Day 120: Sirius Weather and Emergency

My Best Guess: Get a nationwide view of what's going on overhead, from nasty storm fronts to important weather systems...Sirius Weather and Emergency makes sure you're prepared for what lies ahead!

According to Sirius: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, The Weather Channel Radio Network on SIRIUS is the place where you will get a complete picture of the weather across the United States from the #1 source for weather, The Weather Channel. Every hour you’ll hear the national weather summary plus short and long range regional forecasts, city-by-city forecasts, “Weather and your health” features and other lifestyle reports such as regional special events, golfing weather and Boat & Beach reports. When the weather is particularly severe and life threatening, the SIRIUS Weather & Emergency system activates on Channel 184. Frequently updated reports from The Weather Channel Radio Network will air giving you the latest information on a Severe Weather event. And, when there's a national emergency or an Amber Alert, the SIRIUS Emergency System is activated to bring you updated information that could be life saving. Which evacuation routes are available...where the shelters are open, word from first responders on disaster recovery planning.... and Amber Alerts from across the country are always available on channel 184.

Curt's Rebuttal: I don't have much to say here...this channel is actually pretty damn impressive. The official online description actually went on for a bit longer, but I just took the highlights...

Sample Playlist:

• You pretty much get several (I counted three) different takes from several different meteorologists about what is going on across our nation, weather-wise. Last night, for example, rain and snow was hitting the Northwest part of the country, while there were also bad snow conditions in Denver. A third primary weather spot was up in Maine (and across New Hampshirt and Vermont, too), with much white stuff getting dumped on them. It was kind of interesting to tune into this throughout the day, as I got to hear progress on how the rain was approaching, and later drenching, Seattle...how the snowstorm in Denver was scattering to the Great Plains...and how Maine continued to get dumped on. Fun random weather fact: there was dense fog in Dodge City, Kansas last night...I just liked how they picked that random city to report on.

Verdict: Unfortunately, as interesting as this was, I very seldom tune into weather reports. And while it was actually engaging to get that nation-level view of what was happening to our weather, I'd be more likely to tune into one of the city-specific channels that also covers traffic if I needed to find out anything.

Day 119: The Korean Channel

My Best Guess: Straight from Korea to your Sirius dial, get everything from classical music and top techno/dance hits, to morning talk show zaniness and hard-hitting headline news...all in the span of 15 minutes!

According to Sirius: Hit Korean music, breaking news and talk shows that cover topics Korean Americans care about.

Curt's Rebuttal: Okay, true...but there WAS classical music on there. And I still say that the trippy thing about this station was it's ability to cover ALL of those areas in just under 15 minutes.

Sample Playlist:

• Well, once again we fall into the realm of a "language barrier," here. But the neat/strange thing about this channel was that listening to it on the 20-minute drive into work gave me a quick sampler of almost every genre: love ballad, two anchorpeople reading news headlines, techno-pop, something that sounded like an interview with a lot of laughter, and strange music that sounded like filler during "station identification" on UHF TV stations. They were really hard to peg down...and the transitions between segments were sudden and unexpected.

Verdict: Going to have to pass, largely for the whole "language barrier" thing, but the format was intriguing and always kept you wondering what would be next...

Day 118: CNN En Espanol

My Best Guess: For our Spanish-speaking listeners, now you can get all of your local, national and international news from CNN...with a little latin flavor!

According to Sirius: CNN en Español provides unmatched coverage of breaking news, complemented by live reports and hard-hitting interviews. It’s all the headlines shaping our world, presented in a vibrant and compelling manner with thought-provoking insight, by a team of award-winning journalists who are internationally recognized for their experience and knowledge of Latin America.

Curt's Rebuttal: I guess that's probably a bit more accurate than what I had. But I still think it had a bit of Latin flavor...

Sample Playlist: Ah, international radio stations. For the most part, I had no idea what was being reported, but I did pick up on a bit of the following:

• In the morning drive, I was listening to news stories about the world of computing. I only know this because I heard the following words and phrases in a relatively short time frame: WinAmp, Peer-to-Peer, Internet, Microsoft
• On the ride home, I heard "Wall Street" mentioned about five or six times in a one-minute span. Guessing this was business news.
• A commercial for "Songs of Romance," featuring Celine Dion, Michael Bolton, etc. This was, frankly, a little disturbing.
• Not sure if the post-commercial discussion was still on the topic of business news, but I did hear "FedEx" and "UPS" thrown around quite a few times.

Verdict: Again, have to pass...although Latin-flavored news would likely prove to be more interesting than its English counterpart, if only I spoke the language.

