How-To-Be-Your-Own-Reporter-Bob Davis Podcast 915

How To Be Your Own Reporter

These days our minds are the new battleground. To fight back we have to be our own reporters. I’ll tell you how to do that in How-To-Be-Your-Own-Reporter-Bob Davis Podcast 915.

Politicians Lie

It’s especially relevant to point out politicians and so called leaders lie. If it’s Monday, they lie. If their lips are moving they are lying.

Start With Skepticism

Any decent reporter starts with being skeptical when it comes to those who wield power. From there it’s all about checking details and establishing fact. Why? Because we live in a world where the information channels are filled with crap. Moreover, it’s on purpose.

Investigate Sources

In addition most so called ‘news sources’ these days are thin on resources. Newspapers have cut their newsroom staffs. Television networks don’t always fact check. More importantly cable news is all about personalities and arguments.

We All Have Blind Spots

Most noteworthy are the biases we all come to the table with. We all have blind spots when it comes to the ‘leaders’ we think are ‘doing a good job’. That’s how they use us.

What We Want To Hear

Even more most of us want to hear what we agree with. We want to feel secure in our beliefs and conclusions. Consequently we gravitate to the sources, stories and personalities we agree with.

Get Rid Of The Blind Spots

Above all if you really want to understand what’s going on you have to work on getting rid of the blind spots.

How I Lost My Blind Spots

Certainly I’ll tell you how I lost my blind spots in How-To-Be-Your-Own-Reporter-Bob Davis Podcast 915.

Sources, Biases and Facts

Similarly I’ll give you some pointers on how to use your devices to run down sources, determine biases and establish facts.

I Do Not Advocate

Finally, it’s my policy and the policy of my podcasts not to advocate for or against issues. I don’t fight for politicians. I am not financed by political donors.

Conspiracy Theories, Horoscopes and Psychics

Furthermore the longer I do this the more I believe we have to work with the facts we know we can confirm. Conspiracy theories and opinions are fun. Horoscopes and psychics are for entertainment only, right?

Not Fighting To Convince You

In conclusion I’ve given up trying to convince listeners and subscribers. I don’t fight for or against a politician.

Some Stories And How To Do Your Homework

I’ll tell you some stories and help you become your own reporter in this extra extra podcast.

(Editor’s Note: I do this all the time, I talk about someone off the cuff, and get the name wrong. In this case I refer to a certain Doctor Redmond at the CDC. It’s Doctor Robert R. Redfield, recently in the news with the Coronavirus crsis response.)

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul and Reliafund Payment Processors

How-To-Be-Your-Own-Reporter-Bob Davis Podcast 915

 

 

TruckStop-Washday-Four-States-24hours-Bob Davis Podcast 905

Seven States

First of all after hitting seven states in less than three weeks, it’s time for a break. Learn more about my latest mega trip in TruckStop-Washday-Four-States-24hours-Bob Davis Podcast 905.

Questions About Travel

These days I am asked a lot of questions about my travels.

Food and Laundry

Certainly the best questions are about simple stuff. What do you eat? Where do you do your laundry? Is Mobile Podcast Command an RV?

Truck Stops

Let’s start with two friends of the traveler. WalMart and Truck Stops.

Pilot!

When it comes to Truck Stops I have my favorites. Flying J, Pilots, Loves and T/A’s. Even more, some of the truck stops with names I can’t remember are great. Pilot is my favorite.

Wash Day At The Truck Stop

In TruckStop-Washday-Four-States-24hours-Bob Davis Podcast 905 we spend wash day at the Pilot south of San Antonio, Texas. The music’s classic rock, the People’s Court is on TV and there’s a full range of stuff to look at.

Travel In An America You Don’t See On TV

In addition in this podcast I make some observations about travel in an America saturated with political ‘news’ coverage.

Stressed Drivers and Travelers Need Calm

In contrast at most of the truck stops there’s no CNN, or Fox News or talk radio. There’s country, and classic rock, and a generally calm atmosphere for stressed truckers and travelers.

Back On The Road

Fill up. Get Something to eat. Take a shower. Do some laundry. Back on the road.

24 Hours of Driving and Back To Minnesota

Four states in one day in this podcast. From San Antonio to Dover, Oklahoma, and then onto Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, to finally end in Minnesota on an unusual sunny and warm day in February.

Unsung Heroes

Here’s to the unsung heroes on the road. The drivers, the people at the Pilot, the WalMart, the guy in Oklahoma who stopped to talk to me about my T-shirt.

No Academy Awards Here

Especially relevant is the fact that none of these people will probably ever win an academy award, run for congress, or even make a speech beyond funerals or their kids’ birthday parties.

On The Job

Above all though, they’re back on the job every day. All across this vast country.

Real America

Finally it was a great relief to see real America after two weeks of speechifying and media coverage of politics in Iowa.

Sponsored by the Strategists at Virtus Law

TruckStop-Washday-Four-States-24hours-Bob Davis Podcast 905

Real-Talk-2020-Election-Issues-Bob Davis Podcast 871

Political Chatter

These days there’s a lot of political chatter. We’ll talk about it in Real-Talk-2020-Election-Issues-Bob Davis Podcast 871.

Who the candidates are.

Who’s going to be nominated.

Which ones will win. It seems to change every week.

Not Much Real Talk About Issues

In contrast there hasn’t been a lot of talk about the issues. We’ll do that it in Real-Talk-2020-Election-Issues-Bob Davis Podcast 871.

Our Dream State Of Politics

This podcast opens with a quote about the dreamlike nature of our politics. Then there are the pundits who seem to want to break it down with percentages and numbers. To advocate. The desire is to make a call and tell you who’s going to win.

I won’t do that.

Art Not Science

Politics is more of an art than a science.

Personalities and Partisanship

In 2020 it may come down to personalities and partisanship, not polling and elections data from yesteryear.

Emotions Make Bad Decisions

Moreover I don’t think people driven by emotion, and armed with conspiracy theory, make decisions based on the so called ‘issues’.

Fluid Issues

Issues are also fluid. Killing a famous terrorist changes the fortunes of a president.

In addition so can a series of bad economic numbers or an economic crisis.

One day’s high is the next day’s low.

Long Lists Of Issues

I researched issues. Got long lists of ‘issues’. Certainly many of those ‘issues‘ are included in this podcast. Do they mean anything?

What The Media Is Selling You Already

Will these issues drive the election? That’s what most of the media is selling you.

Not me.

In contrast I’ve picked four key themes I think may have a big impact on what happens in 2020. Let’s not forget we don’t directly elect presidents in the US. We do directly elect congress and our statewide representatives and governors. Those elections are important too.

Themes

In conclusion it’s necessary say again I am not supporting or fighting against any candidate. I am not trying to convince listeners and subscribers we need to move a certain way in this country. You listen. Make your own calls.

Sponsored by John Scott Personal Injury Lawyer, Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul and Reliafund Payment Processors

Real-Talk-2020-Election-Issues-Bob Davis Podcast 871