NPR Check: Q Tips

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Q Tips

NPR related comments welcomed.

25 comments:

Juan "Toss" Ensalada said...: Don't really know how to classify this one
one. Friends? Thoughts?; 5/12/09, 9:11 AM
Juan "Toss" Ensalada said...: "Soft-core journalism" is my initial thought, but I am open to other suggestions.; 5/12/09, 9:12 AM
biggerbox said...: Way to go, NPR and Peter Overby. Playing soundbites from the lying anti-health-care-reform ads by world-class fraudster Rick Scott! And then, when in passing you do mention that an opposing ad says he headed a company that committed a massive medical billing fraud, you allow the scumbag himself to speak his own defense and claim no one ever accused him of doing something wrong. Talk about balanced, huh?

I guess it would be too much to actually truth-check Scott's ad, or document that his company HCA actually DID pay a record-breaking fine of over $1 Billion. SOOO much better to just repeat his lies, say that a bunch of unions are attacking him, play him saying he didn't do it, and then move on.

Just where did "health care executive" (shouldn't that be FORMER health care executive) Rick Scott get the $1.1 million of his own money to spend on these ads, Peter? Huh?

Have you been taking lessons from Gjelten? Seriously.; 5/12/09, 9:35 AM
Anonymous said...: Juan:

How about newstainment?

edk; 5/12/09, 10:18 AM
Porter Melmoth said...: I for one have always wanted to know what Lauren Shuler Donner's favorite films are. An important document for our times.

Yes, the essential blandness of NPR's preferences/defaults is indicative of the world they (NPR as group entity) prefers to live in: banal, mainstream, conformist. And boring. But that's the problem with aspiring elitists and mediocre people who happened to have had financial success: they don't have any idea how boring they are. Unfortunately, NPR provides a showcase for them to splatter their mediocrity globally. Just what we need.

'Soft-bore journalism' perhaps.; 5/12/09, 10:32 AM
Anonymous said...: Don't mind me.
I'm Peter OOOOOOOOOOOverby.
Don't take me OOOOOOverly
Seriously.

-- A Nonymuse; 5/12/09, 11:24 AM
Juan "Toss" Ensalada said...: edk,

Unfortunately, "news" is to strong a word for what they deliver. More like "musings."

However, "soft-bore" really has potential.

-jet; 5/12/09, 11:34 AM
Juan "Toss" Ensalada said...: All,

NPR banned me today. I can't tell for what, however. Here is what I posted, in a very non-profane way:

1. My Lauren Shuler comment; as in, "Stuff White People Like: movie recommendations from famous white people."

2. "Pentagon Spokesman" and "NPR Stenographer," Tom Bowman.

3. Wade Goodwyn's lame low-cost comparison of Walmart to Southwest Airlines.

4. My comparing Jerry Bruckheimer's movies and TV shows to video games; his "new" industry, according to NPR.

5. Peter Overby's "send in the lobbyists" story to "send in the clowns."

-jet; 5/12/09, 11:51 AM
Anonymous said...: Well, jet I am about to join you I think:

Message Information:
Message #: 5607-8844115
Date Created: 5/12/2009 1:01 PM EDT
Subject: Puzzle Master's American exceptionalism
Body: Two weeks ago Will was talking about the Soduko championships somewhere in Eastern Europe. He named the American (by name) and called him the best solover but due to "a quirky" way of determining winner he did not win the Gold Medal or whatever. In fact someone else won it but of course Will never revealed the name of the winner.

Liann is well known as a true believer in American exceptionalism but it was a mild shock to see that Will is as myopic as Liann. But that's NPR for you and for me.

edk; 5/12/09, 12:19 PM
Juan "Toss" Ensalada said...: NPR: The "P" stand for process, policies and propaganda.; 5/12/09, 12:42 PM
Porter Melmoth said...: Congrats, Juan, on your boldness. Your achievement of Banishment Status is a proud badge indeed.

Like all propagandistic endeavors, the propagandists can only tolerate their own kind. Free speech is not allowed.

To me, Auntie Liane's favorite trophy, the Puzzlemaster, has always been a prime display of NPR's patented smug-descension. Shortz is beloved by millions, but his ego, which he has decided to display through gentle modesty and 'patience', always made me squirm. He always sounded like his mustache was too heavy, or something. And Auntie Liane's fakery during the whole gruesome segment was, well, too fake to take.

I know I'm too touchy about these things. That's why I heaved them into the dumpster.

Again, JET, bravo.; 5/12/09, 1:07 PM
Porter Melmoth said...: Wow, JET, indeed, your words have been vaporized!

I wonder if NPR preserves the free speech that they don't like, in sort of a Dead Letter Vat, or if they are rendered utterly non-existent, so that no proof of discouraging words could ever surface?

