Grab, This!

So, a while back, Hollygirl was explaining to me how the Pre-Sam Media Grab (or is it MG BS?) was ragging on Splendid Table, that it "epitomizes everything the Right despises about NPR."

Thing was, I thought there was going to be some explication or diatribe when I actually got around to the post (sorry MG, I only read you for the baby pictures.) . So, inaugurating myself (joke edited out at request of Hollygirl), I go an check out the actual post, and that's all Circosta's got to frikkin' say?

First off, "everything the Right despises about NPR" to me seemed to be epitomized more completely by "everything about NPR" than simply discussion of how best to prepare fava beans. Of course, what the right really despises about NPR is fairly compact in one sense, the conservative opposition (well, at least conservatives not name Bill Buckley) has always been that it wastes taxpayer money on programming that if it were desirable, the private market would provide it. But on that point, one wonders if the right would hold up cooking programs as emblematic of wasteful government spending. The fact is that Julia Child and Jeff Smith and America's Test Kitchen long ago were "wasting" government funds with their cooking shows before eventually the private market realized there might be some merit to the idea and suddenly you have the Food Network, Rachel Ray making Late Night Bacon. Like a lot of other government or non-profit ventures, the money aimed at perceivably unmarketable ideas eventually creates a market.

Personally, I don't find the splendid table great - it's a cooking show on radio, there are serious limits. But really, if ST needs a defense, this is one dog that's going to growl before we start giving the right talking Points to criticize non-commercial broadcasting.

Besides, their headline right now is "Bananas and Politics" surely MG can appreciate this week's show.

(oh, and thanks for the computer, MG)

Inaugural Post

Day 1 of the NCAA tourney has treated me well.