Killed My Television's topics - tribe.net

Cheers!

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 01:54:15 GMT

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=WG294M_kYWM&feature=user

posted in Killed My Television - 0 replies

New here - been TV-less since 1985!

Cara — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:02:36 GMT

Best thing we could ever do. Husband ceremoniously heaved the TV out of our apartment window(second floor),
after first making sure there was no one coming along down our street. It landed with a very satisfying thud/crash,
and then he went down to clean up, remove the pieces from the sidewalk, bag it up and take it over to the dumpster
across the street. Have never looked back as far as owning a TV since then, and like the originator of this tribe, I too
am AMAZED at how people can watch this sludge! It's much worse now than back in 1985, too.

posted in Killed My Television - 8 replies

TV SUCKS!

rainey — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:49:32 GMT

I live in a place now where we don't even get TV reception (thank GOD!) and love it!

-- I'm not bombarded by either a TV (or people who constantly watch it) by the message that I'm not enough & don't have enough. (#1 premise of sales -- convince your potential buyer they NEED your product, which means you have to make them believe they don't have what they need, which message, multiplied by every "sell" you get on TV -- whether it's products, ideas or story lines -- amounts to a hell of a lot time reinforcing the belief that you don't have enough = poverty mentality.)
-- I'm not swamped by bad news all the time.
-- I don't have to see the "beautiful people" flash plastic smiles in scripted environments, decorated to look like life.
-- And I'm not surrounded by people who live through the story lines they watch on TV. Do we really carry on concerned conversations about fake life????

and something I didn't expect (which has a lot to do with the lack of TV, but also where I live)

-- When a holiday comes, it comes, I'm happy, and then it goes and I don't have to spend up to 4 months inundated with advertising and other propaganda about it.

When I do go down to town (I live in a remote place in the mountains) and happen to catch some TV, it almost instantly depresses the hell out of me and makes me feel totally hopeless about the world.

It's no doubt a powerful medium but most often, unfortunately, completely misused.

Thanks for the space to rant!

posted in Killed My Television - 2 replies

here I am ... again

Omar — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 04:20:34 GMT

Under special or unfortunate circumstances, my wife and I found ourselves back at my parent’s house. We have been without a TV for about 3 years. So here I am sitting here typing, trying to avoid the TV. I remember now as I walk past my sister who is watching some ‘reality TV’ of why I hate the tube.

posted in Killed My Television - 0 replies

gizmodo kills TVs at CES

lars — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:02:11 GMT

It's evil, I know, but I kind of like it (except for the one used in the presentation, that was mean)

http://gizmodo.com/343348/confessions-the-meanest-thing-gizmodo-did-at-ces

posted in Killed My Television - 4 replies

examining further -questions for everyone

danceintechnicolour — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 03:18:55 GMT

I have recently become appaled by my tv habit. After reading an old 2006 post by Indi, I was given pause to think about things in a new way......Why do I want tv on all the time as background noise? Why do I feel the need to replace that background noise with more background noise? -retorical
It seems in my attempts to drown out my own thoughts & unclutter the mind with background noise....I effectively created more clutter.

Furthermore this got me thinking.....is the radiation & the waves from the computer similar?

Also have any of you found in ending your tv addictions you replaced it with another?

How many of the tv killers out there have gone cold turkey & how many still make allowances & if so for what do you make allowances?

posted in Killed My Television - 3 replies

Art @ the Dump!!! Jan26-27 - S.F.

TheArtistNoMe — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 01:50:49 GMT

Howdy folks!

Hope 2007 is treating you well so far. I feel it’s going to be a great year – so expect some amazing things happening…

I’m writing on behalf of myself and my studio-mate Sudhu.
We’re coming to the end of our 4 month art residency at the San Francisco dump.
It’s been a wonderful and challenging experience and we’d like to invite
you and all your friends/family to our opening this Jan. 26 – 27.

I'm Posting here 'cause I'm doing a lot of work w/ TVs and if you're part of this tribe, I especially invite you to come!!!

Below is the link where you can get all the info/see the flyers etc.
If for some reason the link doesn’t work, all the info/directions are below.

Also, I’ve collected tons of stuff - some of which I won’t be using for my show and
I’d hate to see go to the landfill. So if you or someone you know uses ‘recycled’ or found materials for art etc. , I envite you to come down to the studio before show and
Take some stuff. We will be having a small give – away pile at the show but it would
Really help to clear as much out as we can before the 26th.
I’m usually there Tu-Th after 4pm and Fridays all day.

Feel free to give a call if you’d like to come by….

415) 724 4430

Please forward this to anyone who may be interested!

Hope to see you all there!

Goodgoodstuff,

- NoMe

http://www.sunsetscavenger.com/AIR/nextshow.htm

The show will be held in our studio at SF Recycling & Disposal at 503 Tunnel Ave. All shows are for two days and they are always:

5-9 pm on Friday 26th
and
1-5 pm Saturday 27th

DIRECTIONS TO 503 TUNNEL AVENUE

Directions From Downtown SF: Go south on Highway 101 and get off at the exit marked "Monster Park / Tunnel Road" (after the Cow Palace Exit). Go straight on Beatty Road until you reach Tunnel Ave. Turn right on Tunnel. Go a half block to 503 Tunnel Avenue.

Directions From Cow Palace: Go east on Geneva Ave. until you reach Bayshore Blvd. Turn left on Bayshore Blvd. After a few blocks, turn right on Blanken, then a quick right on Tunnel. After two long blocks 503 Tunnel is on the left.

Directions From The Peninsula: Go north on Highway 101 and get off at the exit marked "Monster Park." At the end of the exit you will come to a stop sign. Turn left onto Alana Way and go under the freeway. The road curves sharply to the left and you will come to another sign at Beatty Road (but there is no street sign for Beatty Rd. Turn right and go to the end of Beatty. Turn right on Tunnel Ave. Go a half block to 503 Tunnel Ave.

Parking: Street parking is easy on Saturday unless there is an event or football game at Monster Park.

Public Transit: MUNI Lines 9 and 15 will drop you a few blocks away at the corner of Blanken and Bayshore. (Consult a map) From there, walk one block east on Blanken then a few long blocks down to 503Tunnel Ave. There is a Cal Train Station right across the street from us. It's called the Bayshore Station.

posted in Killed My Television - 1 reply

What's the longest you've gone without

Sat, 15 Jul 2006 20:36:03 GMT

having a single functioning television in the whole household?

posted in Killed My Television - 14 replies

TV OK as background noise only?

trig — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 04:56:19 GMT

Hey All,

So, I have the TV on a lot of the time as backgound noise when I am working..how do people feel about that? I mean a little Star Trek instead of music in the ground isnt going to hurt anyone, right? Am I right or in denial?

posted in Killed My Television - 9 replies

Now would be a wonderful incentivized time to....

drusilla — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 23:08:41 GMT

...kill your television, if you haven't already. Could the coverage of the shooting in Virginia, and all the feeding on other people's pain, possibly put you over some edge and enable you to toss it out some window or another once and for all?

:-)

posted in Killed My Television - 1 reply

For a while I thought someone had dropped the Bomb......

Dave — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 06:33:27 GMT

But then I figured out that the Oscars were on TV.

I really need to make more connections with people who are not TV addicts.

Which is a tall order, in LA.

posted in Killed My Television - 0 replies

Serious resources for television addiction

linabeet — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 21:35:01 GMT

We know it's bad.