Day 117: ESPN Deportes Radio

My Best Guess: Sports from south of the border, broadcast directly to your Sirius radio "en Espanol," ESPN Deportes Radio brings you the latest news on both American and Mexican sporting events

According to Sirius: ESPN Deportes Radio is your premier 24-hour sports network - completely in Spanish - featuring a variety of great talk including Sports Center. Get up-to-the-minute sports updates in Spanish every 20 minutes.

Curt's Rebuttal: Well, they did seem to mention a lot of "football," and seemed to be listing a lot of what sounded like Central and South American countries, so I'm guessing this is more than just ESPN from the U.S. translated into Spanish.

Sample Playlist

• Well, the radio only said "ESPN Deportes Radio" all day, so no idea if there were different programs going on or not. I think I heard reference to the "American League" and "baseball" on my morning drive...so they were likely talking about the latest news in steroids usage. The drive home was definitely all about boxing, though, as Mike Tyson's name kept coming up.

Verdict: Already wasn't planning on subscribing to much in the way of sports radio...so throw in a language I don't understand and I doubt I have to spell out my plans here. Also, note that the channel jumped from 161 to 181...I get the sense the journey is almost over!

Day 116: FamilyNet Radio

My Best Guess: The most blessed of Christian talk radio is assembled for your devoted listening, 24/7, on FamilyNet Radio

According to Sirius: A rich blend of family-friendly, faith-based entertainment from North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, featuring the 700 Club, CBN Newswatch and more.

Curt's Rebuttal: Actually, on my receiver, this was called The Christianity Network, or something similar. So I call shenanigans. Actually, the website looks like it lists some of the shows I listened to today, so maybe God hasn't blessed the satellites with an update yet.

Sample Playlist

• Right from the Heart, with Bryan Wright: I went to school with a Brian Wright...at least that's how I THOUGHT he spelled his name. Well...I guess I doubt this is him. Anyway, he gave us some perspective on what likely would have been going through the Virgin Mary's head during the first Christmas. All conjecture, but not without being a little interesting.
• Focus on the Family, with Dr. J. Dobson: Doctor J was interviewing a woman who was telling the tale of how she had been working at a horse ranch or something (I came into the tale late, so am filling in the blanks with my imagination) that had been visited by troubled youths. She ended up working with a homeless girl whose family had pretty much all been murdered. She saw it as her opportunity to preach the Word to her. Kind of rubbed me the wrong way a little, actually.
• The Dave Ramsey Show: Dave helped callers with financial problems, such as figuring out whether or not it was even important to build up your credit score after a couple years of deep financial trouble, assuming you weren't planning on taking out a loan ever, ever, ever again. The Lord was conspicuously absent from this show, except during the commercials, where I was continuously referred to as "The Lost" (in contrast to "The Saved"), and how the best way to save me was to play on my desire for a long life. Or something like that. If you're going to name me after a TV show, please use "Heroes." Much obliged.

Verdict: Didn't really care for this one much...my soul is doing just fine, thanks for asking.

Day 115: EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network

My Best Guess: Evangelical programming finds a home in the heavens with Sirius Satellite Radio, as the best religious programming feeds your spirit with The Word every day

According to Sirius: EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network features a daily line-up for people of all ages and backgrounds. Listeners will find content filled with hope and inspiration. The EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network offers listeners live call-in talk shows, informative teaching series, daily devotions, inspiring prayers and Church events. EWTN’s strong commitment to original, high quality programming continues to attract listeners from all faith groups.

Curt's Rebuttal: Yeah, I guess this channel is different from the prior one as it focuses a little bit more on prayer and worship than on the overall topic of religion.

Sample Playlist

• Women of Grace (LIVE): First off, I didn't hear any women on this program, which threw me. The portion of the show I got to listen to was basically a listener Q&A, with people calling in with questions on spiritual warfare (good vs. evil), how to bring repentent sinners into the fold, and the rise of the "swamp of atheism." There was a shout-out to Our Lady of Guadalupe, which was nifty, given how I learned about her yesterday.
• Catholic Answers Live: Another phone Q&A. Guess Catholics have a lot of questions going on inside their heads. This was a bit more interesting as it explored the church's seemingly conflicting stances on the death penalty and right-to-life. It also looked at the topic of "healing masses," where the afflicted are supposedly washed of their sins without a "true" confession.

Verdict: Not Catholic, not gonna bookmark it...but it was interesting hearing the Q&A given some lengthy thought.

Day 114: The Catholic Channel

My Best Guess: Start and end the day with contemporary Catholic talk radio, serving up guidance and inspiration through a variety of devotional programs for all people of Catholic faith

According to Sirius: With its modern talk format and open dialogue, The Catholic Channel focuses on Catholicism in the 21st Century, especially as it is lived in today’s world. The Catholic Channel addresses issues in the news and on the mind of the listeners, bringing a Catholic perspective to the world around us.

