The Pix Pixy

But How Realistic Is It For You To Start Managing Your Own Pain Using the Mind-Body Connection?

If you’re fed up with the callous treatment, invasive procedures, and under-medication that some doctors provide, you’re not alone. But be cautious before you totally embrace a natural approach. Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind and some specific information on one natural technique, visualization.

If you’ve been in pain for months or years, you’ve probably been to see osteopaths, pain management specialists, and possibly chiropractors and acupuncturists without getting help. You feel like you’ve given up control of your life to them and may want to take it back using some form of the mind-body connection.

This is a healthy reaction if you don’t carry it too far. First, the use of traditional medicine or the mind-body connection doesn’t have to be an either/or choice. Often the two complement each other.

Second, not all mind-body connections are equal and only one or a few options may be right for you. Meditation, relaxation therapy, self-hypnosis, hypnotherapy, biofeedback, affirmation, visualization, and other methods all differ in terms of ease of use, effectiveness for preogramming the subconscious, and cost.

For a comparison of ten different ways to ease your pain using the mind-body connection, please see the free report available from the Web site mentioned at the end of this article. Click on the link, go to the Home page, and download the free report.

Third, if you’re encouraged by the possibility of using using visualization statements to program the subconscious to deliver relief, you should know that so far it’s been directly applied to three of the five major types of chronic pain, and indirectly applied to one other.

About Visualization

Visualization statements represent the specific language that your subconscious wants you to read back to it to help ease your pain. They’re simple and are targeted directly at the main factors that could bring you relief.

You can obtain these statements by learning how to communicate directly with your own subconscious mind. The process is straightforward and can be done at home by working with a facilitator over the telephone. You you need no special skills and no previous experience in working with the subconscious.

Here’s a recap of how visualization statements have been used to date:

Back Pain and Pain in the Extremities (Neck, Shoulder, Hip, Knee, Foot, etc.)

Unless a fracture of the spine is involved, these kinds of pain tend to be caused by strains on muscles, joints and ligaments, or by pressure on nerves in the spinal cord.

Visualization has had good results with these and other malfunctions of the musculoskeletal system and may be able to ease your pain to some degree.

Fibromyalgia Pain

Fibromyalgia pain may be a malfunction of the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the fight or flight syndrome. In fibromyalgia the sympathetic system becomes hyperactive, causing pain throughout the body, as well as sleep and digestive problems.

Visualization has produced positive results with fibromyalgia, helping to relieve pain, improve sleep and digestion, and improve energy and cognition levels. While the condition is complex, it seems to respond well to management by the subconscious and we’re encouraged by results to date.

Arthritis Pain

Rheumatoid arthritis pain results from the immune system attacking joint linings. Psoriatic arthritis pain is similar to the rheumatoid variety, except that it is accompanied by the eruption and shedding of skin over large areas of the body. Osteoarthritis pain results from a breakdown of the cartilage in joints, leading to pain, stiffness and inflammation.

While we have not worked directly with rheumatoid arthritis, we have worked with the psoriatic type. In psoriatic arthritis it seems to be possible to use visualizations to program the subconscious to have immune T-cells be put into action only when the body is truly attacked by an outside invader. This may also work for rheumatoid arthritis.

We have not yet worked with a participant who has osteoarthritis. But we have had good results working with back and extremity pain, which involves focusing the subconscious on increasing the elasticity of tendons and ligaments. If it has done that with back and extremity pain, it may be able to do the same for cartilage.

Neuropathic Pain

This kind of pain is caused by damage to nerve fibers. In some cases the pain is in the periphery of the body, such as in fingers and toes due to diabetes, or in the face or elsewhere due to shingles.

In other cases the pain is generated within the central nervous system itself. This can show up as burning sensations, muscle pain, pins and needles, shooting pain, visceral pain, pain from what normally shouldn’t hurt, and other sensations that range from the moderate to the severe.

