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Do you want to receive additional TV channels for your viewing pleasure, without having a dish installed or having to pay a monthly subscription?

Then ‘Freeview’ is the answer!

So, what is Freeview?

‘Freeview’ is an alternative to Sky TV, and is already available and being broadcast to approximately 70-80% of the UK to date. (If you would like to check if you are in a ‘Freeview’ coverage area, please visit our website and go to the ‘Freeview’ section).

Unlike other digital services (satellite & cable), there is no monthly subscription or fee required, with approximately 40 TV stations, ranging from family entertainment with the likes of E4, ITV2 & 3, BBC3 & 4, News & Lifestyle channels (QVC & UKTV Bright Ideas). There is also entertainment for the children with ‘CBeebies’ & ‘CBBC’.

Additionally, also available are 20 digital radio channels, including Radio 1 & 2, to ‘Smash Hits’ & ‘Kiss’.

The main attraction of ‘Freeview’ is the channels available are free, however, for a small monthly fee, the Top Up TV service can be obtained through a compatible ‘Freeview’ receiver, to include channels such as Cartoon Network, UKTV Gold, Discovery Channel and more)*.

Will I need to upgrade my equipment to receive Freeview?

Firstly, most viewers will need a ‘Wideband’ digital compatible TV aerial. Whilst a ‘Wideband’ aerial is generally required to receive the full range of channels available, the amount of channels received may be subject to the transmitter and local factors (i.e. trees, buildings or any obstacles).

Secondly, you will require a ‘Freeview’ Set top box, or a ‘Freeview’ integrated digital television, available from many retailers.

With the ‘Freeview’ receiver correctly tuned into your television set and connected to a compatible digital TV aerial, you will now be able to enjoy the additional channels provided through your set top box

* Please note, to receive the additional channels via Top up TV, you will require a card slot on your ‘Freeview’ receiver.

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Jack LaLanne recently celebrated his 90th birthday. Known to millions of TV viewers as “The Godfather of Fitness,” Jack is still looking good, going strong and a great inspiration. “You’ve got to work at living,” Jack says. “99.9% of Americans work at dying! You’ve got to eat right, exercise and have goals and challenges.”

Jack didn’t always lead a healthy lifestyle. “As a kid,” he says, “I was a sugarholic. I was a junk food junkie. It made me weak and it made me mean.” But at a lecture in 1929, pioneering nutritionist Paul Bragg called 15 year old Lalanne a “human garbage can.” Ever since then Jack has been following Bragg’s philosophy - “If you obey nature’s laws, you’ll be born again.”

And Jack certainly was born again. He immediately changed his diet - no white flour, no sugar, no meat and lots of fish, fruits, vegetables and nutritional supplements. He also started lifting weights and became a bodybuilder, eventually being named Professional Mr. America in 1955 when he was in his 40’s.

LaLanne also became a hard working businessman. At 18, he ran his own bakery selling healthy breads. At 21, he opened the first health club in the country with a gym, health food store and juice bar in downtown Oakland, California. His club became the prototype of all modern health spas. Today more than 200 clubs still bear the Jack LaLanne name.

But it was on TV that Jack became famous all over the world. In 1951, he started the first exercise show. Critics thought he’d be off the air in six weeks, but “The Jack LaLanne Show’” ran for an amazing 34 years. Black and white reruns of the jump-suited LaLanne can still be seen twice each weekday morning on ESPN Classic.

Jack loves the limelight and over his seventy year career, he always used it effectively to promote himself, his show and his gyms. He’s written books, produced exercise videos and acted in dozens of TV shows and films, usually playing himself. But he’s probably best known for his amazing feats of strength.

At 41, he swam from Alcatraz to Fishermen’s Wharf in San Francisco wearing handcuffs. At 45, he performed a thousand push-ups and a thousand chin-ups in an hour. And once on an old TV show, he did 1,033 sit-ups in 23 minutes. At 60, he repeated his Alcatraz swim, but this time he did it handcuffed, shackled and towing a thousand-pound boat. And at 70, handcuffed and shackled, LaLanne towed 70 boats holding 70 people for a mile and a half across Long Beach harbor.

