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apogee
climber
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May 24, 2010 - 01:37pm PT
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I was wondering when the first 'NPR-hater' post would kick in- I'm surprised it took that long.
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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May 24, 2010 - 01:38pm PT
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Paying member of our local NPR!
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Brian
climber
California
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May 24, 2010 - 01:47pm PT
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I've been listening to NPR for 20+ years, after my girlfriend (now wife) got me hooked. I've got a lot to say about a lot of different programs, both the national programs and local programs in the various places I've lived; but I'll confine my input to a single comment.
The Writer's Almanac is the single best thing on the radio.
Brian
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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May 24, 2010 - 01:49pm PT
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NPR was my link to humanity while I lived in various USFS enclaves.
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LB4USC
Trad climber
Long Beach
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May 24, 2010 - 06:00pm PT
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How can you love NPR when they don't give Sarah Palin or Glenn Beck a platform?
Palin / Limbaugh 2012
Leadership this country deserves!
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zeta
Trad climber
Berkeley
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May 24, 2010 - 06:54pm PT
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I also am an NPR addict...love their geo quizzes, wait wait don't tell me, science friday, TOTN, etc. Turning the radio to NPR is the first thing I do every morning, when I go into the kitchen to make coffee. There is something very soothing about the familiar voices and shows.
4 years ago I made it onto car talk and I was so ridiculously excited to be talking LIVE to Click n' Clack! It was really funny how many old friends of mine from all over the country heard my short call to the brothers about my clutch. It was pretty cool. guess that was my 15 minutes of fame...
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Fletcher
Trad climber
not very much, recently.
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May 24, 2010 - 07:13pm PT
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Been listening for about 35 years now (I started when I was about 13... WFCR in the Amherst, MA area). I echo many others' favorites. Left, Right, Center (and Arrianna) is always fun, provocative, thoughtful and mostly civil. Larry Mantle on KPCC in Pasadena is an excellent interviewer in his own right. Not unlike Warren Ulney in some ways.
I must confess, the only part I've ever really enjoyed about Prairie Home Companion is his storytelling segment. The rest just doesn't jibe with my strange personality. I've enjoyed Terry Gross over the years, but lately have found her a bit tired.
Lately, I've been listening mainly to podcasts: This American Life is awesome. Speaking of Faith is thoughtful and often surprises me with topics I'm not sure I'd be interested in. The Planet Money podcast makes economic issues funny, touching and understandable (how'd they do that???!!!!). RadioLab is another good TAL type story telling program. And if you're into cooking, The Splendid Table is yummy.
Used to listen to Jason Bentley and Garth Trinidad for their great music mixes on KCRW, but my timing with them is not matched up so well anymore. And the Loh Life with Sandra Tsing Loh is awesome, but unless you live in LA, might not always be easy to understand.
Car Talk is one of my longest running favorites. The long time producer, Doug Berman went to high school with one of my best friends from college.
Eric
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TrundleBum
Trad climber
Las Vegas
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May 24, 2010 - 07:39pm PT
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Count me in as an NPR reg listener.
One thing I find entertaining about NPR:
Do they screen candidate DJ's and broadcast people for that pervasive NPR mellowness of personality and richness of voice?
Have you ever heard an NPR voice that was nasal and going a 'mile a minute'?
Not Me ^
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Norwegian's link to:
npr compiled vault of rare folk recordings
I was waiting for the term 'folk recordings' to come up, .
One of North America's greatest folk, tune smiths [Greg Brown] was the musical director for Garrison Keillor and the Prairie Home Companion show, for over a decade.
The culture of the United States actually has very little which is unique. Undeniably, uniquely, American is the music genres we have founded. 'Folk music' is just that and enjoyed around the world by a multitude of peoples. (some)Americans are no different. For me folk music is very dear. Not just because of pleasant melodies but more so the chronicling of socio/political events and the pervasive atmosphere surrounding those events.
So go ahead and poke fun at the Prairie Home Companion show, but if you look behind the curtain there is a huge tie between the producers/cast/audience and the American Folk music genre! And therefore what is 'Uniquely American' ;)
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brett
climber
oregon
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May 24, 2010 - 08:19pm PT
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I like NPR and associated programming for the entertainment and general interest shows but the news shows make me pull my hair out. I heard just now a bit about Republicans criticizing the Federal Government response to the oil spill. How they read that with a straight face, I'll never understand.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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May 24, 2010 - 08:49pm PT
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Apps loaded, thnx!
