Try a total media/internet blackout for three days.

[Bouncy Ball]

That's what I did. No news on TV (I don't do that anyway), no newspapers (ditto, except online articles), no radio (not even AAR), no DU, nothing for three days. Don't even read any books that are political in nature. Not even old ones.

Then, after that length of time, find out what's being reported in the MSM and come read LBN at DU.

It is the MOST surreal experience. I just read some articles in LBN thinking "this has GOT to be a joke." But it's not. I finally checked out a few news channels (something again that I normally never do), and it was so weird it almost seemed like a parody of the news.

I'll tell you one thing: there's nothing of interest for most of us in stories about some woman who ditched her man at the altar, Michael Jackson, et al. It's just rubbernecking posing as "news."

Also, the bush/repuke news just seems even WORSE when you cut it off for a few days. You sit there asking yourself if this is all for real.

But if you are in touch with it all the time, you get this odd sort of getting used to it sensation. You KNOW the stories the MSM runs are mostly crap, you know the bush/repuke stuff is evil crap, but you get a bit numbed to it with constant exposure.

Step back, close your eyes, and stop listening. Then open your eyes and start listening again. Like coming up from deep under calm waters. And look at the insanity through fresh eyes. It's instructional.

[NMDemDist2]

1. instructional? terrifying is probably more like n/t

[Bouncy Ball]

3. Yes, that's a good adjective, too.

I mean, it's always terrifying, but after a few days of none of it, and then to go back to it, it's terrifying in an incredibly vivid way.

Like I said, it's almost unreal.

[democrank]

2. I tried a corporate tv news boycott a few monts ago.

Since I`m a news junkie, I figured the boycott would about kill me. Surprising how easy it was. I`ve been "clean" for months now and feel a whole lot better.

[FreedomAngel82]

14. I do the same thing

I come here for my news and the Daily show. I never watch MSM news anymore. It's all crap anyways. I only have a few shows I enjoy now days. Other wise I'm glued to CSPAN or online or doing homework. Now that I'm going to be out for summer the day after tomorrow I can probably have a lot of reading time.

[glitch]

4. Going to do that tomorrow. Not for three days though, just two.

But I'll tell you, turning on regular tv after having it off for awhile is shocking, mainly because of the commercials. Loud, abrasive and in some cases abusive (when did it become trendy to have people screaming at the top of their lungs, Tylex?).
Who is creating and approving this crap anyway? But I can't talk to the network or cable news, I stopped watching it years ago. With the exception of community and education channels (anybody else in Seattle love the Seattle Channel?), some PBS and C-Span, TV as a whole has has become nasty and devoid of substance.

[Bouncy Ball]

7. I never watch commercials, so they are always very absurd

harsh, loud and just plain weird to me.

Hate 'em. Never watch 'em.

[glitch]

9. That's why they've resorted to simply screaming, probably.

At least they've trained me to mute during commercials when I do watch commercial tv.
But what they're really doing is training me to not watch them.

[FreedomAngel82]

15. Same here

During commercials of a show I just flip it to something else.

[uppityperson]

5. Went almost 2 wks without news last month

Went on a trip overseas and saw extremely little news. I checked in with my sister (whom I was visiting) once a day to see if the pope or that woman everyone was going gaga over had died and to see if the rest of the world had blown up. I haven't watched tv news but once since returning 2 wks ago and have totally missed the latest media bs. It is rather nice.

[sweetheart]

6. That is me normal life

I like DU, as it's arm's length. I can see people getting emotional
about a news story on TV on another continent... and then hyperlink
about to see what the fuss is all about... and inevitably, it's manufactured, genetically modified news.

I wholly recommend replacing cable with an Internet DVD rental scheme,
as it puts you wholly in charge of the programming, if any... with
no schedule, and millions of titles, that any choice you make to
pollute your mind with films is deliberate.

I've been reading most recently, the london times, and the economist,
in print, and guardian/ FT online... as i already know what the left
wing feels in my heart... and i'm most curious what the right wing is
trying to insert in to the news equation.

In short it is: "nuclear power".

[glitch]

8. Ain't that the truth. The weird thing abou the whole nuclear power meme

is it started appearing on internet forums in a positive light a couple of years ago. I thought, where did that come from, everybody knows the full costs outweigh the benefits hugely with nuclear power, the only way to make a profit is to force the taxpayers to bear the risk, taxpayers even have to insure the damn things, so when certain posters showed up relentlessly every time energy was discussed, I knew a push in the general population was coming.
And sho nuff.

[sweetheart]

10. Therez something more as well

Nuclear power involves "secrets" and "access" that, by adopting the meme,
we as well must decide who can be trusted with the secrets and the
access. This is an ideal divisive tool for people who want to create an
"us" and a "them" in society. This then distributes the economic
benefits of said technology to the "us" and not to the "them"... and as
well, like you point out, a long term income stream as the public picks
up the tab for cleaning up the 100,000 years mess.

[glitch]

11. Absolutely. Fits the totalitarian model to the nth degree It's why creeps

like cheney push it so hard. Unlike the more democratic, de-centralized, distributed and sustainable power systems.

[peacetalksforall]

12. Don't want to change the subject....but looking at your visual of an

image of Jesus in a suit with it's caption......


"Corporate Jesus says "Stop hatin' in my name! And I don't really look like this!"

...it dawned on me that christian religious followers are used to looking at images of Jesus in robes and gowns - JUST LIKE SOME IN THE MIDDLE EAST WEAR TODAY - you know, the ones they hate. Do you think it bothers them? If not, they have experienced a breakthrough - there is something about the furners they can tolerate.

PS...I use a capital C for Christian when referring to genuine Christians.

[sweetheart]

13. jesus was black

and he was gay
and he was poor
and he was homeless
and he was a felon
and he loved women
and he loved evil men
and he forgave them all...