Having a television installed inside a car is not a new idea. I remember seeing that kind of setup at least 15 or 20 years ago when I was a kid. Back then, the only vehicles that had televisions were minivans or high-end luxury cars such as Mercedes. I always thought it would be cool to have a TV in the car, but my parents, of course, did not share this youthful enthusiasm. They were pretty sure that the trend would be short-lived due to the increased number of accidents that were bound to occur because of distracted drivers.

Well, here it is all these years later and, far from disappearing, the trend has really taken off. Almost all minivans now come with an option for a television and DVD player in the rear passenger area. This can really be a lifesaver for parents who take their children on long road trips, as I can personally attest. Mom or Dad can just bring along a few DVDs and the kids will be occupied for hours. The peace that comes as a result of having a TV/DVD combo in the car is well worth the few hundred dollars that the option costs!

More and more luxury cars have televisions inside them now. Some owners even go one step further and have gaming systems such as PlayStation 2 or X-Box installed along with the regular TV/DVD combo. This is a very popular thing for professional athletes to do. I've read several newspaper articles that mentioned high-profile athletes who roll up to the stadium playing video games in their cars while someone else drives them. I guess if you make millions anyway, you just consider the cost of options like this to be chump change.

It's not really a surprise that high-rollers have gaming systems set up in their cars. Instead, the biggest surprise to me is how many regular cars owned by regular people now have televisions inside them. A lot of this has to do with navigation systems. Almost all navigation systems run from maps that are contained on DVDs, which in turn are displayed to the driver on a television monitor. It is just an easy step to go from watching your vehicle's progress on a map to watching a television program or a movie on that same screen when you are in a familiar area and don't need to follow the map (which I would say is most of the time).

I've noticed many cars with TVs right up in front by the driver. It makes me think of my parents' dire prediction of more accidents because of distracted drivers. I don't have a TV in the front section of my car, so I can't speak from experience here, but would people really keep their eyes on the monitor rather than on the road? I guess I could see it happening if the person were stuck in rush hour traffic that was barely moving. I just can't imagine watching TV while trying to drive at high speeds, though. I hope anyone who has a TV up front because of their navigation system has enough sense to keep their eyes on the road when they are driving!

Personally, I like having a TV in the car. Besides helping my child pass the time on long road trips, it is nice for me too when I climb in the back when my husband is driving. Then, if we are out longer than expected, I can catch the beginning of my favorite TV show or a big sporting event without having to worry about setting up the DVD recorder before we leave the house. There are plenty of conveniences associated with having a TV in the car, but there are legitimate safety concerns also. If you have a TV in your vehicle, or if you are thinking about getting one installed, please remember that safety always comes first!

Written by James Fohl

I remember quite a few years ago, lots and lots of people who weren't computer savvy and refused to put down a large amount of money for a computer system instead found out about the internet through this wonderful thing known as WebTV.

WebTV was, or rather somewhat is this little black box that connected to your television and used your phoneline to connect to the internet. You could either use the sophisticated remote to navigate through the world wide web, or you could spend an additional sum of money for a wireless keyboard.

The keyboard was well worth the extra money, because if you had just used the remote, then you were forced to use the onscreen keyboard to type in web addresses and emails, which was of course painfully slow. The keyboard, on the other hand, could be used anywhere in your living room because it was wireless, and full size.

The fun thing about WebTV was that it was not an actual computer, so you couldn't screw anything up. It was just a basic web browser with an email program that used special @webtv.com email addresses. There was no need to worry about viruses because, well first off their was no real operating system, and second you really could not download anything.

Of course, WebTV was not exactly great either, and in reality was actually pretty far from being a great product. Because it was just a internet browser, WebTV couldn't be used like a normal computer. No software titles could be installed, and the WebTV web browser could not display many plug-ins that are commonly found throughout the internet (such as Flash animastions). Because of its simplicity, many WebTV users were 'flamed' if they participated in online message boards because of the assumption that all WebTV users were stupid. Still WebTV was very simple to use for non-tech savvy users, and a cheap alternative way of accessing the internet without a regular computer.

I am still sad however that it seems WebTV no longer exists in the form that it was originally released in. The last I had heard of the famous WebTV on television was a few years ago, right after Microsoft purchased the WebTV company, and was selling the units for around fifty dollars.

Today, a visit to www.webtv.com will take you to a Microsoft page that tries to sell you the MSN TV, a $199 gadget, that is pretty much a cheap Windows computer that uses the Intel Celeron processor, and Microsoft's own CE operating system. Not only is the gadget expensive, but the service plan rates are pretty high too.

To me, it is very unfortunate that Microsoft bought out WebTV and turned such a great successful device into one that nobody wants, or has heard of anymore. Although the days of WebTV have come to a past, I believe that I will never forget going over to my relatives and browsing the internet on their television set using WebTV.

Why is it every show I get into ends up getting canceled? Or just as I finally find a show it seems to end for the season and of course only do the reruns in between?

I recently found out one of my favorite shows, "Summerland" won't be coming back in the following season like I thought. They left it open and all, I really wanted to see certain things happen with the characters. I fell in love with those people in that show, I cried with them and even laughed. I got mad at decisions they made and happy when I thought things were going the way I believed they should. In the end I was so hooked I couldn't believe it was the last one but I thought that's okay because I'll watch it when it comes back on.

I watched as Ava first became a mother of her sister's children after a horrible accident. Pulling the three kids out of their lives and into her life. They were country people and suddenly thrust into the beach life. I can't imagine the changes they would've really went through if it were true. I watched as she struggled to raise the three, one teen, preteen and a young one, I think he was 8 or 9. Most parents start from scratch but they are normally infants, not many start off with those ages and being a mom myself I knew she would have obstacles.

Ava was already living with three close friends, two men and a woman, they'd been together throughout many years and now they were adding three children into it all. Ava currently had what looked and seemed like the love of her life but they could never stay together and when they seemed to be connecting something else would happen. Finally he left the show and she started dating eventually, the youngest was torn when he had left as he finally had a dad (again) and now he too was leaving his life. Ava started dating someone else, which Derrick the youngest became really attached to. Just as she is finally going to marry the boyfriend the old ex pops back up, long story short the fiance ends up telling her he can't marry her. Such a happy and sad moment at the same time. Ava is just left standing there. I would really like to see the next few episodes and see what happens with the kids and if Ava will end up with her first boyfriend. Granted that's just the romantic in me but hey, can ya blame me?

Isn't it funny how shows do that? They get you so hooked and then they just end. Or you get so into them that when they finally do end you don't know what to do, it's like saying goodbye to an old friend.

Written by James Fohl

Have you ever wondered what those red, yellow, and white plugs were on the back of your television, DVD, VCR, or video game system? Most people either call them RCA plugs, or composite plugs, but that is about the extent of the knowledge of what those plugs are.

Generally, the three plugs can either be used as input or output, and they are each supposed to have a specific function. The yellow cable carries a video signal, while the red and white cables carry the left and right channels of sound. But did you know that the plugs are also used in many other many ways and have a nice history to go along with them?

RCA Jacks / Plugs Have A Long History Starting In The Early 1970's

First off, RCA plugs (what they will be called from this point fourth in this article) first came about in the early 1970's when they were introduced by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) as a replacement cable for older input output plugs. The RCA plug than became popular as it was used to connect phonograph and cassette players to stereo speakers.

Later on, RCA plugs were eventually adopted in every electronic product that required either audio or video input / output plugs. For a vast amount of time, RCA plugs reigned supreme because of its (at the time) high quality output / input, as well as its low cost.

The major problem with RCA plugs, is the fact that a plug can only utilize one wire, therefore every channel of audio requires its own RCA plug. This is why there are two RCA plugs for audio, and one for video. If you have a system with both input and output capabilities, then you are going to have a big mess of cables lying around.

The RCA Jacks Were Not Made To Handle High Quality Video

Another major problem with RCA plugs is the fact, that while audio is split into different channels, video is enclosed in one sole cable. While the single video plug is great for VCRs and video game systems, users looking for high quality output from their DVD player are going to find themselves a little bit disapointed.This is the major reason why most DVD players today come equipped with S-Video output. S-Video is much more sophisticated, and advanced than composite RCA video.


While video RCA plugs have pretty much taken a backseat to S-video and other technologies, RCA plugs are still the number one choice for audio input and output. Besides for audio and video, RCA plugs have been adopted for a wide variety of different uses including used as a power cable for some electronics, and as a way to transfer voice communications.


So the next time you are looking at those red, yellow and white plugs, think about how widespread their usage is, and try to just imagine what this world would be if RCA (Radio Corporation of America) had not invented the plugs back in the early 1970's.

Written by James Fohl

Last week when I unplugged my television cable in order to install my new VCR, I did not take the time to plug the television cable back in. This week, the television cable is still not plugged in, yet it seems that I am still using the television everyday to play video games and watch either DVD or VHS movies. I guess the only reason I still have cable is the fact that I need a subscription to cable television in order to get cable internet which I also use everyday.

Cable television is expensive; let's just face it. It is much more expensive than satellite television, and the price of it just keeps going up, while its main competition (satellite) is going down. To me, I really don't understand why on Earth the price of cable keeps going up, when all the quality programming seems to be fading away.

It seems like years, and years ago, you could turn the TV any day, any time of the week and find something actually worth watching. Today however, it seems that when I turn the television on at night the only thing I am able to find are reality TV shows based on some really stupid concepts.

What exactly is the deal with all these reality shows? I can understand one or two, but there are tons and tons of them. It is simply getting so ridiculous, that just about everybody on the street now has his or her own reality television show. Do some people have to watch a television show, just to know how they are supposed to go about with their daily life? While I am in the barber shop, or just on a street corner, I always find some people who share my perspective on the reality TV show situation, however these same people will still continue to watch the reality shows just to keep up with them.

All the major television networks are devoting airtime to assorted reality shows because simply put, that is exactly what people seem to want to watch. My simple question is why? Really, look at some of these reality TV shows, there is one about plumbers, one about repomen; it's getting some what ridiculous.

Perhaps one of the reasons why the television networks keep making new reality shows is the fact that people continue to watch them. I understand some people love these shows to death, but why are so many people watching them? Personally, I think that everyone is watching all of these reality television shows because there is nothing else to watch on TV.

We all thought that reality television was just a phase five years ago, but it its appearing to be much more than a phase, as it does not seem to be going away anytime soon. Sure other television shows exist, however great number of them are getting cancelled after airing only a few short episodes and getting replaced with new reality shows.

When will so-called normal television come back? I wish I could answer that, but until they stop plugging ads for the various reality TV shows on the air, I think I will keep my television cable unplugged, and watch movies instead.

Although I am calling this a list of the 10 best chick flicks out on DVD, I am torn about the use of the term "chick flick." I have my own criteria for what constitutes a "chick flick." I use it here to mean a movie that women will love, a movie that has a lot of heart, a movie that is uplifting to women, and a movie that sends a valuable message about what it means to be a woman.
Here are 10 of my very favorite "Chick Flicks" of all time, all available on DVD:
1. BRIDGET JONES' DIARY (2001)
Bridget Jones' Diary, a light-hearted comedy starring Renee Zellweger, is often credited with starting the "Chick Flick" movie phenomenon. I'm not sure if this is necessarily true, but I can tell you that this film has all of the classic elements of a true chick flick. The heroine, Bridget Jones, is a single woman who is struggling with career problems, dating problems, family problems and weight problems, not necessarily in that order. She is crazy about the bad boy, a cad whom Hugh Grant plays as if he knows where he's coming from. She has a love-hate relationship with Mark Darcy, played by the dreamy Collin Firth. Mark Darcy is the handsome but nerdy guy who anyone but Bridget can see is absolutely perfect for her. In the end, Bridget gets the guy, gets the job, and her family problems are resolved. The message of this movie that I absolutely love is that, in the end, Bridget seems to come to terms with her weight, and to love herself, as Mark Darcy and the rest of us do, just as she is.
2. CRIMES OF THE HEART (1986)
Crimes of the Heart is my very favorite kind of movie and is one I can watch again and again and again. Based on Beth Henley's award-winning play, Crimes of the Heart stars Jessica Lange, Diane Keaton and Sissy Spacek. Crimes of the Heart tells the story of three sisters, Lenny (Keaton), Meg (Lange) and Becky, nicknamed "Babe" (Spacek) who come together to support each other when Babe is accused of attempted murder after shooting her husband. Although the movie has an underlying dramatic theme, it is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange and Sissy Spacek all give amazing performances as the McGrath sisters, still scarred in their adulthood by the death of their mother, who hung herself and the family cat when they were just young girls. Tess Harper, as the women's cousin and Lenny's next-door neighbor, Chick, is absolutely hilarious. I'm also here to tell you that the fact that my all-time favorite actor/playwright, the amazingly handsome Sam Shepard, has a major role in the film as "Doc," Meg's old flame, does absolutely nothing to hurt this film. The movie's heartful and hopeful message: In the end, one of the most valuable and under-appreciated aspects of life is the sisterhood of women.
3. WHEN HARRY MET SALLY (1989)
When Harry Met Sally tells the story of two, long-time best friends, Harry, played by Billy Crystal, and Sally, played by Meg Ryan. The screenplay, written by Nora Ephron, is both funny and touching. The subplot involving the relationship between their two best friends, played by Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby, is sweet and funny, too. The movie was directed by Rob Reiner and follows Harry's and Sally's friendship as it develops from their first meeting at the end of college, through broken relationships for both of them, until their eventual realization that they are perfect for each other. The messages I love from this film: The perfect love you keep searching for may be right there in your own backyard, the best love grows from friendship, and there is nothing better than someone who makes you laugh.
4. MY BEST FRIENDS' WEDDING (1997)
Julia Roberts and Dermot Mulroney star in this film about best friends that did NOT fall in love. However, when Dermot's character Michael falls in love with Kimberly (Cameron Diaz) and wants Julia Roberts' character, Julianne, to come to the wedding, Julianne begins to wonder if, perhaps, Michael was the one who got away. She finds it difficult to let go of the man who has adored her since the two met in college and enlists the aid of her dear friend Rupert Everett to try to get Michael back. Rupert Everett's performance is stand out. The movie is one laugh after another, especially any scene including Rupert Everett. In the end, we are left not quite sure whether Julianne realizes that she didn't really love Michael in the first place, but had a moment of panic, or whether she comes to accept that, sometimes in life, a missed opportunity is missed forever. The message I took from this film: Sometimes in life there are mistakes that just cannot be fixed, so don't let the moment pass, thinking you can always come back to it when you are ready.
5. 13 GOING ON 30 (2004)
Jennifer Garner stars in this charmingly fantastic film about a young girl who wishes she could skip the awkward teenage years and go right into a sophisticated adulthood. Hailed by some as a female version of Tom Hanks' "Big," this film is so much more. Garner channels her inner child with exquisite and joyful precision, and Mark Ruffalo is the perfect childhood sweetheart and grown-up true love. I saw this movie twice in its opening weekend alone. The messages that kept me coming back are the same messages that are in many other chick flicks, but I found it conveyed perfectly in this film: Your best friend just may be your one true love, and that geeky guy next door just might grow up to look like Mark Ruffalo. *Sigh*
6. BEACHES (1988)
Gary Marshall directed, and Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey star, in this classic film about the enduring friendship of women, from childhood through adulthood. Although it definitely has its funny moments, this film is a heartwarming drama that follows the friendship of funny and outrageous CC (Bette Midler) and classy and sophisticated Hillary (Barbara Hershey) from their first meeting as young girls on an East Coast beach, under the boardwalk in Atlantic City, to a West Coast beach house on the California coast 30 years later. The women's friendship weathers ups and downs and endures despite their polar opposite personalities. The film closely follows the book, written by Iris Rainer Dart. This film's message: The reasons two women become best friends are often indecipherable. But, once they do become true friends, their friendship will be loyal, enduring and forever.
7. WAITING TO EXHALE (1995)
A terrific ensemble cast makes this film shine. Angela Bassett, Whitney Houston, Loretta Devine and Lela Rochon star as four long-time best friends struggling to find perfect happiness and true love. Angela Bassett's opening scenes are classic. As in most really great chick flicks, the four friends find that true love lies in the most unexpected of places. The women's enduring friendship gives them the love, support and security for which they've been searching. My favorite messages in this film: (1) Men are sometimes just not worth the trouble; (2) Even in the best case, they are dessert, not the main course; and (3) In the end, you have to learn to depend on yourself first, before you can relax and depend on anyone else.
8. MURIEL'S WEDDING (1995)
Before there was Bridget Jones, there was Australia's Muriel. Muriel (Toni Colette) is another single heroine trying to come to terms with dating, relationships, friendships, body image, family and career. Muriel is the classic misfit, a socially inept and overweight ABBA fan who just can't seem to fit in, no matter how hard she tries. Muriel moves to the big city with her new best friend and fellow ABBA lover, Rachel Griffiths, and copes with her inadequacies by hiding in a fantasy life in which she is smart, beautiful, charming, successful and completely irresistible to men. The favorite message that I took from this amazing film: Not only do you have to learn to love yourself as you are, you have to trust and expect that others deserving of your love and friendship will as well.
9. NEVER BEEN KISSED (1999)
Drew Barrymore shines as Josie, the still-nerdy but successful grown-up journalist who gets the chance to relive her high school days and become the popularity queen she never was. If you were ever the unpopular girl (or boy) in school, who always thought the grass was greener on the other side, this movie will touch your heart. Michael Vartan is dreamy as the handsome, sensitive, high school English teacher who captures Josie Grossie's heart. David Arquette is fabulously funny as Josie's ever-popular older brother. I could watch the final scene at the baseball stadium over and over again and I have. My favorite message from this movie: When you learn to appreciate and love yourself just as you are, that's when you truly begin to grow and become the very best person you can be.
10. PRACTICAL MAGIC (1998)
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman play two orphaned sisters raised by their eccentric, spell-casting aunts. Both sisters struggle to escape tragic pasts, each in her own way, and eventually come to terms with who (and what) they are. The film does an excellent job of capturing the magic and whimsicality of Alice Hoffman's novel. Despite the pervasiveness of magic in their lives, the heroines struggle with the same issues most women do, including overcoming insecurities, drawing boundaries and learning to trust again. The message of this film that I most love, taken straight from the final lines of the book: "Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder. Keep rosemary by your garden gate. Plant lavender for luck. Fall in love whenever you can."

