Very rarely are we given the opportunity as citizens to participate in a revolution. The citizens that founded our republic participated in a revolution that has affected every corner of the earth for more than 200 years now. Our grandfathers and fathers participated in a revolution during World War II when we successfully ridded the world of Adolph Hitler and his technology of death that was sweeping civilization.
Finally we all participated in a quiet revolution when Communism fell to its knees a little more than a decade ago, and went out with a WHIMPER. It didn’t have to be that way. Millions could have died in Eastern Europe and in the USSR itself. Very quietly, this brutal totalitarian dictatorship that sought to enslave the planet quietly disappeared, and more remarkably, they all became capitalists. What a wild world we live in.
I submit to you that we are on the eve of a new American Revolution, perhaps as powerful as the birth of our democracy in the 1700’s. What has happened is that the power in this country is in the process of being re-distributed to the people themselves who are the voters. We were born as a Republic, remember the words, “And to the Republic, for which it stands,” in the Pledge of Allegiance. We are fast becoming a Democracy based on the information dispersion created by the Internet and cable television as a tool in everybody’s home.
Granted there is tremendous noise on the Internet, meaning that there is an abundance of useless information, but in the universe there are many gems, and they are on the Internet as well. Think about what has happened in just a few short years? It wasn’t so long ago, that mainstream media had a 100% liberal bias. Clearly, an objective look at ABC, NBC, and CBS would reveal their liberal orientation. From their origins to their story topics, the media always played it to the left of center. Richard Nixon would NEVER have had to resign from office if the either the Senate or the House was Republican and the media was neutral.
Today, with the Internet and Cable television, the tide has certainly evened up, and maybe swung to the other side. Dan Rather of CBS broadcast a disparaging story on George Bush and the National Guard which may have been correct, but Rather knew he couldn’t prove it. In an attempt to influence the election two weeks before the election, he broadcasted it anyway. The Internet blows up his 40 year career and forced his resignation. The bloggers were relentless in attacking Rather and it resulted in the disgraceful behind the scenes, to date never revealed story of the firing of Dan Rather. Without the Internet and Cable television, Dan Rather would still be representing his liberal bias on prime time television every night.
Traditional media and print journalism can’t stand what has happened with the Internet and cable revolution we are participating in. When Republican Congressman Foley committed political suicide by writing inappropriate sexual e-mails to young pages, you and I were able to get on the Internet and read the e-mails for ourselves to determine the guilt of innocence of this man. We didn’t need anybody with a POLITICAL AGENGA filtering it for us, and therein lies the REVOLUTION.
We are able to filter stories for ourselves. No longer do I have to listen to Dan Rather tell me what’s right or wrong. I can listen to Rather, read the NY Times, and go to the Internet and Cable TV to get additional information that the liberals refuse to divulge to me.
The following will amaze you. A month before we invaded Iraq there was a former weapons inspector on television giving an interview in which he spoke in an explosive voice. He was ranting and raving that “There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and we aren’t going to find any.” I thought he was crazy, but I also said to myself, this is former weapons inspector who was THERE. He’s not a recently released patient from an insane asylum.
Now the reality is that he was right, and the President was wrong, the CIA was wrong, the military was wrong. How was this guy right, and knew he was right, and a 300 billion dollar a year war machine couldn’t get it right? I have never seen or heard from this individual again. Has he been hushed up, why no interview, articles, or books? After all, he got it right, and we all got it wrong.
The Internet is leveling the playing field. If you want to know why John Kerry lost the national election, look to the Internet. The guy was being defined by the Internet before he could define himself. I know Governor Pataki was making a joke when he said that “John Kerry has to Google himself every morning to see where he stands on the issues,” but he wasn’t so far off the truth in retrospect.
If I could have one prayer answered in politics, and I believe it’s going to be answerd, this would be it. I would like to see every candidate, liberal or conservative raise 100% of their financial backing from the Internet and be free from these Special Interests and Lobbyists that are DESTROYING the democratic basis of our country. I don’t want the drug companies to dictate pricing to Medicare for drugs for senior citizens. I also don’t want teacher’s lobbies dictating education in this country.
Did you know from kindergarten through senior year of high school, our education system ranks 16th in the world? On a college level, we rank number one and there is no one even close. Why you ask? It’s because the college system is private, and the public system is not. Even on a college level when you have public colleges like the University of California system or State University of New York system, they are world class only because they have to compete against a private system. Our public school system doesn’t compete, and therefore it is allowed to remain mediocre in the face of 15 superior systems throughout the world.
It is time for the Revolution to continue. By 2012, we will not recognize the political system in the United States as the dispersion of information shifts unfiltered to the people through the Internet’s power. We should all welcome it, and thank God for it. What a wonderful thing that we will be alive to see it.
Goodbye and Good Luck!
Estate Planning And The Revocable Living Trust
What is a revocable living trust?
According to Plan-My-Estate.com - With a Revocable Living Trust, you transfer the title of any of your assets (such as a house) from yourself as an individual, to yourself as Trustee of the Trust. Then you, as the Trustee of the Trust, manage the assets of the Trust for the benefit of the beneficiary, which is you. In this manner, you keep complete control over the assets. Once you pass on, a Successor Trustee takes over the management of the asssets for the benefit of the beneficiaries that you named in your Trust. Your assets do not have to pass through Probate because the assets are no longer titled in your name as an individual, but are now titled in the name of the trust. Upon your death, the Successor Trustee simply transfers your assets directly to your beneficiaries without the need for court or attorney's fees or costs.
With a Revocable Living Trust you keep complete control over your assets and ensure that your assets are passed to your designated beneficiaries without delay or unnecessary costs.
Why use a revocable living trust as part of your estate planning strategy?
1. Assets funded into the trust avoid probate. This can save your beneficiaries time and money and if there is no probate, there is probably no public record of the distribution of assets. Note, however, that only the assets written into the trust agreement are covered by the trust. If you win the lottery today and die tomorrow without amending the trust, the winning proceeds will not be covered and may have to be run through probate.
2. You decide when and what principal and or income will be passed to which beneficiaries and for what purposes the income or principal can be distributed, ie: so and so can only use the money for educational purposes. If it's not used for educational purposes by a certain date then it goes to another beneficiary. Or, the income from the trust is to go to your current spouse and when she dies or remarries or what ever condition you wish to add, the assets are to be distributed to your children, or your children are to recieve the income from the trust untill they reach a certain age and then the assets are to be distributed as set up in the trust.
3. The trust's assets are normally protected from the beneficiary's creditors as the trust owns the assets not the beneficiary. Note: The trust's assets are not normally protected from your creditors. Because a living trust is revocable your creditors can usually go after the assets.
You should consult with an attorney who specializes in estate planning.
While a living trust can offer many advantages in addition to the foregoing, it also has various disadvantages. The advantages and disadvantages can depend on both your financial and personal situation. A good attorney will go over your both your financial and personal situations and then provide you with proper advice about planning and protecting your estate and assets.
David G. Hallstrom, Sr. is not an attorney and the foregoing information is not given as legal advice. It is instead given as information and opinion gathered and developed through experience over the last thirty years as a private investigator dealing almost exclusivly with attorneys. The author also interviewed various estate planning attorneys prior to writing this article. Although the author believes the information to be accurate no guarantee is made or implied. As in all legal matters the advice of a competent attorney should be sought when planning or attempting to protect your estate.