We know it can be an addiction.

But many others don't out there - right? So what do you do when you (me) are struggling to overcome this addiction and the world doesn't recognize it for the drug it is?

Does anyone know any decent websites or resouces that looks at this topic from a recovery/healing angle? I've got the politics and th statistics, now I want the psychology.

posted in Killed My Television - 2 replies

Newby

rachels_forest — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 16:57:06 GMT

Hi, I'm new to this tribe. We went without a TV for a few years, but then we bought one so we could watch movies. But now my husband is always watching TV and it's so irritating! I want to DO things and live life and not be exposed to the idiot box, but what can I do? I can't pull him away from it. ...Must....find...ways...to...lure...him...back...to...LIFE!

posted in Killed My Television - 7 replies

I shamelessly snagged this...

Thu, 31 Aug 2006 04:02:08 GMT

From one of my other tribes... Thought we needed to see this here.

Did you hear about the new shopping carts they are introducing at Wal-mart? TV screens built in for kids. That way, your kids never have to be away from the idiot box, as you go from the wall screen (i.e. widescreen plasma) at home to the DVD in your minivan to the tv in your shopping cart at the supermarket. Ack! Must...take...blue...pill...feel...better...soon...

posted in Killed My Television - 6 replies

I'm A Fraud

lolo68 — Tue, 16 May 2006 22:07:39 GMT

I've been a part of this tribe for a long time now, having joined with the intention of giving up TV again (I've done it in the past) but i have yet to do it. Not only that -- I'm just going to say it now: I LOVE TV!! There. I've said it. I love "Huff" on HBO -- to me it's the best show on.The characters are so deeply flawed and complex. I love "Lost" and "Grey's Anatomy" and "The Sopranos." In all fairness, I also read a great deal and I'm currently unemployed with far too much free time on my hands, but nevertheless, as far as this tribe goes, I'm a fraud. I keep myself as a member because I find the discussions interesting and I hope to one day be back to a TV free existence. But for now, I watch, and I love. So let the stoning begin. :-)

posted in Killed My Television - 10 replies

New here!!

cptpegleg — Mon, 22 May 2006 23:26:02 GMT

I gave up TV about 2001, had it back for about 6 months in 2002, then gave it up again. I do not think I will ever get it back.

I used to just sit and watch TV, constantly, it was on anytime I was home.

My son would like me to get cable back, but I refuse. I just don't need it. Now, I can't even really sit and watch a movie unless it is a really good movie. I listen to books on tape a lot, I quilt and I can listen to a book and work at the same time, it is so productive.

posted in Killed My Television - 3 replies

Killing public TVs (discreetly and repeatedly)

fj — Fri, 27 May 2005 03:53:49 GMT

Hi everyone, just joined up, nice tribe here. I personally haven't managed to kill my TV yet but it's days seem numbered.

I recently obtained my first TV B-gone from Adbusters (actually my first and second as they accidentally overshipped) and am in the process of psyching myself up enough to use it.

The problem is that it isn't as easy to aim a remote control at a public TV as you might think. Not if you want to be a descreet culture-jammer that is. I managed to case out two bars and restaurants I tend to frequent who have multiple, loud TVs, and there were just too many lines of sight criss-crossing the room like searchlights if you know what I mean - too many for me anyway. It doesn't take much imagination to realize that the ballsy approach will work once, but I think part of the point is to (a) not get caught so that you can do it again and (b) have the opportunity to be a repeat offender, since it's obvious the TV will come right back on in no time. Clearly part of the point, aside from muting the A/V nuisance, is to have fun with the people in the room (and force them to consciously focus for a few minutes on their desire to have TV).

So post your experiences, if you have had any, and let's share strategies!

posted in Killed My Television - 10 replies

TV watching - the "Jumpy Mind" Meditation Practice

cosmicdance — Mon, 29 May 2006 22:36:38 GMT

Try this experiment. The next time you find yourself in front of a TV that's on, study how what you are being shown is training your mind. What is it training your mind to do?

Seated meditation practice within the most common tradition of shamatha is about training your mind to concentrate. You calm the mind. This produces states of ecstasy, peace, heightened mental clarity, etc. Good stuff we want more of.

Similarly, when you watch TV your mind is also be trained, but the results aren't quite so pretty. Notice how the images you see are constantly changing. Count how many seconds pass between each change of subject, distance, angle or other compositive element of the shot you are seeing. I have noticed that most shows average 3-6 seconds between visual changes that require my mind to scramble to reassemble an understanding of what I'm looking at. That, my friends, I call jumpy mind meditation.

Apart from the atrocious level of violence, cynicism, sexual obsession, and consumerism that is constantly being programmed into us by the content (programming) of what is being shown to us, the very act of watching itself is destructive to our inner peace. It is well known that just 40 minutes a day of concentration meditation can create increased immunity response, improved mood, heightened mental clarity, and other powerful effects that can be measured by even western medicine. So what do you think the effect is of hours a day of jumpy mind meditation? Really. What effect do you think that is having on our society? How long has ADD been such a widespread problem? How's your immune system doing?

I know I'm preaching a bit to the choir. This is a tribe of mostly non-TV viewers. But even those of us who've quite can still remember what life was like back when we were consumers of TV programming. I know my health, happiness, and energy levels have all improved since I stopped watching TV, not to mention that I've finally begun to make progress with my real meditation practice and become productive in realizing a lot of dreams I used to have (like writing and publishing my first book).

If there are people you love who still watch, especially if they are depressed, low energy and frequently falling prey to colds and allergies, see if you can get them to do this experiment. You don't have to preach to them at all. Just tell them about the benefits of concentration meditation and see if they can for themselves figure out what the effect of the opposite mental training might be.

Side point: Actually, technically speaking it is important to make a distinction between meditation practice and meditation itself. Meditation practice is what you do to hopefully have the peace and inner joy of meditation arise within your experience. Since watching TV doesn't actually bring about that state of mind, it can't really be a meditation practice.

Now some of you are going to think, "Wait a minute. Watching TV does zone me out. It's like I go into a trance and that's really peaceful." But the trance state is not meditation. Even among experienced meditation students there can often be a lot of confusion between zoning out and waking up. Actual meditation is not just peaceful, it is also vibrant, mentally alert, and sometimes even open hearted in its warmth of compassion and very present within the experiences of the physical body (depending on the type of meditation practice you're doing). The TV trance is not embodied, not alert, not joyful, etc. In essence, it's not meditation.

posted in Killed My Television - 4 replies

Everyone Draws Their Own Line

tonyakay — Sat, 27 May 2006 21:02:38 GMT

In response to a previous post in this tribe "I'm a fruad", get this: I haven't watched television in 15 years, but I work in the industry. Currently I am in four commercials and in three national series. All of which I will never see myself!

What a paradox!

- tonya kayos

http://tonyakay.com
http://kayosmarket.com

posted in Killed My Television - 0 replies

It's that time again...No TV Week 2006!

WhiteSage — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 01:00:37 GMT

http://www.tvturnoff.org/

posted in Killed My Television - 0 replies

something to do while not watching tv

ecogyrl — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 03:54:28 GMT

berea college is hosting this conference and yours truly will be helping to lead the biofuels workshop on sunday. if you're curious as to what other amazing things will be happening or want to register, you can pop on over to http://www.berea.edu/sens/ccp/
hope to see some of you there!

posted in Killed My Television - 0 replies

how'd you do it? & what now?

msdynomite — Fri, 05 Nov 2004 18:39:36 GMT

apologies if this is a redundant post, sometimes it's hard to catch a similar thread when browsing past lists.

