The Impending TV Conversion - Don't Throw Out That TV!

As you may have heard, after February 17, 2009, all the regular (i.e., non-cable) television stations will broadcast in digital format only. Viewers who receive their television free, over-the-air, using rabbit ears or a roof-top antenna and an analog television set will have three choices:
(1) purchase a digital-to-analog converter box,
(2) purchase a digital television set or
(3) subscribe to a pay service, such as cable or satellite delivery.

Research by Nielsen, the National Association of Broadcasters and the Consumer Electronics Association estimate that there are approximately 13-19.6 million households that only receive over the air broadcasts. That's a lot of TVs potentially heading to the landfill if folks choose option #2.

So, if you're in this situation, please consider purchasing a converter box (and make sure it's EnergySTAR certified). The government will even give you a voucher to offset the cost.

For more info, check out:
http://www.dtv2009.gov - you can request up to 2 $40 coupons here
http://www.epa.gov/ecycling/tv-convert.htm

TV Trivia: Chuck Lorre Productions

For awhile now, I've noticed that at the end of the certain TV shows (e.g., "Two and a Half Men"), there's a one-screen-shot flash for "Chuck Lorre Productions." The shot shows a screen full of text, but it goes by too fast to read. I've made a conscious effort to read it and got enough in my fast glimpse to be able to tell it was more than jibberish, but that's it. And it goes by so fast that I normally forget about it a few minutes later.

The routine goes like this: TV show. Flash-and-glimmer-of-curiosity. Next show or commercial or whatever--curiosity gone.

It's an interesting exercise in how short our (or at least my) attention span is.

Anyway, today, I finally remembered to Google it and, of course, they're called "Vanity Cards" and they're all online here. They're basically mini-essays on life, the universe and everything (sort of like a non-blog, blog).

And now I know who Sheldon Leonard is. (I knew the 2 characters' names on The Big Bang Theory sounded familiar but all I could come up with was Sally's ex-boyfriend in When Harry Met Sally...You know. The days of the week underpants.)

Anyway, enjoy.