Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Make a sustaining gift today to support local journalism!

Word of Mouth 06.16.2012

Part 1: Is "Liking" Free Speech?/The Legacy of Limmer

A sheriff’s office employee in Hampton Virginia alleges that in 2009 he was professionally de-friended after “liking” the Facebook page of his boss’s political opponent. But in a wrongful termination suit that concluded earlier this year, a judge ruled the other way…saying that “merely ‘liking’ a Facebook is insufficient speech to merit constitutional protection.” Ken Paulson is President and CEO of the First AmendmentCenter, former editor-in-chief at USA Today, and author of a recent op-ed arguing that Judge Jackson’s decision was misguided, and won’t likely withstand judicial review. 

and

Producer Todd Bookman records the symphony of sounds at the Limmer Boots workshop.

Part 2: Here's What's Awesome!

Awesomator Brady Carlson gives us the rundown of awesomeness from the web. 

EHarmony and LinkedIn passwords hacked

Facebook's attempt at democracy...

Republican Petition Problems...

A deathbed robot companion?!

Step aside, Wilber!

 

Tetris the motion picture?

 

Mr.Rogers has swagger...

 

Part 3: The Slasher Film Book/Cartoons Take Over Science

Here’s the set-up…a doomed group of teens isolated on location X -- a campsite, fairground..dorm. A psychopathic killer, often disfigured, stalks them…brandishing sharp weapon X…many are killed in graphic, gory ways until only final girl X survives…cheered on by the adrenaline-surged audience...

For a few blood-curdling years in the late 70s to early 80s, the slasher movie ruled the box office. Its appeal, writes longtime fan J. A. Kerswell, was based on our craving for safe thrills and lethal predictability…horror at its most basic and enjoyable. Kerswell is founder of the website Hysteria Lives! and author of The Slasher Movie Booka compendium of grisly horror film artwork, and a history of the sub-genre that has terrified millions of viewers around the world. 

and

We at Word of Mouth are always on the prowl for breakthrough technologies and other intriguing science news – a frequent source of new ideas and research is a website called Science-Daily, where we found an article called“Evil Eyebrows and Pointy Chin of a Cartoon Villain Make Our ‘Threat’ Instinct Kick in.” The article was based on the work of Dr. Elisabeth Blagrove, teaching fellow and researcher at Warwick University in England. Funny - her research makes no mention of cartoons... Is this another example of science-news sensationalism, or just a PR boost for a research topic not easily explained? 

Part 4: Letters from Vietnam

Like so many fathers being celebrated this weekend, Lieutenant colonel Donald C Lundquist served his country in battle. In 1967, the army assigned Don as executive officer of a squadron protecting a jet fighter base at Chui Lai from the Vietcong. Don found a novel way to stay in touch with his wife Ruth and his young daughter, Jacqui, who were living with Ruth’s parents in Germany…Jacqui Lundquist doesn’t remember her father, but she came to know him through the more than 300 letters and hours of audio tapes recorded in his hooch in Chui Lai.  

Related Content

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.