Jack LaLanne is definitely one of a kind. At 90, even though his hair is thinner and grayer and his walk a little slower, Jack still maintains his strict diet and exercises daily, including lifting weights and an hour of swimming. He claims to feel better than ever. “I’ve got no aches and no pains. If I get a sniffle, it’s gone the next day. Everything’s working. Just look at my wife. She’s smiling.”

LaLanne believes a half hour of exercise four or five times a week is more than enough for the average person. “You don’t have to work out seven days a week like I do.” he said. “I’m a nut. I just want to see how long I can keep this up.”

For years LaLanne talked about swimming the 26 miles from Catalina Island to Los Angeles underwater to celebrate his 90th birthday. Elaine, his wife and partner for fifty years threatened to divorce him if he tried such a stunt. When asked what he would do instead, Jack answered with a grin, “Tow my wife across the bathtub.”

“I was 40 years ahead of my time,” La Lanne says. “People thought I was a charlatan and a nut. Doctors were against me. I’d be 6 foot 2 if the medical profession hadn’t beaten me down.” (Jack is 5 foot 6.) “They said that working out with weights would give people heart attacks and they would lose their sex drive; women would look like men. And today all the world class athletes work out with weights.”

When asked about the difference between public attitude when he opened his first gym in 1935 and now, Jack laughs and answers with a gleam in his eye, “Back then I was a crackpot. Today I’m an authority. And believe me, I can’t die. It would ruin my image.”

Katie Byrd will take you by the hand and teach you the skills she’s used to journey from a financially strapped, bad credit nightmare to debt free abundant living. To find out more visit: http://abundanceandwealth.bellaonline.com

Since it first aired in late 1999, The West Wing has been one of the most popular drama series on TV. Hollywood veteran Martin Sheen plays the lead role of President Jed Bartlet in this show which chronicles daily events in the life of a president. The daily operations of Bartlet’s White House are run by varying individuals such as Claudia “C.J.” Cregg (Allison Janney), Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe), Leo McGarry (John Spencer), Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), and Charlie Young (Dule Hill). The West Wing focuses on these loyal attendants as they work around-the-clock to keep the White House running smoothly. In so doing, the stresses of the job and various personal hardships make for a voyeuristic glimpse into what many believe to be an accurate snap-shot of White House working life…

The West Wing (Season 3) DVD offers a number of dramatic episodes including the season premiere “Manchester: Part 1″ in which C.J. mistakenly reveals during her press conference that President Bartlet suffers from a medical condition, prompting an onslaught of media attention regarding the president’s health. In gearing up to spin the revelation, the staffers discuss whether or not Bartlet should apologize to the nation for failing to reveal the problem. Meanwhile, Abbey is not pleased when she learns that Jed has decided to run for re-election… Other notable episodes from Season 3 include “The Indians in the Lobby” in which a pair of Indians announce their plans to stand in the lobby of the Department of Interior until they receive an answer on their 15-year-old application to buy back lost Indian lands, and “Hartsfield’s Landing” in which the staffers begin to execute their presidential primary strategy (beginning in New Hampshire) in their plan to win Bartlet’s re-election…

Below is a list of episodes included on The West Wing (Season 3) DVD:

Episode 45 (Manchester: Part 1) Air Date: 10-17-2001
Episode 46 (Manchester: Part 2) Air Date: 10-24-2001
Episode 47 (Ways and Means) Air Date: 10-31-2001
Episode 48 (On the Day Before) Air Date: 11-07-2001
Episode 49 (War Crimes) Air Date: 11-14-2001
Episode 50 (Gone Quiet) Air Date: 11-21-2001
Episode 51 (The Indians in the Lobby) Air Date: 11-28-2001
Episode 52 (The Women of Qumar) Air Date: 12-12-2001
Episode 53 (Bartlet for America) Air Date: 01-09-2002
Episode 54 (H. Con-172) Air Date: 01-16-2002
Episode 55 (100,000 Airplanes) Air Date: 01-30-2002
Episode 56 (The Two Bartlets) Air Date: 02-06-2002
Episode 57 (Night Five) Air Date: 02-27-2002
Episode 58 (Hartsfield’s Landing) Air Date: 03-06-2002
Episode 59 (Dead Irish Writers) Air Date: 03-27-2002
Episode 60 (The U.S. Poet Laureate) Air Date: 04-03-2002
Episode 61 (Stirred) Air Date: 05-01-2002
Episode 62 (Enemies Foreign and Domestic) Air Date: 05-08-2002
Episode 63 (The Black Vera Wang) Air Date: 05-15-2002
Episode 64 (We Killed Yamamoto) Air Date: 05-15-2002
Episode 65 (Posse Comitatus) Air Date: 05-22-2002

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

Melanie Slade is the girlfriend of Arsenal footballer Theo Walcott and the latest addition to the real “Footballer’s Wives” stable. She first met the England squad member outside the shop where she worked at West Quay shopping mall in Southampton. Melanie was outside with a basket in her hand when Walcott’s friend announced “the basket is for phone numbers”.

