How I Keep Current

I do not rely on newspapers for my news anymore...at least not on hard-copy newspapers. I get information online now from a variety of sources including CNN, NPR, domestic and foreign newspapers websites, etc. It's interesting how the Internet has changed the way information is distributed, delivered, stored, and used. If I were to rely on newspapers, I would not have known this early in the day (just after 6:00 am) that a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Greece early today and was felt in Athens. It's still too early to know whether it caused any damage, but it's amazing to me that I already know about it.

I buy the local Sunday paper, but I rarely read a great deal. Instead, I log on to the New York Times and get news, read book reviews, get thoroughly doused with heartfelt opinions from its op-ed pages, and just enjoy being entertained. For simple news reporting, I tend to read the CNN website and NPR website and scan a few others. And to get a sense of what others think of us here in the U.S., I scan a few English language sites from other countries.

I am able to have custom tailored news delivered to my email account, thanks to Google news alerts. I've only set up two of them thus far and probably will be very careful in setting up more, for fear of being inundated with messages. I set up one to ensure that I am made aware of news stories dealing with one of my client associations...any time a specific phrase appears in a news story, I receive an email link to that story. Because most hard-copy news items also find their way online quickly (often before appearing in print), I usually get to read the news as quickly as anyone who subscribes to the magazine or newspaper.

I'm still not quite sure how I can do all of this without having to pay for it; I don't see how advertisers are paying the bill, but then perhaps I do not fully understand Internet advertising. It would not surprise me, though, to find that I will have to pay subscription fees, etc. to keep this sor to thing coming.

I've spent enough time sharing my thoughts this morning. Next, I'll keep after the mountains of dust in my house...but first, I have the remains of a pot of very nice and strong coffee to finish.