Some were good in the beginning ,Survivor for one ,but now its like a disease infultrating our senses ,I now turn the channel even if its a commericial for a new series .No wonder the kids of today are ruled by their image and not their content.

Commercial TV was never reality, scripted or unscripted.

Once we have surrendered our senses and nervous systems to the private manipulation of those who would try to benefit from taking a lease on our eyes and ears and nerves, we don't really have any rights left. Leasing our eyes and ears and nerves to commercial interests is like handing over the common speech to a private corporation, or like giving the earth's atmosphere to a company as a monopoly.

Thank you Marshall McLuhan

May the Kardashians drive a Range Rover through your hedges...

SOON becoming? It never was reality.

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2009 ML320 Bluetec
1985 300CD
1981 300TD

Past Mercedes
1979 300TD
1982 300TD
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1998 E430
1984 300SD
1980 300SD

I don't even HAVE A TELEVISION and quit watching it a long time ago, in 1966, at 18 when I went off to University.

Years later a bunch of people were in the company lunchroom and I went in there and heard them excitedly nattering about "Charley's Angels".

I had utterly no clue about who they were or what they did.

I think in about 1969 Jerry Mander wrote "The Plug-In drug".

My house was built new in 2003. The living room has a huge alcove presumably built for a television to be in there. It is set up like an altar for the television to be worshipped .

My next door neighbor is old and retired, she has the television plugged in almost 24 hours a day, except when she sleeps. I have absolutely NO desire to know or talk to her. Probably she knows a LOT about toilet paper and motor oil, which to buy, based on what she sees on TV.

I have seen many other houses like this, it is considered normal apparently.

But not by me.

I have had some glimpses of it, seen at visits to other people's homes that watch it.

It is horrible.

People on the screen laughing at things that are not funny;

People in commercials smiiing and holding up a can of otor oil or toilet paper to their face and exhorting you to buy it, stuff never seen in real life.

Plus the commercials scream at you in a loud volume, to make sure the advertisers mesages can't be gnored, and I was told that the commercials *alone* comprised up to 43% of an hour's typical programming. Whether that is true I don't know, but I am inclined to believe it is. It is all about money money money, buy buy buy.

Even the more questionable things in Auto Parts often have on the pacvkages "As seen on TV!"

As IF that statement would validate ts usefulness or viability for consumers.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Jim,
You are becoming the old curmudgeon that you swore you'd never turn into.

IMO, you'd do a better job of 'selling" your 'no TV' choice by telling us the advantages of not watching TV--the books you have time to read, the personal relationships that have developed, the deeper, more thoughtful person you have become because you are not wasting 6 hours a day watching the TV.
Be positive about it.

__________________
1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

Yeah, come on. Let a smile be your umbrella.

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

Life is nothing but cartoon butterflys and blurry Hallmark sunsets.

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

I like TLC. Come on, who doesn't enjoy "hoarders"?

your very own circus side show, right at home in the living room! To hell with the lardashians, they don't have 60k roaches in their kitchen. Nothing like settling back for an evening of being appalled.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

I understand that drinking is bad for your health, but it doesn't seem to stop folks from experiencing it from time to time.

Depends. In moderation, no. To excess, yes. Is it bad for you to drink water? Depends. In moderation, it keeps you alive. In excess, you can have cardiac issues and die. Is TV bad? Same thing. Is reading bad? See above. Is hard work good? See above.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow