Living Car Free - EntertainAlternatives For The Frugral Cyclist

Perhaps many of you here is wondering why I am posting this topic here. I feel strongly that we are discussing a lifestyle options that is not as financially draining as the usual practiced by the average middle income first world family. The bicycle is only a part of the solution. The other is trying to find or gauge alternatives to a more expensive one that might not be affordable to many that use this forum to gleam and gain information. Entertainment is another part of most people's existence beside getting around. And the number 1 form seems to be the television.

The television system that is used up to today is now being turned off forever. Today is the day of truth for the either success/failure of the dreaded switch to the 21st century. I for one is ready as much as my own personal finances allows me. I have added 3 (2 partly paid for by governmental coupons, 1 fully by me) converter boxes to the televisions currently in use around my house. Two antennas have approved for digital signals and one is relying on a "bow tie" type of antenna system. I am currently monitoring the analog signals on the airwaves to see the stations "flip the switch" and disappear forever analog wise. The first to go is the local ABC station expected to disappear at noon time PST. Perhaps the local NBC station will do so at that time too. It is a bit confusing as no one is stepping up to the plate and clearly announcing what they are planning to do beyond vague quick mentioning of this.

Don't fear. Read my posts on options you and I have to avoid the cable costs listed above at "Coping Strategies For The Analog-To-Digital Conversion In The United States (http://folder-fanatic.blogspot.com/)".
And don't miss my other posts on my bikes and how they are used there too!

I've never owned a TV. That's my alternative to high cable costs. What will I do for entertainment this weekend? Bike around and take pictures, read, work screw around with a computer program I've written. Start a new programming project. Go see a salsa band play. Take a hike and pick some wild berries. Talk to my family. .... With all the cool things to do I don't understand how people find the time to watch TV.

I'm pretty in to finding ways to pass my time that keep me learning and mentally active. I am doing my best to avoid things that do the opposite - which is often true of TV and things I do on the computer.

In addition, I figure that finding things that I enjoy to do during my spare time doesn't have to cost money.

So I've found myself really connecting with Quaker Meetings and a church that has close connections with the philosophy of and author of the book, Jesus for President (http://www.jesusforpresident.org/book/sections.html) . And some other activities related to similar philosophies...

I gave away my TV 12 years ago. I haven't watched TV except on DVD since then. Don't miss it.

I don't think many within this forum bother with the tv much (myself included, haven't had cable for almost two years) but thanks for the tips folder fanatic! Forced to buy something lol, that is rotten! :roflmao2:

I don't think many within this forum bother with the tv much (myself included, haven't had cable for almost two years) but thanks for the tips folder fanatic! Forced to buy something lol, that is rotten! :roflmao2:

I think people who do a lot of social networking tend to look down on television... not interactive enough. Frankly, it tends to put me to sleep (in fact, when I need a nap... I often watch television...) So many who post and read forums like BF wouldn't get too wound up about the analog-to-digital conversion. They've been digital for years!

I don't think many within this forum bother with the tv much (myself included, haven't had cable for almost two years) but thanks for the tips folder fanatic! Forced to buy something lol, that is rotten! :roflmao2:

I am one of them. It might seem odd that I am the author of a topic that I really don't participate much in. I turned off the television back in 1975 and don't watch much except for a rare program or two. But there are others like my mother who are absolutely dependent of their televisions as their "windows" to the outside world. Especially the poor and the infirm. So I have been researching and posting my findings for the past several months as demand and necessary warrants it.


I think people who do a lot of social networking tend to look down on television... not interactive enough. Frankly, it tends to put me to sleep (in fact, when I need a nap... I often watch television...) So many who post and read forums like BF wouldn't get too wound up about the analog-to-digital conversion. They've been digital for years!

My mother uses her's as a sleeping pill (even right now as I write this). If I get up and turn if off, she wakes up rather quickly and turns it on again! Yet she has no interest in computers or what the machines can do (I agree that computers are far more interesting than a television).

