Chain of Fools
Things I Like:
Auto-Tune the News: As sung to Katie Couric, "Am I crazy, am I trippin' on shrooms / Or you singin' 'bout pimpin' on the late night news?" In truth, I have no idea what she was singing about, but it might have been pimping. Such is the brilliance of Auto-Tune the News, from whom I have learned so much about April showers and May flowers, the dangers of lettuce, and the most likely cause of Michael Jackson's death. Their later stuff outshines their earlier stuff, but it's all good. And no matter how many times I hear it, I giggle every time someone calls Katie Couric "shorty".
My Twitter: That's right, I'm twittering or tweeting or twooshing or whatever you care to call it. Am I making Iran safe for democracy? No. Is it hopelessly pointless and inane? Well ... yes. But so what, right? It's just another form of communication, differing from talking or writing or phoning or texting or e-mailing or blogging only in the fact that it has a different set of advantages and disadvantages. I will admit, however, that I long for the day when the shiny newness wears off and people realize that Twitter shouldn't be used for every possible message (I'm talking to you, CNN). Sometimes Twitter is an effective way to send a message, but not always.
Truth be told, I find the idea of me twittering kind of ridiculous, since it usually takes me more than 140 characters to even clear my throat, but it's become kind of a challenge. Even better, it's good for when I'm alone. It's kind of nice to have a way to say something when I'm in a situation where I would typically restrain myself and say nothing. I'm not entirely sure why anyone else would want to read it, but if you do, you can learn about what I do at work, the economy, leisure, the media, awkward flirting, unlucky numbers, and checking out dudes at the gym.
NPR's Planet Money: I know very little about the economy. So if you were to ask me how and why I started listening to this podcast, I honestly couldn't tell you. And while I'd be tempted to say I listen to them to expand my horizons and actually learn about something we're all somehow supposed to understand, the truth is that I still don't feel all that knowledgeable. Under pressure, I might be able to explain a hedge fund or the sub-prime mortgage melt down, but I'd mostly be fudging my way through a lot of half-misremembered memories of something I once heard some guy say about a thing. But even though their subject matter is kind of dry, their podcast is a lot of fun to listen to, if for no other reason than that they do an excellent job of keeping their subject matter well-contextualized. Everything they talk about gets somehow connected back to something someone might recognize as real life.
Their best stuff has been in their three collaborations with This American Life, but the reasons why I love them are innumerable. For example, this podcast involves three of their reporters in a timed competition to come up with the best story from a Fancy Food Show ... and, for reasons inexplicable, they must make mention of a mythical creature. Nerds! They are such adorable nerds, and I want them to come over to my house and eat junk food and talk about the economy, while I just sit in the corner basking in the warm glow of their geekery.
Those are three things that I like, and you should like them too, so that periodically, when no one else is looking, we can share a secret high-five that will signify that we both like some of the same things. We'll be like brothers! Except it will be nothing like that and will involve John Boehner throwing a temper tantrum.
Auto-Tune the News: As sung to Katie Couric, "Am I crazy, am I trippin' on shrooms / Or you singin' 'bout pimpin' on the late night news?" In truth, I have no idea what she was singing about, but it might have been pimping. Such is the brilliance of Auto-Tune the News, from whom I have learned so much about April showers and May flowers, the dangers of lettuce, and the most likely cause of Michael Jackson's death. Their later stuff outshines their earlier stuff, but it's all good. And no matter how many times I hear it, I giggle every time someone calls Katie Couric "shorty".
My Twitter: That's right, I'm twittering or tweeting or twooshing or whatever you care to call it. Am I making Iran safe for democracy? No. Is it hopelessly pointless and inane? Well ... yes. But so what, right? It's just another form of communication, differing from talking or writing or phoning or texting or e-mailing or blogging only in the fact that it has a different set of advantages and disadvantages. I will admit, however, that I long for the day when the shiny newness wears off and people realize that Twitter shouldn't be used for every possible message (I'm talking to you, CNN). Sometimes Twitter is an effective way to send a message, but not always.
Truth be told, I find the idea of me twittering kind of ridiculous, since it usually takes me more than 140 characters to even clear my throat, but it's become kind of a challenge. Even better, it's good for when I'm alone. It's kind of nice to have a way to say something when I'm in a situation where I would typically restrain myself and say nothing. I'm not entirely sure why anyone else would want to read it, but if you do, you can learn about what I do at work, the economy, leisure, the media, awkward flirting, unlucky numbers, and checking out dudes at the gym.
NPR's Planet Money: I know very little about the economy. So if you were to ask me how and why I started listening to this podcast, I honestly couldn't tell you. And while I'd be tempted to say I listen to them to expand my horizons and actually learn about something we're all somehow supposed to understand, the truth is that I still don't feel all that knowledgeable. Under pressure, I might be able to explain a hedge fund or the sub-prime mortgage melt down, but I'd mostly be fudging my way through a lot of half-misremembered memories of something I once heard some guy say about a thing. But even though their subject matter is kind of dry, their podcast is a lot of fun to listen to, if for no other reason than that they do an excellent job of keeping their subject matter well-contextualized. Everything they talk about gets somehow connected back to something someone might recognize as real life.
Their best stuff has been in their three collaborations with This American Life, but the reasons why I love them are innumerable. For example, this podcast involves three of their reporters in a timed competition to come up with the best story from a Fancy Food Show ... and, for reasons inexplicable, they must make mention of a mythical creature. Nerds! They are such adorable nerds, and I want them to come over to my house and eat junk food and talk about the economy, while I just sit in the corner basking in the warm glow of their geekery.
Those are three things that I like, and you should like them too, so that periodically, when no one else is looking, we can share a secret high-five that will signify that we both like some of the same things. We'll be like brothers! Except it will be nothing like that and will involve John Boehner throwing a temper tantrum.