Product Description
Fundamental beliefs is what the reader will be exploring here -- a common understanding of what the radio enterprise should be about: entertainment and information. A major thrust of this book is to arrive at a set of fundamental beliefs about the values and realities of the radio business in regard to entertainment programming -- a set of beliefs that may or may not be right, true, or forever, but that might at least provide a basis for developing programming strategies.

This second edition of Future Radio Programming Strategies seeks to answer the question: What do listeners really want from radio? Some of the answers are derived from users-and-gratifications research in the mass media. Instead of focusing on what mass media do to people, the users-and-gratifications perspective seeks to discover what people do with mass media. The functionalist viewpoint of such research basically says that a medium is best defined by how people use it. Having looked at some of the audience research that comes from sources other than the standard ratings companies, the book then goes on to demonstrate new ways that formats, production procedures, and announcing styles can meet audience needs and desires. Although the volume concludes with several original methods for selecting and presenting airplay music based on the audience's moods and emotional needs, it does not insist upon a singular, formulaic approach for constructing or modifying a music format. Instead, it attempts to involve the reader in thinking through the process of format development.

Two audio tapes are also available for use with the book. The tapes contain nearly 3 hours of important, detailed information and provocative points from the book. Exclusive audio examples include:
* the sense of acoustic space in music;
* hi-fi versus lo-fi listening environments;
* subjective perception of the announcer's distance from the listener;
* audio editing rates;
* comparison of luxury versus inexpensive car listening experiences; and
* the components of emotions that are expressed vocally.

The tapes also include new sections about the threats to traditional radio from specialized digital audio services, competition for the listener's attention from computer-based media, and additional proof of how music can be chosen on the basis of listeners' emotional reactions and mood needs.
... Read more

Product Description
This report puts executives and strategic planners on the fast track.The first chapter describes the study's methodology.The second chapter gives an overview of how to strategically access the market, mid-term forecasts of latent demand and accessibility benchmarks.The remaining nine chapters are not industry specific, but instead discuss economic fundamentals, marketing & distribution options, export and direct investment options, and full risk assessments (political, cultural, legal, human resources). Combined, the information provided in this market study is a "one-stop" shop for the strategic planner. Ample statistical benchmarks and comparative graphs are given. ... Read more

Product Description
Some of television's most influential and best known producers and programmers discuss the forces that affect their selection of themes and treatments---why they include or reject material, and how they view their opinion leader roles and their roles as members of the society that is so influenced by their products. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an important textbook on artificial intelligence thatuses the unifying thread of search to bring together most of the majortechniques used in symbolic artificial intelligence. The authors,aware of the pitfalls of being too general or too academic, have takena practical approach in that they include program code to illustratetheir ideas. Furthermore, code is offered in both POP-11 and Prolog,thereby giving a dual perspective, highlighting the merits of theselanguages.
Each chapter covers one technique and divides up into threesections:

• a section which introduces thetechnique (and its usual applications) andsuggests how it can beunderstood as a variant/generalisation of search;
• a sectionwhich developed a `low'-level (POP-11) implementation;
• a sectionwhich develops a high-level (Prolog) implementation of thetechnique.

Product Description
In the tradition of Peter Gzowski’s The Morningside Papers comes a book that celebrates the great stories and personalities behind As It Happens.

For eight years, Mary Lou Finlay had the pleasure of being the co-host of one of CBC Radio’s most enduring institutions. On any given day she and Barbara Budd interviewed people on subjects varying from the Air India investigation to a man who invented a suit that would withstand an attack from a grizzly bear to a cheese-rolling contest in Cheshire. The As It Happens Files gives us the great stories – the hilarious eccentrics, the audience favourites, the poignant moments – that make up, for many Canadians some of the fondest, most vivid memories of the last decade.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Calling all CBC fans
I first got hooked on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)radio when I met my husband over twenty years ago. The wealth and diversity of programming provides something for every listener. The second longest running show - 4o years - is "As It Happens"; on five nights a week at 6:30 p.m. They are an outcall show, broadcasting interviews conducted by telephone, seeking out the 'story behind the story'. It runs the gamut - from talking with world leaders to offbeat human interest stories. Mary Lou Finlay was the co-host of the show from 1997-2005.
The human interest stories are the ones that stand out for Finlay - the 96 year old who took 75 years to get his university degree, brain surgery on pet goldfish or the man who spent twenty years building a bear proof suit. Human interest stories from England have been popular as well - the woman who has a garden gnome sanctuary with over 2000 restored gnomes generated lots of feedback.
But the serious touch us as well. 9/11, the Air India crash, natural disasters and inside interviews from Darfur and Iran to name a few.
The book includes transcripts from many of these interviews.
Reading and remembering some of the stories from over the years just reminds me why this show is a Canadian icon - and why I love it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