Whichever the case may be, I would take this warning seriously, no matter your own viewing habits are, from MSNBC's recent article on the turning off of analog signals forever: "....Nielsen Co. said poor and minority households were less likely to be prepared for Friday's analog shutdown, as were households consisting of people younger than 35.

TV stations were free to choose when in the day to cut their signals, and many were holding off until late at night. That means the full effect of the shutdown will not be apparent until this weekend....."

If there is something I can do so no one will be left in the dark with static, then I feel I have a responsibility to continue what I have been doing all along. Just like I have been doing discussing, photographing and posting my own bikes to make people's lives better.

Don't watch too much tv, doesn't really affect me, don't really care much about tv.

For tv alternatives, whatever happend to playing card games (no, not just texas holdem)? There are hundreds and probably thousands of different card games in existence. And despite what my 8th grade teacher told me when she took my card deck away, not all card games involve gambling (or you could use monopoly money).

You could spend hours & hours playing cards, won't cost you a dime (again, assuming you dont' gamble) and excersizes your mind.

Well, since I work in the TV industry, I guess I can be excused for watching TV. I just got done making an assessment of the situation, the day after. Of 9 channels available locally, 5 have no signal at all, 3 are experiencing the "Cliff Effect" so all I get is a scrambled mess and one is OK! I can still get two on analog, which means that analog is still doing better than digital.

I already had an amplified set of rabbit ears and I've spent $25 for a decent converter box. But with the scrambled signals now it's indicated that maybe what I need is a Multi Directional Amplified Indoor Antenna which will cost another $60. Since I live in a valley and TV reception has always been sketchy and the content quality is low, I'm going to have to think about investing in an antenna that may or may not improve things.

My main source of entertainment though is the library. Lots of good DVDs and books. When that gets too much, I go out to the local creeks and see how the wildlife is doing. And then there are projects and bicycle maintenance.

I got most of my channels back after the switchover (I've been using the convertor box for almost a year).

My library loans out antennas for free. I've already used one to find out if my antenna was missing any channels. It was missing some, but none of them looked like anything I'm interested in watching. My antenna looks like a crackhead got to it, as the rabbit ears are broken off and missing. Even so, I'm getting the few channels I care to watch. I like to watch a couple old sitcoms after work to unwind. Once in a while I like to watch PBS. With the new digital, I now get 4 PBS channels instead of the one I used to get.

People who look down on those who watch TV amuse me, especially when they themselves usually spend 6 hours a day on the internet. Can anybody explain to me why the internet is considered to be morally superior to television? :rolleyes:

People who look down on those who watch TV amuse me, especially when they themselves usually spend 6 hours a day on the internet. Can anybody explain to me why the internet is considered to be morally superior to television? :rolleyes:
Because you don't get BF or anything about cycling, carfree living, peak oil, alien invasions, etc. on CBS. :p

People who look down on those who watch TV amuse me, especially when they themselves usually spend 6 hours a day on the internet. Can anybody explain to me why the internet is considered to be morally superior to television? :rolleyes:

I've never heard or read anyone say the internet is morally superior to television. I know some people who use it to watch TV, so for them it is equivalent to TV. But exchanging posts on a listserver is supposed to be better for you mentally because you're a more active participant. Go over to PubMed and learn to use the search engine, and search on things like TV and dementia or TV and school performance. Let us know if you see a peer reviewed study that links TV watching with improved mental acuity. When I search that way I see pretty scary stuff and feel I did the right thing by not letting my daughter have a TV when she was growing up.

I've never heard or read anyone say the internet is morally superior to television. I know some people who use it to watch TV, so for them it is equivalent to TV. But exchanging posts on a listserver is supposed to be better for you mentally because you're a more active participant. Go over to PubMed and learn to use the search engine, and search on things like TV and dementia or TV and school performance. Let us know if you see a peer reviewed study that links TV watching with improved mental acuity. When I search that way I see pretty scary stuff and feel I did the right thing by not letting my daughter have a TV when she was growing up.

