(no subject)

So... Did anyone else notice that although Dubya's stem-cell speech was billed as live, it couldn't have been?

The broadcast was at 6PM PDT. That's 8PM in Crawford, Texas. Crawford's just next to Waco, which is at 31.6 degrees North latitude -- so, slightly to the south of me in Costa Mesa, at 33.64N

It's dark here at 8PM.

It wasn't through the window of Dubya's "live" broadcast.

Yes, folks, it would appear Dubya has to do multiple takes and get some help with editing to appear that wooden.

{sheesh}

*^*^*

A related observation: As the speech was in progress, and I mentioned to Ulrika that Reuters was already reporting he'd support at least some funding, I turned and said, "That has to be true -- he's taking too much time explaining for this to be a 'No' speech. He's trying to console and persuade his base."

(no subject)

Reuters reports that the US is sending an envoy to talk to Yasser Arafat about, "ways of stopping the fighting."

The big question, of course, is, "Why?"

I mean, I don't oppose talking to Arafat in general terms... It's just that it's been apparent for over a decade now that Arafat has no control over anyone, except perhaps his bodyguard. So, what's the point?

This has long perplexed me. The Israelis keep behaving like every blade of grass amidst the Palestinians is directly subject to Arafat's whim. Yet, it's been clear since at least as far back as when he was taken by surprise by the original intifada in Israel while he was in Tunisia that he has no control over events, no control over the hotheads, and most particularly no control over Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, etc.

So, why negotiate with someone who has no capacity to deliver anything?

The only thing I can figure out is that the appearance of negotiations is more important than the efficacy of same, and Arafat has been about as willing to appear before cameras as an unemployed attorney who used to do OJ analysis.

Here's the quick acid test: "Mr. Arafat, you have to prove to me that talking to you has any effect at all. So... 12 months of cease fire, solely on your order. No other help."

"You have control over the Palestinians? You have authority?"

"Prove it."

(no subject)

On the drive home from lunch, KCRW had dead air the entire time! This would be from 1:40PM to 2:00PM.

Oh, they must be going crazy there. Not just for committing the cardinal sin of radio, but... they're an NPR station, and it's pledge time!

Hard to tell to if they're having technological difficulties, or Ruth Seymour, the manager, just got peevish and decided to stop broadcasting for a while to prove a point. It wouldn't be out of character for her.

I remember one time, in the late 1980's or so, when the entire Saturday lineup was changed, and the way the DJs found out was by reading about it in the monthly member bulletin. One went off the air with the sardonic classic, "I won't work for any radio station that's going to fire me." This later became known around town as the "Saturday Night Massacre".

Later, it became kind of obvious that Ruth was doing a lot of fundraising promo spots. Her solution to the sameness of hearing her voice all the time? Speed up the tape. So she'd just sound squeakier. Hey, I'm sure some folks were fooled into thinking it was someone different.

Or there was the time when there was the Chanukah special, "Philosophers, Fiddlers, and Fools". It was originally scheduled for Friday. Between 6PM and 8PM.

Sunset, that time of year in Los Angeles, is around 5:30. Not only that, but All Things Considered ran at the time from 4-7PM.

So she was going to pre-empt her number one show, to broadcast a special that an observant Jew couldn't listen to because it encroached on shabbat.

It took a few days of this before the promos suddenly, mysteriously changed to announce that "Philosophers, Fiddlers, and Fools" would be broadcast from 2PM-4PM.

Funny that.

But such is life under la seymour.