tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post638056905169577836..comments2023-09-08T12:08:39.523-04:00Comments on WBAI: Response to recent graphic commentary...Chris Albertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056345320709233401noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-38273513589277398842014-08-20T23:29:01.547-04:002014-08-20T23:29:01.547-04:00Chris--When my grandmother had the surgery--in 197...Chris--When my grandmother had the surgery--in 1975, if I recall correctly--it was still "experimental" (Medicare didn't cover it; she had to pay out-of pocket) and the doctor could not guarantee results. It was really a last-ditch effort to save her sight, which by that time consisted of little more than the ability to distinguish between light and darkness.<br /><br />The surgery worked, and my grandmother could see--albeit with "coke bottle" glasses---almost as well as she did before the onset of her cataracts. She also had to insert some sort of drops in her eyes.<br /><br />I'm sure the surgery is more refined now than it was in those days and, barring other medical complications, you should have no problems.Justine Valinottihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852069587181432102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-14668694598254639852014-08-20T16:13:10.322-04:002014-08-20T16:13:10.322-04:00Yes, I don't mind reading glasses. Your mentio...Yes, I don't mind reading glasses. Your mention of the alternative's pluses and minuses made me feel like the gameshow contestant who opts to take the money in midstream and finds that he would otherwise have lost everything. Well, something like that.... :)Chris Albertsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12056345320709233401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-23595737159201290092014-08-20T14:22:49.781-04:002014-08-20T14:22:49.781-04:00Excellent :)
Still may well need reading glasses,...Excellent :)<br /><br />Still may well need reading glasses, though – presbyopia isn't corrected by lens replacement (unless you're thinking of multi-focal lenses, which are more expensive and, more importantly, seem to have their pluses and minuses).<br /><br />~ 'indigo'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-32608101739232628952014-08-20T12:50:08.458-04:002014-08-20T12:50:08.458-04:00My former wife is marveling now—she had the surger...My former wife is marveling now—she had the surgery performed a week apart, two months ago. This should allow me to read the fine print on my signed HBO contract. :)Chris Albertsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12056345320709233401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-6083636598401931622014-08-20T12:14:45.576-04:002014-08-20T12:14:45.576-04:00Everyone I know of who's had cataract surgery ...Everyone I know of who's had cataract surgery marvels at the sudden, striking improvement in their (literal) worldview – something to look forward to :)<br /><br />~ 'indigo'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-15975302889640786432014-08-20T11:59:27.675-04:002014-08-20T11:59:27.675-04:00Correct, my insurance narrows my own expense down ...Correct, my insurance narrows my own expense down to a co-pay of $270, but I don't know if that's per eye. I still have two.Chris Albertsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12056345320709233401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-79457415436929042342014-08-20T11:43:02.637-04:002014-08-20T11:43:02.637-04:00Medicare will cover it though, correct?
~ 'in...Medicare will cover it though, correct?<br /><br />~ 'indigopirate'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-48997960141935659882014-08-20T10:26:53.323-04:002014-08-20T10:26:53.323-04:00Thanks, SDL.
I hope Sydney does chime in here. He ...Thanks, SDL.<br />I hope Sydney does chime in here. He most have personal observations of Mr. Murillo to share.<br /><br />Heard an interview with history bender Gerald Horne on Against the Grain this morning. The man spits out these books and if there isn't real controversy, he tries to create it. Like so many "fact" creators, Horne speaks rapidly, says "quote-unquote" and "so-called" a lot and accents some of his most widely stretched claims with nervous titter.<br /><br />He also likes to inject the titles of his many book and I think that's what it's really all about: feeding the piggybank and staving of the guys from Remainder. :)Chris Albertsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12056345320709233401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-67931168947217428352014-08-20T10:00:01.697-04:002014-08-20T10:00:01.697-04:00Good luck with the pink slips. I wish you a rapid ...Good luck with the pink slips. I wish you a rapid recovery, indeed.<br /><br />I haven't been up on Saturday mornings for some weeks, so I don't know about Sydney Smith. Maybe he'll chime in here.<br /><br />SDLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-59973003223258537342014-08-20T01:56:15.382-04:002014-08-20T01:56:15.382-04:00My optometrist told me that they are advanced, but...My optometrist told me that they are advanced, but, she added, removable (one eye at a time). When I heard the price, I felt a tinge of envy for cyclops, but she reminded me that they are incapable of 3D vision.<br /><br />Equipment is not on their list of priorities. BTW, Brady's last program was amazing—he had Patrick Kelly on for another hour--I captured it and will post as soon as I meet my non-related deadline (for the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit).. Chris Albertsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12056345320709233401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-713266575819271332014-08-20T01:39:46.827-04:002014-08-20T01:39:46.827-04:00Chris, I hope your cataracts aren't too advanc...Chris, I hope your cataracts aren't too advanced. My grandmother had them, and was one of the very first recipients of laser surgery to correct them.