“The View From the Phlipside” is a media commentary program airing on WRFA-LP, Jamestown NY. It can be heard Monday through Friday around 7:30 AM. The following are scripts which may not exactly match the aired version of the program. Mostly because the host may suddenly choose to add or subtract words at a moments notice. WRFA-LP is not responsible for any such silliness or the opinions expressed. You can listen to a live stream of WRFA or find a podcast of this program at wrfalp.com. Copyright 2013-15 by Jay Phillippi. All Rights Reserved. You like what you see? Drop me a line and we can talk.
Program scripts from week of December 28, 2015
My name is Jay Phillippi and I’ve spent my life in and around the media. TV, radio, the movies and more. I love them, and I hate them and I always have an opinion. Call this the View from the Phlipside.
Toys for the New Year
Well
we find ourselves in that no man’s land between Christmas and New
Year’s. It’s a time of reflection, consideration and thinking about
what’s to come.
we find ourselves in that no man’s land between Christmas and New
Year’s. It’s a time of reflection, consideration and thinking about
what’s to come.
It’s
also a time to take any Christmas cash we may have gotten and figure
out how we are going to spend it. With that particular task in mind
(you really weren’t counting on me to help you with any of that deep
reflection stuff were you?) I thought I’d take a look at the spiffy
new stuff that might be just around the corner.
also a time to take any Christmas cash we may have gotten and figure
out how we are going to spend it. With that particular task in mind
(you really weren’t counting on me to help you with any of that deep
reflection stuff were you?) I thought I’d take a look at the spiffy
new stuff that might be just around the corner.
The
experts are all in agreement that we will be spending a lot more
money on what is called “wearable” technology. In simplest terms
that’s things like my Fitbit, or a smartwatch. They are also saying
that this particular way of connecting won’t stay in “simplest
terms” for very long.
experts are all in agreement that we will be spending a lot more
money on what is called “wearable” technology. In simplest terms
that’s things like my Fitbit, or a smartwatch. They are also saying
that this particular way of connecting won’t stay in “simplest
terms” for very long.
Leading
the way in the short term will be smartwatches. While I remain
unconvinced on the need to go all Dick Tracy wrist radio, the
prediction is that some 35 million of them will ship next year, up
from 21 million in 2015. Expect them to get even smarter and
independent. Right now the model is that your watch connects with
your phone. The next generation will be a completely independent
device that can do even more. Apple and Android are expected to
dominate the market for the next several years.
the way in the short term will be smartwatches. While I remain
unconvinced on the need to go all Dick Tracy wrist radio, the
prediction is that some 35 million of them will ship next year, up
from 21 million in 2015. Expect them to get even smarter and
independent. Right now the model is that your watch connects with
your phone. The next generation will be a completely independent
device that can do even more. Apple and Android are expected to
dominate the market for the next several years.
There’s
a fascinating list of what else may be headed our way. The folks at
Google maintain that Google Glass, whose beta program ended about a
year ago, is not dead. More glasses type ideas are expected to be
headed our way. Look clothing that incorporates some kind of
technological aspect as well. Oh, and I just came across a reference
to ear mounted technologies which, inevitably, are being called
“hearables”. Don’t blame me.
a fascinating list of what else may be headed our way. The folks at
Google maintain that Google Glass, whose beta program ended about a
year ago, is not dead. More glasses type ideas are expected to be
headed our way. Look clothing that incorporates some kind of
technological aspect as well. Oh, and I just came across a reference
to ear mounted technologies which, inevitably, are being called
“hearables”. Don’t blame me.
Could
I interest you in a home robot? That seems to be a real growth area
too. Again, we’re talking more complicated than a “Roomba”.
These robots would be able to perceive their environment and react to
it, plus be able be programmed by their owners. Presumably through a
computer or app or maybe through our smartwatches. Who knows.
Current projections say that thirteen percent of US homes will have a
robot in the next five years.
I interest you in a home robot? That seems to be a real growth area
too. Again, we’re talking more complicated than a “Roomba”.
These robots would be able to perceive their environment and react to
it, plus be able be programmed by their owners. Presumably through a
computer or app or maybe through our smartwatches. Who knows.
Current projections say that thirteen percent of US homes will have a
robot in the next five years.