Copyright (c) 2005 by Leanne Phillips

Avoid Common Mistakes to Get The Right Television for Your Home
by
Deb Powers

With five teens who each have very different tastes and viewing habits, our family has the science of buying a new television down to a fine art. One thing we've learned is that what you do BEFORE you buy your television can make a huge difference in how much you enjoy it once you get it home - or even IF you get it home. Over the years, we've made every one of these mistakes, and learned not to make it a second - or third time. Here are five things you should check before you head for the cash register with your new television.

1. How big is too big?
We've made this mistake a couple of times, I hate to admit. Before you set your heart on a 32 inch flat screen television that's on sale this week, get out your tape measure. If it's going into a wall unit, measure the space you have for it - ALL dimensions. Allow 2-3" clearance on top and sides for your new television, and make sure that there's at least 2 inches between the back of the television and the wall or back wall of the entertainment unit for ventilation.

2. How far away can you get?
If you've ever sat in the front row at the movie theater, you know how uncomfortable it can get craning your neck to see the whole screen. The bigger the television you choose, the further away from it you should sit to get the full picture. A good general rule of thumb is to allow approximately one foot from the screen for every 3 inches of screen area - 7-8 feet away for a 20-25" television, 9-10 feet away for a 27" inch screen and on up.

3. Will it fit in your car?
Seriously. Just stand in the parking lot of your local BestBuy and watch the comedic antics of folks trying to wrestle their new televisions and other home appliances into their vehicles. Before you head out the door, roll up that tape measure and tuck it in your pocket. Measure the width and depth of your trunk, or the loading space in the rear of your van or SUV. Then whip out the tape measure again to measure - not the television, but the BOX to make sure that you'll be able to load it up to take it home.

If your heart is set on a television that simply doesn't fit, check to see about delivery. It's a rare store that doesn't provide home delivery. You'll also want to have the store deliver your new television if you're opting for a high end set. If the television is damaged while YOU are transporting it home, you may be out of luck - and several hundred dollars. When the store delivers, they assume the responsibility. If the set is damaged in transit, they'll replace it.

4. Can you hook all your toys up to it?
Peek around the back of the set to be sure that you've got AV Input and Output, and Audio output, and whatever else you need to hook up your cable, satellite, compute, VCR, DVD and whatever other toys you want to hook up.

While you're at it, check to make sure you have all necessary cables and converters to get everything wired in.

5. Can you get a service contract?
Most stores offer the option of purchasing a service contract for your new television. Everyone wants to believe that their new toy will funtion properly with no problems, but trust me on this one. A good service contract is worth its weight in gold. You may not ever need it (knock on wood) but if you do, you'll be glad you invested the money.

That's it. Notice I said nothing about how to judge picture or sound quality, whether HD is better than HD ready, or the relative advantages of flat over curved screens. You can find all that info in lots of other places. These are the bare minimum necessities - because no matter how great the sound and picture are, they won't do you any good if you can't get the set home.

Written by James Fohl

Recently, major department stores, as well as assorted electronics stores have been displaying DVD recorders on sale for less than a hundred and fifty dollars. Many consumers are seeing these devices and purchasing them purely by impulse decisions, without doing any research on the units themselves.

Unfortunately the low price of these units are the only good things about these cheap DVD recorders. Most of these DVD recorders are being manufactured by unknown brand names, which are all pretty much manufactured by the Funai Corporation in China.

Funai produces some really cheap DVD players, DVD recorders, and flat screen television sets. The only problem with these units are that they are of low quality, and have relatively high failure rates.


Buggy Software In These Units Cause Distortion, Blank Images, And Ultimately Unit Failure

Besides the problem of being manufactured by a company who is plagued with assorted problems, the process of recording a television show with a DVD recorder is a somewhat sophisticated process. Unlike VCRs, which record the television programs directly onto the VHS video tape, DVD recorders must first encode the television show into the MPEG-2 format, and burn the encoded information onto the disc. Because this is done using internal software, there is a high chance of the DVD-R failing to successfully record a television program for a variety of reasons.

The number one reason for failing to successfully record a television program is due to the fact that the firmware (software) of these cheap DVD recorders is buggy, and tends to crash during the encoding process. Whenever the firmware crashes, portions of your recorded video will be pixilated, distorted, or simply not there. In worse case scenarios (that appear to occur way too frequently) the entire DVD recorder unit will freeze and not give a response of any kind, to any command whatsoever. You will have to unplug the power cable, and leave it unplugged a few seconds before plugging it back in and turning the system on in order to "unfreeze" the unit.

Besides the buggy firmware (software) that plagues these cheap DVD recorder units, other problems exist that can ultimately end up ruining the supposed ease of use that these units are supposed to provide. The first and foremost is the fact that these units are built with cheap parts, that breakdown relatively quicker than more expensive units on the market.

The Cheap Price Of These Units Should Give You A Clue Of The Cheap Quality

Because of these assorted problems, it is no wonder why these DVD recorders are priced around a hundred and fifty dollars. DVD recorders are a relatively new technology, and it will take some time before a unit priced at a hundred and fifty dollars will actually be usable, and not a pile of garbage that you will most likely return or throw away into an empty closet.

If you are really looking to purchase a DVD recorder, then the best advice anybody can give to you is to simply stay away from any units priced fewer than two hundred and fifty dollars. Two hundred fifty dollars seems to be the sweet spot for high quality DVD recorders that are manufactured under house hold brand names, such as Sony and Panasonic.

A Final Tip For Buying Any Kind Of Electronic Product

Keep in mind, that impulse buying any kind of electronics is a definite no no. If you find yourself holding something from an unknown company that is considerably cheaper than other brands, than chances are the product is not worth even half of its price. Always search the internet for reviews of electronic products before you purchase them to be sure you are getting quality products for your hard earned money.

Written by James Fohl

It seems that every time I find myself in the electronics department of a department store, I always look to see how many VCR tape decks are for sale. Upon the piles and piles of assorted DVD players, I usually only find one or two VCR decks. Sure there are a couple DVD / VCR combo decks for sale, but the fact is the number of VCR decks is declining at an alarming rate.

Before DVDs took the center stage of the media spotlight, stores carried a wide array of different VCR models. Then, after the explosion of cheap DVD players, the VCR seemed to take a backseat, as cheaper and supposedly better DVD decks took center stage.

Large Department Stores Carry Very Small Assortments Of VCR Decks

Today, as mentioned earlier in this article, stores seem to carry only one or two VCR decks, and the decks being sold are not being manufactured by household brand names, such as Panasonic or Sony. Instead the VCR units are being manufactured by cheap companies such as Emerson Electronics, and are about as feature-rich as the very first VCRs of the 1970's.

For example, an Emerson unit I looked at during a recent visit to my local Wal-Mart retailed for $49.99. This was twenty dollars more than the cheapest DVD player, yet still looked like a big pile of garbage. There were no stereo RCA inputs / outputs, only mono. This is pretty crazy for this day and age. Another major problem I found with the unit was the lack of the small LCD screen on the front of the unit. For years and years, VCRs of all brands had a front LCD that displayed the time, as well as informed the user of events that were occurring with the unit.

Today's VCR Decks Lack Features That Were Standard On Units From Ten Years Ago

Instead of the LCD, the Emerson unit had a series of LEDs that simply light up whenever the unit was turned on, recording a program, or playing a tape. The little lights do there job nicely, but they can not compare to the classic LCD screens of older units.

Even on the expensive model at Wal-Mart, manufactured by Sanyo lacked the LCD display, and also relied on the whole LED concept. On the plus side, the expensive model, which retailed for $69.99, did have stereo input / outputs. The remote sported "universal abilities with name-brand television sets" however the remote felt so cheap that I threw it in my desk, replacing it with a universal remote I purchased for $4.94.

I understand the fact that DVDs are mainstream now, but what are people supposed to do with their huge collections of VHS video tapes that they have been collecting for the last couple of decades? All VCRs will eventually wear out because of their mechanical design, and thus they will all need to be replaced. Unfortunately it is getting increasingly harder and harder to buy a feature rich VCR.

A Last Hope For VCR Fans

While standalone VCR units seem to be a dying trend, hopefully DVD / VCR combo units will continue to be manufactured so that people with large collections of VHS video tapes will not have to throw their entire collections away when their VCRs break.

These days, television often gets a bad rap as a time waster which provides mindless junk and keeps us rooted to our couches in a vegetative state. It is not television which is a bad thing, but the way we use it. It is up to us to get the good and the positive out of television. Here are 10 good things about television, proof that television is, indeed, getting a bad rap:

1. TELEVISION PROVIDES AN OUTLET FOR RELAXATION.

After a long, hard day at the office analyzing data, writing reports, taking meetings and running up and down flights of stairs to the photocopy room, television is a welcome respite from the world. Contrary to popular myth, Americans are a nation of people on the go. Despite the fact that thousands upon thousands of time-saving devices have been invented over the years, such as washing machines, automobiles, microwave ovens and computers, we have no more time to relax or to enjoy life than our ancestors did. Is that not strange, considering those devices were invented in order to make life easier and free our time up for better things? Instead, we fill the extra time with more and more work. After a rough day at the office or in a factory or out in the field, what is so wrong with flopping down on your couch to watch "The Ellen DeGeneres Show?"

2. TELEVISION PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN.

Today more than ever, television offers numerous educational programming options. The key is to fulfill your duties and responsibilities as a parent and to monitor the programs your child is watching on television. In addition to the obvious educational benefits of programs like "Sesame Street" and "Reading Rainbow," just about any good television program can provide an educational experience or life lesson for your child. Public television stations offer a number of television programs designed to be used as educational aids by teachers, or to help children with math, reading or even geography. In addition, most good prime time television shows offer life lessons and opportunities to open up discussion with your child on topics ranging from drug abuse to safe sex to the importance of family and community. After watching a television program with your child, open up a dialogue or discussion about the show's topic. Encourage your child to express his or her ideas or feelings on the topic and get your child thinking about it.

3. TELEVISION HELPS US TO KEEP CURRENT ON WORLD EVENTS.

News programs such as "The Today Show" or "The Evening News" are obvious sources of news and information on world events. However, even some of the most seemingly trivial programs can offer important insight into our culture and what is going on in the world. Shows like Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," starring Jon Stewart, offer capsulized versions of world news events to those who may not be able to stomach the dryer, more pessimistic news served up on regular news programs. The political commentary offered on "The Daily Show" inspires discussion and thought about today's issues, in addition to providing light-heartedness and laughter. Shows like the E Channel's "The Soup" provide a snapshot of today's popular culture. Although it is intended to be entertaining and humorous, it also gets us thinking about what we value in society and inspires us to give serious thought to what is going on in the world as far as pop culture is concerned.

4. TELEVISION PROVIDES COMPANIONSHIP TO THE ELDERLY AND TO SHUT-INS.

For those who are unable to get out of the house often, who are confined to a nursing home or to the hospital, or who get very few visitors, television can provide a source of comfort and companionship. Unfortunately, the United States as a whole does not place as high a value on our elderly as many other nations do. The elderly in our country often find themselves feeling cast off, unloved and unappreciated. Invalids, too, can find themselves left to their own devices while life goes on without them just outside their doors. For these people, television may be their only source of connection to the outside world. Television can become very important to the elderly as a source of entertainment when they are unable to participate in physical activities. It not only provides a connection to the rest of humanity, it can also provide them with a sense of routine, including a beginning and an ending to each day.

5. TELEVISION PROVIDES AN INEXPENSIVE SOURCE OF ENTERTAINMENT.

For those dealing with budget constraints, Friday night television and a pizza may be an affordable entertainment option. While cable television with all the bells and whistles can be very expensive, most cable companies continue to offer a relatively inexpensive basic cable option. Also, with the purchase of a nearly obsolete, but still available, antenna, it is possible to get a few basic channels without paying for cable at all. Finally, a used VCR can be picked up for next to nothing at a yard sale these days. Movie outlets such as Blockbuster and Hollywood Video continue to offer a wide selection of movies on VHS.

6. TELEVISION CAN PROVIDE A SOCIAL OUTLET.

Television gives us an excuse to get together, celebrate and have a good time. The Super Bowl is a prime example of an event which is aired on television and which has become a great social outlet. Throwing a Super Bowl party is a great way to get together with friends without much planning, expense or effort. With the Super Bowl as the main event, it is completely unnecessary to plan party activities or ice breakers. Other television shows can serve this purpose as well. For example, a popular reality television show such as The Bachelor or The Amazing Race can provide the background for a weekly get-together with friends. Super Bowl parties or other television-themed events are casual and call for casual fare, as well. The event can be a potluck, or something as simple as submarine sandwiches and chips can be served. Using a television show as the background for your event, you can throw a fun, casual party together for next to nothing.

