Ric Chetter - From Radioland

Episode 321: General Toxicity

Thanks to the pandemic, some people are becoming a bit more toxic than normal. In this episode, Ric tells you about an uneasy encounter with someone in his neighborhood which was a direct result of the current situation. People tend to fall into a few categories. There are those who are pretty freaked out, there are those who trying to be reasonable about all of this and then there are those who feel none of this applies to them. When you take a scroll through Facebook, it is pretty apparent as to which category everyone falls into. Also, Ric takes a look at what a possible future will be like on the other side of this pandemic and the idea of social distancing sticking around is something he can certainly get behind.

NEXT WEEK: The flow of the news cycle.

Episode 320: Stay The F At Home

There is something to be said for social distancing. The whole idea, of course is to stay away from others. Seems simple enough. Perhaps too simple. Some tough lessons are being learned all around the world because of that so-called simplicity. There is is this strange notion some people like to lean toward in that the suggestions of staying home and socially distant don't apply to them. For an example, see Italy and Spain. Certain governmental inactions have seemingly contributed to the problem by not being tough enough on the whole simple idea of staying the f at home. Also, Ric visits an important grave (socially distant, of course) and his observations regarding the reactions of those on social media while offering an activity for those at home. Learning to spell.

NEXT WEEK: Just how toxic can Facebook get?

 

Episode 319: Everybody is An Epidemiologist

Everytime there is some sort of big breaking story on the minds of society at large, it appears through social media that everyone is now an expert in whatever the topic of the day is laying before us. All of these people are laying out their solutions. "What you ought to do is...", "What needs to be done is ...", etc. It's kind of an amusing thing if you look at this with the jaundiced eye that comes from witnessing such matters. There is a problem though, most of these so called "experts" offer stuff with zero basis in fact or science. They simply want to point out how wrong everyone else is compared to their own "superior" intellect. Sure, the whole world is on lock down because it decides the narrative you want to cast. Stop it. Plus, the bright side of quarantine.

NEXT WEEK: It got might quiet in the anti-vax camp.

Episode 318: Cabin Fever

With all of the talk of the Covid-19 rampaging around the world, there are a fair number of folks who have decided to hide out in the homes to work and try to keep some normalcy as much as possible. With that, we have that internet to keep us company. And thankfully so. Plus we have the wonderful world of streaming media. This is going to be a good time for that, frankly. With more people staying in, more people are looking for something to entertain themselves with. Notwithstanding the inevitable January baby boom, there are tons of options. Including one that may actually help your favorite musicians. In this episode, Ric will tell you about a pretty cool site that might come in handy for the house bound entertainer and fan.

NEXT WEEK: Social media is infected... with idiocy.

NOTE: For details on the Stage It site. GO HERE.

Episode 317: Sick of Covid-19

The novel coronavirus is everywhere. Where the real epidemic can be found is in the headlines. There is a LOT of misinformation out there. Also, there is a lot of emotions tied up in this story. Everything from panic to apathy mixed with a fair amount of ignorance for added kick. In this episode, Ric takes a look at what is happening out there and how all of the emotional coverage of this situation is sitting with the general public. Hint: Not too well. A point is proven in this episode in that whenever something becomes politicized, it becomes worse for everyone involved, whether you have chosen to be or not. Also in this episode, the Girl Scouts are out trying the old hard sell on the cookes and it leads to Ric's unpopular thought.

Episode 316: Phone A Phriend

There was time, not too long ago when people went around carrying a transistor radio. There are still people out there who do that very thing. Although their numbers are dwindling. The simple reason is because of the phone. Everyone has one. It has gone from being a luxury to an outright necessity. And for the people who make these things, it's practically a bullet proof business. People will pay good money for the latest and greatest device. Even if that device's selling point is functionally useless. For example, the new folding phones. In this episode, Ric will tell you that he knows of no one who ever expressed an interest in such technology. But now that it appears to be the next big thing, people think they have to have it in their pocket. Plus, a sentence you would never have thought ever being constructed is spoken.

NEXT WEEK: Some of you are wound a bit too tight.

Episode 315: Don't Cross The Streams

We get it, you became a cord cutter and now you are finding yourself back in the same boat you were in before you cut the cable. The corporate entertainment providers are finding a way to get you back into that same old boat. And it's getting a little more interesting. As the fight rages on, you are now looking at what appears to be a couple of very broad lines being drawn. There is the old subscription standards and there are some free options. There is one very large issue looming over all of this though, it's not unlike trying to figure out which "restaurant" has the less mediocre fish sandwich. The absurdity of it all points at one fairly clear answer. Just take a look at what the Millennials are doing.

NEXT WEEK: The Technology in Your Pocket 

Episode 314: (Don't) Fear The Memer

As it would seem, your social media feed (specifically Facebook), you are sort of flooded with memes. Most of them are not funny. Nor were they intended to be since by and large (pardon the pun), they are nothing more than a reflection of those who post them. They aren't designed to do sway your opinion in any manner. Another sort of meme you are exposed to are those who are making a half-assed attempt at some sort of humor. Let's be honest, most of them are not funny at all. Then there are the political memes. It's as if these are the last line of offense for the prevalence of fake news. In this episode, Ric will take a look at these things and show you how these posts either go absolutely no where or become part of a weird echo chamber. Only the very rare and actually humorous ones attain the status of having gone viral. What a great time to be alive.

NEXT WEEK: You Are About to Crave a Fish Sandwich

Episode 313: Exclusivity Is A Damn Lie

It's a catch phrase use far too often in media. "Exclusive". It's up there with "Breaking News". It's tired. Why is this a thing? Simple. You are being told (when you hear or read that) the only source you need is the one that has that exclusivity. It's trust building thing and it's a joke. Our society is so connected that once you hear about something, you'll find the same exact thing everywhere else. It's always there and it will always be just about everywhere you look. If you are to believe everything you are told through the media, you are going to have problems. Just look around you. In this episode, Ric will explain how this works and the beauty of filtering your news sources. Also in this episode, Ric discovers this show has just turned 6. And if that weren't enough, he tells you how he makes a tuna salad sandwich.

NEXT WEEK: Fear The Meme

 

Episode 312: Headline Whiplash

A connected society certainly has it's benefits. It also has it's drawbacks. One of the major drawbacks is dealing with the idea of too much accessibility. In essence, the idea that we can simply look up ANY subject and learn all there is to know about that thing is absolutely a good thing. The dark side of that means we have to filter out all the untrue things. Hence the objectification of false news. Because of all of this, we have become quite desensitized to all the things happening in the world. In this episode, Ric will pull from the current headlines to sort out what this means and how it affects everyone. 

NEXT WEEK: From Radioland Exclusive, Exclusivity is A Damn Lie.