We have not yet worked with neuropathic pain (nerve pain). However, the signals for this pain are transmitted by the same brain chemicals that we normally deal with when focusing the subconscious on other kinds of pain. As such visualization may be able to provide some relief.

Cancer Pain

Cancer is a life-threatening condition whose pain is best managed by medical professionals.

Working With the Subconscious

The subconscious is quite powerful. When programmed through the very visualizations that it suggests, it may be able to turn episodes of uncontrolled pain into events over which you have a degree of control.

Ben Plumb is CEO and President of The Visualization Group, Inc. The company’s service is delivered by people like himself who personally suffered from years of chronic pain, and used the visualization method described in this article to obtain relief when nothing else worked. For more information, please visit http://www.thevisualizationgroup.com.

(c) 2005 The Visualization Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The methodology and program disclosed in this article are Patent Pending.

A moneylender in Lodi California or so can have a total completely different actual interest rate for a 7500 dollar bank loan then a bank in Carmel Indiana and that makes a clear gap in your yearly costs. It doesn’t matter if you live in Kennewick Washington or in Bolingbrook Illinois a proficient online inspection will often lots of anguish. Now you can look into rates of interest quickly on the internet and cast if there are other possible traps you should know about. Lots of of the moneylenders wil show you a loan rate that is looking upright but feels badly or so after a while.

The Dutch translation says: Woon je in Epe of Spijkenisse en heeft u BKR codering. Lenen met een BKR notering is nergens zo eenvoudig. Haal snel een nieuwe caravan met geldlening met negatieve bkr vermelding, 204037 euro is geen obstakel om te financieren. Van Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel tot Bunschoten, financieren met BKR is hier geen enkel probleem.

Examine to see if the merchant bank who is tending to give you a money loan is . You should be shiny today to if you have a nice deal or if you don’t with the merchant bank that offers you a bank loan. now you really need to check out and ensure if you can have a loan at a respectable percent rate of interest. 7.3 percent rate may come out so fair but will it stay immutable after you’re going to refund your credit loan.

The medical use of herbs is widespread. In a multi-ethnic group of patients attending an emergency department in New York 22% reported that they used herbal medicines; use was highest among Asians, 37%. It is important therefore for clinicians to document use of herbal medicines as part of the patient’s drug profile. Plants synthesize complex (organic) molecules for their structure and function, and therefore are a rich source of chemicals. Active chemicals purified from plants are accepted effective medications e.g. digoxin, and morphine. When parts of plants or crude extracts of plants are used for medicinal purposes they are called herbal medicines.

What is the active ingredient in herbal medicines?

Most herbal medicines contain hundreds of chemicals and there is often no agreement as to which is potentially active. An example is garlic, comprised of many sulfur compounds, several of which are candidates for possible therapeutic activity.

How can one be sure that herbal medicines contain what is on the label?

The only regulatory requirement in The US markets is that all products intended for medicinal use, including natural health products, are issued a Drug Identification Number. However, these numbers are not required for raw materials such as bulk herbs. Herbal medicines are not required to pass any regulatory analysis to be sold as a health food supplement. There are many examples of herbal medicines that have been adulterated with other (more toxic) herbs, potent drugs (e.g. phenylbutazone, synthetic corticosteroids and other prescription drugs), or heavy metals.

How are herbal medicines standardized?

The chemical constituents of plants vary depending on the species, variety and part of the plant, with conditions of growth (soil, water and temperature), and with the age of the plant. These complexities and variations of chemical content make standardization essential. In some cases standardization is attempted, but it is difficult and seldom accomplished.

Plants are rich sources of chemicals and potential sources of effective herbal medicines. However, more research, regulation, and standardization are required before herbal medicines can be recommended as effective and safe therapies.

