It is great consolation to Eric, I think, that I have finally begun listening to public radio, at least on a limited basis. For years I protested that it put me to sleep. But in recent months I've come to realize that NPR and the like do good reporting. What bores me to tears (and in fact makes me break out in a rash) are the constant attempts to scare and titillate on the part of cable and network television news (currently orders of magnitude worse without Peter Jennings). What I really like, though, is listening to "The World," especially the announcements that say "The World is brought to you by PRI." It sounds greater than it is, as if someone was, at last, really bringing me the world. Just what I always wanted.