Archive for Errata
2 March, 2007 | 1 comment
What to do in a fire…
OK so I”m doing better or maybe just getting a chance to do N1L made me feel better. The show was about the fire but also about communication systems in disasters (dude we have to do some media literacy). Things are sad and muddled and confusing for me right now and the emails and support from friends, family and listeners has meant so much to me… this email in particular made me crack up. Joel was supposed to be on our show last week and I told him the show burned and we’d have to redo the show someday… when we get equipment and I’m not busy crying and such… haha.. Anyway here is his email and you can check out his website at http://www.happyjoel.com
Thanks Joel for making me laugh!!!
AND many thanks to all of you who have written and sent your cyber love and support. I really need it right now. Sergeant Johnson got a new cat toy from his knight in kitty nip friend Jordan who is owned by a cat named Marvin - anyway Mavin told Jordan to send over a kitty toy to S.J. and now Sergeant Johnson is actually playing again! Yippy! MANY thanks to Pets Unlimited for taking such good care of him AND covering his medical bills (they have a policy of covering burn victims…) and he may be bald in spots but hey he did it before Britney… he’s a trend setting cat.
Here’s the note from Joel!!
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First off, I’m really sad to hear that, and I hope you can come out of it okay. Second, here’s the ideas I have, maybe one of them will work. (i hope none of them are insensitive)
1) Sell things that are burnt or semi-burnt on eBay saying they are from the “Great San Francisco Fire” and have great historical significance.
2) Get a fireman’s hat, and set up a stand for people to take pictures wearing the hat in front of the burned out rubble for five bucks a polaroid.
3) Make a 15 minute video of “fun things to do in an apartment that’s burned down” and burn a few DVD’s of it, and sell them around to friends, co-workers, on the street, online, etc. Things you could
include are:
a) playing chutes and ladders
b) a fire sale
c) acting out episodes of your favorite TV shows since you can’t watch them anymore.
d) juggling?
e) calling friends and being like, “hey, what’s new with you,” and when they say, “not much, what’s new with you” you go through a bunch of random stuff, then say goodbye, hang up the phone, and make a “whoops!” face, at the fact you forgot to tell them your home burned down.
f) a song in the style of stomp
g) break things
h) Randomly dump buckets of water on things, just to show how vigilant you will be to never let it happen again. Start with a bucket on the kitchen floor, then dump a bucket on a table, then dump one on a cat or a dog as the punchline.
4) Make and sell popcorn in front of the apartment, but warn people it might be a little burnt.
5) Sue a death metal band and say playing their music backwards made you do it.
6) Sue an Asian rap band and say playing their music backwards made you do it.
7) Film hilarious alternate endings to: Backdraft, Citizen Kane, Chariots of Fire, and some non sequitor like Beetlejuice.
8) Film a short documentary like from TLC or Discovery, that talks about how “nature moves in cycles, and there must be destruction for life to bloom again” and then show a small green sprout rising up from the ashes. Do it in a British accent.
9) Post a notice on any film student message boards or bulletin boards that you have a burned down building available to shoot in for cheap.
10) Offer people a smash with a sledghammer on anything left in the house for 5 bucks a swing as a way to “release aggression” or just have fun or some such thing.
11) Same as number 4, but do it with brownies as a bake sale.
12) Walk up to your apartment as a person with a suit is walking past down the street. make sure you are ten steps ahead of them. Pretend everything is normal, then, when you come upon it, break down in tears and turn to them for comfort. Explain how desperate a situation it is for you, and see if you can borrow or have enough money to get a hotel room for the night. With as expensive as hotel rooms are in San Fran, that could be a hundred bucks a pop. Pull that 3-5 times a day, and you’ll be well on your way to getting stuff back.
I’ll let you know if I have any other ideas, let me know if any of these work for you.
Whatever the case, I’ll look forward to doing the interview again whenever you are back up on your feet again, and wish you the absolute best of luck.