Yeah, my grandma told me that TV would rot my brain. She also told me that ************ would make me go blind, but so far I only need eyeglasses.

:D

Yeah, my grandma told me that TV would rot my brain. She also told me that ************ would make me go blind, but so far I only need eyeglasses.

:D

My grandma said the same thing.

Yeah, my grandma told me that TV would rot my brain. She also told me that ************ would make me go blind, but so far I only need eyeglasses.

:D


My grandma said the same thing.


:roflmao2::innocent:



Aaron:)

Here's a cheap entertainment alternative that I've often enjoyed. If you live near a conservatory or a univrsity with a music school, you can probably get great bargains on concerts. Music students and faculty periodically give recitals. Here at Michigan State University, these are free or cost $5 to $10. The music--usually classical or jazz--is professional quality, and it's kind of touching to see the hard work and love that these young musicians put into their performances.

Another musical event on campus is watching the marching band rehearse on summer evenings. It's pretty exciting to hear a Big 10 band playing on a warm evening, without paying big bucks for a football ticket.

The university also offers free plays outdoors as the sun sets in the summertime. These are also near to being professional quality performances, and the actors always seem to be having a lot of fun.

Summertime is when I like to spend more time on my bike on the MSU campus. Most students are gone, so traffic isn't the problem it is during the academic year. The landscaping is beautiful--something most students don't even get to see.

Well, since I work in the TV industry, I guess I can be excused for watching TV. I just got done making an assessment of the situation, the day after. Of 9 channels available locally, 5 have no signal at all, 3 are experiencing the "Cliff Effect" so all I get is a scrambled mess and one is OK! I can still get two on analog, which means that analog is still doing better than digital.

I already had an amplified set of rabbit ears and I've spent $25 for a decent converter box. But with the scrambled signals now it's indicated that maybe what I need is a Multi Directional Amplified Indoor Antenna which will cost another $60. Since I live in a valley and TV reception has always been sketchy and the content quality is low, I'm going to have to think about investing in an antenna that may or may not improve things.

My main source of entertainment though is the library. Lots of good DVDs and books. When that gets too much, I go out to the local creeks and see how the wildlife is doing. And then there are projects and bicycle maintenance.

I have been experiencing some difficulty with my own reception all weekend since the "Big Switchover." So I refrain from commenting until now. I seemed to gain some channels and lost some channels. I have been thinking about some inexpensive alternatives. I will discuss these options further in my own blog as I don't want to go too deeply into it here as I am aware that this is a Bike Forum, not a TV one. I will state here that I will rescan when all those pesky NBA commercial repeating loops stop broadcasting on the old analog channels. I really think that the government reps are unintentionally driving anyone crazy who had the misfortune not to convert when they were supposed to with those repeating announcements in my area.



I got most of my channels back after the switchover (I've been using the convertor box for almost a year).

My library loans out antennas for free. I've already used one to find out if my antenna was missing any channels. It was missing some, but none of them looked like anything I'm interested in watching. My antenna looks like a crackhead got to it, as the rabbit ears are broken off and missing. Even so, I'm getting the few channels I care to watch. I like to watch a couple old sitcoms after work to unwind. Once in a while I like to watch PBS. With the new digital, I now get 4 PBS channels instead of the one I used to get.

People who look down on those who watch TV amuse me, especially when they themselves usually spend 6 hours a day on the internet. Can anybody explain to me why the internet is considered to be morally superior to television? :rolleyes:


Your library seems to be a very progressive one in more ways beyond just books and DVDs. I never heard of a library who moved beyond a traditional source in a community. My sister's "Bow-Tie" one works since it's position is at a window-even though it does looks ridiculous. I myself still prefer to ride my bike, read a good book, or sew over television viewing. But TV does have a place in people's live (some more than others). Being aware of this, one should not be quick to judge others on how they live their lives. Technology should be our slaves, not the other way around.



