Comments by The humble Farmer

Comment for "75 seconds on When The Wind Blew:Reading the Constitution With The Representative From Tennessee"

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A Well Written Piece

This piece was written for Public Radio.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: Hiring in your own image" (deleted)

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Divirsification could bring back your audience, or is funding more important? (deleted)

When some folks asked me to produce a program for public radio 32 years ago, seems as there were at least 5 guys there in the studio that weren't married. There was also a woman in there who --- well, when she walked in you knew that she raised sheep. One by one the gay guys and the sheep woman were weeded out because they didn't fit in (belong to the political party that voted with management) and even getting married didn't keep my head off the block. You can see that each and every one of us would be an embarrassment to any station entrusted with serving the public. A year or so ago charges were leveled against the last surviving hippie (homo groovius), he is finally gone, and now our local public radio broadcasts are delivered by a staff that is completely trustworthy, homogeneous and pure. If an overeducated liberal is yet to be found in some dusty back office, it is because he knows enough to paste a “Support Our Troops” sticker on his car and evince other manifestations of belonging to mainstream America.

But that's to be figured. If you were running a public radio station that counted more and more on corporate funding and less on listeners would you want a bunch of hippies, gays and women libbers working for you?

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: Powerless to be corrupted" (deleted)

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Professor McIntosh is able to think (deleted)

I didn't want to listen to this piece when I saw it because I knew I'd have to write a comment and I don't have time to write this comment. But the piece is so good I am obligated to comment.

If you are not running Professor McIntosh's observations on a regular basis, shame on you. They contain nothing but pure, unadulterated wisdom. Your listeners will appreciate them.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: Don’t assume silently" (deleted)

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I like this piece. (deleted)

I know about donkeys. Yesterday morning it took me over an hour to pull one onto a trailer so we could put it in another pasture. You can't move a donkey from one pasture to another by leading it by a halter like a horse or cow or towing it with a tractor because the donkey will sit down and skid along on its rear end rather than walk. --- Which can get messy crossing a tar road. Nice analogy in this piece.

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: Yawning in the face of danger" (deleted)

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Great piece (deleted)

One of my radio friends (who was listening to me in the 1980s) stopped by to introduce himself. This morning I introduced him to PRX by playing this excellent piece by Professor McIntosh. I could never afford to have children or a pet that I couldn't eat so was unfamiliar with the term "Alpha Dog."

James McIntosh --- always informative --- always a delight. This is the kind of radio that keeps your neighbors listening.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: The Catch-22 of the 4th of July" (deleted)

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The gov'mnt (deleted)

Professor McIntosh is, as usual, on the money. We all have friends who say they hate thuh gov'mnt when what they mean is that they hate corporate America that directs the policy of our government. I admire the good Professor for articulating sentiments that would get him kicked off some Public Radio stations.

Comment for "Clothing Codes by Victoria Turcios"

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This is an education for some of us

There were three words used in this piece I have never heard before. I think the words have to do with clothes or stores where one buys clothes.

When I started high school in 1949 I remember wearing a pair of my father's pants that my mother cut down to fit. They were black and shiny. I remember that because the pockets had worn out, mother sewed them up at the sides. I remember that there were holes in the bottoms of my shoes. I put cardboard in there so I wouldn't wear out my socks. I soon shifted from cardboard to a piece of tin from a tin can because it lasted longer.

It must be tough nowadays to be a kid and go to a high school where you are known by the kind of clothes you wear.

I didn't know how good we had it in school until I heard this piece. As I recall, when we were 13 we all dressed the same.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Home Planet: I wish Victoria would keep her secret"

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Well done

Now I have forgotten what I was looking for when the witty title to your piece sucked me in.

Well done.

It reminds me that over 30 years ago I, a bachelor of 40, got a handful of women's underwear at Good Will. We were dedicating and unveiling a brass plaque on the outside of the church to honor a maiden lady of about 80. While everyone was in the church, I was commissioned to bolt the plaque in place and cover it with cloth that could be yanked away after all were assembled. Being a product of my age, I thought it would be delicious fun to cover the plaque with women’s underwear. --- And while running the delicate little things through my washing machine, I thought it would be even more fun to go next door to my old neighbor, Gramp Wiley, and tell him that I had to leave and would he please come over in half an hour and hang out the wash I had thrown in the machine. He later told me that while he was hanging it out on my line, the very same very proper lady we were about to honor and surprise with a plaque drove in my yard. Gramp said, “I felt like a fool.” The following week in a newspaper report of the dedication, we read that “… the plaque was covered with material supplied by Robert Skoglund which he must have obtained with some difficulty.”