Curt's Rebuttal: I'm not just saying this out of fear of being struck down by lightning, but the paragraph above does a very clear and concise job of describing the channel. It sounds strangely open-minded...but I'd have to say that the programming I listened to was pretty damn open-minded and non-preachy.

Sample Playlist

• Speak Now, with Dave and Susan Konig: This was the show I started with on my morning drive, and it opened with the hosts talking about a segment called "What's the Worst Day You Ever Had," in which Susan describes a morning where she got a flat tire AND a $65 parking ticket(!!!). Later, they moved on to a fake interview with Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant. For some reason, their Plant impression sounded like an Old Jewish Man.
• Just Love: This program about ministry outreach featured an interview with a young woman who was a former nanny that became a paralegal through the help of Grace schools. Not sure if that was the full name or the proper name of the school, or what...and not sure if that transition was supposed to be a blessing or a curse.
• Across the Nation, with Bob Dunning: Bob told the story of Juan Diego and his run-in with Our Lady of Guadalupe, a supposed manifestation of the Virgin Mary. The appearance of Our Lady led to the establishment of a major Christian church just outside of Mexico City, while Juan eventually became a saint.
• Busted Halo, with Father Dave Dwyer: This show seemed to be focused on a younger audience, through its tone and flippant manner. It was pretty amusing as Father Dave had a lengthy conversation with one of the studio crew (she was Jewish) about the differences between their faiths.

Verdict: I have to say, I was very surprised. Of all the programming I listened to, there was none preaching the Catholic faith or conversion...they probably figured that anyone listening was already on their side. Instead, you just got some thoughtful and engaging talk programs. Still...as I'm not Catholic and can't see myself converting, I can't see myself turning here much. Would recommend it to Catholic friends, though.

Day 113: Sirius 1st Traffic and Weather

My Best Guess: From the Big Apple to the sunny shores of California, Sirius has the latest updates on traffic and weather that you can count on

According to Sirius: News you can truly use: Coast-to-coast weather forecasts and information, plus traffic reports for the top 20 most traffic congested metropolitan areas.

Curt's Rebuttal: Yep...pretty much covers it. Although calling out the cities as being the "most traffic congested" seems a bit insensitive.

Sample Playlist

• Well, this is a bit different. There were 10 different channels here, each delivering a four-minute traffic and weather report for various cities. No way I was going to spend an entire day with each one, given that I'd hear the exact same thing four or five times over again on the way into work, so I listened to one cycle of each. Got a little taste of eight cities on the way in, and twelve on the way back (some cities, like NYC and LA, had their own dedicated channels, while others had to share the dial with nearby towns).

Verdict: I don't spend a lot of time on the expressways of LA (I'm blessed that I only take surface roads on the way to work), so no real need to bookmark this. If I have to get somewhere downtown, though, I'll manually seek this one out...

Day 112: Road Dog Trucking Radio

My Best Guess: Keep on truckin', from coast to coast, as you and the rest of the Road Dogs out there tune in to the world's biggest trucker radio network

According to Sirius: Get in gear with the 24-hour channel just for drivers who keep America moving. It’s news, information and entertainment designed to lighten the load. Share your ride with fellow drivers and never lose the signal, whether you’re hauling cross-country or cross-town!

Curt's Rebuttal: Very impressed with what they had. I concede.

Sample Playlist

• Freewheelin': On the drive in to work today, this morning show talked a lot about the horrible winter weather covering the nation, and the importance of chaining up your tires. Apart from this, most of the show seemed to be folks calling in about bad traffic conditions across the country.
• Truckin' with the Road Dog: Kind of an all-purpose variety program from truckin' music and "blue collar" comedy, to news reports pertinent to truckers and weather reports "custom made" for truckers.

Verdict: Alas...I'm not a trucker. If I was, I'd definitely bookmark this.

Day 111: Sirius Left

My Best Guess: Gather around the Sirius radio to catch intelligent and informative liberal talk programming, from some of the biggest names on the left-side of the political spectrum

According to Sirius: Coast-to-coast liberal talk featuring outspoken, unique, and entertaining hosts like Alex Bennett, Lynn Samuels, Ed Schultz, Bill Press, Thom Hartmann, Mark Thompson and more!

Curt's Rebuttal: That's pretty weak sauce, actually...I think the right-wingers did a more impressive job of promoting themselves...

Sample Playlist:

• Thom Hartmann: Here, I got to listen to "Brunch with Bernie," what seems to be a regular segment where they bring in Senator Bernie Sanders to answer questions from callers. Now, I have no idea who this man is, but he took calls on topics ranging from making Election Day a national holiday (so people could vote), unfair credit card practices, and reducing bans on imported vehicles (which sometimes have more fuel efficiency than domestic vehicles).
• Lynn Samuels: I tell ya, if all conservatives look at liberals as being this woman, no wonder they can't stand the left side of the political spectrum. The woman was obnoxious. I tried following what she was talking about, but it was tough...something about "Sensory Processing Disorder" and "George Bush's Finest Moments."

