I'm glad I don't have a TV

[MedMae]

I'm glad I don't have a TV. I don't have to worry about such things invading my life. Sometimes I think TV's feed off of peoples brains.

[jaywhat]

I'm glad I don't have a TV. I don't have to worry about such things invading my life.

You will, MedMae, you will.

[Fia]

I'm glad I don't have a TV. I don't have to worry about such things invading my life. Sometimes I think TV's feed off of peoples brains.

rant coming on...
I'm with MedMae here.
Although I'm not quite sure why either of us clicked on this subject

I have tv for the children - life's hard enough for them having an outspoken heathen mother. And I work hard to encourage them into other activities. But I see so many housebound folk who spend all their time glued to the screen. Those who read, use computers, do crosswords, activities and converse seem to be able to maintain their faculties longer than those who passively watch. And it infuriates me that dementing folk are sitting in front of the tv all day, it's not entertainment - it's a drug to keep them quiet. And even more confused. The cumulative reaction from always turning the tv off when I visit and actually communicating one to one is heartwarming.

For some the internet is the spawn of the devil - if-there-was-such-an-entity. For me it's tv.
rant subsiding. Thank you for your patience

[Thomas]

OTOH, there also programmes that are high quality and educational. Even ones that aren't can provide a welcome bit of light relief. All the criticisms made of TV can be made of computers - in fact, I think kids that spend hour and hour playing computer games do themselves more harm than those who watch TV and there are the hidden dangers of chat rooms to contend with as well.

As with all things, it's a question of moderation and being selective.

[Felicia]

I heard on the radio this morning the awful stats; most kids in the uk spend around 35 hours a week staring at a screen (tv or computer) and 35 minutes per week talking to their dad. I only caught the tail end of this, don't know which study it was, but what a terrible omen for the future.

We've got a tv (3, in fact) and my husband is happy to watch it ALL THE TIME. I would like to get rid of it, although recognise the pull of various programmes, films, etc But its also a pull to brain deadness (apparently watching tv is the nearest to death we routinely get in terms of brain activity).

[fullerwiser]

As with all things, it's a question of moderation and being selective.

I think that's the key with any technology or entertainment. I like miniature golf, but there would be a problem if I did it 35 hours per week. Unless it paid...

Television has mind-numbingly stupid things on it, but it also has Sesame Street. I've learned things by watching television that I may never have learned otherwise.

Same with movies. Some movies will rot your brain to a nubbin, and some will spark amazing thoughts. Same with music, same with books, same with radio.

Media are not in and of themselves evil. It's what you choose to do with them that either adds or subtracts value in your life.

Myself, I take a preventative approach that also happens to be an economical one. I have the standard channels, but not cable or satellite. It takes much less time to figure out that nothing worthwhile is on, and on the occasions when there is something good on, I can find it quickly. I do miss out on some of the better programming, but I also don't lose time hunting through hundreds of channels of crap. It's a trade-off that's working at the moment.

One reason I'll never completely give up my TV is because of times like last night, when tornado warnings were popping up and I was glued to the set to make sure I wouldn't have to leap into the bathtub with my son and hang on for dear life. TV is not without its uses.

[wizzy]

One reason I'll never completely give up my TV is because of times like last night, when tornado warnings were popping up and I was glued to the set to make sure I wouldn't have to leap into the bathtub with my son and hang on for dear life. TV is not without its uses.

I don't know much about tornados (or is it tornadoes?) but that doesn't sound like it would've done much good.

We've only got 4 channels too (can't even get channel 5), but will be forced to get more when we have to go digital. I don't watch much TV, but spend too long in front of a computer - a lot of my working day, plus a significant chunk of most evenings too. My partner spends a lot of time playing her new Wii on the television. We do spend sometime actually interacting, honest. We eat meals together at the table. And we go out and do things some evenings, and at the weekend.

[Alan H]

My partner spends a lot of time playing her new Wii on the television.

There are lots of Wii games for two...have you never fancied giving them a go?

[fullerwiser]

One reason I'll never completely give up my TV is because of times like last night, when tornado warnings were popping up and I was glued to the set to make sure I wouldn't have to leap into the bathtub with my son and hang on for dear life. TV is not without its uses.

I don't know much about tornados (or is it tornadoes?) but that doesn't sound like it would've done much good.

Crouching in the bathtub with a mattress over your head is a time-honored tradition of tornado avoidance. Helps in all but the most extreme cases. Not foolproof, though...

[Alan H]

Crouching in the bathtub with a mattress over your head is a time-honored tradition of tornado avoidance.

Sounds like an interesting ploy to get up close to someone...with or without the soap and water?

[wizzy]

One reason I'll never completely give up my TV is because of times like last night, when tornado warnings were popping up and I was glued to the set to make sure I wouldn't have to leap into the bathtub with my son and hang on for dear life. TV is not without its uses.

I don't know much about tornados (or is it tornadoes?) but that doesn't sound like it would've done much good.

Crouching in the bathtub with a mattress over your head is a time-honored tradition of tornado avoidance. Helps in all but the most extreme cases. Not foolproof, though...

Interesting what you learn from internet forums! Doesn't sound like fun, I rather be watching TV, but I suppose if needs must..

[wizzy]

My partner spends a lot of time playing her new Wii on the television.

There are lots of Wii games for two...have you never fancied giving them a go?

