Comments on: End of Semester http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/ America's favorite blog Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:42:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.11 by: hedera http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21572 Fri, 24 Nov 2006 00:03:53 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21572 Yes, I was amused to see Rupert Murdoch acting like an upstanding, responsible, moral citizen, who doesn't publish disgusting things just for money. Yes, I was amused to see Rupert Murdoch acting like an upstanding, responsible, moral citizen, who doesn’t publish disgusting things just for money.

]]> by: Ann http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21504 Tue, 21 Nov 2006 00:28:08 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21504 So true, so true. On yet another completely unrelated topic, I see that OJ's book and TV special have been pulled. I trust that Spike and Adam's influence at Fox led to this about-face. So true, so true.

On yet another completely unrelated topic, I see that OJ’s book and TV special have been pulled. I trust that Spike and Adam’s influence at Fox led to this about-face.

]]> by: dee http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21503 Tue, 21 Nov 2006 00:06:26 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21503 Oh Ann, we'll always have...Illya. Oh Ann, we’ll always have…Illya.

]]> by: Ann http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21501 Mon, 20 Nov 2006 23:32:11 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21501 Dee, I'm appalled to say that I disagree with you! I always thought it was rude not to provide some context for the less obvious names on the birthday list! I doubt very much that a listener is going to say "I wonder who Ferd Berfle is, I'd better google him." And younger listeners surely feel left out, which is never good. But speaking of levity on NPR, the evening show from Canada, As It Happens, is always using puns in their intros. Ick. Dee, I’m appalled to say that I disagree with you! I always thought it was rude not to provide some context for the less obvious names on the birthday list! I doubt very much that a listener is going to say “I wonder who Ferd Berfle is, I’d better google him.” And younger listeners surely feel left out, which is never good.
But speaking of levity on NPR, the evening show from Canada, As It Happens, is always using puns in their intros. Ick.

]]> by: dee http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21498 Mon, 20 Nov 2006 23:15:50 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21498 I trace the whole "dumbing down" of NPR to when they kicked Bob Edwards to the curb. Every morning during the program intro when he would announce a birthday, he wouldn't provide any more information than the name. He assumed his listeners either knew who he was talking about or, if interested, would take the time to find out. Now we get a biography because apparently we're too stupid to figure it out ourselves, even with Google. It's a little thing, I know, but it's bothered the hell out of me since he left. I don't want to jump on the "Dump on NPR" bandwagon, because I know it's still the best alternative. I guess it's like voting for a candidate. But geez Louise, other than Diane Rehm (and a certain News Quiz Show) I wish my local station would just go back to the classical music they used to play all day. I trace the whole “dumbing down” of NPR to when they kicked Bob Edwards to the curb. Every morning during the program intro when he would announce a birthday, he wouldn’t provide any more information than the name. He assumed his listeners either knew who he was talking about or, if interested, would take the time to find out. Now we get a biography because apparently we’re too stupid to figure it out ourselves, even with Google.

It’s a little thing, I know, but it’s bothered the hell out of me since he left.

I don’t want to jump on the “Dump on NPR” bandwagon, because I know it’s still the best alternative. I guess it’s like voting for a candidate. But geez Louise, other than Diane Rehm (and a certain News Quiz Show) I wish my local station would just go back to the classical music they used to play all day.

]]> by: Harold http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21494 Mon, 20 Nov 2006 21:22:01 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21494 Siobhan, the phrase "...and other 'hard' science topics" started out its life as "...and other 'math is hard' topics." But I thought I might confuse the issue by using that, just in case anyone missed the Barbie reference! I may not know much about Ospreys, but I do know a little about toy designs gone wrong! Stupid malfunctioning keyboard. That should be "tremendously complicated", not "termendously complicated." Siobhan, the phrase “…and other ‘hard’ science topics” started out its life as “…and other ‘math is hard’ topics.” But I thought I might confuse the issue by using that, just in case anyone missed the Barbie reference! I may not know much about Ospreys, but I do know a little about toy designs gone wrong!

