Our Week In The Web, March 14, 2014

It's that special time again, dear readers: it's Friday afternoon, and we're looking at the week that was on the web.

We had another chatty week in the comments section (as we are wont to do, it seems), but we also had an interesting comment from a regular On Point listener and commenter who wondered if it is really worth it to ask commenters for their opinion on the current location and situation surrounding the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

"I hope your listeners will refrain from glib guesses at the expense of the grieving," user Nate pointed out. In many ways, Nate is right. The strange circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the plane have driven cable news network speculators to big ratings-boosts, and it does present a curious case of flight path engineering and modern satellite communication failures. But at the heart of it, there are still 239 missing people, and all of us here feel deeply for their families and loved ones who are waiting in the dark while the world speculates.

We never pose questions on the web or on air meant to titillate or blindly drive up ratings — our hope is always to start a thoughtful conversation and help move it forward. We're glad that our listeners and web users are able to be a part of that conversation.

1) The Safety Of Plastics, Beyond B.P.A. (March 6, 2014)

2) Week In The News: Ukraine, CPAC, Obamacare, SAT (March 7, 2014)

3) Chessmaster Garry Kasparov On Countering Putin (March 12, 2014)

4) Malaysia Air Flight 370: The Latest (March 13, 2014)

5) Sugaring: Inside the Maple Syrup Industry (March 7, 2014)

"Chess means you play by the rules. Vladimir Putin is playing poker." — Garry Kasparov

"We're not at all resentful as a generation. We see a responsibility to fix things." — Evan Rytlewski 

"'I think it could end up being a perpetual mystery." — Tom Costello

"The CIA's defense is that the Senate took documents they never wanted them to have. That's not the strongest defense." — Mark Mazzetti 

"Necessary evil. Each generation has nuances of race/class lost by grouping, but also need SOME term to talk about it." (@biblio_phile)

"I'd love to hear a show about my (forgotten) generation, the Gen-X'ers." (Malia)

"Can we have Carl on some Friday show, commenting on the week that was?" (Terry Owen)

"Funny, it seems an obvious correlation: if it makes the animal fat, wouldn't it make the consumer fat?" (Donny Thao)

"Out of compassion for the dead and their anguished families, I hope your listeners will refrain from glib guesses at the expense of the grieving." (Nate Orshan)

This Amazing Profile of Legendary On Point Caller, Carl From Nashville (The Nashville Scene)