This article may be reprinted, at no charge, provided that credit is given to the author and that any links contained herein are retained and kept active. ©Copyright 2005 Resources For Attorneys. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
According to Plan-My-Estate.com - With a Revocable Living Trust, you transfer the title of any of your assets (such as a house) from yourself as an individual, to yourself as Trustee of the Trust. Then you, as the Trustee of the Trust, manage the assets of the Trust for the benefit of the beneficiary, which is you. In this manner, you keep complete control over the assets. Once you pass on, a Successor Trustee takes over the management of the asssets for the benefit of the beneficiaries that you named in your Trust. Your assets do not have to pass through Probate because the assets are no longer titled in your name as an individual, but are now titled in the name of the trust. Upon your death, the Successor Trustee simply transfers your assets directly to your beneficiaries without the need for court or attorney's fees or costs.
With a Revocable Living Trust you keep complete control over your assets and ensure that your assets are passed to your designated beneficiaries without delay or unnecessary costs.
Why use a revocable living trust as part of your estate planning strategy?
1. Assets funded into the trust avoid probate. This can save your beneficiaries time and money and if there is no probate, there is probably no public record of the distribution of assets. Note, however, that only the assets written into the trust agreement are covered by the trust. If you win the lottery today and die tomorrow without amending the trust, the winning proceeds will not be covered and may have to be run through probate.
2. You decide when and what principal and or income will be passed to which beneficiaries and for what purposes the income or principal can be distributed, ie: so and so can only use the money for educational purposes. If it's not used for educational purposes by a certain date then it goes to another beneficiary. Or, the income from the trust is to go to your current spouse and when she dies or remarries or what ever condition you wish to add, the assets are to be distributed to your children, or your children are to recieve the income from the trust untill they reach a certain age and then the assets are to be distributed as set up in the trust.
3. The trust's assets are normally protected from the beneficiary's creditors as the trust owns the assets not the beneficiary. Note: The trust's assets are not normally protected from your creditors. Because a living trust is revocable your creditors can usually go after the assets.
You should consult with an attorney who specializes in estate planning.
While a living trust can offer many advantages in addition to the foregoing, it also has various disadvantages. The advantages and disadvantages can depend on both your financial and personal situation. A good attorney will go over your both your financial and personal situations and then provide you with proper advice about planning and protecting your estate and assets.
David G. Hallstrom, Sr. is not an attorney and the foregoing information is not given as legal advice. It is instead given as information and opinion gathered and developed through experience over the last thirty years as a private investigator dealing almost exclusivly with attorneys. The author also interviewed various estate planning attorneys prior to writing this article. Although the author believes the information to be accurate no guarantee is made or implied. As in all legal matters the advice of a competent attorney should be sought when planning or attempting to protect your estate.
This article may be reprinted, at no charge, provided that credit is given to the author and that any links contained herein are retained and kept active. ©Copyright 2005 Resources For Attorneys. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Give Me Cable Please! Yank My Dish!!
Let’s start with what I consider one of the most important Cable TV advantages, Reliability! Cable TV is immune to the problems that plague Directv, Dish Network and all other DBS satellite providers. Such as Rain fade, Cloud fade, Ice fade, Snow fade, and as a former DBS owner I can name a couple other fade problems. Tree fade, trees naturally grow and when they start to leaf you start loosing your satellite signal, which means chop another tree or two down. Also a newly coined phrase, Wind fade, it’s not exactly the wind itself that causes the problem, but say your watching NASCAR and your picture starts to pixelate {turn into checkered squares} during a race, making it extremely annoying, it could be the wind blowing, bending the tree tops into the line of site for the satellite signal. Thus a windy day = Wind fade. I give Directv, Dish Network and all DBS satellite, Two thumbs down for reliability. If I had an extra thumb I’d give it three thumbs down.
Cable TV or Digital Cable TV can function beautifully in all weather conditions, making it a much more viable and safer choice in extreme conditions. With Dish Network or Directv you may lose your signal long before you receive a warning from the weather bureau of impending danger, storms, tornados, etc. I’ll put my trust in cable TV for my family’s safety because it’s a very reliable worry-free service! Give me cable TV please! And Yank My Dish!
Mark Twain: “Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.”
Just think about this!
Just one small itsy bitsy cable, replaces all that junk on your roof, old antennas systems which can have two or even three antennas or even a tower. Also the ugly satellite dish or multiple dishes depending on local channels, HD channels, or their so-called high-speed internet. One small cable replaces all that, and at the same time provides a lot more service.
One tiny cable brings you all these worry-free services and more. Your crystal clear Cable TV / Video channels, High speed internet or cable internet. The cable industry is the world's largest broadband provider of high speed Internet access. In the U.S. alone it spent $100 billion over ten years to build a two-way interactive network with fiber optic technology. Cable operators also provide state-of-the-art digital Cable telephone service to millions around the world. Many cable operators are already offering bundled services, known as Triple Play. This consists of cable TV / video channels, high speed internet or cable internet, and Cable telephone services being bundled as a group which provides a huge savings to the customer. Just think about it! One tiny cable replaces all that junk on your roof and provides all these extra services perfectly! Cable TV - Your One Stop Shop! One Wire – One Bill
Cable High-Speed Internet, Way To Go!!!
Cable internet has the speed we need, and many cable operators are offering some very nice deals, below dial-up monthly charges with no commitments or contracts. If cable internet is available to you, try it you’ll definitely like it! I remember the agony when I had dial-up internet, I would type in a website and wait for what seemed like an eternity for the webpage to load up, while twirling around in my office chair until I got dizzy, then behold the page was finally loaded up. That all changed when cable TV became available to our area. The first time I tried high-speed cable internet, I typed in a website and witnessed MAGIC, the page was there instantly. Very impressive! Just think of the time saved, and the increased productivity. Also were not tying up the phone line and missing important calls.
Directv and Dish Network, So-Called High-Speed Internet???
Directv and DishNetwork as we’ve witnessed, have had failed attempts at a reliable high-speed internet service via satellite in the past. It seems the current strategy is to partner up with Telephone companies that provide DSL, just so they can say they provide the DSL service themselves. Dish Network and Directv like to pretend their a Cable provider I guess? {Hey, nothing wrong with pretending, I like to pretend I’m Martha Stewart, whoops that’s another story}.
As of this writing both Dish Network and Directv are partnered up with “WildBlue”, which does provide high-speed internet service via satellite, but it may be wise to do a little investigating on the search engines using some select words added to WildBlue before you commit yourself to the service. It’s a long term commitment.
Dish Networks / WildBlue have a contract term of 18 months and if you disconnect in that 18 month period there’s a prorated cancellation fee of $450. The cost is $199 and that is for the equipment lease fee, you never own it. Dish Networks Silver pack is $49.95 per month, with 128 kbps upload 512 kbps download. Gold pack is $69.95 per month, with 200 kbps upload 1.0 Mbps download. And the Platinum pack is $79.95 per month, with 256 kbps upload 1.5 Mbps download. Installation is free for a limited time only!! On top of that Dish Network / WildBlue use a dedicated dish for this semi high-speed internet service. This means another dish being mounted to the roof. How many dishes can one house take??
