Digital TV Resources on NPR

NPR.org has some information on the switch to digital television:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99769931

FCC to Visit More Cities Before Feb 2009

I found a list of U.S. cities that members from the FCC plan to visit on their nationwide DTV consumer education tour:

http://www.dtv.gov/national_tour.html

See if your city is listed (scroll down the page). I plan to attend a meeting to ask about the issue of receiving news updates during and after major storms and hurricanes.  If my DirecTV dish gets ripped off the roof by hurricane force winds (or my roof goes with it), I’d like to know how we are going to receive this digital signal they are talking about when no digital device to receive it with!

Erik Zabel Retires from Pro Cycling

Erik Zabel, Oct. 2008

Erik Zabel is retiring from cycling at age 38. He has 12 stage wins in the Tour de France, and has 6 Green Jerseys for winning the sprint competition during the Tour. He has also won the Milan-San Remo race 4 times and Paris-Tours 3 times. The man is a great racer and has excellent sportsmanship. I’m sad to see him go from racing.

How will my battery-powered TV get hurricane updates after February 2009?

As Hurricane Ike aimed for South Florida, I checked all my hurricane supplies, including the battery-powered tv I bought last year.  This storm passed us, but it got me thinking:

The portable battery-powered tv is for use during a hurricane and afterwards when the power is out.  Since it’s an antenna analog tv, will it work after the February 2009 switch to digital broadcast signal?

How will we get hurricane updates?

The radio is great, but a picture is worth a thousand words, and the media needs to get information out to people in as many ways as possible, especially after a disaster that cuts the power. The news shows the path of the storm, the location of the feeder bands and when they will hit my neighborhood, and more. The news lists locations of shelters, where to get water and ice after the storm, and other essential recovery information. Will the radio alone really be able to get all this information to us while we wait for the power company to restore electricity and the satellite and cable television companies to replace broken satellite dishes and destroyed cables?  I’m not trying to be melodramatic, but this sounds like it could be a safety problem. My cell phone will not show me the detail I can get on a bigger tv screen. And the phone battery does not last long.  What other options are there?

According to dtvanswers.com, “By law, full-power television stations nationwide must stop using the old method of transmitting TV signals known as analog and begin broadcasting exclusively in a digital format on February 17, 2009.”

“If you use an antenna to watch TV on a set that has an analog tuner – and don’t subscribe to cable, satellite or other pay TV service – you will need to upgrade to digital television by February 17, 2009.”

“Some low-power stations will remain in analog, so you may need specific equipment to watch analog and digital broadcasting after the transition.  “Pass-through” converter boxes allow your TV set to receive both analog and digital signals.”

I looked up Low-power stations in my area (there is a search feature on the dtv site).  The site explains, “Any of the LPTV stations, regardless of type (regular low-power, Class A or translator), may require you to purchase special equipment, such as an analog pass-through converter box or antenna splitter.

A splitter is a wiring device that can send a signal from your antenna into both your converter box and your TV set.”

Apparently the antenna on the tv will not work by itself. I’d have to get this splitter, I think. I looked up the splitter on Radio Shack’s site to see the prices. They’re about $10 to $20 or more, depending on what you buy.

But you have to buy something. While there are coupons on the dtv site, it’s still money out of the pockets of you and me.

How many people know about this and will be ready before next hurricane season?  I did not see the answer to that question in the FAQ list on dtvanswers.com.

One of my Favorite Essays by Vaclav Havel

This essay appeared in Esquire magazine in October 1993. The title is “Never Hope Against Hope”. Here is a link to a PDF of it: vaclav-havel-hope-essay

The Story of Stuff – What We Buy, Where it Comes From, and How We Throw it Away

I recently heard an interview on public radio WLRN with Annie Leonard, an activist who produced a video called The Story of Stuff. She explains the impact of how consumer goods are produced, distributed, sold and thrown away. I was amazed to learn that the toxins in our computers and other electronics are part of the cost of the product, but the cost is “externalized” by the manufacturing company; this means when it is time to replace your old equipment, the company does not have to take it back to dispose of the toxic elements properly, but we have to do it – either by taking it to the dump or having our city and local government pick it up as hazardous waste. That costs us and our local governments, but it is not part of the cost for the manufacturer, nor is it part of the advertised price of the item.

