C’mon, bait your line. Let’s go smelt fishin’ on the ice. Ten shacks on a frozen river are filled with ice fishermen for ten weeks each year. Owner Steve Leighton provides the bait; his patrons bring the beer; and the fish take care of the rest. Produced by Grant Fuller of the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies, premiered on Weekend America, “What Are You Gonna Do with 400 Fish?” (5:13 mp3):
MySpace has pages for people, places, and now things. Composer Peter Traub has started ItSpace, a participatory sound project. “ItSpace pages feature everyday household objects. Each page has a photo of the object, a description, and most importantly, a 1-minute piece of music composed of recordings of the object being struck and resonated in various.” A story by Jesse Dukes on NPR Day to Day, “Objects Sing at Itspace” (5:04) mp3):
NPR is back into radio drama, at least for a couple minutes. Today’s NPR Day to Day premieres the ZBS series, 2 Minute Film Noir. An American private eye falls in love with a French woman who is more than mysterious, she’s ethereal, in “Chez Tootsie” (3:26 mp3):
Day 1 of the Iditarod is tomorrow. One of the qualifying races was held a few weeks ago, is the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon, named for the son of a Chippewa chief who delivered mail by dog sled along Lake Superior’s rugged North Shore in the late 19th century. Launched in 1981, the Beargrease draws world-class sled dog teams from around the globe. The Beargrease is the longest, and most challenging, of sled dog events in the lower 48: almost 400 miles and 4000 spectators, starting in Duluth, Minnesota on the last weekend of January. Field-recordist Curt Olson gathered the sounds of the dogs, the mushers and the fans, “Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon” (7:00 mp3):
This week’s HV cast is for President’s Day-
Excerpts from:
• Calvin Coolidge, Inaugural Address, Wednesday, March 4, 1925.
(No inaugural recording exists of Herbert Hoover.)
• Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address, Saturday, March 4, 1933.
• Harry S. Truman, Inaugural Address, Thursday, January 20, 1949.
• Dwight D. Eisenhower, First Inaugural Address, Tuesday, January 20, 1953.
• John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, Friday, January 20, 1961.
• Lyndon B. Johnson, Inaugural Address, Wednesday, January 20, 1965.
• Richard M. Nixon, Second Inaugural Address, Saturday, January 20, 1973.
• Gerald Ford, Remarks On Taking The Oath Of Office, Friday Aug. 9, 1974.
• Jimmy Carter, Inaugural Address, Thursday, January 20, 1977.
• Ronald Reagan, Second Inaugural Address, Monday, January 21, 1985.
• George H. W. Bush, Inaugural Address, Friday, January 20, 1989.
• Bill Clinton, First Inaugural Address, Thursday, January 20, 1993.
• George W. Bush, Inaugural Address, Saturday, January 20, 2001.
ZBS Productions new series is 2 Minute Film Noir, “stories about gangsters, bimbos, cons, cops, lovers, losers, platinum blondes, mink coats, high heels, and neon signs reflecting on rain-slicked streets.”
It’s radio dramedy at its finest, and they’ve allowed us to sneak prevu the series right here. So, ladies and gentleman, butter your popcorn, grab your dates, and head into the audio theatre. It’s time for the 2MFN world premiere, with “You’re In For It Now, Pal” (1:30):
And here’s the gorgeous series poster (illustration by Jaye Oliver):
This was scheduled to run on last Friday’s NPR All Things Con, but got canceled last minute — we’re still not sure why. That’s no reason y’all shouldn’t hear it, tho.
So here’s something for those who think this week’s “Super” ends not in “Tuesday” but in “bowl.” A gay man crosses the line into unexplored fields, “For once in my life I wanted to watch an entire football game intently.” Mark Allen (from his “The Homosexual Brain” blog-post) with “Gays & Football” (2:05 mp3):
This week’s HV cast — When the last school bell rings, Pastor Mike Cummings stands in front of Jordan High School in Watts, Los Angeles. Jordan High is next door to the gang-ridden Jordan Downs projects, which students have to pass through to go home — sometimes with Pastor Mike at their side. A story by Queena Kim, “Pastor Mike at Jordan High” (3:22 mp3):
This week’s HV cast is an HV/JoeFrank.com collaboration for New Year’s. We present this short sobering look at the passage of time. A story by Joe Frank, “Countdown” (1:49 mp3):
The Chesty Story: Talent Search- Chapter 2: The search for the talent needed to create “Chesty” was proving futile until a telex came from Howard Schultz, then an aspiring lute player at “The Coffee Game – Miami.” He wanted to swindle Chesty out of its several millions in research funds by engaging the talent scouts in a the club’s notorious Cappicino Con. Luckily, Massett was a pro at the coffee game, and soon outsmarted Schultz. He won the services of three of the baristas at the club, and was well on his way toward acquiring the rights to the chain when he was called back home. But more on that later. (More Chesty!…)
The Chesty Story: Talent Search- Chapter 1: Before ChestyMorgan’sForbiddenLove! could commence production, a worldwide talent search was conducted using more than the usual amount of CPB money. With a fully funded planning grant, several continents were combed for possible writers, producers, musical arrangers and performers. Seen here, executive producer Massett rushes through busy Tokyo traffic to make an appointment with the Minister of External Humorous Radio Affairs. (More Chesty!…)
HV Podcast-This week’s HV cast is A Christmas audio postcard sung by Zulu children in a South African orphanage. A story by Jake Warga, “Zulu Kids Xmas” (2:14 mp3):
Yesterday on NPR Day to Day, Arthur Jackson is a Bell Ringer for the The Salvation Army. This former crack addict found God, stays off drugs, sings and rings bells at the Mall of America in Minneapolis. Produced for HV by Todd Melby of 2 below zero, “Arthur Jackson: Singing Salvation Army Bell Ringer” (3:28 mp3):
C’mon, bait your line. Let’s go smelt fishin’ on the ice. Ten shacks on a frozen river are filled with ice fishermen for ten weeks each year. Owner Steve Leighton provides the bait; his patrons bring the beer; and the fish take care of the rest. Produced by Grant Fuller of the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies, premiered on Weekend America, “What Are You Gonna Do with 400 Fish?” (5:13 mp3):
© Sarah Breul 
MySpace has pages for people, places, and now things. Composer Peter Traub has started 
NPR is back into radio drama, at least for a couple minutes. Today’s NPR 
This week’s 
This was scheduled to run on last Friday’s NPR All Things Con, but got canceled last minute — we’re still not sure why. That’s no reason y’all shouldn’t hear it, tho.
This week’s 
This week’s 
This week’s 
Yesterday on NPR