Cheeky Theo scribbled his mobile number on a scrap of paper and tossed it into Mels basket and his friend did the same. The romance had begun and Melanie Slade and Theo Walcott have been an item ever since.

Walcott said they are not a typical “footballer couple” and would not let the media attention affect them. He said: “We haven’t been to any footballer parties at all. We’re not people who like to party.”

Walcott has told the media he and Melanie made a bet as to who could pass their driving test first and Melanie won, as Theo failed his first test and Melanie passed hers at the first time of asking.

There were no hard feelings on losing the bet and Theo spent £20,000 on a white VW Beetle for Melanie, affectionately known by as the ‘Love Bug’. Theo even registered the private number plate T4M symbolising ‘Theo for Melanie’ for his girlfriend.

Melanie shot into the media limelight when 17-year-old boyfriend Theo became a shock selection for England’s 2006 FIFA World Cup squad even though he had not featured in club Arsenal’s Premiership campaign and manager Sven Goran-Eriksson hadn’t seen him play.

Melanie has since become a firm tabloid favourite and there was little surprise when in May, a leading UK tabloid newspaper reportedly offered her £160,000 for a topless photo shoot. She accepted the offer and appeared topless in the newspaper although she did preserve her modesty by covering up with her hands.

She is using her new found status to support the 2006 Race for Life event organised by Cancer Research UK but has also asked for privacy whilst she revises for her exams.

Melanie is also the daughter of a now locally famous man. Her father, John Slade, recently became the 784th mayor of Southampton at a ceremony at the city’s Guild Hall.However, she missed the ceremony as she had jetted off to Portugal to join Theo’s World Cup preparations.

Melanie has stated she will not make any further decisions about the various media offers she has received until after the World Cup, although she could be a permanent fixture in print and on screen over the next 12 months.

In the season finale of the apprentice Donald Trump Hired Sean instead of Lee to be his apprentice and oversee a big time real estate project. That project will pay him a quarter of a million dollars per year. Sean beat out several candidates for the job during a 15 week job interview. He succeeded at several tasks and did pretty good on the final task as well. For the final task Sean had to set up a benefit concert for a band called the Bare Naked Ladies. His benefit seemed to go pretty smoothly although he made a few mistakes. One was the lack of Pontiac signage at his event and another was his obsession with Tammy and other contestant that was fired a weeks earlier.

Lee on the other hand had to do an event for a celebrity hockey game which did not go to great. The director of the event shot down a lot of his idea which limited what he could do. Their also seemed to be poor communication with the celebrities when they arrived. From watching the show Lee actually lost the final task when he picked such a poor team. He picked his team based on what his buddy Lenny suggested rather than going with his gut which was very poor. Overall the best man got the job hopefully he will be a success as the apprentice.

Nominated for 3 Academy Awards and 3 Golden Globes, including Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, The Phantom Of The Opera was one of the most talked about movies of 2004. Taking the smash commercial success of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s stage production to the big screen is no easy task, but long-time Hollywood director Joel Schumacher is more than able to get the job done. He takes an otherwise poorly written screenplay (minus the awe of a live performance no less) and manages to thrill the audience with the visual aspects of a film chiefly intended to rehash a successful stage musical. The costumes and set are simply magnificent, and Art Director John Fenner (Raiders Of The Lost Ark) helps Schumacher put together a fabulous production that’s well worth a movie-goer’s time…