For more information, visit The Herbal Remedies Guide and

The Herbs Info Center

David Chandler

For your FREE Stock Market Trading Mini Course:
“What The Wall Street Hot Shots Won’t Tell You!” go to: The Stock Market Genie

Global warming and the recession, these twin threats have spared the Southern Alps, at any rate for this Christmas. On the other hand it may have been so altogether different. In the weeks before the holidays ski resorts in the Courchevel region were isolated when snow hammered down. Dual carriage way passes such as the important Col du Luz Ardiden were severed. There was no electricity or telephones, home owners had to be evacuated to pro tem dwellings, it seemed like a double of 1996.

It appears that all promotion is good promotion. Le Tour appeared every evening on French news bulletins. Immediately electricity was fixed reservations started to come in, drawn in by the fantastic skiing conditions.

Les Contamines-Montjoie and nearby Hautacam lay claim to nearly four m snow depth on the top slopes at 2000 m elevation and 2.3 metres at the base of the pistes. Presently the best in France. Le Tour reports there is 3 meters at the top of the resort. Alas a snow storm has damaged a pylon of the chair lift that goes up to the area. It will be out of action till the middle of January.

In other resorts in the French Alps bookings are up 17% in Flegere, Chamonix and Bessans. Montgenevre, not far from Geneva airport, has 2% occupancy and distributed a record number of lift passes during Saturday. That is good for big snowboarding firms.

Say acupuncture. People think needles. Acupuncture is not so much about the needles as it about balancing the body’s energy system or qi (pronounced chee). The concept of practitioners inserting needles into points seems to be what everyone thinks of when they think of acupuncture.

Acupuncture is a medical practice that is thousands of years old. It originated in Asia. Throughout the country of China, there are many different theories and ways of practicing. As time passes, more and more of this information is being translated and practiced in the Western World.

Needles are a major factor in acupuncture. The needles used in acupuncture are not the large size syringes that people are familiar with from their doctor’s office. These are solid needles that are about the size of a dressmaker’s pin and smaller.

Energy, or qi, flows throughout the body. Qi concentrates its flow through major pathways, called channels or meridians. On each channel are points where qi can be manipulated by a skilled practitioner. These are the places the acupuncturist chooses to needle.

Through the choice of points to needle, a practitioner can balance the body’s qi and thereby alleviate the symptoms of disease or illness. In order to make lasting change, the patient must have a series of treatments. The body becomes habituated to certain imbalances and though the patient may feel better after a treatment to correct this, it is natural for the body to go back to its familiar way of being. This may explain why acute problems, such as an injury, generally respond more quickly to acupuncture treatments than long term ailments.

After the needles are inserted, the patient can expect to lie on the table with the needles for about twenty to thirty minutes. In some cases, this will be longer. During this time, there is rarely any discomfort. It can be a very relaxing time for the patient. After this rest, the acupuncturist will remove the needles and perhaps do a bit of massage if there is a painful area. They will make recommendations about when the patient should return and any other types of treatments that may be beneficial to the patient.

Acupuncture has few side effects and these are typically limited to bruising in the local area. Some patients will feel tired after a treatment but this is typically because they are in a greater state of relaxation than their body is used to. Some other patients feel energized. Most people feel a sense of well being, though there are those who feel little change after the first couple of treatments. Rarely does someone feel worse and often that is only a temporary worsening of symptoms and then greater relief sets in.

Although acupuncture isn’t a one time treatment and it does take commitment to continue going for acupuncture treatments, it is a safe, effective and gentle method of healing.

Bonnie Koenig, LAc has been a Licensed Acupuncturist in Washington State since 1999. She loves writing and has created her website, http://www.quantulifestyles.com, for people who are looking to find out general information about acupuncture.

The Poker Player’s Alliance will be receiving a cash flow bump from the newly published book Tournament Poker: 101 Winning Moves by Mitchell Cogert. Anyone who buys the book on 11-11-2008 from Amazon.com is essentially donating the profits from that sale to the PPA.

Cogert has agreed to help fund the PPA and their mission to keep online poker legal in the US. His own personal opinion is that online poker should be supported in the US, legalized and taxed just like any other business. “It could bring in tens of millions of dollars at a time when the country needs the money,” he said.

