Ever give up 'news' for a period of time?

[Earth_First]

I'm talking everything. (including democratic-underground)

I am recently returning to what is going on globally after not reading/watching/listening to a single piece of reporting since December 24th. Besides the tsunami, I knew of nothing happening worldwide, and today it hit me. I do not like it one bit. I don't understand how people can live their lives in their own little shells without knowing what occurs outside their sphere of influence. I'll comment on one thing, trying to catch up is a bit overwhelming.

This lasers at the commercial pilots story is perplexing...

[Piperay]

1. No, not everything but

I have given up all TV "news" except one half hour of national usually watch Dan Rather. I can't take the local 'news' and haven't watched it for a couple of years cause all it is is celebrity gossip and car chases. :puke:

[dhinojosa]

2. I was the same way after the election.....burned out

It happens

[CanuckAmok]

3. I sometimes work with this guy...

...and he has been in a total news blackout (self-imposed) since 1995. He's a contractor like me, and when he's not working, he lives in a very rural part of BC with no radio, internet or TV reception. The only news he gets is by word-of-mouth. He didn't know Princess Diana had died, didn't know who was President in 2000 (I told him Gore won :) ), and the only reason he knew about 9/11 is because he was on a job-site at the time, and it was sort of a hot topic for a few days.

[livinginphotographs]

4. I did for Xmas weekend.

I didn't have readily available internet access, and I thought I needed a vacation anyway.

Then I get into work on Tuesday and realize that a tsunami had wiped out SE Asia while I was vacationing in ignorance-land.

I'm wondering if I should ever take a break again.

[doc03]

5. Can't stand to watch the cable news channels since the election

I watch the local news and Dan Rather maybe a couple times a week.

[stanwyck]

6. On scuba vacations

I don't watch the news or read newspapers. Also, I gave up on cable news and CSPAN's Washington Journal after the election. I know the Bushies are out there. I just don't want to hear their pompous narrow views when I start my day.
I read the New York Times, visit DU, and watch Jon Stewart.
I have to know there are people out there who don't hate our constitution, believe in the separation of church and state, are not blood-thirsty war-mongers who are brave from the safety of their sofas, believe in science and education, and have more important values in life than the worship of money.

[Left Is Write]

7. Once. Two or three days after September 11, 2001.

From the moment I first learned what happened that morning, I had the news on every waking moment. After a couple of days, I was so overloaded and so depressed, I stopped exposing myself to news altogether. It didn't last long - a week or so, maybe - but I needed the break. I read trashy novels and watched stupid movies.