7. TELEVISION PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE FOR RESEARCH AND INFORMATION.

If you want to plan a vacation, find out where the best golf courses are, or find a great restaurant, television is an excellent source of information. Niche television channels, such as the Travel Channel, the Golf Channel and the Food Network allow you to browse an entire world of travel, golf courses and restaurants without ever leaving your chair. Book Television provides a resource for avid book lovers who want to know what new books are out and to learn about those which might be of interest to them. By watching the authors' presentations or listening to panel discussions, a viewer will have a much better idea of whether a book might be interesting or fun to read before heading off to the library.

8. TELEVISION PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR ADULTS.

Television is not only educational for children, it is educational for adults as well. Today more than ever there are a vast number of adult education options on cable television. There are the obvious choices, of course, such as the History Channel, which provides us with the opportunity to learn about historic events and people, or the Discovery Channel, which provides us with the opportunity to learn about science and the world around us. Less obvious choices also provide us with opportunities to learn how to do things. For example, we can learn how to cook by watching the Food Network. We can get great remodeling and decorating ideas from shows such as "Trading Spaces." We can learn about fashion and how to dress less expensively by watching the Style Network. We can even learn how to win at Blackjack by watching the Travel Channel's Las Vegas specials!

9. TELEVISION PROVIDES COMMUNITY ACCESS AND EDUCATION.

Federal laws require that a portion of the television airwaves be devoted to the local, public good. Thanks to those laws, community television programming offers local groups and entertainers the opportunity to get the word out and to hone their skills and talents. Anyone with a bright idea and the proper sponsorship and/or funding can work their way into a slot on a local community television network. Local stations also offer opportunities for education in the television arts and journalism fields, as well as in technical support fields.

10. TELEVISION GIVES US INFORMATION ABOUT NEW PRODUCTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

While television advertising and commercials can be quite annoying and often interrupt our favorite television programs, they can also be very useful. Television commercials provide an easy way to learn about new products that have been invented and that may be of great value to our lives. What easier way is there to find out about improvements made to products than to catch a glimpse of them on a television commercial? You really never know when, amidst all the annoying television advertisements, you will see something that you need or that provides a solution to a problem you may have. Commercials, much like television programs themselves, are what we make of them. Use your discretion, take the good from them and discard the bad.

Copyright (c) 2005 by Leanne Phillips

Our television gaming system, which will remain un-named, has become something of a novelty in our family. This is nothing new; in fact, it began long ago, before my children were even born.

When I was in about the 7th or 8th grade, our family bought an ATARI gaming system. The year was about 1979 or 1980 and we were absolutely thrilled with Pong, Frogger, Pac Man, Adventure, and so many more. My brother and I sat for hours in front of the TV after school. Saturday morning cartoons were replaced by competitions with the ATARI set, and whenever we had friends to visit, that's what we did.

We lived in Colorado where it snowed a lot in the wintertime and we needed an indoor activity. Cable TV hadn't yet arrived in our area of town, but we thought we were so high-tech! We were some of the first people in our neighborhood to own a VCR and now this! The enjoyment of sitting in front of a television, moving a prehistoric joystick so that a small line can bat a square ball back and forth across the otherwise blank screen; well, looking back now, the fun is lost on me.

My, how things have changed; yet, how they have stayed the same! Our son saved his money and bought the anonymous gaming system just a few months ago. He, a high schooler, and our daughters, two middle schoolers, will do exactly what my brother and I did all those years ago. They compete, they cry out, they laugh, they get angry, but most of all, they have a ball together. Oddly enough, my husband recently got in on the action. We had to buy more control sticks so that the kids, Dad, and all the friends can play together at the same time. Often friends will even show up with extra TVs and extra gaming systems so they can play a big group game all at once.

Most of the games today are amazing: they look lifelike and can be quite frightening. The sporting events look and sound as if we are watching a real game and listening to real announcers. The war games look as though we are really in an abandoned building or field or forest, evading the enemy and taking shots when we can. The adventure games transport us to another time and place that may look like something out of a fantasy story, but seem real nonetheless.

These games make Pong and Pac Man seem like ancient relics. The ATARI adventure game that used to give me such a thrill was simply a dot moving through a maze on the television screen. I must confess I don't know the first thing about these new gaming systems, and I'm not sure I want to. Maybe they're a bit too real. Maybe there's something to playing a game that's just that - a game. Real life can be stressful enough without emulating in on our television screens for fun.

My question is this: what's next? Will we venture so far into virtual reality that we'll hook ourselves up to wires so we can feel a bit of pain when we're shot by enemies during gaming wars? Will we want to feel the pain of a tackle during a football game? It is difficult to imagine the games seeming more real without involving the senses other than hearing and sight. When we begin to feel, taste and smell what's happening on the television screen, I think that's when I'll have to pull the plug.

Much has been said about computers and specifically the internet being a major threat to Television and its? dominance in our lives for many decades now.

The most frequently quoted example of this threat are the widely quoted statistics that clearly show that the internet has caused people to spend less time in front of their Television sets. Actually no other medium, through the long years of Television dominance has managed this feat.

Still, the internet in general is very far from un-seating Television. Yes, people may spend more time away from Television because of it but they will always inevitably go back to their favorite seat, strategically placed somewhere infront of the tube to relax, be entertained and to catch up with the news of the day.

So if Television were a living person, he seems to have relaxed a little in terms of having to face a serious competitor or threat. But it really is not the time to relax. The internet has come up with a brand new medium that has taken the world by storm and should be taken very seriously as the most serious threat to the dominance of Television, in history.

The medium I am referring to is the blog or web log.

Blogs started humbly and innocently enough as an effective way for people online to share information. It has rapidly grown to a medium that has already dramatically changed the publishing world as we have known it over the decades. The very future of newspapers and mass media as we understand them today (not just Television) are under serious threat. And very serious threat at that.

Blogs mean that anybody with an internet connection can start publishing information to the world very cheaply. Experts are already saying that the age when a few powerful men controlled the information we received (through huge, powerful media houses) and thus were in the unique position of slanting the news to influence us in the way they wanted us to go are over.

Apart from the recent American Presidential elections where blogs featured very prominently there are dozens of other examples of the power of blogging and how it is going to take over our lives.

Probably the most dramatic example of things to come was during the recent Tsunami crisis. Long before the mainstream media caught up with the news, video footage of the havoc being caused by the disaster were already posted and being viewed online, all over the world.

So why should this be such a huge threat to Television?

Let us stick with the Tsunami example. Imagine a situation where blogs are news mediums dependent on hundreds of thousands and probably millions of people out there for information. Many of them with web cams that can easily record events as they happen and easily post the video clips on their blogs, like it happened with the Tsunami. This automatically gives them wider coverage than any other conventional media house can ever boast of.

Now it is extremely unlikely that anybody will send off a video clipping to their local Television station, just like that. But a blog is a totally different cup of tea.

Then there is the limitation of the local Television station when it comes to international reach. And the tsunami story was an international story requiring urgent international reach.

Now you can begin to start appreciating the power of the blog and just how much of a threat it really is to the future of Television.

There are numerous other advantages that internet blogs have over Television. Another one has to do with the issue of specialisation. The era of mass media programs is really gone forever. People have specific interests that they want addresses and in many cases they will differ with that of their neighbour.

This makes a blog dealing with a specific subject of interest very appealing and as a result, a very powerful medium indeed. So what would stop a blog hosting a soap or any other entertainment linked to its? subject of interest? For example a marketing blog having a captivating soap where the future of a family business hinges on their executing a family business turn around with the help of a marketing expert.

Anybody interested in marketing, Like I am would hardly spend time in front of a Television set with such entertainment available via the net.

That is how powerful blogs are becoming.

Currently the growth happening on the world wide web is all attributed to blogs. They are the driving force and actual engine of the current growth online.

Actually blogs have a lot going for them. For example they have arrived at a time when the internet is rapidly becoming a quality multi-media tool. This means that apart from written stories and text, a blog can easily store video footage, complete with sound and quality pictures.

Although the issue of bandwidth is still a nagging problem in many parts of the world, this is rapidly changing and it is very clear that we are swiftly heading to a situation where the internet will be a full multi-media tool capable of producing quality that can rival that of any Television. It really is just a matter of time.

Again, working on computer has yet another huge advantage over Television. And that is the fact that for most people these days, a computer is a work station. This means that you can actually be entertained even as you work. Already this potent combination is available online has really taken the world wide web by storm. Yahoo the site that started off as a small search engine site has recently introduced music with options where anybody can create their very own music station that specifically plays their taste in music.

This is a feature that is transforming work places across the states and all over the world. This is hardly surprising and is a taste of things to come.

If working late will not stop me accessing my favourite blog soap (it even sounds right already) then you can imagine the delight and joy that this will bring to millions the world over.

Working late has not been the only hindrance that has come between people and their entertainment. Transfers and postings to stations in other countries have also been a major hindrance. It has meant that you cannot access your Television programs at home. And even popular shows that are exported all over the world will tend to be years behind at best.

With entertainment coming through the blog, this problem is suddenly and completely wiped out.

Not to mention yet another advantage in the fact that the internet, unlike Television, is totally under the control of the surfer. With a simple click of the mouse, the surfer can move on to wherever they want and they can be very specific in their request for information and entertainment. With Television, one is limited to the number of Television stations available and their programming.

It really is difficult to predict the future with accuracy but there is little doubt that a form of online entertainment very similar to the blogs of today will in future pose the biggest threat yet to Television as we know it today.

By Kathy A. Schaeffer

From the very first sputtering of a new-fangled gadget coming to life that freshly conceived contraption called a television set, people have had a fascination with "spying on" other humans sharing the planet. Perhaps it made the populace realize that no one was alone in making mistakes; or perhaps focusing on someone else's life for a little while made their own problems and shortcomings a bit easier to deal with.

I'm not sure when our fascination of watching what other people were doing began, but it was alive and well when Allen Funt's "Candid Camera" was put on the network schedules in 1948. It must have been fun to see people in funny predicaments as our parents and grandparents laughed while thinking THEY would never be caught doing anything so embarrassing!

During the decades that followed, families gathered around the television set after dinner to hear the nightly news with newscasters like Walter Cronkite or Chet Huntley and David Brinkley. They announced the news of the day and people listened. These newscasters became like a part of the family during those years and even dinner times were planned around the nightly news.

The Huntley - Brinkley report started on NBC in late 1956 and painted a whole new face on broadcast journalism. Huntley worked from New York City and Brinkley from Washington DC and everyone knew that not until the now infamous "Good Night, David. Good Night, Chet" did people get up from watching the news.

These newscasters took the country through the Vietnam War, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and they were there when Neil Armstrong first stepped foot on the moon. Families in 1962 relied on the television news along with newspapers to keep abreast of what was happening with the Cuban Missile Crisis. The news was not immediate, but at least there was no waiting for the morning paper necessary.

Chet Huntley signed off for the final broadcast to be done with Brinkley with the words "Be patient and have courage - there will be better and happier news someday, if we work at it." That was in August of 1970.

Well, it's more than three decades later and we're still waiting for the better and happier news. What's more, we can now see things like terror attacks the moment they happen. We can see embedded reporters go off to the front lines with our troops, and we can go right into people's homes as shocking things are happening there. Has any of the curiosity from Allen Funt's day about how others live been dulled over the years? I'm not sure, let's explore.

The Good, the Bad, and the Extremely Ugly . . . There is good. In this category would comes things such as being able to flash amber alerts for missing children all across America in a matter of seconds. There is immediate warning of danger when bad weather is bearing down on a particular area. We can see a midnight mass on Christmas Eve as it is happening and we can celebrate New Years Eve at Times Square when we're actually in our pajamas and safe at home. So there are definitely some good things about live television, yes.

When cable news became popular, we were all of a sudden faced with "all news all the time" and how convenient it was! We didn't have to wait until 6:00 any longer, we could find out news the moment it was happening. What would our great grandparents say?! We were on the front lines in wars and we were in police cruisers while in the middle of a high speed chase. We were even in real courtrooms and the Perry Masons of yesterday suddenly became real attorneys with real clients dealing with real crimes.

Now enter the bad and extremely ugly. Things were taken to a new level on that clear September morning in 2001 that none of us will ever forget. We collectively, as a nation went numb. This wasn't a matter of hearing on the 6:00 news that something had happened, we saw it as it was happening (repeatedly as it turned out) and it was as horrifying seeing it each time as it was the last time. Live television was all mixed in with rewinding tapes to show the horrendous event happening countless times that morning and in the days and weeks to come.

I turned the live news on that morning just as the Pentagon attack was happening. I quickly caught up on what had already happened in New York. That was the moment at which "live television" reached its worse point for me personally because my dearest friend was in that area and for all I knew, near the Pentagon for a scheduled appointment that very moment.

I remember the time moving in slow motion and everything had a surreal air about it. Thoughts of "no, this isn't really happening, I missed something or misheard" wouldn't leave my head. Without live television that morning, I would have already gotten the "I'm fine, figured you'd be worried" call from my friend before I even knew that anything had happened. That scenario might have saved a great deal of anxiety.

But I couldn't do anything to change it at that point, and live television was part of that morning as it has been before and since. It has come much too far to think it will ever be different now. And frankly, would anyone want it to be different?

The first broadcast for television was in London in 1936. Surprisingly, by 1945 there were only nine television stations in operation and three of those were in New York City. Only seven thousand working television sets were to be found in America. Obviously America mostly found out about the end of World War II through newspapers or radio broadcasts and not the evening television news except for perhaps a few thousand families.

By the time Howdy Doody debuted in 1947 and The Ed Sullivan Show in 1948, many more people were finding ways to have televisions in their home. Also in 1948, hundreds of new station licenses were applied for and issued.

I have no plans to go through the entire history of television in this article, but I just took a moment to ponder the bumpy ride from the warm and cozy I Love Lucy and Leave It to Beaver days to seeing planes hitting buildings and thousands of people dying before our eyes.

Things were much easier when we were very young children. "Live television" then was taking time out of our busy toddler lives to ponder just how on earth those tiny people got into that box and why they were so tiny to begin with. We wondered if they ever get out and I'm sure that many of us took a peek behind the back of that box to see if we could catch some of those magical goings-on.

So to return to the original question, is live television a blessing or a curse? I guess it just depends on which time we happen to be watching. At any given moment with the cable news, we can see daring rescues, natural disasters, or mass destruction. With offerings from other cable stations, we can find out how to cook by watching someone making the same recipe as an example and we can learn "how to" do just about anything pertaining to home maintenance or crafts. We can sit down after a very demanding day and find cartoons twenty four hours a day to make us laugh. We can find out how to dress the kids for school with live weather and we know when to head for the basement if we are in the path of a tornado.

I'd have to say that given all the pros and cons, I would have to vote for live television being a definite blessing. As long as we use discretion about what we watch and allow our children to watch, there is a big world out there and being up to date with what is happening in it seems to be a very wise choice.

Written by James Fohl

It seems that whenever a new movie is being released in stores, you always seem to hear about the extras found only in the DVD edition. The problem with this is, when you ask somebody that works at the store, where the regular VHS version of the movie is, you are often surprised with the answer "Sorry, it's only on DVD."

