 2006, investors acquired McPherson's company (Counter Productions) and renamed it Vetrazzo.
- Vetrazzo is still the leading manufacturer of recycled glass countertops.

Sources:
- Countertop Speciality
- Vetrazzo

Sponsors:
- PodCorn is the easiest way to monetize your podcast. Learn more here.
- Romer Skin Care (use code "COUNTER" at checkout for 15% off your order)

Credits:
Daniel Tureck - sound
Caio Slikta - logo
Jason Shaw - Tennessee Hayride (theme music)

Email us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
Find us on IG: @counterprogrammingpod

It's the countertop series! Last week was all about quartz.

Today, LAMINATE!

Definition:
Laminate is a combination of plastic and paper—interestingly, though, generally not recycled—and sometimes board. These materials are formed into a thin layer and colored or manufactured with naturalistic or textured designs. This layer is then laminated to particleboard or chip board. (Bobvila).

Fun facts:
- Laminate countertops are only a bit over 100 years old.
- Laminate as a product was invented by engineers from the Westinghouse company.
- The bottom layers of a laminate counter are made of brown craft paper -- literally the paper grocery bags!

Sources:
- https://www.countertopspecialty.com/countertop-laminate.html
- https://www.thespruce.com/laminate-countertops-want-love-1822075
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/laminate-counters-look-a-lot-better-than-they-did-in-the-80s-can-they-make-a-comeback/2019/04/03/38a37bda-3f94-11e9-9361-301ffb5bd5e6_story.html

Sponsors:
- Romer Skin Care (use code "COUNTER" at checkout for 15% off your order)

Credits:
Daniel Tureck - sound
Caio Slikta - logo
Jason Shaw - Tennessee Hayride (theme music)

Email us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
Find us on IG: @counterprogrammingpod

Welcome to season 2, Counties! We're kicking off this season with a series on countertops. We'll hit quartz today, then we're onto laminate, recycled glass, and more.

Today, QUARTZ!

Definition:
Quartz is a hard, crystalline mineral composed of silicon and oxygen atoms. Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust, behind feldspar. Quartz is also called engineered stone (according to countertop guides). (WIKIPEDIA).

Fun facts:
- Quartz countertops are only 95% quartz. The other 5% is a polymer resin.
- On the Mohs scale of hardness, quartz is a 7 out of 10
- Quartz countertops don't need to be resealed
- The Italian Company Breton SPA  figured out how to press polymer resins into natural quartz to make it a viable kitchen countertop in the 1960s. To this day, Breton is a leading supplier of these types of materials.

Sources:
- University of Minnesota Mineral Pages
- The Spruce
- MSI Surfaces

Sponsors:
- Romer Skin Care (use code "COUNTER" at checkout for 15% off your order)

Credits:
Daniel Tureck - sound
Caio Slikta - logo
Jason Shaw - Tennessee Hayride (theme music)

Email us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
Find us on IG: @counterprogrammingpod

Here we go, Counties! Counter Programming officially kicks off next week. Please enjoy this little trailer where we give you a peek into what's new this season.

What is Counter Programming?: What is Counter Programming? CP is your new favorite pandemic distraction-cast. We started Counter Programming in April, back when the pandemic first hit. We wanted to distract ourselves (and others) from the grim COVID news. Well, it's now almost a year later and we're still here because...so is the pandemic. In each episode, we tell you about a topic that contains the word "count" or "counter."

Season 2 will bring more counter programming to your ears. Subscribe now and don't miss an episode. Here's what to expect:
 - Countertops
 - Songs
 - Interviews
 - Cross-overs with other count-related pods
 - A real-live STONE MASON
 -  & more

Sponsors:
- Thousand Fell

Credits:
Daniel Tureck - sound
Caio Slikta - logo
Jason Shaw - Tennessee Hayride (theme music)

Email us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
Find us on IG: @counterprogrammingpod

Counties! We are (almost) back for season 2. Enjoy this short episode where we tell you what's on the horizon for season 2 of Counter Programming with Shira and Arielle.

What is Counter Programming? CP is your new favorite pandemic distraction-cast. We started Counter Programming in April, back when the pandemic first hit. We wanted to distract ourselves (and others) from the grim COVID news. Well, it's now almost a year later and we're still here because...so is the pandemic. In each episode, we tell you about a topic that contains the word "count" or "counter."

Season 2 will bring more counter programming to your ears. Subscribe now and don't miss an episode.

Email us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
Find us on IG: www.instagram.com/counterprogrammingpod

Here it is, Counties! The last episode of season 1 of Counter Programming.

Here's what to expect in this episode:
 - Shira and Arielle share where they were when Joe Biden was projected the winner of the presidential election
 - A recap (recount) of the episodes and the themes we discussed throughout the season: counts, countertops, counting of things, and so much more
 - Facts and figures of season 1
 - Plans for next season

Links mentioned:
 - Recounts don't change outcomes all that often

THANK YOUS:

• Thank you SO much to Daniel Tureck, our sound guy and honorary third host. Find his work at robotslap.com. 
• Thank you to Jason Shaw who composes our theme song, Tennessee Hayride.
• Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer. Find his work on Instagram at @caioslikta.
• Thank you to you, Counties! Thanks for listening and tuning in.
• Zari Barzilai
• Bethany Berger
• Rabbi Matt Dreffin
• Dylan Pendrak
• Eva Bilick
• Yurbis
• Arielle's parents
• Shira's parents

From our countertops to yours...bye!

Counties, what a week we are in for.

We're bringing you a bit of a distraction in the form of a recap episode. We re-watched The Office's season 5 two-episode premier, Weight Loss (Part 1) and Weight Loss (Part 2). Joining us for this episode is Leah Apothaker, a dear friend of our's and an Office historian, of sorts.

What a treat!

Links:
- They Wish They Were Us

Counties, we need your voices!
Send us a voice memo to us at counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. The voice memo should say something along the lines of:
Hi, I'm Arielle from Portland, Maine, and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira and Arielle.

We'll be going on hiatus in a few weeks, Counties!

Follow us on Instagram!
Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.
Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer. Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer. Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Counties! It's almost here. Election 2020.

In this episode, we share our voting plans -- What's your voting plan?

Welcome to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle. On this podcast, we bring you stories and information on topics with the word "count" or "counter" in the title. Last week, we reviewed the 2002 film The Count of Monte Cristo. 

