Author Topic: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?  (Read 10704 times)

Ruthie

  • Her Majester
How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« on: 14 January, 2019, 09:52:09 pm »
Do you read a newspaper?  A Sunday newspaper?  A news digest?  Or a journal, such as The New Yorker or The Economist?  If so, which?  Do you have multiple information sources?  Online or paper?

I think Wowbagger, for instance, might just possibly read the Guardian maybe.
Milk please, no sugar.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #1 on: 14 January, 2019, 10:13:43 pm »
These days it's mostly MLP propagation by my social media bubble.  For values of social media bubble that includes the sort of places where naive libertarian computer geeks with a worrying misogynist streak tend to hang out (I've learned to keep quiet for my own mental health when the conversation turns nasty).

But I do keep half an eye on the BBC news (mostly out of habit) and @bhamupdates, which means I'm unlikely to miss anything important like Theresa failing to deliver brexit, Celebrities strictly getting their baking out of the X-factor, drones not being sighted at Luton, leaves on the line at Mordor International, Aston sportsball club getting a new deputy trainee of accounts, or a new trendy burger joint opening in the Mailbox.

Ruthie

  • Her Majester
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #2 on: 15 January, 2019, 06:41:09 am »
That. Is. Excellent.

I googled MLP. How does My Little Pony help you consider issues re: tomorrow’s Brexit deal vote?

Or is it something else?
Milk please, no sugar.

Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #3 on: 15 January, 2019, 07:46:59 am »
With difficulty. I am a Guardian subscriber not because I espouse all their perspectives but because it appears to be one of the very last bastions of journalism out there, and worth supporting as a result. The FT is another, which I don't subscribe to, I would struggle to name a third. I don't think much of the beeb's news these days, and absorb some of it by osmosis. I occasionally listen to the Toady programme but can't stomach it for too long. I constantly dip into CNN (US edition), MSNBC, NPR, Fox News, WaPo, NYT, Al-Jazeera, RT etc and get a flavour for what's happening. (interesting on writing that to see that I'm a lot more sanguine about the non-UK news sources, as I almost never would read Mail, Express, Telegraph). Google assistant finds stuff it thinks I would like about politics, entertainment and cycling principally, and I've taught her (yes it is a she) that I DON'T want anything from the Mail or Strictly or anything like that. I follow up on stories in Facebook and Twitter leading to other sources but very rarely would accept them at face value (and I LOATHE Twitter with a passion). I drop in on "fact check" sites like Snopes. And I wonder how much if any of this matters in our post-fact world.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #4 on: 15 January, 2019, 08:00:59 am »
That. Is. Excellent.

I googled MLP. How does My Little Pony help you consider issues re: tomorrow’s Brexit deal vote?

Or is it something else?

Mindless Link Propagation, sorry.

Not entirely sure what the My Little Pony angle is on flogging a dead unicorn...

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #5 on: 15 January, 2019, 08:02:51 am »
I drop in on "fact check" sites like Snopes.

Snopes and google's inverse-image-search are essential tools.


Quote
And I wonder how much if any of this matters in our post-fact world.

Indeed  :-\

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #6 on: 15 January, 2019, 08:13:55 am »
Subs to online NYT & Graun, and France Info is free. Last is also most obliging because it loads quickly on a brain-damaged tablet. Going to drop NYT when sub expires, I'm not reading much of it these days & its main topics are in the Graun anyway.  Also pick up the odd paper copy of the Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace because the pages fit the bottom of the parrot's cage.

The Google doo-dah on the tablet also picks up news stories but they're all UK for some reason ICBA delving into. Now that I've flagged all the topics I'm not interested in it mostly regurgitates the Graun. Can't find a "Stuff your fecking football up your jacksie" parameter, though.

Oh, we also have a weekly sub to Nature, which is entertaining.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #7 on: 15 January, 2019, 08:25:03 am »
I read the Beeb website and listen to R5L in the mornings, and occasionally dip into the POBI (Brexit) section of a different cycling forum to recalibrate my personal political echo chamber.

ian

Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #8 on: 15 January, 2019, 09:46:13 am »
Guardian, NYT, LA Times and a few others, newspapers may be biased (but you know their bias) but at least they pay their reporter and have some editorial standards, which is still better than the alternatives, and the endless tedium of those stories which consist entirely of Tweets from people who have egregiously offended by something, or press release puff pieces.. Google plenty. Assume every assertion and purported fact is just that until verified. Understand that I'm probably in a minority.

Ruthie

  • Her Majester
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #9 on: 15 January, 2019, 10:11:06 am »
Does anyone subscribe to The Independent? Or The Economist? The Spectator?
Milk please, no sugar.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #10 on: 15 January, 2019, 10:13:27 am »
No, but I have a look at The Economist and sometimes The Spectator and/or New Statesman when I'm in Sainsburys.  :D
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

nicknack

  • Hornblower
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #11 on: 15 January, 2019, 10:16:10 am »
YACF of course.

Guardian.