I'm curious to hear what made you all decide to Kill Your TV, when you did it, and how. and how you spend your time now that you don't have a TV.

me: I've always had a TV (but rarely cable) until recently. when I moved cross-country, I left the TV and didn't buy a new one. I wanted to push myself to get out and meet people, rather than cop out and veg with the TV. I haven't gone entirely cold turkey coz I can still watch movies on my computer, but sometimes I just need to sit and rest and chill. I'm too tired at the end of a work day or after unpacking to concentrate on a book, so a movie is a nice break.

but I don't find I miss it. I find that I allow myself to actually rest now that I don't have a TV...I don't have the unnecessary visual stimulation of watching something. and I'll send letters to friends or sort through pictures when I want to veg.

posted in Killed My Television - 33 replies

Books with a message about television?

drusilla — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 21:25:52 GMT

I just read David Sedaris' "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim". Turns out that the first chapter of the book is, in a way, about the affect of TV on people's lives. Overall it's an intense and wonderful piece of writing; an incredibly strong first chapter.

This made me wonder whether there are other books, fiction or non, that aren't primarily about the evils of TV per se, but still contain some negative message about them. Any suggestions? I'm thinking subversive holiday gifts for my plugged-in friends :-)

Thanks!

Dru

posted in Killed My Television - 10 replies

HELP ME!!!

SomeFrayedEdges — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 08:06:46 GMT

I want to kill it. My language lacks the words for how severely I want to kill it. It's absorbing my life. I know it, it knows it. It's laughing at me. I can feel it.

But Locke just told Echo....

ARRRGGGGHHHHHHH!!!! HELP!

posted in Killed My Television - 7 replies

submsgs

Thu, 09 Feb 2006 01:19:16 GMT

Just finished reading Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World,Revisited. theres a piece about how they can send subliminal msgs over the television. So fast, you can't see it with your eyes, but your subconscious sees it.
And a link: www.northernsun.com they have a cool t-shirt has a lady zoning out on watching tv, and seys "why do you think it's called programming?"
just a bite
be well.
julie

posted in Killed My Television - 0 replies

New Theatre Group in Los Angeles (tv free)

JoeBorfo — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 02:13:57 GMT

We are a new theatre group based in Los Angeles.

Our Mission: To develop a dynamic & provocative space where energies come together to create theatre.

Our Vision: TBA

Membership: We believe that anyone who is passionate about doing theatre in an ensemble should be able to join and can remain a member if she or he has; a. Introduced themselves on the message list, b. Met with us (see Calendar for meetings), and c. Put in their share of effort to achieve our goals.

We request that we all express ideas freely while respecting each other in this forum. We request that you contribute by always pursuing your passion

Join at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/boardsnpassion/

posted in Killed My Television - 0 replies

Replace with what?

patrick_spatz — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 17:38:49 GMT

Ok I don’t think much of what TV is doing (to/for) me right now. But with what can it be replaced? Sitting around felling sorry for myself seem to be my only other pastime. Movies and current fiction seem to be fighting it out with TV to see you can get to the bottom first

Patrick

posted in Killed My Television - 10 replies

California's new free TV disposal rules

timbo — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 08:35:06 GMT

Yes, you can now dispose of your television for free, finally! For those unawares, Californian's have been subjected to fees for the disposal of TVs and CRTs for the past few years due to them being classified as toxic waste. Only those fortunate to live in counties with free recycling/disposal have been encouraged to ditch their sets. Now, though, SB20/SB50 means you, as a resident of California, are entitled to dispose of your TV for free.

I did so the other day--the old 40" projection set that had been sitting in the backyard for the past 9 months finally made its way to the Alameda Country Computer Components Recycling warehouse in Berkeley. It was sad to see the old set finally turned in. On the other hand, the darned thing had just been a burden the past year. My patience in waiting for an amnesty day finally paid off when the state finally got around to working out some logical rules for reimbursing recyclers for these monstrosities. I am now officially sans TV! A great relief.

posted in Killed My Television - 1 reply

Headway ??

patrick_spatz — Tue, 13 Dec 2005 18:50:38 GMT

I am watching less TV say. But I’ve been replacing it with Tribes, video games, (mostly cheep ones, and some reading SF mostly. My question is am I making headway, or just changing things around without making any different?

posted in Killed My Television - 1 reply

Good job

patrick_spatz — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 19:53:22 GMT

I got to hand it to some guy or gal, I know there has to be one. You know the one whose jog it is to see nothing good or creative gets on TV. It’s nice to see there is someone who has a real work ethic. They done one hell of a job and it can’t be easy. I’ve seen the amount of creative and taste that’s out there in the USA and Canada. Yet they hardly ever let sometime get by them. Oh it does happen once in a great while, they still must be kicking themselves about CSI.
But despite these few set back my hats off to a job well done. What’s on TV is mostly grap!

posted in Killed My Television - 0 replies

TV on the internet

patrick_spatz — Sun, 13 Nov 2005 23:37:56 GMT

Did you know you can get TV on the internet? It's comeing for you!!!!!!!!!

posted in Killed My Television - 9 replies

holidays

patrick_spatz — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 18:50:04 GMT

To the tune of deck the Halls (more or less)

Dist the season of depression.
Hypocrisy regression
All the buying, who need loving?
Dist the season of depression.

Family ties not forgotten,
But your speeding more important
Leave all to TV Santa
Dist the season of depression.

All the freedoms wouldn't protect you.
Everywhere the signs will find you.
No one isn’t judged the wanting
Dist the season of depression.

posted in Killed My Television - 0 replies

TV replacement

patrick_spatz — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 19:00:57 GMT

So tell me, the internet just a replacement for the TV addiction? If so is it and improvement? Yes you have a lot more control and it’s interactive. Still it keeps you seated and glued to a box. If anything it’s even better at it than TV.

Patrick

posted in Killed My Television - 2 replies

How much

patrick_spatz — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 04:00:17 GMT

How much TV do you watch before you have a problem?

posted in Killed My Television - 8 replies

TV vs Internet - peas in a pod?

linabeet — Thu, 14 Apr 2005 23:37:28 GMT

Hello my name is Linda and I'm a TV addict. Reared deeply on the stuff is will always be akin to having heroin just lying around the house for the junkie.

About a month ago I got up the courage to dump the rabbit ears in the alley. It took a month of internal debating, five hours of journalling and a series of hot and cold sweats to do it , but I did.

I had a serious relapse this week with a library video marathon. The struggle continues.

But my question to you, fellow addicts, self declared or not, is how different is the glowing screen of love and colour we gaze into now from that celluloid companion of one way entertainment called tv?

The internet is an interactive resource that fosters community, revoloution and art! - you say. I agree. But, my friends, the call and the effect are the same on me.

How So?
A pretty box with pretty pictures.
Promises of Love, Fantasy, Distraction, Sex, Glamour, Gossip and God.
Square eyeball syndrome, numb buttocks, spine compression, radiation headaches, skin pallour gumming up, with the additional treat of carpal tunnel.
And the undying inability to stop stop stop stop stop!

Not always is this the case, of course, as with all drugs. Somtimes it's a quick joyfull jaunt into a vast colourful resource.
But it's there. Lurking, as you do now, lying in wait for that depression, that low self esteem day, that boredom, waiting to take hold and draw me into the land where time does not exist.

Could it be, that internet is the methadone of television?

posted in Killed My Television - 22 replies

Put that kid in front of the tv!

rainey — Thu, 18 Aug 2005 06:03:28 GMT

My little 10 year old cousin was visiting, and after we'd played board games and played on the computer and eaten dinner and she kept asking what we were going to do next... it happened -- I found myself wishing I could just sit her down in front of the tv so she'd chill out... I found myself understanding why parents do that! It made me really sad...

"Here little kid, turn on the tv and stick this fruit roll-up in your mouth..." (sugar and tv, sugar and tv, sugar and tv...)

Well I've got no tv now (seriously, this was the first time I've even slightly missed it since I decided to unplug!), but I still pulled out a DVD and we watched that... Labyrinth with David Bowie -- great flick, but still... the tube, the tube, the tube...

posted in Killed My Television - 13 replies

OK, I'll admit it

patti — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 02:10:11 GMT

I turned on the TV this week.

CNN headline news.

They seemed to have more current Katrina news than the websites I was looking at.

posted in Killed My Television - 4 replies

join my next car is a hybrid (or better)

CHANMAN — Sat, 06 Aug 2005 04:03:42 GMT

commit yourself to your next car being a hybrid or better (like bio diesel or solar)

nextcarhybrid.tribe.net

join my next car is a hybrid (or better)

posted in Killed My Television - 0 replies

TV on DVD?

Liz4whirledpeas — Wed, 20 Jul 2005 01:57:53 GMT

Any thoughts here? I have been mostly TV-less for about 8 months, with small exceptions. But I find that there are still some shows that I miss watching. I've deciced that I will rent DVDs instead, to get away from the commercials and watch it on my own time, instead of scheduling tv show watching time. Anywhoo.. I do have a tv because I love movies and documentaries.. what are your thoughts on this aspect of tv watching?

posted in Killed My Television - 4 replies

Blissfully Unaware

eiburamu — Sat, 07 May 2005 00:22:37 GMT

Hey all

I'm new here. I just killed my TV in February and am already feeling the effects. It was tough at first but now life is so much better. I have no idea what people are talking about when they discuss TV shows except what I hear on NPR interviews, and I love it.

posted in Killed My Television - 2 replies

Quick! Quick!

timbo — Thu, 09 Jun 2005 09:36:54 GMT

How many folks have been killed or maimed or made destitute by ACBTV (accidents caused by television viewing) in automobiles?

Seriously...the other night I was driving home at night on the freeway and noticed that the driver of a passing vehicle was watching TV while driving! WTFIWT?!?!

posted in Killed My Television - 4 replies

new pic, seemed you might dig it

msdynomite — Fri, 10 Jun 2005 19:30:43 GMT

posted a new pic in the album. http://tucson.tribe.net/template/pub%2CViewPhoto.vm/context/tribe?page=1&currentoffset=0&parentid=3ded316c-8f7b-4117-8ded-af4502c6df68&sortby&rows&r=10382

it was on a friend's page and I thought you guys would appreciate it. ;)

posted in Killed My Television - 1 reply

TV Free Kids Good

MellieMel — Tue, 17 May 2005 23:00:52 GMT

I have a nearly five year old daughter. I rejoice that she doesn't get exposed to television, partially because it is a device for churning out good little consumers. It trains kids to want the useless crap these insidious advertisers are out to pawn off on them, which I will not be a party to. Did you know that in Sweden it is against the law for advertsing agencies to direct their marketing towards children under the age of seven? I am jealous of that kind of social responsibility! Anyway, this is a quick rant to say I'm glad we have made the choice to be a TV free household and spare ourselves the torture of advertising, much less innane programming. I would like to point out that part of the reason we don't have a TV is because I am susceptible to the addictive nature of it. If I'm not careful, I end up watching hours of mind-numbing drivel. In order to maintain my sanity, we keep it out of the house. So please don't assume I'm being judgemental if you do expose your kids to TV, or are in the process of trying to wean them off. I understand it's a bitch.

posted in Killed My Television - 7 replies

Tomorow is the first day...

ferrous_arts — Fri, 03 Jun 2005 07:37:37 GMT

I'm kicking the video games. for at least the summer..

posted in Killed My Television - 2 replies

Idea for new reality TV series?

Sun, 15 May 2005 20:19:43 GMT

Hypothetical question...

If there were a new reality TV show, one in which people went around trying to rid others of their televisions, either by nice or nefarious means, would you watch it? Maybe this show would have challenges, like some of those other reality shows, where if someone can get their whole family to toss out all their televisions, then they win a big vacation or something like that.
Or would you absolutely NOT watch this show because it's on, well, television?

posted in Killed My Television - 8 replies

TV Free Anniversary

Tue, 17 May 2005 17:57:35 GMT

I have been without TV since 4-16-01 -- that's 4 years and 1 month.

I would invite you all to contribute to this thread with your own personal TV Free "time record".

The person who has been TV Free the longest will receive a fabulous prize -- not from me, mind you, but from some mysterious force beyond our understanding.

posted in Killed My Television - 4 replies

Read Me

Fri, 06 May 2005 12:21:43 GMT

Hi Ya'll!
I read this article and I love it so much.. I wanted to share it with you great folks.

It is a longish read.. but it's really good..

http://www.crimethinc.com/library/english/television.html

posted in Killed My Television - 5 replies

Can't wait, moving out

Omar — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 11:29:59 GMT

End of this month My girlfriend and I are moving out and have both agreed to not have TV part of our lives. I will be nice to enjoy meals together without having the TV on.

posted in Killed My Television - 3 replies

Friend Brought Over a TV Today

trig — Wed, 13 Apr 2005 06:04:37 GMT

He was tired of trying to explain tv shows to me that I had no clue about since I dont have TV and finally decided to bring an extra TV over. Humm friends want me to watch so I can be like them...I feel the peer pressure. And you know, there are lame radio stations here, too.

Maybe if I just watch Survivor once a week. Cant be that bad after all.

Trig

posted in Killed My Television - 4 replies

Serious TV Jonezing!

trig — Fri, 11 Mar 2005 03:09:55 GMT

Week 1 without TV is creeping up on me and Survivor looms in 1 hour and no friends are returning my call. Once I miss Survivor then I am offically out of the loop. I am feeling serious tv withdrawals..it would be better if it was summer and there was more to do on the week nights. Was it that easy for everyone else to drop?

What do people without TV do at night-- during the winter weekdays? (well, thats legal anyway:)

Trig

posted in Killed My Television - 11 replies

Relapse...

Raye Jaye — Fri, 25 Mar 2005 18:05:51 GMT

I bought rabbit ears for my tube so I can watch my once-a-week fix, West Wing without having to beg my ex to record it for me. I turned on the tube while folding laundry the other day and watched HOURS of sit-coms. Laughed until I cried. Then felt empty because I had wasted all that time.

I'm glad I stopped to laugh, though. Laughing is good. But I felt sad too because one of the reasons I got so sick of TV is that a great deal of the humor is mean. There was a time when it seemed horrible, and very un-funny. But I was roflmao at this crap.

