The Pix Pixy

Nominated for four Emmys, including Outstanding Dramatic Series two times in its short three-year stint, Star Trek is a true legend of television history. The brainchild of former L.A. policeman Gene Roddenberry, the show premiered in Fall 1966 only to be cancelled after three seasons due to lackluster ratings. But it may well have been NBC’s network executives who were the cause of the low ratings as they allotted a less than desirable time slot for the show. When Star Trek moved into syndication, its reruns captured the science-fiction imagination of an entirely new audience, catapulting the Star Trek franchise to new heights. Its newfound popularity would, in the decades to come, spawn novels, comic books, six full-length feature films, and reams of merchandise as fans clamored for anything Star Trek-related. Beginning in the 1980’s, spin-offs of the show began to appear such as Star Trek: The Animated Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise…

Star Trek, the original TV series, follows the adventurous exploits of the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise as they “boldly go where no man has gone before…” The spaceship Enterprise is led by Captain James Tiberius Kirk (William Shatner), an Earth-born astronaut who often exhibits the charm, leadership, and creativity necessary for the mission’s survival. Kirk is joined by Lt. Commander Spock (Leonard Nimoy), a Vulcan-born retired commander and theoretical scientist. Chief medical officer Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) rounds out the main cast of Star Trek which includes a plethora of supporting crew with multiple guest appearances and cameo roles. Together, the crew of U.S.S. Enterprise seeks to carry out its mission: “to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations…” It’s this pioneering attitude, coupled with imaginative sci-fi worlds, that provides Star Trek with its nostalgic allure - especially these episodes from the original TV series, widely regarded as the most popular of all the TV series…

The Star Trek (Season 3) DVD features a number of action-packed episodes including the season premiere “Spock’s Brain” in which the Enterprise is intercepted by a mysterious, unidentified spacecraft. An alien from the ship beams herself onto the bridge of the Enterprise and renders the entire crew unconscious. When they awaken, McCoy informs Kirk that the alien has confiscated Spock’s brain. Now, the Enterprise is tasked with locating Spock’s brain before his body decays… Other notable episodes from Season 3 include “Plato’s Stepchildren” in which the inhabitants of the planet Platonius take advantage of the Enterprise crew’s goodwill in order to enslave them via telekinesis, and “The Way to Eden” in which the Enterprise is hijacked by a band of Earthlings in pursuit of the mythical planet Eden, a garden-like world of health, purity, and happiness…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Star Trek (Season 3) DVD:

Episode 56 (Spock’s Brain) Air Date: 09-20-1968
Episode 57 (The Enterprise Incident) Air Date: 09-27-1968
Episode 58 (The Paradise Syndrome) Air Date: 10-04-1968
Episode 59 (And the Children Shall Lead) Air Date: 10-11-1968
Episode 60 (Is There in Truth No Beauty?) Air Date: 10-18-1968
Episode 61 (Spectre of the Gun) Air Date: 10-25-1968
Episode 62 (Day of the Dove) Air Date: 11-01-1968
Episode 63 (For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky) Air Date: 11-08-1968
Episode 64 (The Tholian Web) Air Date: 11-15-1968
Episode 65 (Plato’s Stepchildren) Air Date: 11-22-1968
Episode 66 (Wink of an Eye) Air Date: 11-29-1968
Episode 67 (The Empath) Air Date: 12-06-1968
Episode 68 (Elaan of Troyius) Air Date: 12-20-1968
Episode 69 (Whom Gods Destroy) Air Date: 01-03-1969
Episode 70 (Let That Be Your Last Battlefield) Air Date: 01-10-1969
Episode 71 (The Mark of Gideon) Air Date: 01-17-1969
Episode 72 (That Which Survives) Air Date: 01-24-1969
Episode 73 (The Lights of Zetar) Air Date: 01-31-1969
Episode 74 (Requiem for Methuselah) Air Date: 02-14-1969
Episode 75 (The Way to Eden) Air Date: 02-21-1969
Episode 76 (The Cloudminders) Air Date: 02-28-1969
Episode 77 (The Savage Curtain) Air Date: 03-07-1969
Episode 78 (All Our Yesterdays) Air Date: 03-14-1969
Episode 79 (Turnabout Intruder) Air Date: 06-03-1969

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Star Trek (Season 3) DVD.

