mentos and diet coke...explodes at NPR!

Okay...GREAT NPR story from yesterday. And a chance for me to share some behind the scenes action...

So yesterday was a strange but amazing day at work. I had just gotten back from watching a Bob Boilen film about the 'Chairs of NPR' from 1989 that depicted the ergonomic plights of a low budget workplace. I think this brilliantly funny and quirky documentary depicting people's work chairs in the thriftier days of NPR put everyone in a cheerful mood around the building. Anyway, I get back to my desk and shortly Sue calls saying she has arrived. I gather a few things and go to the 5th floor elevator to meet her in Chinatown.

Im caught offguard when the door reopens on the 2nd floor to a camera carrying Bob accompanied by ATC host Michele Noris, Science desk correspondant David Kastenbaum and a few other ATC producers. Bob immediately starts questioning my knowledge of the web videos floating around of people putting mentos into 2 liter bottles of coke. Supposedly there is a chemical reaction that when adding a certain amount of mentos to a bottle of warm carbonated beverage (coca cola) causing a huge geyser. The weird thing is the mentos for the most part do not disintegrate completely. You can imagine what that is doing to your stomach. Though I'd seen it previously before that, I had just been forwarded one that morning by someone here at work. The videos are pretty cool actually.

People were abuzz with interest for this, from the webteam and blogteam all the way to All Things Considered In true-NPR fashion, they decided to see for themselves if it actually worked. Bob told me that I was needed to grab questions for Michele at the All Things desk. When I got back outside with copy in hand, I did my short interview on camera for Bob about my perceptions of the science and then along with a handful NPR-staff members from the various departments awaited the explosion on the grass lawn adjacent to the building.

This is when Sue rolls up with her luggage in tow, wondering no doubt 'what the hell is going on here?' Just as soon as I explained what was going on, the first 12-15 foot geyser erupted from the bottle. Admidst a fair amount of cheers and woots from the captive NPR audience and a few random bystanders wonder what this liberal media was doing this time, Michele interviewed David about what is happening. They tried it several times with various sodas and even M&Ms. This is HARD hitting news here folks. Anyway, I felt that was a great introduction for Sue to the NPR. This might be the best place to work EVER.

Well here is how the final news story turned out...

here is more from the NPR blog...

fire is old technology...

Like many people, I have a idealistic view of some Golden Age where everyone ate apple pie and left their doors unlocked at night while they gathered around the radio with their children. Too many sick days watching Leave it to Beaver I guess. Anyway I have developed a love for many a things retro including a new obsession: old radio plays.

While developing some ideas w\ Aryn & Greg (while killing time at work) I stumbled upon this resource.

Some of these are so bad they are amazing. It is an interesting form of entertainment. Sound effects and dialogue drive these mysteries and sci fi heroics and some of it is actually great story telling. If not overly quaint. We are thinking of developing a story that can be adapted to this awesome and oft forgotten format. If I had a radio and a fireplace I certainly would listen to this stuff all night.

So gather your surrogate family and friends, pop in a DVD of a fire on your 50 inch plasma telly, plug in your iPod full of classic radio play mp3s and listen to some great adventures.

chevy is an american truck... for americans

A recent internet promotion for the Chevy Tahoe, lets the user create their own television ads by selecting from a small selections of stock scenes and music. It also lets you write your own text. While this is intended to be a contest for Chevy, and a positive one at that, its proving to be a way for people to both spoof and lambaste the GM-owned car company. People are growing quite political about their messages and the media has picked up on it.

I think its a great promo, even if its not exactly being used for what the intended purpose was. And honestly, GM had it coming.

Here is one I made. It still makes me laugh.