This week we're... COUNTing Down to the Election AKA giving you tips on how to stay involved in the last few days before the most important election of our lifetimes. 

Here's what you can do:

1. Donate to these candidates (click on the links)

• Gary Peters (Michigan) 
• MJ Hegar (Texas) 
• Al Gross (Alaska) 
• Jon Ossoff (Georgia) 
• Raphael Warnock (Georgia) 
• Barbara Bollier (Kansas) 
• Cal Cunningham (North Carolina) 
• Doug Jones (Alabama) 
• Theresa Greenfield (Iowa) 
• Steve Bullock (Montana) 

2. Relational Organizing: when you chat with friends and family on the phone or in person, ask them about their voting plans!

3. Sign up for call / text banking at mobilize.us/joebiden. The Counter Programming Challenge: sign up for at least one time slot before the election!

4. Mission Arizona - opportunities for law students and lawyers

5. Send pizza to long lines! polls.pizza for more info and to send a pie!

Counties, we need your voices!
Send us a voice memo to us at counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. The voice memo should say something along the lines of:
Hi, I'm Arielle from Portland, Maine, and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira and Arielle.

We'll be going on hiatus in a few weeks, Counties!

Follow us on Instagram!
Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.
Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer. Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer. Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey Counties! Welcome to the show.

This week we review the 2002 version of film The Count of Monte Cristo.

Warning: this episode is full of spoilers so we recommend you watch the film on Amazon first.

If you're as obsessed as we are with the cast, checkout IMDB.

We'll be back next week with some more VOTE Counter Programming content. But in the meantime, make sure to check back in our episode archive -- may we recommend our interview with Jesse Cerrotti about why Local Elections Count?!

Counties, we need your voices!
Send us a voice memo to us at counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. The voice memo should say something along the lines of:
Hi, I'm Arielle from Portland, Maine, and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira and Arielle.

Follow us on Instagram!

Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer. Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer. Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties! Welcome to the show.

This week, we're about local elections, because local election COUNT! Each week on the show, we focus on a different topic with the word "count" or "counter" in the title.

This week, we chat with Jesse Cerrotti, who ran for city council in Astoria, Queens. He recently ended his bid for election. Learn about his story through our chat! 

LINKS:

• Rank choice voting
• Don't Laugh at Me song
• Be the One song
• Defend the Black vote
• @jessecerrotti 

Refer your friends to our podcast!

Make sure to check back in our episode archive -- may we recommend our interview with Aryeh Nussbaum-Cohen, a counter tenor?!

Counties, we need your voices!
Send us a voice memo to us at counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. The voice memo should say something along the lines of:
Hi, I'm Arielle from Portland, Maine, and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira and Arielle.

Follow us on Instagram!

Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer. Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer. Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties! Welcome to the show.

This week, we're chatting counting political money, AKA political donations! Each week on the show, we focus on a different topic with the word "count" or "counter" in the title.

Make sure to check back in our episode archive -- may we recommend our interview with Aryeh Nussbaum-Cohen, a counter tenor?!

Sources in this episode:
- Metrocosm's cool graphics
- NPR's money tracker
- 538 on how money affects elections
- Investopedia on what candidates do with funds post campaign
- Common Cause

Counties, we need your voices!
Send us a voice memo to us at counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. The voice memo should say something along the lines of:
Hi, I'm Arielle from Portland, Maine, and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira and Arielle.

Follow us on Instagram!

Arms & Influence is a four-player political strategy card game where you’ll use technology, policy, military, and diplomacy to advance your society to victory. Thank you to our episode sponsor, Arms & Influence. Use code "count" at checkout!

Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer. Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer. Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties! ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE? WHERE'S YOUR POLLING PLACE? ARE YOU DRIVING ANYONE TO THE POLLING PLACE? Share your voting plan with us!

This week, we are re-airing an interview that we put out in June. We chatted with D'Vera Cohn of the Pew Research Center about the census, AKA people counters!

Each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Check back in our episode archives for hours and hours of counter programming content.

We need your voice clips for the intro of our show! Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

Insta: @counterprogrammingpod.

D’Vera Cohn is a senior writer and editor at Pew Research Center. She studies and writes about demographics in the United States, especially the census. Cohn was a Washington Post reporter for 21 years, mainly writing about demographics, and was the newspaper’s lead reporter for the 2000 census. Before joining Pew Research Center, she served as a consultant and freelance writer for the Brookings Institution and Population Reference Bureau. Cohn is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and is a former Nieman Fellow. She is an author of studies on the marriage and birth rates in the United States, migration between the U.S. and Mexico, and U.S. population projections. Cohn manages Pew Research Center’s @allthingscensus Twitter account. She has spoken at national journalism conferences about how reporters can make use of demographic data in stories and often talks about the Center’s findings in print and broadcast media.

Here's the article we referenced in the interview: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/17/its-clear-where-college-students-are-counted-in-the-2020-census-but-not-others-who-moved-due-to-covid-19/

Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer. Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer. Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey Counties,

How goes it? We're tired. This week, we gave ourselves a little break.

Please enjoy some back and forth voice memo clips between Shira and Arielle. They chat about the Jewish New Year, the death of RBG, how you can participate in our podcast, and more. Plus: some special audio from a Ruth Bader Ginsburg vigil that took place in downtown Portland, ME.

As always, get in touch with us with questions, comments, and lots of love: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com and @counterprogramminpod on Instagram. 

Thank you to you, Counties! For being you! And for listening week after week. We love ya!

Hey, Counties! ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE? WHERE'S YOUR POLLING PLACE? ARE YOU DRIVING ANYONE TO THE POLLING PLACE? Share your voting plan with us!

This week, we discuss how votes are COUNTED! Wooo! Yay, civic engagement.

Each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Check back in our episode archives for hours and hours of counter programming content.

Thank you to Jacey and Jess for lending your voice for the intro! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

Insta: @counterprogrammingpod.

Here are our episode research sources:
Thought Co.
USA.gov

According to Ellen Weintraub, commissioner of the Federal Election Commission, “There is simply no basis for the conspiracy theory that voting by mail causes fraud.” 

Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Listen to Pray for Us Podcast:
Season 2 of Pray for Us comes out this Friday- just in time for Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year! So you have 2 days to binge season 1. We highly recommend starting with “Chill Jews,” the interview with Eliot Glazer, and “Pray for Pay,” their interview with Rabbi Alex Kress, a millennial rabbi. Happy listening, and HNY to our Jewish counties! 