Frank Zappa: “There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life.”
Cable Internet on the other hand is so much simpler, no long term contracts or commitments, you can cancel anytime with no penalty. What I like most about high-speed cable internet is the price and the speed! I’ve seen introductory offers for as little as $9.99 a month for 12 months, with our cable TV bundled services its only costing us $19.33 a month which is 66 cents cheaper than our old dial-up internet and so much faster. We have the basic 3.0 Mbps upload and download, twice the speed of Dish Networks $79.95 Platinum pack. But much higher speeds are also available with Cable internet for those who download huge files, movies, etc. Digital cable TV, High-speed Cable internet, and Cable telephone services all come in very reliably with only One Small Cable, One Cable – One Bill!
Cable TV or Digital Cable TV can function beautifully in all weather conditions, making it a much more viable and safer choice in extreme conditions. With Dish Network or Directv you may lose your signal long before you receive a warning from the weather bureau of impending danger, storms, tornados, etc. I’ll put my trust in cable TV for my family’s safety because it’s a very reliable worry-free service! Give me cable TV please! And Yank My Dish!
Mark Twain: “Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.”
Just think about this!
Just one small itsy bitsy cable, replaces all that junk on your roof, old antennas systems which can have two or even three antennas or even a tower. Also the ugly satellite dish or multiple dishes depending on local channels, HD channels, or their so-called high-speed internet. One small cable replaces all that, and at the same time provides a lot more service.
One tiny cable brings you all these worry-free services and more. Your crystal clear Cable TV / Video channels, High speed internet or cable internet. The cable industry is the world's largest broadband provider of high speed Internet access. In the U.S. alone it spent $100 billion over ten years to build a two-way interactive network with fiber optic technology. Cable operators also provide state-of-the-art digital Cable telephone service to millions around the world. Many cable operators are already offering bundled services, known as Triple Play. This consists of cable TV / video channels, high speed internet or cable internet, and Cable telephone services being bundled as a group which provides a huge savings to the customer. Just think about it! One tiny cable replaces all that junk on your roof and provides all these extra services perfectly! Cable TV - Your One Stop Shop! One Wire – One Bill
Cable High-Speed Internet, Way To Go!!!
Cable internet has the speed we need, and many cable operators are offering some very nice deals, below dial-up monthly charges with no commitments or contracts. If cable internet is available to you, try it you’ll definitely like it! I remember the agony when I had dial-up internet, I would type in a website and wait for what seemed like an eternity for the webpage to load up, while twirling around in my office chair until I got dizzy, then behold the page was finally loaded up. That all changed when cable TV became available to our area. The first time I tried high-speed cable internet, I typed in a website and witnessed MAGIC, the page was there instantly. Very impressive! Just think of the time saved, and the increased productivity. Also were not tying up the phone line and missing important calls.
Directv and Dish Network, So-Called High-Speed Internet???
Directv and DishNetwork as we’ve witnessed, have had failed attempts at a reliable high-speed internet service via satellite in the past. It seems the current strategy is to partner up with Telephone companies that provide DSL, just so they can say they provide the DSL service themselves. Dish Network and Directv like to pretend their a Cable provider I guess? {Hey, nothing wrong with pretending, I like to pretend I’m Martha Stewart, whoops that’s another story}.
As of this writing both Dish Network and Directv are partnered up with “WildBlue”, which does provide high-speed internet service via satellite, but it may be wise to do a little investigating on the search engines using some select words added to WildBlue before you commit yourself to the service. It’s a long term commitment.
Dish Networks / WildBlue have a contract term of 18 months and if you disconnect in that 18 month period there’s a prorated cancellation fee of $450. The cost is $199 and that is for the equipment lease fee, you never own it. Dish Networks Silver pack is $49.95 per month, with 128 kbps upload 512 kbps download. Gold pack is $69.95 per month, with 200 kbps upload 1.0 Mbps download. And the Platinum pack is $79.95 per month, with 256 kbps upload 1.5 Mbps download. Installation is free for a limited time only!! On top of that Dish Network / WildBlue use a dedicated dish for this semi high-speed internet service. This means another dish being mounted to the roof. How many dishes can one house take??
Frank Zappa: “There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life.”
Cable Internet on the other hand is so much simpler, no long term contracts or commitments, you can cancel anytime with no penalty. What I like most about high-speed cable internet is the price and the speed! I’ve seen introductory offers for as little as $9.99 a month for 12 months, with our cable TV bundled services its only costing us $19.33 a month which is 66 cents cheaper than our old dial-up internet and so much faster. We have the basic 3.0 Mbps upload and download, twice the speed of Dish Networks $79.95 Platinum pack. But much higher speeds are also available with Cable internet for those who download huge files, movies, etc. Digital cable TV, High-speed Cable internet, and Cable telephone services all come in very reliably with only One Small Cable, One Cable – One Bill!
Estate Planning And The Revocable Living Trust
What is a revocable living trust?
According to Plan-My-Estate.com - With a Revocable Living Trust, you transfer the title of any of your assets (such as a house) from yourself as an individual, to yourself as Trustee of the Trust. Then you, as the Trustee of the Trust, manage the assets of the Trust for the benefit of the beneficiary, which is you. In this manner, you keep complete control over the assets. Once you pass on, a Successor Trustee takes over the management of the asssets for the benefit of the beneficiaries that you named in your Trust. Your assets do not have to pass through Probate because the assets are no longer titled in your name as an individual, but are now titled in the name of the trust. Upon your death, the Successor Trustee simply transfers your assets directly to your beneficiaries without the need for court or attorney's fees or costs.
With a Revocable Living Trust you keep complete control over your assets and ensure that your assets are passed to your designated beneficiaries without delay or unnecessary costs.
Why use a revocable living trust as part of your estate planning strategy?
1. Assets funded into the trust avoid probate. This can save your beneficiaries time and money and if there is no probate, there is probably no public record of the distribution of assets. Note, however, that only the assets written into the trust agreement are covered by the trust. If you win the lottery today and die tomorrow without amending the trust, the winning proceeds will not be covered and may have to be run through probate.
2. You decide when and what principal and or income will be passed to which beneficiaries and for what purposes the income or principal can be distributed, ie: so and so can only use the money for educational purposes. If it's not used for educational purposes by a certain date then it goes to another beneficiary. Or, the income from the trust is to go to your current spouse and when she dies or remarries or what ever condition you wish to add, the assets are to be distributed to your children, or your children are to recieve the income from the trust untill they reach a certain age and then the assets are to be distributed as set up in the trust.
3. The trust's assets are normally protected from the beneficiary's creditors as the trust owns the assets not the beneficiary. Note: The trust's assets are not normally protected from your creditors. Because a living trust is revocable your creditors can usually go after the assets.
You should consult with an attorney who specializes in estate planning.
While a living trust can offer many advantages in addition to the foregoing, it also has various disadvantages. The advantages and disadvantages can depend on both your financial and personal situation. A good attorney will go over your both your financial and personal situations and then provide you with proper advice about planning and protecting your estate and assets.
David G. Hallstrom, Sr. is not an attorney and the foregoing information is not given as legal advice. It is instead given as information and opinion gathered and developed through experience over the last thirty years as a private investigator dealing almost exclusivly with attorneys. The author also interviewed various estate planning attorneys prior to writing this article. Although the author believes the information to be accurate no guarantee is made or implied. As in all legal matters the advice of a competent attorney should be sought when planning or attempting to protect your estate.