No.

Well, that's the short answer...
I'm not a big fan of computer games, and she's only got one controller. I may very occasionally play tenpin bowling or something with her, as you can play that taking it in turns with the controller, and it's moderately entertaining.

[Lifelinking]

bump.

We recently got Freesat in the house, which is a digital Satellite service offered jointly by the BBC and ITV. Apart from buying and fitting the necessary technical thingumyjigs the service is as the name suggests, free.

While flicking through the channels I have found little gems like 'Daystar TV', which has some wonderful folk on it. Dr Charles Stanley who does sermons about giving, and the importance of giving some of your money to God, well to the church, well actually to him really. And there is Jerry Savelle, he is a class act. He sat there with a straight face telling the viewer about the 'prayer of petition' (apparently he used it and God told people to give him money so he and his wife could go to Hawaii. No, really.) Still if you send him a gift of $25 they will send you 4 CDs and a book as a thank you. Smashing.

Over on Inspiration TV there are some beauties too. The Bishop John Anthony Francis (who has an outfit called Ruach ministeries in England apparently). He tells us about a really spiffy prayer shawl. If you buy his book Talit Ha Kumi, you will learn about the secrets of the prayer shawl. Oh yes, and there is also an anointing switch in your DNA.

I only watched this stuff for a few minutes, and you may wonder why I spent any time watching this kind of stuff at all. Well, you know those sort of moments. When you see something that you know is terrible, incredibly stupid, venal, really really bad even, and you just cannot take your eyes off it.

And then this morning, I flicked a channel and came across 'Good Morning Psychic'. Oh bloody hell...

On the various shopping channels, there are regulations in place to protect the consumer and restrict the con men. On the various woo woo channels they get away with just about anything because it is a religion or belief. And they do not pay tax. What a fabulous scam.

I would have thought the BBC & ITV could have done better than this. Rant over. Going for a walk in the park with the dog now.

[Paolo]

I'm glad I don't have a TV.

We bought a large flat PC monitor and rigged it up to a laptop (now an xbox) to watch DVDs. It's wonderful! DVDs are available of most of the things worth watching on TV (David Attenborough documentaries, Spaced, the Mighty Boosh) and you avoid all the rubbish (Big Brother, I'm a Celebrity, X-factor, etc., etc. ad nauseum).

With the internet there really is no need for a TV, even for up-to-date news. I plan to never own a TV again.

[MedMae]

We bought a large flat PC monitor and rigged it up to a laptop (now an xbox) to watch DVDs. It's wonderful! DVDs are available of most of the things worth watching on TV (David Attenborough documentaries, Spaced, the Mighty Boosh) and you avoid all the rubbish (Big Brother, I'm a Celebrity, X-factor, etc., etc. ad nauseum).

With the internet there really is no need for a TV, even for up-to-date news. I plan to never own a TV again.

Thats what I do to. All it takes is a little bit of patience and anything I am interested in watching will come out on DVD, and then I watch it. Give me the internet over TV any time, think of all those interesting journal articles waiting to be read, Stuff that will never get near a TV.

The big problem I think exists with TV is the way it deactivates the brain, when watching TV you don't need to think. The TV does all your thinking for you. The problem with this is the brain is very much like a muscle it needs to be trained and exercised, I am lucky in that my parents got me thinking forma young age so TV has never been a particularly satisfying source of entertainment for me, I always preferred a good book to let my imagination roam.

[Lifelinking]

Yeah, whatever boils yer egg.

Personally, TV evangelists and psychics notwithstanding, I enjoy a lot of the other stuff.

Personal highlights recently have been Later with Jools Holland when he introduced some artists I had never previously heard of (such as Dengue Fever), A History of Scotland with Neil Oliver and Timewatch (Jools Holland and Timewatch have been in high definition - which is pretty cool). Other current family favourites are Merlin and Strictly Come Dancing.

Oorgh bnah my brai...n is fnarg blar de sploop is de act grunt iva.. ting....

[jaywhat]

Clearly, the invention of the off button has not reached all parts yet.

[Alan H]

(Jools Holland and Timewatch have been in high definition - which is pretty cool).

What's the HD like?

Oorgh bnah my brai...n is fnarg blar de sploop is de act grunt iva.. ting....

Eh?

[Stark]

I'm glad I don't have a TV.

Well, I’m glad I do have a TV.

A quick scan through this week's Radio Times shows these gems: ‘After Rome:Holy War and Conquest’ (Boris Johnson, I know, but he’s not a bad presenter), the utterly brilliant ‘Outnumbered’, ‘Little Dorrit’, ‘The Sky at Night’, ‘The Ascent of Money’, ’Catastrophe’, ‘Natural World’, ‘Horizon’ (largely dumbed down, but can still occasionally deliver the goods) and Lead Balloon. The recently finished 'Story of Maths' also comes recommended. It’s a darn site cheaper watching it on TV, even if you could get it all on DVD (which I don't think you can)

Yes, there’s lots of rubbish, but the trick is not to watch it

[Alan C.]

We have a TV but I'm glad I choose not to watch it.

BBC should take money out of entertainment and provide more religion, say churches.

In a joint submission to Ofcom, the broadcasting watchdog, bishops from the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church call the corporation "inconsistent" for spending far more on the controversial chatshow host than the religious programme,