Am I the only person left in this world who still watches VHS video tapes? I mean, sure I rent DVDs all the time, but I personally prefer the bulky video tapes over the wimpy DVDs any day.

Sure DVDs Offer Better Video and Sound, But So What?

I know.. I know.. DVDs offer better video, sound, and pretty much better everything else that can not be found on a VHS tape.. but I just like to watch movies and not have to bother being forced to watch previews for new movie releases (something becoming way too common with new DVDs today) or move throughout menus on a DVD disc so that the movie properly plays in English, with no subtitles.

Things like these make me often skip out on purchasing DVDs and going towards the budget rack at Wal-Mart to pick up another movie available on VHS for a little less than six dollars. Even though VCRs appear to be a dying trend, movie makers are still trying to squeeze every possible cent from their movies by releasing them on VHS tapes months after their DVD release, and at over one half the price of the DVD.

VHS Tapes Are 100% More Durable Than DVD Discs

Another reason why I seem to really prefer VHS tapes over DVD discs is the simple fact that I am a messy person. I really can not keep any kind of disc whether its a DVD, music CD, video game, or some other optical disc, for more than six months before the disc goes out missing in action, or is just completely scratched beyond a readable status.

VHS tapes on the other hand; I can literally keep them forever. I still have VHS tapes I bought over ten years ago sitting on my bookshelf. While the sleeve jackets that cover the tapes get a little worn out, the tapes themselves are still in excellent condition due to the rugged durability of their construction.

Sure VHS tapes have their drawbacks, most notably really slow rewind / forwarding times, but I really do not mind. They may not have the greatest picture, or even sound for that matter, but these things really do not matter much to me. What really matters to me, is the fact that if I go out and buy a movie in the VHS tape format, I will most likely still have that movie six years from now, as opposed to buying the same movie in the DVD disc format, and having the movie a good six months if I am lucky.

It Takes A While, But New Films Eventually Get Released On The VHS Video Format

Even though most new movie releases are not released on VHS video tape at the same time as being released on the DVD disc format, most movies do eventually get released in the VHS video format, and most of the time at a far less price than the DVD version. I might have to wait several months to grab a VHS video copy of a movie that was just released on DVD, but its no big deal to me, as I will continue to proudly support the VHS video format until it is impossible to find new movies on the aging format.

Television is a wonderful invention that man had invented. The word television is made of two words, i.e., Tele and Vision. Earlier the radio was popular among the people for enjoyment, getting information of some topics, and for getting first hand knowledge of current affairs, etc. But later on, TV got the popularity, because, in this very instrument we can see our favorite program, stars along with their voices, which was not possible in the radio.

Earlier there were black & white televisions available. But in the due course of time these were outdated and color televisions took their place.
Television has a vital role in today's life. As now days there are various channels, which can be seen on the television set with the help of dish antenna or through local cable operators, which are satellite channels. When there was limited channels on the television one had limited options to watch the channel and there was a lesser variety of knowledge available to him. But now with the different channels one can update his knowledge to a larger extent. As in the case of News channels we can see lot of discussions, debates and analysis of the different topics and news. In this course every politician, stars of cinema, players of different games, saints, social workers and representative of almost every section of the society is interviewed and they have to answer the questions of public, which they are not able to ask from them. In these types of interviews, one can even talk directly to the person who is interviewed by the anchors of that particular channel and can have his doubts over the issue and may clear them. While there are news analysis, which are very helpful for the persons having interest in that particular topic.

Same is the case with the discussions and debates on some current affair issues. These all programs are organized by a very good anchors which also have the full knowledge of the topics to be discussed in the interview or the discussions. It is also seen that there is a great competition among the different channels to become the most wanted among the public. In this regard they have a tendency to cast the best liked programs on their channels. Every channel keeps vigil on almost everything and if found any news to be given to the public, they do not miss the chance to be on the top to give the news. With this a common man has an advantage of getting all the News immediately after the occurrence of an event or incident.

The television is also used for the use of collecting money for victims of natural calamities like flood, earth quakes, tsunami, and famine, etc. Different channels organize different programs showing the big stars performing for the charity. This makes a huge amount for the relief of the victims. Earlier it was not possible to reach such a large number of public on same time and at different places.

These channels also use to telecast some cultural or musical events live, which we are unable to see otherwise but with the help of television we can see. It is seen that big musical shows, star nights, film award functions, big fashion shows, which different channels telecast are very much liked by the people. This is not possible for a common man to go in person to every event to see but it can be made possible through television.

One can also eye witness the big incidents, which unfortunately occurred like the death of Kalpana Chawla was witnessed by a large number of people, who was sitting to watch their heroine to come back to the earth after completing her mission but luck has to play somewhat in a other way.
Some of the news channels have the programs, which shows the criminals caught by their teams, government officers taking bribes and caught red handed by their teams and also opening some facts of the system, which are otherwise not known to the public. With these types of programs, there is a awareness of the system among general public. These programs have a great impact on the persons who are not performing their duties well or doing some wrong things while on duty like taking bribe of harassing the public. In these programs, one can call to the organizers and tell them the problem and the organizers help in overcoming the problem by their own way.

It is not there that one can get information on any one topic but one can get every field's knowledge by these news channels and can update his data bank. Current affairs, politics, sports, weather, ups and downs of the business, and national and international events, etc., are the main featured boxes on these news channels.

As we all know that there are a number of media like print media, and electronic media, etc., which, of course, play a vital role in today's life. Above all the types one most important is the TV, which has a great role to play in the society. This is due to the fact that the availability and the approachability to every being easy. If we look back for about two or three decades, then we would observe that there were limited number of channels, which contributed to the system; and the availability and approachability was also limited. But in today's world, as we all know that there are uncounted numbers of channels, which are regularly and competitively contributing to the society. There are a variety of channels like news channels, musical channels, cartoon channels, and devotional channels, etc. But the common thing in them is that they all have a social responsibility. That is to say: to make society more safe and meaningful by way of different activities in the form of programs by different channels.
If we see it from the point of view of advertisement then it is not wrong to say that it is the best mode of advertisement. Because, at same time, it is easily spread over a number of people! Earlier the companies or others have lesser opportunities to advertise their products or services or any other message they have to convey on TV, but now everyone has more options because of different channels. It will not be wrong to say that the polio drops campaign in India is almost barren without it. It is observed that every program played on different channels have a number of advertisements in between them. Earlier it used to prior to every program and there was no advertisement in between the program, but now days it is a common practice for the channels to play advertisement in between every program even in news also. This thing has its own benefits and losses as it is beneficial for the consumers in the form of awareness and variety of products and services but in other cases it is a cause of loosing interest in a program also.

It is a common trend to show the stars of different fields in each advertisement so as to impress the consumers. Along with all this the channels must keep in mind that everything should be within the limit so that these are useful for the society and not for any type of harm.
In today's world, it is observed that TV can make a person star in a night or in a day. As we see that there are a number of news channels, which are regularly interviewing persons and highlights his past and his deeds. The main aim is to come on the top among all the channels and in the due course benefit or loss may be to some other party or an individual. Like if they are highlighting very much to a criminal, murderer or rapist on their particular channel, then it is against their social responsibility and it is harmful for the society. They must not highlight these types of news or incidents, which causes problems to the society.

It is also worthy to mention that unrealistic things should be avoided to be shown on TV because the children may adopt these types of things and may try to do those things in reality and may lead to some accidents. Also for musical channels it is important to note that there should be no vulgarity in their program, which ultimately harm the society.

It is observed that TV is not merely used for entertainment but also it helps in building or shaping a society, so all the TV channels must keep in mind their social responsibility of building a better nation rather to mislead it. After all the popularity and the growth of the channels and TV program is but dependent on the society and if we are not building a good generation, we will not end up good on either side! This thing has to be kept in mind while telecasting any kind of program by all the channels.

Television, for everyone, is a medium of knowledge, entertainment or sometimes time-passing source. If we think of its existence in one's house, it has a very vital role to play for everyone residing in the home, i.e., children, adults, parents, elders, and housewives, etc. It is a very necessary household item in today's life.
For children it is a medium of entertainment and taking look of new things, which they otherwise could not be able to see actually. They usually like to see the programs, which includes cartoons, films, and sometimes animals, etc. Youngsters or adults use it as a medium of taking knowledge of current events like politics, national and international affairs, entertainment, and source of information for their studies and career. Elders use it for their time-pass and making themselves aware of the outer world. Likewise it is very useful for housewives or non-working women who have to spend a lot of their daily time in their houses, for their time-pass and entertainment.
It is generally seen that children and housewives have their pet programs to see on the television like some particular serials coming daily, weekly or some time some feature film they like. At the same time elders and the youngsters also have their pet programs to see. In some houses there is always a quarrel about watching the program of their interest, for, the TV set usually is single and there are many persons who want different things to watch at the same time (And some manufacturing companies have provided a solution to this by providing TV sets that have multiple screens and different people can watch different things at the same time!).
Children say that they have to watch their channel like cartoons, and housewives say they have to see their serials! While elders say that the only channel can be watched is the news channel! And this obviously makes a lot of disturbance in the house. To avoid these types of disturbances in the houses people generally make a agreement among the members of the family that they can divide the time of watching the television among all the family members, who interested to see the television. The time is allotted to every person and between that time the control of the television will be in the hands of the person who was allotted that time and all have to see his interest's channel or leave the room, and so on.
It is observed that when the television is introduced in the market, i.e., around its first phases, a very few people have this instrument in their houses. It was like one television in about 25 or 30 houses. Those who do not have television in their houses generally went to see some particular programs on the television in the house of those who have this instrument in their house. In villages, some people offer tea or some snacks while people come to their houses for watching the television in lieu of guest honor. On the other hand some persons get angry if someone came to their house for watching the television. But now days it is a common thing in most of the houses and there is no need to go to the houses of other people merely for watching the programs. Rather some people have more than one television in their houses, like if someone has double storied house they might have one television on every floor and in some case it is seen that every room has its own television like in hotel rooms!
At last one must keep in mind that the television should be used for the source of knowledge and entertainment and at no cost for the cause of any type of disturbance in the family. And if a family has one television set in their house and the members to watch it are more, then it should be used by adjustments and making it beneficial rather than making it a cause of misunderstanding between the family members. All the inventions of science are somehow intended for the welfare but they due to their wrong use become source of worry and sorrow for the users and people around!

In today's society, you will rarely find a home in the United States that has just a single television in it. Even a modest one-bedroom apartment usually contains two televisions - one in the living room and one in the bedroom. In bigger homes, I would not be surprised to find four or more TVs within the walls. This hasn't always been the case, of course. The relatively low cost of televisions and their central place in our culture has made them a very important home appliance. But I can remember a time in the not too distant past when even the solidly middle-class families could only afford one television.

The first real memories that I have of my family's television set are from the time when I was about 5 years old. We had a Sony Trinitron model, which was a rather large color television. Yes, back then we had to make a distinction between color or black and white televisions, since both were on the market. How do I remember our television brand so clearly? Because it was in the living room right next to the piano, which my parents made me practice for 30 minutes every single day even though I hated it. So I used to sit on the piano bench and stare at the digital clock on the television, convinced that I could get time to elapse just from sheer force of will. (Then, I learned how to open the control panel on the TV and actually change the clock, but that's a different story). The television's name was imprinted just below the clock, and the words subsequently became imprinted on my brain as I studied the TV rather than my sheet music.

Since we only had one television, my whole family had to try to agree on which programs to watch. When my father was home, it meant we watched what he wanted. My mother was a bit more democratic, however, so she usually let my brother or me choose the programming. But when it was just we kids at home, we could never decide on a mutually agreeable show. So we constantly fought over the television, and we actually came to blows a few times (not that we required much of an excuse to start hitting each other). My brother was older and bigger than me, so he usually won these fights. As a result, I rarely ever got to watch the television shows that I wanted to see the most.

Then a very fortunate thing happened, as far as I was concerned. My father took on a second job as a weekend security guard in an office building. He would work the overnight shift, which meant that nobody else would be in the building at all. He learned from other security guards that it would be ok for him to bring his own TV to watch in the guardroom as long as he completed his rounds and filled out his paperwork on time. So my father bought a new "portable" TV, which wasn't very portable at all by today's standards. The unit itself was big, bulky, and heavy, while the screen was probably only about 9 inches wide at the most. It was also black and white.

This was a significant purchase as far as my brother and I were concerned. My father would use the new TV only on the weekends, which meant that it would just be sitting idle for the other 5 days of the week. We each immediately begged for the black and white television to be kept in our own respective rooms during the week. Surprisingly, my father agreed to this; but he said that we would have to decide between ourselves how to share the TV. My brother thought the fairest way would be to have a race around the block, with the television set going to the winner as the grand prize. Of course he would say that, since he was faster than I was. I proposed a much fairer system whereby we would alternate control of the TV weekly. I would get the TV in my room one week, then my brother would get it the next week. My brother reluctantly agreed.

We followed this system for about a month. Then my brother discovered something that worked to his advantage: when I had the small black and white television in my room, I tended to stay in there and watch it. That meant that my brother had uncontested control of the big color TV, at least until my father wanted to watch something. My brother would much rather watch the big TV because it had cable channels, too. He eventually just started letting me have the black and white TV every week. It kept me out of his way and it allowed him to get his MTV and Nickelodeon fix without anyone bothering him.

So that's how I got my very first television set. I loved that old black and white unit with the plastic casing. Knowing that I could watch any show I wanted at any time I wanted gave me a real sense of independence and control. I spent many hours in front of that television, and I especially recall long summer nights staying up late to watch Cubs games when they played on the West Coast. I've had many televisions in my life since my childhood, but I will always have a special place in my heart for that first one.

Though television helps us in many ways like providing information and entertainment; still, if proper attention is not given, it may also cause some health hazards especially to the eyes. No need to tell that eyes are one of the major body parts of every living being. The efficiency of eyes leads to the efficiency of all other external body parts like hands, legs, and feet, etc. So for our daily routine work also, good eyesight is very essential. In case the eyesight gets reduced by virtue of some reason or the other there are different means to enhance it, for example contact lens, spectacles, eye surgery, and laser, etc. But a natural organ is unmatched. By getting the abovementioned means of eyesight enhancement one will have to maintain certain precautions regarding the medicine or the equipment given for enhancement. So here comes in mind the famous saying "prevention is better than cure".

Since television is a very common household thing now days, certain precautionary measures are suggested so as to avoid its ill effects on our eyes.

First is the distance: the distance between a television and a person varies in black & white and color televisions. The safe distance for a black & white TV is up to 10 to 12 feet and for color television is up to 18 to 20 feet away from the person. Anything nearer to that is harmful to our eyes. Not paying attention to this distance prescribed by the doctors is one of the main reasons in children being more prone to get their eyesight affected and, consequently, forced to wear the glasses at a very early age. We can have just a hint of the effect and the intensity of light rays coming out of a television by switching on a television in a completely dark room with no lights at all. We can easily see the television emitting very sharp light, which illuminates the dark room of its own. This light of course is not as strong as a tube light but still enough to be harmful.

The second one is blinking of eyes. This aspect holds well not only for television but for everything. If one goes on watching television without blinking eyes for longer intervals then there can be redness of eyes. So blinking provides the necessary rest and lubricant to the eyes. Further one should not watch television for more than two hours at a length. Our eyes need rest at the same time while working. This comes in the form of seeing the objects at far distant places, blinking, moving the eyeball on either sides and up and down etc. So they have a capacity of their own and if we force them to work beyond their capacity, we can harm them.