The book itself is a type of reference book that holds a compilation of some of the best strategies and moves collected from over the past 20 years of the game. And it’s the first in it’s class; it’s the only manual that is exclusively aimed at no limit hold ‘em tournament play.

The question remains though, why on November 11th? Well that just happens to be the day of the Final Table of the WSOP is aired on ESPN. It’s a perfect coincidence for Cogert and the poker fan base.

And as if my blatant product placement wasn’t enough to convince you to support the cause (not necessarily for Cogert, but for the PPA’s sake), take a look at the Amazon.com ratings of the book; it’s highly rated with several already satisfied customers.

There are three talk shows that I watch on television, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. (I now also watch The Colbert Report. with Stephen Colbert.)

Stewart comes on too late for me, but I can catch it several times the next day along with Colbert.

In our area, Leno starts at 10:35 p.m. and Letterman comes on at 11:05 p.m. Why they come on at these times instead of 10:00 and 11:00 is a mystery to me. I would just like to say that it really tees me off. I guess I’m picky, picky!

Jay Leno

I watch Leno the first half hour of his show and then Letterman the first half hour of his show.

Sometimes I change back and forth. Clickity, Click!

I usually don’t stay up for the second half of Letterman unless he has a guest that hits it off with me.

Leno has (do not put derogatory remark here) writers. His jokes sometimes stink. But he has that funny little-boy humor that gets him through the monologue. Occasionally, all the jokes are funny, but not that often. When he finds a stinker, he points it out as being just that, and usually gets a laugh.

It’s the albatross around his neck.

At times, Leno’s orchestra leader, Kevin, saves him during the dialogue. Kevin sometimes destroys him. Leno is a good sport and shakes it off.

I don’t think there is enough malice, selfishness, anger, etc., in Leno to make him a great comic, but he usually gets the job done.

Sometimes the show’s skits come off and some times they don’t, but I like skits and hope for the best.

Sometimes he has a report from outside by a person who might be funny. He had a couple of young ladies a couple of years ago who were fun to watch. I think they are now raising babies, one in Oklahoma.

His recent reports have not been as funny.

There is a rule in the business that says:

If it’s not funny, it’s too damned long!

Okay!

There is NO such rule!

I made it up.

I was just trying to show that I’m an expert on this subject.

Leno is not nosy enough or interested enough in his quest to be a good interviewer. He never gets you into the nuts and bolts of his guest.

Leno could be more effective if he would simply say to a guest, “Let’s see. You were born in Kentucky?”

Or,

“I heard that you wanted to be a chiropracter when you were a little kid.”

He likes to sniff the women and say they are pretty. (Letterman does this “sniffing” too, but in a less intrusive way.)

I like it when Jay has animals. He is very good with them. He always goes beyond what is required.

He is also good when his fellow comedians come on. That is his bailiwick stemming from his continuous standup comedy routines off set.

His sidewalk interviews and headlines are always worth watching.

He is the King of the late night with a big audience.

David Letterman

David Letterman is an old man with a young child. He has had coronary bypass surgery. We know he is human.

Letterman doesn’t rely on the monologue. He tells two or three jokes, one about rats or squirrels and their nuts, and that is that. Orchestra leader, Paul, like Kevin on the Leno show, adlibs and either screws up or reinforces the monologue.

Letterman cant wait to get to his table and from that point you don’t know what will happen.

Letterman uses facial and verbal antics to get attention. He throws pencils and cards around the studio. The other night a flaming man ran through the studio as did the New York Marathon winners. He had a bear that they put away every night which is now in hibernation. He plays “Will it Float,” drops things off buildings, fools around with the diner owner across the street, and sometimes terrorizes the neighborhood by jumping motorcycles in the street.

Letterman talks to the audience much as Leno does, but he has “Know Your Cuts of Meat,” etc., to add interest. Sometimes his guest has a trick or tries to fool the band with a song.