Now
for that cash currently burning a hole in your pocket there are some
interesting ideas out there. I have reached the age where the little
bluetooth tag called “Tile” sounds good. Attach it to something
you lose regularly and you can use technology to help find it. I
also like the “Nest Protect” unit. It’s a smoke and carbon
monoxide detector that will tell exactly why it’s going off, what
room the problem is in and even notify you over the Internet if
something bad happens while you’re away.
for that cash currently burning a hole in your pocket there are some
interesting ideas out there. I have reached the age where the little
bluetooth tag called “Tile” sounds good. Attach it to something
you lose regularly and you can use technology to help find it. I
also like the “Nest Protect” unit. It’s a smoke and carbon
monoxide detector that will tell exactly why it’s going off, what
room the problem is in and even notify you over the Internet if
something bad happens while you’re away.
Christmas
may be over, but there are still plenty of toys.
may be over, but there are still plenty of toys.
Huck Finn
Let’s
end the year with a look ahead to the year that’s coming. Take a
moment to think about how we want to approach this New Year and what
we can shed from the old.
end the year with a look ahead to the year that’s coming. Take a
moment to think about how we want to approach this New Year and what
we can shed from the old.
Earlier
this month there was a new story about the Friends Central School in
Philadelphia had removed “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
from the reading requirements for 11th
grade students. A group of faculty and students had discussed the
book and deemed that, quoting now “…the
community costs of reading this book in 11th grade outweigh the
literary benefits…”.
The
book would remain in the school library but be removed from the
reading list because it wasn’t “inclusive” and made some of the
students “uncomfortable”.
this month there was a new story about the Friends Central School in
Philadelphia had removed “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
from the reading requirements for 11th
grade students. A group of faculty and students had discussed the
book and deemed that, quoting now “…the
community costs of reading this book in 11th grade outweigh the
literary benefits…”.
The
book would remain in the school library but be removed from the
reading list because it wasn’t “inclusive” and made some of the
students “uncomfortable”.
Mark
Twain’s novel is generally regarded as one of the great American
novels. It is a satire of the customs, including the racism, of the
day and age of the story. “Huck Finn” has been controversial
since it’s original publication. The
issues then were Twain’s decision to write dialogue in the vernacular
of the time, and the idea that a black man and a white boy could be
friends.
Today
controversy centers on the use of what we now call the “N word”
in relation to the black character named Jim.
Twain’s novel is generally regarded as one of the great American
novels. It is a satire of the customs, including the racism, of the
day and age of the story. “Huck Finn” has been controversial
since it’s original publication. The
issues then were Twain’s decision to write dialogue in the vernacular
of the time, and the idea that a black man and a white boy could be
friends.
Today
controversy centers on the use of what we now call the “N word”
in relation to the black character named Jim.
It’s
interesting that there is a quote, from Twain himself, regarding
children reading the book. He was strongly against it, saying that
the book was intended for adults. Often omitted when quoted was a
further statement that showed Twain felt you should at least 15
before reading this kind of material. A high school junior is
commonly 16 or 17.
interesting that there is a quote, from Twain himself, regarding
children reading the book. He was strongly against it, saying that
the book was intended for adults. Often omitted when quoted was a
further statement that showed Twain felt you should at least 15
before reading this kind of material. A high school junior is
commonly 16 or 17.
As
someone who works with teens I must admit that one of the reasons
given for NOT including the book would be a primary argument of mine
to include the book, that it makes people uncomfortable. One of the
primary values of media in general is that it discomfits us. It
astounds me when people insist that we live in a “post-racial
society”, despite a staggering amount of evidence to the contrary.
Racism remains the great American skeleton in the closet. “The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” provide the perfect opportunity to
discuss just that. Instead the decision is made to assure comfort in
the classroom rather than promote thoughtful exchange.
someone who works with teens I must admit that one of the reasons
given for NOT including the book would be a primary argument of mine
to include the book, that it makes people uncomfortable. One of the
primary values of media in general is that it discomfits us. It
astounds me when people insist that we live in a “post-racial
society”, despite a staggering amount of evidence to the contrary.
Racism remains the great American skeleton in the closet. “The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” provide the perfect opportunity to
discuss just that. Instead the decision is made to assure comfort in
the classroom rather than promote thoughtful exchange.
I
said at the beginning that I wanted this 2015 issue to move us
towards a change in 2016. My hope would be that we would work our
way towards accepting the challenges that great media offer us. That
we encourage our young people, as they come of appropriate age, to
enter into discussions of uncomfortable topics.
said at the beginning that I wanted this 2015 issue to move us
towards a change in 2016. My hope would be that we would work our
way towards accepting the challenges that great media offer us. That
we encourage our young people, as they come of appropriate age, to
enter into discussions of uncomfortable topics.
