Podcasting pioneer Dave Winer is celebrating two years of podcasting today. Back in the day, Winer called his podcast his audio Morning Coffee Notes. (MP3)

Winer, along with Adam Curry, is considered by many to be one of the “fathers” of podcasting because of his pioneering work combining audio blogging with RSS feeds to allow automated audio subscriptions.

SonoSite, a leading manufacturer of mobile ultrasound equipment, announced an initiative today that will allow clinicians to refresh their training in ultrasound-guided procedures and goal-oriented examinations by viewing courses on video iPods.

“Ultrasound is a dynamic, “real time” technology. Ideally, physicians should refresh their ultrasound skills with an equally dynamic training tool,” said Dr. Price. “Focused, well-designed one-to-five minute tutorials can be viewed on an iPod wherever, whenever they are needed, and can bring the physician or medical student up-to-date, on the spot.”

NPR has introduced a new podcast dedicated to the world of video games, Press Start.

Hosts Robert Holt, Ralph Cooper, and Kyle Orland discuss the art and craft of video games: what’s new and what games they’ve been playing. The first episode looks at video games as art (MP3).

John Dingell, D-Dearborn, who has been in Congress for 50 years, knows how to keep up with the kids. He’s introduced a podcast, The Dingellcast, joining a growing number of politicians that are using podcasting to communicate with their constituents.”I’m not going to kid anyone, I don’t have an iPod, but I see them all over the place,” Dingell said. “This is one more way to satisfy what seems like a boundless appetite for news from Capitol Hill. We want people to know what is happening here.”

UK comedian Ricky Gervais is moving his podcast to The Daily Mirror, as part of its new video download section. Gervais’ podcast was originally published by the Guardian, where it received a Guinness Record for the most downloaded podcast.

Gervais originally published a free podcast, but earlier this year switched to paid subscriptions.

The 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany, being held June 9th through July 9th, is proving to be a popular topic for podcasters.World Cup podcasts are being produced by news organizations, football (soccer) fans and even the Chancellor of Germany.

The World Cup, the most important event in international football (soccer), brings together teams from member nations of F√©d√©ration Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport’s global governing body.

Linked Media is a new UK company that hopes to provide “an interface between independent podcasters and emerging mainstream distribution channels.”The company plans to help mobile networks and other providers build relationships with, and acquire content from, independent podcast producers worldwide by providing a bridge between them.

“Independent podcasters cannot compete with big business branding and marketing campaigns, but we believe we can help them to use emerging channels such as mobile to reach new listeners,” said Neil Dixon, director of Linked Media. “This puts them on a more level playing field with the bigger commercial producers.”

Mark Ramsey, president of hear2.0, thinks that podcasting has a bad name, and thinks we should change the name to (drum roll)……………audiomag.

“Podcast is, when you think about it, an absolutely horrible name for the technology,” writes Ramsey. “We don’t watch a TVcast, we watch a TV show. We don’t listen to a Radiocast, it’s a radio show or a radio station. And much of podcast listening isn’t even done on an mp3 player, let alone an iPod.”

To which we say, “Audiomag?”

Vloggercon 2006, being held June 10-11 in San Francisco, has sold out. The conference is a two-day collection of roundtable discussions about the emergence and the future of vlogging.For those that can’t make it in person, the organizers promise video streaming of events on Saturday and Sunday, and the conference will be vlogged to death.

Check the Vloggercon site for details on the conference, parties and participating remotely, along with the Vloggercon Wiki.

Que publishing has released Tricks of the Podcasting Masters by Mur Lafferty, producer of GeekFu Action Grip, and Rob Walch, host of podCast411, with a foreword by Senator John Edwards.The book is described as “the first podcasting book to focus on the Art of podcasting. It teaches people how to promote their podcast and grow their audience by looking at and talking with the biggest names in podcasting.”