You guys won't kick me out of this tribe will you???

rj

posted in Killed My Television - 2 replies

Killing my television has been a revelation.

rnizanzchk — Fri, 25 Mar 2005 00:39:47 GMT

I know this may come as a surprise, but you can't have a relationship with your television. Once I realized how much of my life I was wasting on an inanimate object, I gave it up. All it really serves as is a distraction from real life.

Now that my eyes are unglazed and I can see again, I have been offered my dream job, my relationships with my friends and family have deepened, and my physical and spiritual health has improved.

My family just recently converged on Florida for my mother's cancer surgery. Our time in this life is so brief and every moment should be treasured. My brother and I implored my father to turn off the television and take my momma outside in the sunshine - to the beach to walk in the surf - to be with her friends - to take her dancing.

My brother went home to Nashville, turned off his television, and now is having family dinner at a real table and not on the couch in front of the tube.

As one who was once employed in the television industry, I am proud that I have killed my television.

Real life = better.

posted in Killed My Television - 2 replies

Depressing

Mon, 03 Jan 2005 23:29:28 GMT

Hi all...I'm new here and I'm so glad that I found you guys. My hubby and I started weaning ourselves from the TV about a year ago. We were extremely frustrated with the commercials saying that you had to buy this, that, and the other thing to look perfect and to live a happy life. So we only used the TV for the occasional rented movie. The funny thing is that when you're not watching TV, you don't see the ads for the new movies, then nothing looks good at the movie store. So a couple of months ago, we sold the brain sucker. Not only have I lost about 20 pounds in the past year (amazing what happens when you get off your butt), but I know so much more about my husband because we talk a lot more often.

Despite all of the positives, I find that there is something depressing in all this...I notice how much people rely on the reality shows and sitcoms to make them feel connected. Everywhere I go they are talking about what happened on survivor last night, or how hot the guy on the bachelor is, or how amazing the whatever drama show was. It's like everyone has isolated themselves so much that they rely on the people they see in the boob tube to count as real friends, or at the very least give them something to talk about with their friends in real life. Anyway, just a rant...

posted in Killed My Television - 15 replies

Help! Is there life after TV?

trig — Wed, 09 Mar 2005 01:03:01 GMT

My TV died last week...its a very nice TV huge with all kinds of wonderful shows on it that waste my time day after day, year after year. I know it was for the best, but I must admit that I click the remote every couple of days in a moment of weakness..only to hear the death rattle of the EPROM chip trying to boot. Yes, I know what's wrong with it and I COULD fix it or have it repaired. But, then I am reclaiming my life without TV. That's the right thing to do isn't it?

I look in the mirror now and I am much older then I thought I was..I think the last 10 years has been measured in a never ending succession of shows...Xfiles, Friends, Survivor. What could have accomplished had I not plugged into the TV night after night? I look at my address book with phone numbers of people that actually are real and living and that I use to do things with, maybe I can call them and see if they will let me watch their TV? NO...I am going to ride this out.

What do people do with all this free time without TV? Is there life after TV?

Trig

Oh yes..does anyone know what is going with this seasons crew of lovable Survivors--wait don't tell me, I don't want to know unless you really have to tell me that is.

posted in Killed My Television - 5 replies

In denial of "Killing the TV" ?...

JoeBorfo — Thu, 03 Mar 2005 18:18:39 GMT

I havent killed my TV yet, completely... or am I ok?

I have no antenna, so I cant get any reception.

So I never watch regular TV.

But I do rent cool cult films on dvd, Documentaries, etc.?

Am I in denial? Am I weak? Do I need to just push my tv off a building ledge David Letterman style? (Non TV watchers don't know what that means)

Maybe it's about "How you watch TV" ... oh.. do I need help?

posted in Killed My Television - 2 replies

TV B-gone!

Sant — Wed, 19 Jan 2005 09:43:34 GMT

Now a new weapon in the fight against the "Drug of the Nation"
TV-B-Gone is available In te Castro at Wild Cards at 17th and Castro-Market. 14.95. This keychain gem will turn off any television that will respond to a remote.

www.tvbgone.com

posted in Killed My Television - 2 replies

oh, right, that little gold man

msdynomite — Wed, 02 Mar 2005 05:37:21 GMT

k, so I killed my tv in august, when I moved from nyc to az. and I hadn't realized how much just witnessing the passing commercials kinda clues you into pop culture.

I was on yahoo! the other day, to check my mail. and I saw a news blurb about Oscar winners. yikes. I had no ideas they were even coming up, let alone who was nominated, fuhgetabout the fact they passed.

was just a moment of awareness in to my life. ;)

posted in Killed My Television - 2 replies

What is...

hierophant — Fri, 18 Feb 2005 18:38:58 GMT

Greetings:
I am working on a project for a class. Perhaps you can help. Please answer these six questions -- what you believe the answer to be or the truth to be: if the question is "I am..." address the answer as to who you are, i.e., I am British, I am a person, I am intelligent, and so on. - there is no specification as to the length of the answer, ergo no answer is too long or too short [a word, a sentence, a paragraph, a page, two pages - whatever].
Thank you for your participation and your help.
Thanks for all the fish!!!
T ~
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUESTIONS:

I am...

Life is...

The world is...

The future is...

Love is...

The mind is...

posted in Killed My Television - 8 replies

Hi, and I did't exactly "kill" my set:

Lone_Bodhissattva — Tue, 08 Feb 2005 18:14:06 GMT

I gave it away a couple weeks after 9-11 occurred. The barely-disguised racism (within the first hours of the attack, before anyone claimed responsibility, the news media had already decided for us that it HAD to have been done by "Arab Terrorists") and the cowardly arm-chair sabre-ratttling of war retoric from people who themselves would never be called on to actually fight, became SO overwhelmingly repetitive, SO wholly repulsive, that I gave my set away to a poor lady who lives alone with her elderly mother and nine cats, and have felt no urge to get another one since then.

Anything I can do to erode the power of a creep like Rupert Murdock, whom I blame as the largest contributor to the current state of "news" in this country (i.e.: a sluggish, turgid goo of lies, opinions, rightwing spin, half-baked theories, presented for readers/viewers/listeners possessing a sixth grade comprehension level, and lightly sprinkled on top with just enough truth to make it palatable to the petty, frustrated, morally ugly little couch-potatoes who think "American" is the taxonoic definition of the highest possible state of development for human beings, but deep within that cold, hard, tiny knot of leather they call a heart, they know better), the better I'll feel about myself.

Actually, giving up cigarettes wasn't all that difficult, either.

I'm really, really glad to see that I'm not the only one who despises that "slander-machine" and its pimps.

posted in Killed My Television - 13 replies

how to breathe?

Fri, 17 Sep 2004 12:21:47 GMT

This is a carry over from my dive buddy air hog topic.

What do you think is the best way for a diver to breathe?

The only constant I have heard is "slow" but there seems to be debate over deep vs. shallow, and whether to hold your breathe at any point.

And should it be slow in both the inhale and the exhale?

For myself, I breathe in at a normal speed but take the air in deeply, filling my lungs more than I would at the surface, but not to the point of any discomfort. Then I exhale slowly, but I don't try to empty my lungs of every bit of air. I just keep it normal, other than that I am exhaling more slowly than usual. I breathe back in again as soon as I have completed exhaling. I don't hold my breath at any point, I just breathe at a normal rate. And the result is a rate of consumption about the same as other experienced divers.