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer. Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer. Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Counties! Here we go.

Each week at Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle, we bring you stories on anything "count" or "counter" related. We are your COVID-19 distraction-cast, offering you counter programming to all of the bad news hubbub -- get it... counter programming!?

This week: It's The Great County Community Counting Episode. Usually, Shira & Arielle focus on a specific topic that contains the word "count" or "counter." Today's episode is a joint effort. We asked and we received! Counter Programming listeners from around the world (we call 'em Counties) sent in their voice clips -- stories, tales, thoughts on anything to do with counting. We had a blast listening and we can't wait for you to tune in.

Thank you to everyone who sent in a story:
Matt
Susie
Delaney
Remy
Miriam
Dylan
Bhavneet
Zari
Jake
Eva

If you are wondering where your invite was to send in a story -- that means you missed our Instagram posts inviting you to do so! Make sure to follow us there at counterprogrammingpod.

This week's episode intro came to us from Remy! Thanks, Remy. You can be famous like Remy. Just sent a voice clip to us telling us your name and where you're listening to the show from. Then, email it to us at counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com.

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer. Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer. Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties!

This week, we discuss year counters, AKA calendars! 

Each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Check back in our episode archives for hours and hours of counter programming content.

Thank you to Leah for lending your voice for the intro! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

Insta: @counterprogrammingpod.

A calendar - is a system for fixing the beginning, length, and divisions of the civil year and arranging days and longer divisions of time (such as weeks and months) in a definite order. (Thanks, Merriam Webster).

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, by the 40s BCE the Roman civic calendar was three months ahead of the solar calendar. Caesar, advised by the astronomer Sosigenes, introduced the Egyptian solar calendar, which claimed that the length of the solar year was 365 1/4 days. Like our calendar, the year was divided into 12 months, which had either 30 or 31 days except February, which contained 28 days in common years and 29 in every fourth year/leap year. Fun fact: Leap years repeated February 23; there was no February 29 in the Julian calendar. 

Here are the most common birthdays in the world.

Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

This week's episode was sponsored by:
- PodCorn: a marketplace for podcast advertisers and products to find each other. Get paid for your podcast!

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer. Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer. Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties!

This week, we discuss counties & gerrymandering. 

Each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Check back in our episode archives for hours and hours of counter programming content.

Thank you to Margot for lending your voice for the intro! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

Insta: @counterprogrammingpod.

Gerrymandering: to manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class. Further: gerrymandering is a practice meant to create an unfair political advantage for a particular party or other such group by manipulating district boundaries. 

In the United States, a county is an administrative or political subdivision of a state that consists of a geographic region with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 U.S. states, except Louisiana and Alaska (who have functionally equivalent subdivisions called parishes and boroughs).

More links to things/articles we mentioned:
 - How the electoral college gerrymanders the presidential vote
 - Who Draws the Lines?
  - Old Navy commercial
- Redraw
 - Mississippi counties on Sporcle

Potential partner organizations for fighting gerrymandering in your state:

• Brennan Center for Justice
• Common Cause
• League of Women Voters
• Campaign Legal Center
• National Democratic Redistricting Committee

Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

This week's episode was sponsored by:
- PodCorn: a marketplace for podcast advertisers and products to find each other. Get paid for your podcast!


Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer. Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer. Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties!

We've got a bonus episode for you. As you may know, this week the Democratic National Convention is taking place in Milwaukee (and mostly virtually). It's a four night affair stretching from Monday - Thursday, featuring speakers from all walks of life. Highlights include Michelle and Barack Obama, AOC, Bernie Sanders, and of course, the presidential and vice presidential nominees, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

The DNC is formally meant to be a time where the Democratic party nominates their presidential candidate and sets out their platform for the coming four years. It's informally meant to unite the party and bring hope to constituents.

While the DNC is taking place this week, newscasters and radio hosts have been reporting that Trump has been planning to hold counter programming to distract from the DNC's message. We heard this and we thought "Hey! He name-checked our podcast." But more importantly, we are here to bring you counter programming to Trump's counter programming.

In this short episode, we bring you a few fun facts of presidential national conventions of the past. Here's our source.

Our guest today is Jake Feldman, Arielle's across-the-street 10-year-old neighbor. He was very excited to record and learn with us. We hope you enjoy his stories and his questions!

As always, thank you to:
Daniel Tureck, our sound mixer extraordinaire
Jason Shaw, who composed our music
Caio Slikta, for designing our logo
Buzzsprout, the best podcast host in the game.
You!

Catch you next Wednesday with our regularly scheduled programming. In the meantime, check back in our episode archives.

Reach us on Instagram.
Email us here: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com

Hey, Counties!

This week, we discuss sperm & blood count. Disclaimer: Shira and Arielle are not medical professionals. This episode involves research from the interwebs and is not meant to be taken as medical advice. Rather, it should be enjoyed as entertainment. Or else.

Each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Check back in our episode archives for hours and hours of counter programming content.

Thank you to Melissa for lending your voice for the intro! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

Insta: @counterprogrammingpod.

Blood count tests measure the number and types of cells in your blood. This helps doctors check on your overall health. The tests can also help to diagnose diseases and conditions such as anemia, infections, clotting problems, blood cancers, and immune system disorders.
- Medline Plus

According to Healthline Parenthood, A normal sperm count ranges from 15 million sperm to more than 200 million sperm per milliliter (mL) of semen. (that’s a pretty big range!). Anything less is considered low. A low sperm count is often called  “oligospermia.” 

But what is sperm count: sperm count, AKA semen analysis evaluates certain characteristics of a male's semen and the sperm contained therein.

More links to things we mentioned:
- Girl with the Pearl Earring
- Johannes Vermeer
- Do laptops damage sperm?
- Arielle's old glasses

Shouts to:
- Maculate Conception Podcast*
- The Drop Out

Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

This week's episode was sponsored by:
- Podcast Movement: attend the world's largest gathering of podcasters for 20% off with code COUNTER.
- Made To Order Podcast: give the gift of a personalized podcast episode
- Relationship Hero: use code "counter" for $50 off of your first relationship coaching session!


Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer. Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer. Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

*Correction: We accidentally referred to Maculate Conception podcast as "Immaculate Conception" in this week's episode. It is Maculate Conception.

Hey, Counties!

This is a *special circumstance episode.* Shira & Arielle didn't have an internet connection for most of the week due to tropical storm Isaias and therefore put together a different kind of episode. Enjoy!