Take care,
Joel
2 January, 2007 | 1 comment
Funny Email From Newly TVless Friend
OK how funny is this email… and thought provoking too. There is a campaign once a year called turn off your TV week. I think I blogged about it before. I think we should get weaned into things like that perhaps I should shut off my tv while on the computer… oh no wait that would just SUCK. —–
Dear Trusted Local Friends,
As you all know, I love television.
I love the flicker of a newly lit screen, the feel of a remote between my fingertips, the utter laziness and dare I say Americanism I feel while engaged in the mindless pursuit of escapism bliss.
The rest of my loving family at xxxx Fulton St. feel differently about the TV and have as a result decided to cease payment of our Comcast bill, effectively staging their own “Coup De Television” to begin 2007.
For the next several months I will be in a state of mourning and will be turning our television into a shrine of sorts by lighting candles and leaving unopened tv-dinners in front of it as sacrifice to the television gods.
On the plus side I will probably be far more productive and may learn a thing or two by engaging in actual conversation with my roommates.
I am asking the members on this list to bear with me as I struggle through the certain pain and withdrawal I will be feeling. I also ask that you invite me over to each of your respective television sets no matter how big or how small for any viewable material that you feel appropriate to share with a friend (my show list ranges from HBO hits to MTV smut and all cable and broadcast network sports, series, and specials in between…there truly is nothing I do not enjoy watching).
I’ll always be glad to bring a bottle of booze, some of the afore mentioned unopened tv-dinners and any other television watching accoutrement you can think of.
Thank you in advance for keeping me in your hearts, your prayers, and most importantly your living rooms.
Happy New Year to all.
Cold Without Cable,
Mike
8 September, 2006 | 5 comments
My Dear Chris,
Dear Chrissypoo -
On behalf of the guests, fans and crew of N1L we would like to tip our cyber hats to you in thanks for being such a swell under(non)paid webdevelop guru. We would like to say thank you for busting out a new revamped website for us which is easier to use and simple to navigate. You, someday, will be paid in more then just thanks but also perhaps some pats on the back and/or a vacation where you don’t have to deal with N1L technical problems for one week… perhaps 
We love you Chris.
Love
Irene and her cats
Skye the Ladybug
Colin (ie the other Chris)
Melissa
The Fans
The Guests
Al (Irene’s dad… just ask him it’s true)
24 August, 2006 | 2 comments
Surviving the amazing Racism
hmm… so I went on CNN today and gave a one two punch on racism and reality tv… now I apparently did not have the appropriate time of the show so all of my loved ones missed the show except for my cats and my parents (my parents are so cool they wake up in the middle of the night to catch my Free FM show online… Fergie and the Black Eyed Pea keep asking me when I work out “Where is the Love” but I know… it’s in Palm City Florida…) Anway here’s a transcript of what transpired… then I put up some email responses I got after my appearance… having nothing to do with my participation on the show but rather why I belong in a kitchen cooking and letting men work… I mean are you kidding me?????
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Now, are you ready for this? A segregated “Survivor.” Shocking news out of CBS today.
The new season of the popular reality show is actually going to split team — team members up based on race. The show is going to be starting off with four tribes made of black, white, Asian, and Latino contestants in what they are calling a “social experiment.” There is outrage.
Joining me tonight in San Francisco, Irene McGee, former MTV “Real World” cast member. And Marc Lamont Hilton from Temple University is joining us from Philadelphia.
So, Irene, you`ve been there. You know all about these social experiments that takes place on reality TV. That`s what “The Real World” is, after all.
CBS even told us that, when this idea was first floated out there in the room, dead silence. A lot of people are saying just shocking.
IRENE MCGEE, FMR. “REAL WORLD” CAST MEMBER: Well, I mean, that`s what made it through their media filter, the dead silence. I`m sure they were just wondering — the silence was just, “Can we get advertisers still?” That`s all they really care about.