A dive master told me that if you hum while you exhale, you will be exhaling at about the proper rate.

posted in Killed My Television - 9 replies

Decor of a room

Wed, 15 Dec 2004 07:38:21 GMT

it's pretty fun I thought that i had successfully ween myself off of the substance for the last 7years but, when i finally moved into a flat that i enjoyed. And now that i'm in the mist of decorating the living room i am innately setting up the room in w/ the lay out where i'm looking at a blank wall or out towards the window into the city.

it feels like i'm expecting a tv to roll right into my living room to entertain me. Has this happened to you?

and how did you combat it?

i'm still rearranging the furniture every other day now in a futile attempt to take out the tv feel. - suggestions

posted in Killed My Television - 9 replies

Confession redux

patti — Fri, 31 Dec 2004 09:03:05 GMT

To recap: after 25 years of TV-free living, I got cable and a Tivo.

I bought a 40-hour Tivo series 2, and last weekend I upgraded it to 120 hours, and it's about to go to double that.

Why? Is it because I'm watching so much TV that I need more space? No, just the opposite! Tivo is grabbing things for me like crazy (anything with the keyword poker), and I'm watching so little of it that it would get deleted before I could get to it.

I've recorded and watched a handful of movies, but they're things that I probably would have just added to my Netflix queue if I hadn't found them on cable.

All in all, I'm about where I expected to be-- having TV really hasn't had much of an impact on my life, and I don't find myself drawn to it just because it's there.

posted in Killed My Television - 9 replies

Television in Norway, US.

saras — Thu, 16 Dec 2004 06:15:06 GMT

In 'The Joy of Simple Living' by Jeff Davidson, he says there is no television broadcasts in Norway on Wednesdays. Not a one.

What do you think would happen in the US if the government adapted this rule? Do you think people might actually *gasp!* pick up a book, pursue a hobby, get some fresh air, wonder why their cat smells like dryer sheets and has sumi e ink all over his paws, etc? Or do you think Blockbuster would just make a fortune on the television-free day?

Do you think the average American would watch less programming, or just cram all the lost time in on another day?

posted in Killed My Television - 4 replies

Converting the 'nonbelievers'

Tue, 23 Nov 2004 16:54:01 GMT

I knew a guy once (ok, it was an ex-boyfriend) who would immediately turn on the TV when we would walk in the door of his appartment. Then he would just sit there and watch these absolutely stupid shows. I got sick of that and said that this wasn't such a good idea, maybe we should do something else. He got defensive and said 'well, I enjoy watching TV. it helps me unwind after a long day. I don't read like you do and there's really nothing else to do". At the time, I didn't know a good counter argument. I mean, if someone enjoys something, who am I to criticize?
Anyway, it's old news, years ago. I'm just wondering what any of you would say to a friend in the same situation. How would you try to convert a TV addict to do other activities without criticizing them for doing something they truly enjoy? Or would you even bother and just let them enjoy their mind-numbing TV shows?

posted in Killed My Television - 8 replies

Confession

patti — Tue, 30 Nov 2004 17:19:55 GMT

Even as I write this, the cable guy is here and hooking me up. After twenty five (!) years with essentially no television, I'm getting cable.

Upside: I don't expect to watch more than 3-5 hours per week, since I'm really only getting it to see televised poker.

posted in Killed My Television - 18 replies

Success Story

Raye Jaye — Tue, 30 Nov 2004 07:09:07 GMT

Just as many of you told me, my kids are finding new ways of dealling with eachother. (See my post "I'm killing my TV today") The other day my boys were arguing over which of them was the more manly: who could ollie highest, who could lift more weight, who could win against more of their peers in arm wrestling. To settle things a chess match was thrown out as a challenge.

I didn't even know the younger one knew how to play. Apparently his older brother taught him during my late hours at work. HUZZAH!!! If the TV had been available they would have been sneeking Beavis and Butthead episodes, but instead they were playing chess and honing those critical thinking skills.

Cool.

rj

posted in Killed My Television - 3 replies

Anti-TV story

Raye Jaye — Mon, 29 Nov 2004 20:48:26 GMT

This came through my email years ago and was one of the things that influenced me to turn that damn thing off. The "Converting Non-Believers" thread reminded me of it. Maybe it will help convert...

THE STRANGER:

A few months before I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our
small Tennessee town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this
enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The
stranger was quickly accepted and was around to welcome me into the world a few months later.

As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind,
he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mom
taught me the word of God, and Dad taught me to obey it. But the stranger?
He was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with
adventures, mysteries and comedies. If I wanted to know anything about
politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past,
understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He
took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and
he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to
mind.

Sometimes Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each
other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to her room and
read her books. (I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)

Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger
never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed
in our home... not from us, our friends or any visitors. Our long-time
visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and
made my dad squirm and my mother blush.

My Dad was a teetotaler who didn't permit alcohol in the home, not even for
cooking. But the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He
made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and pipes distinguished. He talked
freely (much too freely!) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant,
sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing. I now know that my
early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the
stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was
seldom rebuked... and NEVER asked to leave.

More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our
family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was
at first.

Still, if you were to walk into my parents' den today you would still
find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him
talk and watch him draw his pictures.

His name? We just call him TV.

posted in Killed My Television - 2 replies

Terence McKenna's views on Television

Fri, 19 Nov 2004 08:58:18 GMT

"The nearest analogy to the addictive power of television and the transformation of values that is wrought in the life of the heavy user is probably heroin. Heroin flattens the image; with heroin, things are neither hot nor cold; the junkie looks out at the world certain that what ever it is, it does not matter. The illusion of knowing and of control that heroin engenders is analogous to the unconscious assumption of the television consumer that what is seen is 'real' somewhere in the world. In fact, what is seen are the cosmetically enhanced surfaces of products. Television, while chemically non-invasive, nevertheless is every bit as addicting and physiologically damaging as any other drug.

"Most unsettling of all is this: the content of television is not a vision but a manufactured data stream that can be sanitized to 'protect' or impose cultural values. Thus we are confronted with an addictive and all-pervasive drug that delivers an experience whose message is whatever those who deal the drug wish it to be. Could anything provide a more fertile ground for fostering fascism and totalitarianism than this? In the United States, there are many more televisions than households, the average television set is on six hours a day, and the average person watches more than five hours a day—nearly one-third of their waking time. Aware as we all are of these simple facts, we seem unable to react to their implications. Serious study of the effects of television on health and culture has only begun recently. Yet no drug in history has so quickly or completely isolated the entire culture of its users from contact with reality. And no drug in history has so completely succeeded in remaking in its own image the values of the culture that it has infected.

"Television is by nature the dominator drug par excellence. Control of content, uniformity of content, repeatability of content make it inevitably a tool of coercion, brainwashing, and manipulation. Television induces a trance state in the viewer that is the necessary precondition for brainwashing. As with all other drugs and technologies, television's basic character cannot be changed; television is no more reformable than is the technology that produces automatic assault rifles."