This article may be reprinted, at no charge, provided that credit is given to the author and that any links contained herein are retained and kept active. ©Copyright 2005 Resources For Attorneys. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
According to Plan-My-Estate.com - With a Revocable Living Trust, you transfer the title of any of your assets (such as a house) from yourself as an individual, to yourself as Trustee of the Trust. Then you, as the Trustee of the Trust, manage the assets of the Trust for the benefit of the beneficiary, which is you. In this manner, you keep complete control over the assets. Once you pass on, a Successor Trustee takes over the management of the asssets for the benefit of the beneficiaries that you named in your Trust. Your assets do not have to pass through Probate because the assets are no longer titled in your name as an individual, but are now titled in the name of the trust. Upon your death, the Successor Trustee simply transfers your assets directly to your beneficiaries without the need for court or attorney's fees or costs.
With a Revocable Living Trust you keep complete control over your assets and ensure that your assets are passed to your designated beneficiaries without delay or unnecessary costs.
Why use a revocable living trust as part of your estate planning strategy?
1. Assets funded into the trust avoid probate. This can save your beneficiaries time and money and if there is no probate, there is probably no public record of the distribution of assets. Note, however, that only the assets written into the trust agreement are covered by the trust. If you win the lottery today and die tomorrow without amending the trust, the winning proceeds will not be covered and may have to be run through probate.
2. You decide when and what principal and or income will be passed to which beneficiaries and for what purposes the income or principal can be distributed, ie: so and so can only use the money for educational purposes. If it's not used for educational purposes by a certain date then it goes to another beneficiary. Or, the income from the trust is to go to your current spouse and when she dies or remarries or what ever condition you wish to add, the assets are to be distributed to your children, or your children are to recieve the income from the trust untill they reach a certain age and then the assets are to be distributed as set up in the trust.
3. The trust's assets are normally protected from the beneficiary's creditors as the trust owns the assets not the beneficiary. Note: The trust's assets are not normally protected from your creditors. Because a living trust is revocable your creditors can usually go after the assets.
You should consult with an attorney who specializes in estate planning.
While a living trust can offer many advantages in addition to the foregoing, it also has various disadvantages. The advantages and disadvantages can depend on both your financial and personal situation. A good attorney will go over your both your financial and personal situations and then provide you with proper advice about planning and protecting your estate and assets.
David G. Hallstrom, Sr. is not an attorney and the foregoing information is not given as legal advice. It is instead given as information and opinion gathered and developed through experience over the last thirty years as a private investigator dealing almost exclusivly with attorneys. The author also interviewed various estate planning attorneys prior to writing this article. Although the author believes the information to be accurate no guarantee is made or implied. As in all legal matters the advice of a competent attorney should be sought when planning or attempting to protect your estate.
This article may be reprinted, at no charge, provided that credit is given to the author and that any links contained herein are retained and kept active. ©Copyright 2005 Resources For Attorneys. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
A Comparison Of Dish Network And Cable Television
It's a very competitive business world out there, and the situation is not different in the home entertainment sector.
At the moment cable television operators are fighting the battle of their lives with their satellite counterparts. What is at stake is a big crown and whoever comes out on top will go home with the hearts and wallets of millions of subscribers.
But midway into this war of attrition, all discerning observers knew where the pendulum will swing in the end. And you the reader will also realize this because by the time you are through with this you will be wondering why anyone still maintains subscription with a cable television company.
Dish Network is unarguably the biggest satellite TV operator in the U.S, and with its quality service and cutting edge technology, there is no way any cable television firm can compete with it for business, and that is a fact.
In terms of value, Dish Network offers far more programming channels and with a low entry price of $20, compared to the $70 charged by cable companies and with far fewer channels to boot. Are you getting the drift now?
In reality Dish Network offers hundreds of channels, but the best cable companies can muster is just about a hundred, and for a fact can never provide more than 150. Want to know the implication of this? When you are provided with fewer program channels then your options will be very limited.
With Dish Network you can get additional channels like ESPN Gameday, NHL on the Ice, and NBA League Pass. These are packages no cable operator can provide.
But what really nailed the coffin of cable satellite television is its limited availability. Anyone that desires cable TV service must be resident in or near a mid sized town. On the contrary Dish Network signals can be received anywhere as long as the satellite dish is aimed at the southern sky.
The rather high cost of cable television subscription can be traced to the amount of data that can be sent over a medium, which is technically known as the bandwidth.
By nature, the amount of data cables can carry is very limited, but the companies are trying to get over this problem by resorting to the use of higher capacity cables, which unfortunately still fall short of the requirements.
Dish Network however transmits its signals using electromagnetic waves which are not constrained by bandwidth problems. This is the reason why operator keeps up with subscribers demand and provides better service than their cable rivals.
At the moment cable television operators are fighting the battle of their lives with their satellite counterparts. What is at stake is a big crown and whoever comes out on top will go home with the hearts and wallets of millions of subscribers.
But midway into this war of attrition, all discerning observers knew where the pendulum will swing in the end. And you the reader will also realize this because by the time you are through with this you will be wondering why anyone still maintains subscription with a cable television company.
Dish Network is unarguably the biggest satellite TV operator in the U.S, and with its quality service and cutting edge technology, there is no way any cable television firm can compete with it for business, and that is a fact.
In terms of value, Dish Network offers far more programming channels and with a low entry price of $20, compared to the $70 charged by cable companies and with far fewer channels to boot. Are you getting the drift now?
In reality Dish Network offers hundreds of channels, but the best cable companies can muster is just about a hundred, and for a fact can never provide more than 150. Want to know the implication of this? When you are provided with fewer program channels then your options will be very limited.
With Dish Network you can get additional channels like ESPN Gameday, NHL on the Ice, and NBA League Pass. These are packages no cable operator can provide.
But what really nailed the coffin of cable satellite television is its limited availability. Anyone that desires cable TV service must be resident in or near a mid sized town. On the contrary Dish Network signals can be received anywhere as long as the satellite dish is aimed at the southern sky.
The rather high cost of cable television subscription can be traced to the amount of data that can be sent over a medium, which is technically known as the bandwidth.
By nature, the amount of data cables can carry is very limited, but the companies are trying to get over this problem by resorting to the use of higher capacity cables, which unfortunately still fall short of the requirements.
Dish Network however transmits its signals using electromagnetic waves which are not constrained by bandwidth problems. This is the reason why operator keeps up with subscribers demand and provides better service than their cable rivals.
A Close Look At DVI Cables
We all have many times heard about DVI, but what does it really means and what it does? What is the main function of this tiny white port on a video card? How it can benefit you and your personal computer? Do you know which DVI is suitable to meet your requirements?
Digital Video Interface is created by Digital Display Working Group to solve the problem of accommodation analog and digital interfaces just by using single connector. It was developed because of insufficiency of standardization in digital interfacing.
Three types of standards can be seen in DVI cables. It is very important to know how each type looks like before buying to upgrade your DVI. So it is very important to know how DVI cable works and which one will be most beneficial for you.