How now, brown cow?;)
I wonder what people like Truth@Smart.Net, who wrote negative reviews of this book, think NOW, now that "Y2K" has turned into an absolute NON-event? Kudoes to Mr. Hunt for his calm debunking of hysterical myths!

Refutes Y2K hysteria but still believes in the Second Coming
When the Y2K problem first became public knowledge computer programmers told of many disasters that would occur on 2000 Jan 1 because computers used two-digit years. Several books with alarmist and even biblicallyapocalyptic themes came out, and the media took advantage of this. So herewe have a book which does a needed service: refute some of this madness. Iespecially liked when he quotes North as saying that institutions that use99 to mean end of run will fail on 1998 July 1, which came by withouthardly a ripple (p. 228). If he so correctly points out the hazards ofalarmism regarding Y2K, then why does he persist in saying that a SecondComing according to the Bible will occur anyway? The book is strewn withBible quotations that relate little to the Y2K problem. Still, there are alot of people who believe that the Bible is the truth, despite its manycontradictions, and maybe this book will help by getting across to themregarding the Y2K problem.

This book is a double dose of stress relieving facts
"Y2K A Reasoned Response to Mass Hysteria" had me dropping the book and running to my computer to verify what I had read.First was a statement released by the Department of Defense stating their Y2Kcompliance.Second, to investigate the release of the movie"Y2K" starring Chris O'Donnall.

Dave hunt shows off his talentplaying devils advocate "Remember these dire warnings come not from afew fanatics but from a host of experts...the stockmarket will crash and theworld will sink into a great depression." (29) Hunt vividly displays aworld where chaos rules all.In alignment with mayor reporting agencies hepaints a picture of cities with no power, no heat, no phones, no vehicles,and no food.Where will we turn to fulfill our basic needs? Then in agreat juxtaposition he piles up the evidence to silence the alarmists. Pointing out technology leaders such as Hewlett Packard and NationalSemiconductor who have been compliant for years Hunt crushes theopposition.

This book has defeated all the rumors from the Christen rightwings view of Biblical Armageddon and the coming of the Antichrist to thelibral views of an international plot for the New World Order."Y2K AReasoned Response to a Mass Hysteria" is a double dose of stressrelieving facts.

A truly biblical and common sense response to mass hysteria
Dave Hunt tells it like it is!This book is biblically sound and extremely factual.Y2K has been hyped up so much that many people are truly panicking. In this book, Dave explains from Scripture, why the panicand fear is unfounded.Trusting in God's provision, taking necessaryprecautions--like you would do in a snowstorm, tornado, flood, etc. is theanswer to the mass hysteria. Y2K: A Reasoned Response to Mass Hysteria is amust for everyone--especially the people who believe the world will end onJanuary 1,2000! Common sense preparedness is always better than panic. Panic breeds fear.I believe, after reading Dave's book, that most of thepanic will be caused by the "alarmists" and not by the Y2K bugitself (which really isn't a bug anyway)! Biblically accurate andChrist-centered with lots of common sense! Highly recommended!

Do NOT let this be the only book you read on Y2K!
While I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Hunt's dedication to orthodox Christianity and agree with him on some subjects, I found this book was seriously lacking in-depth research. My copy has pencil marks on virtuallyevery other page. While he makes some valid points, his overall thesis isunsubstantiated by the facts he presents. There are many facts that werenot presented in the book that would have served to negate his ultimateconclusions. I am a member of the Washington DC Y2K Group and knowpersonally many of the individuals Mr. Hunt quotes. There is ample evidenceto support some level of personal preparedness for Y2K. Each of us shoulddecide what degree of preparation is suitable given our circumstances.Wisdom dictates that this issue be studied thoroughly by reading severalbooks or browsing the internet for Y2K-related information. This issuereminds me of Pascal's wager. In this case we have little to lose by notpreparing at least minimally, yet we have potentially everything to lose bynot preparing at all. In Mr. Hunt's May issue of The Berean Call newsletterhe says that Senator Robert Bennett "now admits that Y2K at worst willbe a mere "bump in the road."" While it is true that theSenator used that phraseology, had Mr. Hunt been at the May WDCY2K Groupmeeting he would have heard Sen. Bennett explain that while he did use theexpression, he never said how high that bump would be nor how great a joltwe might receive from it! There was laughter in the room following theSenator's comment, but it was a sobering chuckle at best. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