One more precaution should be taken. The color and the contrast of the screen should be such that your eyes feel comfortable while watching. That is to say it should be not very much and not very less. If we take care of these small but very important aspect then we will find that television is a very good friend, guide, tutor and more or less a family member rather than a mere household object.

Despite everything that has happened and continues to happen, Television is still the number one medium for breaking news.

There are several instances in recent times when I have received short text messages from friends referring me to a certain Television station and urging me to catch their news at a certain hour or to watch a certain talk show. I guess the same is true with many other individuals all over the world. Mobile phones with all the amazing capabilities they have still refer people to watch Television.

For a technology that made its' debut in the 1950s, Television has proved quite resilient to the introduction of other new technology. More so because Television seems to have arrived in our lives at a time that has seen rapid technological advancements unprecedented in the history of the human race.

And instead of sweeping Television aside to the periphery, Television has remained at the center of our lives and has been there to report and announce these giant technological developments.

It was on Television that we saw man land on the moon and then shortly after launch satellite communication in space.

It was on Television that we have seen the drama of many close Presidential races unfold, including the most recent historical one.

It is one Television that we saw the new era of world terrorism unfold before our very eyes as the unthinkable happen and the World Trade Center came tumbling down after two commercial passenger jets were crashed into their sides.

It seems that still, there is much for us to see and witness unfolding before our very eyes on Television.

Is this not the very reason why we keep our Televisions on in the house even when we are alone and going about our activities in other parts of the house?

Is it not because we do not want to miss any breaking news that comes up?

Interestingly although we leave our computers on, it is not for the same reason. We hardly look for breaking news when we are away from the computer.

If anything even the computer and the world wide web are constantly referring us back to Television. Take the current campaign on Television for the popular reality show, The Apprentice.

It has widely been advertised, especially on Yahoo who interrupts their free online music to remind folks to watch the show.

And there are probably many other examples.

The reign of Television in the number one spot, most of all as the most important medium we look to for breaking news, is nothing short of amazing. More so now when research clearly shows that the world wide web is the only other place folks spent more time than on watching Television. Or in other words, the web is the first medium to succeed in dragging away people from their Televisions.

Hats off to this king, he looks like he is a tough one.

The television has become a part of our family like a much-loved dog or cat. Often when we are tired from a long day, all five of us - mom, dad and three kids - will pop in a video and eat pizza in front of an old movie or Star Trek re-run. On Sunday afternoons in the fall, after church and a big lunch, we all sack out in front of whatever football game might be on. Occasionally in the mornings, we will turn on one of the morning news shows and watch whatever human interest story they are carrying, along with the day's weather.

Although the television can be a nuisance if we give it too much time in our lives, it can also be a treasured means of gaining information and staying connected with the world. While we must be the ones to stay in control of how much we or our children view and we must be selective with all the unnecessary or unpleasant programming available, we also can greatly benefit from all that the television has to offer.

In our home, we home school our children, so we have often benefited from special programs on the history channel or PBS that complement something we recently studied. Science and nature programs and channels abound, so something educational is never far away. Documentaries on great leaders, authors or political figures are common and can be a wonderful means of education. Sporting events and the Olympics would not otherwise be viewed and enjoyed if it weren't for our television.

And we solemnly remember that fateful day on September 11, 2001, when the entire family, even our young children, sat in front of the television all day with tear-stained faces and prayers on our lips. We were horrified at what we were seeing, but we couldn't not watch. We had to be there and suffer with our fellow citizens in New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania.

In recent months, our teenaged son bought an X-box, so the television has gained a whole new status in our home. Saturday afternoon in our home often finds a dozen or so teenaged boys, having lugged over their own televisions to our house, to play a corroborated version of Halo II or football. While the television is the means of play, the boys laugh, cheer, eat lots of junk food, and generally have a very wholesome, good time together. Often Dad and the younger sisters even get involved and it becomes a family affair.

There have been times when we had to turn off the television for one reason or another. Bad attitudes came from watching less-than-pleasant sit-coms or movies; arguments broke out about who was going to watch what; or there were just the times when we allowed the TV to get in the way of precious family discussions.

All in all, the television is a good thing in our lives. As with everything, there needs to be a balance. We need to be selective and wise about what we watch. We need to set boundaries and limits on our viewing time. We need to educate our children about the advertisements and untruths often shown. In the end, we simply need to treat the television as a useful appliance that we own; not one that owns us.

Written by James Fohl

It seems that in every store I go, from the local drug store to the dollar store down the road, everywhere is selling these one dollar DVDs. Chances are you have seen them; they come in a hard paper cover instead of the traditional DVD case, and sport graphics of 1950's TV shows, old movies, or cartoons that nobody has probably heard of before.

One Dollar DVDs Deliver 1950's Television, Movies, Cartoons

It's apparent that several companies are producing the discs, mainly comprising of content from the 1950's, and now discs are available with a wide variety of different materials. As mentioned before, you can grab a disc with several episodes of an old TV show from the 1950's, or a classic movie that you probably have seen on either the AMC or TCM television channels. Other discs have mixtures of different 1940's – 1950's cartoons on them.

The Digital Transfer Of The 50's Material Is Quite Good

The discs are pretty cheap, at a dollar or less each, and deliver what they promise. The transfer of the old TV shows to the digital format is actually quite good, and the people who produced the discs took time in designing the menus for the discs. All in all, the discs deliver what they promise.

But the real question is, who really wants to watch SPACE STORIES a pathetic sci-fi show from the 1950's, or episodes of I Love Lucy, when you can just turn on your television and watch them for free. The answer is, amazingly, a lot of people, as the cheap one dollar DVDs are a huge success in stores such as Wal-Mart (which retails the one dollar DVDs for a mere eighty eight cents) as well as the numerous dollar stores.

A wide variety of TV shows are appearing in the cases of the DVDs arriving in stores that will interest people. Before, I passed the dollar DVDs because to me, they were not even worth a dollar, and I would rather spend my dollar on something such as a bottle of soda, but lately I have been finding myself searching through the DVDs and have been finding TV shows such as Dragnet, All in the Family, Miami Vice, Mister Ed and other classic television shows. The discs give me a couple of episodes for a mere dollar, and I find these DVDs excellent to have for my car's DVD player when I am stuck in traffic during rush hour.

Next Time You See The DVDs, Instead Of Passing, Take A Look

The next time you pass by these displays of DVDs (as mentioned before, they are EVERYWHERE) take a look into what kind of material are on the DVDs; you might be pleasantly surprised. Even if you buy one, and it does not turn out to be good, just remember that you only spent a dollar; not five, ten or even twenty on the disc, and you can always use it as a Frisbee.

By Eliza Ferree

The school year is almost over now and you are all hurrying to get things done but do you know what's been going on with your child? Maybe you've been working late? Your child is in sports and not home much? Your teens are hanging out with their friends? You and your spouse work different hours?

I've heard married couples complain that they don't have the time to go out after work. They get irritated with each other because they don't spend time. They either work too much or have different schedules and can never catch one another.

Parents complain that their children are never home because they are out with their friends and don't come in until dinner time. Of course we all know once dinner is done it is normally bath and bed so there isn't much family time there either. If you have a child or children in sports it can get even more hectic around the house. Sure you'll have time with them as you drive them to their games or practices but you are normally watching the road.

Something that has worked here is Movie Night! Movie Night? Yes, Movie night is when you choose a night out of the week that not everyone is busy and rent movies. Some of you may decide to go out to the movies however you don't NEED to do that.

Go down to your local movie rental place and grab a few new releases from the shelf. Make sure you get something for everyone.

No this does not mean that if you have five people in the family you have to get five movies. But try going with the styles. Maybe you have two young ones, okay grab a cartoon or something pg related. My son always loved Big Daddy and it wasn't a cartoon but he'd watch it over and over and adults like it as well.

If you have someone that likes suspense shows then grab a few, one I just recently saw was Cellular and that was pretty quick paced. Course it made me wonder if cell phones were a good thing after all. I'm the type of person that really hates them, especially when someone is driving and talking on one. U-turn was another good suspense show, but this gets really freaky too.
Maybe someone likes war like or fantasy, whichever styles you should know and the movie rental will have plenty to choose from. Just remember not to get just your type. I myself am a hopeless romantic but that doesn't mean my husband is going to want to stick around for Steel Magnolias and I'm probably not going to want to watch Xmen.

Compromise or get one of each so you both can watch a movie together.

Don't forget movie night should have snack foods, popcorn, nachos or candy galore. This can be a real quick thing before a movie. Prepare it in dishes and lay it on the table in front of ya'll.

Now you are all set to watch your movie, the only thing missing is the two of you, or your family in the living room. Hurry and make it a family tradition.

Repeat Season
by Kat Yares

Another week or two and it will all over for those of us who live in the backwoods and rely on an antenna for television reception. Not only is summer coming, so is repeat season.

Where we live, we get four channels on great days, three on good days and two the rest of the time. A great day for television viewing is rainy and overcast. Good days are mostly cloudy. Any day there is not a cloud in the sky are the days when television reception is at its worst. Those days we receive only PBS and CBS, could this be because they are pushing HiDef and digital TV? I don't know, but whatever it is they are doing, I appreciate it.

Most of the time, we do get NBC; it's ABC that's the real problem. So, repeat season poses a real problem when evening rolls around and there is nothing on expect what we've already seen. Granted, some repeats are still good, Scrubs is one example - no matter how many times I see an episode, I still find myself laughing.

How do we solve this? We watch a lot of tapes and DVDs. We have huge collections of both that we have picked up at flea markets, auctions and pawn shops. Pawnshops are especially fun to shop for DVDs because generally within a week of a movie's release, you can find it there for half the retail price or less.

Or else we read, or surf the net. Anything to give us something new to fill the gray matter of our minds.

We've considered going with a satellite dish for more channels, but after last weeks five day long visit to another city and seeing what is on cable while in the motel room, it only confirmed for us that there is really nothing much worth watching going that route either. Most of the channels were showing, you guessed it, repeats from the networks. So, what's the point? It just seem like a reasonable exchange to pay $40 - $50 dollars a month, when you only allow yourself five to ten hours of television watching a week anyhow.

I will admit, sometimes I miss watching The Simpson's on Fox, and I've heard that they have had several other good shows. The same goes for the WB and for UPN.

Now, I could buy a larger, taller, more powerful antenna, but why? Until, network television comes up with 'seasonless' television programming, I'll read a book during the summer, repeat season. Or, I'll come back and write another blog entry or two.

If you turn on the television these days, you've probably noticed that the news is everywhere. Besides the fact that there are several major networks that are devoted to news, my local TV news has no qualms about breaking into the middle of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" with a breaking news story. This happens at least once a week and usually the breaking news involves a fire or a car accident. I'm not saying that these are not important news issues, but can't it wait until 5:00?

The TV news channels are the worst. Not only is the news in your face (and, unfortunately, the news is not usually good news), but then they have those banners going across the screen with information about other news tidbits. If you try to read the banner while actually listening to the news, it can get very confusing. Plus, I usually find at least one or two typos.

My parents, who are both in their late 60's, have Fox news on their television pretty much 24 hours a day. Unless there's a Yankees game on, then my dad will switch to that. But once the Yankees are over, it's right back to the news. And then I wonder why my mom is always so depressed!

I believe it is possible to become overly-saturated with the news. If I have to hear one more word about that runaway bride-- yes, the news media really beat that story to death. The vigil before the Pope's death was a little too much, too, in my opinion-- I didn't think it was necessary to have the camera honed in on his apartment window as he lay near death.

And what I really love are those filler interviews. You know what I'm talking about-- when a tragedy strikes and they'll interview Average Joe's for their opinions. I mean, with all due respect-- who cares!

I know, I know, if I feel so passionate about this subject, I can just turn the TV off, right? Of course I know that. But I just can't seem to do it. Like most of us, I need to know what's going on in the world-- I just don't need to know it 24 hours a day.

There's a war going on in my house and it doesn't involve politics, religion or money. The war is over that little battery operated gadget known as the remote control, or the clicker, as my husband likes to call it.

The clicker. That handheld device that was supposed to make our lives so much easier. I am old enough to remember a time before the clicker. We actually had to get off of our tushes and change the television channel manually. Which meant the channel did not get changed at every commercial break. That would be too much work. So back then we would sit through the Dr. Pepper and Alka Seltzer commercials, waiting for "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour" to come back on.

Nowadays, if I turn my back for one minute I'll come back to find ESPN on the tube. No matter what show I was watching, ESPN magically appears. And my husband will be sitting on the couch looking like the cat that caught the canary.

I don't mind that he switches the channel when I leave the room-- it's just that then he won't surrender control of the clicker back to me. So I miss the rest of my show while he gets to watch sports news headlines. It gives him security, I think, to man the controls like that.

It's bad enough that I have to fight with my husband to get control of the clicker, but now my four year old daughter has figured out that the remote is a pretty nifty gadget.

During the daytime hours, I usually only watch two shows-- "Live with Regis and Kelly" and "The Oprah Winfrey Show". I let my kids watch educational shows on Noggin and Nick Jr. all they want, with occasional but mandatory breaks to go outside and get some fresh air and actually ride their bikes.

So what happens during the first commercial break on "Oprah"? I'll step into the kitchen to get dinner started (just little things like chopping vegetables or thawing out the meat), only to return to find "Dora the Explorer" infiltrating the television screen . My daughter, bless her heart, will be sitting on the couch looking like the mini-cat that caught the canary.

But she's actually worse than my husband, because when I ask her where the clicker is, she says she doesn't know. I'll usually find it hidden behind a couch cushion or something, but by then "Oprah" has ended and dinner is burning.

Yes, sometimes I wish the clicker had never been invented. Sure, it makes our lives easier, but at least I'd be able to watch an entire show once in a while.

Sometimes after a long day, all I want to do is curl up in bed with a great DVD. While I love to read, there are some days that just don't have the energy. Lazing around watching my favorite DVDs is the perfect way to relax and just let myself unwind. DVDs are great because most of them are also loaded with interesting extras-- interviews, bloopers, and unused footage and deleted scenes, but my favorite DVDs are the ones that I'd watch to watch over and over again. There are very few movies good enough to watch more than once, so in my opinion, these DVDs are very special indeed.

If you're looking for an entertaining DVD or two, here is a rundown of some of my favorites. Just call these "highly recommended".

-- It's A Wonderful Life. Call me sentimental, but this classic film from 1946 is at the top of my list. Starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, this movie runs a little long, but I swear every time I watch it I catch something I hadn't seen before. If you've never seen it, you may have been living under a rock for the past few decades, but in a nutshell it's the story of a desperate man who comes to find out just how much he really has. While the main scenes are set during the Christmas season, I don't really consider this a holiday film. You can watch it in July and chills will still run down your spine at the emotional film's end.

-- Fatal Attraction. Glenn Close caused a sensation in the mid-1980's when she starred in this blockbuster hit as Alex Forrest, a psychotic woman who sets out to harass her married lover. Obsessed with making him pay for his mistakes, Close stalks her lover-- and his oblivious family. While the subject matter is far from cheery, the acting in this film by Close and costars Michael Douglas and Anne archer is absolutely superb. Every time I watch this movie I am glued to my seat. You won't want to miss a thing, so you'll have to pause the DVD for bathroom breaks.

