Summer Doldrums-Surreal News-Truth-Podcasting In A Dream World-Podcast 726

These days it feels like we’re in the Summer Doldrums though Summer doesn’t start until June 21st. Find out why podcasters struggle with political and social commentary in today’s news flow in Summer Doldrums-Surreal News-Truth-Podcasting In A Dream World-Podcast 726.

Dream World

I call it the ‘News-Flow’. The dream world where stories flip flop almost hourly.

News Story Flip Flops

We’re having a trade war. Then we’re not. North Korea is going to make a nuclear deal. News is the deal is off. Now suddenly it’s back. Robert Mueller’s investigation will soon yield explosive results! The FBI planted a mole in the Trump campaign. Roseanne’s new comedy is a hit! Oops. It’s been cancelled. We’ll talk about it in Summer Doldrums-Surreal News-Truth-Podcasting In A Dream World-Podcast 726.

Awash In Commentary and Outrage

Moreover every screaming headline comes with analysis and commentary, predictions and counter commentary from all quarters. They’re only to happy to tell us why everyone else is right or wrong.

Is It Real? Or Is it Social Media?

Especially relevant is the feeling that all of this nonsense is building to a serious crisis. Are we all going crazy? Maybe it’s the Ambien. Or maybe the antidepressants. The full moon anyone?

Journalism or Propaganda?

What’s more advancing story lines is not journalism, it’s propaganda. Do the executives, reporters, producers and presenters understand this? Seems like all they want to do is keep people watching and clicking.

Easier To Talk About Roseanne Than The War In Syria

In conclusion maybe it is easier to talk about Roseanne’s latest fiasco, or how the Press Secretary yelled at a reporter than it is to actually cover the war in Syria. Maybe its cheaper to talk about Hollywood’s latest scandal than it is to explain why gas prices are skyrocketing.

What If?

What if all their story lines are wrong? One podcaster’s thoughts on a moonlit night at the beginning of summer.

Sponsored by Water Butler Water Purification Systems

Summer Doldrums-Surreal News-Truth-Dream World-Podcast 726

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Podcast 372

Memorial Day Weekend 2015. A midnight walk in the park, as we head into Memorial Day Weekend, 2015. As the country slows its roll for the big three-day weekend, it feels like the pace of the news is also slowing down. In the Upper Midwest, the big thing is opening the cabin, getting the RV ready to roll, and heading up to the lake. This is a weekend for putting in the dock, and establishing a ‘beach head’ for the summer. Some will be heading to state parks, others will be working, or hanging around the house. With a sense that people are slowing down for the weekend, the flow of news events also seems to be a bit stale. More stories about ‘candidates’ for presidential office, over a year away. More stories about things happening thousands of miles from the Upper Midwest. More blather about ‘Obama’, or ‘Clinton’, or ‘Jeb Bush’. In this podcast some observations from a day spent driving around the metro in gridlock traffic in search of parts – or a truck wash – for Mobile Podcast Command, visiting the ambulance supply warehouse, RV centers, and friends at various businesses around town. This driving around town thing is exhausting! After reading a thatch of news stories, taking a nap and dinner, time for coffee and a midnight walk through a deserted suburban town. Stories about summer’s and memorial day weekend’s past … the cold ones, and the hot ones. It is better to put the dock in when it is warm and sunny than it is to put it in when there is still ice floating on the lake. This year, the Upper Midwest has been lucky so far. It’s been a warm spring, and the forecast for the weekend is pretty good. Is it a good thing that there’s so much focus on Iowa for both political parties, this early? Events in other parts of the world continue, but things still don’t seem to have reached a point that requires decisions, or provokes new actions to debate. As summer comes on, it still feels like resolution on so many different news fronts will take a little longer. Maybe its a good time to pick out that summer novel. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

Podcast 352

Pacific Coast. From LA, to El Capitan State Park. Back on the road and headed to Napa, California to do a podcast with an old friend. From there, who knows? Have to be back in Minneapolis and Saint Paul on April 25th for the big shindig at the Chanhassen Dinner Theater. While the current news events beckon, once the wheels get rolling, the immediacy of today’s momentary outrage starts to fade. People getting shot by cops? Iran doesn’t like the ‘deal’? Bah. Perhaps part of the reason for that is the perfection of the Pacific Coast heading out of Los Angeles. As California faces tough choices on development, water and budget issues, the biggest concern seems to be too many people will move to the Golden State. LA projects its population to continue growing through 2050 and some claim ‘there’s nowhere to put them’. Forget for a moment California has been losing businesses due to regulation and taxation. Then there is the fact that people who live in no tax, or low tax states decry the regulation and taxes in California, and its easy to see why. Businesses are moving and incorporating in those low or no tax states, especially Texas. California doesn’t seem to care and its easy to see why. From dreamy Los Angeles and the movie set that is Santa Barbara, all the way up the coast, why wouldn’t you want to move here? Oh yeah, taxes and rules, rules, rules! While there are rough places in California, and of course poverty, and a lot of people drive Hondas or beat up Impalas, there are those beach houses in Malibu, State Street in Santa Barbara, coastal villages and the sunsets. Nowhere is the space between those on the lower end of the economic scale and those on the highest more obvious. Live from the state park at El Caspitan beach, some thoughts on the trip so far, a little ‘Californio’ history and oh yeah, a sunset. Sponsored by Autonomous Cad