Situation
From crispyneurons
Situational awareness is key to adaptivity and survival. Survival is driven by our never-ending quest for greater power and freedom. Broadly speaking, this breaks down into two broad (and overlapping) categories: political and economic power. The dynamics of the situation, the play between the holders and seekers of power, is fluid and fascinating.
[edit] Politics
A variety of sources exist that focus on political developments. Foreign Affairs offers a deep view of international events. The Wikipedia current events page is updated with daily developments. BBC News provides world news from across the pond. CNN is AOL's source of unbiased truth. I respect the reporting of the New York Times, a major New York paper with national reach. I use My Yahoo! as a customized portal for newswire reports and stock quotes.
The San Diego Union Tribune is the local rag here. An eclectic pastiche of local news is often dredged by Google News, their bots forever tirelessly scouring the situational terrain. The Mercury News chronicles the caprice of Silicon Valley. Kuro5hin is an odd libertarian cultural deathmatch. Harper's Index is a repository of bizarre statistics, updated monthly. (Unverified statistics are here.) Arts & Letters Daily publishes insightful commentary on the events of the day. Want to know how many wars are plaguing Earth right now? Find out.
Originally, Slate started life as a largely leftish culture and politics site. In more recent times, Slate has become a skeptical journal of Washington politics. The CIA keeps tabs on Earth and provides the CIA World Fact Book, an interesting glimpse into what the CIA thinks of Earth. The International Herald Tribune gives an intelligent perspective.
[edit] Economics
Wealth is the subject of endless media coverage. While BusinessWeek is the cheerleader of American capitalism, The Economist often provides a more nuanced view. Established in 1843, it claims to take part in "a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress." The Financial Times is London's ancient financial paper. Services like Bloomberg or Zillow provide different kinds of economic information, while folks like J. Bradford DeLong look for economic patterns.