Here's a cheap entertainment alternative that I've often enjoyed. If you live near a conservatory or a univrsity with a music school, you can probably get great bargains on concerts. Music students and faculty periodically give recitals. Here at Michigan State University, these are free or cost $5 to $10. The music--usually classical or jazz--is professional quality, and it's kind of touching to see the hard work and love that these young musicians put into their performances.

Another musical event on campus is watching the marching band rehearse on summer evenings. It's pretty exciting to hear a Big 10 band playing on a warm evening, without paying big bucks for a football ticket.

The university also offers free plays outdoors as the sun sets in the summertime. These are also near to being professional quality performances, and the actors always seem to be having a lot of fun.

Summertime is when I like to spend more time on my bike on the MSU campus. Most students are gone, so traffic isn't the problem it is during the academic year. The landscaping is beautiful--something most students don't even get to see.

My local college offers similar fare to our community. I have seen more and more younger families taking advantage of this and other events now taking place around us. Just keep your eyes peeled when you are at the supermarket or reading the local paper to find our the when and wheres. Or look above at the regional forums-the Community Connections section where the Regional Discussions (http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=176) is located on the main page-here on this Website. I have checked them out from time to time and made appearances with one of my bikes.

The university also offers free plays outdoors as the sun sets in the summertime. These are also near to being professional quality performances, and the actors always seem to be having a lot of fun.



You know, I've paid big bucks to see professional productions of plays I saw for free at the university MFA productions. I've always come away from the professional shows thinking the university fine arts department did a better job. I think the university productions were MFA students projects with some older actors from the community filling in some roles. I think all the students involved were being judged not by the audience alone but by their various professors so each participant from set design to costume to actor did their best work.

In some ways, I'm happier I gave up television than driving. Driving was actually useful, but most of the TV I was watching did nothing for me. Of course, I still use the internet a lot, but lately I've been trying to make my online time more beneficial, by using it to actually learn things as opposed to just posting on message boards (though I'm obviously still doing that a little. :D)

I am TV-free at the moment and so far I don't miss it. I found that TV started to get very repetitive and that there are other more interesting things to do.


BTW - I think that whole switch thing you're talking about is only a US thing. It doesn't apply to most countries.


And as far as "EntertainAlternatives For The Frugral Cyclist" go ... here are some ideas .....

-- go for a long bicycle ride, explore areas you haven't been before.
-- go for long hikes in local parks etc.
-- go for a swim ... pools often have cheap nights, or if you're near a beach or ocean, it's often free.
-- read ... libraries are free or inexpensive and are full of entertainment options.
-- take up something in the arts ... buy a sketch pad and pencils and draw your world, pick up an inexpensive musical instrument and teach yourself how to play, sculpt with clay, etc., build something, bake. These things can get expensive if you really get into them, but at first they are a reasonably priced option.
-- build something.
-- hone your cooking/baking skills.
-- try your hand at writing children's stories or a novel.
-- volunteer.

Good list.

May I add, get to know the flora and fauna of your neighborhood. There is a creek close to me that I've watched in good times and bad. There have probably been 10-15 generations of fish that established themselves in the creek this year and shortly disappeared, presumably being swept down stream, only to have another generation appear weeks later. I've seen muskrats, snapping turtles, turtles, crawdads and birds from Great Blue Herons to crows and hawks and finches. The muskrats have put up with floods, road graders cleaning the creek bottom, neighborhood cats. I saw the Heron most of the winter, wading in the freezing water, looking for the few fish still alive at that time. I even saw her slowly flying along the street in front of my apartments at four feet above the pavement, taking the lane. She left, the day they sent the grader into the creek. There are several birds I've seen that I can't even find in the most extensive bird guides.

It's a never-ending adventure and inspirational. You think you have it tough, try being a wild animal. Visit with your mother, Mother Earth

Good list.