The Phantom Of The Opera centers around a mysterious character who dwells underneath the Paris Opera House, imbibing himself on the music that emanates from above. Known as The Phantom (Gerard Butler), he wears a half-mask to cover the hideous facial scars that have plagued him since birth. A musical genius, the phantom is infatuated with the opera, and when he falls in love with the voice of a young chorus girl named Christine (Emmy Rossum - The Day After Tomorrow (2004), Mystic River (2003)), this love of the opera morphs into an outright obsession. The phantom provides Christine with one-on-one voice lessons, while during his spare time, he terrorizes the opera house in an effort to land his protégé the opera’s leading role. When Christine finally rises to that position, however, she is reunited with childhood friend Raul (Patrick Wilson), and the two begin a torrid love affair. Vengeful and jealous, the phantom kidnaps Christine and holds her prisoner in his underground lair, and Raul is the only one who can save her…

Onscreen, The Phantom Of The Opera is weak by the standards of a traditional film. The cast does its best to make the most of a screenplay peppered with rigid dialogue - a script designed to sell “the music of the night”. The supposed magnetism between Christine and Raul is non-existent and not really believable. As such, the audience is forced into believing that the phantom (who, by contrast, is quite charismatic in this rendition) would end up playing second fiddle to a man who makes Al Gore seem animated. Overall, however, other aspects of the film make up for this flaw…

Based on Gaston Leroux’s 1925 novel of the same name, The Phantom Of The Opera loses much of its original edge given the phantom’s transformation from a frightening and mangled lunatic to a watered down half-scarred/half-babe-magnet figure complete with likeable characteristics. But inevitably, that’s the mark of an enduring franchise - its malleability in the realm of numerous genres and the public’s willingness to embrace such changes. But arguably, the small changes in the original novel’s plot were necessary to achieve Lloyd Webber’s goal of a melodramatic and stirring Broadway musical boasting mass commercial appeal. In a year in which the Oscar nominations were mostly dominated by lower-budget, surprise hit films (such as Sideways, Million Dollar Baby, and Finding Neverland), The Phantom Of The Opera holds its own in many aspects (given its pre-production designation as a commercial success). But those who have not seen the stage version are unlikely to be won over to the ranks of the franchise’s numerous fanatics. My advice is to definitely see the film if you’ve ever seen the stage performance or listened regularly to the soundtrack - otherwise, you might be disappointed. After all, no matter how good The Phantom Of The Opera translates to the big screen, there’s a reason musicals are not the dominate genre in Hollywood…

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of The Phantom Of The Opera (DVD).

Like one big happy family, online DVD Movie Clubs have become a popular choice among families and individuals that are searching for movie rentals with the online services and convenience! Not only do they offer convenient special features, but also their value and additional benefits are far more valuable over renting at your local movie store!

For many of you that still rent at local video stores, it may be a little transition for you to join a DVD Club, and it will take a bit of getting used to having your movie and games arrive via your mail box several days later after your initial order. However, once your movies and game choices arrive, there will be an excitement that will come over you because most, if not all, people love to receive packages in their mail.

It’s fun, and all your title choices and top releases you picked online will be ready to watch and enjoy when they arrive at your door. The best thing about being part of a movie rental club is that you don’t have to worry about sending them back right away, and you’ll never experience late fees again!

I know it’s spring, and soon it will be summer, but winter is never too far away, and when the downpour of rain or the blizzards of snow arrive, and it becomes really cold and dark out, you will truly be relieved knowing you don’t have to jump in a cold car, and drive all the way to your video store to return your videos, especially the ones you haven’t finished watching yet.

What Are The Benefits Of Renting Movies and Video Games Online?

For many years we had only one choice, and that was to rent from the local Blockbuster, or the independent store that smelled like mothballs and old attics. If you didn’t live close to the bigger rental stores, you were limited to what they had available when you finally arrived.

With unlimited rentals online available through your choice of club store, you can easily have access to thousands of releases, downloads, and DVD reviews that will help you decide on whether the movie you want to rent is going to be the one you really desire to watch. Nothing is more annoying than getting a movie or game home to find out it was truly a complete flop!

There are many times your movie club will offer you periodic club offers and specials, and how often do you get that from your local rental store? If they happen to offer you any deal, it’s because they know they’re about to lose you to the online competitors.

When you do the actual comparison of online rental clubs versus your local video outlets, the smart choice is taking advantage of the online rental services the movie entertainment stores provide. Online renting is growing dramatically, and more people are experiencing the value and the overall convenience they offer.