From your interesting report one would guess that nowadays little boys are a bit more blasé than even big boys were years ago.

We have lost our innocence.

I share your pain.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: From good to great to bust" (deleted)

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James McIntosh is always worth hearing (deleted)

About the only cops we cheer for on TV are the ones who clean up the mess instead of doing what they were told. Did I just hear Professor McIntosh suggest that in the real world the same thing can sometimes apply to the office where you work? Is he advocating a judicious application of anarchy? Please listen to this piece and you tell me.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Fear" (deleted)

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Philosophy Talk is an Essential Program (deleted)

While listening here at my computer, I went on Amazon and bought Cory Robin's book, Fear: The History of a Political Idea.

Program manager: Philosophy Talk should be aired on your station. It is the kind of program that makes intelligent people lock you in on the dial --- and send you money.

We'd love to hear Philosophy Talk while puttering in the workshop or driving an endless commute. The miles would fly by.

Unfortunately, programs that encourage people to think are losing ground as the extreme right slowly but surely fills Public Radio's management and board positions. The Philosophy Talk you hear in many states might only be a token airing --- so that educated people might think there's nothing amiss --- and will continue to be there for fund raising.

For example: one public radio station would dearly love to dump the man from Minnesota because of his politics --- I have seen this in writing --- but doesn't dare because he's a cash cow.

Keep up the good work Philosophy Talk. You are essential. Watch your back.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Composting Doggy Doo"

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Go Dog Go

My wife used to teach little kids how to read. So when someone in our home is doing something the others appreciate, we cry: "Go dog go."

I've never had a more meaningful opportunity to use the phrase than now.

Go dog, go.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Composting Doggy Doo"

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An Excellent Piece on Urban Agriculture

The title to this piece reminds me of a bit of wisdom Zach says he heard me pass along on my radio program many years ago. --- What’s the shortest sentence in the English language? “I am.” What’s the longest sentence in the English language? “I do.” If saying do once gets you into trouble, can it also suggest what you might be stepping in if you get married twice?
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Thanks for this piece. We can all appreciate what you are doing here for city people.

Of course here in Maine, where there is more elbow room, it's a different story. Any organic rhubarb farmer knows that even a Saint Bernard will never replace his young Angus bull when it comes to enriching and preserving our planet. And after three years of faithful service, you wouldn't eat the dog.

Keep up the good work. We'll be listening.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Cliff Robertson on "The Song Is You" with Bonnie Grice"

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A Great Piece

I would never have heard of Cliff Robertson had not one of my neighbors mentioned “Cliff Robertson” more than a few times over the past 50 or so years. So when I had an opportunity to sit next to “Cliff Robertson” at a movie festival in Colorado, I did. You know how 80-year-old people might each give you their own version of something that happened 60 years ago so of course my first comment was, “For 50 years my neighbor Priscilla has boasted that you used to room with her in New York City.” He said, “Oh yes, I was dating her roommate. Priscilla married some Maine lawyer who was going to Boston University….” And he carried on from there. Gave me the same story I’d heard over and over from Priscilla and more. The man blew me away. You’d think he was talking about yesterday. He has a fantastic memory. He is funny. He’s witty. You can hear it in this piece. Cliff Robertson is a gentleman. He is a national treasure.

By the way, those are wicked changes in that arrangement of “It Never Entered My Mind.”

Good Work.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: Perceptual errors create nonsense at work" (deleted)

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On the money. (deleted)

James McIntosh is right on target as usual. Because I sometimes write satire, I have been accused of writing and saying true things about bad people. When questioned, I can prove that I never wrote or said a word about sneaky old so-and-so. That's when I'm countered with, "It's not what you said --- it's what people PERCEIVED. When I heard this perceptive piece by Professor McIntosh I couldn't help but think --- that although what thousands of people perceived I said has cost me money it hasn't cost me any friends.

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: The way to being all right" (deleted)

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Wisdom from James McIntosh (deleted)

Because you are unlikely to find audio clips submitted to PRX by Socrates or Ben Franklin, you had best settle for Professor James McIntosh as being the next best thing. Your intelligent listening audience will enjoy what he has to say.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Iraq's Elections"

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Will they count the votes?

I laughed when I read the description. One wonders what other countries think of the US where the outcome of presidential elections can be decided by a conservative court and not the ballot box. "The US might be a nice place to visit but working people are rapidly losing ground there."

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: Too creative to work" (deleted)

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James McIntosh is always worth hearing (deleted)

There is a time and place for everything. Hand and body motions on an assembly line have pretty well worked out.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Can Computers Save Health Care? "

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Go

Go

Your neighbor humble

Comment for "Can Computers Save Health Care? "

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We need more of this reporting

You might have also wondered why, when you come into a doctor's office, you are handed a pencil and a sheet on a clipboard to enter your information. Why can't the patient type the info directly into a computer? And, why can't your new doctor already have the intimate, if boring, details of your medical history? In some countries the doctors already do. In an excellent piece on health care The Christian Science Monitor also mentioned this and elaborated on how the US is dragging and far behind even what are considered Third World Countries. Your piece brings up the question: which company is going to earn the big bucks for getting the contract to create a unified system? If it ever is done, you can be sure that it will be the company with the most money muscle to lobby for it. And, of course, every big company that is presently ripping off American consumers --- insurance, pharmaceuticals, and so on, will lobby to the death (with money we paid them) to keep us from catching up with the rest of the world. I've lived in Sweden. My wife has lived in Holland. Don't get me started on health care in this United States.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Commentator Aaron Brown on Being Single"

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Been There Done That

I haven't posted enough comments to know that anything submitted between brackets is deleted. I read French and Dutch and other languages where thoughts or quotes are often set off by brackets, so I set off my thoughts between "I immediately thought... But --- in brackets. But my thoughts were deleted by the brackets. Sorry to mess this up for you. If we are lucky, nobody will read my comment and wonder what it was I was hoping to say.

Keep up the good work.

Neighbor humble

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: Are you losing your memory?" (deleted)

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Tribal Knowledge (deleted)

An excellent observation on the pros and cons of tribal knowledge. Tell us more. How does one keep young people from reinventing the wheel? If you already know something, you aren't swayed by science and reason.

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: Why nonsense is so abundant" (deleted)

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Nonsense happens (deleted)

James McIntosh is always worth hearing, but this piece is truly inspired and worth airing over and over.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "I am Become Death"

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We don't hear about Gilgamesh nowadays like we used to.

Anyone who can mention Gilgamesh in a radio piece has a lot going for him and doesn't need to say anything else.

Comment for "The Worst Part Of Censorship Is . . ."

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Censorship

If it is any comfort to you, Indiana does not have a monopoly on censorship.

The humble Farmer, St. George, Maine

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: Always hungry is not a bonus" (deleted)

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Your listeners would enjoy hearing this piece. (deleted)

This is a great lesson. Man might be the only animal that is greedy.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: How to get your boss to act like a real manager once a week" (deleted)

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James McIntosh is always worth hearing (deleted)

After listening to this piece I resolved to ask my wife to leave my list of projects on the kitchen table at night before we go to bed. Having them whispered in my ear when I first wake up in the morning is too enervating.

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: Lazy, your country needs you" (deleted)

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Food for thought (deleted)

Your listeners would like this piece because it supports their suspicion that most great labor saving devices were invented by lazy people. James McIntosh is always worth hearing.

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Save the Endangered Didgeridoo"

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The Voice of The Sink Spout

I listened, hoping you'd say something about circular breathing.

We hear that taste and smell can remind us of of a poignant moment.

Listening to the didgeridoo took me back to a sound I heard over 65 years ago in my mother's kitchen. My father was out back, finishing up some repairs on the plumbing, when suddenly, we heard his didgeridooish voice saying, "I am the voice of the sink spout."

The humble Farmer

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: After the Big Day" (deleted)

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Food for thought (deleted)

I'm 73 years old, and when James McIntosh talks about heartless corporate taskmasters who demand more and more year after year when one has less and less to work with I couldn't but help think of my wife. She could put to shame anyone James McIntosh or even Dickens could come up with. The good thing about running the commentary of James McIntosh on your station is that everyone who hears anything he says will be able to relate to it in one manner or another. Five Stars from The humble Farmer

Comment for "Nonsense At Work: No time to evolve" (deleted)

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Good Advice (deleted)

Good advice that you can get in less than 60 seconds should not be ignored.