Get the news—here’s how

Customized Google homepage
Every time I went on Google, I saw the link under the search bar that encouraged me to “Make it your own,” and so I decided to do just that. After clicking on the link, I discovered many items I could place on my homepage: everything from The New York Times front page to the latest trends according to InStyle Magazine. Not only could I have the BBC World News alongside CNN, but they were constantly updated to show me the most current happenings. Now, when we discuss current events in English and history class, I can raise my hand and talk about the new UN Secretary General or the latest turn in the war in Somalia. My Google homepage gives me oodles of information without having to lose study time on my next chemistry test.
Alana Folsom, 16, John Marshall HS

Blogs on politics, cities, media, travel and technology
Since I’m already on the computer as soon as I get home, browsing blogs is an easy way for me to get up-to-date news and fresh perspectives on current events. One thing I like about blogs is that they’re constantly updated. Also, the fact that there are so many different types of blogs gives me a wider scope of information. During the midterm elections, I read Wonkette (www.wonkette.com), a Washington DC-based blog about politics. I can also read about news and culture in different cities: the Laugh Factory banning the n-word following Michael Richards’ tirade (on Laist.com), Christmas lights going up on the Champs-Élysées (on Parisist.com), Columbia University’s attempt to expand into West Harlem (on Gothamist.com). The –ists are city-specific blogs that give a different take on current events than news articles because they’re more conversational and work by word-of-mouth. The people who write blogs are regular people, however witty and clever they may seem. Blogs are a little cooler, a little hipper and just more fun to read than news articles.
    Reading blogs is simple. The point of blogs is to link to each other and spread information, so once you find one, you’ll be led to others. There are blogs about the media (www.gawker.com), traveling (www.gridskipper.com), technology (www.techeblog.com), etc. Check out a few of the blogs I’ve listed, and you’ll find not only links, but also a new way to get informed.
Angela Wu, 15, Walnut HS

New York Times e-mail list
I subscribe to The New York Times headlines, which are e-mailed to my inbox. On busy days, this digest makes it really easy for me to read the news. The page is divided into different sections, including art, sports, world news and business, and a short summary follows each headline. Just by scrolling down, I can get a brief impression of what’s happening around the world—it’s a lot faster than flipping through a newspaper. If one headline catches my eye, I can also click on the link to the article on the Web site. Though I used to prefer reading physical newspapers, this service is fast, convenient and free. To sign up, go to www.nytimes.com, click on the tab at the top that says “Today’s Paper,” and type your e-mail into the text box below “Today’s Headlines Daily E-Mail.”
Tiffany Tsai, 17, Palos Verdes Peninsula HS

KPFK radio and podcasts from iTunes
I prefer listening to independent radio stations like KPFK. When my AP government teacher told me about talk show host Randi Rhodes, I thought she was talking about the former guitarist in Ozzy Osbourne’s band, Randy Rhoads. My teacher told the class how good her talk show was so I decided to listen to her by going to KPFK’s Web site and downloading one of her shows. I liked her because I felt like she was more accurate and truthful than the mainstream news shows. I also download news podcasts from iTunes like NBC Nightly News, 60 Minutes and NPR. It’s easy to put them on my iPod so I can listen to them any time I want. Since I go to a magnet school in downtown L.A., it can get pretty boring on the subway.
Tanya Vazquez, 17, Downtown Magnets HS

Los Angeles Times newspaper and Web site
To stay up-to-date with what’s going on in the world, I go to the Los Angeles Times’ Web site, latimes.com, every morning before school to check the headlines. After school I read the most important news online at latimes.com, which gets updated all day. Then I read my favorite sections of the Los Angeles Times, like the Calendar section, which has entertainment articles.
Nadine Levyfield, 16, Eagle Rock HS

National Public Radio, msn.com and happynews.com
I’m the kind of person who wants to stay informed but doesn’t want to obsess over politicians and local robberies every waking minute. I would hate to be oblivious about what is going on in the world; however, I’d rather spend my free time doing something I enjoy. To stay informed enough, I listen to NPR in the car with my mom and read MSN headlines on msn.com (which are cool because they give you a wide variety of topics other than news, like how-to articles).   
    Occasionally, I also check happynews.com, which gives you just that—only positive news. The site has articles about cancer survivors, volunteers, discoveries of new species, etc. It’s a relief compared to the heavy, bloody news you normally get from TV.
Sylvana Insua-Rieger, 15, Beverly Hills HS

CNN and Channel 11 Fox News
I watch the news in the morning before I go to school. While I’m sitting there eating breakfast, I get to learn about new things around the world. I watch CNN and Channel 11 KTTV Fox News. I like watching CNN because I get to know what’s going on around the world. I like to watch Channel 11 because I get to know what’s going on in L.A., like what’s going on with famous people and car crashes and killings.
Trayvione Travis, 17

Software upgrade leads to news upgrade
I use my Web browser to keep up with the times. I use Mozilla’s Firefox browser with an extension called Reel New Media. (To add it, go to https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox and type in Reel New Media in the "find more Adds-ons" toolbar at the bottom of the page.) It has a variety of ways to keep up with current events from all over the world, like a "TV" you can browse to watch world news channels. It also has a radio player with music and news from the BBC, ESPN and others. The most useful aspect to me is the news update that rolls all day long. Whenever I am browsing on the Internet I can click on the current news, an easy way for me to keep up with the times without having to search the Internet.
Victor Martinez, 17, Daniel Murphy Catholic HS

News from other sources in other countries
I try to read at least one article a week in The Economist magazine so I can be better informed. Although The Economist is not the easiest of reading, I like reading it because it discusses world issues and has more in-depth information than some other news sources, such as the Los Angeles Times or Fox News. I also go to the BBC Web site because sometimes the BBC offers a different outlook than the American press might present.
Sonia Jain, 14, Alverno HS (Sierra Madre)