Somewhere in NPR's universe, there's GOT to be a backup of those words applied to Lauren Shuler Donner's DVD favorites!; 5/12/09, 1:17 PM
Juan "Toss" Ensalada said...: Indeed, the puzzlemaster is about as smug as it gets! But remember waaaay back when (Bob Edwards days) NPR used to announce famous peoples' birthdays and not tell listeners why they were famous? Ahh, those were the days! You mean you don't know who he or she is? Goodness, what type of elite doesn't know him or her? Shameful! Are you sure you are worthy enough to listen to NPR?; 5/12/09, 1:26 PM
WarOnWarOff said...: Congratulations, Juan! That smug, thin-skinned, torture lovers dissapprove of your witty comments makes me smile from ear to ear. ;); 5/12/09, 2:13 PM
Porter Melmoth said...: Indeed, back in the old days, Bob Ed certainly brought forth some annoyances. To me he was always trying to be a world-weary 'character', but impossibly cool. He couldn't seem to decide if he was Jack Webb or Robert Mitchum.

HOWEVER! Whatever way Bob Ed came across, nothing could have prepared us for the unutterable horror that was to come: Inskreep 'n Mundane.; 5/12/09, 2:15 PM
Anonymous said...: It's kind of funny.

As I read the comments above, I can't help thinking:

These people don't know each other but they are telling jokes (at NPR's expense) like they have known each other for years.

NPR does that: brings out the urge to mock.

Some media sources are into Muckraking, exposing corruption.

NPR: mockraking, exposing Don Gonyea's belly (yech)

And NPR mockrakers step on lots of rakes in the process.; 5/12/09, 3:02 PM
Woody (Tokin Librul/Rogue Scholar/ Helluvafella!) said...: So you probably noticed that (as far as I could tell) the only source quoted extensively this morning on the health care debate was some jagoff from the AEI?; 5/12/09, 3:50 PM
Juan "Toss" Ensalada said...: Speaking of NPR blog comments, I think Planet Monkey's Adam Davidson must have set some kinda record over at NPR -- which probably means he'll get a raise from their new Digital Grand Dames, Vivian Schiller.

Davidson has 367 (mostly negative) comments so far for his drive-by shooting (mouth, that is) of Elizabeth Warren. What do you bet he replaces stuttering Kneel Conan at TOTN?

Of course, those 367 comments include Davidson's own (several) mea culpas, and my own scrubbed comment or two. The real heart-wrenching blog comment is the one where he references post-Waren interview conversations with his wife and mother (on Mother's Day). They set him straight, he says. Do you suppose they both him he was journalistic hack or a just misogynistic jackass? I hope both!

On a related note, Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Talk of the Nation all set records in the latest RRC/Arbitron book. NPR has over 33 million listeners now; ME has 14 million, ATC has 13 million and TOTN has 3.5 million.; 5/12/09, 4:22 PM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Damn JTE, you got vaporized!

Without explanation?

Wonder when I get canned?; 5/12/09, 5:44 PM
Anonymous said...: Big deal. Here;'s a real feat:

Message
You have been banned for the following reason:
contemptuous troll

Date the ban will be lifted: Never

From the Sean Hannitty "discussion board". All I wanted to know was when Sean was gonna ride the water board. Is the whole world becoming NPResque?

Sorry to be so far off topic but . . .

edk; 5/12/09, 6:59 PM
the!bunny!is!eightball! said...: Buncha thin-skinned wussie-woo's they truly are; criticize me, will ya? It's MY FOOTBALL and I'M GOING HOME!!!! ZAP!!! heeheeheehee.

I'd noticed prior to Juan's banishment that some of the music curmudgeons whose retorts I thorougly relished (see Port's exposure of the NPR entertainment niche') were to be seen no more.

Again, bleepin'-blankety-blank-blankin'.... wussies. At least we can let 'er rip over here; and if they keep up what they're keeping up I suspect that our numbers are gonna grow. I can dream a bunny dream, can't I?; 5/12/09, 7:38 PM
b!2! said...: PS: bunnificent?; 5/12/09, 7:48 PM
Anonymous said...: Davidson has 367 (mostly negative) comments so far for his drive-by shooting (mouth, that is) of Elizabeth Warren."

Guys like Davidson, Larry Summers and Tim Geithner simply hate people like Elizabeth Warren -- and not only because of her gender (though with Summers in particular that obviously plays a large role).

She is both honest and very competent. She tells it like it is and can not be persuaded to do otherwise. She can't be bought and she can't be intimidated, so underhanded attacks -- and firing, of course -- are the only options left.

Intelligence and honesty (especially in women) are obviously traits that guys like the above (especially Summers) have a hard time dealing with.; 5/12/09, 8:57 PM
Mytwords said...: Re: JET's "don't know how to classify this one"?
I like soft-core journalism, but maybe junk-news as in junk-food, or perhaps jornotainment? Anyway, please consider saving copies of your comments as you post them on NPR and send me a copy if they get unfairly vaporized.; 5/13/09, 5:30 AM
Anonymous said...: I was wrong on my hannity post. The sad thing really is that NPR has become Foxesque.

I follow the comments and the problem many of you have is you nail em to the wall!

edk; 5/13/09, 11:13 AM