Each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Today, we review the film "You Can Count on Me" and listen in on an interview between Shira and her brother, Ari, who studied combinatorics in college.

Thank you to Ashlee for lending your voice for this section of the episode! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

Insta: @counterprogrammingpod.

Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

This week's episode was sponsored by:
- Made To Order Podcast: give the gift of a personalized podcast episode
- Podcast Movement: attend the world's largest gathering of podcasters for 20% off with code COUNTER.
- Relationship Hero: use code "counter" for $50 off of your first relationship coaching session!


Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties!

Each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Today, we learn about COUNTING sheep.

Thank you to Michele and Jacob for lending your voice for this section of the episode! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

Insta: @counterprogrammingpod.

WELCOME to all of our new listeners. Thank you for tuning in!

Counting sheep is a mental exercise used in some cultures to try to put yourself to sleep.

In most instances of the practice, the person who wants the sweet release of sleep will envision an endless series of identical white sheep jumping over a fence, while counting them as they jump. The idea, in theory, is to make yourself bored while occupying your mind with something simple, repetitive, and rhythmic, because all of these things help people fall asleep.

The Serta Sheep Saga

Serta has been using the idea of counting sheep to sell mattresses since 2000. The idea is that the sheep are put out of business by a Serta mattresses’ ability to fix many of the common sleep issues. The sheep appear in many commercials that depict various scenarios where they lose their job -- as counting sheep -- to a couple's recent purchase or a Serta mattress.

According to researchers at Oxford University, Allison G. Harvey and Suzanna Payne, from the Department of Experimental Psychology, counting sheep isn’t super effective. 

Harvey and Payne found that the volunteer insomniacs took longer than usual to fall asleep on the nights they were instructed to count sheep (or were told not to do anything to help them fall asleep). Bottom line: counting sheep isn't really that great a solution.

Here are a few tips & tricks from Sleep Education: 

1. Keep a consistent sleep schedule
2. Get at least 7 hours of sleep 
3. Wait until you’re actually tired to get into bed and if you can’t fall asleep in 20 minutes get out of bed until you’re tired. 
4. Only use your bed for sleeping
5. Make your room quiet and cool 
6. Avoid blue light before bed 
7. Avoid large meals, caffeine, alcohol, and fluids before bed 

Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

This week's episode was sponsored by:
- Podcorn: learn how to monetize your podcast.
- Podcast Movement: attend the world's largest gathering of podcasters for 20% off with code COUNTER.


Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Next week... Sperm Count!

Hey, Counties!

Each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Today, we learn about disCOUNTs. We discuss the psychology of discounts -- why do they work?! We discuss extreme couponing (did you know it was a show that aired in the U.S. and Canada?). And we even have a guest on the show who identifies as a Maxinista! Listen in to learn about her tips for saving $$ + a rebuke of the fast-fashion industry.

Thank you to Abby for lending your voice for this section of the episode! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

Insta: @counterprogrammingpod.

WELCOME to all of our new listeners. Thank you for tuning in!

Discount (noun): 1) a reduction made from the gross amount or value of something: such as a reduction made from a regular or list price. 2) the act or practice of discounting 3) a deduction taken or allowance made

Discount (verb): to make a deduction from usually for cash or prompt payment; or to minimize the importance of

Source

Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Listen to the Quite Unusual podcast here!


Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties!

Each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Today, we learn about Counter protests.

Thank you to Remy for lending your voice for this section of the episode! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

Insta: @counterprogrammingpod.

WELCOME to all of our new listeners. Thank you for tuning in!

A counter-protest is a protest action which takes place within the proximity of an ideologically opposite protest.

The purposes of counter-protests can range from voicing opposition to the goal of the other protest to purposefully drawing attention from nearby media outlets away from the other protest toward the counter-protestors' cause to attempting to disrupt the other protest by conflict of a non-violent or violent nature.


Sources:

• https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-400-000-man-march-a-brief-history-of-crowd-counting-1444987800
• https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/march-our-lives-draws-hundreds-thousands-washington-around-nation-n859716
• https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/policy-and-politics/2018/3/26/17160646/march-for-our-lives-crowd-size-count

Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Listen to the Quite Unusual podcast here!


Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

We've got a special bonus episode for you this week. Arielle is on a farm in Minnesota and she brings us a counting of the farm animals. 

We had promised to bring you an episode of counter protests (it's coming, we promise), but since Arielle is traveling, we didn't have the ideal recording set up. 

Thank you to Naomi for lending your voice for our intro! You can be that type of famous, too! Just record a voice clip and send it to us by email at counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. OR slide on into our DMs at @counterprogrammingpod. 

We'll be back soon with our regularly scheduled episodes!

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our sound engineer. Find his stuff at robotslap.com. 

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it's by Jason Shaw. 

As always, thanks to our host, Buzzsprout.

Hey, Counties!

Each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Today, we learn about Count Chocula.

Thank you to Jeremy for lending your voice for this section of the episode! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

Insta: @counterprogrammingpod.

WELCOME to all of our new listeners. Thank you for tuning in!

The monster cereals are a group of General Mills breakfast cereals. The line was introduced in 1971 and includes five brands, each featuring a cartoon version of a classic movie monster: Count Chocula, Franken Berry, and Boo Berry, Fruit Brute, and Fruity Yummy Mummy.

According to General Mills, the original design for Count Chocula was drawn by George Carn, the same guy who drew the Trix Rabbit.

Sources:
- Cereaoulsly
- Mental Floss
- The Office clip
- Count Chocula image

Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.


Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties!

Each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Today, we learn about Count Olaf. We're joined by Margot Nissenblatt today.

Thank you to Margot for lending your voice for this section of the episode! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

Insta: @counterprogrammingpod.

Olaf etymology:
From the Old Norse name Áleifr meaning "ancestor's descendant", derived from the elements anu "ancestor" and leifr "descendant."

Synopsis of Olaf:

• A Series of Unfortunate Events is made of thirteen novels, written by American author Daniel Handler under the pen name Lemony Snicket. 
• They are classified "children's novels," but the books often have a dark, mysterious feeling to them and have been classified as postmodern and metafictional writing.
• The books follow the turbulent lives of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire. After their parents' death in a fire, the children are placed in the custody of a murderous relative, Count Olaf, who attempts to steal their inheritance and, later, orchestrates numerous disasters with the help of his accomplices as the children attempt to flee.
• The books seem to be set in an alternate, "timeless"[16] world with stylistic similarities to both the 19th century and the 1930s, though with contemporary, and seemingly anachronistic scientific knowledge

NEXT EPISODE: Count Chocula

Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Thank you to this week's sponsor, Podcorn. Learn more and sign up for a free account here.

