How to get your news

I'm a political junky and a bit wonkish. I read three newspapers daily. Not cover to cover, actually, especially not cover to cover. No, each daily provides a specialty and each daily provides a different fix.

The Baltimore Sun gives me my dose of local news. I read two sections of the paper - the Maryland section and the Opinion section. I used to read the editorials, but I don't bother anymore. I do read the Letters to the Editor. The Letters section is the most read section of the newspaper. I'm interested in public opinion on local issues. Just a note, you have to read that section with a grain of salt. The editors of the Letters section have to publish a "balance" of letters. So even if they get 100 letters supporting an issue and 10 letters opposing the issue, the paper will publish 2 of each. Never the less, since it is the most read section of the paper, I read it.

I get my political news from the Washington Post. Being in the nation's capital, the Post has an advantage over other papers. The Post can get behind the scenes in that way that a hometown gal can give you the best tour of her town. And, I have to admit, it's a little gossipy. And I like that. I like it when we get a little caddy with the politicians. Also, I think the Post has the best editorial cartoonist - Tom Toles. Check out the way he draws George Bush!

Finally, I get my national and international news from the New York Times. The great thing about the Times is the in-depth coverage of the issue or event. When I haven't followed an issue, I go to the Times to get caught up. Sometimes the articles read like dissertations, but its worth it. My other favorite feature of the Times is Paul Krugman. He's an economist and his column is published on Tuesdays and Fridays. Krugman is a great columnist. Don't worry about the economist part, he writes about all sorts of stuff, and best yet, he calls Bush a liar and an idiot and then proves it. What I must object to, and if anyone with pull at the Times reads this, take note, what the hell is this Times Select crap? The website used to be 100% accessible, then one day someone decided to take some of the best features and charge you to look at them. That ended my love affair with Paul Krugman's columns, because I refuse to pay eight bucks a month to look at a website.

So that's the line-up of morning newspapers. When I want to add a little variety, I add the L.A. Times or the San Francisco Chronicle.

Recommended beverage for newspaper reading - hot coffee, light, no sugar.