It seems like many electronics are cheap; we can buy radios for a few bucks, laptops are down to about $600 in some cases, video cameras are cheaper than a few years ago too. All these products came from somewhere. That’s what Leonard explains – the people who made it, how little they are paid, what their work conditions are like, how the products are sold to us with marketing and advertising that is aimed at our desire to always have the newest and latest thing, and how many products are designed to break or fall apart quickly so we will have to buy new ones. All of this makes up the real cost of the item.

Leonard pinpoints this shift in the U.S. economy to right after World War II, when the prosperity and value of our society was defined according to how many consumer goods were sold.

She makes suggestions for altering the cycle of production and disposal that is damaging our planet and our health. She raises questions about package design I never thought about such as – why does a tube of toothpaste come in a box? Take a look at her video (it’s about 20 minutes long) and see what you think:

http://www.storyof stuff.com

New Albums

Jordan Zevon’s “Insides Out” – this is his debut album, release date April 2008. The song This Girl has some clever lyrics: “Living on the street of dreams – Just got my notice to evict.” The songs have a pop-rock sound, not hard rock or alternative sound. His voice is not as unique as his father’s, but I enjoy some of these songs. Check it out.

Also new: Mudcrutch: Scare Easy is the song I heard. “I’m a loser at the top of my game … I don’t scare easy, don’t fall apart when I’m under the gun. You can break my heart, and I ain’t gonna’ run. I don’t scare easy for no one.” Great lyrics, great guitar, great Tom Petty. Release date April 2008. I can’t wait to hear the whole album. I have my concert tickets for the show this summer. Can’t wait for the show. Always great concerts. If you’ve never been, get tickets and go. A real band. They write their own music, can actually play their instruments, a group of friends making great music. In other words, it’s great.

Knut the Polar Bear Celebrates His First Birthday

This photo shows Knut when he was a baby and a year later. This link has a gallery of more photos from his birthday party:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,521558,00.html

He weighs over 200 pounds now.

Song Sets

If I were a DJ at a rock ‘n’ roll radio station, I’d create song sets based on themes and play a few a day.

That is, if the radio station actually let DJs play what they wanted. The classic rock station in my area plays the same songs over and over. Lately they’ve been playing so many ballads and mellow tunes, the station sounds like an easy listening station.

I wish the station would add a show of new music by classic artists. They’re still alive and producing some great stuff, but you’ll never hear it in this market. Tom Petty’s most recent albums (The Last DJ, Highway Companion). Eric Clapton (Road to Escondido – with JJ Cale). Warren Zevon (The Wind). Bob Dylan (Modern Times). Bruce Springsteen (Magic), Graham Parker (Don’t Tell Columbus), Paul McCartney (maybe a bit mellow or more pop sounding but an important figure in rock history; all of these, completely ignored. What a waste of opportunity to spread new music.)

There are a lot of songs about the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle and the record industry:

“The Last DJ” – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (the whole album, but especially the title track, and “Money Becomes King”, and “Joe”.) Tom Petty was going to name him album Hard Promises, pictured here, $8.98, the price of the album in protest to the rising album prices in 1981. If only they were that cheap now. Record stores are a dying breed too. No more flipping though albums. CDs just don’t have the same feel, and there isn’t much room for cover art.)

“Into the Great Wide Open” – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (also a great video featuring Johnny Depp)

“It’s a long way to the top (if you want to rock and roll)” – AC/DC

“Rock n roll ain’t noise pollution” – AC/DC

“So you want to be a rock and roll star” – The Byrds (also a great live recording performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on his “Pack up the Plantation” album, 1990.)

“Shooting star” – Bad Company

“Johnny B. Goode” – Chuck Berry

“Rock and Roll Fantasy” – Bad Company

“Working for MCA” – Lynrd Skynrd

“We’re an American Band” – Grand Funk Railroad

Other songs are about being in the road and touring:

“Stay” – Jackson Browne

“Turn the page” – Bob Segar and the Silver bullet band

“Wheel in the Sky” – Journey (and “Faithfully” even though I’m tired of that song because it gets played so much and it’s so mournful; the songs asks for sympathy, but I don’t feel like feeling sorry for a rock band that was making tons of cash and living the rock n roll lifestyle.)

More about the industry:

“Have a cigar” – Pink Floyd (I’ll list them even though the local radio station plays them so much I’m sick of them. “Money” is an obvious example.)