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties!

Each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Today, we learn about Count Negroni.

Thank you to Dawn for lending your voice for the intro section of the episode! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us!

You can reach us by email: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

You can also reach us on Instagram @counterprogrammingpod.

Negroni facts:

• A Negroni is a cocktail made of equal parts vermouth, gin, and campari.
• The Negroni was created at Cafe Casoni in 1919 in Florence, Italy 
• Count Camillo Negroni was friends with the bartender Forsco Scarselli and he asked him to make him his normal drink but a bit stiffer 
• His normal drink was an Americano (which has sweet vermouth, campari, and club soda with a lemon garnish) 
• So the bartender replaced the club soda in his Americano with Gin...and the Negroni was born
• The drink became popular around Italy 
• And Count Negroni even started his own distillery that bottled Negronis (and is still open today) 

Video inspiration for this episode

There is some controversy regarding which "Count" "Negroni" is the inventor of The Negroni. More information here. Some believe it was Camillo Negroni, some believe it was Pascal Olivier de Negroni. The debate continues!

NEXT EPISODE: we'll be covering COUNT OLAF!

Thanks for tuning in! Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties!

We hope you’re healthy, safe, and engaged with our national conversation on police brutality and racism.

As always, each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Today, we learn about people counters, AKA the census!

In this episode, we discuss the important to filling out the 2020 census! You can do it right here. It only takes 10 minutes and it helps your community immensely.

We also interview census expert, D'Vera Cohn. D’Vera Cohn is a senior writer and editor at Pew Research Center. She studies and writes about demographics in the United States, especially the census. Cohn was a Washington Post reporter for 21 years, mainly writing about demographics, and was the newspaper’s lead reporter for the 2000 census. Before joining Pew Research Center, she served as a consultant and freelance writer for the Brookings Institution and Population Reference Bureau. Cohn is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and is a former Nieman Fellow. She is an author of studies on the marriage and birth rates in the United States, migration between the U.S. and Mexico, and U.S. population projections. Cohn manages Pew Research Center’s @allthingscensus Twitter account. She has spoken at national journalism conferences about how reporters can make use of demographic data in stories and often talks about the Center’s findings in print and broadcast media.

Here's the article we referenced in the interview: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/17/its-clear-where-college-students-are-counted-in-the-2020-census-but-not-others-who-moved-due-to-covid-19/

Here's the Sesame Street video we played: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZmLI7eYjmw

Thank you to Zari for lending your voice for the intro section of the episode! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us!

You can reach us by email: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

You can also reach us on Instagram @counterprogrammingpod.

NEXT EPISODE: It's 5:00 somewhere and we're making a Negroni. Learn about how this cocktail relates to "counter" programming.

Thanks for tuning in! Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Today's ad comes from the Super Politics Podcast. Listen here.

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties!

We hope you’re healthy, safe, and engaged with our national conversation on police brutality and racism.

As always, each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Today, we learn about counterproductivity. 

We start off this episode by sharing some resources for being an ally to the Black community at this time. 

• If you are a white person trying to learn more about Black Lives Matter, follow WP4BL on instagram. check out your local chapter of Black Lives Matter.
• If you hear chants of “defund the police,” or “abolish the police” and want to understand more about what that would mean, two podcast recommendations for you: 
  • Today, Explained
  • The Daily Zeitgeist 
• Follow Counter Propaganda on Instagram. Their mission is “reclaim the narrative.” They feature a person of color each day and tell their story.  We’re partial to it because it has “counter” in the title. 
• If you’re looking for a little more context into how police forces came about, and spoiler alert, they've always been racist and were founded on principles of white supremacy, another podcast recommendation:
  •  Throughline

Thank you to Ari Moskowitz for lending your voice for the intro section of the episode! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us!

You can reach us by email: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

You can also reach us on Instagram @counterprogrammingpod.

How to beat counter productivity:

• Start your day with structured “me time” to go through emails and social media from the night before
• Reduce meeting times by 25% 
• Schedule breaks into your day 
• Turn off pop up notifications 
• Hop on the phone (or slack) instead of emailing 
• Chop up big problems into smaller tasks 
• Use checklists 

Learn more about counter productivity in this episode!

Thanks for tuning in! Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

At the top of the show, we told you about The Jordan Harbinger Show. Find it and listen here.

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

#PodcastBlackOut

Counter Programming

Transcript:
This is Counter Programming with Shira and Arielle.

We started this podcast in April as a way of bringing you an alternative entertainment source to all of the grim COVID-19 news -- we wanted to give you something else to focus on. 

Today, we’re heading in the opposite direction. We wont be posting our regular episode as part of the #PodcastBlackOut. 

Today, we do want to focus on what’s going on in the world. We acknowledge what a privilege it is to be distracted by the news and to choose not to pay attention to it. We don’t want to be distracted. This week, we want to focus on what’s going on in the streets as protests continue to take place in response to the death of George Floyd in Minnesota by policeman Derrick Chauvin. 

As white women, we have the responsibility to be allies and to be actively anti-racist. And that means listening instead of talking. 

Thank you to the Sunni and Brandi of the Book of Lies podcast. They’re two podcasting sisters that we met a while back at Outlier Podcat Festival. They posted about #PodcastBlackOut -- which is an initiative to read the names of people of color who’ve been killed by police brutality -- instead of posting our regularly scheduled episode.

This list of names is by no means exhaustive. 

Thank you.

Trayvon Martin

Tamir Rice

Michael Brown

Ezell Ford (ee - zelle)

Michelle Cusseaux 

Tanisha Anderson

Eric Garner

Sandra Bland

Freddie Gray

Alton Sterling

Bettie Jones

Walter Scott

Philando Castile

Botham Jean 

Atatiana Jefferson

Ahmaud Arbery

Doug Lewis

Eric Reason

Dominique Clayton

Breonna Taylor

George Floyd

Rest in peace. #BlackLivesMatter.
__________

Resources

• Resources for Accountability and Action for Black Lives
• #PodcastBlackOut 

Reach us here:

•  counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com
•  @counterprogrammingpod

Hey, Counties!

How’s that isolation going? We hope you’re healthy and safe.