<br /><br />Anyway...Today's programming was almost surreal. The good news was: no Gary Null, Kathy Davis or Geoff Brady. The bad news: Amy Goodman's hour was repeated about half a dozen times. And, at one point, Max Schmid said, in essence, that none of the computers were working at the station and that, for a moment at least, he was ad-libbing.<br />Justine Valinottihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852069587181432102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-19914208359001496252014-08-20T01:16:55.671-04:002014-08-20T01:16:55.671-04:00Yes, Max may well be it, now that Sidney Smith is ...Yes, Max may well be it, now that Sidney Smith is gone. We haven't heard from him in a while, I hope he is okay.<br /><br />I am not listening as much as I usually do, because I'm working on a deadline (2 days to go) and Cataracts are slowing me down, but they are getting the pink slip next month.Chris Albertsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12056345320709233401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-75849370293176603612014-08-20T01:07:59.553-04:002014-08-20T01:07:59.553-04:00Oops. Should have mentioned it. Well, I don't ...Oops. Should have mentioned it. Well, I don't recall his name, but it seemed to be an irregular on the muslim show. Max Schmid was in the background adding some humor trying to make things work. He's probably the only real engineer there, anyway.<br /><br />I ignored the archive thing. Does Pacifica send out premiums without problems? I haven't seen any mention of troubles.<br /><br />SDLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-17180675053981721232014-08-20T00:55:04.066-04:002014-08-20T00:55:04.066-04:00I missed that one, but noticed that the Archive pe...I missed that one, but noticed that the Archive people reached or came close to their goal while offering only Pacifica programs as an incentive. and mostly vintage material, at that. So much for the ongoing excuse used by Reimers, Mitch Cohen, and others to justify WBAI's mediocre schedule and rip-off "thank you gifts."<br /><br />Who was the good host you refer to? Chris Albertsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12056345320709233401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-71484754240660385922014-08-19T21:27:12.777-04:002014-08-19T21:27:12.777-04:00I don't believe it. A good call-in episode on ...I don't believe it. A good call-in episode on WBAI. A host who can actually disagree with people and not cut them off, etc. Too bad there isn't more of this. However, I AM partial to call in shows.<br /><br />SDLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-36123344169964080962014-08-19T12:56:04.249-04:002014-08-19T12:56:04.249-04:00Well, as a footnote. Comments have been disabled f...Well, as a footnote. Comments have been disabled for that video...<br /><br />SDLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-22340113342506232592014-08-18T21:01:01.840-04:002014-08-18T21:01:01.840-04:00Maybe they blurred it out because the diagram was ...Maybe they blurred it out because the diagram was based on John Holmes and thought a bit excessive..?<br /><br />That kind of reminds of something ironic some years back. The now defunct Trio cable TV channel had a show about the history of movie censorship, with all the sex scenes censored... They never responded to my complaint email.<br /><br />SDLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-85968345963193438112014-08-18T19:14:22.558-04:002014-08-18T19:14:22.558-04:00As you say, we don't know.
BTW, I just saw a...As you say, we don't know. <br /><br />BTW, I just saw a Channel 13 news report on this incident. They showed a news conference wherein the autopsy findings (bullet hits) are pointed out on a standard body outline diagram. They blurred out the stylized sexual organ!! How ridiculous can they get—I bet they don't apply any blurs to Michelangelo's David.Chris Albertsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12056345320709233401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-67692491171436532822014-08-18T19:00:21.002-04:002014-08-18T19:00:21.002-04:00Okay, let's agree to disagree on the Israel th...Okay, let's agree to disagree on the Israel thing. But you saw the video of Michael Brown pushing the store clerk and using intimidation on him, right? Well, from what I read, that changes the 'shoplifting' to a felony strong-arm robbery. *It also gives some insight into what HIS mindset was when he encountered the police officer just minutes after leaving the store.* You're conflating his death with his committing a minor offense. The cop didn't "execute" him for that or for being black. I'd wager that when the truth emerges, the cop shot at someone who was attacking him. Of course, as of now, we don't know.<br /><br />I appreciate your reasonable response, Chris. Please keep up the good work on this blog. It is read by many more people than comment here.<br /><br />rj<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-82160383679915688582014-08-18T18:26:27.067-04:002014-08-18T18:26:27.067-04:00I am not an "Israeli hater," rj, but I c...I am not an "Israeli hater," rj, but I cannot find any excuse for many of the actions taken by its government (same applies to my feelings re our country' government). That feeling of outrage came over me when I saw the so-called settlers begin to destroy the lives of innocent people. That's all I have to say about that, except that Attenborough's quote is just that--not my words. <br /><br />You are right, we don't know the details of the Michael Brown case, so conclusions are premature. I do, however, find that shoplifting a box of cigars constitutes a minor offense. If petty shoplifters deserved the death penalty, the population would shrink measurably. Is that an unreasoned take?