Media Lies-Travel Truths-Small Town America-Bob Davis Podcast 789

To hear Der Spiegel tell it, Fergus Falls, Minnesota is a very special place these days. The town on Minnesota’s prairie is in a deep forest. A city manager carries a gun. The local high school sports iron doors and metal detectors. Moreover the mouth breathing savages that inhabit this place all voted for Trump. Learn more in Media Lies-Travel Truths-Small Town America-Bob Davis Podcast 789.

All Lies

The most noteworthy thing about this story is the fact that it is a complete fabrication. To Der Spiegel’s credit, the magazine is sending a reporter to Fergus Falls.

This time to apologize.

Dark and Dangerous Rural America

Sadly often media lies tell us more truth about biases than their coverage. Especially relevant are the new storylines about the mysterious and the mystical “rural America”. Land of republicans and Trump supporters. Dark and Dangerous. Well spring of public radio’s murder mystery podcasts. Source of the angry and red faced nationalist republican.

Small Town America

Truth is rural America is just as difficult to report on and explain as any urban center. We’ll talk about it in Media Lies-Travel Truths-Small Town America-Bob Davis Podcast 789.

Travel Is The Antidote

More importantly, travel is the antidote for the half truths and fairy tales of the media. I have traveled back and forth across this country, east to west, west to east and north to south many times. There are places I have missed but in thousands of miles of travel over the past few years, I have learned a great deal.

The New Nomads

Moreover many people have taken to converted school buses, RV’s and even Ambulances in search of their own version of America. Here’s to them.

Have A Cup Of Joe

In small towns across the US dedicated to ranching, farming, and mining people aren’t just going to walk up to you and tell you their life stories. Simple observation won’t tell you their stories either. Travel takes you through but you have to stop. Have a cup of Joe and talk to people. Get to know them over time.

Sometimes Working Together…Sometimes Not…Just Like The Big Cities

Finally what I’ve found in these places are all kinds of people living and working together. In some places things are better than in others. Reasons for decline or improvement are often elusive, even to the locals. Whether it’s a mining town or a farm town.

Politics Doesn’t Make The Man or The Town

In conclusion, I am sick to death of reporters telling us politics determines whether we are red or blue. These things don’t take the measure of the people who live in a town, large or small.

Coast To Coast and Back Again

Join me for Media Lies-Travel Truths-Small Town America-Bob Davis Podcast 789. Hear the sounds of some of the places I have visited over the last few years, from a hound dog in Mendocino, California to the total eclipse in Makanda Illinois, and finally overlooking the Pacific Ocean on the coast highway.

I’ve got a few stories of my own to tell.

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

Media Lies-Travel Truths-Small Town America-Bob Davis Podcast 789

Organic Work Builds Future-Business Networking-Bob Davis Podcast 778

These days you don’t often hear the question, what do you spend your time doing? For many it’s especially relevant due to disillusionment with politics. We’ll talk about it in Organic Work Builds Future-Business Networking-Bob Davis Podcast 778.

Organic Work

The concept of Organic Work is a thing. English philosopher Herbert Spencer coined the term in relation to the effort of Poles to build a nation back in the day.

Whipsaw Politics Is Exhausting

I like the term Organic Work. I think it applies to our time and to our whipsaw politics. Many of the people I know are sick of it all. Moreover they hail from all parts of the supposed ‘political spectrum‘.

All Is Not Well In American Business

I have come to the conclusion that all is not well in business in America. There are many things that don’t work as well as we think they do. In addition I believe among the armies of workers and managers at some of our big companies, there are many who don’t do much of anything.

In Our Blood?

We’re taught that capitalism and democracy are ‘in our blood’ as Americans. I submit that democracy and capitalism take work to create, and work to hang on to. I don’t think it’s anyone’s birthright. It isn’t ‘in our blood’.

Work versus Politics

If you think about it we’re building the future in the present. How are we doing? Finally over the years I have exhorted people to ‘get involved in politics if you don’t like it’. For some ‘politics’ has become their ‘work’. Have they made a difference? My questions about the effect of that involvement is most noteworthy in this podcast.

Business Networking

In conclusion my work is the business of podcasting. There are some lessons in this podcast about podcasting. More importantly in the last year I have learned a lot of lessons about life through business networking. Thanksgiving kicks off a season of family and reflection. It’s also a good time to reflect on our work, and the nature of work.

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating Of Saint Paul and Johantgen Jewelers in Crystal Minnesota

Organic Work Builds Future-Business Networking-Bob Davis Podcast 778