-- Meet the Parents. This lightweight comedy is one of my favorites due to the onscreen chemistry between stars Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro. DeNiro plays the controlling father of Stiller's live in girlfriend. Stiller's character, Greg, is put through the ringer during a weekend stay with his girlfriend's family. There are some very hilarious-- and farfetched-- scenes, but this movie will do the trick if you're looking for a good comedy. The sequel to this movie, titled "Meet the Fockers" is also available on DVD. It boasts an all star cast including Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand.

-- Barefoot in the Park. An oldie but a goody, this film, based on the Neil Simon play, details the first few weeks of marriage between Paul (a newly minted lawyer) and Cory (his free spirited bride). Clever writing makes this a simply irresistible comedy. This movie stars a very young Jane Fonda and Robert Redford.

--The Brady Bunch The Complete first Season. Who says curling up with a DVD means you can only watch just movies? The DVD compilation of the classic television series, The Brady Bunch, is good comfort video. If you were a fan of this endearing comedy series form the early 1970's, you already know the premise-- an attractive widow married an attractive widower. The twist? Each of them have three children, so upon marriage they have a full house! The first season of this show seems so innocent now, featuring episodes about the measles or a missing doll. The children are all adorable (as opposed to later seasons when puberty hits and the boys all seem to have perms). This boxed set is also packed with extras like cast interviews and commentary. If you want to take a nostalgic stroll down memory lane, then this DVD is for you.

-- Sex and the City Sixth Season Part 1. Here is another boxed set of a television series, albeit it is very, very different from the sugary comedy of the Brady's. Fans of HBO's award winning series, Sex and The City, were crushed when the series ended in the winter of 2004. And no wonder! We had grown accustomed to the life and love of the series' heroine, Carrie Bradshaw (played perfectly by Sarah Jessica Parker), a New York City columnist with a penchant for men (usually the wrong ones). We lived vicariously through Carrie's love life, recognized some of those wrong guys as guys we once dated. The cast of this show was rounded out with separate storylines involving Carrie's three best friends: Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), a single mom and attorney, Charlotte (Kristin Davis), a wide eyed dreamer who, by the final season had finally found lasting love, and Samantha (Kim Cattrall), an aggressive public relations agent who, in this season is dating one of her clients, the ultra hunky Smith Jerrod (played by Jason Lewis). Out of six seasons of the series, why do I choose this one? Because it contains some of my all time favorite SATC episodes, including episodes with guests stars like Tatum O'Neal and Blair Underwood. It also contains the pivotal episode where Carrie meets the intriguing artist, Alex Petrovsky (Mikhail Baryshnikov). If you've never seen this series, be prepared for some adult language and explicit scenes.

-- About Last Night. This movie screams the 80's-- and I love it. This film stars Rob Lowe and Demi Moore as two twenty-something's who fall in love after a one night stand. But they soon find out that moving into a relationship too quickly can cause problems. Costars Jim Belushi and Elizabeth Perkins play meddling friends who disapprove of the relationship-- and do what they can to sabotage it. Backed up by a great 80's soundtrack, this movie shows the highs and lows of a relationship that seems doomed form the start.

-- A Christmas Story. Ralphie Parker (played by Peter Billingsly) only wants one thing for Christmas-- a Red Ryder bb gun. The trouble is, no one thinks it's a good idea, not even Santa Claus! Based on the writings of humorist Jean Shepard, A Christmas Story is a timeless tale of a little boy's struggles during a 1940's holiday season. Relive the past as Ralphie laments over the town bully and tries to figure out a way to convince the adults around him (patents, teachers, Santa) that he deserves the ultimate Christmas present. Especially funny is the department store Santa scene. Filled with beautiful imagery that depicts the 1940's in a snowy Indiana town, adults and children alike will laugh out loud at this movie. Features performances by Darren McGavin and Melinda Dillon.

--Willa Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This is one of those movies that I loved as a child-- even though the adult humor went right over my head. Charlie Bucket dreams of meeting the elusive chocolatier, Willy Wonka-- but Wonka's chocolate factory doors haven't been opened in years. .Then, a special contest is introduced-- five golden tickets are hidden in chocolate bars all over the world, and whoever finds them gets to spend a day at the famous chocolate factory. When Charlie Bucket finds a golden ticket, he embarks on an adventure that takes him to places who could only have dreamed about. Starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, the supporting cast of characters is phenomenal. This movie is truly a children's classic, filled with enough double entendres to keep adults entertained as well.

-- Jerry McGuire. This 1996 film starring Tom Cruise and a then unknown Renee Zellweger was the perfect date movie at the time of its release. Why? Because it had the perfect mix of sports and romance. Cruise plays Jerry McGuire, a sports agent whose career and love life are both in a shambles. When he and a dreamy eyed employee join forces to start their own agency, Jerry's life changes-- both personally and professionally. This film also features outstanding performances by Cuba Gooding Jr., who plays Jerry's loyal football playing client. This movie also has the "cute" factor-- that is, a great performance by a pint sized Jonathan Lipnicki, who plays Renee Zellweger's son. The kid is so darn cute and funny-- no wonder Jerry falls for his mother.

-- The Lost Boys. I don't usually like horror movies, but this one is an exception. Jason Patric stars as Michael, whose family (him, his brother and single mother, Lucy) move to Santa Clara to live with his eccentric grandfather. Michael and his brother soon learn that Santa Clara is home to lots of missing children and to--vampires. When Mom Lucy starts dating a strange local man, Michael and his brother get to the root of the vampire problem. This flick features great performances by Patric, and costars Corey Haim, Jamie Gertz, Kiefer Sutherland and Corey Feldman. If you love rockin' 80's music and fashions (check out some of the outfits Haim's character wears-- what was he thinking?) then you will love this movie.

I have discovered a new reason to love cable television. After many years of paying for cable television each month, only to please my husband and children, I have finally come to appreciate cable television myself.

For a time, I avoided the television and viewed it as simply a piece of furniture. Well, to be precise, a brain devouring piece of furniture. I had placed our television in the family room and refused to have one, much to my husbands chagrin, in the master bedroom. However, I was not always so set against television. I used to be thoroughly addicted. I used to have a television in every room of the house with the exception of the bathroom. For at least 15 years I rushed home, from school and later work, to get my afternoon soap opera fix. The Guiding Light came on each weekday at 3 PM. Missing even one episode was enough to throw me into a downright pissy mood. I enjoyed other daytime dramas, like As The World turns and The Bold And The Beautiful, but The Guiding Light was the show I simply could not miss. I was so drawn in by the fictional Springfield residents that I would actually become anxious about what would happen on the show the next day.

Soaps were not my only addiction. I have been, at various times, addicted to a variety of television shows, such as 90210 (don't tell anyone), Melrose Place, Sex and the City, Law and Order, ER, Judging Amy, Big Brother, and Survivor. Unfortunately, my husband's television tastes did not mesh with mine and we would often watch television at the same time but in different rooms. He likes to engross himself in sports programs. I would, as an attentive wife, dutifully take in the occasional football or basketball game with him. However, I had to draw the line at golf and fishing. I am sure many will disagree with me ,but in my humble opinion, there is positively nothing more boring than watching golf and fishing on television. I do enjoy going fishing with my family. I can even tolerate watching my husband golf. I cannot, however, sit in front of the old boob tube for hours, watching someone hit a little ball or waiting for some guy to catch a fish. My husband has another annoying television flaw. He loves the Rocky movies. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed watching Rocky Balboa beat the odds once or twice, but my husband insists on watching them any time they come on television, which is surprisingly often given how old they are. He also owns all the movies; so on many Saturday afternoons he can be found watching one Rocky tape after another in his den. Needless to say all this Rocky viewing makes me want to vomit, so I developed the habit of watching my own favorites in another room. In all fairness to my husband, I have to say he was nauseated by my choice in television programs as well.

Eventually, I came to the conclusion that we, as a family, were watching way too much television. My husband and I were constantly in different rooms; my children were glued to the cartoon channels and I was, as I stated, just plain addicted. Television was sucking up our family time and as a responsible wife and mother I knew I had to put an end to it. I designed cute television coupons for my children. They would get one coupon, allowing for 30 minutes of television viewing, per day. They could, however, earn more by doing chores around the house or helping out in other ways. The maximum amount of television viewing any child could earn was 90 minutes per day. When one of my children wanted to redeem a coupon, they had to give me the coupon and tell me what they wanted to watch and when it was starting. This was so I could monitor what they were viewing (often that annoying sponge creature) and how long they were watching it. The coupons really helped because with less time to watch television my children seemed to become much more selective of cartoon programs. They also spent much more time reading and using their imaginations. For my part, I quit watching television cold turkey. It was hard. My brain craved its daily fix of fictional love, deceit, and danger. I kept hearing the theme music from Law and Order in my head, over and over again. I even got the shakes (just kidding), but after a few weeks I no longer even missed television. My husband refused to surrender to my new television rules, but he did cut down on his viewing time, at least a little.

I avoided television completely for quite a while until the final months of my most recent pregnancy. I had gained an unbelievable amount of weight and was carrying what seemed to be the world's largest fetus. It literally hurt to move around, so I took to resting on the couch in the family room whenever I had the opportunity to take a break. That was when the remote started calling me. It begged me to pick it up. The television joined in, taunting me with all I was missing. I was able to stay strong for about a week or so, but finally I gave in and turned the television on.


This time, however, I avoided all the mind numbing, time wasting programs I had previously indulged in and turned right to the discovery channel. Over the next few weeks, while I awaited the birth of my fourth child, I discovered a new love of television. I watched programs about Volcanoes, tornadoes, and hurricanes. I learned about wooly Mammoths and Komodo Dragons. I gained valuable insight into the lives of American soldiers during World War II. I learned all about the discovery of tiny human beings. I watched a fascinating show, about life in the womb, with my children. I learned some interesting decorating tricks and had fun viewing homes that were even more cluttered than mine. My eldest daughter actually learned Spanish from one educational program and managed to teach a few words of it to me.

I have a renewed love for television, now that I realize I can be both entertained and educated at the same time. I no longer fear television will melt my brain and I feel justified in paying for cable television once again. I have to admit, however, I still sneak a peek at the Guiding Light once in a while. Sssh! Please don't tell anybody!

Despite what anybody says or thinks about TV cartoons and their popularity with children everywhere, I am convinced that they hold the key to our kids education. And whether we notice it or not, they contribute tremendously to children's education all over the world and everywhere where cartoons are shown on TV.

And I am not even talking about the instances where people in foreign countries are said to learn the English language by watching TV cartoons for hours on end. Whether this is true or not, the subject of my article is knowledge obtained by kids that goes beyond learning a language.

To start with, there are those who are strongly against TV cartoons and believe that they are generally harmful to children. If I remember the argument correctly, it is something about making children violent and resentful towards any authority over their lives.

There are those who believe that kids waste valuable time watching TV cartoons. Time that would have been better spent doing something else.

I believe that a lot of these people with such arguments have hardly watched TV cartoons themselves and just pass sweeping judgment without taking the time to really learn what they can about cartoons. I say this because my experience with TV cartoons has actually been very different and my opinion is that rather than being harmful, they can be quite useful - as an education tool.

I have discovered, accidentally, I must admit, that a vast majority of cartons shown on TV are very educative and help children learn lots of useful things and information which can be key assets in their lives.

When I was a kid I grew up watching lots of cartoons myself. I especially remember The Jackson 5, a cartoon based on the singing group of the time where Michael was one of the lead singers. And I also remember The Road Runner, The Flinstones and another cartoon about a robot called Gigantal (or something like that.)

I know for a fact that I learnt a lot of useful stuff from cartoons. But maybe I am not the best judge of that, so instead let me use my son and grandson as examples. I have watched them from the time they were toddlers and I think I am in a good position to analyze the effects of TV cartoons on them.

The first incident that drew my attention to TV cartoons was the time we were having some discussion about science with my young son. Instructively, one of his favourite cartoons on TV is Dexter's lab. Could this TV cartoon be one of the main triggers that has made him so interested in Science?

Well, back to what I was saying. I can't quite remember what we were discussing with my son that day, but the discussion ended up with me mentioning Albert Einstein, the scientist, and his theory of relativity. My son instantly recognized the formula e=mc2.

I was shocked. I knew that there was no way that he could have heard of this scientific formula in school, so I asked him where he had come across it.

TV cartoons of course. He had seen it several times in Dexter's laboratory and a number of other cartoons he usually liked watching on TV. He did not know exactly what it was, but he was familiar with it already.

Later in school, he will of course cover the topic in his high school science class. Imagine the interest he will already have after our short discussion where I told him a thing or two about the great scientist called Albert Einstein?

There are several other incidences which have happened with both my son and grandson (my daughter's son who lives with us) since then that reveal how educative cartoons can be.

Later I really thought about it and realized that it should not be so surprising after all. Ask yourself this question, who writes the scripts for all those TV cartoons? Grown-ups of course. Yes, they do simplify everything and try to look at it all from the child's point of view. Still there is no preventing them from passing on lots of the knowledge they already have to children through their TV cartoon scripts.

It is interesting that I am yet to meet a kid who does not love TV cartoons. I think that even if you were to offer a cash reward for somebody to find a kid that did not like cartoons, your money would be fairly safe. They hardly exist.

Education happens to us every day as we face life. The more interesting the experience, the easier it is for us to learn. Actually we have all learned a lot of things through our beloved hobbies and stuff that we really love. Learning is easy when it comes to things that we really enjoy and like.

It is human. And this is precisely the reason why more ways to teach kids stuff using TV cartoons should be explored by teachers and educators in general. There is no doubt that the kids will learn very effectively anything taught to them using their favorite TV cartoons.

But having said that, let me quickly add that not all TV cartoons are good or suitable for children, as far as I am concerned. And I am not talking about adult cartoons. I am talking about the stuff that is shown on TV specifically targeted at kids.

There are a few whose objectives are not very clear - at least to me. For example, why would somebody want to teach children the basics of witchcraft?

I am not an expert on this subject and neither do I have any intention of using this article to preach to folks about this subject. However my suggestion is that parents should be every careful to ensure that their children do not get addicted to the wrong TV cartoons. You can find out from the experts which ones they are.

Meanwhile I will sit down and enjoy the occasional cartoon with my children anytime, I also usually learn stuff from them TV cartoons, you know.

Anyone who has spent a fairly significant amount of time living in a foreign country will probably be able to appreciate the TV withdrawal symptoms that I went through when I lived in Japan for a year. At the time that I left the United States, I regularly watched several television series, and I was a bit reluctant to leave them behind. I specifically asked the exchange student program director if I would be able to watch my favorite television shows over there, and I was told that, yes, the dorm had cable televisions that received American programming in all the rooms. I figured I would be able to see my favorite shows, so I barely even gave it another thought. I just packed up my bags, hopped on the plane, and hoped to get settled into my new dorm room in time to see the next episode of The X-Files.

Everything was going smoothly and right on schedule. I got into my room, unpacked my bags, and then switched on the TV. Sure enough, I found the familiar FOX logo on one of the channels. I looked through the guide and saw that The X-Files would be on in about forty-five minutes. I couldn't wait! When 7:00 finally rolled around, I excitedly flipped the TV back to the appropriate channel. Imagine my utter shock and disappointment when I saw that the episode that was airing that night was at least two seasons old! I couldn't believe it! I grabbed the TV guide again and frantically searched through the schedule for the whole month. Everything seemed to be correct. The guide showed that The X-Files came on every Sunday night, just like back home. So what was the problem? The episode airing in the States wasn't a repeat.