“Barracuda” – Heart

“Rock and Roll Band” – Boston

Songs with a driving theme:

“Radar Love” – Golden Earring

“I can’t drive 55″ – Van Halen (with Sammy Hagar, an obvious choice)

Songs titles that name a character but not by name but by role:

The Pretender – Jackson Browne

The Stranger – Billy Joel

Why are My Women Friends in Love with the Dog Whisperer?

I was at a party recently on a balmy spring evening in Ft. Lauderdale and joined a conversation with a group of women, some I knew, others I’d just met, and as we chatted at the outdoor bar before dinner, the conversation turned to dogs. Each woman had a dog she loved, as did I, so I added my lavish praise of my own dog, admitted he was spoiled just as the others did. We ooh’d and aw’d over stories of how cute the dogs were and what they had done. One woman said her dog had passed away, and we all offered condolences. The talk turned to training, and one woman mentioned the television show, “The Dog Whisperer” and the dog trainer, Cesar Millan.

All of us drew in a breath and said in unison, “I love the Dog Whisperer!”

There was a pause. It was the first moment of silence in the usual ritual of party chatter and what had been a warm conversation. We all seemed amazed that we were all in agreement, and a hint of jealousy perhaps crept in, as if perhaps each woman had thought she was the only one, that somehow he was theirs.

Why are all these women in love with the Dog Whisperer? I wondered if they meant the show or the man. I’m pretty sure they meant the man. My husband certainly thinks I’m in love with him. I protest when my husband says it. He walks in the room and catches me watching the show, shakes his head and laughs.

So I thought I would look more carefully at Cesar Millan’s interactions with people, especially women, and not just the dogs on the show. The way he is with the dogs I think is part of his appeal. The way he is with the people sometimes can be off-putting, especially when he tells them they are doing something wrong and that they are the source of their dog’s problem. Some people don’t like this. You can see them get stiff as he says it, and their replies get curt. But he usually wins them over at the end when they see how changed their dog is.

But I looked at what else he does, from when he first walks in to a person’s house. He sits down with the people, usually ignoring the dog, and asks them what they want.

When he says, “How can I help you?” that alone earns Brownie points because, really, in the course of your usual day, how many people ask you how they can help you? Don’t we more often get asked to help, especially if you are a woman and even more so if you are a Mom? That’s Mom’s job, to help, and that’s great, but once in a while a helping hand would help a lot.

Cesar teaches you to fish for a lifetime, as the proverb goes, not merely giving you a fish for a day. He gives you rules, boundaries and limitations – his mantra. In a world where you can have anything you want – even if it’s bad for you – someone tells you No and liberates you from the freedom. He’s an authority, and sometimes we like having an outside figure tell us what to do and not to do. We can then relay this information, these rules, to others with the weight of the authoritative person who established the rule. We’re off the hook. “It’s not me saying this, it’s the expert.” It’s the same with doctors. If you’ve been trying to talk your husband into losing weight, for example, but he doesn’t listen, all it takes is the authoritative edict from the doctor and bam, husband diets, at least for a while.

Cesar doesn’t pretend either. He tells it like it is. Often people avoid telling you something is wrong just to avoid hurting your feelings or being the one who was rude. Cesar tells you the truth, and he’s right. He can back it up. It’s like he has a special kinship with the dogs and can speak their language, hence the name of the show.

One woman he helped wiped tears from her eyes as she realized she had to demand respect from her dog, and she did it and it worked and her dog still loved her. Cesar gave her permission to demand respect. She said it herself, that all her life she’d let people push her around, and now she was going to be different. I believe her. It was a great transformation to watch.

That’s one of the things I love about the show. I learn more about myself and what I want from my dog as I watch them learn things about themselves. What do I want from my dog? Companionship, a buddy (although Cesar would caution me against this), and I admit I like that fact that my dog is so happy to see me when I come home and is interested in everything I do, even cleaning the bathroom. You know the joke: what’s the difference between a man and a dog after a year? The dog is still excited to see you when you walk in the door.

I’ll keep watching The Dog Whisperer and hopefully keep learning to be a pack leader, be “calm and assertive” as Cesar instructs. He’s confident and has air of command without aggression. I aspire to be more self confident. Cesar says dogs live in the moment. Maybe I could learn to let go of some things in the past and be like the saying goes: “I strive to be the person my dog thinks I am.”