Saturday, March 22, 2014

What happened to the TeeWee?

In explaining why she doesn't want it in the house, Bobbi points out that there are really only three kinds of things on cable (or satellite) TV:
"[T]he local stations you can get over the air for free, on-demand stuff my Roku/Amazon combo delivers at least as well, and crap Hitler/Alien/Mermaids/Seance channels that used to run science and history programs but gave up after realizing rehashed tripe, cold readings and program-length commercials for claptrap and quackery made at least as much money if not more and cost less to produce."

24 comments:

RabidAlien said...

She has a point...

joethefatman said...

Nice summation of why I don't watch. I've got Amazon and the internet for everything tv. Up to and including aliens, conspiracy theories and even zombies.

Wyfaggro said...

Yeah Netflix and Hulu+ have everything I watch and at a tenth the price...

Scott J said...

I keep thinking about cutting off my DirecTV. That's close to $90 a month that could probably be better spent elsewhere.

Most of it is crap but then I'll have those evenings where I'm tried and just want to sit in my recliner and not in the mood to watch any particular program so I'll surf the guide and catch a showing of something cool like "Blade Runner" or "The Blues Brothers".

I could easily watch either on DVD but I didn't know I wanted to watch them until I happened to see they were on.

So that sort of lazy is why I don't cut it off.

I ought to because even though I don't watch them the likes of Oprah, Al Gore and Ministry of Truth (MSNBC) still get a cut of my subscription money.

If DirectTV would let me go a la carte on the channels I get that would be ideal.

Anonymous said...

I have cable because it's part of my condo association fees. I watch in the morning to get the weather forecast and find out if someone has started a new war; sometimes at night before bed I turn it on for the same reason. Beyond that, I've the Internet and 3000 CDs on my shelves I can listen to; plain don't need it.

But I will give props to MSNBC for programs that understand that "no actual facts have turned up in the last 24 hours about Flight 370" is not news, and therefore, Lefty though the result is, talk about other stuff.

Kishnevi

mikee said...

As long as you can get tornado warnings in a timely fashion, kill the TV. You won't miss it. Although I'd urge getting the History Channel series "Vikings" when it is available in a box set.

Old NFO said...

Yep, on the money with that quote!!!

Will said...

Since most of the channels I would want to watch on cable are top tier (racing and shooting), and require buckets of money to get that level, forget it. Tossed the TV years ago.

There is a huge amount of lead (for shielding) in a CRT type TV. Just a note for those who reload...

Roberta X said...

A huge amount? Where?

Ed Jones said...

But how are you going to watch TCM and the golf channel, the only reason I have Derectv.

Critter said...

What is this TV of which you speak?

Anonymous said...

Sorry, Will, there's no lead in a CRT TV other than the little bit of solder holding the components to the circuit board. Any metal plates that you see are "mu metal" (go to Wikipedia) and totally worthless for any firearms purpose.

SCM said...

I've been saying it for a couple years now: there's nothing on TV I can't get off the internet better, cheaper, and with less commercials/censorship.

The only reason to pay for cable is for the live sports, which are available on the internet, but not in a satisfactory way. For example, you can pay ~$50 to get live NHL games online, but they blackout games in your area so that the only real way to see them is to go to the arena or buy cable.

If you're not a sports fan and you are still paying for cable, you are either too old to be good at internets, or you just really like commercials and "history".

Noah D said...

Ah, yes The History [sic] Channel.

Unknown said...

I gave up the cable, too. Watch TV on the internet. Much better.

Oakenheart said...

There actually is lead in a CRT. Lead Oxide. As a component of the glass. Which is great if you want to make glass bullets, but you're gonna need a lot more heat than the old wheel weight melter!

Anonymous said...

I cancelled cable 25 years ago. Once DVDs became available I spent what I would have paid on cable for DVDs that I really liked.
Now there are cheaper alternatives.But I like DVDs.
Since obama was elected hollywood has not made anything without commie or deviant propaganda in it.
I still get to watch the old classics like Buckaroo Banzai and Zatoichi.

rickn8or said...

I became annoyed with the cable company about twenty years ago when I discovered there were plenty of free JEE-sus-a channels but no corresponding free PrĂ˜n.

Cut 'em loose and never looked back. Quit watching regularly about four years ago. Occasionally watch a little when traveling and am amazed at the dreck that's on now.

Plus, there's no Tam nor Roberta on TV...

Anonymous said...

Spring for a decent quality antenna for over the air TV, or even better, have your ham-radio-qualified roomie build one. (There are several out there that are better than anything you can buy at a big box store.)

That will keep in the Sunday-morning-talking-heads game, and let you watch important things like the Superbowl.

Roberta X said...

We have one. We have had one since Day One. Kinda-gotta 'cos of what I do for a living.

Haven't had cable at Roseholme Cottage ever and dropped the DSS (satellite) service a few years ago when the contract was up and quality was well gone.

In the quoted para, I was splainin' why I went to The Phone Company instead of The for high-speedy Innernet instead of The ©able ©ompany. They both suck but TelCo sucks a tiny bit less.

mikee said...

Mu metal is the holy grail of tinfoil hat wearers.

If you have some, by all means make yourself a Magneto-style anti-interference brain cover with it.

Adding a layer of aluminum foil (shiny side OUT, of course) on the outside keeps the CIA from knowing you're using a mu-metal hat until its too late!

NotClauswitz said...

I'll NEVER pay for TV, it's un-American.

Sigivald said...

I only have Cable TV for Food Network - and frankly now that it's All Reality Crap All The Time, I'm ambivalent about that.

All the actual cooking is now on the Cooking Channel, which of course costs extra.

(I'll continue having cable for data no matter what...)

Will said...

Drat!
I was told there was lead in TV's for shielding, to explain the unusual weight for their size. Haven't taken one apart since childhood, though.
Leaded glass is heavier than one would expect. Worked with that in high end optical lenses.

Now that I think of it, one system used three small CRT's, maybe 4" screens, and they were heavy.

Thought it was a reliable bit of info, since it came from a reloader.

Sorry 'bout that.