The next day, I asked some other students about the TV situation. I was told that basically every American television program shown in Japan was at least a couple of years old. It had to do with DVD and video licensing agreements or something like that. The production companies wanted to make money from DVD and video sales and rentals before broadcasting the shows on free or cable TV. So if I wanted to see more recent, yet still old, episodes of my favorites shows, I could rent them from the video store. But if I wanted to keep up with the current season, I would have to have someone from back home record the shows for me.

I tried to wait it out and just watch the reruns for awhile, but I couldn't handle it. I needed to see something new. There was nothing left to do except start begging friends and family to tape my shows every single week. In the meantime, I headed to the video store to satisfy my entertainment fix for the time being. I discovered that there are lots and lots of American shows available on video in Japan. I just had to decipher the titles. You see, a lot of the shows have their titles changed at least a little bit in order to make them sound more appealing to the Japanese audience. For example, I guess Ally McBeal was too plain, so it became Ally My Love. Most Japanese people would probably have no idea what a show called The West Wing was about, but they could certainly understand right away what a show called The White House was about. Once I figured out some of the titles, I started watching stuff that I hadn't seen in America. What's nice about watching TV shows on DVD is that you can watch the shows from the beginning and see things unfold in sequential order. Plus, you don't have to wait a week or more between each episode.

As for the shows I left back home, I was eventually able to recruit enough people to tape all of them on a weekly basis. So I regularly received packages of taped television shows in the mail. There again, I didn't have to wait a long time between each episode. As a result of all of this chaos, my television viewing habits changed dramatically. No, I didn't completely stop watching TV. But, it has actually gotten to the point where I couldn't watch regular broadcasts anymore. I would get too impatient during commercials, and if a particular show was boring, I would want to stop watching for a while and continue later, which, of course, was not possible unless I happened to be recording as I was watching. To this day, I either record my favorite TV shows or just buy the DVD box sets. I can't bear to sit in front of the TV anymore without having some sort of control over what I'm watching.

It is somewhat liberating not to have a TV schedule dictate my daily routine. Yes, I still watch a lot of TV, and yes, I still enjoy the sheer entertainment of it all. But by recording my favorite shows and watching them at a later date, I save lots of time. A typical hour-long network television program contains about 18 minutes of commercials. I can fast forward through those and finish a show in just 42 minutes. I also find that I am getting more things done. For example, before I changed my television viewing habits, I would be chained to the TV for an hour while CSI or 24 was on. I couldn't do anything else. Now that I am recording all my shows no matter what, I can watch the episodes in several different sittings rather than having to do it all at once. So if something comes up while I am watching TV, I can attend to it right away instead of having to wait for the show to end.

I recommend that you try to change your television viewing habits, too. You might be surprised at all that you can accomplish when you're not glued to the TV for hours at a time!

If you're disillusioned with the state of network television these days, you're not alone. An onslaught of reality programming has dominated the airwaves since the beginning of this century.

While things are starting to improve, with innovative shows like "Lost" and "House" now airing, it's still a far cry from the comforting shows of yesteryear. While I do get engrossed in every episode of Desperate Housewives", its dark, eerie black comedy would not be what I'd want to watch if I was having a particularly bad day. On days like that (you know what I'm taking about--dreary, rainy days, or maybe days when you're depressed or sick in bed with the flu), you need some cheering up. That's where the familiar, family oriented (or at the very least, G-rated) shows of years past come in. If you're pining away for some of your favorite old television shows and need some comforting, see if you can remember these classic television series.

-- I Love Lucy. You don't have to pine away too much if you loved this show, because it is still on the air all over the country. In fact, since its inception in 1951, I Love Lucy has never been off the air, thanks to a constant stream of repeats airing in syndication. Starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance and William Frawley, the show featured the antics of a daffy redhead and her Cuban bandleader husband. I Love Lucy had just the right mix of slapstick humor and romance. This timeless show still holds up today (okay, maybe the fashions have changed).

Must see episodes: "Job Switching" and "Lucy Does a TV Commercial".

-- The Lucy Show. A few years after her first series (and her marriage) ended, Lucille Ball tried her hand at a solo project-- well, not exactly. Handsome husband Desi was no longer around, but she brought along her "I Love Lucy" costar, Vivian Vance, to star in this series about a widow and a divorce, living together and raising their kids. This show showed Lucille Ball at her best and it dealt with the hardships of single motherhood-- including raising children while trying to date-- with humor and class. Both Ball and Vance became masters at slapstick comedy in episodes that featured them installing a shower and climbing on the roof to a put up a TV antenna.

Must see episodes: "Lucy and Viv Install a Shower" and "Together for Christmas".

-- Bewitched. Since 1964, this delightful fantasy comedy about a beautiful witch and her mortal husband has charmed millions. Featuring an all star cast (with guest stars like Agnes Moorehead and Marion Lorne), Bewitched portrayed the struggle of a witch, Samantha Stevens, trying to keep her marital promise to her husband Darren-- no more witchcraft. Obviously, that promise was broken repeatedly because there was witchcraft used in every episode. Still, husband Darren managed to forgive her every time.

Must see episodes: "Nobody's Perfect"" and "Sisters at Heart"

-- Little House on the Prairie. This series, based on the popular children's book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, was about a pioneer family living in Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Starring the handsome Michael Landon and a pint sized Melissa Gilbert, the entire cast was pretty attractive for people who were roughing it. Rich girl foe, Nellie Olsen (played brilliantly by Allison Angram), was always around to stir up some trouble. A feel good show with its share of heartbreak, this show was very popular family fare in the mid 1970's.

Must see episodes: "The Richest Man in Walnut Grove" and "The Spring Dance".

-- The Brady Bunch. A blonde widow with three daughters marries a dark haired widower with three sons. Chaos ensues. That's the premise of this endearing comedy from the early 1970's. While critics charged that the show was sappy and farfetched, fans have kept this beloved series on the air (in syndication) for over 35 years.

Must see episodes: "Will the Real Jan Brady Please Stand Up?" and "Hawaii Bound".

-- Mary Tyler Moore. This award winning comedy about a liberated, single woman working in a newsroom starred Mary Tyler Moore (of The Dick Van Dyke Show fame). Touted as groundbreaking, it explored the complex--and comical-- issues of being thirty something and single. Featuring an eclectic ensemble cast (like Ed Asner, Cloris Leachman and Ted Knight) the show garnered huge ratings throughout its seven year run.

Must see episodes: "The Dinner Party" and "Chuckles Bites the Dust".


-- The Courtship of Eddie's Father. Take a widower father and his precocious young son and you have a match made in television heaven. Audiences fell in love with young Eddie Corbett (played by Brandon Cruz) and his handsome single father (Bill Bixby) as they learned lessons about life-- and love-- together.

Must see episodes: "How Do You Know if It's Really Love?" and "The Unbirthday Present".

-- That Girl. Marlo Thomas starred in this series about a struggling actress living in New York City. Fans loved the chemistry between Ann Marie (Thomas) and her long suffering beau, Donald Hollinger (Ted Bessell).

Must see episodes: "Break a Leg" and "It's a Mod, Mod World".

-- Hazel. Starring Shirley Booth, this hit series was about a bumbling and very chatty maid, Hazel Burke, and the family that she worked for. Booth entertained audiences for five hilarious seasons on this light hearted show.

Must see episodes: "But is it Art?"" and "Maid of the Month".

-- The Partridge Family. Teen heartthrob David Cassidy and the legendary Shirley Jones starred in this series about a singing family-- five kids and their mom. Based loosely on real life singers the Cowsills, the show spawned a bunch of top ten hits and anything bearing David Cassidy's likeness quickly flew off store shelves.

Must see episodes; "I Can Get it for you Retail" and "Days of Acne and Roses".

-- Happy Days. I have mixed feelings about the show. The first three seasons were phenomenal (although season three was by far the best, in my opinion). The show centered around the loveable Cunningham family of Milwaukee. Son Richie (the first season had one older son, Chuck, who was written out of the show after the first season) and his pal Fonzie were the main characters. Once they started introducing useless new characters like Fonzie's love interest, Pinky Tuscadero and the goofy Chachi Arcola character (played by Scott Baio), I feel that the show started heading in the wrong direction. This show ran for eleven long seasons and by the final season there were so many random characters (like Ted McGinley's Roger) that it was definitely time to pull the plug on it. Still, season three alone, with its fresh writing, is worth the price of admission.

Must see episodes: "Football Frolics" and 'The Beauty Contest".

I remember the first time I heard about MTV. I was a junior in high school and there was talk of a groundbreaking new video music channel-- Music Television. I was a huge music fan and normally got my music television fix from shows like "Don Kirschner's Rock Concert", "The Midnight Special" and "Saturday Night Live". The thought of a channel devoted entirely to music and music videos was exhilarating, to say the least.

Our cable company didn't offer MTV when it first came out, but my best friend Lynda's dad's did. We would leave school at lunch time every day and drive to Lynda's dad's house (juniors and seniors were allowed to leave school premises for lunch as long as we returned in time for our next class). At the time, MTV didn't have a huge selection of videos. Everyday we would happily watch the same rotation of videos over and over-- tunes like The Buggles "Video Killed the Radio Star" and Pat Benatar's "You Better Run". It was fine by us. Just the fact that such a channel existed was more than we could ever have hoped for. Who cared if they only showed five videos?

By the time my own cable company offered MTV, they had a much larger selection of videos. Every day I would come home and watch Def Leppard and Duran Duran videos. I liked MTV and I liked the perky VJ's-- Alan Hunter, Nina Blackwood, J.J. Jackson, Mark Goodman and ultra cute Martha Quinn. I was in music video heaven.

And then something happened in the mid-1980's. MTV changed. It wasn't a big change and it wasn't a change I even minded, but MTV, which up until now had primarily focused on only playing rock and roll music, decided to do something daring-- they aired a Michael Jackson video. The video, for the song "Beat It", didn't really count as rock and roll in my book, but it did have an appealing beat and heavy guitar riffs played by Eddie Van Halen. I liked the song and even bought Jackson's "Thriller" album, but the message was clear-- MTV was becoming more diverse.

Back then, you couldn't get any more bubblegum pop than Madonna, and along with MTV, my musical tastes were changing. Or let's just say that pop-infused stuff like Madonna's "Like a Virgin" was growing on me, as her videos were being played constantly in super heavy rotation. Suddenly I owned an eclectic mix of record albums-- everything from Black Sabbath to Cyndi Lauper.

In 1985 I went to the Live Aid concert in Philadelphia and I was exposed to even more new music. I went home and purchased Run DMC's album-- who would have thought I'd ever do that?

Over time, MTV began to air rap videos. This is where I drew the line. I didn't like rap. I could deal with the heaviest of metal (I loved MTV's "Headbanger's Ball") and the irresistible, redundant strains of pop tunes (Taylor Dayne, anyone?), but I just didn't like rap. It occurred to me that MTV was now trying too hard to please too many people and when it comes to music, that's virtually impossible. I found myself watching less and less MTV, although I did tune in every weekday for the video request show "Dial MTV".

In 1992, MTV introduced another groundbreaking idea-- a reality show that would feature seven strangers shacking up together in a New York loft apartment. The show, "The Real World" would prove to change the face of MTV forever.

I loved "The Real World". It was a voyeuristic glimpse into the lives of seven attractive, young people (model Eric Niess was my personal favorite). "The Real World' became a bona fide hit and it spawned a sister series, "Road Rules"."Road Rules" documented the adventures of six strangers living in a Winnebago and completing missions for the ultimate prize of a handsome reward.

Both "The Real World" and "Road Rules" were shown repetitively on MTV, taking away precious video air time. They went on to produce a second, third, and fourth season of each show-- and hey, they're still cranking them out (I think "The Real World" is up to season 15 or 16 by now). The reality series' became so popular, that MTV created another show called "The Real World Road Rules All Stars", which featured all star cast members from previous seasons, competing against each other for more valuable prizes.

Then, in 2000, the reality TV boom caught on all over the country. All of the sudden everything was reality. "The Real World" and "Road Rules" were still popular, but they were old hat. MTV started airing new reality shows like "Cribs", "Punk'd", and "The Osbournes". Music videos were being shown less and less unless you happened to tune in at 3 AM.

Today, MTV shows fare like "Pimp My Ride", "I Want a Famous Face", "Viva La Bam," "Laguna Beach" and "Newlyweds Nick and Jessica". To me, some of these shows lack the originality of previous MTV reality shows and even seem somewhat scripted (okay, I admit I like Viva La Bam because it's filmed in my hometown).

And while I do believe that the reality TV craze will eventually burn out and fade away, the fact of the matter is that for now, on MTV Music Television, there is nary a music video on. Luckily they have MTV2 for that.

It is always a good idea to look back at history. History tells us about our ancestors, what they did right, what they did wrong, and how we should do it differently. The history of television in our country is an excellent example.

The invention of the television opened up new and wonderful worlds. It brought the country, and ultimately the world, together as nothing else could. Suddenly the common man could have a front row seat at presidential inaugurations, coronations of royalty, operas and concerts. People were given the opportunity to have a close-up view of their elected officials, stage and film stars, and musicians. No longer did a ticket to a famous play or musical event cost a week's wages. News was no longer just something to read about in the newspapers; it could be witnessed first hand. Sporting events became something everyone could attend, with better seats than anyone else at the stadium.

Along with all these opportunities came television entertainment. Westerns, dramas, serial shows and children's shows. Families began to congregate around the television in the evenings for "family time." Shows such as "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "Laugh In" became family favorites. This new family entertainment even prompted the invention of a new type of furniture: the TV tray. Families began eating their dinner in front of the television; a modern day at-home dinner theater.

Soon came the early sit-coms. "The Little Rascals" was one of the earliest. Then came "The Honeymooners," "Leave it to Beaver," "Father Knows Best," and of course, "I Love Lucy." Television comedy took off like a rocket and is still one of the most popular forms of television entertainment.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, another type of television genre took hold: the soap opera. The soap opera was geared toward the stay-at-home moms we had grown to love on TV: June Cleaver and Harriet Nelson, among others. Our society was evolving and in the midst of some serious growing pains. The common belief was that since the men were working and the children were going to school, the women at home must have something to do, so why not daytime television to fill their otherwise useless days? Soap operas were designed to draw in the viewer with slow-moving story lines that never really ended.

As time marched on and color television became something everyone had in their homes, the market for children began to expand with the advent of all new cartoons and children's programming. After-school specials, puppets, and children's comedies and dramas began drawing our children off the playground and into the family room.

Cable TV made its debut in the late 1970s which opened up a completely new world of television and exponentially more channels and programming to choose from. Movies which had been limited to the big screen were suddenly being watched in living rooms around the world. VCRs soon followed and not only were we watching movies that had before only aired once a year, if that, we now could also tape and re-watch absolutely anything on television. We began collecting libraries of tapes: pre-recorded movies and things we taped ourselves.

MTV, which debuted in 1981 brought television into a new era which pushed all the boundaries and broke many of the rules that had been long established. People now could not only watch concerts of their favorite music artists, but also short dramas, comedies and even horror flicks set to the tune of the most popular songs. VH1 soon followed and the music video industry took off.

