Thank goodness for CNN

CNN radio has saved my life!

I am a big fan of the ol' Cable News Network. Though the quality of the footage may not be high-quality, they touch on topics and events I think are important and useful to know (ok, maybe they go a little too far with the election). I would watch them all the time in my apartment at school, sitting doing homework for hours with the channel blaring in the background.

However, I have graduated and moved away from school - which happens to be the only place I have ever had cable. I never had cable as a child and tried to get my fill whenever I went to friends' houses.

So how do I get my fix for news?

CNN has given me several ways to keep up with the latest and more relevant events. First of all, I keep CNN radio on my computer at almost all times, whether I'm folding laundry or checking e-mail or cooking. It's right off what's on the CNN TV show, so at times they'll say, "Look at this photo," and I'll be an idiot and turn to the computer monitor. It's nice to hear the news and even the commercials; it makes me feel like I have TV.

Next, I installed the CNN News Ticker and Alert for my desktop, so there is always a bar at the top of my computer screen with leading and latest news scrolling up. The alert pops up with breaking news every so often, and I can click on any intriguing headline and read about the issue more in-depth. You can also customize what kind of news appears on your desktop, from world news to sports to entertainment and crime and so on. For instance, I have world news and U.S. news pop up as an alert, and almost everything else on the ticker. It's wonderful.

There is nothing like feeling out of the loop. And I don't mean to say this and sound like I am a representative of CNN News. What I'm trying to say is that there are lots of ways to keep up with the news, and with such tools as these, it's hard not to be aware of what's going on in the world, whether it's through CNN TV, radio or Internet, or through any other news outlet. There's RSS, newsletters, and so much more. Find what works best for you.

I think it's important to make these small efforts to keep abreast of news (although why I think this could easily be another hub). Check out the different ways to stay on top of things; I don't think you'll be disappointed.