All sorts of other online sites like Snopes for checking the garbage I see on Facebook. I don't watch TV or listen to the radio but Mrs n sometimes has R4 on so if I'm in the same room I might hear PM or some other news programme.
There's no vibrations, but wait.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #12 on: 15 January, 2019, 10:24:35 am »
YACF. Graun. I'm thinking about a subscription to the Independent as they stopped me looking at something the other day. BBC occasionally, but usually only when someone else links to something.

Channel 4 news (usually via facebook links) and I have a very hot line into what is happening in parliament, especially the Lords, through a friend...  :P

I follow certain Twitter bods and of course I have my own circle of like-minded friends on facebook who obviously agree with pretty well everything I say.
Quote from: Dez
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Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #13 on: 15 January, 2019, 10:26:44 am »
All sorts of other online sites like Snopes for checking the garbage I see on Facebook.

That's another point I hadn't considered.  I'm a luddite, and mostly avoid algorithmically-prioritised content (I do use Twitter, but primarily via a text-only client[1] that presents the timeline in chronological order without adverts - I don't know how anyone can bear to use it via the website.  While I think Youtube is utterly brilliant, I tend to avoid engaging with the radicalisation sidebar.)  Of course I still get adverts[2] and the second-hand effects of what everyone else is sharing.

[1] I give them maybe 18 months before they kill off the API entirely.
[2] Fuck off Grammarly.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #14 on: 15 January, 2019, 10:30:15 am »
I've always been quite impressed by the New Yorker whenever I've looked at it, but that's rarely cos it's not really available here and it's articles tend to be lengthy stuff which I prefer to read in paper rather than on screen.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #15 on: 15 January, 2019, 10:34:16 am »
YACF, obv

The Times
Guardian
BBC

other sites as they pop up from comments etc, if they are not paywalled.
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #16 on: 15 January, 2019, 11:13:16 am »
I keep an eye on a few subreddits in "new" order and then follow the links if I am interested.

e.g. https://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/new/

A bit like reading yacf through "while I was away" - too much info but haven't found a better way yet.

ian

Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #17 on: 15 January, 2019, 12:36:24 pm »
I've always been quite impressed by the New Yorker whenever I've looked at it, but that's rarely cos it's not really available here and it's articles tend to be lengthy stuff which I prefer to read in paper rather than on screen.

I think one of the negative effects of digital media is that everything has to be short – the Twitterification of information. Even significant lead stories rarely stretch to a couple of hundred words.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #18 on: 15 January, 2019, 12:40:17 pm »
I've always been quite impressed by the New Yorker whenever I've looked at it, but that's rarely cos it's not really available here and it's articles tend to be lengthy stuff which I prefer to read in paper rather than on screen.

I think one of the negative effects of digital media is that everything has to be short

Unless it's another sodding video, or worse - a podcast.

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #19 on: 15 January, 2019, 12:57:06 pm »
I have the Guardian delivered on Saturdays, I check the local and national news at 8am most mornings (BBC tv), I get told stuff at work and home and then I randomly apply Gaye's law: Believe half of what you see, and none of what you hear.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #20 on: 15 January, 2019, 01:06:33 pm »
I get all the news I need from www.metoffice.gov.uk

ian

Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #21 on: 15 January, 2019, 01:19:18 pm »
I've always been quite impressed by the New Yorker whenever I've looked at it, but that's rarely cos it's not really available here and it's articles tend to be lengthy stuff which I prefer to read in paper rather than on screen.

I think one of the negative effects of digital media is that everything has to be short

Unless it's another sodding video, or worse - a podcast.

I suspect this is a sign of age – unless there's specific visual information, I don't see the point of having someone stand in front of a screen and read a script. Of course, then people have to make pointless animations or make people stand in the middle of field to give it 'some value.' I could have read the information in 30 seconds, but no, now I have to sit there for 5 minutes. But marketing will insist 'it needs a video' and sadly, they're probably right.

Podcasts, I suppose, are useful for those that like the opportunity to listen to something while doing something else, but again, I'd rather read the transcript.

But the bane of my media experience are the Twitter stories. There's a good dozen in the Guardian today. Reporting on people being angry or offended on Twitter, illustrated with their Tweets. It's not news, not everyone uses Twitter, and frankly I don't care what people on Twitter think (if indeed they do, which I doubt). It's just lazy journalism to fill space cheaply.

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
  • Help me!
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #22 on: 15 January, 2019, 01:20:12 pm »
Mostly through BBC radio.  Purchase the i newspaper a couple of times a week, Observer and Times every Sunday.
Very little news related stuff on line.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #23 on: 15 January, 2019, 01:43:12 pm »
Like PaulF, I can gather all the news I need from the weather report.

[even more ironic is that I don't watch the weather. I GAMI]

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: How do you keep up with current affairs/culture?
« Reply #24 on: 15 January, 2019, 02:03:58 pm »
Podcasts, I suppose, are useful for those that like the opportunity to listen to something while doing something else, but again, I'd rather read the transcript.
I think podcasts can be good when they're a discussion about something worth discussing between people who know and care about that subject and are able to convey their knowledge and care to an ignorant audience.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.