May I add, get to know the flora and fauna of your neighborhood. There is a creek close to me that I've watched in good times and bad. There have probably been 10-15 generations of fish that established themselves in the creek this year and shortly disappeared, presumably being swept down stream, only to have another generation appear weeks later. I've seen muskrats, snapping turtles, turtles, crawdads and birds from Great Blue Herons to crows and hawks and finches. The muskrats have put up with floods, road graders cleaning the creek bottom, neighborhood cats. There are several birds I've seen that I can't even find in the most extensive bird guides. It's a never-ending adventure and inspirational. Visit with your mother, Mother Earth

Yes ... having just moved to Australia a lot of the flora and fauna of my area is somewhat foreign to me. I'm on 1200 acres of land, out in the middle of nowhere so there's lots to explore ....... oh, a kookaburra just started laughing outside!! :D

Yesterday on an exploration hike down by what would be a creek in rainier weather at the bottom of the hill we're on, I discovered wombat holes, so I know we've got wombats in the area ... and a mob of kangaroos hopped by a couple nights ago. The creek area is also full of manferns which are huge and beautiful fern trees/plants ... plus a whole bunch of other sort of jungle-like plantlife.

I have been experiencing some difficulty with my own reception all weekend since the "Big Switchover."

Have you rescanned? I use rabbit ears and returned from a vacation during which the switchover took place. I had just one station until I rescanned then I got all the stations I had been receiving sans the analog.

Don't fear. Read my posts on options you and I have to avoid the cable costs listed above at "Coping Strategies For The Analog-To-Digital Conversion In The United States (http://folder-fanatic.blogspot.com/)".I guess I'm glad to hear the step from analog to digital is being messed up elsewhere in the world too, not just in Finland. :notamused:

Here's our score so far: first, we chose an outdated technology on the basis it would offer two-way communication over the digital channel. Almost like teh interwebs, but only more cumbersome, expensive, slow and requiring proprietary content, which surprisingly enough is nowhere to be seen. Even our own state-owned Finnish Broadcasting Company is far too busy producing content in the 'net. Instead, some of our ISPs now offer digital TV (delivered over their bandwidth) as an added bonus to their package

Second, to minimize broadcasting costs, a lot of transmission was crammed into a minimal amount of bandwidth. As a result, our broadcast quality is substandard (no hope in foreseeable future for real HD except through cable or the ISPs mentioned). And it's expensive for the digital receiver manufacturers to offer badly needed firmware updates over the digital channel, so the vast majority doesn't. Instead they offer updates on their websites. You just need an ISP and a computer to access them... at which point you might be tempted to take TV broadcast through your ISP as well.

Third, the FBC demanded state-of-the-art dynamic subtitles (pretty much every foreign language broadcast gets subtitled here) instead of the kind that is static and "burned" into the transmission. Dynamic model is more flexible as the name implies, offering several language choices, which is a genuinely good thing in a country with 2-3 official languages. Sadly nobody bothered to check with the receiver manufacturers, which is why it took only 2 years or so to get receivers that would fully comply with the subtitle standard. Even today, one aspect in our receiver reviews is whether they support subtitles or not.

Fourth, we had a publicized definite deadline after which the analog transmission would shut down. People weren't exactly thrilled of being forced to buy digital receivers, so they didn't until the last possible moment. Shops could keep the prices up, and still they could not meet the demand. Remember point 3, the receivers didn't even work properly at this stage. Shops were even worse equipped to deal with service requests, resulting in ridiculous delays. Because of the general chaos the "definite" deadline was extended maybe a month before it was due. Giving the shops the opportunity to keep the receiver prices up.

Fifth, not everyone got the service. We're a sparsely inhabited country, and in remote areas and/or difficult terrain one would need special antennas, amplifiers, whatnot. All adding up to the cost of the receiver which, did I mention, would not work properly to begin with. We still don't have 100% coverage, and I doubt we never will, not without putting a significant cost burden to the client.

