Done with NPR
"Hey dorks, the '60s ended 45 years ago."
NPR is boring, so I've turned them off for good.
Reason #1: Diane Rehm. Scott Simon. Ira Flatow. Unbelievably tedious. Super boring.
Hey dorks, its time to retire.
Reason #2: NPR panders to the Baby Boomer. Their hero is the hapless underdog. Their editors are afflicted with Affluenza. Their focus is either some international crisis for which the US is at fault or Neighbor Barb planting petunias in her back yard. The American entrepreneur is looked at suspiciously. Sports are far too pedestrian to mention - "Egads! Why would one choose to be an athlete? All that dreadful running around. Pass the Barnsley chop." In fact, the only important conversation NPR is having today is..."Oh, I'm sorry. We're out of time this hour. Thanks to our dependable intern, who is leaving for greener pastures at the end of the week. And thanks to our producer..."
Hey dorks, your hourly format is lame.
Reason #3: I heard a story on NPR the other day about "The American West". It was actually about Missouri. As the crow flies, Columbia, MO is 725 miles east of Laramie, WY (a 12 hour drive). Laramie sits at the far edge of the Rockies and looks east, down the Gangplank into the Midwest. "The West" begins in the Dakotas. The Mississippi River runs through Missouri.
Hey dorks, journey outside the Beltway once in a while.
Podcasts Offer Better Content
The best of NPR is surpassed by podcasts trending on iTunes. The variety of hosts and topics is huge. Even if the podcast is an NPR product, you get to skip all the hourly interludes, commercials, and announcements for upcoming meetings of the Beet & Kale Appreciation Club. Here are some of my favorite podcasts.
Audio Podcasts
Partially Examined Life
KUOW's Week in Review
Political Gabfest
Adam Carolla Show
The Gist
Making It
Uncommon Knowledge
Dan Carlin
On The Media
Amicus
Oyez Supreme Court Oral Arguments
Travel with Rick Steves
Reasonable Doubt
The Record
Philosophy Bites
Philosophize This
MTN Meister
The Dana Gould Hour
The Political Junkie
Monday Morning Podcast
YouTube Series for People Who Build Stuff
Frank Makes
Jimmy Diresta
Wranglerstar Mattias Wandel
Casey Neistat
John Heisz
Darbin Orvar