by brenton crozier


your daily dose of news edition

      Fading are the days that you grab for a newspaper or tune in to an old man reading a teleprompter to get your dose of daily news. Subscriptions and ratings are plummeting with mudslide-like rapidness. The Internet has shoved the dinosaurs off and taken its place on the podium of most frequented news source. Real time updates, accessibility, something to distract you from work and the right price are just a few of the reasons that news seekers have made the web their choice for a news fix and laid down paper relics and anchormen of old.

     There are many flavors of news sites to choose from, more than 36 even. The information icons including The New York Times and Fox News keep readers informed of breaking news stories, provide intelligent editorial pieces and are generally seen as reliable. Blogs have transcended basement obscurity and are now viewed as legitimate and often important news sources. But when you really need to get down to the nitty gritty, after wading through world-wide humanitarian efforts, news of armed conflicts or the state of the economy, you search for the latest on the GQ cover girl, the worst celebrity tattoos or the Florida teacher fired for brining wizardry into the classroom. For all of rthese varied news bytes, where are you going to turn?

     I’ve found exactly what you’re looking for. From funny, biting editorial to user-generated good times, I’m willing to bet the old coffee table in my garage that I have to get rid of, that you too will make these sites staples of your daily browsing regimen.  


www.asylum.com

      Asylum has bestowed the motto of “For All Mankind” on itself. I would have to emphasize the “man” aspect of that slogan. Think online Maxim with the Internet randomness you’ve come to know and love. You can indulge your concupiscence and review the 50 most memorable pin-ups, shape up with the numerous fitness columns or flex your cognitive and cultural muscles in the highbrow section. As for me, I will be in the “20 Crazy Cereals” section.


www.fark.com

      The first thing that Fark wants you to know, is that it is not a weblog, but rather a website that functions as a “news aggregator and an edited social networking news site.” Visit Fark to grab the most interesting stories of the day from worldwide news sources. You will find articles from the BBC, small town newspapers and self-proclaimed authors spouting off about something that is normally a touch incendiary and great fodder for comment battles. From the funny (an auto trader ad stating that the phone will answer “Live Fish of Indiana,” but just leave a message) to the scary (something about beef recalls). The site is broken down into both hard categories like business, sports and politics, and interest categories like amusing, obvious and asinine. Curious about the drag queen that robbed a Burger King? Yeah, it’s in there.


www.digg.com

      Completely user-generated content, Digg offers a bevy of articles on numerous topics. You’ll find a copious amount of techie-centric articles, but there is something for everyone. It’s an easy way to beat forward-happy co-workers to the punch. Participate by deciding to either Digg the article, moving it up in placement, or to hide it, obviously having the reverse affect. Is accuracy among the participant’s creed? Probably not. But more importantly, agenda and entertainment value are.

      Information is moving faster than anyone can digest it, yes even you Kobayashi, so be sure to loosen your standards of strictly factual and informative information and strap in for more “Bizare Bacon Products” and “Awesome Celebrity Mullets.” What? The stock market isn’t going anywhere. Loosen up.