Tick Tock, You Don’t Stop

Occasionally, I write something about gear.  Right now, I want to talk about a very handy little device that you may not think much about unless you need to do some precise time juggling and you realize only this can do it.  I’m talking about a time calculator.  It’s amazing what a time calculator can do.  I first saw them used by the Traffic & Continuity Department at an Armed Forces Broadcasting facility in Europe.  Then, I got one around the time of working for FEMA as a PA during Katrina and Rita.  That one disappeared, but I’ve had another one for about two years.  From Calculated Industries, it adds and subtracts hours, minutes and seconds, and converts time in decimals to hours, minutes and seconds.  It converts 12 to 24 hours settings and from A.M to P.M.  Also, a timer and a stopwatch.  A remarkable little device.   

“Let’s Listen.”

I’m noticing more public radio reporters saying this before their stories.  It reminds me of when NPR began saying, “Live, from NPR news” before each newscast.  Is it designed to invite listeners into a closer relationship with the storytelling, in a “C’mon, let’s go!” kind of way?  Being more personal with listeners by asking them directly to come along for the ride?  To invest themselves at that moment?  If I hear it throughout public radio’s news offerings, I’ll bet it’s based on some memo somewhere about a new set of psychographics that suggests it will help boost pledge drive giving.