[MOW]

I hear that Tv turnoff week is April 23 -29. Does anyone do this ?

I've noticed that I have been looking at more TV lately for some strange reason.

I'll cut back during that week.


MOW

[flowperson]

Hi MOW...sure miss the old days of real discussions...you ?

My TV is off most of the time these days. I always feel somehow manipulated by it when I watch it very much. I mostly do the book and online things these days.

A blessed Easter to you and yours up there in the windy.

flow....

[McKenna]

What's the point of TV turn off week? Is it just to get people away from the TV, or is it some sort of political thing?

Maybe I'll do it...but then I'll miss my shows...

[Russ]

TV is quickly becomming a thing of lessening interest in this household. The poverty of creativity is appalling...what kind of society presents violence as entertainment? There are many good programs that my wife and I watch...home & graden stuff, cooking stuff, public TV, nature stuff, etc. I find my reading and hobby work more enjoying than watching people shoot and kill each other or parading around using physical attributes as a substitute for talent or creativity.

This post has been edited by Russ: 10 April 2007 - 07:27 AM

[MOW]

Thank you Flow, McKenna, and Russ for your comments.

Another thing that is disturbing about TV is its use by the pharmacutical (drug) companies. If you look at news programs between 5:00 and 6:00 pm , all the commercials seem to be for perscription drugs,one after the other. These aren't drugs like asperin or Pepto Bismoll, but powerful ,and in some cases dangerous drugs( I can remember commercials for Vioxx) that you can only get from a doctor. Yet the drug companies advertise them directly to us.

This may be some of the manipulation you mention ,Flow.


MOW

[MOW]

Well, the TV is unplugged for the week. I'll see, and let you know how it goes.


MOW

[October's Autumn]

I haven't heard anything about it. I am not so much frustrated with television as I am with video games. I teach 1st grade and one of my students "wrote" about going to EB Games with his family to buy a video game. I asked him if he had any books, nope, no books. Geesh. At least when they are watching TV (if it is kid's programming) they are getting vocabulary. I was pleasantly surprised when watching some kids' shows at the rich vocabulary.

Personally, I haven't had much interest in watching TV. I'm watching Lost (if I can stay awake that late), Grey's Anatomy (if I have nothing better to do) and M*A*S*H reruns. Still love Alan Alda! Most nights there isn't anything interesting (to me) to watch.

[canajan, eh?]

I enjoy TV, and find it quite relaxing and/or informative if I can find the right show. Can't say there's too much on U.S. stations that I enjoy. (We get the major networks on cable in Canada). October's Autumn, I thought it was kind of interesting that you sometimes watch Lost and Grey's Anatomy. I sometimes watch those particular shows if I'm not too tired in the evening. I can remember to tape (yes, on an old VCR!) the new Battlestar Galactica, which is my favourite show, but for some reason don't remember to tape much else.

I usually prefer Canadian shows, to be honest. Some of them are much less violent and much less manipulative than many current American shows. Corner Gas is lots of fun to watch, and I don't get upset at the idea of a young child watching it. On the other hand, CSI (in any of its geographical manifestations) makes me shudder.

There's a terrific show that runs on Canada's House and Garden cable channel (HGTV). It's called Holmes on Homes. Mike Holmes is a contractor with a fully developed conscience. He goes around Ontario (at least I think it's only in Ontario), and he fixes up the messes that other, less-than-scrupulous contractors have created in people's homes. He's polite. He's conscientious. He likes kids. What's not to admire? Wish we had more shows like this one . . .

The CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which receives some Canadian tax dollars, but is not a non-profit network like PBS) is pretty good, too. Their news shows are awesome.

Love Jen

This post has been edited by canajan, eh?: 28 April 2007 - 12:37 PM