Ric Chetter - From Radioland

Episode 423: Drop The Dead Weight

In a sort of continued thought from last week, Ric talks about the notion that forward progress can be a good thing. However, for that to work, people should lose the things we no longer need. Nostalgia is fun to think about, but sometimes things last only for so long. Drawing from the example Netflix is setting up, some decisions are easier to make than others. If there is one takeaway from all of this, don't let others tell you what you like.

NEXT WEEK: War, Social Media Style

Episode 422: We’re Never Going Back

Part of an advancement of society means some sort of progress, ideally. Never ending references to the way things used to be have become tiring to many people. Now, we must look to the way things are going to be. In that the world is approaching a post-pandemic situation, the old thing of "the new norm" is now. Most of the world has changed. Some changes are not so great while others are pretty good. Here, Ric takes a look at how the inherent resistance to change tends to slow things down. We aren't going back, and that is not a bad thing.

NEXT WEEK: Not all things are worth keeping.

Episode 421: Virtually Social

The "rise" of virtual reality seems more like a dud than the latest and greatest thing. Mark Zuckerberg thinks people will come flocking back to Facebook as a result. The issue it seems, is that virtual reality is having the same trajectory as 3D movies have had. Cute trick, but not a necessary thing. Headaches aside, the whole notion of entering a virtual world cut off from real society is just not all that appealing. Then again, is "Zuck Bucks" going to be the right answer?

NEXT WEEK: Post Pandemic Norms

Episode 420: Is Network Television Dead?

The answer to the question on the table would, of course depend on who you ask. It certainly has it's niche audience these days. The problem may be the fact that people in general don't want to be tied to a specific schedule to watch their shows. However, it seems to go deeper than that. Perhaps the real question that should be asked is whether or not the content that is being offered is compelling enough.

NEXT WEEK: Augmenting Reality

Episode 419: The Social Media Washout

The sands are shifting in the social media world. One of the biggest indicators seems to be the attitudes of the public regarding its existence. The general public seems to have come to grips with the ins and outs of this monster. Whether it stays or goes is not really the issue. The one fact remains in that the absence of reality is the only thing most people have taken to heart. Well, that and the absolute toxicity of the thing. Where does it go from here?

NEXT WEEK: Is network television still a thing?

 

Episode 418: The Famous

There is one facet of journalism that on the surface seems absolutely pointless and devoid of any sort of attention spent on it and that is celebrity news. Unless a TV or movie star dies, most people don't seem to care, Or, do they? In this episode, Ric takes a look at phenomenon of this weird and kind of dirty side of the news. What drives it and do people really care about these people who are so unlike the rest of us? These are valid questions with a simple answer and that may be more sinister than you would want to believe.

NEXT WEEK: Social Media Overhaul

Episode 417: The New Normal is Expensive

A late winter snow thing wasn't enough to knock Ric off his schedule this time around as he talks about the way things are shaping up as we near a post-pandemic world. However, there are a lot of things going on to make our current situation rather complicated. Sure, we seem to be coming through to the end of the Covid 19 pandemic but not without changes in the way we are going to live. Pandemic not withstanding, there is a war going on, runaway inflation, and God help us everyone is freaked out about the price of gasoline. Strangely enough, we are not in a recession. How did that happen?

NEXT WEEK: For some strange reason, people think famous people are interesting.

Episode 416: The Echo Chamber

If you aren't aware by now, when you use a product online for free (social media) you are the product. You are the consumer and the commodity. The reasoning and all the things that can be done with your usage of that site or app is spelled out in the Terms of Service. In this episode, Ric takes a look at the Terms of Service for the new social media thing called Truth Social. When you go through that largely (bigly) boilerplate document, you'll see that you are now property of the company. Just like all the other social media sites out there. What's worse is that everything you have heard about this new site/app from them is kind of contradicted by their own Terms of Service. Also, Walmart is about to be the largest healthcare provider in the country. There is something about that statement that seems a little alarming.

NEXT WEEK: The Cost of Living & The New Normal

 

Episode 415: The Greatest/Worst Shows on TV

Two major events broadcast for the world happens and at the very same time, a sporting event and a war become the best and worst shows broadcast. Not necessarily in that order. To be fair, NBC did the best they could with an already doomed shitshow in China with all the weird politics, manufactured snow, and the fact most people have started not caring much about the Olympics. Then again, you have what has arguably become one of the most compelling things to happen on your device. That being the war in Ukraine. That is, if you watch it the way Ric does. In this episode, Ric talks about both of these things. It'll make you think that maybe the advertisers were putting commercials on the wrong broadcast.

NEXT WEEK: Terms of Service for Truth

Episode 414: MLGWTF

After an unplanned two week hiatus, Ric is back with another episode and this all about the catching up. In this episode, Ric will tell you about the set of circumstances that occurred which prevented business as usual around Studio A. He'll tell about worse it could have been and what ultimately happened when some understandable frustration set in. It is interesting what goes through one's mind while sitting in the dark.

NEXT WEEK: The Absolute Shitshow That Was The Olympics