Watch TV lately?

[BLB_Oregon]

Lisa N:

The same reason I quit subscribing to a number of home and decorating magazines. It seemed the majority of profiled homes were for “Adam and Steve” complete with a tour of the master bedroom and bath with its double size jacuzzi…EWWWW too much information!!!
Lisa N

I quit some of that because there were way more ideas than I would ever use.

I call H&G the “Your House Isn’t Good Enough” channel, and Food TV the “Your Kitchen Should be a Restaurant” channel, and History the “War & Engineering Channel” (to which my brother said, “Hey, no wonder I like it so much!”) And don’t think for a minute that I don’t watch every one of them sometimes.

 

[Lisa_N]

BLB_Oregon:

I quit some of that because there were way more ideas than I would ever use.

I call H&G the “Your House Isn’t Good Enough” channel, and Food TV the “Your Kitchen Should be a Restaurant” channel, and History the “War & Engineering Channel” (to which my brother said, “Hey, no wonder I like it so much!”) And don’t think for a minute that I don’t watch every one of them sometimes.

Oh me too. I’ve heard the History Channel dubbed “The Hitler Channel” for all of the WWII footage. But overall I think the History channel has pretty good programming. It makes me realize how much was missing from my public school education. Even our American history is pretty sketchy. Lots about the Pilgrims and the Revolutionary War and Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War but not much inbetween or afterward.

I enjoy the craft shows on HG TV, such as Carol Duvall and Simply Quilts. I don’t DO any of the crafts but the shows are entertaining…someday when I have the time…

I also like Animal Planet, particularly the shows about dogs with jobs.

Lisa N

 

[The_Hidden_Life]

BLB_Oregon:

I quit some of that because there were way more ideas than I would ever use.

I call H&G the “Your House Isn’t Good Enough” channel…

Now, that’s a very astute observation and something I only realized a few months ago.

I used to buy decorating magazines and watch HGTV nonstop while taking care of my kids and doing laundry, etc. But recently I realized I was buying into the idea of being dissatisfied with my house and its contents the way it is by my constant absorption of all that information.* My walls aren’t all painted, my curtains lack style, my furniture doesn’t match, I don’t have cute knicknacks, etc., etc. *

So I’ve pretty much quit buying the magazines (they’re all pretty much the same anyhow) and I only watch HGTV when I want inspiration to organize and rearrange what I’ve already got.

I like “Designed to Sell” and “Mission: Organization” for organizing and lower key shows like “Decorating Cents” (despite the occasional gay couple being featured) and even dorky “Room by Room” for decorating.

These shows at least represent more average homes and simpler projects. They are not showcasing lifestyles of the unattainbly rich and unfortunately famous for the most part.

 

[Strider]

I’ve even given up most of my formerly favorite sports shows. I got sick of watching millionaire felons spit on officials, and there’s no hockey this year.
I tape old movies where I can skip through the commercials (some of them are worse than the shows, and you’re not expecting the garbage there).
We don’t get EWTN on our cable system & I can’t afford the upgrade.
Besides, if I started this minute, I wouldn’t finish reading all the books I want to read before I die.
TV has always been a mirror of the culture. There are a few good things (New Yankee Workshop), but in general, we’re in deep yogurt.

 

[webdezyn]

jlw:

This may not be all that interesting, especially for those that aviod the boob tube.

My wife and I rarely watch TV anymore.

But, on occasion we’ll sit and escape after a long day of work, parenting little ones, etc.

Historically we’ve been fans of those police/lawyer crime drama shows. Law&Order,etc, CSI, etc.

I am absolutely amazed at the content of these shows recently!!!

Is it me, or do almost all of these storylines have to some psycho-sexual element in them?? Porn, rape, incest, mother-killings, father-killings, gay themes, sexual fetishs, etc etc etc

What used to be clever and intriguing shows are now no more than sexual preversion infomercials!

I’ll watch the occasional football game, but for primtime TV, we are not driving the nielsons for that garbage any more!

Well …its getting worse.
Monday night football even had some “nudity” in it.

 

[Matty_Jo]

I tend to avoid most TV shows because of that. I like EWTN, History Channel, Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, and Animal Planet.

 

[condan]

Matty Jo:

I tend to avoid most TV shows because of that. I like EWTN, History Channel, Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, and Animal Planet.

I haven’t watched commercial television since the early 90s because its such an absolute sewer. I missed the Seinfeld craze entirely. The last show that I watched with any regularity was Dallas (so maybe it was the 80s).

We have Dish network so we can see college football. I watch Fox News and I discovered HGTV in October (we’re having a house built and my mother-in-law recommended it to me). I also have to confess to QVC. Other than that, nada. The kids have never watched TV other than football, Dexter’s Lab and SpongeBob Squarepants. Period.