[p.p. 218-220, Terence McKenna, FOOD OF THE GODS; Bantam, 1992. ISBN 0-553-37130-4]

posted in Killed My Television - 0 replies

new tribe vibe sucks?

raswpynuggets — Tue, 28 Sep 2004 22:13:09 GMT

what happened the search has less options and so it seems does anything else, anyone else think the OLD tribe was better? pros and cons, i didnt see any pros yet but mebe you did, let them fly, rick

posted in Killed My Television - 6 replies

help! help! I'm jacked in and I can't stop.

msdynomite — Thu, 04 Nov 2004 02:36:35 GMT

ok, so I don't have a tv, but I just spent the whole day wet-wired to the internet. I lost the ENTIRE friggin day online, reading, posting, checking posts. help! what the hell just happeneD? granted, today was a pretty significant day, with the election results. but holy friggin cow. make me stop!

posted in Killed My Television - 2 replies

ninjas of teevee-killing, unite!

ian23 — Wed, 20 Oct 2004 01:32:10 GMT

http://www.tvbgone.com/

posted in Killed My Television - 5 replies

Childhood without TV

Fri, 26 Mar 2004 14:17:01 GMT

Any thoughts or shared experiences of growing up without tv?

Though it was probably not my mom's intention, the experience set me apart from the other kids. After my parent's divorce, there was no TV in our household. From third grade onward, TV was something I viewed mostly when visiting others. We'd sometimes have a little hand me down b&w set for watching major events on TV, but it held little appeal in terms of watching regular programming.

So I became freakishly well read as a child. I mean, people really would be frightened by how much I had read and knew. School teachers were embarassed because I knew more on subjects than did they. Other kids thought I was a freak because I was reading grown up stuff but could not talk about what was on TV. My reading scores on standardized exams were consistently 99th percentile, which is essentially a perfect score, even though I am not any kind of genius. Sometimes my high school teachers would falsely accuse me of plagiarism because they could not accept that a 9th or 10th grader from a poor family could write papers as good or better than college students.

I was so far ahead of the other kids and the curriculum that high school bored me out of my mind, to the point of major depression. So I dropped out by the beginning of 11th grade, went to trade school and became an electronics technician. That bored me too after a few years, and my SAT scores were high enough that when I applied to the University of Texas at Austin, they accepted me without the high school degree. Now I am an attorney, which fortunately, is an occupation that rewards reading over watching TV.

I did not enjoy being considered a freak as a child. I don't think my mother anticipated how hard it could be on a kid to be so different from the others. I would not recommend it to parents without careful supervision and guidance. However, I still despise most TV programming and do not wish I had grown up in front of one.

posted in Killed My Television - 40 replies

Kill THEIR TVs :)

SK — Wed, 20 Oct 2004 03:57:04 GMT

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=738&e=1&u=/ap/20041020/ap_on_hi_te/tv_be_gone

posted in Killed My Television - 5 replies

ah, but in 10 years we'll wonder how we ever did without it!

mella — Sun, 12 Sep 2004 03:11:26 GMT

http://news.designtechnica.com/article4127.html

posted in Killed My Television - 3 replies

good lord, don't they ever turn it off?!

mella — Mon, 30 Aug 2004 18:35:28 GMT

Ugh, I need to vent:

I take a few calls a day from residential clients (read: people at home), and am shocked at how often I hear the TV on in the background. When they're calling me about moulds in their homes. This is relatively important. Something maybe they should pay attention to. But they just can't seem turn off the TV. WTF?...

posted in Killed My Television - 24 replies

I am killing my TVs today

Raye Jaye — Wed, 01 Sep 2004 15:45:54 GMT

Hello, tibe. My name is Raylene, and I am killing my TVs today.

When my ex moved out of the house, I took the TV out of the "TV room" and turned it into a playroom. Some how over the summer it got put back in to watch a movie and never got removed. Now my three kids seem to be constantly in front of it (a relatively new development I attribute to me being out of the house a lot with my new job and them being home alone).

I remember the days when my ex would sit in front of the TV for hours and hours to the exclusion of all else. In those days my kids would play with their toys and eachother, read books and do art projects; now they seem to "veg" a lot.

I wonder what life will be like now that they have to interact with eachother again... What was the transition like for you???

RJ

posted in Killed My Television - 13 replies

Just shoot me now

patti — Wed, 06 Oct 2004 22:15:43 GMT

I just bought a Tivo.

Next up: cable.

I have a hard time believing this after basically quitting TV about 25 years ago.

Why am I doing this? One reason: televised poker. I play poker fairly seriously, and I feel like not seeing what's happening with poker on TV is costing me a lot.

posted in Killed My Television - 3 replies

teen sexuality linked to viewing choices

Raye Jaye — Tue, 07 Sep 2004 21:58:58 GMT

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=ZMDDOSH5R05FMCRBAEKSFFA?type=healthNews&storyID=6162870

Thought this was interesting-- not surprising, just interesting.

Raye Jaye

posted in Killed My Television - 10 replies

Backsliders!

timbo — Wed, 28 Jul 2004 09:21:08 GMT

Okay, confess! When was the last time you watched TV?

I watched the Democratic Convention yesterday...

Earlier this month I went an entire week without turning the set on--and my folks have 200+ channels and were on vacation.

Thankfully, I had tribe to distract me!

posted in Killed My Television - 24 replies

Different cultures, different habits

Wed, 06 Oct 2004 22:09:46 GMT

I noticed that on my last trip to France, amongst a family group for dinner, the TV was never an option. Talk and intelligent conversation were the rule there, and the TV would never have been considered even remotely. Isn't that the way it should be here in the US? If everyone took their focus off the TV at dinnertime and instead started talking more, people would be much better off for it. It's like we've forgotten how to talk at dinner, and maybe don't even care to. I've found that Europeans (in general) prefer conversation to TV, particularly at mealtimes. Anytime I suggest this to friends and family, either they ask me "Well, what should we talk about?", like it's a chore or a task, or we all just sit there and eat in silence. Pretty sad, actually!
Any thoughts on this?

posted in Killed My Television - 19 replies

Help! I am back sliding

Loures — Sun, 12 Sep 2004 04:23:57 GMT

the TV is ON! I saw some interesting stuff on PBS... love the british comedies ... still cannot stomach those deplorable reality shows! Gawd who started those horribe shows about people having major surgery to improve their lives! how shallow and the commercials ... qawd! I can't take it!

posted in Killed My Television - 2 replies

4 pkows

inspectorQ — Thu, 02 Sep 2004 06:22:22 GMT

In a fit of learned violence; pkow, pkow, pkow, pkow. My boob tube ruptures it's cathode ray womb. An abortion of yip yap. Elvis would be proud... blooof. Snarf....

Goodness, what's Cool-Aid man doing these days?

posted in Killed My Television - 0 replies

NFL and TV.....yikes!!

Thu, 02 Sep 2004 00:17:44 GMT

i do really well with the box turned off most of the year until around this time......every football season......once the NFL starts up..... the evil box beckons!!
to add another twist...i seem to be one of the few artists i know that care about football..another character flaw for me i guess.

posted in Killed My Television - 1 reply

uh oh.....i unplugged the damn thing ...and........

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 23:33:48 GMT

......it came back on!!!!!!!!!
omg........nooooooooOOOOOO

posted in Killed My Television - 3 replies

Replacing tv with the Internet

waxadelica — Mon, 05 Apr 2004 19:30:45 GMT

(hey thurr, new member)
I see TV as chewing gum for the mind. I mean don't get me wrong, documentaries have some purpose at least but each and every day, TV has become more about viewing figures, meaning more MOOLARR to the fat cat tv boss' pockets meaning poorer quality viewing and eventually no worthy content whatsoever.