Good system administrators recognize problems long before anyone asks, "Hey, is the Internet down?" Nagios, an open source system and network monitoring tool, has emerged as the most popular solution for sys admins in organizations of all sizes. It's robust but also complex, and Nagios: System and Network Monitoring, 2nd Edition, updated to address Nagios 3.0, will help you take full advantage of this program.

Nagios, which runs on Linux and most *nix variants, can be configured to continuously monitor network services such as SMTP, POP3, HTTP, NNTP, SSH, and FTP. It can also supervise host resources (processor load, disk and memory usage, running processes, log files, and so on) and environmental factors, such as temperature and humidity. This book is your guide to getting the most out of this versatile and powerful monitoring tool.

Inside Nagios, you'll learn how to:

• Install and configure the Nagios core, all standard plugins, and selected third-party plugins
• Configure the notification system to alert you of ongoing problems-and to alarm others in case of a serious crisis
• Program event handlers to take automatic action when trouble occurs
• Write Perl plugins to customize Nagios for your unique needs
• Quickly understand your Nagios data using graphing and visualization tools
• Monitor Windows servers, SAP systems, and Oracle databases

The book also includes a chapter that highlights the differences between Nagios versions 2 and 3 and gives practical migration and compatibility tips. Nagios: System and Network Monitoring, 2nd Edition is a great starting point for configuring and using Nagios in your own environment.

Customer Reviews (6)

The Nagios book to end all Nagios books
Every question I've had has been explained in this book.I followed the online documentation to do a new 3.x install on Ubuntu, and everything I've wanted to do since then has been explained simply, with examples, in the book.

Very details
I read the first edition of this book, it's good with explanations about the installation of Nagios, the plugins, the relation (parents, host/service dependence), active & passive monitoring, remote host monitor, and so much more. This book and Pro Nagios 2.0 (which is very good for beginner) are two must-have books for network & system monitoring.

Awsome reference guide for both experienced users and newbies alike
What a great book. I've already doubled the quality and quantity all of my Nagios service_check installations.When I received this book I already figured I knew the material fairly well, after all, I started using Netsaint way back in the day. (Netsaint was the original project name for Nagios) I've really got a much better understanding and have nothing but great things to say. I'm guessing even Nathan (The main developer of Nagios) learned something when he got his copy. Buy this book!

Great nagios book
Good nagios book. Usable for novice as well as experienced users.

The complex nagios environment is explained in a simple comprehensible manner. The book inspires to implemement non-standard elements.

It help you from scratch to a full blowing monitoring environment.

Best for Nagios admins who want specific details on plug-ins
I recently received review copies of Pro Nagios 2.0 (PN2) by James Turnbull and Nagios: System and Network Monitoring (NSANM) by Wolfgang Barth.I read PN2 first, then NSANM.Both are excellent books, but I expect potential readers want to know which is best for them.The following is a radical simplification, and I could honestly recommend readers buy either (or both) books.If you are completely new to Nagios and want a very well-organized introduction, I recommend PN2.If you are somewhat familiar with Nagios and want detailed descriptions of a wide variety of Nagios plug-ins, I recommend NSANM.

NSANM strengths lie in the depth of coverage of certain elements when compared to PN2.PN2 devotes 7 pages to host checks, while NSANM's Ch 7 offers 21 pages.PN2 supplies 8 pages on service checks, but NSANM's Ch 6 gives 46 pages.This level of detail can be very useful.For example, NSANM's explanation of check_squid also shows to to configure Sguid to allow access to its cache manager.

NSANM shares more information on certain background protocols like SNMP.PN2's SNMP section is about 7 pages, whereas NSANM's Ch 11 is 36 pages.NSANM demonstrates more aspects of Nagios' Web interface and the CGI programs generating pages.I thought author Wolfgang Barth made very effective use of diagrams, like the network topology explanation in Ch 4, the service checks in Ch 5, and notification in Ch 12.