PROBABLY one of the most powerful preventive medicine tools available to us is that of Massage. It is one of the oldest forms of treatment and can be traced back many thousands of years to the ancient Greeks, Persians and Chinese who are said to have practiced massage as a spiritual art. The word Massage comes from the Greek ‘massein’ meaning ‘to knead’.

Today in this fast paced 21st century, it could be argued that we’ve never known a more hectic style of living. When we become stressed our activity becomes strenuous and our energy requirements exceed supply. Our bodies can become tired and stiff, our muscles cramped and sluggish with the overall feeling of being tense, fatigued and stressed. But do we take time-out? Do we look for ways to relax and slow down? Do we decide to nurture ourselves a little? Usually not! Let’s face it, most of us just soldier on. We are so caught up on the treadmill of our busy lives that we have forgotten how to listen to our bodies.

The experts and their statistics tell us that we are living longer than ever before. Our life expectancy is extending every few years with a result that most of us can now expect to live well into our eighties! Perhaps this is one of the reasons that more and more people today are now taking responsibility for their own health and well being. People are looking to complementary therapies to aid the recovery from tension, stress and fatigue. In our determination to be healthy and remain healthy many of us now use massage as a powerful form of preventative medicine and as part of an integrated approach to our personal health care.

THE POWER OF TOUCH

It has long been recognized that the power of touch is crucial to us as humans. We are all sensual beings and as a result our bodies respond well to massage and human contact. Research in the UK has proven that in many health institutions, such as hospitals and nursing homes, etc. patients responded better to treatment and were more content when there was more physical contact between their carers and themselves.

Here’s why it works - There are many types of massage techniques which can include, sports massage, mother and baby massage, Swedish, Shiatsu and Reflexology, but the basic principle of each is very similar. Massage improves circulation allowing your blood to send oxygen and nutrients to your muscles where ultimately they are converted into energy. Furthermore it assists the filtering out of toxins and drains the essential lymph system which is so important for a strong immune system. The result? A nourished, cleansed and relaxed body and a wonderful sense of well being that can last for many days afterwards!

POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN

VISITING A MASSAGE THERAPIST: -

1) A qualified massage therapist will have undergone a substantial period of training and should be a member of an international association relating to his/her specific field of expertise. There are a number of excellent therapists in your locality and referring to your telephone directories should provide you with a qualified massage therapist or clinic in your area.

2) Your therapist will want to get to know about you on your first visit and will prepare a personal case history based on a number of questions he/she will ask. In order for the therapist to provide you with the best suited therapy during your session these questions are important and will touch upon medical, social, personal information as well as your family history of illnesses, etc. Based on the information compiled the therapist will then design a treatment specifically for you.

3) It is important for you to feel at ease with your therapist and it is the practitioner’s job to make you feel comfortable and explain to you what they will be doing.

4) Always let your therapist know what you are planning to do after your massage.

5) If you are planning to have an Aromatherapy Massage, i.e. a massage combined with pure essential oils, it is best not to have a shower or bath for approximately eight hours as this period of time is needed to allow the full absorption of the oils into the body.

6) Finally when your session is complete your therapist will allow you some quiet time to relax on your own before getting up and heading off and continuing your day.

So, as and from today, make a promise to yourself, commit to having a healthier body, system and rested mind and book that massage appointment now - aren’t you worth it?

