“If you are going to write, talk, comment, or argue over any public question, don’t do it by just reading one newspaper….You can tell in a minute a person that only reads one paper.” – Will Rogers, 18 March 1934
Some more words of wisdom for today spoken by WIll Rogers almost eighty years ago. I can say for a fact that many of my conservative friends and past classmates have Fox News running in their homes throughout the day. I am also sure that is the only source of news many of them expose themselves to. Well not quite, some probably get a regular dose of Mr. Limbaugh and his bigoted rhetoric. I just can’t understand how some can, or even want, to stay in that mode? Loving, instead of hating or maybe just fearing your neighbor, is a much more satisfying life. Yes Will, even today you can tell in a minute a person that watches Fox News as their only source of information.
RJ's Corner 
I listen to both for 30 minutes a day- just to know what some of my more rightwing friends are hearing. Drives me nuts! IT takes four or five hours of NPR to get me over the gag reflex.
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You have more endurance than I do. I seem to only be able to take about 5 minutes at a time. But, like you I like to see what they are doing over there. It is so different than any other news source but sadly right at home for the wingnuts.
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I think that it is important to hear all sources, but I am so glad we have honest reporting from CSPAN and NPR. The ultimate challenge is how to have a decent conversation with those Fox people. That is the creative challenge for us. Usually, I want to avoid them, but that is the easy way out. We have to really rise to the occasion and show the objective way of approaching them and enlightening them. Lee Hamilton is still my role model for honesty and wisdom. He exemplifies the insightful and leader that I totally listen to. Rod and Jeanette stay strong and do not waver.
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I wish I could get NPR but there is no such thing as captioned radio yet. 😉
It takes a lot of effort to talk with anyone who watches Fox throughout the day. Many seem to be like the talking heads on that channel only ranting and seldom listening. I really don’t like using them as the voice for all my conservative friends but Fox is the most watched cable news so it apparently is their voice.
I’m not sure if Lee Hamilton was a Republican or a Democrat but he was a very well balanced person who I am sure would no longer be welcomed in the Republican party today.
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We recently had AlJazeera TV added to our cable lineup (not by choice…just a Comcast decision). I expected it to have a decidedly anit-American slant. I was surprised to find that it seems quite balanced and from a more neutral or worldly point of view. It is similar to PBS or BBC news. The topics are varied and usually long and in depth (something missing in our regular channels), worldwide in nature, and pretty well done. I do not watch it regularly, but I check it out now and then. There were good stories on drought and famine around the world…including but not limited to the Middle East. If you ever have access you might find it worthwhile. Just another option.
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Since we are out in the sticks we don’t have cable but I do get DirecTV. I wonder if they are on there and I just haven’t activated it? I will have to check. That sounds interesting. Thanks Jane for the info.
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LOL, love Janette’s comment. My first choices are NPR and BBC America for news, certainly. LIke Jane, Comcast has recently introduced Al Jazeera in my area and I find it to be very. very balanced.
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Hi Barbard. Yeah I watch BBC once in a while and agree with you. They seem to be more balanced than almost any American originated news corp. I also love several of the BBC broadcast including the one about Five Points NYC during the Civil War period called Copper. It is brutal at times but I imagine Tamany Hall was much like depicted. Of course Downton Abby is another one.
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We might be too much into following the news these days. Maybe, for the better use of our time is the time spent one to one with friends , especially those in need. You will always remember those moments than the news you heard last week.
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lee Hamilton served Congress as a representative for 34 years . He is with the Democrat Party, BUT mostly an honest STATESMAN. I don’t think of political parties anymore. I go with the quality of the person first and foremost. Colin Powell is next in line.
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I too have Colin Powell high on my Statesman list. It is too bad that his reputation was so tarnished by his United Nations speech prior to the Iraqi invasion. He lost much credibility there through no fault of his own. He was just being a good soldier in doing what his boss ordered him to do. I haven’t heard if he has said much about that speech since then.
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CP was ticked that the intelligence was so bad and he gave that speech.
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Virtually all of our friends watch nothing but Fox and believe it to be “fair and balanced.” I guess if you watch nothing else it is impossible to know how silly that phrase is.
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Yeah, I know the feeling Bob but silly is not the word I would use. 😉
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We get most of our news from PBS, generally on Friday night via Washington Week in Review. We really don’t need to be more current than that, as the most obvious source of daily negative energy comes from the media!
We also listen to NPR. I adore This American Life in particular. TED talks are also a great source of information. Both shows provide a lot of uplifting stories, imagine!
We’ve given up on all 24/7 news outlets, since in order to fill airtime they ultimately end up being more about entertainment than news.
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Hi Tamara. yeah the 24/7 outlets do over report most things and given Fox News with a very biased slant. It is hard to believe that just 20 years ago we never really knew what political persuasion the talking heads were. They tried to remain neutral. Now, they no longer “report” the news but instead give you their opinions about it.
From all these comments I sure do wish I could listen to NPR…..
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