Top Ten Things I Love About NPR

For years I wrongly poo-pooed NPR as being radio for old people. Even though I am older now, I was wrong. NPR is a source of interesting, thought provoking and entertaining information that makes me feel more knowledgeable about and connected to the world around me. Here now are my Top Ten favorite things about NPR.

10. The Political Junkie- Every Wednesday Ken Rudin comes on Talk of the Nation and spews his vast knowledge of US politics for 35 minutes. It's very informative.

9. NPR.com- The website is chalk full of articles and audio clips from all the NPR contributors and programs.

8. Dori Anisman- The lady who answers the phones on The Diane Rehm Show- you my girl, Dori!

7. Frank Deford- Every Wednesday on Morning Edition, sports writer Frank DeFord gives a great 3-5 minute commentary on a pertinent sports topic. He's been doing this a long time, and it shows.

6. Salt Lake's local NPR stations- KUER and KCPW

5. Lakshmi Singh- She is easily one of my top three favorite Sikh reporters.

4. Science Friday- Ira Flato is a science master, and he sounds exactly like Alan Alda.

3. Diane Rehm's Friday News Roundup- A nice capper to the week that was. I always feel very smart and connected after both the international and domestic hours.

2. Ira Glass- Even though he isn't actually employed by NPR, his immensely popular show, This American Life, is featured on many NPR affiliates. He's coming to Salt Lake later this month, and I intend to see him.

1. RadioLab- I've already sung the praises of this show in an earlier post, but I don't care because it is that good.

Support for this blog entry came from NPR listeners, like you.

I Like You

As the karmic antithesis to my Schmohawk posts, I offer up some people that I wish to compliment and recognize for their awesomeness. Here now are three more people that I like.

DANNY McBRIDE

This guy is funny. Really funny. He has been in some sub par movies, but his performances never fail to make me laugh. His best work is as the writer and star of Eastbound And Down. As ex-pitcher turned P.E. teacher Kenny Powers, McBride is a wisdom spewing, mullet sporting, steroid taking party animal. It isn't often that an original character comes along these days, but McBride's Kenny Powers is one of them.

JAD ABUMRAD and ROBERT KRULWICH

These two are the masterminds behind radio's best show,WNYC's Radiolab. They are flat out changing the way radio is done with the way they play with sound. The show is built on science-based topics that are the brainchild of NPR's science reporter, Krulwich,  and then Abumrad edits the stories and layers them with effects and music to create an audio tapestry that is unlike anything else out there. I am hosting my own podcast and trying to emulate these two as much as I can because they are the new gold standard in public radio. Need more proof that they're good? They just won a Peabody Award.

Fun Facts

Forgive my recent dearth of blog posts, I have been busy with my other love- Boondoggle. I will now enlighten you with some facts, true facts, about stuff.

Comedian and actor Ben Stein worked as a speech writer and lawyer for President Richard Nixon.

April 16 is International Record Store Day. Thanks to NPR for that one.

Sportscaster and former football player Ahmad Rashad's real name is Bobby Moore.

Jimmy Fallon isn't funny.

The first choice to play James Bond was Cary Grant, but he was passed over after he made it clear to the producers he would only do one film and not a whole series.

Ringo Starr is the oldest Beatle.

The Metropolitan Police (London) are nicknamed 'Bobbies' as a tribute to the founder of the police force, Sir Robert Peel.

There is a small percentage of the population that are considered 'short sleepers' who only need 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night and can function as well as those who get 8 or 9 hours a night.

Now don't you feel smarter?