I'm usually not up quite this early so this is the first time I've heard your show - I thought Fox News had taken over NPR. What was the deal with that aggressive interview with Mr. Kay, the representative of an aid agency trying to assist the people in Burma? You were treating him like he was speaking for the government. And then tried to get him to join in your attack on the government, obviously wouldn't help his efforts.

Posted by Keith , 6:22 a.m. Thursday, May 15 2008 Permalink

Question of the day: My day is not complete until I've everything-ed online ... so many people ~ so little time ;]

Posted by phil, 7 a.m. Thursday, May 15 2008 Permalink

Thanks for making that comment, Keith. I thought the same thing when I heard Hockenberry go after that poor fellow from the aid agency. Hockenberry's use of the phrase "hostage situation" was idiotic and his attempt to smooth over his gaffe by wishing the man luck as the interview ended was pathetic. That interview sums up for me what I feel about The Takeaway: give me back my Morning Edition. The Takeaway's attempt to be "edgy" just gives listeners an allegedly news-oriented version of the Howard Stern show, complete with its own useless on-air sidekick.

Posted by Sean, 7:37 a.m. Thursday, May 15 2008 Permalink

Does anyone else feel that the hosts are often rude instead of insightfull when speaking to their guests? I understand needing to hurry the interview along, but I feel they are often crass about it. Oh yeah and what is up with a Brit doing the Sports? I almost couldn't take her comments on last nights Mets game...

Posted by Jenna, 8:44 a.m. Thursday, May 15 2008 Permalink

My day is not complete until I've checked out this website to see the barrage of new comments slamming this pathetic show, and calling for WNYC to cancel it immediately and bring back Morning Edition.

Posted by dave, 8:58 a.m. Thursday, May 15 2008 Permalink

Mr. Soll: well said, and thanks for sharing your note to WNYC. I emailed the station earlier today, too. I sincerely hope that management heeds the enormous wave of negative reaction (so evident on this site) to The Takeaway. The show's lack of professionalism is a huge step down from the quality one can expect every day from Morning Edition.

Posted by Sean, 1:05 p.m. Thursday, May 15 2008 Permalink

Hi Tony, if you could put your comments in the right category, that would be great, I think this belongs in reinvent your mornings. Thanks.

Posted by Jason, 7:47 p.m. Thursday, May 15 2008 Permalink

My morning would not be complete until I have 'comment-ED' about the poorly conceived The Takeaway. A well-financed bad idea is still a bad idea.

Posted by Steve G, 8:29 a.m. Friday, May 16 2008 Permalink

1 Getting involved in a conflict with the Myanmar Government will make things worse. They'll stop all cooperation with outside agencies. This will lead to more suffering on the ground 2 There is at least some cooperation and aid agencies have reached over 100,000 people with relief through local staff - not enough,but not nothing 3 No country in the world is willing to militarily invade Myanmar 4 Therefore suggestions that we can force aid in, or do it without permission will not help the victims. If someone did invade that would lead to months if not years of war, and create a much larger humanitarian crisis. Francis Mead

Posted by Francis, 8:58 a.m. Friday, May 16 2008 Permalink

By accident I caught about 15 seconds of the Takeaway this morning - narrow escape. I've been listening to Morning Edition on WNYC, hearing the folks ask for contributions because Morning Edition is so wonderful, never a mention of the Takeway. How ironic. It's another Walker debacle.

Posted by Dorothy, 9:04 a.m. Friday, May 16 2008 Permalink

Dorothy: I noticed the same thing about wnyc staff not mentioning the Takeaway during pledge breaks. It's even more delicious that the type of radio they decry in favor of ME is exactly the type of radio exemplified by the Takeaway.

Posted by john, 10:02 a.m. Friday, May 16 2008 Permalink

I just noticed that the "Question of the Day" has a byline listing both hosts. Are they really that ego-driven, or does it actually take both of them to think up the questions?

Posted by enoch needles, 10:34 a.m. Friday, May 16 2008 Permalink

Topic: "My Day is Not Complete Until I've _____ed Online." No. 12: Off topic. No. 13: Off topic. No. 14: Off topic. If you're all such great intellectuals, why can't read the topic at the top of the thread and on the subject line of your browser? [[Comment partially removed. Personal attacks will not be tolerated. - http://www.thetakeaway.org/about/comment_guidelines.html]]

Posted by Mark Jeffries, 12:57 p.m. Friday, May 16 2008 Permalink

Well said, Mark.

Posted by KASW, 1:15 p.m. Friday, May 16 2008 Permalink

Good point, Mark. It is indeed unfortunate that when one clicks on "The Mix" the on-screen result is a stream of various comments on various subjects, each of which can be easily answered with a mouse-click....thus further mixing people's thoughts and words. Regardless of that situation, it is painfully obvious that on any subject, one can find many reasons to complain about the poor quality of "The Takeaway." As a result, all these intermingled comments end up being very related and very much "on topic."

Posted by Sean, 1:32 p.m. Friday, May 16 2008 Permalink

mArK: i tHiNK YoU'LL FiNd tHat tHrOUGhouT hIsToRY, thE iNTeLlEcTuAls aRe ThE oNEs wHo HAVe nOt FelT ConStRaiNEd bY CoNVenTiOn unlikethosewhofeelslavishlycompelledtopostontopicandchastisethosewhodaretopostofftopicasifthetopicsherearesomehowsacrosanct I;think;it;reflects;more;on;the;creator(s);of;this;website;and;their;choice;of;a;message;board;format;that;doesn't;really;seem;to;handle;threads;all;that;well CONSIDER THIS FORMATTING AS A METAPHOR FOR THE JARRING, ANNOYING "STYLE" OF THE TAKEAWAY Let e.e. have the last (edited) word: "all ignorance toboggans into the takeaway"

Posted by eNOch NEeDleS, 8:45 p.m. Friday, May 16 2008 Permalink

If you must continue this dreadful show, please move it out of the morning weekday time slots on FM. I listen to NPR for insightful news and commentary. The Take Away is frankly insulting to your most loyal listeners. Is anyone listening?????

Posted by Joanne, 9:58 a.m. Saturday, May 17 2008 Permalink

[[Comment removed. "Be civil: Please respond insightfully and respectfully. There is room for disagreement, but please disagree with people's ideas. Personal attacks will not be tolerated." - http://www.thetakeaway.org/about/comment_guidelines.html]]

Posted by Mark Jeffries, 5:07 p.m. Sunday, May 18 2008 Permalink

Until I have gone to youtube, checked my email about 100 times, AIMed someone, checked out my facebook page, gone to Digg, checked out my favorite websites.

Posted by Jason, 9:11 p.m. Sunday, May 18 2008 Permalink

Perhaps Joanne's day is not complete until she's "pissed off Mark Jeffries by posting in the wrong thread". Although, if that's true, then she's posted in the correct thread - in which Mark shouldn't be pissed off. What a conundrum. ?!?

Posted by another pov, 9:33 p.m. Sunday, May 18 2008 Permalink