NSANM includes some material not mentioned in PN2, like using Nagios with Cygwin.Sometimes the books are very complementary, as shown by PN2's discussion of NSClient++ and NSANM's overview of NSClient and NC_Net.

NSANM is lacking coverage of security, redundancy, and failover, however.PN2 does address these critical issues.Beware the some of the "chapters" in NSANM are very short -- like Ch 8 (2 pages!) and Ch 19 (barely 6 pages).I think short sections like those should have been integrated into longer chapters or moved into the appendices.

Overall, NSANM is a very good book.I believe new Nagios readers should read PN2, and strongly consider NSANM as a complementary reference volume. ... Read more

Product Description
Beyond the inside jokes, the fake bits and the banter, "The Ticket: Full Disclosure" gives you the complete low-down on how "The Ticket" got started. From the boys at the back of the bus to one of the most imitated sports talk radio stations on the air today, get the full story as told by the guys you tune in to hear on 1310 AM every day. On the occasion of "The Ticket's" 15th anniversary, Ticketheads finally have a book revealing all the history and behind-the-scenes hi jinks of the Marconi-winning radio station. The ultimate bathroom book for every good, strong P1, this is the true, unvarnished "Ticket" story of how Mike Rhyner and the gang evolved from press-box yuk monkeys to forming the core of one of the nation's most popular radio stations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Pretty darn good
The writing didn't always flow but it was the dude's first book.Very insightful.A must for any P1.

Great Read for fans of the station
A great read for fans of The Ticket.Lots of background on the forming of the Ticket and the behind the scenes things you don't hear on the ticket.Also added some insight on Greg Williams leaving the Hardline.I wished they would have talked more about some of the great bits on The Ticket, but otherwise a great read.

Greatness
Great story about starting one of the most listened to Radio Stations in the country

Is this radio station a cultural window, a cultural mirror, or both?
Note: The review that follows is of the hardbound edition.

Opinions in the Dallas/Fort Worth area about radio station 1310 AM have been sharply divided among those who have been listening to it after it began broadcasting in 1994. There have been several owners of "The Ticket" and what seems like normal turnover of hosts and co-hosts of various segments during the years since its launch. Most of the alumni remain active in the DFW area and include Chris Arnold, Skip Bayless (an exception, now on two ESPN TV programs), Chuck Cooperstein, Mark ("Friedo") Friedman, Mark Followill, Dale Hansen, Richard Hunter, Curt Menefee (another exception, now current host of Fox NFL Sunday), John Rhadigan, Ben Rogers and Jeff ("Skin") Wade, Kevin Scott,and Greg Williams (one of the original hosts together with Bayless, Menefee, and Mike Rhyner). It was Rhyner's original "dream" that became The Ticket 15 years ago and he continues as a co-host of The Hardline with Corby Davidson. What we have in Scott Boyter's book is "the completely true story of the Marconi-winning Little Ticket (a.k.a. "The Station That Got Your Mom to Say `Stay Hard'").

The current weekday programs are The (Gentle) Musers co-hosted by George Dunham, Craig Miller, and Gordon Keith (5:30-10 AM); The Norm Hitzges Show (10-Noon); BaD Radio co-hosted by Bob Sturm, Dan McDowell, and Donovan Lewis (Noon-3 PM); The Hardline co-hosted by Rhyner and Davidson (3-7 PM); and The Dan Patrick Show (9-midnight). The Saturday programs include The Train Station/Fitness Show, The Tee Box, The Orphanage, Race Week; Mark Elfenbein has a program on Sunday mornings.

After examining the events that led up to the establishment of The Ticket in Section One, Boyter dedicates a separate chapter to Dunham, Miller, Keith, Hitzges, Sturm, McDowell, Lewis, Rhyner, and Davidson in Sections Two-Five before shifting his attention in Section Six ("Where Are They Now?") in which he discusses "alumni" Cooperstein, Menefee, Rocco Pendola, Chris Arnold, and Williams. In the final section (Chapter 21), he suggests what the future of The Ticket could be.