Paula Hynes is a Lifeskills Consultant and Educator specializing in stress, touch therapy and self care. She is also the founder of The Natural Therapy Training Centre in County Westmeath Ireland. e-mail: naturaltc@eircom.net

Life in today’s hectic society is going more and more in the direction of fast foods, sugar in all sorts of foods you would never think should be there, trans fatty acids, preservatives and pesticides, which we consume in large amounts every year. We even go so far as to invent foods, such as artificial sugars which your body may or may not recognize as actual food.

We are bombarded with hormones in most of our meats and dairy products. There is mounting evidence that many girls are maturing physically at a much younger age because of this.

With all this going on, it’s no wonder that our immune systems are on overload and physical ailments are growing in leaps and bounds. Pain in some cases, is what some people’s lives revolve around.

Lets look at pain. It is your signal that injury, disease or too much strain has occurred on the body. Without it you wouldn’t know that something needs to be addressed. Even mild pain can limit your activities, which in turn can lead to a loss of strength, endurance and flexability.

Chronic pain can be on and off or be consistent. If you are like most people, you’ll reach for over the counter drugs or prescription drugs. This is what the drug companies would love for you to do.

If you suffer from pain there are many more options for you to explore than drugs or surgery. With vitamins, minerals and herbs lacking in our daily foods, you may want to consider a nutritionist to assist in establishing healthy diet and exercise program. Supplements, and organic foods, may improve your immune system’s ability to repair the body and should reduce pain.

There are also other natural remedies that can enhance your nutritional handling such as acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or yoga.

I hope this helps.

Wilhelmina Jones is a freelance writer who was diagnosed with Lupus nearly 15 years ago. Though symptoms were severe at that time, through the use of diet and supplements for maintaining health and pain relief, she has remained symptom free ever since.
Natural Pain Relief Online Resource for Pain Relief
http://www.painreliefdirectory.com.

FANAA IS THE new-breed cinema of Bollywood that tries to mix the glamour of film industry with the realities of life. It will be fair to say that this film turns its subject into fantasy and weaves it with music and dance, but when it comes to the dénouement, the film holds the values that are inherent in the Indian mindset regarding Kashmir. The film relies heavily on subtle metaphors.

Fanaa is a film about a blind woman from Kashmir, played by the renowned actress Kajol. And, this time the Indian filmmakers have substituted Poland, or such exotic European locations, for Kashmir. Her parents are off and indulge in poetry. She goes with a troupe to perform at the Republic Day function in New Delhi. There, she falls in love with a playboy, played by Aamir Khan. He brings back her eyesight, but before she can see him he disappears. After that, the real face of her lover is uncovered. He actually works for an international ‘terrorist’ group. And, he is with Kajol to fulfil his mission. And, he counts his mission to be the most important thing in his life. Circumstances bring them face-to-face again after several years, and finally the climax is quite reminiscent of Bollywood hits, like Mother India and Shakti.

Khan is turning out to be next Mr Bharat after Manoj Kumar. All his films of the past seven years, barring Mela and Dil Chahata Hai, were patriotic in nature. Fanaa, directed by Kunal Kohli and produced under the Yash Raj banner, is set in the backdrop of Kashmir. And, it is Kashmir of only four people, who are pitted against Khan. The film does not show the disgruntled Kashmiri to have any aim. He vaguely fights for an international ‘terrorist’ group. He is sophisticated and suave, flirtatious but deadly. Love, family and children do not matter to him. But, the reasons for his choices and condition in life are never mentioned. Therefore, the viewer takes him to be confused, which is again a cunning metaphor.

Kohli has tried to keep the screenplay of Fanaa ambiguous, which helps to hold the interest of the audience but drags at the climax. But, it has become a speciality of the Yash Raj banner. The music of Jatin-Lalit, which incidentally is the duo’s last combined effort, is a disappointment. The close-ups of Khan reveal the ageing star. But, his looks are quite refreshing, while Kajol is as effervescent as she was in her last hit Kabhi Khushi, Kabhi Gham. It has breath-taking stunts in snow, and its locales are quite astounding. The chemistry between Khan and Kajol is outstanding, particularly towards the dénouement. The film broke the box office record in the first week by collecting a whopping Rs 33 crores.