As always, each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Today, we learn about countertenors.

Thank you to Bethany Berger for lending your voice for the intro section of the episode! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us!

You can reach us by email: counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

You can also reach us on Instagram @counterprogrammingpod.

Last week, Shira and Arielle covered counterfeit money. Check back in our feed to listen to our previous episodes.

Countertenor Info:

• A countertenor (also contra tenor) is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of the female contralto or mezzo-soprano voice types, generally extending from around G3 to D5 or E5. Countertenors often are baritones or tenors at core, but on rare occasions use this vocal range in performance (via Wikipedia).
• As explained by Lestyn Davies, a Grammy award-winning countertenor, “It’s a voice produced by not using one’s ‘modal’ or normal speaking voice, but the higher range that occurs when the combination of larynx muscles and vocal cord position are changed in such a way that the air passing through the cords vibrates a much thinner outer layer."

Interview/Information about Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen:

• We talk about the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Hannah Senesh Hebrew Day School, Elton John's 60th birthday party (at MSG), castration, the Church, Princeton theses, La Boheme, and so much more.
• Here's Aryeh's website (gorgeous, right?!)
• Here's the clip that we played of Aryeh singing. AMAZING!
• Aryeh dispels some rumors about opera, so listen in to have your perspective shifted.
• We talk about the practice of castration (long gone) and how it has affected the opera world to this day.

Thanks for tuning in! Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

At the top of the show, we told you about The Jordan Harbinger Show. Find it and listen here.

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties!

How’s that isolation going? We hope you’re healthy and safe.

As always, each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Today, we learn about counterfeit money.

Thank you to Ever Gonzalez for lending your voice for the intro section of the episode! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us!

You can reach us by email to tell us how YOU feel about granite - counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

You can also reach us on Instagram @counterprogrammingpod.

Last week, Shira and Arielle covered step counters. Check back in our feed to listen to our previous episodes.

Counterfeit history:

• Counterfeiting money is thought to be the world's second oldest profession.
• It dates back to the ancient civilization of Lydia (modern day Turkey).
• Counterfeiters would shave off the edges of coins and mix the precious metals with base metals.
• In the 1690s in England, the punishment for "clipping silver" was hanging, burning at the stake, and drawing and quartering.

Interview with Lisa (a counterfeit coin)
Meet Lisa, a counterfeit coin who lives in a shallow dish on a dresser in Studio City. She believes she was created in the 1760s, but appraisers believe she was created in the 1930s and made to look older. She thinks a lot about what's "real" and what's "fake," beyond the scope of coins and currency. She's friendly with the bracelet she's situated next to and hopes to one day retire as a charm on that bracelet. Learn more in this interview!

Top scams:

• The Money Painter - JS G Boggs (started drawing in the '80s)
  • He was an artist and drew money. He never sold his counterfeit money but he would use it to pay for items and then would keep his receipts.
• Albert Talton (2000s) 
  • He was able to produce and counterfeit more than $7M in faux currency which was used before he was caught in 2007.
• Frank Bourassa (2010s) 
  • Was able to pass off more than $250M in fake money.
  • Only made $20 bills.
  • He still knows where the missing $50M is, and he is out and about since he only spent 1.5 months in jail in 2014.
• Wayne Victor Denis - (the 90s)
  • Produced $12M in fake money (only got 4 years in prison) and wrote a memoir from jail about the experience.
• Viktor Baranov (1970s)
  • Replicated the most complex Soviet coin, using a unique machine that he invented.
  • He was one of the first people to be caught and people still use his techniques today.

Thanks for tuning in! Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Lisa, the counterfeit coin, was played by Lisa Orkin of Project Woo Woo.

At the top of the show, we told you about Super Politics Podcast. Listen here!

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties!

How’s that isolation going? We hope you’re healthy and safe. Reach out and tell us what's up!

As always, each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. Today, we learn about step counters, also known as pedometers.

Thank you to Jerome Silberman (David) for lending your voice for the intro section of the episode! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us!

You can reach us by email to tell us how YOU feel about granite - counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

You can also reach us on Instagram @counterprogrammingpod.

In this episode, we share what we're up to during isolation. Arielle started listening to the Harry Potter series via Audible and is confused by the line between the Muggle and the Wizarding world. Yes, she's 20 years late. Shira got an air fryer for her birthday and has been experimenting with frying all sorts of things, including bagels!

Last week, Shira and Arielle decided they'd compete: who could get more steps via their step counters in one week. The results: Shira - 56,626 steps and Arielle - 97,431. And we had a Countie submit her steps: Zari - 96,723. WOW. Close game!

There's some debate over who created the first pedometer:

• First, Leonardo da Vinci, who envisioned a mechanical pedometer as a device with military applications.
• Jean Fernel, a French craftsman, may have invented the first pedometer in 1525. His invention was in the shape of a watch and had 4 dials. 
• A mechanical pedometer obtained from France was introduced in the US by Thomas Jefferson.
• Robert Hooke, an English scientist, is also given credit for inventing the pedometer in 1674. His was used by map makers.
• In 1777 Abraham-Louis Perrelet of Switzerland created the first pedometer/wind-watch, measuring the steps and distance while walking; it was based on a 1770 mechanism of his to power a self-winding watch. 
• However, the first person to officially receive a patent was English watchman, John Harwood, in 1924 by the Swiss and he exhibited the world’s first self-winding watch at the 1926 Basle Trade Fair. 

Our history with pedometers:
 - Arielle got one at a bar mitzvah in 2002. Loved.
 - Shira's summer camp (2013) gave out pedometers inspired by Michelle Obama.
 - We became obsessed with Fitbits/Jawbones when we moved to Jackson because we felt lazy being stuck inside all day.

Source

Come back next week as we explore another "counter"-related entity.

Thanks for tuning in! Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Buzzsprout, y'all, the best podcast host in the game. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties!

How’s that isolation going? We hope you’re healthy and safe. Welcome to the first non countertop episode of Counter Programming with Shira and Arielle. 

As always, each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a "counter" of some sort. In this episode, we make a hard pivot from home interior. Today, we learn about Count Dracula and Count Von Count.

Thank you to Rabbi Matt Dreffin for lending his voice in our intro! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us!

You can reach us by email to tell us how YOU feel about granite - counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

You can also reach us on Instagram @counterprogrammingpod.

