Fast-forward about ten or fifteen years to my semi-recent discovery: The Nightside Project. This nightly radio show is a commentary by two men (Ethan Millard and Alex Kirry) who, like the majority of Utahns, are fairly conservative. These two men, unlike a few other conservative daytime talk radio hosts whom I admittedly agree with most of the time, simply offer their thoughtful opinions on current events and listen to what others have to say. I've even heard them change their opinions once or twice (shocking in a world of Sean Hannity). The show is geard toward twenty-somethings and is truly entertaining most nights.
Well, my life has been in a downward spiral of nerdiness ever since my discovery of the Nightside Project, and I may be eating my hat when I say, "I ENJOY TALK RADIO!!!" I KNOW! It goes against everything that I ever stood for as a fun-loving elementary school student, but I find it entertaining and enjoyable. There. I've said it. Ridicule me all you wish.
Along with Nightside, I've discovered the beauty of National Public Radio; a.k.a. the geekiest form of talk-radio ever to grace the planet. Shows like This American Life, Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me, and All Things Considered are not only pre-set on my car radio, but I download the podcasts! Interestingly, listening to these programs makes me feel smarter. I learn more random facts and news stories from listening to NPR than I ever could surfing the internet or reading the newspaper. In case you're interested in what one can learn from glorious NPR, here are some facts that I've recently learned:
Even nations as disconnected from the Western World as Afghanistan fear during times of pandemic. The recent world trouble with the Swine Flu has led to the quarantine of Afghanistan's only pig. Yes, you read that correctly. Due to the predominant religion's abstention from pork, pigs are illegal, and there is only ONE PIG in the entire nation of Afghanistan. It lives safely in a Zoo in Kabul, but is now under quarantine so no one will contract the Swine Flu from a pig that has never been in contact with another pig SINCE BIRTH. Sounds crazy to me. Don't believe me? Check this link.
In the United Kingdom, potato chips are sold with a so-called "value-added tax" to which many snack foods are subjected. Proctor & Gamble went to court trying to get the nation NOT to recognize the snack as a potato chip. Wait...what? P&G markets Pringles as potato chips, but it wants the high court of The UK to see it otherwise because only 40% of the snack food is made of potatoes. The court thought differently. Here's the proof.
For those of you voyeuristic nut jobs out there, you'll be happy to know that the next time you go to Disneyland, you may chance upon a photograph of a woman flashing the camera because due to budget cuts, the Magic Kingdom will no longer employ photo checkers to make sure people do not expose themselves on the last hill of Splash Mountain. For the rest of us...it's not really news, but something funny to talk about, for sure! Check it out.
Yes, NPR is extremely educational, but it can definitely expand your knowledge in ways that you would never think. Check it out sometime!
