Break from Doctor Who

Guest post written by Dave Tanner

It always makes me sad when some of my favorite TV shows are on breaks. I'll even rewatch the last seasons just to stay caught up on them. Right now one of my shows, Doctor Who, is actually on break until Christmas, when the Christmas special is supposed to air, so I'm really missing it right now.

I had heard of the show before, but never actually watched it until this summer. My brother kept telling me that I could watch it on Netflix's instant watch and that I should. When I was thinking about rewatching all of the new show's seasons again, I came across the web site www.clearwirelessinternet.net/ and after reading through it decided to sign up for internet access with them.

Well, I did decide to rewatch the Doctor Who TV show from the first season over again. It's funny to watch them all back to back because then it's obvious how much their budget increased because it's reflected in the sets and special effects and just the overall look of the show, even the opening credits!

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Direct TV in the Office

While picking up my daughter at school for cheerleading practice, I noticed they had Disney on the television in one of the teacher's rooms.  I had no idea they had satellite at the school.  When did that happen?

I think it's a really good idea to set up satellite television in the office.  When clients are waiting in the lobby, it gives them something to do other than stare at the wall or smile politely at the receptionist (you should still do that anyway but it'd be nice to have something else to look at after that was done).  When I worked as a receptionist, I ran for coffee and made small-talk with them but the client probably would've preferred to be left alone on their own (and I would have preferred using that time to finish up the quotations the customers were waiting on). 

Can you imagine how much nicer it would be to watch real television on satellite when the doctor is running behind (which 99% of them do), instead of getting overly irritated at the wait while watching those health programs they run on DVD's over and over about cholesterol and heart disease?  Put on HGTV or Disney instead!

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Direct TV Shows No Loyalty to Returning Customers

Well, I tried to get satellite television service but the Direct TV rep ticked me off so I didn't sign-up for a two year contract.

What happened was they wanted to charge us more for the service than they would a new customer because we used to have Direct TV last year so we are considered returning customers.  How does that make sense that a returning customer would be charged more?  I would think they'd give a discount for loyalty or something!  I told them that too.  I guess they didn't want a returning customer bad enough.

I wonder if we'd be considered a new customer if it was in my husband's name because I was the customer the first time - different name but same address?  Not sure how they view that.

I guess I look at our other television options for our area besides Direct TV.  You'd think in this economy that businesses would be working to gain customers, not lose them.

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High-Def Hotties

We bought a new HD television a few months ago. At the time we bought it, I had no idea you actually had to pay to add HD service to your television plan in order to reap the benefits the television offers. I thought it was just there - like the television signal you get when you have an antennae. Duh! Leave it to us to do something that ends up costing us more money in the long run. So we have this HD television that we haven't been using for the HD capabilities. Other priorities for our finances I guess.

I'm comparing different equipment and plans so that hubby can get his HD with his television viewing. So many options to choose from - bell tv and others. I'm sure my husband would like to see Kate Beckinsale in full high-def! I wouldn't mind seeing a certain Pirate in the same hi-def so we're even.

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Big Bird is 40

Big Bird (and the rest of Sesame Street) is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Can you believe that big, yellow bird is 40 years old? Does that make you feel old too? It sure makes me feel old. They're only two years older than I am.

What do you get a 40-year-old for this birthday/anniversary? Perhaps a little eye wrinkle cream? Ha! If anybody gives me eye wrinkle cream for my 40th birthday, I'll smack 'em.

Happy Anniversary to Sesame Street!

We have a dog named after one of the show's characters - Cookie Monster. The puppy started out as just 'Cookie' but it quickly turned to 'Cookie Monster' after seeing what her personality was like.

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Husband vs Wife Decorating

They make some awesome new tv stands for the HD flat-screen televisions, don't they? I'm being stubborn though.

For years, I wanted a big armoire that looked antiqued, with doors that closed the television inside. With so many kids, any help closing up clutter is a necessity!

About four years ago, I finally got it. Now I won't give it up for a flat screen television. So, we just slid it inside! It's not the ideal situation to get the full sound effects from an HD flat-screen but for now, it's all I'm willing to give up for my husband to have his flat-screen!

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The Vampire Diaries Coming to the CW

Did you hear about the new vampire show that is coming to the CW on September 10th? It's called The Vampire Diaries and it is based on the book series by L. J. Smith.

Don't get confused about the other vampire series on HBO called True Blood. That is for mature viewing, which disappointed my twelve-year-old.

I don't know yet how they are rating The Vampire Diaries so I'm not yet sure if my 12-year-old, who wants to watch it, will be able to but she's excited about it and hopeful.

I'm just thankful not to have another medical drama on television again. I guess wardrobe changes are easy given they usually wear medical scrubs but given the popularity of vampires right now, thanks to the Twilight series, it'll be nice to have something else to choose from on television. I just hope they don't overdo it with the vampire stuff.

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David Letterman vs Sarah Palin re: joke

By now, most everybody has heard about the joke that Letterman did about one of Sarah Palin's daughters. To me, the joke sounded like he was referring to the 14 year old because she was the one there. Whichever daughter, it was in bad taste. Yeah, he's a comedian, yada yada yada but I think the children of politicians should be off limits. They are kids. They had no choice in the fact that their parent has put them in the public's eye.

Anyway, Letterman apologized.

The apology was accepted.

"The Alaska governor, in a statement issued Tuesday, said the apology was accepted "on behalf of all young women, like my daughters, who hope men who 'joke' about public displays of sexual exploitation of girls will soon evolve."

