Tom Ryan Midwest's blog

by Rich Harrington
 
I’ve stopped listening to talk radio and TV.  I have found that these entertainers are really not interested in educating me, but just want to keep my ears glued to them.  The reason why they want me listening to every word varies, but you see, ears mean ratings.  Ratings mean advertisers.  And advertisers mean money.  I suspect some have real altruistic reasons to be on, but the only way to be on is by keeping people listening.   
 

by Tom Ryan
 
The media should just start publishing a nice weekly Google calendar for all of us to share: the agenda for the White House and Congress. Perhaps soon, the government will just bypass the news folks. The agenda drives the news. We anticipate the next round of debates, the next issue of the week. Once in a while an event will overtake the news but more often the White House and Capital Hill lead the news by the noses.
 

Yesterday, three friends gathered to discuss life and politics over coffee.  The subject of education swirled about the conversation richly and centrally.  So many frustrations we experience, a great deal of the oppressive feelings we feel thread to education and learning.  Humans gravitate to curiosity, which can be lethal to felines as the saying goes.  Cats aside, we wish to know who what when where why and how.

That’s probably why you’re here.  Searching for something, curious.

 Rather than reforming, should we try more forming?  Well meaning thoughtful citizens desire to reform campaign finance practices, the financial industry, energy policy, health care, housing loans, the auto industry…  The list of reform-like agenda items is exhaustive and complex, inter-related, and not just about America.

It’s inspiring to see the many angles with which people view our social and political world, here, on Facebook, Twitter, and in the reality of our coffee gatherings; the formal ones and the informal ones, too.  The informal ones are great.  Annabel’s blog talk radio sessions are informative, interactive, with callers who sound passionate about connecting.