Best Websites for News Junkies

I’ve been interviewed a couple of times about my writing, and when asked where I get some of the weird ideas for my fiction, I often cite the news. Universally, folks seem to think that’s a weird answer, but I really do read a good bit of news, and I don’t always read it at the usual spots. Here are some of my favorites, with links for anyone interested.

Wired.com is quite an interesting site. Instead of dangling a few free stories and trying to sell a subscription for the real content, Wired has up-to-date information regarding our more and more interconnected world, and articles from the current issue are available online. This is one of the best free sites available for those who are interested in keeping up with technology as it affects our lives.

Boortz.com is the site of talk radio host Neal Boortz. This guy is amazing, and since I don’t listen every day, I like the way he has comprehensive notes on his website for each day he is on the air (and that’s most weekdays) and his staff posts some really interesting “reading assignments” which are links to current information on a variety of subjects. Neal is a somewhat conservative libertarian, so if you have strong liberal leanings, you might not like this site, but even when I disagree, this dude makes me think, and that’s something I like quite a lot.

The Buzz at AZCentral is a section devoted to offbeat news from around the country. Other sites have such stories, of course, but this one is the most comprehensive. Some of these stories are a real hoot, and others just leave you shaking your head. “Truth is stranger that fiction” is a cliché for a reason!

CNet Future Tech Blog is one part of the giant CNet site, which is one of my favorite spots. However, for anyone interested in writing science fiction, there is a real necessity to keep up with what pieces of technology are likely to become part of our lives. This site will keep you informed regarding tech, with a more practical slant than that of Wired.

I always read Peggy Noonan’s column in the Wall Street Journal online. The WSJ has a subscription they want to sell, but you can get a certain amount of content for free, and right now, Noonan’s column is part of that. She is one of the most thoughtful, best writers in journalism, so her Friday columns are a treat.

Apart from those, I often read local news, just to stay informed about local politics and so forth.