What's News? The Numbers, The Words, And You

What's "News"? - the Numbers
Early this summer, a Google search told us, in .04 seconds, there were 1.8 billion sources of news. A Yahoo search told us, in .26 seconds, there were 4.1 billion sources of news. Now, in September, Google says we've "lost" 70 million sources. Yet, Yahoo shows a gain of more than 50% to 6.2 billion!

Necessarily, circumventing the constancy of flux in algorithms and debunking programming idiosyncrasies are essential 21st Century mind tools. Even so, these numbers still should snap your sensibilities to attention. If we just stopped to catch our breath, how could even this summer's "news sources" be translated into action?

If we took only 10 seconds to click and read each Google source, it would take us about 570 years to complete our News To-Do List. And Yahoo says that the news Google tells us about is less than half of what really is news. That's quite a difference. If 570 years is impractical, the more than 1,300 years Yahoo wants us to set aside is Time of Biblical proportions. Not practical for most of us - unless the Second Coming is just around the corner (which It is...but that's old news).

What's "News"? - the Words
Through Answers.com, "news" can be defined as:

∙ Information about recent events or happenings, especially as reported by newspapers, periodicals, radio, or television
∙ A presentation of such information, as in a newspaper or on a newscast
∙ New information of any kind
∙ Newsworthy material

Essentially, "news" is information which someone or something has categorized, packaged, and channeled to us as new and useful.

What's News - the Reality
Arguably, news is everywhere. It's like air. Inhale and you'll get some. Like air, news can have differing compositions. It can be supercharged and invigorate us; it can be polluted and make us ill.

Consider the partial listing of mainline "news" sources below. This incomplete listing will provide you with enough news to hyperventilate. That's neither good nor bad, it just is. Jack that up with RSS feeds, blogs from nearly anyone living (some dead), and other pseudo marvels of open communication from people who mistakenly know they are the fourth part of The Trinity, and you may become delirious - or comatose.

[delirious 1: an acute mental disturbance characterized by confused thinking and disrupted attention usually accompanied by disordered speech and hallucinations; 2: frenzied excitement (Merriam-Webster Online)]

[comatose 1: of, resembling, or affected with coma; 2. characterized by lethargic inertness; TORPID/torpid 1a: having lost motion or the power of exertion or feeling : DORMANT, NUMB; 1b: sluggish in functioning or acting; 2: lacking in energy or vigor : APATHETIC, DULL (Merriam-Webster Online)]

My News - My Reality
My news is now and into my future. My news is where I am and where I want to be. My news is anything that communicates with my now and my where. My news is anything connected to my now and my where. I want and need my communication, my connection, and I want to make my news. My family, my small business, my community, my life: my news.

Your News - Your Reality
So, make your news. Make a key lime pie, make babies, make a difference: your choices... Just don't make excuses. Make your news. Create your wave of change...TM

If we all planted five trees, what sound would the forest make?

Simplicity. Harmony. Balance. ...in NEWS, in LIFE TM

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Local News Sources
• Bay News 9
• Hernando Today
• Tampabay.com
• Tampa Tribune

Global News Sources
• ABC News
• CBS News
• CNET News
• CNN News
• Fox News
• Google News
• MSNBC News
• Reuters News
• USA Today News
• Yahoo News
• ZDNet News