Time to move on.

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Glenn Beck on The View: Whoopi is SO Professional...not.

Look at .07 - .09 seconds into this video...Whoopi just acts SO professional.

You don't invite guests onto the show and then act like that! I don't get this show anymore. I used to like watching The View.

Here's the first part of the video if you're interested in seeing all of it:

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FOX News Ratings: Bill O'Reilly, Hannity & Glenn Beck

I've seen a lot of slamming of FOX News with comments left on different forums about how bad their ratings are, yada yada yada. People have their definite opinions about Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly, & Hannity.

So I thought I'd do a little research to see just what was up with all the slamming. Looks like it's pure jealousy or people just not tolerating opinions that differ from their own. According to everything I've found, FOX News is blowing their competition right out of the water. Are the other cable news networks even in the game anymore? I think not. In fact, as of an article I found from February 2009 (and not at FOX), they were the top-rated cable news network for 86 months in a row. If that is accurate, YEAH for them.





Go FOX!

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News Today: Nags, Catholic Scandal, Meaty Sludge Shaped Like a Hot Dog & Missing Link

The View & Glenn Beck:

I heard that Glenn Beck got ripped into on The View. It doesn't surprise me. I am a woman so I don't say this lightly about the women of The View - a bunch of criticizing nags harping all at once so you can't understand a word they say. They probably brought him on just to rip into him for their ratings. Seriously, what was the point on arguing over who approached who to talk to in the past? Didn't they have anything better to ask him about with all that is going on in this world? Oh, that's right, they don't want to hear opposing views which is why they only have one co-host who has opposing views to theirs and they've been known to rip into her as well.

They really need to even it out on that stage. It is one against the rest of them. They need to make it a more even playing field. All that harping just turns me off of their show.

The Catholic Church:

I was raised Catholic though I don't consider myself Catholic anymore. The church has a lot to fix. I remember the church I attended as a child, the priest ran off with his secretary (who was married!). With all the child abuse accusations the past several years, and now the report coming out about serial abuse in Ireland by Catholic run organizations, it's another black eye.

For me, religion (I prefer "faith") is personal. The Catholic Church seemed more like business than a place for a religious experience for me personally. My faith isn't about a large brick building or confessing sins to somebody else. I feel closer to Deity walking through the woods with a one-on-one relationship - no go betweens for me. I don't want a church official telling me that somebody else's religion is wrong (like I heard while attending the Catholic Church...and others after that). Nobody's religion is "wrong" if it is right for them. I don't think I have the right to say what is wrong and what is right for other people or dictate what they should believe in or what they should or shouldn't do. I don't have the right to try to convert others. It's a personal choice. I, personally, wouldn't allow my son unsupervised by me in a Catholic Church at this point, however, I also don't allow them unsupervised with any adults that I don't know, not just priests. I know they all aren't riddled with scandal but I don't take chances with my kids' well-being. The scandal aside, Catholicism wasn't right for me personally. It is right for others and that's their choice.

Missing Link:

I've read the story about the 47 million year old fossil being found, about the size of a cat, that is being called the missing link by some. I've also read that some people are saying it's not. From what I've read so far, I don't believe so either. It's a great find, don't get me wrong, but I don't think it's the missing link.

Oscar Meyer:

Oscar Meyer is giving away up to one million in hot dogs today. Really gross. I can down a hot dog now and then but not regularly. I'd yak. If you'd like a coupon for free meaty sludge shaped like a hot dog, click here. They'll mail you a coupon after you register.

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Women of The View

I wish they'd just shut up. Really! There is nothing fair or balanced about that show when you have a majority of the co-hosts ganging up on one co-host or when you are interviewing a presidential candidate and you have one co-host rolling her eyes and the other sitting like a petulant child. Their personal presidential choices aside, they should be able to conduct interviews fairly. Otherwise, it's just a skewed segment. If they were going to use their show as a forum to discuss politics, then their co-hosts should be more evenly matched instead of looking like a bully-fest. I guess, other than Barbara Walters, they aren't actual journalists so maybe I shouldn't expect better but because it is Barbara Walters' show, I do expect better after her long history.

If I want to see sniping women acting silly with their claws out, I'll go back to work in a building full of them backstabbing each other or hit a few of the more unfriendly online forums. I guess there is a reason I always got along better with men than women. I can't stand that crap.

They have lost me as a viewer. I would imagine as a 36 year old mother of four, stepmother of two, that I am in their target demographics. They should work more towards their demographics rather than using it to push ABC's political views. I am really beginning to hate mainstream media.

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My Fridays With Ghost Whisperer

Ghost Whisperer - Season 4 Preview


I love this show! I've watched Ghost Whisperer from the beginning and still love it. I can't wait for the new season to start. Yes, if that is pathetic that this is my Friday night, so be it, lol.

I just wish Moonlight was still on after Ghost Whisperer. I don't know why they canceled it. Stupid!

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End of Full-Power Analog Television Broadcasting

February 17, 2009 is the deadline for analog television broadcasting. If you have an older analog television, you will need a digital to analog converter box if you don't have cable or satellite. If you have cable or satellite TV, you should be OK.

I was confused about it at first until I looked it up because we have a couple of old televisions. I am not very technologically advanced when it comes to that (I can't record a movie to VHS or DVD to save my life) and terms like analog, digital, S-video, HDMI wall plate, VGA, etc. just confuse me. Since we have satellite television, we are good to go so this deadline doesn't affect us.

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