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

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

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Separate Realities-Bob Davis Podcast 820

Separate Realities-Bob Davis Podcast 820

My friend recently said these days he feels like he woke up in a separate reality. We’ll talk about why we all feel this way in Separate Realities-Bob Davis Podcast 820.

Triggers

In addition my friend said he feels like he doesn’t know his friends anymore. He has to be careful with everything he says. It’s all too easy to provoke or ‘trigger’ people into highly emotional reactions.

Media Machine

In Separate Realities-Bob Davis Podcast 820 I talk about why we feel this way. Especially relevant is a twenty-four seven media machine. Present on all different platforms, all the time.

People We Would Never Know On Social Media

Moreover we are confronted with the emotions of those we might not have thought about at all, were it not for social media.

Political Media Matrix

In contrast it isn’t the pictures of our neighbors car or kids that’s causing this experience of living in separate realities. It’s what the political and media sphere has done with digital media technology.

Confusion Reigns

As a result of this matrix of lies and half truths we are more confused and emotionally triggered than ever before.

Slaves To A Web Of Lies

Consequently we do not realize we have become slaves to politicians and their web of lies. The media is a willing servant to them.

Your Feelings Aren’t Wrong

In conclusion it’s not my role to tell people how to live or to talk about the same thing every day. If you feel like you’re living in a separate reality from say, four or five, or ten years ago, you are not wrong.

The question is what we’re going to do about it.

Sponsored by Organo Change Your Coffee Change Your Life and Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

Separate Realities-Bob Davis Podcast 820

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Conventional Wisdom-Election 2018 Follies-Podcast 764

Conventional Wisdom-Election 2018 Follies-Podcast 764

These days it always pays to wait for an outcome before you predict the future. With the confirmation of Brett Cavanaugh to the US Supreme Court we have an outcome. Now comes an avalanche of predictions about the court fight’s impact on the election. Find out why I say ignore the prognosticators in Conventional Wisdom-Election 2018 Follies-Podcast 764.

Bottom line, elections belong to the people who vote. Not tea leaves

Most noteworthy in 2018 are several US Senate Elections. Moreover scores of House elections are very close.

Blue Wave. Wait! Red Wave! No Wait! Blue Wave

What’s the media telling the American people? It’s a ‘blue’ wave fueled by young adults and women angry at the treatment of Christine Ford, nemesis of the former court nominee. Don’t like that story line? Guess what? Republican voters are seething and will go out and vote again democrats in droves. So say the story tellers.

Not Enough Data

In contrast to the nonsense being spewed by now famous political ‘scientists’ no one knows who’s actually going to vote. Polls are scanty and some shoddily conducted. Another factor is the fact that determining who will vote and why is truly an art. In other words, no one knows. It’s about time someone explains it’s hard to say what will happen on November 6th, without picking sides.

Quick! Who’s Your Congressman?

Truth is midterm voter turn out is lower than presidential years. Many people don’t even know who their congressman is. National issues don’t always drive elections. Almost all the House districts that aren’t gerrymandered are close. And somehow one national story is going to drive the results of all these elections? Are they toss ups that can go either way? Are these close races evidence of a blue wave? Find out in Conventional Wisdom-Election 2018 Follies-Podcast 764.

Coverage Of Politics In This Country is Terrible

In conclusion I am driven to do another political podcast I did not want to do. Why? Because most of what passes for political coverage in this country is terrible. Too many predictions. Lots of bias. Mostly telling both sides what they want to hear. Finally someone who tells it like it is and waits for election day to judge the outcome.

Sponsored by Water Butler Water Purification Systems and Johantgen Jewelers

Conventional Wisdom-Election 2018 Follies-Podcast 764

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