It is another Bollywood potboiler that circumvents the Kashmir issue and reaffirms what other Bollywood films convey: women and middle-aged men against militants. Interestingly, only Kashmiri women are allowed to perform at the Republic Day function in the film, while a Kashmiri man when given entry causes devastation. The other lacuna, which is common to the most Bollywood films made on the Kashmir issue, is the complete absence of the aspirations of the Kashmiri masses, their sufferings and the heavy emotional and physical pain they undergo.

Like the other Yash Raj films it is a fairytale story sewed with the emotionality of a Kashmiri backdrop. Do not get surprised if this film becomes a cult for filmmakers. As said earlier, the director has used metaphors quite stunningly and cunningly. One cannot help but fault the ill-defined patriotism of the movie.

But, Fanaa has succeeded where other mainstream films have failed. For the first time in the history of Indian cinema one hears about Kashmiris being deprived of the promised referendum. Secondly, it is shown a ‘terrorist’ group operating in Kashmir is not controlled by Pakistan. The film goes one step ahead by showing an understanding between the two countries on terrorism.

The film acknowledges the use of popular entertainment as means of political mobilisation or propaganda. The best popular films are being crafted with a dangerous liaison of fact and fantasy, which confuses the audience and easily leads it astray. It is in such a context that films like Fanaa from Bollywood need to be assessed before we watch them.

VERA CRUZ — Two 19th century “soldiers of fortune,” one survivor of the Civil War with a “soft spot” for sick horses and social justice (Gary Cooper playing Ben Trane), the other a charming and money-greedy happy-trigger killer (Burt Lancaster at his grinning best, playing Joe Erin), search for their next dollar down in Mexico at a time when the country is torn between Emperor Maxmillian and the nationalist peasant army trying to overthrow him.

Since the Emperor got the most cash, our hired guns agree to serve the Emperor by escorting a certain Countess to the city of Vera Cruz by passing through territory under rebel control. On the way to Vera Cruz, both fighters discover 3 million dollars in gold coins (intended to buy guns for the Emperor from France) hidden at the bottom of the stagecoach carrying the Countess and she is not totally unaware of the fact either. She has her own plans too. All three plot against the other two to scoop the treasure away. Betrayal is not an issue. It’s not even personal. It’s just business.

After a few gunfight and ambush scenes between the Maxmillian’s escorting army and the peasant rebels, justice reigns and Ben Trane emerges as the noble soul who triumphs over crass materialism despite the “soft spot” in his heart that Joe Erin took for weakness. He does not live long enough to correct his foolish ways.

This is the movie to see to learn how a bullet can be pulled out of the leading man’s (Lancaster) arm by the other leading guy (Cooper) by using nothing more than a cold unsterilized pocket knife, while the wounded patient is leaning against a tree and the whole thing is accomplished within seconds too! As soon as the bullet is out, the patient is on his horse, giving one heck of a chase to the unfortunate perpetrator. They don’t make hired guns this tough no more.

Cinematography of Ernest Laszlo is beyond compare. Most of the shots is worthy of a calendar page.

A beautifully shot movie in which Ernest Borgnine and a very young Charles Bronson also do their parts.

A 6 out of 10.

Ugur Akinci, Ph.D. is a Creative Copywriter, Editor, an experienced and award-winning Technical Communicator specializing in fundraising packages, direct sales copy, web content, press releases and hi-tech documentation.

He has worked as a Technical Writer for Fortune 100 companies for the last 7 years.

You can reach him at writer111@gmail.com for a FREE consultation on all your copywriting needs.

Please visit his official web site http://www.writer111.com for customer testimonials and more information on his multidisciplinary background and career.

