Senior officers say the program does come in handy when the goal is not imparting information, as in briefings for reporters.

The news media sessions often last 25 minutes, with 5 minutes left at the end for questions from anyone still awake. Those types of PowerPoint presentations, Dr. Hammes said, are known as “hypnotizing chickens.”

Not just reporters.

Beantownah gets it.

Right on the mark. A huge amount of time - huge - is wasted preparing power point slides for briefing senior officers. In my briefings I refuse to use power point, which forces everyone to (1) think (2) focus and (3) discuss. But I am part of a very small contrarian minority.