It
won’t be easy, I have no delusions about that. At the same time we
need to acknowledge that covering our eyes to the uncomfortable does
nothing beyond allowing those ideas to stand unchallenged and
unchanged.
won’t be easy, I have no delusions about that. At the same time we
need to acknowledge that covering our eyes to the uncomfortable does
nothing beyond allowing those ideas to stand unchallenged and
unchanged.
The Year(?) in Review
In
years gone by, I have taken this last week of the year to do some
review type programs. But given that I barely have been back for a
handful of months it seemed a little silly to go over things that are
fresh in all our memories. At the same time there were a couple
things I thought were worth touching on.
years gone by, I have taken this last week of the year to do some
review type programs. But given that I barely have been back for a
handful of months it seemed a little silly to go over things that are
fresh in all our memories. At the same time there were a couple
things I thought were worth touching on.
As
far as topics go, my bet is that the new one that will get a growing
amount of attention moving forward is the Internet of Things. The
idea that even more of our life will be connected, that more of our
life will be converted into data to be tracked, used and traded is
both interesting and terrifying. I’m wondering if, at some point,
there will be a backlash. At some point do we simply decide that we
need to unplug more often.
far as topics go, my bet is that the new one that will get a growing
amount of attention moving forward is the Internet of Things. The
idea that even more of our life will be connected, that more of our
life will be converted into data to be tracked, used and traded is
both interesting and terrifying. I’m wondering if, at some point,
there will be a backlash. At some point do we simply decide that we
need to unplug more often.
The
other points from this year have to do with this program. We haven’t
merely returned to the airwaves, although I’m very excited about
that. In addition we’ve upgraded our online presence. You can find
us at “viewfromthephlipside.com”. A reminder that “phlipside”
is spelled P-H-L-I-P-S-I-D-E. You will find scripts for all of the
radio programs, plus weekly podcasts that take each week’s shows and
convert them into a single program. In addition you’ll find reviews
of movies, books, the occasional music release and whatever other
media related topics pop into my head. There is also a Twitter feed
for all of this. Look for @radiophlipside, again with that weird
“p-h” spelling. I try to keep all of these feeds semi-regularly
fed.
other points from this year have to do with this program. We haven’t
merely returned to the airwaves, although I’m very excited about
that. In addition we’ve upgraded our online presence. You can find
us at “viewfromthephlipside.com”. A reminder that “phlipside”
is spelled P-H-L-I-P-S-I-D-E. You will find scripts for all of the
radio programs, plus weekly podcasts that take each week’s shows and
convert them into a single program. In addition you’ll find reviews
of movies, books, the occasional music release and whatever other
media related topics pop into my head. There is also a Twitter feed
for all of this. Look for @radiophlipside, again with that weird
“p-h” spelling. I try to keep all of these feeds semi-regularly
fed.
The
other big change in the program this year has been the addition of
some theme music. I’ve wanted to upgrade the production value of the
program for years but never found anything that really grabbed me.
Our theme music is called “Hustle” and it was created by the
extremely talent Kevin MacLeod, whose work can be found at the
website “incompetech.com”. He is a New York based composer who
makes tons of great music available for free and by license.
Curiously, he also does some cool things with calendars and graph
paper. A very talented guy. We use the music for both the radio
program and the podcast. The voice over announcer you hear at the
end of both programs is my daughter, who has begun doing a little
voice acting. She graciously offered to bring a second voice to the
production, for which I am both immensely proud and grateful.
other big change in the program this year has been the addition of
some theme music. I’ve wanted to upgrade the production value of the
program for years but never found anything that really grabbed me.
Our theme music is called “Hustle” and it was created by the
extremely talent Kevin MacLeod, whose work can be found at the
website “incompetech.com”. He is a New York based composer who
makes tons of great music available for free and by license.
Curiously, he also does some cool things with calendars and graph
paper. A very talented guy. We use the music for both the radio
program and the podcast. The voice over announcer you hear at the
end of both programs is my daughter, who has begun doing a little
voice acting. She graciously offered to bring a second voice to the
production, for which I am both immensely proud and grateful.
It’s
been a great time getting re-started with all this. I can not even
begin to predict what 2016 will bring. If I’ve learned one thing
from doing this program it’s that the media world and the technology
that go with it is always full of surprises.
been a great time getting re-started with all this. I can not even
begin to predict what 2016 will bring. If I’ve learned one thing
from doing this program it’s that the media world and the technology
that go with it is always full of surprises.
I
look forward to finding them and sharing them with you.
look forward to finding them and sharing them with you.
Call that the View From the Phlipside
Copyright Jay Phillippi, 2015
Theme music for “The View From the Phlipside” and “TVFTP – Podcast” is “Hustle”
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Stories Are My Life 
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