The Ricochet Member Feed: The Greatest Hits Weekend Edition
Plus, some Ricochet news — including a great way you can create your own audio content, and a new student pass offer for college students.....
January is well underway, and COVID continues to dominate the news cycle, but that’s not the only topic of conversation on the Ricochet Member Feed. You’ll find musings about politics, religion, the economy, and more.
In case you haven’t kept up with all of the Member Feed posts, we picked a few for your attention. They focus on singer Ronnie Spector, two intriguing football games, and a sci-fi icon. We’re also sharing our favorite member comment from those posts and some Ricochet news — including a great way you can create your own audio content, and a new student pass offer for college students. Oh, and did you hear one of your fellow members got a shoutout from Hugh Hewitt? Yes, indeed.
Do you have family members, friends, or even former Ricochet members who would enjoy this kind of member-only content? Share this newsletter and let them know they can join today and get their first 30 days free. You’ll not only help grow the Ricochet community, you’ll also provide some great conversation starters for your next soiree.
Top Talkers
Hoyacon: RIP, Ronnie
Author of the memoir, Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, Or, My Life as a Fabulous Ronette, Ronnie was the ultimate Rock and Roll survivor.
You can learn a lot about a lot here at Ricochet, including music. If you were not overly familiar with singer Ronnie Spector, Hoyacon penned a nice tribute that points you toward several songs so you can see what you missed. If you knew exactly who Ronnie was, this is a good opportunity to reminisce about her impact on the music scene, both as lead singer of the Ronettes and as a solo artist. Hoyacon kindly included “Walking in the Rain” at the end of the post so you can take a listen.
Gary Robbins: NFL and the prisoner’s dilemma: Raiders, Chargers & Steelers. Also, Tom Brady and Gronk.
If you were the coach of the Raiders what would you have done? There is always the chance of a fumble in any running play. There is always the chance of a turnover when you attempt a field goal. The logical answer is that you want to get into the playoffs, period. So, you do three kneel-downs and run out the clock.
In this post, Gary Robbins reviews key moments in the Chargers vs. Raiders and Panthers vs. Bucs games. In the former, the Raiders had to decide whether to go for a tie, guaranteeing themselves a playoff spot, or a win, which could put that spot in jeopardy. In the latter, quarterback Tom Brady had to decide whether to come out of the game as directed or stay in to help teammate Rob Gronkowski earn a $500,000 bonus. These are stories worth knowing — even if you don’t follow the NFL.
Henry Racette: Happy Birthday, HAL
Before IBM’s Deep Blue became the first machine to win a chess championship, before Tesla’s self-driving car was a gleam in Elon Musk’s eye, there was HAL.
When it comes to sci-fi, HAL is iconic. But how many people could tell you when this key “2001: A Space Odyssey” character was born? Hank Racette can. We appreciated Hank’s heads up about HAL’s birthday, and his closing line made us snicker. Side note: We forgot how long ago that movie came out. 1968, people. 1968.
But Wait, There’s More
Create and Share Your Own Audio Content With Callin
If you’ve ever wanted to create and distribute your own audio content, you’ll want to try Callin. This new app and web platform allows you to create and cultivate podcasts and audio communities.
To get a better idea of what you can do with Callin, check out Editor-in-Chief Jon Gabriel’s new show, “The Nightcap,” where he reviews the big stories of the day in a fun, free-wheeling discussion. The inaugural show will be at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on Thursday, Jan. 20. You can join here.
We’re also going to have special Callin editions of some of our most popular podcasts, as well as an occasional aftershow for “The Ricochet Podcast.” Stay tuned for more details on that!
Ricochet Passes for College Students
Great news! Ricochet is now offering full-time and part-time U.S. college students and graduate students who are eligible a complimentary Ricochet membership. They just need to have a valid student .edu email address. We’re calling these memberships “Ricochet Student Passes.” The idea behind them is simple: We want to onboard younger voices to the community, as they often offer fascinating perspectives on the big issues of the day. Please spread the word! And if you’d like more info, you’ll find it here.
Now Available for Your Viewing Pleasure: ‘No Dumb Questions’ With Jason Miller
Did you catch our most recent “No Dumb Questions” members-only webcast, featuring Jason Miller, GETTR CEO and former top spokesperson for former President Donald Trump? Or did you see it but want to watch it again? It’s ready for you! Many thanks to the Washington Examiner’s David Drucker for serving as moderator.
Remember: If you know folks who might enjoy these members-only webcasts, please encourage them to join Ricochet. They’ll get their first 30 days for free, and current Ricochet members get a free month if they join! Send them an invite from you at ricochet.com/join.
Help Us Spread the Word About Ricochet
Next time you’re explaining why Ricochet is the place for smart, civil conversation, feel free to share this nifty graphic. And thanks, as always, for your support!
Comment of the Week
The Member Feed isn’t the only thing that keeps people coming back for more at Ricochet. The comments do too, serving as the backbone of the smart, civil conversation that makes us us. This week’s comment of the week is from thelonius, pulled from Gary Robbins’ post about the choices the Raiders and Tom Brady made during their games on Sunday.
Member Shoutout
It’s always great to see our terrific Ricochet members recognized or quoted out in the wild, so to speak. Here, Kelly D Johnston gets some love from none other than conservative talk radio host Hugh Hewitt.
If you haven’t read the post Hugh referenced, check it out.
Remember, if you know someone who would enjoy being part of the Ricochet community, we’re offering their first 30 days for free! Invite them to join the conversation today. And if you want to send us feedback on this newsletter, email greatest.hits@ricochet.com.
See you next week!
P.S. Want your post to be considered for this newsletter? Post by 5 p.m. Eastern time Thursdays.