You can still support your local movie store for quick last minute movie decisions, but when it comes to getting exactly what you want in title selections, and the fact that you don’t have to ever worry about sending them back late with a penalty, those are features that are going to please many video enthusiasts for many years to come!

William is the Author and owner of “Online DVD and Game Rental” available at www.online-dvd-and-game-rental.com Your source for DVD and Game Rental Services available online! Find top online video stores offering DVD and Video Game rentals such as Blockbuster and Intelliflix, and have your entertainment conveniently delivered right to your door with no late fees or shipping charges.

Nominated for 12 Golden Globes and 61 Emmys, including 4 for Outstanding Drama Series, The X-Files is one of the world’s most popular science-fiction drama shows. Premiering in the Fall of 1993 on the Fox Network, home of popular programs such as The Simpsons (1989) and King Of The Hill (1997), The X-Files created an entire fictional world of conspiracies and secret organizations, building a legion of fanatic followers as devoted to the series as Trekkies are to Star Trek. Creator Cris Carter, a former writer for numerous TV shows in the late-80s/early-90s - The Nanny (1993) is one example - brings together the finest aspects of suspense-laden spy novels and alien science fiction. The result is one of the top sci-fi franchises ever produced, spawning its own line of merchandise and even a full length feature film - The X-Files: Fight The Future (1998). With nine successful seasons to its credit, The X-Files is one of the longest-running sci-fi series in television history…

The X-Files follows the exploits of four FBI agents assigned to investigate a series of unsolved and mysterious cases known only as “The X-Files”. FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny), Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), John Doggett (Robert Patrick), and Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish) are the primary agents investigating these unusual cases which could never be solved by conventional investigatory methods. But Mulder and Scully in particular play prominent roles in the series. The partnership and friendship the two develop during the course of the series sets the tone for their investigations into the paranormal with Scully, a medical doctor, playing the skeptic to Mulder’s deeply held beliefs in widespread government conspiracies and alien abductions. Through the course of the series, The X-Files covers a wide-range of frightening and mysterious subjects from killer insects and secret world government organizations to the colonization of Earth by parasitic aliens. In so doing, it adds its own unique brand of humor and an original blend of creativity that fans of the genre will certainly appreciate…

The X-Files (Season DVD features a number of suspense riddled episodes including the season premiere “Within” in which recently appointed Deputy Director Kersh organizes a team, headed by Agent Doggett, to search for and arrest Mulder. He warns Skinner and Scully to stay silent in regard to the alien conspiracy theories, while the two agents deduce that the alien bounty hunter is slowly killing off subjects of the alien abductions. When Doggett reaches the same conclusion, the three follow a trail that leads them right to Mulder… Other notable episodes from Season 8 include “Redrum” in which a man awakes to find he is being charged for his wife’s murder despite his inability to remember what has happened, and “Vienen” in which Mulder and Doggett work together in an effort to uncover the truth behind a series of deaths onboard an offshore oil rig…

Below is a list of episodes included on The X-Files (Season DVD:

Episode 162 (Within) Air Date: 11-05-2000
Episode 163 (Without) Air Date: 11-12-2000
Episode 164 (Patience) Air Date: 11-19-2000
Episode 165 (Roadrunners) Air Date: 11-26-2000
Episode 166 (Invocation) Air Date: 12-03-2000
Episode 167 (Redrum) Air Date: 12-10-2000
Episode 168 (Via Negativa) Air Date: 12-17-2000
Episode 169 (Surekill) Air Date: 01-07-2001
Episode 170 (Salvage) Air Date: 01-14-2001
Episode 171 (Badlaa) Air Date: 01-21-2001
Episode 172 (The Gift) Air Date: 02-04-2001
Episode 173 (Medusa) Air Date: 02-11-2001
Episode 174 (Per Manum) Air Date: 02-18-2001
Episode 175 (This is Not Happening) Air Date: 02-25-2001
Episode 176 (Dead Alive) Air Date: 04-01-2001
Episode 177 (Three Words) Air Date: 04-08-2001
Episode 178 (Empedocles) Air Date: 04-15-2001
Episode 179 (Vienen) Air Date: 04-22-2001
Episode 180 (Alone) Air Date: 05-06-2001
Episode 181 (Essence) Air Date: 05-13-2001
Episode 182 (Existence) Air Date: 05-20-2001

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of The X-Files (Season DVD.

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)

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