NPR station lies to the south of us and equidistant to the north is a Christian radio station of some ilk. Sometimes they play music, but it is mostly talk. They pretty much share a signal with NPR station. It is extremely frustrating.
I can pick up NPR in the south end of my house, but any further north than my bedroom door the Christian station totally interferes. Sometimes the interference is worse than others - like it was a couple of weeks ago.
I had been struggling to pick out the news from the static for almost a week. One morning I was busy trying to get my contacts to stick to my eyeballs and listening to the news/body count from Iraq when the static cleared and a voice rang out clearly for the first time in days. It was a preacher voice - you know the type - and he said: "I could tell the president how to run this county! I could run this country!" A moment's silence, then back to the static.
It was deeply disturbing. It felt like a brush with the demonic or Pat Buchanan or something. Made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
The next day, I hopped in Bob T. Truck to drive to work. The atmosphere was even more uncooperative. Although there was no static, the Christian station had totally pirated the NPR frequency and was coming in loud and clear. There was sappy singing and then the syrup-y, breathy-voiced man emoted: "This is K-LOVE. I'm Kenneth in the studio today with Lori and we hope that you, personally, have a really, really, really good day."
It wasn't even 7:30 a.m. I can't handle that kind of language first thing in the morning.
Oh, Lord, doesn't separation of church and state apply to the airwaves, too?
10 comments:
Ohmygosh can I tell you a story! Once upon a time, I used to feel compelled to at least program the Christian station into my car radio. So one day in early December, I'm driving and I've got that station on (probably trying to engage the real meaning of Christmas or something...) and the announcers are saying, "Well, *TODAY* is the beginning of the great Jewish festival of 'cha-new-ka' which is the festival of lights. Our heritage lies with the Jewish and so it's great to honor the beginning of this important holiday 'cha-new-ka' with those in family of God...yadda yadda 'cha-new-ka'..." and then the girl announcer breaks in and says, "wow...cha new ka..."
'Cha-new-ka'? Try "Hanukkah!"
(The 'h' is that gutteral sound which is sometimes represented with a 'ch'.)
Anyway, they went on for literally 15 minutes about how honored they were to celebrate this Jewish holiday with Jews. Blah! They didn't know anything about it!! Finally I pulled over on the side of the road and programmed static on that button. I haven't listened since!
I've been afraid to say it outloud, but I agree about Katie Couric. Yikes.
I'm actually relieved to hear someone else say that. I have friends who seem to be imitating that same sort of look and I want to scream WHAT! ARE! YOU! THINKING!?
Katie has become really frightening. Sometime last week she was interviewing someone and mentioned her concern that something was causing eating disorders in young women. Wha? Only young women?
You people are starting to sound like the subjects of my last post. Get ready for the shameless self promotion.
LOL about the battling radio stations within the house. Rach don't you know that a house divided cannot stand?
RM - I don't think even Abraham Lincoln would be able to work out a compromise between these two stations!
I think Katie Couric would only be an appetizer. Ya'll ought to here Rach impersonating the Christian Radio girl.
It was a guy. Which is actually sort of my point, I guess.
I think you should call the NPR station and ask them if the can bump the transmitter about a foot in the direction of your house!
Good idea, Headless! (But then they might look at the amount of my contributions and hang up on me.)
(Then again, its public radio - they can't afford to hang up on anybody! ha ha!)
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