The last book he has edited: http://www.lulu.com/content/263630

Debt/Income Ratios

To figure your debt/income ratio, gather your most recent credit billing statements. If you don’t receive a monthly statement for some billsyour car loan, for examplecall the creditor for your current balance. This is very important. Your rough idea of your balance may be completely different from what you actually owe.

Now, list all your bills in one column. In a second column, list your monthly payments. In a third column, list the total amount you still owe on those bills. (Be sure to list your current outstanding balance, not the original amount of the loan.) Don’t include your utilities or taxes as debts here.

Revolving debts, such as credit cards, do not have fixed monthly payments. You may want to find out from your card issuer how your monthly payments are calculated. Otherwise, estimate that your monthly payments are 2.5 percent of the total amount you owe. (To figure the monthly payment on that basis, multiply the total due by .025.)

Next, determine your monthly income. Start with your annual gross income (income before taxes). Add any additional, steady income you receive, such as alimony, Social Security benefits, or interest from investments. Do not include overtime or bonuses unless they are guaranteed. If you earn an hourly wage instead of a salary, take an average weekly paycheck and multiply that figure by fifty-two (weeks) to determine your gross annual income. You can then divide that figure by twelve to determine your monthly income.

Next, divide your monthly debt payments by your total monthly income. The answer is your monthly debt/income ratio.

The number you end up with will be a fraction. Debt/income ratios are expressed as percentages, so move the decimal point on the number over two places to the right. Here’s an example:

MONTHLY DEBT/INCOME RATIO
400-1500= 26 or 26%
Monthly debt payments - monthly income = debt/income ratio

One of the funniest sitcoms in television history, The Andy Griffith Show chronicles the happenings of the small town of Mayberry and its easy-going Sheriff Andy Griffith. Andy is joined by his young son Opie, his deputy Barney Fife, his Aunt Bee, and a plethora of oddball, eccentric, and sometimes wacky characters. The small town American charm of this series harkens to a simpler era in American life that often makes people nostalgic for the “good ole days”…

The Andy Griffith Show (Season 6) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere “Opie’s Job” in which Opie falls into a heated competition with another boy for a grocery store job, prompting Opie to run all over Mayberry delivering goods in an attempt to please his boss… Other notable episodes include “Off to Hollywood” in which Andy receives a one-thousand dollar royalty check for his idea for a show “Sheriff Without a Gun,” prompting those around him to convince him to take a trip to Hollywood with the money, and “Aunt Bee Learns to Drive” in which Aunt Bee buys a car from Goober so she can learn to drive for herself and not be reliant on others for transportation…

Below is a list of episodes included on The Andy Griffith Show (Season 6) DVD:

Episode 160 (Opie’s Job) Air Date: 09-13-1965
Episode 161 (Andy’s Rival) Air Date: 09-20-1965
Episode 162 (Malcolm at the Crossroads) Air Date: 09-27-1965
Episode 163 (Aunt Bee, the Swinger) Air Date: 10-04-1965
Episode 164 (The Bazaar) Air Date: 10-11-1965
Episode 165 (A Warning from Warren) Air Date: 10-18-1965
Episode 166 (Off to Hollywood) Air Date: 10-25-1965
Episode 167 (Taylor’s in Hollywood) Air Date: 11-01-1965
Episode 168 (The Hollywood Party) Air Date: 11-08-1965
Episode 169 (Aunt Bee on TV) Air Date: 11-15-1965
Episode 170 (The Cannon) Air Date: 11-22-1965
Episode 171 (A Man’s Best Friend) Air Date: 11-29-1965
Episode 172 (Aunt Bee Takes a Job) Air Date: 12-06-1965
Episode 173 (The Church Organ) Air Date: 12-13-1965
Episode 174 (Girl-Shy) Air Date: 12-20-1965
Episode 175 (Otis the Artist) Air Date: 01-03-1966
Episode 176 (The Return of Barney Fife) Air Date: 01-10-1966
Episode 177 (The Legend of Barney Fife) Air Date: 01-17-1966
Episode 178 (Lost and Found) Air Date: 01-24-1966
Episode 179 (Wyatt Earp Rides Again) Air Date: 01-31-1966
Episode 180 (Aunt Bee Learns to Drive) Air Date: 02-07-1966
Episode 181 (Look Paw, I’m Dancing) Air Date: 02-14-1966
Episode 182 (The Gypsies) Air Date: 02-21-1966
Episode 183 (Eat Your Heart Out) Air Date: 02-28-1966
Episode 184 (A Baby in the House) Air Date: 03-07-1966
Episode 185 (The County Clerk) Air Date: 03-14-1966
Episode 186 (The Foster Lady) Air Date: 03-21-1966
Episode 187 (Goober’s Replacement) Air Date: 03-28-1966
Episode 188 (The Battle of Mayberry) Air Date: 04-04-1966
Episode 189 (A Singer in Town) Air Date: 04-11-1966

