Google Reader

I'm following six blogs from our class and two newspapers on-line. The Gazette, sports section, and The Chicago Tribune are the two newspapers.
I found Google reader to be easy to use, straight forward, convenient, and effortless. It makes it much easier to follow my fellow classmates blogs and see how they're progressing along with their blogs.
I hardly pick up a newspaper anymore, except on the weekends, but this tool has made it quicker to stay up on current events, world and local news, and sports.
When I venture onto a website and see the orange RSS symbols and if I find the website to be interesting all I have to do is click on it and add it to my Google reader on my gmail account.
This tool may be used professionally in that one can add a comment or post on the article at hand, giving their insights or impressions, then others can do the same and get a discussion going. Also, it's good practice on utilizing and practicing blogging skills and keeping current on what's important in the world or to yourself.
For me, the more I comment the more comfortable I feel at expressing my thoughts and not feeling like others will judge me since they're doing the same thing. Also, it challenges me to make my own conclusions on a topic rather than being passive and not caring. I'm taking more of an interest in what I read from columnists and speaking my mind for or against what they're saying.
Finally, I never knew there were so many tools on-line to utilize at one's expense, for free even!