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LB4USC
Trad climber
Long Beach
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May 24, 2010 - 10:05pm PT
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Ditto, Paula Poundstone. Love me some Roy Blount, Jr. too.
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Lissiehoya
climber
Saint Louis, MO
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May 24, 2010 - 10:19pm PT
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I hate to disagree Tobia, but Prairie Home Companion is quite possibly the most boring thing I've listened to in my life.
Here in STL we don't get that I've noticed... or maybe I don't listen at the right time on Saturday.
That said, here in STL on Sunday when it's supposed to be Car Talk, we have Speaking of Faith, which is actually really good (and not what it sounds like necessarily, it's religion, science, whatever... good stuff). Car Talk is on at 2pm on Sunday.
So here's something I always wondered: when do you actually get to call in to Car Talk? I noticed that the new show is on at 10am EST and 10am PST and those are obviously not the same 10am...
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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May 24, 2010 - 10:19pm PT
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hey there say, all your ricardo, and all you radio listeners.... say, i never really get time to do this... too busy listening to the birds, and outside, when i can ...
but, i do remember so many cross-state trips, when i was married, and we went from tex to calif... so many nights, wanting to hear something good on the radio... we did get music, thoough... off and on great mexican music stations, til out of tex.... but---every ONCE in a while there'd some on some realy GREAT talk show and you'd wish you could always tune in and see how it's going, on the other subjects, later...
never did get any station names, etc... we were just swimming through...
so:
thanks for all this info here... will have to see what a michigan radio
gets on it sometimes...
only station i have on is for music, when i drive the ol' car...
old classic type country, old stuff, waylen, cash, willie... hank sr... stuff like that...
thanks again... for mentioning a station to check out and more...
:)
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brett
climber
oregon
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May 24, 2010 - 10:32pm PT
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So here's something I always wondered: when do you actually get to call in to Car Talk? I noticed that the new show is on at 10am EST and 10am PST and those are obviously not the same 10am...
I think you call and leave a message and they call you back. Then it is all assembled into a show. What I don't know is how callers can know the context of previous calls.
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Tobia
Social climber
GA
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May 24, 2010 - 11:05pm PT
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I came back to look to see how many people hated Prairie Home Companion... one of those things you either love or hate and there is no in between.
One great aspect of NPR is the after hours jazz programs. As a truck driver hauling at night starting at about 9 p.m. on weekends the jazz shows come on one after another till the morning news starts around 5 a.m.
They play great jazz ranging from the classics to the funkiest. Mix the cool riffs with a little bit of diesel and you got a pleasant ride.
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rockermike
Trad climber
Berkeley
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May 24, 2010 - 11:18pm PT
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thumbs down for Prairie. And its on twice a week. ugh. Thats when I switch over to right wing Christian radio, just to keep up on the state of the other world.
Ill admit I listen to a lot of NPR, but it is a bit main stream for me. Perhaps left of the current consensus, but way right of what used to be middle of the road. Equal time means 5 minutes for the flat earthers (or whatever other waco Bushies)and 5 minutes for the Democratic party line. The real left is totally censored.
So I listen to KPFA - (far left radio from Berkeley and New York), until they too get too waced. lol. Like the cops shot a mass murder and they call it racism (or whatever). I use the two to try to keep some balance.
And as far as I am concerned all the those NPR game shows are completely sh#t. Junk radio for the high IQ, but still junk radio.
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mrtropy
Trad climber
Nor Cal
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May 24, 2010 - 11:19pm PT
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I agree with Tobia, PHC all the way. I think people just do not get it. You may be board , laugh at and with it, but it is awesome. Garrison Keillor is the best story teller in American today bar none . Listen to his Lake Wobegon Days, have a hard work out Sunday morning, or work around the house (it plays Sunday morning in our neck of the woods)then a beer with lunch and listen, perfect nap story the flow is awesome, John Steinbeck from the upper mid west. Remember all the children are above average. (No Child Left Behind)
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