I have a song that I want to trick the band with. It’s “Once I Went in Swimmin’.”

Letterman is a very good interviewer but not as good as Jack Paar or Johnny Carson. He has deeper questions than Leno. I have only seen him dumbfounded by one quest. (Paris Hilton seems to have something missing that helps most people to answer questions rather than just sitting there saying, Duhhhh.)

Letterman never forgets his “Top Ten List.” The following is my list for the show:

Why does David Letterman ALWAYS wear white socks?

1. He has jungle rot from WW II.

2. He hates to look for matching socks in the dark.

3. He doesn’t want to forget his “Country Pumpkin” roots.

4. His brother is a male nurse with a large clothing allowance.

5. It helps him hide in the cotton field from the revenuers, besides he’s a Chicago White Sox fan.

6. He is an avid Whitetail Deer hunter.

7. He works a night job in a bakery.

8. He thinks he’s Frosty the Snowman.

9. His great grandmother wore white socks and that’s how he remembers her.

And the 10th reason that David Letterman wears white sox is:

10. He hopes to try out for the next Mickey-Mouse-type Disney Character.

Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart has a cynical humor that keeps his young audience laughing. Sideline characters provide skits to add to the fun. I like Samantha, but she can be too vulgar (as are others) and my wife makes me switch the channel.

Stewart also has a guest and the interview is usually serious.

Politicians, on the show, sometimes like to clown around and keep things funny. (They are in danger of getting clobbered by Jon’s insights.)

The only thing I don’t like about the Daily Show is that it is too short. Adding the Cobert Report has added the extra half hour it needed.

Of course, Stephen Cobert is a complete fool and on his way to fame and fortune.

We need comedy in this unfunny time.

I’m glad these guys are around!

copyright©John T. Jones, Ph.D. 2005

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com)is a retired R&D engineer and VP of a Fortune 500 company. He is author of detective & western novels, nonfiction (business, scientific, engineering), poetry, etc. Former editor of international trade magazine. Jones is Executive Representative of International Wealth Success.

More info: http://www.tjbooks.com

Business web site: http://www.bookfindhelp.com (IWS wealth-success materials / TopFlight flagpoles)

Practicing hypnotherapists hear many peculiar statements from smokers who ask for help in quitting. The idea that cigarettes could be someone’s “friend” is just one of them. One man believed that he couldn’t write music unless he was smoking. Others have been convinced that they couldn’t relax unless they were inhaling tobacco fumes. Those people were suffering from what I have come to call “tobacco hypnosis”. They had hypnotized themselves into some odd beliefs about the effects of tobacco and smoking.

It’s easy to understand how some of the “tobacco hypnosis” beliefs came about. For example, the notion that smoking is relaxing has a basis in fact. Taking a deep breath and holding it for a few seconds before exhaling does result in a relaxation response. The response of the body to deep breathing is so strong that it overrides the drug effects of the nicotine, which is a stimulant that increases muscle tension, raises blood pressure, and constricts circulation. Consider the power of suggestion,too. A great many people believe that smoking is relaxing, so relaxation becomes a self fulfilling prophesy. They relax while smoking because they believe that smoking causes relaxation. The power of that belief empowers the mind to actually reverse the drug effects of the nicotine.

Those kinds of beliefs can make it difficult for smokers to quit. After all, they’re not just putting down a bad habit, they’re giving up a friend, or worse yet, their ability to relax! Of course, all humans have the ability to relax without inhaling cigarette fumes, taking drugs, or a hot bath. However much some smokers may believe otherwise, we all have the capacity to take a break, or a deep breath, or to change our mood quickly with a smile, an expletive, or a good laugh.

