First off, let's welcome Trina and her site Trina's Kitchen into the community.
Second, remember this:
Mon., Jan. 9 through Fri., Jan. 13
The Pacifica Radio Network is bringing you the Samuel Alito Senate Hearing for nomination to the United States Supreme Court live!
Verna Avery Brown teams with Mitch Jeserich from Free Speech Radio News and Pacifica National Affairs correspondent, Larry Bensky, to bring you the controversial nomination hearing of Samuel Alito for United States Supreme Court, live.
Anchors: Larry Bensky, KPFA; Verna Avery Brown, WPFW; Mitch Jesserich, FSRN.
The schedule of hearings includes a one hour pre-show on the opening day, and an half-hour wrap-up show each evening. Live analysts will join us in the booth and via telephone throughout the hearings.
That's being brought to you not by NPR but by Pacifica.
Interesting edition. We had to regroup for the editorial this evening. We knew going in that C.I. was on a very set schedule this weekend. So we addressed the focus of the edition early on, planned out every moment. Then, in the midst of working on the new edition, C.I. announces a lengthy break. To help a member set up a site.
We didn't know the member was Trina. That did change the opinion of some who turned into BMWs and whined that the plans were going out the window and "our time" was being robbed.
C.I. noted that the edition could continue, that everyone didn't have to go on the break but that this was something that needed doing.
After the fact, that was obvious. Hopefully, those who were opposed to the break (Jim and Rebecca) would feel the same way regardless of whether the member was Trina or someone else. (Trina is Mike's mother and someone we all know.) Is our new policy (shutting down the addition of other voices to working on the editions) overly restrictive? We'd wondered that ahead of time and hoped that wasn't the case; however, the reaction of some to a break (to help out a member) may raise questions.
A question that C.I. asked and that Jim found in the e-mails that have already come in is why is
Ty's feature not higher up in the rotation? C.I. had to bail when the spotlights were decided upon and being posted (to read The New York Times, members e-mails, write this morning's entry and take Ruth's entry over the phone). So readers who wondered shouldn't feel alone. Ava and C.I.'s TV review was done but if we put that any further down in the rotation than we did, readers would have complained. (Trust us.) There were points that were made but not added in some of the other features. We also wanted Trina to be fairly high in the rotation and C.I. had passed on notes for the book discussion and the roundtable to Jess to be transcribed.
(C.I. and Ava usually take down the discussions. C.I.'s short-hand is "specialized." Full words aren't used. There were some deciphering errors and this evening, C.I. and Jess fixed them.)
Ty's feature is a strong one. Readers who've e-mailed have praised it. We praise it too. Since it was written solely by Ty, and written ahead of time, it was the one feature ready to go. C.I.'s already said we should make it a highlight next week to make sure that it has two chances of being noted by casual visitors. (Which we will be doing.)
We got back together to do the editorial late this evening. If you're a reader who checks early, hopefully, the fact that "A note to our readers" wasn't up tipped you off that we were coming back. We wanted to be sure that everyone knew of Pacifica's live coverage so those remaining pulled together that PSA.
Ty did his feature by himself. Ava and C.I. did their review of The Book of Daniel by themselves.
All other features were composed by:
The Third Estate Sunday Review's Dona, Jess, Ty, Ava and Jim;
Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude;
Betty of Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man;
C.I. of The Common Ills and The Third Estate Sunday Review;
Kat of Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills);
Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix;
Mike of Mikey Likes It!;
Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz;
and Wally of The Daily Jot.
In addition Trina participated in the book discussion.
So you've got Ty's feature, Ava & C.I.'s TV review, a PSA, a reply to some readers, a book discussion, an interview with Trina, an announcement roundtable, a commentary and an editorial.
Hopefully, you'll find something to make you laugh, make you think or get you motiviated.
-- Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I.