I occasionally listen in the car just for practice.

On road trips across the US, we have heard some outrageous radio. Truly jaw dropping stuff about women and gays and minorities.

I am repeatedly tricked by the music. I'm thinking, "this station isn't that bad", then I hear one of the key words and the whole thing collapses for me.

But 99% of the time I am listening to NPR or The Loft on Sirus. The only thing religious I ever hear is that show with Krista Tippet, which I really like, and some of the DJ's on sirius play music with religious themes at times, nothing offensive.

Congratulations on your first cross-post. I hope it goes really well.

I used to listen occasionally to kind of keep tabs on what the ultraconservative religious were up to--the unnerving thing was realizing that their regular listeners actually believed what they were hearing. They had bits from "Answers in Genesis," too, which somehow made it even worse.

That's a good way to learn a language if the brother of a friend of mine is any indication, btw. He came here from Spain at 13 knowing almost no English but picked it up pretty quickly by insisting people speak only English to him and watching TONS of American TV.

were the local broadcasts. Focus has code words and try to say things in a way that their target audience will understand but won't utterly appall others. But some of those local stations and their preachers were the worst I have heard.

I am trying really hard to learn spanish, and I'm doing ok. I don't get TV right now or I would watch soap operas. But every chance I get, I speak with people. Even if they answer me in english, I respond back in spanish and tell them I want to learn.

And Duolingo is a great, free online program for a number of languages.

I am determined, senor.

I had to read that three times and it's true about the last one that laughs.

I shouldn't post sleepy. It was all meant in good humor. I have a weakness for bad puns and wordplay. :p

Seriously, the only time I turn on a radio, is when my car gets a case of the dumb and switches back to it. If I could rip out the XM and Radio functionality, I would. Problem is, the car's telematics are integrated with the climate and navigation systems.

So, basically I have a radio I'll never use, and a XM Radio advert on my dash that I can never get rid of. Maybe I should cover the button with a piece of tape or something.

This is why god created podcasts.

and whatever else I want to put ON the phone, rather than stream.

Plus audiobooks, etc.

Every major city in this state has at least one Christian radio station. Some are featured rather prominently on Right Wing Watch. But then, I have been told I am but a simple hillbilly, my opinions irreparably tainted by the backwoods boonies in which I live:

that pollutes the airwaves any day.

but only for a while.