Verdict: I prefer to listen to something a little more "middle of the road," that doesn't focus on political views that tend to mirror my own. Sorry.

Day 110: Fox News Talk

My Best Guess: All the unbiased, fair and balanced reporting you know and love from FOX News, translated into some of the best, most even-keeled interviews and talk programs on your radio dial.

According to Sirius: From the Fair & Balanced news network comes opinion, news, analysis and listener call-ins, featuring pulse-of-the-nation hosts like Bill O'Reilly, Alan Colmes, Neil Cavuto, John Gibson and more.

Curt's Rebuttal: I think I get points just for consistently nailing the "fair and balanced" line with these guys. They make it too easy.

Sample Playlist

• Brian and the Judge: Got to listen to this talk program on the drive to work, which was a lovely way to start the day. The topic? Separation of church and state vs. removal of religion from the public domain. Definitely a fair topic to discuss, but when callers pretty much take an unspoken "as long as its Christian" stance, I get irked pretty quickly. Was interesting to hear an athiest call in and support Mormonism, but if I hear anyone else refer to themselves as "pro-family," I'm gonna do some damage. Like anyone is anti-family...get real. There was also a brief bit on how the latest intelligence report on Iran's lack of nuclear capabilities was (in one expert's opinion) politically fueled nonsense, but I had to turn off the radio before that got me downright angry.
• The Alan Colmes Show: Now, this was an interesting drive home. In the studio they had the owner of the "legalized brothel," the Moonlight Bunny Ranch...as well as a young lady who works there. On the phone they had a former prostitute who now ran a website and church called HookersForJesus.net. The sparks flew quite a bit.

Verdict: The second show made think that I might actually tune in for a Jerry Springer Channel on Sirius...but I refuse to give FOX News my ears for any reason other than this experiment.

Day 109: Sirius Patriot

My Best Guess: Yeeeehaw! Let's round up the best dadgum right-wing political talk and show those tree-hugging commies what REAL democracy looks like! GO BUSH!!!

According to Sirius: Coast-to-coast conservative: SIRIUS Patriot celebrates the red, white and blue with patriotic conservatives who aren’t afraid to tell you what they think. You’ll hear Mike Church, G. Gordon Liddy, Andrew Wilkow, Cam and Company from NRA News.com, Michael Reagan, news from the U.S Military from The Pentagon Channel and more!

Curt's Rebuttal: Oops, was my liberalism showing?

Sample Playlist

• The Mike Church Show: Mike's show on the way into work dealt with home schooling vs. mandated public education. I was agreeing with the notion that public schooling may not be best for everyone, but doing it because it isn't optimal vs. doing it because it's part of the left-wing liberal agenda doesn't sit well with me. The callers to his show were also fanatical home schoolers...which was a little weird.
• Cam & Company from NRA News: The president of the NRA called in about a shooting competition that he attended. Overall, this "evening drive" program was actually interesting to listen to, and focused a little more on the lifestyle of gun owners than on the politics of ownership.

Verdict: While I do think that listening to points-of-view that are contrary to your own can be entertaining and enlightening, the morning drive made me a little sick to my stomach. Pass. Also, they can't manage to keep their station logo in the same format as all the others. Boooooo.

Day 108: ???

Well, this is an odd one. I tuned to the station, and it was hard to read the logo...looked maybe like "ABC News" or something. But all day long, it just told me where else on the Sirius dial I could go to listen to various political news. Ah, well...wasted a day...kept hoping it would eventually switch to programming.

Day 107: BBC World Service News

My Best Guess: Get the latest world news and financial headlines from one of the most respected news sources in the world, the BBC...with BBC World Service News on Sirius

According to Sirius: News is central to all BBC language services. The BBC is renowned for its accurate, up-to-the-minute reporting of events happening around the globe, and legendary for its depth of analysis and impartiality of perspective. On-the-spot coverage is delivered by the largest worldwide team of news reporters with 250 correspondents reporting from 50 bureaus. Listeners can access compelling news and current affairs coverage with programs such as World Update, Newshour, and Outlook. For more information visit www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice.

Curt's Rebuttal: Well played, BBC. Well played, indeed.