We read as a family and rent movies from the library. This past summer we saw all the old Honeymooners episodes and are now working through the Indiana Jones movies.

 

[Lisa_N]

condan:

I

We read as a family and rent movies from the library. This past summer we saw all the old Honeymooners episodes and are now working through the Indiana Jones movies.

Condan do you get EWTN on your Dish? I really enjoy some of the programs that are on in the morning such as Coming Home. Maybe I relate to those stories as a convert-in-process. Today there was a REALLY interesting program with Fr. Mitch in the middle east showing some of the incredible old churches. One had the most unbelievable mosaics with a map of Jerusalem taking up a whole floor. Great show!

Lisa N

 

[AmyS]

The Hidden Life:

I like “Designed to Sell” and “Mission: Organization” for organizing and lower key shows like “Decorating Cents” (despite the occasional gay couple being featured) and even dorky “Room by Room” for decorating.

These are some of my favoites… I love organization shows because I have a little OCD in me… I have the channel on fox news quite a bit. Wow, I can’t even think of any favorite TV shows anymore… I used to love The “Gilmore Girls” but that has gotten sleezy. Someone mentioned “The Apprentice” I like that… I seem to be on the computer a lot more, and my daughter and I will read.

Add: I do like real crime shows like A&E’s “Cold Case Files” and “City Confidential”

 

[wisdom_3_5]

Lisa N:

Oh me too. I’ve heard the History Channel dubbed “The Hitler Channel” for all of the WWII footage. But overall I think the History channel has pretty good programming. It makes me realize how much was missing from my public school education. Even our American history is pretty sketchy. Lots about the Pilgrims and the Revolutionary War and Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War but not much inbetween or afterward.
Lisa N

Hmmm, most of the history profs. I know don’t think too highly of The History Channel. Maybe they know too much?

 

[Brad]

jlw:

This may not be all that interesting, especially for those that aviod the boob tube.

My wife and I rarely watch TV anymore.

But, on occasion we’ll sit and escape after a long day of work, parenting little ones, etc.

Historically we’ve been fans of those police/lawyer crime drama shows. Law&Order,etc, CSI, etc.

I am absolutely amazed at the content of these shows recently!!!

Is it me, or do almost all of these storylines have to some psycho-sexual element in them?? Porn, rape, incest, mother-killings, father-killings, gay themes, sexual fetishs, etc etc etc

What used to be clever and intriguing shows are now no more than sexual preversion infomercials!

I’ll watch the occasional football game, but for primtime TV, we are not driving the nielsons for that garbage any more!

Turn it off my friend. It is liberating.

 

[moira]

Sorry, I love CSI. Especially Grissom. What I can’t stand are the reality TV shows.

 

[Annunciata]

AmyS:

… I used to love The “Gilmore Girls” but that has gotten sleezy.

I know! That used to be one of my favorites a few years ago…can’t stand it now. I also liked “Joan of Arcadia” when it first came out…now it’s getting to be a little too much for me:tsktsk:
Annunciata

 

[Steve_Andersen]

jlw:

…

Is it me, or do almost all of these storylines have to some psycho-sexual element in them?? Porn, rape, incest, mother-killings, father-killings, gay themes, sexual fetishs, etc etc etc…

Yes it’s you

Seriously, though if it weren’t for the weird psycho stuff there wouldn’t be much of a crime.
Watching someone double park or lie about their age really wouldn’t make for a griping crime drama.

By its nature drama must be …well dramatic. Plain old regular realistic behavior just doesn’t get the ratings.

It is like those Agatha Christie books. The UK is probably one of the safest places to live but if you read those books it seems like there is a murder at every dinner party.

Personally I stick to the HistoryChannel so I can see stuff explode.

 

[Church_Militant]

My own take on all this is that like the politicians & press it seems that any time something sensational happens they blow it up as if it’s happening all over the place & all your neighbors are bad guys. I believe that most of it is that they want to keep the public scared in order to get away w/ greater and greater reductions of our liberties. I find it scarey. An interesting book on this is The Tyranny of Good Intentions. I read it & it will really cause you to think about just where this country is headed. I’m not saguine about it at all, at all.

 

[Lisa_N]

wisdom 3:5:

Hmmm, most of the history profs. I know don’t think too highly of The History Channel. Maybe they know too much?

Or maybe they don’t want us to realize how much they DONT know? I’m getting SUCH a bad impression of college professors (even though that’s what my parents did!) because of their liberal propagandist bent as exhibited during the recent election. Any specifics on why they object to THC? Is it inaccurate? Are the people who are “hosting” various shows say on the Roman Empire just quacks?

