Goodbye, Paul Harvey

For the argument that there's nothing but bad news from the mass media, we had Paul Harvey.

He dug out interesting tidbits not often considered newsworthy. He latched onto scientific discoveries and embraced their promises. He celebrated triumphs of the human experience.

Paul Harvey died Saturday at the age of 90.

I remember an old journalism professor criticizing Harvey for mixing advertising with news, something Harvey said he did only for products he trusted. It always made me uncomfortable, too, but today we're seeing newspapers blur those lines themselves.

Listening to Paul Harvey's radio commentaries was always an uplifting experience, underscored by his vocal styling.

His son, Paul Harvey Jr., had taken over much of the work the past few years and has shown an effort to match his dad's enthusiasm for the news we won't likely hear anywhere else. He even has done a good job copying his style.

Thank you, Paul Harvey. It's been quite a ride.