However, DVI cables are still in the phase of development. Hence there is no specific standard for the DVI cable. In ideal circumstances, DVI home theater cable is capable to create ' digital to digital' connection between the data or video sources and home theater projectors.
The standard rule for DVI cables is that it should have maximum length of 5 m for trouble free operation. It is very typical to decide a DVI cable first time.
There are two types of DVI connector and each has its own characteristics. The flat pin denotes whether the cable is analog or digital. A flat pin with four surrounding pins denotes either DVI-A or DVI-1. A single flat pin denotes DVI-D. The pin sets depends upon whether the cable is single link or dual link or analog.
To choose a perfect Digital video interface cable you should remember these tips:
1.Check both female DVI plugs to make sure what type of signals they compatible with.
2.One or both connections should be DVI-D if you are choosing a DVI-D cable.
3.One or both connections should be DVI-A if you are choosing a DVI-a cable.
4.If one of the connections is DVI and other is VGA, and if the DVI is analog compatible, then you must buy a DVI/VGA adaptor or a DVI to VGA cable.
5.when both connections are DVI-1, you are advised to use any of DVI cable, but better if you use DVI-1 cable.
6. If one connection is digital and the other is analog then there is no possibility of connection between them.
Digital Video Interface is created by Digital Display Working Group to solve the problem of accommodation analog and digital interfaces just by using single connector. It was developed because of insufficiency of standardization in digital interfacing.
Three types of standards can be seen in DVI cables. It is very important to know how each type looks like before buying to upgrade your DVI. So it is very important to know how DVI cable works and which one will be most beneficial for you.
However, DVI cables are still in the phase of development. Hence there is no specific standard for the DVI cable. In ideal circumstances, DVI home theater cable is capable to create ' digital to digital' connection between the data or video sources and home theater projectors.
The standard rule for DVI cables is that it should have maximum length of 5 m for trouble free operation. It is very typical to decide a DVI cable first time.
There are two types of DVI connector and each has its own characteristics. The flat pin denotes whether the cable is analog or digital. A flat pin with four surrounding pins denotes either DVI-A or DVI-1. A single flat pin denotes DVI-D. The pin sets depends upon whether the cable is single link or dual link or analog.
To choose a perfect Digital video interface cable you should remember these tips:
1.Check both female DVI plugs to make sure what type of signals they compatible with.
2.One or both connections should be DVI-D if you are choosing a DVI-D cable.
3.One or both connections should be DVI-A if you are choosing a DVI-a cable.
4.If one of the connections is DVI and other is VGA, and if the DVI is analog compatible, then you must buy a DVI/VGA adaptor or a DVI to VGA cable.
5.when both connections are DVI-1, you are advised to use any of DVI cable, but better if you use DVI-1 cable.
6. If one connection is digital and the other is analog then there is no possibility of connection between them.
9 Quick And Easy Steps You Can Take To Resolve The Dreaded Network Cable Is Unplugged Error
I am sure you have gotten one of the most annoying errors in existence which is the Network Cable is unplugged error. I will cover the reasons for this error as well as how to quickly solve it in 9 easy steps. I will be as descriptive as possible. That’s just the way I roll.
The most common home configuration is a home router with your computer plugged into it. A router is the little box your internet service provider gave you when you subscribed to their internet service.
A router has ports in it which resemble telephone ports only they are bigger. A network cable can also be called an RJ-45 cable, LAN cable, Cat5 cable, or straight through cable. So next time you pick one of these puppies you will know what to ask for.
Fix for about 75% of the Network Cable is Unplugged error messages.
Make certain that your network cable is plugged into a port on the router securely. Often I unplug it and replug it in until I hear a little click then I know I am good to go. You would be amazed at how many times that fixes your problem. The next thing to do is reboot the computer.
If this does not fix it just follow the 9 steps below.
9 Troubleshooting Steps to Resolve the network cable is unplugged error.
9 troubleshooting steps I go through to determine the source of the problem and resolve it, often within minutes.
1.Make sure you can see two lights on around the network cable.
On the computer side follow the network cable into your network card which is usually on the back of your computer. The port looks like an oversized telephone port. Notice there are 2 lights on either side of the port. If it is functioning correctly you will see the lights around the cable. The color of the lights will vary but you will definitely be able to notice when it lights up, trust me.
2. Make certain the network cable is plugged in securely to the computer.
If there are no flashing lights there is a problem. But before we go any further make certain the cable is plugged in securely. Just unplug the network cable and plug it in until you hear a click. Did the lights around the cable on the network card come on? If so reboot and you should be good to go. If not read on.
3. Check the router side.
Remember the router is the device that the internet service provider gave you when they setup your account. If you are not sure what the router looks like or where it is contact your service provider. There should be a light on the router where your network cable plugs into it. Check to determine if the network cable from your computer is plugged into the router? If not plug it in. Does the light where the network cable connects come on? If so rejoice and reboot your computer. You should be good to go.
4. Make certain there is power going to the router.
If it is plugged in and there are no lights check and make certain the router is powered up.You should see at the very least a power light. If there is no power then power it up. Does the light where the network cable connects come on? If so reboot and you should be good to go. If the light where the network cable connects doesn’t come on check the cable to make sure it is in securely. Once again just unplug the network cable and plug it back in until you hear a click. Does the light where the network cable connects come on? If so reboot and you should be good to go.
5. Try to get the internet.
If the network card lights are on and the router light where the network cable connects is on try to go to a web page. If you cannot get there then contact your service provider. The service provider is the person who you get your internet service from. Just get an old bill, look them up in the phone book or get on the internet. Tell them what is going on and what you have done to troubleshoot the problem. Also make certain they are not going to charge you for anything prior to talking to them. They shouldn’t especially because in this circumstance it is most likely a result of their equipment or network. Although service providers almost never will admit fault.
6. Make sure both devices are powered up.
If neither light is on. Try a new network cable. If you need to go to the store ask for a Category 5 straight through network cable (most folks just call them Cat 5 cables). Reboot the computer and the router. Believe it or not sometimes that solves everything.
7. Contact the service provider.
If it still doesn't work call your service provider and have them check the router remotely to see if they can fix it. Once again make sure they are not going to charge you.
8. Make certain your network card is functioning.
If the service provider checks your connection and they claim the router is fine the only thing left is a broken network card or a broken router. Since the router is tested by the ISP they will probably send someone out if they cannot see it. Make sure they don't charge you for this service though.
9. Replace the network card.
If your computer is under warranty call the computer manufacturer and tell them what troubleshooting you did and that you think it is a network card. If you are not covered under warranty you can crack open the case in the pc or laptop and replace or add a card. If you are not comfortable you can buy RJ45 interfaces that fit into a usb slot or pcmcia slot.
Anyway I think I covered everything you need to know to fix the network cable is unplugged error. If you have any additional questions please contact me. Thanks.
The most common home configuration is a home router with your computer plugged into it. A router is the little box your internet service provider gave you when you subscribed to their internet service.
A router has ports in it which resemble telephone ports only they are bigger. A network cable can also be called an RJ-45 cable, LAN cable, Cat5 cable, or straight through cable. So next time you pick one of these puppies you will know what to ask for.
Fix for about 75% of the Network Cable is Unplugged error messages.
Make certain that your network cable is plugged into a port on the router securely. Often I unplug it and replug it in until I hear a little click then I know I am good to go. You would be amazed at how many times that fixes your problem. The next thing to do is reboot the computer.
