Re: Regarding TV
 

Hi freekatz,

Relax, digital TV has been going on in the US and Japan for yonks. It's just a way for companies boost sales with a new product.

Make the government switch systems then everybody who has an 'old fashioned' TV will have to buy a new modern one or at least one of those little converter boxes. it's going to happen nationally over here in Brazil too. So we have nothing to worry about.....or do we? :mfr_omg:

Also keep the global system to two or three types to save on operation costs transforming and decoding different systems for different countries.

Best regards,

Steve

Re: Regarding TV
 

I've thrown out record collections a couple of times and stopped watching broadcast/cable TV several years ago. I do have a large collection of movies and am filtering through them to remove the more violent and desensitizing ones. It is important to keep the mind busy. Worse than a movie is an idle mind. It is the devils workshop. Sitting and thinking, is not of course, being idle but that only goes so far.

On a trip recently, staying in a motel, I had the chance to watch TV and was painfully aware of just how sad it is at seducing people into a feeling that all is just fine. News programs cleverly say just enough so called negatives or conspiracy or anti-establishment rhetoric to make it seem as if they are on our side and the truth is being spoken openly. Programs like the history channel, discovery, TLC have become truly pathetic reality TV, dumb down junk. This only reinforces to me the value of just walking away.

I think this practice of personal boycott is under practiced. When a soda company uses a sugar substitute like splenda or aspartame one should consider that they are deliberately acting against your best interests and will do so every chance they get and in ways we won't always be aware of. We should walk away from the company and any and all of it's products. I know we've all been brainwashed with the idea that this righteousness is somehow religious extremism and bigoted intolerance but nothing could be further from the truth. It's basic survival 101. If someone, some company is trying to hype me for a sale (that's pretty much every company) I simple avoid or minimize doing business with them. They are blatantly demonstrating an interest in taking advantage of me. So, why trust or associate with an undesirable influence? Recently, ATT/Cingular turned off my cellphone even though the bill was up to date and electronically being paid every month. The reason? They didn't have a current mailing address for me? I gave them 24 hours to turn the service back on, 48 hours later is was still not on so I dumped them, never to return. I don't care about the extortion / credit dings they may produce. If you watch TV, one thing you can constructively do, is keep a list of companies to avoid and companies that seem fit to associate with.

Re: Regarding TV
 

I suppose I'm in the minority here. I live w/ roommates who are good guys, but not quite on the same wavelength as I am. I've been working w/ them for awhile, but as I'm sure many of you know, t.v. indeed makes it harder to convey foreign ideas.
In the mean time though, while watching something like the daily show or colbert report or olberman w/ the roommates, I can expand upon the areas that fall short or give my opinion on something that I know is patently false. Also, I find it worthwhile to see what the PTB are feeding the masses. I realise that it can be harmful, but in order to counter an argument, you must first be aware of the substance of the argument.
As an example, right now I am watching PBS's Frontline synpopsis of the Obama and McCain campaigns since their inception. PBS, of course will not reveal anything occult concerning the candidates, but it is worth investigating what the average voter considers, "the differences between these men". After watching this program, I can more adeptly address and contrast the "facts" presented, w/ someone else who has seen the same program and takes what has been said as fact.