Sample Playlist

• World Briefing: We got some basic news headlines on the way in to work, such as Putin's win in the Russian Parliamentary elections and how the British teacher in Sudan, who had been jailed for letting her schoolchildren name the class teddy bear "Mohamed," had been released and sent back home. After recapping several headlines in brief, they went on to focus more in-depth on the Putin story...kind of a nice approach to the news.
• Business Daily: Toward the end of my journey to work (and after work, on the way to the gym, as well), there was a story about how a merger between a couple mining companies in Australia was making waves. Not really sure why, though...
• The World Today: Although, technically, since I was listening to this around 8pm here in LA, this might better be named "The World Tomorrow." Anyway, more news stories, this time on a one-day miner's strike in South Africa, trying to get better safety conditions, as well as how a new U.S. intelligence report on Iran concludes that not only does the Middle Eastern nation not have any nuclear weapons, they have been dismantled for some time now.

Verdict: Well, I've already got BBC Radio 1 (although it is music), so don't want to overload on my British accents (as enjoyable as that would be). Besides, I'm not really sure why the picture to the left was used by Sirius as an associated visual for this channel...it's a little creepy, actually.

Day 106: World Radio Network

My Best Guess: With the latest in Korean news, and more Seoul music than Motown, it's all Korea, all the time...on the World Radio Network!

According to Sirius: Global Voices, Diverse Views, One Station: World Radio Network (WRN) is a unique news and information network offering coverage of world events taken from partner broadcasters and not filtered through a single news organization. WRN offers listeners diverse broadcasts from: Channel Africa, Radio Canada International, Voice of Russia, Radio Romania International, Radio Australia, RTE Ireland, China Radio International, Radio New Zealand International, KBS World Radio from Korea, Israel Radio and Polish Radio External Service from Poland and many more. The range of programs from WRN’s partners include news and current affairs plus award-winning documentaries covering economics, health, the environment, arts, culture, and music; reflecting the lives and interests of “ordinary” people. All the programs on WRN are produced by English-speaking journalists and production staff. WRN comprises a new world of information - a world without borders. This is the simple and unique vision of World Radio Network. For more information visit www.wrn.org.

Curt's Rebuttal: I don't know about all that. On the drive in to work, on the drive during lunch, on the drive to the airport during work...and the drive from the airport to home three days later...all I heard was Korean Radio.

Sample Playlist

• KBS World Radio (Korea): In the morning, the channel focused more on news stories, such as December's presidential elections (I'm guessing this is South Korea we're talking about...just a hunch) and how, in the international community, Korea has "an excellent credit rating" (so it can finally get a mortgage on that split-level ranch it's had its eye on, I imagine). In the afternoon, though...it was like listening to a high school or college talk station, with countdowns on the latest dance music, as well as quick descriptions of new movies being released in theaters during the upcoming week.

Verdict: Okay, I gathered there was more than Korean radio on here...but was surprised that I didn't stumble upon many. I may tune back in every now and then as a novelty, but can't think of anything I'd bump off my Top 30 to make room for this.

Day 105: Premiere plus

My Best Guess: Um...voudriez-vous entendre des emissions de radio de Quebec? Sirius l'a avec le Premiere plus.

According to Sirius: Première plus features newscasts, magazines as well as cultural and current affairs programming in French. These include the most popular network programming from the Première Chaîne (Indicatif présent, Maisonneuve en direct, Fréquence libre, Désautels, Des idées plein la tête, Dimanche magazine, Les années lumière, Par 4 chemins) and some regional shows (C’est bien meilleur le matin from Montréal and Les arts et les autres, produced in Ontario).

Curt's Rebuttal: I had dig into my high school French, as well as an internet-based English-to-French translator for my thing, so I'd go with their description if I were you.

Sample Playlist: Now, I couldn't understand 99% of what was being said, apart from the occasional "Aujourd'hui" and "Les Etats-Unis," so I'm not really sure what was being said for the most part...but you could tell what some of the content was from their tone of voice.

• Newscasts: A very matter of fact tone...you can almost see them reading off a teleprompter.
• Reports from the Field: Take the "Newscast," have it end with saying a person's name, then switch to a totally different person, who is obviously not in the studio with the original speaker. This second person will often switch shortly to another person, who is being quoted as saying something, then back to the second person...then back to the first.
• Interview: Two people talking, very calmly, with the interviewer sounding as if they are setting up a question, and the interviewee calmly answering.
• Debate: More heated and faster talking among two or more people...often talking over one another.
• Morning Talk: Or whatever you'd call the banter that goes on between two or more co-hosts, usually associated with morning talk shows. Like a debate, with talking over each other, but much more relaxed with more laughter.

Verdict: Non.

Day 104: CBC Radio One

My Best Guess: Get all your world news with a little "north-of-the-border" flavor, as well as some unique local stories, straight from the Canadian Broadcasting Channel and Sirius Radio

According to Sirius: CBC Radio One is a place for the exchange of Canadian ideas and perspectives. CBC Radio One is known for comprehensive national and international news, award-winning documentaries and excellent programs. It offers listeners insight into Canada's cultural, social, political and regional diversity and provides a unique outlook on the world.

Curt's Rebuttal: Preach it! Sorry...having grown up in Michigan, I have a soft-spot for my Canadian brothers and sisters to the north...

Sample Playlist

• The Current: Seemed like kind of a "public affairs" program, in which they discussed (at length) the current state of the Great Lakes ecosystem, how it has been replenishing, barriers to its sustainment, and other hazards that have been endangering it. In particular, they focused on new species in the lake that weren't there 100 years ago (such as the Asian carp...aka "The Frankenfish"), as well as the danger of poisonous sediment that is currently settled at the bottom, but that can wreak toxic havoc if it gets disturbed too much and remixes with the water currents.
• CBC: The World at 6: An evening news program. Tonight, it focused on the Middle East conference held in Annapolis, and the seemingly positive outcome of a plan for peace between Israel and Palestine.

Verdict: Now, as much as I enjoy Canadians, as well as the fact that I'm still searching for a "news channel" to add (unless I just settle for NPR Now), I couldn't see me listening to this with any regularity. It was a nice novel way to spice things up for a day, though.

Day 103: NPR Talk

My Best Guess: More of the National Public Radio you love to listen to, with a focus on replays of NPR's best talk shows and interview programs.

According to Sirius: Smart conversation from coast-to-coast. Imagine a series of talk shows where listeners call in and share their views on a national platform. It’s NPR's strongest suite-talk radio coming at you as only NPR can do it. NPR Talk is a channel dedicated to bringing listeners the very best NPR talk shows.

Curt's Rebuttal: I'd like to think I matched up with the last sentence pretty good. But since most of the stuff on NPR Now was also talk programming, it's really hard for me to distinguish between the two...unless they specifically mean more "interview" style news shows.

Sample Playlist

• Diane Rehm: Most of what I heard on this interview/news program (that, incidentally, is hosted by a woman who sounds like she's 80) dealt with discussion about the current state of oil dependency in the world, including Russia's involvement in global oil developments, and the difficulty in striking a balance between energy security and climate change.
• Focus: This talk program focused on the "secret history" of cancer-causing agents in the world, especially taking note of the industrial sector's involvement in the spread of such agents (beyond just tobacco). One thing I do have to say for this program...they did paint a vivid picture simply by using the phrase "scrotal tumors in chimney sweeps." I'll never watch Mary Poppins the same way again.

Verdict: One NPR channel is enough for me, especially since I know for certain the other one carries programs I'm interested in.

Day 102: NPR Now

My Best Guess: Tune into all your favorite National Public Radio programming, from Car Talk to This American Life, as Sirius brings you a live simulcast of NPR

According to Sirius: NPR Now offers in-depth news, features, and entertainment produced and assembled by NPR specifically for SIRIUS. NPR's variety channel features Fresh Air and Marketplace, plus public radio favorites like Car Talk, Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!, Talk of the Nation, as well as new productions from independent producers and public radio stations nationwide.

Curt's Rebuttal: Damn! I got Car Talk right, and was going to mention Wait, Wait (it's my favorite NPR show), but thought for sure that This American Life would have trumped that. Then again, maybe this channel doesn't get TAL. Also...I do say it's a simulcast, but I guess there's no evidence of that being true.

Sample Playlist

• The Bryant Park Project: An NPR morning show that, today, was talking about the advantages of having a "heritage" turkey for Thanksgiving (that is, one that is genetically pure, and not industrial), as well as discussing The Rejection Collection, a book of cartoons submitted to the New Yorker that were turned away for one reason or another.
• Talk of the Nation: A news and interview show that featured the author of a book My Jewish Father's Nazi Boyhood, as well as more news on the skin cell/stem cell breakthrough, with a little Q&A behind the topic.

Verdict: I listen to several NPR podcasts through iTunes, so was immediately to drawn to this station for that fact alone. Plus, one of them happens to be the "A Block" of The Bryant Park Project, so it was cool to 1) hear that program live and 2) hear more than just the first 16 minutes of it. I did hit a roadblock, though, and discovered today that I can only bookmark a total of 30 stations. So...we have a new entry section...

The Tribe Has Spoken: Sorry Court TV Radio...I had to let you go to make room for NPR. I figure if there's a riveting court case I want to follow, I can just turn to you manually, but I doubt I would have been coming to you on a regular basis, anyway.

Day 101: CNN Headline News

My Best Guess: Okay, I have to admit...I have absolutely no idea how they're going to differentiate CNN from CNN Headline News. Not even going to venture a guess, especially since "headline news" was a little more gossipy and "Today Show"-y than regular CNN.