In the late-1990s, nearly all the jokes, drama possibilities, old movies, and westerns had been shown or tried over and over. The public needed something new, and reality television gave the TV industry the shot in the arm it was looking for. With the overwhelming popularity of "Survivor," reality shows about any and everything began popping up all over the networks and cable shows. People seemed to be willing to do anything to be on television, and the world in their living rooms, was willing to watch.

Today, the rules are still being pushed and boundaries are falling all over the place. Things that are seen on TV today would have been cause for imprisonment in the 1950s. Things that are seen on TV today would have been cause for taking the show off the air and even fines, in the 1970s. Things that are seen on TV today would have been surprising and even shocking in the 1990s. Are we becoming too open and calloused? Do we have any limits? How far are the reality folks willing to go, and how much are we willing to watch? Will we ultimately desire to see what the Romans hoped for when they flocked to the coliseum to watch the gladiators? I shudder to imagine it.

Perhaps we need to rethink where we're going and look at where we've been. In an effort to continually entertain and draw in a viewing audience, television has gone from being a source of information and entertainment to the controlling focal point of our lives. Television is revered like a god, set in each room like a shrine with its many videos and remote controls surrounding it. How far will we go?

The movie, "Fahrenheit 451," based on the book by Ray Bradbury, depicted the protagonist's wife as completely obsessed with her life-sized television friends. Their home had one room with a giant screen covering each wall. Anyone who went into this "TV room" could actually interact with the people on the screen, for the ultimate in reality television. The woman became so involved in the lives of the on-screen characters that she lost all sense of reality and wouldn't leave the room. Virtual reality had become her reality.

Our children have stopped playing outside and childhood obesity is on the rise. Violence is at an all-time high. Marriages are breaking up as people look for that perfect person like they've seen on television. There is a constant sense of dissatisfaction in our society because real life is so monotonous and boring. Instant gratification and problems that can be wrapped up in 30 minutes or less are so much more appealing.

Television is a very useful and wonderful invention, but we need to take back our lives and the lives of our children before it gets out of control. Perhaps it already has.

We all must agree with this thing that there are three Ts, which are an integral part of human being in today's fast moving and developed world, i.e., Television, Telephone and Tea. The first one is Television, which plays the most important role by providing many things to a person like entertainment, knowledge, information, current affairs updates, etc. So every person needs it to get the abovementioned things. And therefore purchasing a best suited TV for one's need is a big task.

Generally the trend is that people go for a popularly known TV around them, But some people discover the best suited TV to their needs by intensive study of the market and the availability. If we see the current trend of marketing, a product it is generally based at advertisement, extra benefits and the customer care by providing after sales services. The companies tend to capture a big part of the market by providing best products and services, which ultimately is beneficial to the customer because of the reason of availability of variety of products, quality in products and services and good customer care.

As we know there are many companies, which are manufacturing TVs like Sony, BPL, LG, Samsung, etc., and some of regional companies of particular countries, which provides a wide range of televisions to the market. These companies have different models, which in turn are having differences in functioning, cost, quality, looking etc. so fulfills the needs of the different tastes of the people.

When we have to purchase a TV for our house we go for finding out the newspapers, watching advertisements or consulting to any friend for getting information about some televisions. As we found any advertisement in the newspaper we have the price lists, characteristics, from where it can be taken and other information related to the product. In today's world of competition, the companies generally offer some gifts, schemes like scratch coupons or less in price while purchasing their television. Some people believe that they must buy a TV when some company offers some schemes with the purchase of TV of that particular company.

If we talk about that what should be kept in mind while purchasing a TV then these can be as follows:

Our requirement
Price
Visual Quality
Sound Quality
Brand name
Extra Schemes
Warranty

Our requirements are the most important part while purchasing a TV, i.e., how much should be the size of the screen, what should be the minimum numbers of channels that we need to have in that particular TV, etc.
Another thing is the price of the television, for, it should be according to our pocket size. Because there are a number of price ranges, which are provided by the companies so it must be clear that what amount we have to spend on the TV.

Visual qualities are very important because a bad quality can affect the eyes of the children and all the people watching the TV. So it must be kept in mind that the emitted rays should be protected by some anti ray screen and the clarity should be maximum.

Sound also produces pollution so it should be kept in mind that the sound limits should be with in the capacity of the place where the television has to be placed.

Generally it is seen that a particular brand is popular in a particular area. It can be helpful for taking an easy decision.

Extra schemes can also benefit the customers in taking the decisions to buy a particular brand.

Warranty provided by the company show its concern to the after sales services to be provided to the customers in the benefit of them.

There can be many more things that an individual can sort out while purchasing the TV set, and looking for them also is not a bad choice at all. When you have though to spend the money on a TV set, you should check all the features and look if your needs are met. In the modern age of computers, when they are sweeping away almost all the fields of this universe, TV sets' sale is also hampered by these computers, as one can plug the TV-tuner card into it and watch the channels. Surely it is good idea but it still can't the way for a TV, as the pixel quality is still better in TV. And moreover not all the people know how to operate the computer for starting the TV, while with a TV set they can easily handle with a push button and the remote.

I am old enough to remember a time before there were VCRs. Back then, we really did have to watch a show at the time it aired, commercials and all-- and if by chance there were two good shows on at the same time, then we'd have to pick and choose (luckily this didn't happen often, as this was also before cable and there really weren't that many shows to choose from).

When the VCR came about, it was like a whole new world. I couldn't believe that someone had actually invented such a contraption. My friend's parents bought one early on and paid close to a thousand bucks for it. We'd watch it all the time.

It took a good two years for the price of VCRs to come down, and my husband and I eventually bought a Betamax version. If you don't know what a Betamax VCR is, don't feel bad-- they went out of circulation fairly early on on. In any event, with a Betamax machine in our apartment, it was time to start renting videos. Video rental places were popping up all over the place in our town. Back the, you didn't get a free membership like you do today. No siree, we paid $19.99 for a lifetime membership (hey, I wonder if I can get a refund?). Anyway, it was great, renting all my old favorite movies. By then we had cable, too, so my husband, who was a real movie buff, starting taping movies off of cable so we could watch them whenever. Over time, he accumulated quite a collection of poor quality videos.

Then along came the video club. Just like the record clubs of the past, the video club was a mail order club in which you could get a bunch of tapes up front with the agreement to buy a specified number of selections within the next two years. We joined up and over time our collection grew. Of course, when the Betamax style VCRs went out of commission, so did our tape collection. It was bye-bye to such classics as "Fatal Attraction", "Desperately Seeking Susan" and the "Friday the Thirteenth" series. I was crushed, determined to replace them all in an updated format.

Enter the VHS VCR. When we bought our first VHS format machine, I felt like we had finally entered the 1980's. Suddenly, every video at the video store was compatible with my machine. We also started buying more movies (like I said, my husband was a real movie fanatic) and we rejoined the tape club. I also developed a penchant for recording television shows-- my favorites were old sitcoms. I even painstakingly created a tape of classic Christmas episodes, thinking that I'd own them forever.

In my basement I stored a big plastic bin filled with our videotapes. Exercise videos like "Callanetics" and "Cindy Crawford's Shape Your Body Workout". Movies like "E.T." and "Purple Rain". I bought "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" for my son and I treated myself to the colorized version of my longtime favorite holiday movie, "It's a Wonderful Life". I even joined a video club that specialized in television series-- so I owned some "I Love Lucy", "The Lucy Show" and "Bewitched" episodes. It was exhilarating to imagine that this time I really would own these movies and television shows forever.

So what happened next? The DVD player was introduced. Now let me tell you, I resisted buying a DVD player for many years. I went into it kicking and screaming. Why? Because it outraged me that every time I thought I had my video collection intact, some new format would come along and make my stuff seemingly obsolete. So I resisted and resisted and then one day my VCR stopped working, so I had to make a decision. By now VCRs were dirt cheap-- I saw one at a discount store for under $40-- but then I saw that DVD players were relatively cheap (under $100) as well. So I gave in and bought a DVD player. Oh, don't worry, I bought the $40 VCR, too-- I couldn't let my video collection go to waste, but I knew it was only a matter of time. Sure enough, the cheapy VCR broke. My tape collection sits untouched in the basement.

So today, the DVD craze is huge. Because so much material can be condensed on to one disc, all of the sudden movie are being reissued with extra feature and bloopers and entire television series are available as DVD boxed sets. It's insane. I joined another club-- this one for DVD's-- to get a jumpstart on my collection. To date I own about fifteen movies (like "Fatal Attraction", which I have purchased in a third and final format, "American Beauty" and "Meet the Parents") and about ten DVD's for my children (kid friendly stuff like "Dora the Explorer" and "Finding Nemo"). Being a classic TV buff, I am intrigued by the TV series boxed sets. I'd love to own the entire "Sex and the City" series and to replenish my "I Love Lucy" and "Bewitched" collection. But then I start to wonder, how many of these movies and shows can I really watch over and over again? Don't I need to go outside and get some fresh air once in a while?

So I've decide to mull it over a while longer. I may very well just go out and spend the hundreds of dollars it would take to replace my beloved movie collection. Or I may just wait it out. It's been a couple of years-- and something tells me a new format may be out on the horizon.

Written by James Fohl

Portable DVD players are great for a wide variety of reasons. Topping the list of why portable DVD players are so great is the fact that you can strap one onto the back seat of your car and entertain your children for hours without the old "Are we there yet? / I'm bored!" syndrome.

The Audio Problem With Portable DVD Players

While portable DVD players have really come into buying perspective for parents in recent years, the units are not without their faults. One of the major faults of almost every portable DVD player on the market today is the super low volume of the built-in speakers. While the picture is of course small too, the sound output of most portable DVD players is simply ridiculous. Almost all of the portable DVD players on the market today also come with a headphone jack, but what happens if you have more than one person who wishes to watch the movie, or worse off nobody in the vehicle has a set of headphones.

The Solution To The Problem

To solve this issue, many companies such as Belkin are now releasing small electronic devices known as wireless FM transmitters. Usually powered by two triple AAA batteries, these devices plug into the headphone jack of any consumer electronic and convert the audio signal into a radio signal that is intercepted by your car's radio.

The end result is the audio from the portable DVD player can now easily be heard by everyone in the vehicle, as it is emanating from all of the vehicle's stereo speakers. It sounds absolutely remarkable, and there were no internal wires that had to be messed with.

FM Transmitters Are Easily Obtainable In Stores Everywhere

Wireless FM transmitters can now easily be found in discount retailers, such as Wal-Mart, as well as electronic shops such as Radio Shack and Best Buy. They usually start out around twenty dollars for a very basic unit that only allows you to move a switch to select one of four stations you wish the transmitter to broadcast. More expensive units, starting around the thirty to forty dollar range give the user a LCD (liquid crystal display) to select settings, such as a specific radio station, or strength of the signal. For users who just want to have their portable DVD player's audio broadcasting through their vehicle's speakers, the basic twenty dollar model will do just well.

The wireless FM transmitters usually transmit on FM stations around 860 - 890, and will usually overtake a radio station unless the radio station has a very powerful signal. The transmitter also only transmits a few feet beyond your vehicle, so don't be too concerned about frustrating other motorists because they want to listen to the morning talks how, and you are transmitting the audio from Beauty and the Beast to them.

These Devices Are Great, But They Eat Batteries For Lunch

Wireless FM transmitters can save your family from a lot of headaches. They work absolutely wonderfully, but if you ever find the signal to be distorted, or simply not there, just replace the batteries; these devices tend to eat battery power pretty quick.

By Victoria Miller

If you have young children, you probably already know that you should monitor the amount of television that they watch. But how much television is too much?
Many experts recommend that children under the age of 2 watch no television at all-- a seemingly impossible feat if you have older children in the house. In addition, some recent studies indicate that toddlers who watch excessive amounts of television are at increased risk for developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when they get older. Alarmingly, the average American child watches as much as 3 to 5 hour of television per day.

What can you do? It's not necessary to ban television altogether and there are, in fact, some wonderful children's programs that you and your kids can watch together. What you do need to do is monitor the amount of time that your children spend in front of the TV-- and make sure they are watching enriching programming and not just vegging out in front of the tube all day.

Here are some guidelines to help you:

-- Allow babies under the age of 2 to watch educational television in small increments or none at all.

-- Limit older toddlers (age 3 and 4) viewing time to one hour of carefully selected programming per day.

-- School aged children should be allowed to watch no more than two hours of television a day-- and even less if it's a nice day and they can play outside instead.

-- Stick to channels that feature educational programming such as PBS and Noggin. These networks are especially toddler-friendly as very few commercials are shown on them (Noggin instead features short interactive clips between shows).

-- Don't use television as a babysitter for your kids. While it may be okay to let them watch a portion of Dora the Explorer while you're getting ready for work in the morning, don't park your kids in front of the TV all day while you clean the house.

Of course these are just guidelines and you should adapt them to your family's lifestyle. When you do allow your kids to watch television, make sure that you know exactly what they are watching. Some cartoon programs contain questionable language and mild violence-- certainly not suitable for toddlers. And beware that some channels, while labeled kids networks, may switch to programming that's only suitable for older children in the evening.

Still not sure what your children should be watching? Here are some wonderful, kid friendly programs that your kids will enjoy in moderation:

-- Blue's Clues. This popular children's show has been on the air for almost ten years and it's no wonder-- young children can't get enough of Steve, his brother Joe (shown in later seasons) and their loveable puppy, Blue. Other fun Blue's Clues regulars include Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper, Tickety, and Blue's good friend Magenta. Your kids will join in with this interactive show to find the clues and solve simple questions. This show can be seen on both the Nickelodeon and Noggin networks.

-- Backyardigans. Created with stunning computer animation, this show is a joy to watch. The Backyardigans are four friends named Pablo, Tasha, Uniqua, Tyrone and Austin, and the use their backyard and their imagination to take them to exotic locations. They sing a lot on this show, but it's alright-- the musical numbers are catchy and addictive and you'll find yourself singing them all day long. Look for this show on cable network Nick Jr.

-- The Wiggles. These four Australian fellows sing fun songs and dance. Your kids will have all of the songs memorized. Characters like Dorothy the Dinosaur and pirate Captain Feathersword add to the fun. This show can be seen on Playhouse Disney.


-- Sesame Street. PBS' long running series has changed over the years, but only to keep up with the times. If you watched this show as a kid you'll enjoy seeing retro clips from years ago. Newer segments such as Elmo's World and Journey To Ernie will delight your child. This show can still be seen on PBS, with additional episodes airing on the Noggin network.

-- Dora the Explorer. Dora and her friend Boots the monkey are always up to something--and they're always hindered by Swiper the sneaky fox. Even though she's just a little girl, Dora is always out and about trying to find her way to some far off location (one holiday episode takes her to the North Pole to find Santa). This show is peppered with Spanish words-- you'll be amazed the first time your child says one of the frequently used keywords such as "vamanos" (translation: come on) and your child may even learn to count to ten in Spanish. Recently, the series added two new characters-- Dora's new twin baby brother and sister. The premise is cute, but the twins are seeming to have super hero powers, which is really unnecessary. While older children may scoff at Dora as far fetched (what little girl is allowed to travel all over the place without her parents?) young kids love this show and the familiar tunes that are sung on each episode.

-- Little Bear. This sweet show is based on the popular book series of the same name and features the adventures of a kindhearted little bear and his friends: a little girl named Emily, and barnyard pals Duck, Owl, Hen and more. Simple lessons are learned and soothing piano melodies play in the background as Little Bear and his friends go about their journeys. Even adults will be soothed by this calming series.