I mean, they want to create a shock and push the envelope. And their — the only reason they wouldn`t want to do that would be if their advertisers pulled. So I`m sure the silence was, “Do you think Pizza Hut will still advertise?”
HAMMER: So basically it sounds like you`re saying this isn`t a real good idea. And the general consensus among those who don`t think it`s a good idea is that it`s basically further calling attention to stereotypes and perpetuating them.
Is that kind of where you`re going?
MCGEE: Oh, well, the whole concept of “Survivor” in general, the way they traipse into another culture and set up their crews and watch people in somebody else`s land, I mean, that`s where the field is. It`s already based on racism, like the show in and of itself. Beyond that, I think that what they are doing here is obviously showing how — where their show is going and how the ratings must be.
HAMMER: Well, let`s…
MCGEE: I mean, they are just going for the shock value.
HAMMER: All right. Well, there are those who are saying that. But let`s look at the other side of this.
Marc, you know, a lot of people would say, isn`t it better for racial bias to be out there in the open and exposed instead of sort of tucked away? It certainly remains a huge problem in this country. It`s not getting better.
If people aren`t talking about it, this will obviously get people talking. And, in fact, maybe the story lines will play out that we`ll see people working together and being color blind. I don`t know. That`s wishful thinking, maybe.
MARC LAMONT HILL, ASST. PROFESSOR, TEMPLE UNIV.: It is wishful thinking. And that`s part of the problem.
Much of America`s ideas about race are predicated upon a sense of color blindness. America wants to consistently deny the existence of race, and so much of the indignation that people had about the idea of “Survivor” being divided by race is that no one wants to acknowledge that race or racism exists at all.
So, on that level, I don`t think the show was a problem. But what happens is, when you get issues of representation, when you look at the way “Survivor” has historically represented characters, from Jerbase (ph), to Ramona (ph), Nick (ph), and also what Irene was talking about as far as the colonial gaze, you know, going to exotic lands and traipsing upon people`s cultures, that`s a very negative representation of culture and of race, and that`s what we need to worry about.
MCGEE: Well, and I also feel like that they are separating this. Like, what happens if somebody isn`t black enough for the black team? I mean, how do they do the tryouts for this?
HAMMER: Well, let me tell you about the tryouts for this. Basically, you know, CBS had been criticized because the show was too white. So they went out to cast the show and about 85 percent of the people who applied to be on “Survivor” are in fact white. What they ended up having to do was to go out and actually recruit people for the show.
MCGEE: Yes, I wonder how much…
HAMMER: Which is all pretty strange to me.
HILL: It`s a dangerous thing.
MCGEE: I wonder how much of the crew is white? I mean, if you — no matter how ethnically diverse you make a cast, if the people interpreting the show and the people editing the show are all white men, you`re still going to have it from the same point of view.
HAMMER: Well, let me — let me…
HILL: And the people watching this.
MCGEE: Exactly. Exactly.
HAMMER: Guys, hang on one second. I want to read what CBS sent over to us in a statement. They said that they “… fully recognize the controversial nature of the format,” but they have “… full confidence in the producers and their ability to produce the program in a responsible manner. `Survivor` is a program that is no stranger to controversy and has always answered its critics on the screen.”
So — so…
MCGEE: They are as confident as their…
HILL: “Survivor” has done nothing.
MCGEE: Yes. They are as confident as their ad dollars. I mean…
HILL: Exactly. And “Survivor” has done nothing.
MCGEE: Right.
HILL: “Survivor” has done nothing in — since the six years that it`s been on to inspire any type of confidence, unless it will engage in responsible representation…
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: We`re going to have to revisit this issue, guys, because there`s a lot to talk about.
MCGEE: But I think…
HAMMER: And I appreciate you both chiming in. I`m afraid we`re out of time.
Marc Lamont Hill, in Philadelphia, Irene McGee in San Francisco, I appreciate your passion.
