Tuesday, February 15, 2011

NPR Comes Out Swinging...

NPR may lose federal funding but NPR CEO/President Vivian Schiller won't go down without a fight. Schiller warned House Republicans that cutting off the annual subsidy could result in the shut down of some or all of the 900 public radio stations, according to Fox News. A new budget for the remainder of fiscal year 2011, which ends September 30, includes nothing for NPR. Republicans say the network's liberal agenda silences any other points of view. Opponents of that view cite the removal of Fox News Channel contributor Juan Williams last fall as an example of its intolerance. Williams, you might recall told Bill O'Reilly that he "gets worried and nervous" when he sees someone in Muslim garb when he's flying. Juan Williams is no longer welcome at NPR, thanks to that quote...

Schiller warned that radio stations in rural and underserved areas offer "more than 38 million Americans with free over-the-air programming they can't find anywhere else" but she wasn't through in her attempt to save NPR federal funding. "The public values and increasingly relies of the trustworthy news and information that public radio provides. The growing number of public radio listeners speaks to the hunger for independent local media sources that help make sense of what's going on in their own community and around the world." ...

Schiller raised some sensible issues - some legitimate, others self-serving. Although zero funding would hurt NPR, it wouldn't bury it. NPR has a ton of listeners who love the network enough to support it, especially in major markets. Where it would hurt the most is in smaller markets. House Republicans should take that into consideration when they take their razor out...

10 Timeline Memories:
1.1903] Oh won’t you be my teddy bear: Russian immigrants Morris and Rose Michtom introduce the first teddy bear to America. Vermont Teddy Bear took over from there...
2.1933] Dodging a bullet: President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt escapes an assassination attempt in Miami that claims the life of Chicago Mayor Anton J. Cermak...
3.1936] Olympic Gold: Sonja Henie of Norway wins her 3rd straight gold medal at the German Winter games...
4.1965] “Happy Trails“: Nat “King” Cole passes away from lung cancer at 46. Cole was a heavy smoker…
5.1965] Oh Canada: Canada's new maple leaf flag was unfurled in ceremonies in Ottawa...
6.1989] Last one out - turn out the lights: The Soviet Union announces that the last of its troops has left Afghanistan after more than 9 years of military intervention...
7.2002] Justice served: Canadian pairs figure skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier are awarded a gold medal to resolve a judging controversy at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City...
8.2005] Slam the door: Defrocked priest Paul Shanley is sentenced in Boston to 12 to 15 years in prison on child rape charges...
9.2005] YouTube sees the light: YouTube is launched in the U.S. 6 years later YT is bigger than ever...
10.2008] Declared dead: American businessman, aviator and adventurer Steve Fossett is declared legally dead after missing since September 3, 2007. Fossett was 63…

Music Memories:

Events:
The Smokin' Hit Songwriters Seminar/Retreat will be held March 18 - 20, 2011 at Jim Oliver's Smoke House, 850 West Main Street, Monteagle (TN). Registration is $150. For additional information, go to Facebook and do a search for "Smokin' Hit Songwriters Seminar"...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Janice Dickinson (56), Matt ('Simpsons') Groening (57), Jane Seymour (60), Melissa Manchester (60), Motown's Brian Holland (70), Claire Bloom (80) & Alan ('M*A*S*H' Maj. Sidney Freedman) Arbus (93)...

Timeline Countdown: 6 days until Presidents' Day, 26 days until Daylight time, 33 days until spring & 44 days until MLB opening day...




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