The job of the hypnotherapist is to help clients loosen or blow out obstructing beliefs so that they can quit smoking easily. Humor works exceptionally well with “Cigarettes are my friend”. Simply look at the smoker quizzically, and ask, “Do you pull out cigarettes and have long conversations with them about all the things going on in your life? Or, maybe you put a pack on the pillow next to you and say ‘Good night’ before turning out the lights?” Usually, the response is a surprised laugh, and a smiling “no”.

The notion that cigarettes are relaxing can go up in smoke just as quickly. It’s simply a matter of explaining the stimulant effects of nicotine, and then having the smoker take a deep breath, hold for a few seconds, and then exhale as if blowing out cigarette smoke. Physical relaxation always follows, and without a single puff on a cigarette! Experiencing the relaxation from a deep breath is usually a strong convincer to a smoker who believed that they could only relax by smoking. And since, people usually relax when going into a hypnotic state, as well, it’s easy for the hypnotherapist to have them memorize the feelings for later.

Perhaps the most difficult and oppressive belief for smokers to give up is that cigarettes are “addicting”. Surprised that anyone could disagree after all the publicity that’s been given to the scientific research that’s been done on tobacco? From a hypnotherapist’s point of view, the word “addiction” means something different when applied to tobacco versus narcotics like heroin. And, making that distinction can be crucial in helping a smoker quit, because a smoker’s belief in addiction can turn into a self fulfilling prophesy of struggle and difficulty, hardly the ideal mindset for successfully quitting.

So what is the difference between heroin and tobacco? Someone addicted to heroin will go into withdrawal, feel sick and experience physical cravings too strong to ignore on a regular basis, say every 6 hours. Some smokers report having no cravings or withdrawal for 8 hours at work, “because smoking is not allowed”, although the first thing they when leaving is to light up. Others will forget cigarettes for an hour or two at a movie or church. And, no one seems to be awakened fifteen times a night by nicotine withdrawal. Once awakened a smoker may indulge, but it isn’t craving a cigarette that wakes them up in the first place. A heroin addict does not sleep through withdrawal cravings, or put off the next fix for a while just because it’s inconvenient.

This is not to downplay the difficulties that so many have had in quitting cigarettes. Their struggles, including cravings and unpleasant physical sensations, have been real, generated by a combination of supporting beliefs, and nicotine. Changing those beliefs is just one of the tools that hypnotherapist uses in helping smokers quit easily and for good.

Wesley Anderson, DCH can be contacted through Healthy Life Centers at (888) 865-1870 and http://www.iwanttoquitsmoking.com

But that sensation won’t last too long!

People are surprised to find that acupuncture is relatively painless. Whilst the needle is penetrating the skin, there could be in a slight sensation of pain, but this is not usual. Sometimes, but not often, there could be an electric, “shooting” sensation if a nerve is hit. Sometimes, a sharp sensation if the needle is in the vicinity of a vein, or artery. If this happens this is the possibility of a small bruise in that the adjacent area, but this is really of little consequence, compared with the many attributes and advantages of acupuncture.

I one of the reasons for lack of pain, is because our needles are very fine, only about twice the fitness of a human hair. Totally unlike the hypodermic needles used in conventional medicine to inject liquids or take a sample of blood. These are hollow and of course have a greater bore than acupuncture needles. Ours are solid, flexible and much, much thinner. Patients are often very surprised at how flexible the acupuncture needle is and wonder that it can penetrate the skin and underlying flesh in a straight line. Because of the tiny diameter of the needles and the skill of the acupuncturist, this is not difficult. It is possible to penetrate much harder material, than the human skin, with one of these needles, without bending it.

Acupuncture is a very safe and mostly comfortable, form of effective, alternative medicine. Any discomfort that may occur on an occasional basis is more than made up for by its therapeutic activity.

The word ‘acupuncture’ comes from two Latin words: ‘acus’, meaning ‘needle’ and ‘punctura’, meaning ‘to penetrate’. Thus, the word ‘acupuncture’ means ‘to penetrate with a needle’.