According to Sirius: CNN Headline News on SIRIUS is a simulcast of the television news programming featuring such widely acclaimed shows as Prime News Tonight, Showbiz Tonight, Nancy Grace and Robin & Company.

Curt's Rebuttal: Yeah, that wasn't much help. But...it's still news, I guess.

Sample Playlist

• Showbiz Tonight: So, this is what I got to listen to on my morning drive. And no, that's not a typo. I guess it was last night's program, which for some reason gets played during the morning drive on the West Coast. Weird. Anyway, this morning (last night) they were talking about celebrity pregnancies, and the danger that the paparazzi pose to them. Thrilling.
• CNN Headline News: And this was basically a simulcast of the television channel, as they continually referred to visuals I couldn't see. Today's stories included a California lawsuit aimed at toy manufacturers and retailers to help protect families against unsafe levels of paint in their products, as well as news developing on the scientific front that skin cells may be able to be used in place of embryonic stem cells.

Verdict: Well, if I'm adding a news station, it won't be this one...largely because there's a showbiz program during my morning drive. Plus, that picture to the left of the guy pointing is just creepy.

Day 100: CNN

My Best Guess: Hear top news stories from around the globe, as well as in-depth investigative reporting, from the journalistic elite of CNN

According to Sirius: CNN is the world's most trusted source for round-the-clock coverage of breaking news and home to experienced news and talk authorities like Larry King, Anderson Cooper and Wolf Blitzer. Turn to CNN throughout the day for the latest news from around the world and informed talk throughout the day and night. CNN on SIRIUS is a simulcast of the programming heard on television, so even when you can't watch shows like Wolf Blitzer Reports, Lou Dobbs Tonight and Larry King Live, you can hear them on SIRIUS.

Curt's Rebuttal: Well, isn't that fancy. Okay, they did cover the who "simulcast" thing, which is important, I guess. But I'm just damn tired, and I'll admit...I phoned it in. Besides...how much can you say about "news radio."

Sample Playlist

• CNN Newsroom: On the morning drive, I got to hear how Pakistan is still under martial law; how a Saudi rape victim was sentenced to 200 lashes for being alone with a man she wasn't related to; and a story on the cyclone that hit Bangladesh.
• Anderson Cooper 360: First, I was a little disappointed because this mainly covered the same headlines as I heard in the morning drive. Second, Anderson Cooper wasn't even on (apparently he had a stand-in today). But then a story came on about a Texas man who shot some robbers who were stealinig stuff from the home next door, and that was entertaining radio...especially when they played the 911 call he placed, and the person on the phone told him 13 times or so to absolutely, positively NOT go next door with a shotgun and take matters into his own hands.

Verdict: I really only need one news station flagged, and if nothing more interesting comes down the dial, I'll go back and bookmark this one.

Day 99: FOX News

My Best Guess: Get your news each day, fair and balanced, from one of the leaders in reporting from the four corners of the globe: FOX News

According to Sirius: Become a part of America's news phenomenon with FOX News, which puts national and international news right at your fingertips. It's all here: The O'Reilly Factor, On The Record with Greta Van Susteren, Hannity & Colmes and more.

Curt's Rebuttal: Hmm...surprised the words "fair and balanced" didn't appear in there. I like how they call it a "news phenomenon," although I have no idea what that really means...

Sample Playlist

• Happening Now: On the drive in to work, I got to hear about the "state of emergency" in Pakistan, and the world outcry against it; how travel rates this holiday season are going to be higher than expected, in spite of higher gas costs; and how Dubya was meeting with the new Prime Ministere of Japan.
• Your World, with Neil Cavuto: Here, Neil brings in Sandra Lee to talk about whether it's possible to have an enjoyable Thanksgiving with vegetarians at the table. He also discussed the story of the shady surgeon who operated on Kanye West's mom...after which she died.

Verdict: Never really been a fan of FOX News, as they're a little too right wing for me. Plus, they ended up quoting TMZ.com as a source...twice. As my friend Brad pointed out, it's a shame that more people don't realize there's a very direct connection between FOX, the news channel, and FOX the network that aired "Temptation Island" and "Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?" Pass.

Day 98: Bloomberg Radio

My Best Guess: Get up-to-the-minute reports on the current state of everything from the Dow Jones and S&P to your favorite stocks and hedge funds with the financial experts at Bloomberg Radio.

According to Sirius: In-depth coverage of international capital markets, with insight and analysis of the business of money. Bloomberg "zeros in" on business on the 0's at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 past the hour and at the top of every hour. From Wall Street to London to Tokyo, Bloomberg draws on a global news team of 1,900 reporters in 102 news bureaus worldwide to deliver up-to-the-minute coverage of financial markets from the frontlines as news happens.