MCGEE: NoOneIsListening.org.
HAMMER: Thanks for joining us.
HILL: MarcLamontHill.com.
HAMMER: The new season of “Survivor” debuts September 14th.
Plugs are in.
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OK and here are some responses I got… I’m not kidding… people can be so brave with their opinions when they have no accountability… hmm I’ll put some of the nice ones in too I’ll do a mean then nice then mean then nice this way after each one I represent the other side of the issue and just like the big media folks I will be showing both sides of the issue in a fair and balanced way… xoxo Irene
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Good mothers stay home and take care of there children. That is why
there are more men in the work place than women. You are a tool of
the industrialists who just want everyone to work - men, women,
children, illegals, everyone!!!
We are all becoming slaves because of brian washed idiots like you.
WAKE UP !!! WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE YOU MOVE TO CA AND PUSH THESE STUPID
LIBERAL IDEAS. GO HOME KOOK !!!!
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Dude, I just saw you on CNN on the program Showbiz Tonight talking about \”Survivor\” and its plans for a segregated show. You are f(*&ing cool. Thank you so much for being outspoken on these issues. And thank you for giving me the name of your website so I can now listen to your radio shows.
You are an articulate, witty, intelligent and extremely funny woman. Thank you for continuing to speak out on these issues regarding the U.S. media.
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You’re a studdette - do you have an agent?
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Suggestion…Irene to shut her mouth. Saw her on the Survivor
interview. What a loud mouth. We need less like her in this world.
The world is the way it is, and always will be. Your liberal
opinions will change absolutley nothing. Your thoughts and bitchy
bold personality supercede nails on a chalk board.
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27 July, 2006 | 3 comments
No One’s Listening for real
…of course it IS difficult to listen to a podcast that has not put out a new podcast in a while… it’s not that we at N1L have not wanted to put out a new podcast it’s that it’s simply too difficult to get all our airwave ducks in a row without access to airwaves. Since school is on summer break, we took a summer break… an accidental summer break which is accidentily lasting longer then planned… of course since Skye and Chris and Melissa very un-accidently graduated we thought it was time for N1L to grow up. Time to go to bed without wearing diapers at night… no more velcro shoes for us… if we wanted to suck our thumb we would were finally old enough to be smart enough to hide it away in public… blah blah and whatever other proverbial verbial I can come up with to say that we thought we were no longer babies. No we were all grown up and ready for the grown up world. ‘cept the grown up world is not quite ready for us… podcasting ain’t no wear lamp on your head poddy if you can’t afford to steal the lampshade… my point… though it took me a while to get to it is that it looks like we are going to go back to school to record next semester… which is fine with me because I still have to finish up school. Skye and Chris are going to be teaching at the school so I am going to try to get in their classes… I bet they won’t let me add… haha
28 June, 2006 | 2 comments
Take 10 Minutes to Dampen Your Mood
Life too great for you? Too much happiness and abundance… those happy pills making your seratonin work overtime… then feel free to tune into MTV on a Weds night at 8:45ish and catch the end of “My Super Sweet Sixteen” - followed by “The Hills” -
Congratulations! 45 minutes later and you are in a funk no chocolate drenched with booze could cure…
25 June, 2006 | 1 comment
Where oh where did our shows go
Well, we recorded a fantabulous show recently, BUT are going to hold off for the next season a few weeks simply because lots of N1Ler’s are off on vacation (Skye the Ladybug is in Amsterdam… at a “coffee shop” I’m sure eating lots of nutella…)
We’ll be back soon we are working on a Hip Hop show, Gaming, etc… should be a great third season!
We miss N1L shows and we’ll have’m back soon!
xo
irene
22 June, 2006 | No comments
Do NOT Call list set your cells
JUST A REMINDER….8 days from today, all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sale calls. .YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS…. To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone:
888-382-1222. It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute of your time.