In this episode, we share what we're up to during isolation. Shira went on a 7 mile walk as the weather in NY is clearing up a little. Arielle walked a Pomsky (Pomeranian / Husky) and the police pulled her over to ask what kind of dog it was because it was so damn cute (!) 

Tune in as Shira teaches Arielle about Count Dracula. Then, Arielle teaches Shira about Count Von Count. Who do you like better? Shira or Arielle? Just kidding -- Count vs. Count, of course! 

Come back next week as we explore another "counter"-related entity.

Thanks for tuning in! Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.


Shoutout to Not Your Little Lady, one of our favorite podcasts about women.

Another shoutout goes to Eva, who left us an awesome review on Apple. Make sure to check out Eva's podcast, A Place Called Fairneck. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties!

How’s that isolation going? We hope you’re healthy and safe. We've got a bonus episode for you!

As always, each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a counter of some sort. Our first series was on countertops. We hit you with marble, steel, wood, and granite. In this episode, we hear from Lindsay Graham, the podcast creator behind hits such as 1865: An Audio Drama, American History Tellers, and American Scandal. He took the time to record a short personal, story for us about his father. 

Lindsay tells us about his father's experience making tables and other kitchen goods for the uber wealthy. Listen in! It's a real treat because Lindsay has the most soothing voice in... the world.

You can reach us by email to tell us how YOU feel about granite - counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

You can also reach us on Instagram - @counterprogrammingpod.

SEND US PICTURES OF YOUR COUNTERTOPS! WE’LL SHARE THEM ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIAS!

We're back to our regularly scheduled programming on Wednesday. Subscribe so that you never miss an episode.

Thanks for tuning in! Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Thank you to our podcast hosting site, Buzzsprout, for continuing to crush it. 

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey, Counties!

How’s that isolation going? We hope you’re healthy and safe. Welcome to episode 4 of Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle. Last week, we learned about GRANITE. Make sure to listen in so you can find out why we call granite "the countertop of the people."

As always, each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a counter of some sort. In this episode, we're continuing our series on counter*tops.* Today, we ask, "would you dine on wood?" This is the last episode in our countertop series.

Thank you to Miriam Tinberg for lending her voice in our intro! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us!

You can reach us by email to tell us how YOU feel about granite - counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

You can also reach us on Instagram - @counterprogrammingpod.

SEND US PICTURES OF YOUR COUNTERTOPS! WE’LL SHARE THEM ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIAS!

In this episode, we share what we're up to during isolation. Arielle ate instant ramen and gnocchi during Passover and deals with that guilt. Shira questions, "what does Monday even mean?" She celebrated Easter with her roommate for the first time ever!

WOOD:
The hard fibrous material that forms the main substance of the trunk or branches of a tree or shrub, used for fuel or timber.

Wood can be shaped, sanded, and made into a flat shape for use in kitchens as tables, counters, or cabinets. 

Wood countertops will be between $40-$60 per square foot.

Notable landmarks made of wood:

1. Noah's Ark (?)
2. The Superior Dome in Northern Michigan
3. Tamedia office building in Zurich, Switzerland (7 stories!)
4. Community Church in Knarvik, Norway

Benefits of a wooden countertop:

• They are hygienic and naturally sanitary
• Wood naturally kills bacteria
• Easy to maintain
• You can sand away damage marks

Disadvantages of a wooden countertop:

• They are prone to water damage
• Many disinfectants can damage wood

Our ultimate ranking of the countertops (worst to best):

• Marble
• Wood
• Steel
• Granite

Would Shira and Arielle get wood in their future kitchens? MAYBE.

Come back next week as we explore another "counter"-related entity.

Thanks for tuning in! Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.


Shoutout to Just Na Science, one of our favorite science/comedy podcasts!

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw.

Hey Counties,

We've got a quick bonus episode for you.

Listen in to learn about Podapalooza, a virtual festival to raise money for COVID relief. Think of it as Live Aid, but for podcasts.

First, we catch you up on our respective weeks. Shira witnessed a New York City fight. Arielle felt an earthquake in LA. Good stuff.


Podapalooza

Join live events with podcasters you love — and find your new favorite podcasts.

Podapalooza is a pay-what-you-can online podcast festival for the benefit of COVID-19 relief. Your Podapalooza pass lets you interact with podcasters with live-streamed shows that include a story slam, conversations with well-known hosts, and listening parties with cast commentary for some of the most popular audio dramas.

Can’t join live? No problem. Listen to more than 70 podcasts from a variety of genres in your podcast app. Podcasters will be showcasing their work specifically for the occasion, and their hand-crafted picks will be dropping right in your player. Listen this weekend or anytime after.

___

Shoutout to The Industry podcast, one of our newest favorite podcasts. It's about Hollywood and it's super entertaining, even if you aren't a movie buff.

We'll be back on Wednesday for the next episode in our Countertop series. We're covering WOOD. Wood you do us the honor of joining us back here? Hope so!

Hey, Counties!

How’s that isolation going? We hope you’re healthy and safe. Welcome to episode 3 of Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle. Last week, we learned about STEEL. Make sure to listen in so you can find out why it stole our hearts </3.

As always, each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a counter of some sort. In this episode, we're continuing our series on counter*tops.* Today, we don't take GRANITE for granted... It's the countertop of the people.

Thank you to Rebekah Peltz for lending her voice in our intro! You can do the same. Record a voice note saying, "Hi, i'm (your name), and you're listening to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle." Then send it to us!

You can reach us by email to tell us how YOU feel about granite - counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

You can also reach us on Instagram - @counterprogrammingpod.

SEND US PICTURES OF YOUR COUNTERTOPS! WE’LL SHARE THEM ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIAS!

In this episode, we share what we're up to during isolation. Shira talks about preparing for Passover and cooking for an isolated seder. Arielle made biscuits before the sun came up. 

GRANITE:
A very hard granular, crystalline igneous rock consisting mainly of quartz, mica, and feldspar.

Granite countertops are found in a whopping 64% of new homes. They can be purchased for between $40-$60 per square foot. 

Notable landmarks made of granite:

1. Mount Rushmore
2. Vietnam Veterans Memorial
3. India's Temple to Shiva

Granite in pop culture:

• New Hampshire is called The Granite State
• The Old Man in the Mountain in NH, a natural rock formation, fell in 2003
• Granite State College!
• BYU TV's Granite Flats (available on Netflix)
• Granite State Challenge - a quiz bowl game show

Benefits of a granite countertop:

• It's highly heat and scratch resistant
• It is easily cleaned
• It has a lot of color options
• Each piece has a one-of-a-kind look
• It lasts forever

Disadvantages of a granite countertop:

• It lasts forever, which means if you get bored easily, you might not like it
• It requires a lot of structural support
• It can crack when hit by a sharp, hard object

Would Shira and Arielle get granite in their future kitchens? YES.