Acupuncture, is a potent and efficacious, alternative to many of the treatments of western medicine, Acupuncture hails from China. Its origin goes back several thousand years.It is based on the premise, that there are energy patterns, or energy flows, throughout the body and these are necessary to maintain health and well-being of the organism. He is when these energy flows are disturbed that people become sick. Acupuncture often restores the body’s balance of these meridians and corrects the energy flow.

A treatment of acupuncture normally lasts from 30 to 40 minutes and is very relaxing. A number of very fine needles, usually 1 to to 10, are inserted in specific spots on the skin. These are called acupuncture points.

There are a often matched with organs of the body. Almost all acupuncture points lie along acupuncture meridians although there are several off meridian points which are utilised by the experienced acupuncturist. And each acupuncture point can treat many diseases, as it influences many organs of the body.

Acupuncture has also been used in animals to great effect. If you own a beloved animal, try acupuncture. Seek out the veterinarian who uses alternative medicine and who may also use such other natural aids, as homeopathy, herbalism and aromatherapy, etc, on animals. You might be surprised by the beneficial results, on your precious four legged friends. Using alternative medicine in animals is even more convincing, as there cannot be any suspicion of the ‘placebo’ effect, which is sometimes found in humans, who are taking medicaments.

About the author:

Ray Cunningham is an owner of two diplomas of acupuncture. One from Australia. The other from Hong Kong.

At the moment he resides in Central Florida, U.S.A.. For more information, on acupuncture and alternative medicine, go to his website at: alternative-health-4.us

When the subject comes up of reality TV people seem to have mixed feelings. Some people are obsessed with it and cannot get enough. Others absolutely cannot stand to watch one minute of it, thinking it is frivolous and mind numbing filler television. Whatever your thoughts may be it seems that reality TV is here to stay (at least for now) and is growing each year in popularity. What many people do not realize is that true reality TV began as early as the 1970s gaining more momentum in the late 80s, 90s and exploding in today’s television market..

The first reality TV show was in 1973 even though it was not officially named as such. It was a documentary produced by PBS called “The American Family”. In this series that was edited to 12 hours in length, the Loud Family allowed a producer named Craig Gilbert to film them in their home for 7 long months. The series chronicled the breakup of Bill and Pat Loud’s marriage and the coming out of their gay son, Lance. People were riveted by their story and it drew over 10 million people during its time on the air.

Next came the series “The Real World” on MTV debuting in 1992. It brought to the younger generation a story about six twenty-something strangers living in a very cool house rent free and taking on a group job for spending money. Throw in some male-female drama, wild parties, differing personalities and sparks flew. Each season, a new cast moves into a different city and home and takes on a new job situation. Currently in its 17th season it is still very popular with high school and college kids.

Today, there are too many reality TV shows to name, the top one today being “American Idol” and “Survivor” with many more being produced each year. Those who are against this genre sight many reasons as to why it is not for them. One such reason being that reality television is often thought to be scripted and truly not real life. With ratings being the way to stay on the air, producers and directors may take a real life situation and give it their own personality complete with scripted dialogue for the actors to recite. Also, when these “real” people get on air, they may act and react differently than if there was no camera around. Fancy editing of hundreds of hours of tape can misrepresent situations and the reality actors. In essence, non-fans see reality TV shows as fake television with bad acting.

Those fans who scramble to the television each week to see the plethora of reality TV each week see this entertainment differently. They like the psychological and physical drama of everything from “Survivor” to “Amazing Race”. Thought of as reality soap operas, fans cannot wait for the next episode which is bound to rev their own adrenaline and excitement level. These people take their reality TV very seriously. Maybe it is because they can relate to the people more readily than today’s glitzy Hollywood actors and actresses.

Will reality TV ride out its popularity in the future? Time will only tell it seems. One thing is for sure is that right now it is hard to get away from when channel surfing. Although we all hate the high cable bills for the hundreds of channels we get, at least there will always be something on for the reality tv fan and hater alike.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Reality TV