goodCRIMETHINK

I just tend to wear out technology tools very quickly. I certainly push them harder than most users. I also get unlucky when it comes to lemons. The first Macbook I got was the 13″ black one. It suffered from “random shutdown syndrome” which is a bug so absurd, that its official name is “random shutdown syndrome!”

This is what my current Macbook Pro sounds like after I boot it. I’m not sure what the cause is, but the solution is to get rid of this damn thing. I got notice today that my new Macbook Pro has shipped. I maxed on all the specs because I just need the power.

Farewell to my noisy friend whom I backup daily.

cross-posted to Jack and Jill Politics

This is terrible news, and I’m still trying to figure out what exactly is going on. I first heard from Jasmyne Cannick.

The basics are that NPR is hurting financially (projected $23M budget shortfall this year up from an estimated $2M). This is due to reduced corporate underwriting, reduced contributions from member stations and individuals plus severely depressed investment holdings that drive its endowment. According to its official statements, NPR decided it would do away with two shows, Day to Day and News & Notes because they suffered from poor audience ratings and the weakest underwriting. The shows will run through March 20, 2009

Some more source information is available at:

• NPR’s own story about the staff layoffs (seven percent) and show cancellations
• Media Bistro story focusing on the loss of high quality book coverage
• The email sent to staff by Interim President and CEO Dennis Haarsager
• A blog post by Farai on the News & Notes site
• A pre-cancellation story at The Maynard Institute explaining the history of the show and NPR’s struggles with black programming

According to Interim President and CEO Haarsager:

It is important for you to understand why we chose to cancel News & Notes and Day to Day, and the implications for programming strategy and commitments. Neither program was attracting sufficient levels of audience or national underwriting necessary to sustain continued production under these tough financial circumstances.

That’s all very believable in this market, but of all the shows to cancel…

News & Notes has been an absolutely wonderful, intelligent and fun outlet to listen to and be a part of. I’ve been on the show over 10 times since the summer of 2007 (and will be on next Wednesday Dec 17th) , and it has certainly contributed to the audience and credibility of Jack & Jill Politics. We’re like family. In fact, the weekly Blogger Roundtable was a truly innovative segment on a show that already had some of the best coverage of black issues of any major media outlet. Because of News & Notes, our own blogroll has expanded, and I’ve had a chance to meet and work with some impressive voices. So many old school media outlets don’t get how to work with technology, social media and the youngins, but News & Notes pulled it off effectively without exploiting or compromising these emerging voices.

Continue reading ‘NPR Cancels Only Black-Issues Program, News & Notes’

Motorcycle with a roof, originally uploaded by baratunde.

I have thousands of pics in Flickr. This is the 8th most popular one. I took it while driving Northbound on I-35 in Texas from Austin to San Antonio.