Episode 147: Blankstorm '95, CoVID-19, and…

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You might only realize how interesting the times in which you live really are when it's hard to distinguish which is worse: the reality surrounding you; or the commercial reporting on that reality. Hence, Episode 147: Blankstorm '95, CoVID-19, and…

In this episode, I read from: my computer's quickie dictionary; and from Jenny O'Dell's book How To Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy. I play the voice of former head of news for both the CBC and NPR Jeffry Dvorkin, a clip I pulled from his interview on Candaland.

Musically, I play: Visciera doing "Seething"; and Podington Bear doing "Grapefruit". I open with KMFDM backing then Mayor of Burlington Bernie Sanders, and close with Mistle Thrush.

I'm releasing this and all my episodes under a Creative Commons 4.0 attribution, share-alike, and non-commercial license.

Episode 146: Hitler Was An Ad-Man

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Perhaps if more people understood how insulting the tenets of advertising are, or how poorly ad-men regard their audience, more might avoid it, or consider restricting it legally. Consider the title of this Episode 146: Hitler Was An Ad-Man.

In this episode, I read from: from my computer's quickie dictionary for the definition of Liberalism; and from Tim Wu's The Attention Merchants: The Epic Scramble to Get Inside Our Heads. (Again, all of the quotes, from Hitler, Goebbels, and Lerner, came from Wu's book unconfirmed. I hope they are accurate.)

I play: Senator Ted Stevens sharing his understanding of the Intertubes; Gene Wilder explaining to Cleavon Little why he should expect disappointment from the locals; Sydney Greenstreet demonstrating what in advertising works best; and listener Vincent once again correcting my French pronunciation with some good French cursing. (In his cursing, he says: "No, that is not it, shit!")

Musically, I insert: Podington Bear's "Firefly"; and Jahzzar's "Lullaby" and "Reflections". KMFDM opens with Justice Stevens pointing out just one of the problems with the Citizen's United Not Timid majority decision; and I close today with Julie and Rolf leading some campfire singing.

I'm releasing this and all my episodes under a Creative Commons 4.0 attribution, share-alike, and non-commercial license.

Bonus Episode: Radio's Second Chance

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Sometimes, rare books are rare not because they have no value, but because their value is perceived as topical only for a certain time. Sometimes, though, good ideas suggested for one time prove timeless. Hence this Bonus Episode: Radio's Second Chance.

In this episode, I read from: Victor Pickard's Battle for Media Democracy; and from Charles Siepmann's 1946 book Radio's Second Chance.

I open the show with a fragment of KMFDM's "Attack", and I play Lee Rosevere's "Curiosity" throughout.

I'm releasing this and all my episodes under a Creative Commons 4.0, attribution, share-alike, and non-commercial license.