Come back next week as we explore another countertop. 

Thanks for tuning in! Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw. 

Hey, Counties!

How’s that isolation going? We hope you’re healthy and safe. Welcome to episode 2 of Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle. Last week, we learned about marble. Make sure to listen in so you can find out why marble just isn't cutting it.

As always, each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a counter of some sort. In this episode, we're continuing our series on counter*tops.* Today, we steal your attention over to STEEL countertops.

You can reach us by email to tell us how YOU feel about steel - counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. 

You can also reach us on Instagram - @counterprogrammingpod.

SEND US PICTURES OF YOUR COUNTERTOPS! WE’LL SHARE THEM ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIAS!

In this episode, we share what we're up to during isolation. Arielle and her roommates made brunch. She also got a mask from her friend, Rebekah. If you’re in the market for a mask, reach out to Rebekah on Instagram. Shira shares her feelings of anxiety regarding all things COVID. We then shoutout the Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Shira and Arielle recently attended a Zoom call with their former colleagues. We discuss Passover during isolation. We encourage you to drink Bartentura during Passover. 

STEEL:
Steel is a hard, strong, gray or bluish-gray alloy of iron with carbon and usually other elements, used extensively as a structural and fabricating material.

Notable landmarks made of steel:

1. The Brooklyn Bridge
2. The Pittsburgh U.S. Steel Tower
3. The Gateway Arch in St. Louis
4. The Golden Gate Bridge
5. Taipei 101

Steel history from Oldhouseonline.com:

• Sheet metal was in many kitchens in the late 1800s
• Metal then went from sinks to countertops
• By the 1920s and 30s, monel came about, and it became popular for counters and cabinets
• Metal became enameled in many kitchens
• Steel is very impressionable and therefore an opportunity for artists
• In the 1950s, stainless steel replaced monel because it’s nearly indestructible

Benefits of a steel countertop:

• Great for cleanliness and getting rid of bacteria
• Non-porous 
• It’s a little more expensive than granite 
• Builds up patina (green or brown film that strengthens the structure)

Disadvantages of a steel countertop:

• It can show cuts and scratches over time
• It can dent easily
• Some people think it looks “cold”
• It’s a noisy material
• Fingerprints linger on steel, so it needs to be wiped down often

Would Shira and Arielle get steel in their future kitchens? UP IN THE AIR.

Come back next week as we explore another countertop. 

Thanks for tuning in! Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Tweet at us. Here’s Shira. Here’s Arielle.

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw. 

Hey, Counties (that's our nickname for our fans)!

How are you doing? How’s that isolation going? We hope you’re healthy and safe. Welcome to our official episode 1 of Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle. Last week, we released our intro episode. It was a chance to get to know us and why we're doing this Corona-inspired podcast. As always, each episode of Counter Programming will focus on a counter of some sort. In this episode, we're starting our series on counter*tops.* Today, we cover MARBLE.

Find out how we *really* feel about marble countertops -- hint: it ain't lookin' good for marble.

You can reach us by email to tell us how YOU feel about marble - counterprogrammingshiraarielle@gmail.com. You can also reach us on Instagram - @counterprogrammingpod.

SEND US PICTURES OF YOUR COUNTERTOPS! WE’LL SHARE THEM ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIAS!

In this episode, we share what we're up to during isolation. Arielle made avocado bread (which is apparently a thing). Shira and her roommate, Jenna, made steak tacos using a muffin tin(!) and finished off their tequila. Of course, Tiger King has been on our minds.

Background facts on countertops:

1. The first countertops were made of stone and wood

2. Soapstone and slate were abundant in the Northeast so they were brought into the kitchen to be used for counters

3. Marble was initially used because pastry chefs liked rolling their dough on it

4. Metals such as stainless steel and nickel were used starting in the early 1900s and then became more popular

5. Stainless steel and laminate became popular in the 1940s

Thank you oldhouseweb.com for these facts!

Let's marble at marble:

It's a metamorphic rock that's commonly used for sculpture and as a building material. 

Notable Landmarks Made with Marble:

1. Taj Mahal

2. The Pantheon

3. The Washington Monument

4. The Supreme Court Building

5. The Parthenon (sort of - the foundation is limestone but the tiles are marble)

Benefits of a marble countertop:

- The look - it's beautiful, it's warm

- Marble has a "nice character"

- Each piece is unique

- It has elegant veining and a sophisticated appearance

Disadvantages of a marble countertop:

- It's a porous material

- It can stain

- It's soft so it can chip and scratch

- It's expensive (more expensive than wood, laminate, and tile)

- Low resistance to heat

Would Shira and Arielle get marble in their future kitchens? NO.

Come back next week as we explore another countertop. 

Thanks for tuning in! Leave us a review on Apple or a comment on Castbox.

Thank you to Daniel Tureck, our engineer.

Thank you to Caio Slikta, our logo designer.

Our music is called Tennessee Hayride and it’s by Jason Shaw. 

Welcome to Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle!

In this intro episode, meet Arielle and Shira, long-time friends who are embarking on a fun project during the time of Corona. The duo are offering Counter Programming to all of the hubbub surrounding COVID-19 in the form of episodes about counters. What kind of counters, you may ask?

Well:

 - Counter tops (marble, granite, steel)

 - Counter culture

 - Counters of calories, time...etc

 - SO. MUCH. MORE

This podcast is sure to be a mix of comedy and useless information shared in a fresh way with a lot of laughs.

Shira and Arielle met in 2015 at their first job post-college in Jackson, Mississippi (at the Institute of Southern Jewish Life). They lived down the street from one another. Now, they're separated by almost 50 states (Arielle in California and Shira in NY), but, in an effort to quell their respective anxiety, they wanted to take on a podcast during Corona.

Counter Programming with Shira & Arielle is a limited-run podcast series meant to bring you some levity in a time of heightened uncertainty.

Episodes will be published weekly and will feature counter programming of all sorts.

Tell us about your favorite counters, won't you please? You can reach us on Twitter:

Shira is at @shishimosk

Arielle at is @arithisandthat