Stupid malfunctioning keyboard. That should be “tremendously complicated”, not “termendously complicated.”

]]> by: siobhan http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21492 Mon, 20 Nov 2006 21:04:20 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21492 Harold, I've been noticing that trend on science stories, too, and also find it irritating as hell. Like maybe they think that the listeners will find science stories boring and won't listen without the cute stuff? It's like the "math is hard" Barbie mindset. Peh. or however you spell it. Harold, I’ve been noticing that trend on science stories, too, and also find it irritating as hell. Like maybe they think that the listeners will find science stories boring and won’t listen without the cute stuff? It’s like the “math is hard” Barbie mindset.

Peh. or however you spell it.

]]> by: Harold http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21491 Mon, 20 Nov 2006 20:09:16 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21491 Sadly, whenever I hear science stories on Morning Edition and NPR in general lately, they seem to be being presented Morning Zoo style. I wonder how it would go over if a story on AIDS or Darfur or any of a thousand other topics were presented with the quick edits, snappy soundbites, and "don't take this seriously, folks" tone that has become the norm for stories on cloning, astronomy, and other "hard" science topics. Saturday's "What's A Mammal?" report on All Things Considered was a sad joke, trying to recast the taxonomical clasification of "mammalia" as a calculated and sustained assault on feminism. Even a report on climate change in Kenya on Sunday's All Things Considered made a comment about how precipitation patterns had become "more complicated than a Starbucks order." Ha-ha, very funny. Nice way to play into the stereotype of NPR listeners as a bunch of latte-sippers, too. If the presenter of that particular piece were to try to wrap her brain around how massively complicated even "normal" weather patterns are, how sensitive they are on initial conditions, and how termendously complicated they can get when new variables are introduced, I think her head would explode. Sadly, whenever I hear science stories on Morning Edition and NPR in general lately, they seem to be being presented Morning Zoo style. I wonder how it would go over if a story on AIDS or Darfur or any of a thousand other topics were presented with the quick edits, snappy soundbites, and “don’t take this seriously, folks” tone that has become the norm for stories on cloning, astronomy, and other “hard” science topics.

Saturday’s “What’s A Mammal?” report on All Things Considered was a sad joke, trying to recast the taxonomical clasification of “mammalia” as a calculated and sustained assault on feminism. Even a report on climate change in Kenya on Sunday’s All Things Considered made a comment about how precipitation patterns had become “more complicated than a Starbucks order.” Ha-ha, very funny. Nice way to play into the stereotype of NPR listeners as a bunch of latte-sippers, too. If the presenter of that particular piece were to try to wrap her brain around how massively complicated even “normal” weather patterns are, how sensitive they are on initial conditions, and how termendously complicated they can get when new variables are introduced, I think her head would explode.

]]> by: Ann http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21490 Mon, 20 Nov 2006 19:08:51 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21490 All this sports talk confuses me, but NPR Morning Zoo is priceless! All this sports talk confuses me, but NPR Morning Zoo is priceless!

]]> by: Rebecca http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21489 Mon, 20 Nov 2006 18:18:57 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/17/end-of-semester/#comment-21489 Dee, I heard about that today from a friend, and here's the part that should be paid attention to: <i>The show was pitched as “This Just In” when it first got life as a 20-minute pilot presentation for Fox Broadcasting Co.’s late-night division. But when that network passed, Surnow said it attracted the attention of Fox News Channel chief Roger Ailes.</i> Doesn't that mean that Talkshow already beat them out, at least according to Fox Broadcasting? I think Talkshow is safe and sound. Dee,
I heard about that today from a friend, and here’s the part that should be paid attention to:

The show was pitched as “This Just In” when it first got life as a 20-minute pilot presentation for Fox Broadcasting Co.’s late-night division. But when that network passed, Surnow said it attracted the attention of Fox News Channel chief Roger Ailes.

Doesn’t that mean that Talkshow already beat them out, at least according to Fox Broadcasting? I think Talkshow is safe and sound.

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