Friday, July 12, 2013

TODAY'S SHOW CONSISTS OF FIVE HUNDRED ACTS:  Congratulations, This American Life. If you had only done the Harold Washington episode, dayenu. (We last discussed our favorites in 2010.)

9 comments:

  1. Meghan4:56 PM

    After the last discussion, I downloaded the app and listen to it before going to sleep. Dr. Gilmer and Mr. Hyde (492) was amazing. Of the more recent episodes (since the last list anyway), I liked No Coincidence, No Story! (489), Loopholes (473), and Blackjack (466). I've shied away from the Harper High episodes because I can't deal with that heaviness as I'm going to sleep. But now that I have the list of other epis rec'd by the Thing Throwers, I'll stop watching Pitch Perfect on repeat and listen to more TAL.


    Mazel Tov to the TAL crew! Such a great show.

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  2. Russ Hanser5:21 PM

    Two words: Ronnie Loeberfeld. You must -- must -- stop what you're doing and listen to the first few minutes of this episode. http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/188/kid-logic

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  3. Adam B.5:21 PM

    That movie is very easy to slip back into.

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  4. Loved Giler & Hyde. It was a terrific companion to the Texas Monthly "The Innocent Man" piece and the "Central Park 5" documentary. Blackjack was great, too.

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  5. Christy in Philly5:32 PM

    The Harper High episodes are worth putting them on at a time other than bedtime. I work with public school kids in Philly so it's a particular interest of mine but incredibly powerful and well done, for sure. I suggest doing something fun/lighthearted while listening to offset the subject matter-- I sewed while listening to it but candy crush would also work well.

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  6. Joseph Finn6:57 PM

    One of my absolute favorites since 2010 is The Incredible Case of the P.I. Moms (447), which is fabulosu for showing the far weirder side of the industry I work in and then managing to get even weirder. A fabulous piece of work.
    http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/447/the-incredible-case-of-the-pi-moms

    Also fabulous was Continental Breakup (455) (a Planet Money piece) on the background of the European debt crisis and how even the best of intentions can go awry if you don;t course correct your expectations.

    http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/455/continental-breakup



    Also, Meghan is damn right about #466, Blackjack.

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  7. Heather k7:42 PM

    I would not reccomend listening to it on public transportation unless you want to cry in front if strangers.

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  8. The Pathetic Earthling8:25 PM

    I love the Incredible Case of the PI Moms! In part because it all happened in Contra Costa County, my neck of the woods -- the reporter who broke that story worked for "Diablo" magazine, a complete fluff local magazine a la Washingtonian.

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  9. I thought they finished in 2007. http://www.theonion.com/articles/this-american-life-completes-documentation-of-libe,2188/

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