Sixth, the FBC is funded partly with a license fee. You watch TV, you need to buy a license. Even if you never watched a FBC programme. They have staff that go around trawling addresses where they have not yet sold the license, asking if people living there have a TV. For reasons described in 1-5, license income dropped drastically. As result, it is now being suggested to the government that license fee be collected as a tax instead. You don't own a TV? You pay. You're part of #5 above and cannot receive broadcasts? You pay. We'll see how that goes.

What a farce :rolleyes:. I hope your transition goes smoothly.

--J

Yeah, my grandma told me that TV would rot my brain. She also told me that ************ would make me go blind, but so far I only need eyeglasses.

:D

yeah, but talk about cheap entertainment!

I guess I'm glad to hear the step from analog to digital is being messed up elsewhere in the world too, not just in Finland. :notamused:.....What a farce :rolleyes:. I hope your transition goes smoothly.
--J

And I thought our conversion was a nightmare! I am rather pleased with the transition so far. Most people seem to take it in stride (except for the constant need to rescan or loss of some or even all of the transmission signals). I was worried about the people that did not have much money to start with would be left behind. But that did not happen as much. Something else the cable companies made happened that made me rather uncomfortable. In my community, we are being constantly bombarded with a heavy handed commercials for 10 US dollars a month for paid TV subscription (probable that price will be raised rapidly as soon as the unsuspected subscriber is snared). And no mention of the converter box option by these same companies. I hope that everyone who needs or have needed a digital converter box was reached by now. Just as with bikes, I strongly feel that people should as have as much information made available to them. That way they can make good choices in living their lives anywhere in the world.

People who look down on those who watch TV amuse me, especially when they themselves usually spend 6 hours a day on the internet. Can anybody explain to me why the internet is considered to be morally superior to television? :rolleyes:

The TV is always trying to sell us something. On internet forums like these you can at least tell someone who wants you to buy a great new carbon bike to **** off if you want to.

So I entertained myself yesterday by baking a cake in the fireplace. We've only got the fireplace and a two-burner camp stove to cook with, so I thought I'd give baking a cake a shot.

It was frugal because the cake mix cost me $0.84, plus an egg, and a bit of milk powder.

It was entertaining because I haven't baked a cake in about 5 years ... and I've never baked one in a fireplace before! :D Plus it worked, and tasted great! :D




PS. The difference between TV and internet is ....

1) The internet doesn't have commercials every 5 minutes.
2) The internet has a wider variety of information ... I can look up car dealerships and hotels in Mansfield, for example. I can't do that with TV.
3) I can use internet to communicate with friends and acquaintences. I send long emails to my parents, I post photos of my new place so my friends and family can see where I'm living now. My friends and family send me photos of their lives so I can see what they're up to. I can't do that with TV.
4) I can access the internet where I live. I can't do that with TV.

I am TV-free at the moment and so far I don't miss it. I found that TV started to get very repetitive and that there are other more interesting things to do.


BTW - I think that whole switch thing you're talking about is only a US thing. It doesn't apply to most countries.


It's coming in Australia too. So far it's been delayed about three times by successive governments, and to my knowledge, the 'deadline' is now 2013, assuming it isn't delayed again. Although personally, I don't watch enough TV to be overly concerned by it.

The internet has commercials constantly,it is a commercial.There's a bunch of them flashing to me on the right side of my screen as I'm writing this.Every page on this site has commercials at the top.

You can get a TV signal on the Moon but you can't get one somewhere in Australia.If they have open sky there,you can get TV if you want.I find it hard to believe that there is somewhere on earth with no satellite access.

As for entertainment.Art,board games,reading(lost art)bike riding,sports,cooking,knitting,inventing,hobbies,cards,ect. ect.

Do we REALLY have to have PSA's for grown men and woman so that they know how to go out and play???

The internet has commercials constantly,it is a commercial.There's a bunch of them flashing to me on the right side of my screen as I'm writing this.Every page on this site has commercials at the top.

You can get a TV signal on the Moon but you can't get one somewhere in Australia.If they have open sky there,you can get TV if you want.I find it hard to believe that there is somewhere on earth with no satellite access.



You really need to become a Titanium Member if you've got ads flashing everywhere ... or get software that removes them. :)

And we can get TV here if we're willing to pay a fortune ... but TV isn't worth it. If we decided to pick up a basic TV, and waste our limited power on it, we might be lucky to get one rather fuzzy channel.

I'd miss a few shows, but most of it is available online anymore.

read used books

read used books

+1

I've got a small stack of them waiting. They were among my first purchases when I got here. And I got a library card the other day, and took out a book I'm in the middle of right now. :)

Getting books from the mobile library adds an extra element of entertainment to my day because I actually have to leave my cabin and get into town. If I go there this coming Tuesday, I might see about riding my bicycle.

This thread reminded me that I had a public library card in my wallet that's not been used in years.

The branch library is a short, very pleasant ride from our house. There's a major freeway between our house and the library, but it's completely isolated from the residential streets & sidewalks below it. I don't even have to deal with a traffic signal to do the crossing.

on books:

what is crazy, i heard that reading a book, and reading it out loud to a child
they retain it much more
vs
reading on a computer screen

why?
i have no idea
someone had brought it up in conversation
something about the light from a computer screen, and the way it stimulates the brain.

I'm on an American Indian kick
last books read, "Black Elk Speaks", "Walking the Res Road" (super easy read, and the humor), "American Indian Wars"
currently I'm onto "On the REZ"
i have an Army buddy that is an Oglala Sioux, so I'm on a Pine Ridge kick...

there's a million Indian things to read about, I particularly enjoyed, "The Ohlone Way" another easy read.

I gave away my TV 12 years ago. I haven't watched TV except on DVD since then. Don't miss it.

You know why people don't own tvs? So they can tell everyone that they don't.

The TV is always trying to sell us something. On internet forums like these you can at least tell someone who wants you to buy a great new carbon bike to **** off if you want to.

While reading your post I could see six adds on my screen. None of them had a f*ck off button.

By the way, I watch tv and still manage to read books, take bike rides, walk the dog and go to work. Wow!

I killed my satelite service at the begining of the year. I get all of my local channels via my over air antenna. For movies I stream them through my computer to my lcd screen and AV receiver from netflix for 14.00 a month plus I also have dvds in the mail all the time.

on books:

what is crazy, i heard that reading a book, and reading it out loud to a child
they retain it much more


If you want to really impress a child, throw the book away and tell him a story... your story. Long before there were books commonly available, there were bards and storytellers.

This thread reminded me that I had a public library card in my wallet that's not been used in years.

The branch library is a short, very pleasant ride from our house. There's a major freeway between our house and the library, but it's completely isolated from the residential streets & sidewalks below it. I don't even have to deal with a traffic signal to do the crossing.

This very thought struck me several years ago... hadn't visited a library in years. I "discovered" the library... and cycling to it just added to the experience. Just bring a big bag with you.

We do have a tv now that was given to us (I wont buy one) but we dont have cable or any way to watch tv programing. We do have a PS3 hooked up to it and use that for movies and hubbys video games.

Before we had the tv we walked, talked and read a lot. We still do as we both refuse to let the tv turn us back into zombies:)

I killed my satelite service at the begining of the year. I get all of my local channels via my over air antenna. For movies I stream them through my computer to my lcd screen and AV receiver from netflix for 14.00 a month plus I also have dvds in the mail all the time.

For people like the above, I decided to resurrect this thread in light of an experiment I just completed. Here is the result of using 2 simple antennas to catch the harder to get digital signals. It is discussed further on my Blog (http://folder-fanatic.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-2-scattered-around-room-antenna.html) if you are interested. And a quick photos of the 2 antennas-One Omnidirectional & One Rabbit Ears-plus the A/B Switch.