I’m listening to NPR, my favorite radio station. Greg Palast is talking with Angie Coiro…
He’s an investigative reporter.

I should say, I hate the news. I have occasionally thought I would be a great journalist, because I love to write, and I am incredibly nosy. But then I think, “I hate the news. I can’t stand to read it or to watch it”

I Do hate the news. Where do I begin?
It saddens me tremendously to hear stories of the kidnapped children. And these stories are covered daily. Every local news program interviews the parents, the boyfriend of the mother, crying and wailing. I usually feel like crying and wailing too.

Then you discover that it was one of THEM, usually the boyfriend, who has RAPED AND KILLED THE CHILD!

Great.

You know, if I could do something about it, I would. But most of the time, it’s just depressing.

Then, should there actually be a story I want to know about, I never hear enough. They tell me about 5 seconds of information. What?! WHAT?!?! Say that again! Tell me more!

But no. We are on to the next missing child, or shoplifting celebrity.

I have almost no interest in celebrities. I don’t care about Robert Downey Jr. or Britney Spears. I don’t want to know about P Diddy and J-Lo.

I want to know more about those economic statistics. Or that foreign negotiation. I’d like to know more about campaign scandals.

But They never tell you enough. And they never finish the story. Should I happen upon a story that interests me, I want to read more. I’ll go on the Internet and find out more

Why do the news people assume I am stupid and only want the 15 seconds of information they give me? I want to know where I can get more. I think that Americans deserve more respect. And I do believe we are being manipulated by people who think they can get away with it.

Greg Palast, who I had never heard of before today, apparently has written a book called The Best Democracy Money Can Buy: An Investigative Reporter Exposes the Truth about Globalization, Corporate Cons, and High Finance Fraudsters

I may just have to check it out. He has an interesting story.

I’m tired of being jerked around by the news. I wouldn’t mind having some of these stories be brought to my attention a little bit sooner.