It blocks your number for five (5) years.
www.donotcall.gov/
I would like to thank my mommy for forwarding this forward to me I called and now I am on the do not call list and I feel like I did something rather productive with my day!
25 May, 2006 | No comments
Why Life IS Like My Bathroom Drain
There are things in life I will never ever learn until I own them… like if I owned my own home I might find it in my own best interests to go to the hardware store invest 50 cents in a hair stopper… but I don’t own my own house. I rent an appartment. It occurs to me once every three months when I am reminded by the plumber to purchase a hair stopper because that would probably stop the hair from clogging in the tub… but I don’t and I probably won’t… nor will I learn how to clean it on my own. It’s someone elses problem and dime so the impact on my life is very little other then an annoying week of harassing my landlord into calling the plumber because taking a shower is like taking a bath only I don’t want to take a bath I want to take a shower…
so what does this have to do with Media et all and/or at all? I’m not sure but there must be an analogy in there somewhere… oh yes I remember…. I never appreciated how hard it was to make vlogs and podcasts and such… it’s easy to judge and that’s what we do as viewers of life… because it’s cheap and free to watch and have theories… but doing is hard work and for a website and podcast and vlog to look great there is plumbing to do and things get clogged up and it’s not like we “The N1L team” have plumbers to call when things aren’t draining properly… we have to roll up our sleeves and scrape money together and get dirty and learn the ins and outs of the plumbing trade so if you want to come over and take a shower you take a shower and not a shathe (shower and bathe or if you like a bower)… sometimes we are like an ikea nightmare where we all see the directions and it should be step by step but if you can’t figure out the picture it really sucks that the directions are not in English and that you have to buy special parts to fix the parts… anyway now I know I’m not going anywhere… this is all because I have to design a website for my class… and I’m stuck… and part of me wants to give up but part of me really needs the shelving and just spent 90 bucks on the furniture and I tried the avoidance route only to find out I couldn’t take a relaxing bathe because my plumbing is screwed up… AND it’s bull the way they make it look fun on those TLC makeover swap neighbors do it yourself living room projects… because it’s not fun because there are not beautiful people milling around making sure you task gets mastered all so we at home can watch in a neat half hour show… instead you have to take a bower and your room is messy and none of your friends that know code will answer the phone because they think it’s time you learned to swim even though you are swimming already in shathe water which is disgusting thank you for asking…
have i mentioned i need to build a website by oh yeah tomorrow…
19 May, 2006 | 5 comments
Will and Grace both say Potato but I say po-tat-toe
So here’s a thing I’m tossing around in my head… it’s a hot potato idea so I am like thinking it and then passing it along and if you drop it then you are out.
Will and Grace came to an end this evening and I realized that tv love is about relationships and people working on relationships and the whole show revolves around the characters as they evolve (even though usually there is very very little evolution unless children are involved who physically grow up and out of the character before our eyes)… we get the “characters” and their “flaws” and we relate to them having to interact and react to one another. In TV shows there is no pressure for the cast members to even have the outside world interact with the cast it’s really about the cast and their relationships with one another… and the other people are props or tools used to help redefine and draw out the “character” in our favorite characters.
It’s a bud of a thought. I’m not sure I have a point… other then these dramas and sit-coms are the only cast of characters who bring us some consistency in this world… we know this time slot on this day this show will happen… tragedy may strike the show may get interupted but we then rejoice when it comes back to its regularly scheduled time slot where the characters don’t have to deal with the world tragedy they will just deal with one another in the very typical way we are used to them behaving… and that must be part of why we like them. We can count on them. We can count on their reactions. We can count on their timing. We enjoy the familiarity and routine of the characters and their routine.
Ok I have to go back to having the flu now. And then I hit the airwaves in a few hours (because I am now part of a mediated routine… for others… ) Someone who is not so cracked out on Nyquil could probably take over the hot potato of an idea and expand upon it from here…
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