Inappropriate Conversations

The notion of "authorial intent" has been used to challenge literary and film criticism for as long as humanity has discussed art.  Is the writer's vision the only point of view that matters?  What if a critic or a number of readers find valid alternative subtexts?  The dividing line may be revealed by separating the role of the author.  From an artistic perspective, he or she is another reader with an equally valid view.  I know that this marginalizes the influence of the creators on interpretations of their work.  On the other hand, the external intent of those same creators must not be ignored or diminished.  So, if you make an incendiary hate film in an attempt to start a global war, everything about your motivations and intentions are subject to scrutiny; meaning, you cannot hide behind any freedom of speech as freedom from scrutiny. Different Drummer: Maxim Vengerov

A little more than two and a half years ago, I didn't own a microphone and had never recorded an MP3 file.  My experience as a podcaster was limited to the role of listener and, occasionally, a caller on live internet broadcasts.  Now, 100 episodes later, I'm telling the story of Inappropriate Conversations through the voice of other shows, friends and fans. The extended length comes from more than 30 minutes of clips from me and others, none of which have appeared before on this show. Different Drummer: Richard Smith

With stereotypes about "jocks v. nerds" it is easy to miss how much athletics have in common with other geeky fandoms.  Quoting statistics, knowing the names of actors and characters, even those with the least screen time, and other examples are easy to note.  Even from the perspective of the arts, I have once heard games like football described as "drama without a script."  I've been to concerts, films, and plays this year, and I intend to see live sports now that both football and soccer are in-season.  The fandoms may differ, but there are plenty of similarities.  Also, I make a brief statement about why I avoided the college football opener sponsored by Chick-fil-A.

Different Drummer: Tom Osborne

Most of the vacation trips I've ever taken were driven by a lot of planning.  Reservations and ticket purchases in advance essentially set the schedule.  I've always been drawn to the idea of simply "hitting the road" or "going nowhere" for a dream vacation.  My wife and I have come close once, and the only trip I've enjoyed more came this year, alone together in Hawaii. Different Drummer: Wim Wenders

Jesus once asked this question: "What can anyone give in exchange for their soul?" He was telling a crowd, not just 12 disciples, about what it meant to follow him. His answer had nothing to do with a "chosen people" or a "Christian nation." Jesus was speaking to a large group of individuals, and he asked each if he or she was willing to pick up their own cross and follow him. By "anyone" he meant "any one." This does not bode well for believers who think that electing the right leader or reviving some ancient laws will ensure salvation. In fact, hiding within such group-think is probably a sign that you are ashamed to follow Jesus his way. Different Drummer: Toby McKeehan DC Talk - "Jesus Freak"

When warfare turns ugly, as it so often does, how do we assign blame?  I often (with an almost adolescent sense of justice) ask "who started it?" or look to moments when compromise or surrender should have occurred.  It is from this perspective that I hold the Japanese military leadership during World War II responsible for the existence of nuclear warfare, even though they didn't develop the weapons that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki and they certainly didn't drop the bombs on their own country. Different Drummer: Terry Gross Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Logical Insanity Extra "Logical Insanity" available for $1.99

The terms "orgasm" and "ejaculation" are not synonyms.  They mean something distinct, and the differences are important.  The fact that many men believe they are one and the same reveals something, perhaps unsurprising, about masculinity and foreplay.  It probably reveals something about auto-eroticism as well. Different Drummer: John Coltrane Sex Nerd Sandra #41: Orgasms For Everybody