I wouldn’t know whether or not the History Channel is a bad source of information. It does broaden the horizons a bit. I might see a show on a particular person or event and then do a bit of reading to supplement the show. At least it’s not all gratuitous violence and debauchery which is about all I see on the alphabet channels.

Lisa N

 

[condan]

Lisa N:

Condan do you get EWTN on your Dish? I really enjoy some of the programs that are on in the morning such as Coming Home. Maybe I relate to those stories as a convert-in-process. Today there was a REALLY interesting program with Fr. Mitch in the middle east showing some of the incredible old churches. One had the most unbelievable mosaics with a map of Jerusalem taking up a whole floor. Great show!

Lisa N

I love EWTN. I watch The World Over whenever I get a chance and watch daily Mass and Mother Angelica’s rosary. Funny story: We missed the entire Super Bowl half-time debacle because I turned the channel to avoid the sewer and was watching Fr. Corapi talk about abortion while Miss Jackson was revealing her talent.

 

[AmyS]

Annunciata:

I know! That used to be one of my favorites a few years ago…can’t stand it now. I also liked “Joan of Arcadia” when it first came out…now it’s getting to be a little too much for me:tsktsk:
Annunciata

You have read my mind… I loved “Joan of Arcadia” at first too. I don’t know if anyone has seen “Clubhouse” but it is pretty good… it is on Tuesdays at 9:00 on CBS (I am just waiting for it to change though)… I haven’t watched a lot of episodes, but, it is produced by Mel Gibson…

 

[BLB_Oregon]

Lisa N:

I’m getting SUCH a bad impression of college professors (even though that’s what my parents did!) because of their liberal propagandist bent as exhibited during the recent election.

I’ve heard Bill Clinton say that conservatism, at it’s best, defines the boundaries that should not be crossed, while progressive (liberal) thought at its best defines the walls that no longer or never served any purpose and should be breached. Now while you may argue that, it would fit with your observation that progressive thought finds a more welcoming home in academia. You get a doctorate by contributing something original. It is far easier to convince a dissertation committee (or faculty search committee) that you have done that by challenging established boundaries than by defending them–particularly if that committee has a progressive bent. What do you think?

The same goes for entertainment… the “new” is easier to come up with by crossing boundaries, rather than constructing a re-invention within them.

 

[Lisa_N]

BLB_Oregon:

I’ve heard Bill Clinton say that conservatism, at it’s best, defines the boundaries that should not be crossed, while progressive (liberal) thought at its best defines the walls that no longer or never served any purpose and should be breached. Now while you may argue that, it would fit with your observation that progressive thought finds a more welcoming home in academia. You get a doctorate by contributing something original. It is far easier to convince a dissertation committee (or faculty search committee) that you have done that by challenging established boundaries than by defending them–particularly if that committee has a progressive bent. What do you think?

The same goes for entertainment… the “new” is easier to come up with by crossing boundaries, rather than constructing a re-invention within them.

Good point although I do prefer the old joke about those who can’t do, teach (meaning college profs not primary/secondary).

What is disturbing about the “progressive” takeover is that they are preaching an ideology, not the subject. There have been numerous student complaints about teachers in tirades in classes. In addition students are expected to express the same ideology as the prof or receive a failing grade. I saw one student interviewed who said his final exam was to write an essay on “Why George Bush Is A War Criminal.” He wrote why Bush is NOT a war criminal and received an F. Recent studies have indicated that the ratio of liberal to conservative professors is something like 9 to 1 at many major universities. Now I can understand to some extent this would be true of liberal arts, social sciences, etc. But it’s even filtered down into the “hard” sciences as well as business and econ.

I can even speak to that myself as I am working on an upper level certificate at a local university. During the heat of the Iraq war I had two instructors who spent class time in rant mode about President Bush. The class subjects? Financial management of Non Profits and Grantwriting. Now somehow I am not sure the Iraq war was really germane to the discussion in either class and I thought it was a TOTAL waste of time when Prof went on a rampage. I just sat on my hands and kept my mouth shut hoping they would wear down.

This is at a large, urban university, hardly an ivory tower. I can only imagine what it’s like at some ivy crusted hall in New England. Further, I have a degree, I have a career and I’m just doing this to expand my horizons. IOW I’m not in it for a grade. Imagine a l9 year old kid with this kind of pressure when he knows that he HAS to get the grade to graduate or to get a job. So either he spouts the party line or he risks his education. I don’t know what I’d do but kids shouldn’t be put in that position to get an education.

Sorry I don’t know what this has to do with TV…

Lisa N