If this does not fix it just follow the 9 steps below.
9 Troubleshooting Steps to Resolve the network cable is unplugged error.
9 troubleshooting steps I go through to determine the source of the problem and resolve it, often within minutes.
1.Make sure you can see two lights on around the network cable.
On the computer side follow the network cable into your network card which is usually on the back of your computer. The port looks like an oversized telephone port. Notice there are 2 lights on either side of the port. If it is functioning correctly you will see the lights around the cable. The color of the lights will vary but you will definitely be able to notice when it lights up, trust me.
2. Make certain the network cable is plugged in securely to the computer.
If there are no flashing lights there is a problem. But before we go any further make certain the cable is plugged in securely. Just unplug the network cable and plug it in until you hear a click. Did the lights around the cable on the network card come on? If so reboot and you should be good to go. If not read on.
3. Check the router side.
Remember the router is the device that the internet service provider gave you when they setup your account. If you are not sure what the router looks like or where it is contact your service provider. There should be a light on the router where your network cable plugs into it. Check to determine if the network cable from your computer is plugged into the router? If not plug it in. Does the light where the network cable connects come on? If so rejoice and reboot your computer. You should be good to go.
4. Make certain there is power going to the router.
If it is plugged in and there are no lights check and make certain the router is powered up.You should see at the very least a power light. If there is no power then power it up. Does the light where the network cable connects come on? If so reboot and you should be good to go. If the light where the network cable connects doesn’t come on check the cable to make sure it is in securely. Once again just unplug the network cable and plug it back in until you hear a click. Does the light where the network cable connects come on? If so reboot and you should be good to go.
5. Try to get the internet.
If the network card lights are on and the router light where the network cable connects is on try to go to a web page. If you cannot get there then contact your service provider. The service provider is the person who you get your internet service from. Just get an old bill, look them up in the phone book or get on the internet. Tell them what is going on and what you have done to troubleshoot the problem. Also make certain they are not going to charge you for anything prior to talking to them. They shouldn’t especially because in this circumstance it is most likely a result of their equipment or network. Although service providers almost never will admit fault.
6. Make sure both devices are powered up.
If neither light is on. Try a new network cable. If you need to go to the store ask for a Category 5 straight through network cable (most folks just call them Cat 5 cables). Reboot the computer and the router. Believe it or not sometimes that solves everything.
7. Contact the service provider.
If it still doesn't work call your service provider and have them check the router remotely to see if they can fix it. Once again make sure they are not going to charge you.
8. Make certain your network card is functioning.
If the service provider checks your connection and they claim the router is fine the only thing left is a broken network card or a broken router. Since the router is tested by the ISP they will probably send someone out if they cannot see it. Make sure they don't charge you for this service though.
9. Replace the network card.
If your computer is under warranty call the computer manufacturer and tell them what troubleshooting you did and that you think it is a network card. If you are not covered under warranty you can crack open the case in the pc or laptop and replace or add a card. If you are not comfortable you can buy RJ45 interfaces that fit into a usb slot or pcmcia slot.
Anyway I think I covered everything you need to know to fix the network cable is unplugged error. If you have any additional questions please contact me. Thanks.
American Idol Season 1 - The Season That Started It All
Yes, it was only a little less than five years ago, June 11, 2002, when American Idol was first televised and a show bigger and more popular than most people could have imagined was born. Today it would be hard to find a person in America who hasn't at least heard of American Idol. Love it or hate it, it is an American icon of a show that doesn't show signs of slowing down. In fact, it only seems to be getting bigger.
What was the first season like? The first two shows were dedicated to the judges, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell going to auditions (held in Chicago, New York, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Seattle, and Los Angeles) and finding contestants to send on to Hollywood week. One hundred twenty one contestants made it to Hollywood to try to earn one of the 30 spots to move on to the rounds where the public started voting.
During weeks three, four, and five of the show, 10 of the 30 contestants performed. America voted and only 3 out of each group of 10 moved on. Then, on week six, five wildcard contestants returned to the show with the judges picking one of those contestants to go on, for a total of 10 contestants in the final rounds.
The following week, two contestants were sent home. Then the show started eliminating contestants one by one until there were only two contestants left.
Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini were the season one finalists. Kelly took the crown on September 4, 2002 and has gone on to become a very successful pop artist with a couple of Grammy awards to her name, several hit songs, and several highly successful albums. She's become one of the top names in pop music.
After the first season ended, Kelly and Justin made a movie aptly titled "From Justin to Kelly," but their American Idol popularity didn't transfer to the big movie screen. The movie was a flop, although the poor plot may have had a lot to do with its terrible performance.
Although the runners up in later seasons of American Idol have had as much, and sometimes more, success than the winner, that wasn't the case season 1's runner-up, Justin Guarini although the American Idol rules at that time probably contributed to his difficulties. At that time the Idol rules didn't allow Justin to release any albums or taking outside offers of any kind until Kelly's album was released. He was forced to turn down several offers to appear on television shows, to model for Tommy Hilfiger, and doing the soundtrack recording for at least one film.
By the time Justin was allowed to release his own album, he was competing with the releases of the Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, the season two winner and runner-up. His appearances on the newly syndicated show, American Idol Rewind, seem to be helping him gain more notice again.
Tamrya Gray, who finished fourth on the show, has been doing okay. She has released her first album to tepid sales, but has had some success with several acting projects she has done.
Nikki McKibbin, who finished third the first season, has struggled since American Idol ended but she is finally getting back to her musical roots. Her debut album is slated to be released May 1, 2007.
The most current season of American Idol, season 6, will have several more episodes in it than the first season. Another notable difference is that during Hollywood week the judges (yes it's still Randy, Paula, and Simon) decide who the top 24 contestants are. Then for three weeks, the guys and girls sing on different nights and only compete among themselves. Each week, 2 guys and 2 girls are eliminated. Then when there are 6 guys and 6 girls left, those final 12 will start to compete head to head, regardless of gender.
Even if you aren't a fan of singing, you may want to watch the show just to see Simon Cowell, one of the judges, spew his very creative criticisms of the contestants each week. It's a fun show.
What was the first season like? The first two shows were dedicated to the judges, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell going to auditions (held in Chicago, New York, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Seattle, and Los Angeles) and finding contestants to send on to Hollywood week. One hundred twenty one contestants made it to Hollywood to try to earn one of the 30 spots to move on to the rounds where the public started voting.
During weeks three, four, and five of the show, 10 of the 30 contestants performed. America voted and only 3 out of each group of 10 moved on. Then, on week six, five wildcard contestants returned to the show with the judges picking one of those contestants to go on, for a total of 10 contestants in the final rounds.
The following week, two contestants were sent home. Then the show started eliminating contestants one by one until there were only two contestants left.
Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini were the season one finalists. Kelly took the crown on September 4, 2002 and has gone on to become a very successful pop artist with a couple of Grammy awards to her name, several hit songs, and several highly successful albums. She's become one of the top names in pop music.
After the first season ended, Kelly and Justin made a movie aptly titled "From Justin to Kelly," but their American Idol popularity didn't transfer to the big movie screen. The movie was a flop, although the poor plot may have had a lot to do with its terrible performance.
