Tag Archives: communications

Raw Milk

Posted on September 3, 2024 by Robert Basil

Let’s not. The marvellous Talia Lavin discusses “the collapse of consensus reality.” I love how Lavin lets loose her scorn. Increased raw milk consumption has already led to a rise in foodborne illness—including stillbirths, miscarriages and deaths, albeit in very … Continue reading →

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Keep your promises, keep your confidences, and keep your appointments.

Posted on April 27, 2019 by Robert Basil

The prefix para means “beside” or “beyond.” Paralinguistic or paraverbal communication usually refers to *how* one’s words are conveyed: through tone, body language, speaking speed, or even through one’s wardrobe. In both workplace and social environments, though, beside and beyond … Continue reading →

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News Literacy 2018

Posted on May 30, 2018 by Robert Basil

Jay Rosen’s NYU School of Journalism’s News Literacy Project is an amazing service to all of us. The links and their analyses give us environmental scans and some helpful dives. As advertising revenue continues to decline, newsrooms are aggressively developing different … Continue reading →

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Readiness

Posted on February 18, 2018 by Robert Basil

“Talent alone won’t make you a success,” noted Johnny Carson. “Neither will being in the right place at the right time, unless you are ready. The most important question is, ‘Are you ready?’” This quote came to mind while watching … Continue reading →

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A succinct explanation of “hate speech”

Posted on May 4, 2017 by Robert Basil

NYU Journalism Professor has been alarmed by USA President Donald Trump – which is unlikely to surprise readers of this blog. Professor Rosen is hardly more sanguine about the journalists who “cover” him. This is from a recent twitter thread you … Continue reading →

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Brainstorming

Posted on July 29, 2016 by Robert Basil

Even when participants are not being paid by the hour, meetings are costly: Notwithstanding smart-phones, no one around the table is really doing something else, at least not with an undivided focus. A poorly planned or run meeting wastes everybody’s time, … Continue reading →

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Puzzling Advertising: Who is the intended audience?

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Robert Basil

This advertisement by Vanda Pharmaceuticals (shown a dozen times a day, it seems, on MSNBC) is for a drug called Hetlioz. (It’s very expensive.) Vanda says Hetlioz helps blind people who have a rare condition called Non-24. These folk have trouble sleeping through the night and staying … Continue reading →

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“Sedulous aping”

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Robert Basil

 “Memory” – or memoria – is one of the five canons of classical rhetoric. Write Brett and Kate McKay in their excellent blog “The Art of Manliness”: Anciently, almost all rhetorical communication was done orally in the public forum. Ancient … Continue reading →

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What would be on *your* “shadow CV”?

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Robert Basil

Regarding Devoney Looser’s ‘Chronicle of Higher Education’ article “Me and My Shadow CV: What would my vita look like if it recorded not just the success of my professional life but also the many, many rejections?” my friend Jonathan Mayhew … Continue reading →

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Sharing Lingo

Posted on April 20, 2014 by Robert Basil

Via Bryan Garner’s amazing Law Prose Blog: “There once was a time when everyday folk spoke one language, and learned men wrote another. It was called the Dark Ages.” Samuel T. Williamson, “How to Write Like a Social Scientist,” in … Continue reading →

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