PBR on NPR? Infomercials on PBS? Really?

So since my last few posts have been focused on heavier life type topics, I think it's far better to focus/rant on some of the more ridiculous and odd things I observe. Far lighter and happier fair indeed.



The first observation is one I enjoy, PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon) is apparently a regular sponsor of the NPR programing I listen to. When they do their little mini-commercial promos for sponsors, all of a sudden I hear about Pabst (PBR) it's sponsorship of a musical event and of course proud sponsor of the news and programming. In the last 2 years I have seen a sudden re-emergence of PBR in bars and on menus...of good restaurants. Now offence to those who love PBR and its cans, but it's not the best beer from WI. I grew up being told PBR is a low tier beer, but if they are supporting NPR I may have to reconsider it's tier placement. Either way there is something that makes me giggle about hearing the serious news announcer talk about Pabst Blue Ribbon right before the news. Kind of doesn't fit the picture.

This observation is more of a rant. When did PBS need to start using full on infomercials as a fund raising tool? I mean I can live with fund raising time, and right now I'm a freeloader (not with NPR thankfully) who deals with the specials as par for the course of life with no cable I lead. However, when I see some of the same faces hocking How to Play the Piano and Rich Dad Poor Dad, that I see late at night on regular infomercials...well something just doesn't sit right. I mean PBS still has the annoying specials like Celine Dion Vegas and Celtic Tiger, which is in the same Irish obsession vein as RiverDance, and those I know people snap up. I can live with the brief flashes of the infomercial like programs balanced with the remembered PBS wares for fundraising...but when they do it every weekend for a month and a half? That is just punishment! I mean how many times do you need to show How to Play a Piano w/out a Piano...because God knows that's how I want to learn how to play. And Rich Dad Poor Dad, a program largely predicated on Real Estate Investment? That just seems irresponsible. I can have some relief that fundraising doesn't come around too often and when it does I may have to consider increasing my Netflix disks. I just can't take the infomercial Celine Dion madness for another month and a half, I just love myself too much to suffer that much.