The sports talk radio public in the DFW area are familiar with those to whom Boyter devotes most of his attention in this book but, to his credit, he acknowledges -- and includes the acknowledgement by others - the important contributions made to The Ticket over the years, notably Geoff Dunbar, Spence Kendrick, David Vaughn, Mike Thompson (a.k.a. "The Wild Irish Laddy" or just "The Laddy"), Bruce Gilbert, and especially Dan Bennett and Jeff Catlin. It should be noted that Mark ("Friedo") Friedman's behind-the-scenes efforts and occasional on-air remarks while producing The Norm Hitzges Show also made substantial contributions to the show's success. What fascinated me while reading Boyter's "completely true story" of The Ticket's establishment and subsequent development is that its success occurred so quickly and unexpectedly. There are several major reasons. For example, "Mike Rhyner never envisioned The Ticket as a hardcore sports station, where conversation about the Cowboys' prevent defense ruled the day. He knew that if the station had tried that approach, it would have lasted about three months - if that long." Indeed, depending on which program is heard, the differences between and among the various co-hosts have guaranteed from the beginning that the station's on-air conversations throughout the day would offer something for everyone, ranging from members of the Delta Tau Chi fraternity at Faber College to George Will. Granted, during the first year, The Ticket acted (with mixed results) as if (in Dunbar's words) "we were a big time operation. I'm operating out of rented studios with one board, a production room I've got to share and no office space for the sales staff," he added. "I can't hire enough sales people because there aren't any benefits. It was like a monkey fucking a football."

However, sooner than later, The Ticket hit its stride and soon dominated the ratings, especially among the most coveted demographic in radio (i.e. men aged 25-54) and drive-time slots. The focus was always and remains on the personalities of the hosts. As Gilbert explains, "The Ticket was something completely different in the sense that its listeners didn't just like the station, they were ambassadors for - and fanatics of - the station. More importantly, of the talent. The Ticket as a business was a combination of the DNA of all the hosts." Gilbert"fired the incendiary Rocco Pendola (the subject of Chapter 18), replaced him with the venerable Norm Hitzges (Chapter 10), and hired Bob Sturm (Chapter 11) to take the noon-3 PM slot."

Any key reason for The Ticket's success is the extent to which all of its hosts work so hard to help promote the station, whether they are on or off the air. I know of no other station in the U.S. that schedules more remote broadcasts, not only at the locations of its major sponsors but also at restaurants that are most appealing to their "ambassadors," their evangelists, who are called P-1s.Also, let's not forget the Ticketchicks who also appear at the locations of most remote broadcasts. Throughout Boyter's narratives, managers as well as hosts cite the collective efforts to support promotions such as the ones scheduled for this book. One of my favorites is Chris Arnold who hosted the morning slot now held by another favorite of mine, Norm Hitzges. Arnold was perhaps the most popular and probably the hardest working host but eventually became worn out. "It was crazy. How I did it I don't know. Back then, I just had a lot of energy. I stayed in shape, worked out a lot, and basically didn't have any other life except sports." Boyter observes that "holding down three jobs at one time is crazy; four is insane." A compliment to Arnold from one of his friends, Michael Jordan, helped him to decide to leave The Ticket in order to focus on his association with the Dallas Mavericks and he continues with local radio station K104 FM. As recalls fondly, "The Ticket's a never-ending soap opera. And the listeners are in on it. That's the Ticket's big secret: you're in on the deal." Boyter adds, "Speaking of soap operas, here's the chapter you've been waiting for: The Ticket's most notorious ex-host, Greg Williams." He is the subject of Chapter 21 and, frankly, the details of Williams' association with The Ticket - and speculation about ended it -- are best revealed within the narrative, in context. Suffice to say now that no one at The Ticket flew higher and then fell further than Williams did. Now he has embarked on the process of rebuilding his career and, more to the point, rebuilding his life.

My guess (only a guess) is that this book will be of greatest interest to two different groups of people: Those who are interested in knowing more about the key people who have been involved with The Ticket since it began broadcasting in 1994, and, those who are interested in knowing what it requires to plan, fund, launch, and strengthen a radio station in one of the most competitive media markets in the United States.I happen to be a member of both groups and thank Scott Boyter on a lively as well as informative presentation of "the completely true story of the Marconi-winning Little Ticket."