Curt's Rebuttal: Alrighty. To be honest...I have no idea what a "hedge fund" even is, so you best go with their description.

Sample Playlist

• Bloomberg on the Money: My morning drive, which discussed what's troubling J.C. Penney stock, as well as why Walgreen's stock is dropping while the stock of CVS is on the rise.
• Bloomberg: The Final Word: An afternoon drive back from the Toyota client featured a riveting discussion entitled "Going Down the Credit Card Crisis Trail," featuring an honest-to-goodness professor as a guest. He may have even been a professor of ECONOMICS!

Verdict: Pass...most of the stuff was over my head, and the programming here is hardly designed to "bring people up to speed" on financial matters. It's definitely for those already well-versed in all-things money-related.

Day 97: CNBC

My Best Guess: Get the latest highlights in today's financial news straight from some of the top analysts in the business, and start making your money work harder for you, with Sirius and CNBC

According to Sirius: CNBC is the recognized global leader in business news, providing real-time financial market coverage and business information to more than 231 million households worldwide, including more than 86 million households in the United States and Canada

Curt's Rebuttal: I was going for more of a creative "selling" of the station, as opposed to a quick biographical snapshot, but guess their approach is more hard-hitting.

Sample Playlist

• The Call: This show during my morning drive covered the question of whether your money market fund was at risk. The answer: no, largely because I don't have one. This was followed by a discussion of the economic situation that Canada has found itself in. Normally, cities like Vancouver and Toronto draw in a lot of U.S. television production, but due to an unusually strong Canadian dollar and the writer's strike currently going on, their economy is being affected by a lack of production coming up from the States.
• The Millionaire Inside: The drive home featured this show, which was a one-on-one interview with Donald Trump, and his views on the state of the real estate market.

Verdict: Well, got out of the sports section a lot quicker than I thought I would...it didn't even jump out of the 120's before entering another genre. That having been said, the sports radio was probably more enticing to me than discussions of financial matters. If I suddenly start investing more, I may flag this station, but until then, will keep moving on up the dial.

Day 96: Sirius NASCAR Radio

My Best Guess: Hear your favorite drivers and teams battle it out on the track, while getting all your latest NASCAR news from the best racing source in radio, Sirius NASCAR Radio!

According to Sirius: Every race, with the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, plus multiple channels of driver-to-crew in-car audio, and everything in between, with news, information and analysis, by present and former drivers and racing insiders like Tony Stewart, Buddy Baker, Johnny Benson, Randy LaJoie, Ron Hornaday, Ricky Craven, Phil Parsons, John Andretti, Marty Snider, David Poole, John Kernan and Matt Yocum.

Curt's Rebuttal: Hell, I didn't even know there were that many drivers. I have to admit defeat on this one...I'm painfully ignorant in regards to my NASCAR knowledge.

Sample Playlist

• Driver's Seat: Listened to this show on the way to work...and the replay on the way back. Both times, the hosts seemed to be a bit all over the board in regards to what they were talking about. I think they were discussing the relative merits of Jimmy Johnson vs. Jeff Gordon, and who was likely to win the championship...Johnson (who arguably has more wins) or Gordon (who arguably has more class).
• And...that was about it. Honestly couldn't peg down a lot of what was being discussed.
  

Verdict: No way I'm bookmarking this one...although I can file away the fact that there is an entire channel dedicated to NASCAR if someone is curious about how extensive the programming on Sirius is.

Day 95: NBA Radio on Sirius

My Best Guess: From the latest basketball news, to coverage of your favorite NBA games, you need look no further than NBA Radio on Sirius for all your basketball needs. Strange that we don't have a logo or symbol in our channel icon, though (see right)!

According to Sirius: Every NBA regular season game and all the play-offs, plus behind-the-scenes access and hot hoops talk with the Sirius exclusive program, Full Court Press.

Curt's Rebuttal: Pretty much the same essential idea, I guess, although their description is a bit more colorful.

Sample Playlist

• NBA TV Simulcast: Guess it's just what's currently on the NBA TV channel (didn't know there was such a channel). This morning it focused on a recap of the weekend's Cavaliers/Clippers game, as well as a phone-in show in which people asked questions about running and managing their fantasy basketball leagues.
• Full Court Press (Replay): Heard this over lunch. A bit of discussion about the importance of balancing strong individual players with those who can work well as part of a team. They also covered highlights from Saturday's games, and gave a preview of what games to look forward to on Monday.
• NBA Game Coverage: On the ride home, got to hear some of the Hornets/Nets game.

Verdict: No thanks. Let's just say I'd be more likely to flag one of the football channels over the basketball channel. Unless it was the NCAA playoffs (and this channel is NBA, anyway).