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Current Events Help understand the world by talking about things happening in it |
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05-18-2004, 02:14 PM | #16 |
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Once upon a time I was passionate about the news. I am going to give away my age here and reveal that I was in college when Kent State happened. I followed the news intently from that point on, since I figured my government was out to kill me, and I wanted to have at least some idea of what it might be getting up to next. I continued in this mode for a very long time until I got a job that required me to commute almost an hour and a half each way to work. I am a big NPR fan and I listened to "Morning Edition" coming and "All Things Considered" going. I watched CNN and subsribed to 3 newspapers plus I read my Mom's paper that she got each week from Switzerland. In all due modesty I was probably one of the best informed persons on the planet regarding current events. Then one day I was driving to work when the reports of the Oklahoma City bombings started to come in. I heard about those poor little kids in the day care center there. Tears started to roll down my cheeks and before I knew what hit me I was sobbing uncontrollably and had to pull off to the side of the Interstate. It took me a while to regain my composure and I was twenty minutes late to work that day. I realized that all those news reports were doing were telling me tales of suffering and horror that I was powerless to do anything about. My own life was difficult enough. I didn't need this other stuff on top of it all. I did a complete 180 and stopped listening to the news or reading the papers at all. If anything earth shattering happened, my friends would be sure to tell me. Now I get a little news (as much as I can stomach) from the headlines when I log onto the net. I'm happy this way and see no need to go back to being the news junkie I once was.
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05-18-2004, 03:23 PM | #17 |
lurkin old school
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 2,796
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I'm engaged, I'd say. Sometimes what I see makes me sick and want to give up. I take a break. Still, I am curious. I seek out info, look for international sources and try to watch that news of the world doesnt overwhelm me and negatively effect my emotional state in my immediate "real" life. The Cellar has been great for me to hear a diverse range of takes. Its helped me clarify what I believe. Cynicism comes, but I try to stay tuned to what I can do-- Have an intelligent conversation about an issue I care about (or at least do my best!). Vote at all levels. Support charities that do work I'm proud of. Stay openminded and look for hope, through individuals. Pace yourself but keep your feet moving.
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05-18-2004, 03:26 PM | #18 |
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 516
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Does anyone here use shortwave radio for their news? You can hear the same world news from all different slants, and for real fun, you can listen to North Korea's news program.
I used to surf the radio waves, but I stopped paying attention to most news except my yahoo headlines. |
05-18-2004, 04:52 PM | #19 |
We have to go back, Kate!
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 25,964
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I listen to BBC Radio4 and BBCWorld service more or less obsessively
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05-18-2004, 05:12 PM | #20 |
neither here nor there
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 179
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I'm a news junkie, but I don't worry, giving up is easy, I do it every day
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05-18-2004, 06:24 PM | #21 |
The future is unwritten
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 71,105
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Bwahahahaha. Right on, Yelof.
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The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump. |
05-18-2004, 06:37 PM | #22 |
changed his status to single
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Right behind you. No, the other side.
Posts: 10,308
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i'm not sure what my title would be. i went into the military at 17 so i paid attention to world news because at some point it does have a direct affect on my life. like "where am i going next?"
politically i lean more towards the right, although i refuse any affiliation to a party... anyway - i occasionally listen to hannity/fox/cnn/peter "al jazeera west" jennings, etc. but i never lose sight of the fact that there is no honest, unbiased source for info left. what passes for journalism today could really be labeled as entertainment. each source identifies which target audience they can profit from most by drawing into a close association. personally i have found that if you take talk show hosts/reporters and just bring everything they say down a couple of notches, you will be about as close to the truth as we can get now.
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06-16-2004, 05:23 AM | #23 |
Jotter of Notes
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 11
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Sick of it, but can't turn my back on it either.
Reminds me of a song by Sixto Rodriguez from the album Cold Fact - "this is not a song it's an outburst" The mayor hides the crime rate council woman hesitates Public gets irate but forget the vote date Weatherman complaining, predicted sun, it's raining Everyone's protesting, boyfriend keeps suggesting you're not like all of the rest. Garbage ain't collected, women ain't protected Politicians using, people they've been abusing The mafia's getting bigger, like pollution in the river And you tell me that this is where it's at. Woke up this moming with an ache in my head Splashed on my clothes as I spilled out of bed Opened the window to listen to the news But all I heard was the Establishment's Blues. Gun sales are soaring, housewives find life boring Divorce the only answer, smoking causes cancer This system's gonna fall soon, to an angry young tune And that's a concrete cold fact. The Pope digs population, freedom from taxation Teeny Bops are up tight, drinking at a stoplight Miniskirt is flirting I can't stop so I'm hurting Spinster sells her hopeless chest. Adultery plays the kitchen, bigot cops non-fiction The little man gets shafted, sons and monies drafted Living by a time piece, new war in the far east. Can you pass the Rorschach test? It's a hassle, it's an educated guess. Well, frankly I couldn't care less. |
06-16-2004, 06:17 AM | #24 |
whig
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,075
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that's a really cool song.
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Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain |
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