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Friday, Apr 19, 2002
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
April 19, 2002
The local alternative weekly ran an article about personal video recorders (PVRs), like Tivo, Replay, etc. The way these things work, your local alternative weekly may have carried the same article. Unfortunately, I missed the article, but I did see the ensuing debate on the letters page. I couldn't help chiming in. If I find the article I'll link to it.
.............
Some say TiVo is about sedation via TV. Some say it's about choice. Are people still arguing about whether technology is good or bad?
If you want the 24-hour Geraldo channel, or the 24-hour Friends channel, or All-Jerry-All-the-Time, you can have that, and more. The enhanced technology allows greatly enhanced sedation.
Likewise, enhanced technology allows enhanced choice. If I want to see the local news in Buenos Aires because I'm worried about my friends in Argentina, no problem. If I want to see the entire press conference, so I can learn the nuances in Dubya's vacuity, no worries. If I need some diversion and want to watch some crazy Norwegians doing rally cross, well, I may have to wait until someone carries EuroSport. But I probably won't have to wait too long.
Technology is about power, use it wisely. There are over 10,000 hours of television available every week, choose wisely. And don't forget to use the "off" switch from time to time.