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of The Andy Griffith Show (Season 6) DVD.

In the past I used to think that social networking was only a function of business. I have recently learned better. Last year a friend of mine experessed a concern that she was drinking to much. By alerting her network of friends we were able to help prevent her alcohol abuse by not offering alcohol at parties we had. Without the social drinking she was able to get away from drinking to much. We like to think her social network helped prevent a really good friend from developing a huge problem. This is only one of many way social networking can be applied outside the standard work usage.

When I started thinking that I was developing an alcohol abuse problem I was a bit worried about how to fix it. I had lots of social events I went to and there was always the offer of drinks. It just seemed antisocial not to drink. I mentioned my concerns to one of my best friends and he kind of passed the word around our network of other friends. Well suddenly I was offered fewer drinks or offered soft drinks or juice instead. It didn’t take long to get my drinking concerns back in line. Your real friends will do a lot to help you with challenges you have if you just tell them about them.

Several weeks ago, I went out to dinner with a female friend. During dinner I asked her if she had seen Brokeback Mountain yet. She said, “No, I have no desire to see two men kissing all over each other.” I asked her if she would be willing to do me a favor and see the movie anyway. I told her I had a theory and I wanted to see if I was right about something, so she agreed. We met for lunch after she went to see the movie. I asked her what she thought - it turns out that she loved it. I asked her if she was turned off or disgusted by any of the sexual scenes; she said, “No, surprisingly enough, I wasn’t turned off by them at all.” I decided to take it a step further. I asked her if she was turned on by any of the scenes in the movie. Her face turned red and she said, “I have no idea why, but yes, I was turned on by them.” This isn’t the first time I’ve heard a woman say that after having seen the movie. I think I know why women are finding the sexual scenes in Brokeback Mountain so arousing, but before I explain, let me digress just a little.

During an interview a radio talk show host brought up the fact that females aren’t as visual as males. She said that was the reason there aren’t nearly as many male strip clubs as there are female strip clubs. As I discussed in Women’s Infidelity, the word “more” creates a lot of confusion between the sexes. Whenever it has been determined that one sex is “more” of anything, we fail to remember that the other sex still has that trait, only to a lesser degree. For example, males have more hair than females, but that doesn’t mean that females don’t have hair. Males like more sexual variety than females, but that doesn’t mean females don’t like sexual variety. Likewise, males may be more visual than females, but that in no way means that females aren’t visual. Having said that, I would like to address not only how women feel about watching men have sex, but also how women feel about male strip clubs as well as male prostitution.

Heterosexual females are attracted to masculinity. Women don’t get turned on by watching men act like women. So, going to a strip club and watching men dance around in what can best be described as bikini panties is not a turn on for most females. If you want women to pay to see men, then build a bar with a glass front on a construction site and you’ll make a fortune. The female animal likes to watch physically fit men work. If men want to get women’s attention, all they have to do is take off their shirts and lift something heavy or pick up a shovel and start digging a hole. Trust me, men would receive the same kind of attention that they normally give to partially exposed, pushed-up breasts.