Personal request: Include an index in the next edition. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Be On TV! 100 Game, Reality & Talk Shows That Want You Do you want to be on TV? How many times have you shouted out the right answer to the Wheel of Fortune puzzle? Do you think you have what it takes to outwit, outplay and outlast everyone else to be the ultimate Survivor? Does your Mobile Home Disaster need a makeover? You can be on television! Hundreds of game, reality and talk shows want you! Each listing in Be On TV! 100 Game, Reality and Talk Shows That Want You includes: . Type of show . Show facts, host and prizes . Casting details . Tips and suggestions . Contact information . Plus 25 bonus shows From the Introduction: Years ago Andy Warhol speculated that in the future we would all be famous for 15 minutes. The future is here! There are literally hundreds of reality, talk and game shows on television, and each one needs people like you and me to be successful. Nowadays, with a little effort, just about anyone can be on TV. I've been on Mad Money twice by telephone. I tried out for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and went to auditions for the old The Weakest Link and Nashville Star (in a supporting role). Today I'll mail my application to Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? in hopes of being a contestant on the primetime Jeff Foxworthy game show. Why? Because I believe I am smarter than a fifth grader! It's fun. And it is with fun in mind that I've written this Black Book Guide to how to be on television. Game, reality and talk shows all have different eligibility requirements and application procedures. Some are easier to appear on than others. For example, The Price is Right selects contestants from the studio audience. If you want to play the game, get in line early for tickets to the show. Other shows, like Big Brother and Survivor, have lengthy selection processes. Whatever your interest, there is sure to be a TV show just waiting for you to apply. Do you like game shows? There are dozens looking for contestants, with prizes reaching a million dollars. Are you interested in business? There are several financial and business shows, from Fast Money to Donald Trump's The Apprentice. Are you competitive? There are contests for everything from dog grooming to modeling to singing. There are talent shows for the talented and talentless. There are courtroom dramas to settle your disputes and talk shows if you just want to share. There are makeover shows for your hair, your spouse and your house. What are you waiting for? You can't win if you don't play. You can be on TV. Pick a show and apply today. Have fun! Good luck! ... Read more

Product Description
A sweeping, anecdotal account of the great sounds and voices of radio–and how it became a bonding agent for a generation of American youth

When television became the next big thing in broadcast entertainment, everyone figured video would kill the radio star–and radio, period. But radio came roaring back with a whole new concept. The war was over, the baby boom was on, the country was in clover, and a bold new beat was giving the syrupy songs of yesteryear a run for their money. Add transistors, 45 rpm records, and a young man named Elvis to the mix, and the result was the perfect storm that rocked, rolled, and reinvented radio.

Visionary entrepreneurs like Todd Storz pioneered the Top 40 concept, which united a generation. But it took trendsetting “disc jockeys” like Alan Freed, Murray the K, Wolfman Jack, Cousin Brucie, and their fast-talking, too-cool-for-school counterparts across the land to turn time, temperature, and the same irresistible hit tunes played again and again into the ubiquitous sound track of the fifties and sixties. The Top 40 sound broke through racial barriers, galvanized coming-of-age kids (and scandalized their perplexed parents), and provided the insistent, inescapable backbeat for times that were a-changin’.

Along with rock-and-roll music came the attitude that would literally change the “voice” of radio forever, via the likes of raconteur Jean Shepherd, who captivated his loyal following of “Night People”; the inimitable Bob Fass, whose groundbreaking Radio Unnameable inaugurated the anything-goes free-form style that would come to define the alternative frontier of FM; and a small-time Top 40 deejay who would ultimately find national fame as a political talk-show host named Rush Limbaugh.

From Hunter Hancock, who pushed beyond the limits of 1950s racial segregation with rhythm and blues and hepcat patter, to Howard Stern, who blew through all the limits with a blue streak of outrageous on-air antics; from the heyday of summer songs that united carefree listeners to the latter days of political talk that divides contentious callers; from the haze of classic rock to the latest craze in hip-hop, Something in the Air chronicles the extraordinary evolution of the unique and timeless medium that captured our hearts and minds, shook up our souls, tuned in–and turned on–our consciousness, and went from being written off to rewriting the rules of pop culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Something in the Air
This book was a gift to my husband.He loved it. He read exerpts from it to me several times.If you like the history of pioneers in radio, you will want to read this book.