Although the runners up in later seasons of American Idol have had as much, and sometimes more, success than the winner, that wasn't the case season 1's runner-up, Justin Guarini although the American Idol rules at that time probably contributed to his difficulties. At that time the Idol rules didn't allow Justin to release any albums or taking outside offers of any kind until Kelly's album was released. He was forced to turn down several offers to appear on television shows, to model for Tommy Hilfiger, and doing the soundtrack recording for at least one film.
By the time Justin was allowed to release his own album, he was competing with the releases of the Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, the season two winner and runner-up. His appearances on the newly syndicated show, American Idol Rewind, seem to be helping him gain more notice again.
Tamrya Gray, who finished fourth on the show, has been doing okay. She has released her first album to tepid sales, but has had some success with several acting projects she has done.
Nikki McKibbin, who finished third the first season, has struggled since American Idol ended but she is finally getting back to her musical roots. Her debut album is slated to be released May 1, 2007.
The most current season of American Idol, season 6, will have several more episodes in it than the first season. Another notable difference is that during Hollywood week the judges (yes it's still Randy, Paula, and Simon) decide who the top 24 contestants are. Then for three weeks, the guys and girls sing on different nights and only compete among themselves. Each week, 2 guys and 2 girls are eliminated. Then when there are 6 guys and 6 girls left, those final 12 will start to compete head to head, regardless of gender.
Even if you aren't a fan of singing, you may want to watch the show just to see Simon Cowell, one of the judges, spew his very creative criticisms of the contestants each week. It's a fun show.
American Idol Auditions Aren’t About Talent
Anyone who follows American Idol knows that there are times when there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to who is selected - and who is rejected. According to the 'American Idol Advantage,' this is because the judges aren't selecting candidates on the principles we think they are.
“Talent is not the most important factor in making it past these first auditions,” said Andy West, a marketing specialist and representative of www.AmericanIdolTips.com. “The singers who have a clearer understanding of this are the ones who make it past the judges.”
If there is anything that gets results in the American Idol auditions, it's not talent - it's how much time and effort people have put into their presentation. Singers who desperately want the opportunity stand out from the crowd, not because they're talented, but because they have done their homework: they know how to market themselves in order to get the judges' attention.
'American Idol Advantage' explains the factors that actually determine the judges' choices in the first round of American Idol auditions - those that separate the chosen few from the rest of the crowd. The e-book is full of trends, tips, and other information that reveals how American Idol auditions are really won: songs that boost a candidate's chances, versus those that bomb; how successful candidates tend to dress; and how to interpret the judges' reactions to you and your audition. 'American Idol Advantage' also includes analysis and interpretation of past American Idol auditions, showing real-life examples of what works - and what doesn't.
“There's a lot more to these initial auditions than just singing,” said Mr. West.
As with everything else in life, the American Idol auditions are about more than just showing up - they're about being prepared. 'American Idol Advantage' provides everyday people with a shot at making it onto American Idol - by teaching them how to prepare.
“The singers that do their homework and are the most prepared will make it on to the show, plain and simple,” Mr. West said. For more information about American Idol Advantage, check out the website www.AmericanIdolTips.com.
“Talent is not the most important factor in making it past these first auditions,” said Andy West, a marketing specialist and representative of www.AmericanIdolTips.com. “The singers who have a clearer understanding of this are the ones who make it past the judges.”
If there is anything that gets results in the American Idol auditions, it's not talent - it's how much time and effort people have put into their presentation. Singers who desperately want the opportunity stand out from the crowd, not because they're talented, but because they have done their homework: they know how to market themselves in order to get the judges' attention.
'American Idol Advantage' explains the factors that actually determine the judges' choices in the first round of American Idol auditions - those that separate the chosen few from the rest of the crowd. The e-book is full of trends, tips, and other information that reveals how American Idol auditions are really won: songs that boost a candidate's chances, versus those that bomb; how successful candidates tend to dress; and how to interpret the judges' reactions to you and your audition. 'American Idol Advantage' also includes analysis and interpretation of past American Idol auditions, showing real-life examples of what works - and what doesn't.
“There's a lot more to these initial auditions than just singing,” said Mr. West.
As with everything else in life, the American Idol auditions are about more than just showing up - they're about being prepared. 'American Idol Advantage' provides everyday people with a shot at making it onto American Idol - by teaching them how to prepare.
“The singers that do their homework and are the most prepared will make it on to the show, plain and simple,” Mr. West said. For more information about American Idol Advantage, check out the website www.AmericanIdolTips.com.
Reasons to Watch American Idol
With several seasons of American Idol already over and completed and the ratings starting to go downhill there are numerous questions about why exactly people tune into the show. The truth of the matter is that everyone often has different reasons for tuning in. Whether you are interested in watching the show because you have a love of music or a different reason there is likely something that you will find enjoyable.
If most people are downright honest with themselves, they will usually admit that one of the major reasons is to see exactly what Simon will say. This is rather sad truthfully, but we are a cruel world. We tend to enjoy watching someone else be ripped to shreds while we sit on the comfort of our couch and happily admit we are happy that it is not us being criticized like that. However, in reality while some may hate on Simon Cowell badly, he really does know what he is talking about. Plus, he hates those who show up and merely play around with the competition.
Looking past Simon and trying to focus on the less evil reasons to watch the show is seeing how each of the contestants tends to evolve. Each week and they stand around in terror on the stage hoping they are safe they breathe a sigh of relief and go back to work improving. This allows them to grow substantially from their very first audition up until the day that someone actually wins the competition. If you have ever watched the show from the very beginning up until the end you have no doubt noticed that there is a significant difference. It just shows and proves to people hat it really is possible to improve and get better.
For those who are strictly watching the show for entertainment purposes you have to admit that they do get some awesome guest stars to work with the contestants. Jennifer Lopez, Dolly Parton, and so many more have all graced the stage to work with the contestants to improve but also to perform. This is a fabulous way to check out some of the newest material that the stars have to offer, but also see what they have to say about your favorite contestant. Nevertheless, you can also see how each contestant handles the songs of the week as well.
For those moments when you are just feeling relaxed and peaceful it can be fun to sit around and watch the jokes that occur. After all the cheesy Ford commercials, the banter between the judges and even the occasional attitude from a contestant is all perfectly coordinated to ensure the perfect entertainment event. Looking at the show as something that is 100% serious is usually disappointing but you are sure to find someone that you want to root for.
Another reason to watch; let us face it, everyone on that stage started as an underdog at some point. Well except for half of the season seven contestants who were already seasoned professionals. It is a lot of fun to see these underdogs who would normally never stand a chance in Hollywood actually having a chance at a music career. The mere idea of getting a fabulous career like that is incredible and can be described as a dream come true. Watching the contestant that starts out all meek and quite turn into the ultimate American Idol right before your eyes is something that is truly special. Most idols drastically change their appearance during the show, their style changes and they start to be much more confident. In the end, you are spending all of your time rooting for them and running to the phone to vote as soon as the polls open.
While this might seem like a strange set of reasons to watch American Idol you have to admit that somewhere deep inside your heart, you fit into these reasons and methods as well. Which reason is yours for watching is always a secret, but you are likely to have a few of your own. The reasons rarely matter, but what does matter is watching someone be crowned the American Idol and knowing that you were a part of it.