This explains my friend’s arousal during the sexual scenes in Brokeback Mountain - the sexual scenes were extremely masculine. The men weren’t caressing and cuddling with each other; the love scenes were very passionate and aggressive. Passion and aggression are what arouse the female animal.

Now, on to the issue of male prostitution, someone just recently asked me, “If women like sex as much as men, why aren’t there more male prostitutes running around?” Well, I can think of several reasons. First of all, until recently, women didn’t have any money, so obviously paying for sex wasn’t an option. Likewise, females experiencing pleasure from sex is also something that is relatively new. Prior to 60-65 years ago sex was only thought of as pleasurable for males; therefore was no information available about how to please women sexually. Plus, when females did experience sexual pleasure they were encouraged to hide their pleasure from their partners in order to make the men feel more secure. However, those reasons aside, there’s still the undeniable fact that a male has a hard time pleasing just one female, while a female has the ability to please many males…although now, Viagra may help to alleviate this problem. (For further explanation see Women’s Infidelity, Chapter 6: Why Women Find Affair Sex Particularly Appealing.)

Therefore, in the past, circumstances were such that male prostitution couldn’t even be a plausible fantasy, much less a reality. Men like porn because it is made to appeal to their desires and fantasies. Now that women have economic freedom for the first time in history, they are able to voice their desires - more and more it’s becoming clear that who they are and what they desire is quite different from who they were forced to be in the past.

Michelle Langley is the author of Women’s Infidelity: Living In Limbo: What Women Really Mean When They Say, “I’m Not Happy” To read an excerpt from Women’s Infidelity visit http://womensinfidelity.com.

Only a couple of years ago, missing your favorite television show meant, well,
missing it. Unless a friend had taped it, your only chance for catching the episode
would be to wait for a rerun.

Thanks to broadband Internet connections, it’s possible to download the episodes
that you’ve missed, as well as older shows, and even programs that may not be be
shown in your area. Missed the latest episode of “Lost” or “Desperate Housewives”?
You can download it and watch it on your computer.

There are a variety of tools for downloading TV programs, including “legal” tools like
the iTunes Music Store and Google Video, and “unauthorized” tools like BitTorrent
and Internet Relay Chat. The difference between legal and unauthorized methods is
whether the television network has authorized the distribution of that program. The
legal tools typically charge about $2 to download an episode of a television show;
the unauthorized ones are typically free.

Which method should you use? Either iTunes Music Store or Google Video — today’s
two major legal video download applications. I’m not going to tell you not to use the
unauthorized programs because they’re unethical or illegal, or because the poor
networks should be paid for their work. You should avoid them, if at all possible,
because they’re quite difficult to use.

Downloading a program with BitTorrent is a complicated process that requires
navigating cumbersome (sometimes untrustworthy) video search sites and waiting
hours (sometimes overnight) while the show downloads. Even then, the episode
might turn out to be encoded in a format that your PC doesn’t handle: so you’ve got
to find and install the proper video CODEC. It can be a time-consuming, frustrating
process.

The alternative is paying $2 or so at the iTunes Music Store or Google Video. Your
program will be available to watch within seconds, or a few minutes at most, with
none of the tears and drama (unless, of course, the program is a drama.) My time is
precious — I would rather spend my leisure time watching a favorite television
program than waiting for it to download or fussing with video software. I suspect
that you would, too.

Online video is in its infancy. The number of programs available for legal download
is a drop in the bucket compared to the vast number of programs on television. But
the big TV networks are jumping in the bandwagon quickly — many of the most
popular shows, from Battlestar Galactica to The Daily Show, are waiting for you
online.

Copyright 2006 by Kevin Savetz. Kevin Savetz is creator of TV Show Tracker
(http://www.TVShowTracker.com), a free web site that keeps viewers up-to-date about the
latest downloadable TV shows at the
iTunes Music Store. Users can subscribe to RSS feeds to receive alerts when new
episodes are available.