NO MUSIC AT ALL...
To anyone over the age of 30, memories of the heyday of free-form fm radio will abound
with moments when it felt as if radio really cared and communicated with you the listener.
Sadly, today's generation knows nothing of this, having been rised in an environment of sound
bytes and songs totally devoid of lyrical content that have no real meaning beyond the immediate
quest for coolness,instant gratification or the empty pap of vapid relationships.

Today conglomorate corporations control the total content of radio and no dj is even needed
to add a touch of personality. As such, radio is sterile and the same from coast to coast.

But not to fear, it seems satillite radio is poised to give those who care a sense of what
radio once was, a medium that put you in touch with the voice of what really made it fun to
listen and to discover...the music that made you feel that you could really change the world
all with the magic of one song, not the totally commercialized gunk that circulates over and
over again to the exclusion of music with real content and meaning. Read this book and perhaps
you'll get a sense of what's been forgotton and never been experienced by today's generation.

Masterpiece
Nobody has ever written a book this entertaining about radio. This book was so good that I turned off E Street Radio (on Sirius) just so I could concentrate more. Mr. Fisher has a future in radio *and* writing.

told me they shipped it, then told me they don't even have it
I ordered this book for one of my classes.I was told this book was in stock and was shipped the day after I had ordered it. A MONTH later, I receive an email telling me the product was never shipped and they do not even have it in stock.This is after I contacted them within two weeks of not receiving my book and being told it was shipped already.I ordered from them before and received the books promptly, but this was just ridiculous. I was not able to read the book for class and am now behind on assignments.Don't lie to your customers.

Husband loved it.
My husband is kind of a nut when it comes to oldies radio and oldies music.I purchased this book as a Christmas gift for him and he really liked it. ... Read more

Product Description
"I’m Terry Gross and this is Fresh Air . . ."

Now available in paperback -- a selection of revealing interviews from the award-winning National Public Radio show

Originating from WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and heard on more than 450 NPR stations, Fresh Air with Terry Gross has become a daily habit with millions of listeners nationwide -- a must for anyone hoping to keep up with what’s happening in the arts. Over the last twenty years, Terry’s guests have included our most significant writers, actors, musicians, comics, and visual artists.

For her first collection, Terry has chosen more than three dozen timeless interviews that prove to be as lively on the page as they were on the radio. Her questions -- probing yet sensitive -- encourage revelations from figures as diverse as John Updike, Isabella Rossellini, Conan O’Brien, Samuel L. Jackson, Johnny Cash, and Nicolas Cage. And in her introduction, the generally self-effacing host of Fresh Air does something she wouldn’t dream of doing on the air -- she reveals a thing or two about herself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

one of NPR's finest
Not afraid to ask the tough questions.This is a great memoir of interviews.I am a definite fan.

Pure pleasure for thinking people.
Unfortunately, I don't live in a radio market that broadcasts "Fresh Air." Last Christmas, however, a friend gave me a copy of "All I Did Was Ask," and even though it makes me feel even more strongly the lack of that program, it was certainly the next best thing to hearing it. Terry Gross, a host of wide-ranging interests and probing curiosity, publishes here the transcripts of what she considers her most fascinating interviews, and fascinating they are indeed, covering a range of guests from John Updike to Johnny Cash to Chris Rock to Divine. Some answers glow with insight, such as Updike's about being a writer at 65: "Every day, you are older than you've ever been before. In a sense, you are blazing a trail, and sending back news to the younger of what it's like." Some say things you can hardly believe, such as Michael Caine's assertion that his father believed any man who ate chicken was gay: "Real men ate red meat, and he thought that chicken was sissy food." All tell of fascinating personal journeys, such as director/screenwriter Paul Schrader, who grew up in a Calvinist family where movies were forbidden.

Of course, some of the most titillating reading is about the interviews that went astray. Gross reprints the combative, sexually aggressive answers that Kiss lead singer Gene Simmons gave her in 2001. ("By the time the encounter was over, we sounded like two first-graders calling each other names," she writes.) She doesn't, however, reprint the bulk of Bill O'Reilly's on-the-air tirade against her (he spent the next several episodes of his own program calling for an end to federal funding of public broadcasting). Sometimes the guests who walk off the show, and the reasons they do so, are suprrising: actor Peter Boyle terminated an interview because Gross insisted on asking him about his previous life as a monk, rather than focusing the interview on his latest movie. ("A well-known actor or musician has been sent out on the road to promote his latest movie or CD, and his idea of a good interview can be my idea of an infomercial," Gross writes.) Well, there are no informercials in "All I Did Was Ask," and intelligent readers will find the book pure pleasure.

A tantalizing taste of the real thing
Others have spoken enough in depth about the contents of the interviews contained within this for me to not waste review space repeating the same thing.What I can say is that this is a fascinating collection of interview snippets of even more fascinating artists.Gross is upfront about the fact that some of these are combined interviews from different times (i.e. Dennis Hopper interviews from 1990 and 1996 merged into one section), so don't expect that you're going to get the same experience reading the book as you might listening to her program.This takes the most insightful or interesting sections of those interviews and condenses them into bite-sized portions.It's a great introduction to Gross' style of interviewing as well as the people she talks to.

all i did was ask by terry gross
very good, excellant. if you are a fan of terry gross and npr, you will enjoy this book.

Entertaining
Not as enjoyable as her live show (but, then, what COULD be), but still a fun look back at some interesting people. ... Read more

Product Description
In this special two-cassette set, best selling author Michael S. Hyatt talks about the Millennium Bug, how it will affect you, and what Christians should do personally to prepare for the coming days. The Bible gives us many illustrations of how God prepared His people for times of crisis. Because Joseph was prepared for a great famine, he was able to meet the needs of his family, as well as all of Egypt. The church faces a similar opportunity today-- not to rule, but to serve and manifest the grace of God. But, this will only happen if we prepare. ... Read more

Product Description
The only cure is time, and time is running out.The Year 2000 computer bug, potentially affecting our banks, government, phone companies, electric companies, and Social Security system, could be one of the largest "bugs" to hit the entire world-all in one day.Shaunti Feldhahn, former financial analyst at the Federal Reserve, provides the most up-to-date facts on Y2K in a thoughtful, down-to-earth, and entertaining manner. Presenting the substantive advice of Christian leaders such as Larry Burkett, Henry Blackaby, Pat Robertson, and Ron Blue, she shows that Y2K is an opportunity to minister to others and to see God glorified in unique ways. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

File under: satire, humor, comedy of errors
I'm giving Miss Feldhahn's book a full 5-star rating.Obviously this woman was so very wrong - even her 'Joseph Project 2000' [a np org. devoted to Y2K prep.] was a wreck.

Anyone care to watch 'Night of the Comet' now - after you find this book for one penny here on Amazon, of course.

Wow! This book is worth every penny.
I'll admit that I was skeptical that the Y2K thing was really going to be as bad as everyone was saying.But then, "Malcolm in the Middle" actually drew enough viewers to be renewed for more than one season.Good heavens, clearly this is a sign of a complete meltdown of civilization.Yep, it's pretty much all done for now.

Oh, yes, this book: as I am now writing this in February of 2006, I would have to say that Ms. Feldhahn was as wrong as she was pathetic.And yet she continues to be published and people still buy her books.

Maybe the world really has ended, eh?

For a more challenging take on the turning millennium
Nothing very new here. If you want to read something that will really getyou thinking (in a very positive, stimulating way) let me highly recommenda book called THE LAST DAY, by Glen Kleier. It's the first book I've everread that kept me up all night--quite literally, I could not put it down.There is more surprising insight between its covers than in the whole lotof "millennium books" on the market right now. I know, I've readmost of them. THE LAST DAY is far and away the most compelling. Y2K justdoesn't measure up

Truly Inspiring
Being a person who works in computer-field, you become real tired of hearing about the "Y2k" bug because you are dealing with it on a daily basis.Being a Christian, you get sick of hearing about doomsday,etc. etc.This book, however, was a pleasant and inspiring change.Mixedwith facts and stories of possible Y2k affects on fictional characters, shemakes youstop and think. Being Y2k prepared isn't about storing food,heading for the hills, etc. It's really about being wise and spiritualprepared all the time regardless of a programming bug.Not everyone willget it, but praise God for those who do.

A Much Needed Addition to the Y2K Noise
Although I thought the book contained a few too many stories the practical suggestions and organizational hints were excellent. Ms. Feldhahn writes, as she should, from a Christian perspective and suggests to readers whomight share her faith, how one might address this largely unanswerableissue in light of Christian faith. Prudent preparation not panic and faithinstead of fear are the order of the day! Ms. Feldhahn does a tremendousjob of presenting the case for both! ... Read more