<br /><br />If it is of any comfort to you, I don't buy into narratives, but I also don't dismiss them offhand. Every side has its narrative, doesn't it?<br /><br />Be sure to listen to Geoff Brady's amazing revelations at 10 tonight :)Chris Albertsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12056345320709233401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-35265062297448868712014-08-18T18:04:36.080-04:002014-08-18T18:04:36.080-04:00I thought Davis had some sort of official title an...I thought Davis had some sort of official title and was salaried? She's around so much that she can't just be a volunteer.<br /><br />Anyway. My point was that a caller was expressing lucidly his opinions on the main topic of discussion on WBAI these days and she had no idea about the topic. I find such an ever present person as Davis obviously not listening to her own station interesting. Her not watching TV comment says she doesn't turn to WBAI for news of any sort, and expects news to come from TV. I don't know, I just found that interesting.<br /><br />Another thing I found interesting is that a few of her callers must be from the New Age silent crowd I have mentioned. Her program is probably one of the few they listen to, others being Null and Brady.<br /><br />SDLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-30586652869048099252014-08-18T17:55:46.954-04:002014-08-18T17:55:46.954-04:00Hey Chris, one of the things I like about this blo...Hey Chris, one of the things I like about this blog is that you seem to not buy into The Narrative -- you know, the one the msm puts out daily -- as does BAI. Well, I didn't respond (as many others didn't) to your recent hysterical rant about Israel -- especially, quoting Attenborough about Israelis kidnapping babies to harvest their organs. Come on, Chris, even the most rabid Israel-hater -- like those at BAI -- don't believe that. Well, maybe the BAI loonies do.<br /><br />And now, here you go again -- "nor think that Michael Brown's slightly tarnished halo lessens the severity of a cop's fatal overreaction." Well, the gentle bear did commit a violent *felony* on camera, didn't he? Hardly "a slightly tarnished halo." But never mind that. You, me and the rioters don't have any idea whether the cop had a "fatal *overreaction* -- the evidence hasn't come out. You just don't know. But you are buying into The Narrative once again. From reading this blog, I expect a more reasoned take on issues from you.<br /><br />(And, I'm not going to get into a pissing contest with you over this so don't waste your time by providing any links, etc. to support your claims.) Other than that, you're doing great work going after the charlatans at BAI :)<br /><br />rj Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-32735434488301370122014-08-18T17:30:56.786-04:002014-08-18T17:30:56.786-04:00Yes, I heard Our Lady of the Double Helix Water tu...Yes, I heard Our Lady of the Double Helix Water turn on her aural shucks as mindless callers declared their gullibility. I also caught her instant sweet to sour morph when a listener introduced reality. I do not agree with that listener's generalizations, nor think that Michael Brown's slightly tarnished halo lessens the severity of a cop's fatal overreaction. Of course, Davis' I-don't-watch-TV excuse is ludicrous, but so is almost everything about this woman.<br /><br />BTW, I find it difficult to believe that she isn't receiving some listener dollars from Reimers. It isn't reducing any of the three mounting rent bills, and even a casual listen will tell you that it isn't being spent on equipment or maintenance thereof.... postage? No, its easier to stash merchandise ("premiums") in a dark corner, or not even order it from a supplier. So, where is the money? HmmmmChris Albertsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12056345320709233401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-84462123525273139052014-08-18T17:16:28.625-04:002014-08-18T17:16:28.625-04:00@Anonymous: As a KPFA and WBAI programmer and prin...@Anonymous: As a KPFA and WBAI programmer and print journalist, I often have to draw the line and say OK, this is as much Pacifica politics as I can take; I've always got a list of books to read so as to better understand what I report on myself. But, the fact is that ultimately someone has to decide what goes on the air. Even if those of us participating here all stopped talking about Pacifica's governance structure, and just talked about programming, someone would still have to decide what does and does not get air time and when. <br /><br />If I had to summarize what most interests me in a few sentences, I would say, "How is political will formed? How is authority established? How are we and other populations included or excluded from the process of deciding?" That's what this is about, on a relatively small scale. And, dysfunctional though it may be, Pacifica coverage does at times have significant impact and it still has the potential to have far more.<br />Ann Garrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07763740577715213433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486287910626602438.post-16587187994753031672014-08-18T16:49:52.129-04:002014-08-18T16:49:52.129-04:00This is idiotic. I've nothing more to say.This is idiotic. I've nothing more to say. Ann Garrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07763740577715213433noreply@blogger.com