Personally, I don't think we truly realise how big an impact the Internet is going to have on our lives. In the past, regarding information, its been about snail mail, flyers, biased Television programs and other forms of usually out of date media to supply us with new brain candy.
Now we have a living breathing entity thats updated every second of the day, in every way. I'm even surprised(though very glad) that governments kinda watched this technology go by and let the people set it's course.
Of course the Internet has negative aspects about it but as being human goes, thats just part of the territory.
Now we have every type of past, present and even future medias at our fingertips and I suppose it can be seen as a parallel world in a way, an online interaction orgy!

..........and then you go sit on the couch and turn on the TV and its such a predictable disappointment.

Right now I'm pretty drunk but you get the idea I hope :/

Vive La Revolution!

posted in Killed My Television - 13 replies

Kill Your Browser

sfslim — Thu, 05 Aug 2004 01:23:31 GMT

Hypocritical I know, but hey, I do also moderate the "Hypocrites" Tribe.

Check the photo gallery for deets. In short: "KILL YOUR BROWSER" high-quality vinyl sticker $2.oo each - email sfslim [ a t ] gmail.com to order.

Namaste, beotches!

- SF Slim

posted in Killed My Television - 0 replies

What do you still watch?

starkmtn — Mon, 26 Jul 2004 23:08:24 GMT

I admit it, there are a few shows which my mom tapes for me and sends me each week. They are:

24
ER
Joan of Arcadia

Does anyone else have a few holdovers from their TV era that they don't want to stop watching? I find these 3 shows to be well-done and intriguing enough to justify 3 hours a week.

posted in Killed My Television - 10 replies

God help me

patti — Thu, 15 Jul 2004 21:01:52 GMT

I haven't watched TV since the late 70s or early 80s, but I'm thinking about getting cable.

Why? Televised poker.

posted in Killed My Television - 16 replies

telephobic movie fanatics

ian23 — Wed, 16 Jun 2004 18:52:04 GMT

when people reference current tv shows (or even more shudder-worthy, current tv ads), I just say simply 'I don't watch TV,' or if they wonder why I have a set at all, I tell them 'It's the monitor for the DVD player & VCR.'

I still may have a cathode-ray addiction, but at least mine doesn't have commercials, and not every bit of content is created with an eye to not offending the makers of EZ Cheez.

posted in Killed My Television - 24 replies

Lunch time viewing...

ferrous_arts — Fri, 23 Jul 2004 14:40:24 GMT

so when my girlfriend comes home for her hour of lunch (her office tower is only 2 blocks away) she immediately clicks on the TV. And What channel do you think she turns it to? whatever channel there is a soap on.

I tried to sit there reading and ignoring the drivel that was flowing over me but then they started talking about everyone being trapped on an island by a force-field. I had to move across the room to a chair that doesnt face the idiot box. There were complaints, but I'm pretty firm that if we are going to sit together then its not going to be for TV. And definitely NOT for a soap opera.

Any thoughts?

posted in Killed My Television - 4 replies

Neilsen family

missmanypeeves — Sat, 10 Jul 2004 06:50:54 GMT

I got a call last week from the Neilsen ratings people wanting to send me a diary to fill out for a week. I don't have a TV, I told the guy. He said it didn't matter, I should just write down the shows that I watch. I DON'T HAVE A TV - I insisted. that's OK, he said, just fill out the diary for a week and we'll give you five dollars.
OK. I said.

posted in Killed My Television - 7 replies

tribe as tv replacement

Unsubscribed — Wed, 25 Feb 2004 21:11:23 GMT

hi!
i think tribe has become my tv replacement. i even rationalize my use of tribe with this tribe -
PARTICIPANT OBSERVANT
please see listing above.

i find myself channel surfing tribe like i used to do with my cable remote. i am a tribe newbie though.
best, and if want an armchair/or keyboard anthropological take on tribe, please check out PARTICIPANT OBSERVANT.

thanks
jk

posted in Killed My Television - 7 replies

high tone frequencies

shelley — Mon, 08 Mar 2004 03:29:58 GMT

i cant stand being in the same room as a tv, or even the computer screen fot too long because the buzz of the screen drives me nuts. they fuck up your electromagnetic field

posted in Killed My Television - 16 replies

Film: The Corporation...

TheArtistNoMe — Tue, 08 Jun 2004 18:50:40 GMT

is playing in San Fran. at the Castro Theatre
June 4 - 16 shows 1pm, 4:30, 8pm daily.

Go see it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And of course Michael Moore's 'Fahrenhiet 911' to be
released June 25 at a theatre near you !!!

posted in Killed My Television - 2 replies

The Revolution will not be televised !

TheArtistNoMe — Thu, 15 Apr 2004 07:42:02 GMT

I just saw this film! Amazing! Anyone else seen it?

Well, if you haven't go NOW and find it! Watch it !

Your future, our future depends on it !!!

posted in Killed My Television - 7 replies

I did it...

Mon, 19 Apr 2004 03:42:28 GMT

... with a sledgehammer in 1995. Never looked back, never lapsed. But I gotta warn you... on the first swing the sledge BOUNCED off the tube... couldn't believe it!!
I got a bit nervous... didn't want flying glass in my eye from the implosion... so I put it at the bottom of the stairs and threw the sledge at it from the top stair ... *BOOM*... it was sooo great.

Oh yeah... and PLEASE FOR GODS SAKE unplug the sucker first and leave it to sit for a few days (to make sure there's no charge in the capacitors) unless you want to die!!!

Anyone ever see the footage of the Stones (I think it was Jagger) throwing the TV out of the hotel window? Priceless....

posted in Killed My Television - 3 replies

Theater

logandelanoche — Thu, 11 Mar 2004 16:45:29 GMT

Okay, I like going to shows and stuff. I love the different feeling you get when watching a live performance as opposed to watching something taped, edited, and pumped into the boob tube. I appreciate the talent and hard work that goes into putting on a really good play. Unfortunately, that shit is just way too fucking expensive. Concerts are cheaper! Am I just like, stupid and don't know where to look? I recently saw The King and I (someone I'm dating is in it) at the Dean Lescher theater in Walnut Creek and the tickets were nearly $30. It was a great show and all but I can't afford to do that all the time. What's a guy to do?

posted in Killed My Television - 4 replies

broke down

deirdre — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 21:57:45 GMT

when i was sick and could not concentrate on the printed page. help. do i still belong here?

posted in Killed My Television - 3 replies

How long has it been?

sfslim — Sat, 04 Oct 2003 20:01:38 GMT

How long has it been since you cut the cord?

I killed my teevee back in... lessee... 1994 or '96. I can't remember exactly.

Of course, like many who've unplugged, all I really did was kill my channels; I still watch DVDs and the like, either on my laptop computer or using a friend's loaner LCD projector. But I've been otherwise blissfully unaware of the world of broadcast pap for the better part of a decade.

You?

posted in Killed My Television - 41 replies

long time listener, first time caller

MyBodyIsATemple — Tue, 02 Mar 2004 18:12:40 GMT

I have a TV in my living room but it is hidden - it amazes me how many people's first comment when they walk in is "You don't have a TV???" like it is the most shocking thing possible. I have cable (with DVR) but I mostly only watch movies (the commercials on TV!).

The problem is my roommate. I love her - my bestest friend. But she watches the most banal and horrid of the network programs - American Idol and their ilk. She also just turns on the TV and starts flipping - looking for anything to watch.

How do I get her to pull the plug?

Partly for her own good but also to spare me from having to hear the TV or worse - have her try to engage me in discussions about it or have me watch this really funny commercial.

welcome your help

posted in Killed My Television - 8 replies