If most people are downright honest with themselves, they will usually admit that one of the major reasons is to see exactly what Simon will say. This is rather sad truthfully, but we are a cruel world. We tend to enjoy watching someone else be ripped to shreds while we sit on the comfort of our couch and happily admit we are happy that it is not us being criticized like that. However, in reality while some may hate on Simon Cowell badly, he really does know what he is talking about. Plus, he hates those who show up and merely play around with the competition.
Looking past Simon and trying to focus on the less evil reasons to watch the show is seeing how each of the contestants tends to evolve. Each week and they stand around in terror on the stage hoping they are safe they breathe a sigh of relief and go back to work improving. This allows them to grow substantially from their very first audition up until the day that someone actually wins the competition. If you have ever watched the show from the very beginning up until the end you have no doubt noticed that there is a significant difference. It just shows and proves to people hat it really is possible to improve and get better.
For those who are strictly watching the show for entertainment purposes you have to admit that they do get some awesome guest stars to work with the contestants. Jennifer Lopez, Dolly Parton, and so many more have all graced the stage to work with the contestants to improve but also to perform. This is a fabulous way to check out some of the newest material that the stars have to offer, but also see what they have to say about your favorite contestant. Nevertheless, you can also see how each contestant handles the songs of the week as well.
For those moments when you are just feeling relaxed and peaceful it can be fun to sit around and watch the jokes that occur. After all the cheesy Ford commercials, the banter between the judges and even the occasional attitude from a contestant is all perfectly coordinated to ensure the perfect entertainment event. Looking at the show as something that is 100% serious is usually disappointing but you are sure to find someone that you want to root for.
Another reason to watch; let us face it, everyone on that stage started as an underdog at some point. Well except for half of the season seven contestants who were already seasoned professionals. It is a lot of fun to see these underdogs who would normally never stand a chance in Hollywood actually having a chance at a music career. The mere idea of getting a fabulous career like that is incredible and can be described as a dream come true. Watching the contestant that starts out all meek and quite turn into the ultimate American Idol right before your eyes is something that is truly special. Most idols drastically change their appearance during the show, their style changes and they start to be much more confident. In the end, you are spending all of your time rooting for them and running to the phone to vote as soon as the polls open.
While this might seem like a strange set of reasons to watch American Idol you have to admit that somewhere deep inside your heart, you fit into these reasons and methods as well. Which reason is yours for watching is always a secret, but you are likely to have a few of your own. The reasons rarely matter, but what does matter is watching someone be crowned the American Idol and knowing that you were a part of it.
Reasons to Watch American Idol
With several seasons of American Idol already over and completed and the ratings starting to go downhill there are numerous questions about why exactly people tune into the show. The truth of the matter is that everyone often has different reasons for tuning in. Whether you are interested in watching the show because you have a love of music or a different reason there is likely something that you will find enjoyable.
If most people are downright honest with themselves, they will usually admit that one of the major reasons is to see exactly what Simon will say. This is rather sad truthfully, but we are a cruel world. We tend to enjoy watching someone else be ripped to shreds while we sit on the comfort of our couch and happily admit we are happy that it is not us being criticized like that. However, in reality while some may hate on Simon Cowell badly, he really does know what he is talking about. Plus, he hates those who show up and merely play around with the competition.
Looking past Simon and trying to focus on the less evil reasons to watch the show is seeing how each of the contestants tends to evolve. Each week and they stand around in terror on the stage hoping they are safe they breathe a sigh of relief and go back to work improving. This allows them to grow substantially from their very first audition up until the day that someone actually wins the competition. If you have ever watched the show from the very beginning up until the end you have no doubt noticed that there is a significant difference. It just shows and proves to people hat it really is possible to improve and get better.
For those who are strictly watching the show for entertainment purposes you have to admit that they do get some awesome guest stars to work with the contestants. Jennifer Lopez, Dolly Parton, and so many more have all graced the stage to work with the contestants to improve but also to perform. This is a fabulous way to check out some of the newest material that the stars have to offer, but also see what they have to say about your favorite contestant. Nevertheless, you can also see how each contestant handles the songs of the week as well.
For those moments when you are just feeling relaxed and peaceful it can be fun to sit around and watch the jokes that occur. After all the cheesy Ford commercials, the banter between the judges and even the occasional attitude from a contestant is all perfectly coordinated to ensure the perfect entertainment event. Looking at the show as something that is 100% serious is usually disappointing but you are sure to find someone that you want to root for.
Another reason to watch; let us face it, everyone on that stage started as an underdog at some point. Well except for half of the season seven contestants who were already seasoned professionals. It is a lot of fun to see these underdogs who would normally never stand a chance in Hollywood actually having a chance at a music career. The mere idea of getting a fabulous career like that is incredible and can be described as a dream come true. Watching the contestant that starts out all meek and quite turn into the ultimate American Idol right before your eyes is something that is truly special. Most idols drastically change their appearance during the show, their style changes and they start to be much more confident. In the end, you are spending all of your time rooting for them and running to the phone to vote as soon as the polls open.
While this might seem like a strange set of reasons to watch American Idol you have to admit that somewhere deep inside your heart, you fit into these reasons and methods as well. Which reason is yours for watching is always a secret, but you are likely to have a few of your own. The reasons rarely matter, but what does matter is watching someone be crowned the American Idol and knowing that you were a part of it.
If most people are downright honest with themselves, they will usually admit that one of the major reasons is to see exactly what Simon will say. This is rather sad truthfully, but we are a cruel world. We tend to enjoy watching someone else be ripped to shreds while we sit on the comfort of our couch and happily admit we are happy that it is not us being criticized like that. However, in reality while some may hate on Simon Cowell badly, he really does know what he is talking about. Plus, he hates those who show up and merely play around with the competition.
Looking past Simon and trying to focus on the less evil reasons to watch the show is seeing how each of the contestants tends to evolve. Each week and they stand around in terror on the stage hoping they are safe they breathe a sigh of relief and go back to work improving. This allows them to grow substantially from their very first audition up until the day that someone actually wins the competition. If you have ever watched the show from the very beginning up until the end you have no doubt noticed that there is a significant difference. It just shows and proves to people hat it really is possible to improve and get better.
For those who are strictly watching the show for entertainment purposes you have to admit that they do get some awesome guest stars to work with the contestants. Jennifer Lopez, Dolly Parton, and so many more have all graced the stage to work with the contestants to improve but also to perform. This is a fabulous way to check out some of the newest material that the stars have to offer, but also see what they have to say about your favorite contestant. Nevertheless, you can also see how each contestant handles the songs of the week as well.
For those moments when you are just feeling relaxed and peaceful it can be fun to sit around and watch the jokes that occur. After all the cheesy Ford commercials, the banter between the judges and even the occasional attitude from a contestant is all perfectly coordinated to ensure the perfect entertainment event. Looking at the show as something that is 100% serious is usually disappointing but you are sure to find someone that you want to root for.
Another reason to watch; let us face it, everyone on that stage started as an underdog at some point. Well except for half of the season seven contestants who were already seasoned professionals. It is a lot of fun to see these underdogs who would normally never stand a chance in Hollywood actually having a chance at a music career. The mere idea of getting a fabulous career like that is incredible and can be described as a dream come true. Watching the contestant that starts out all meek and quite turn into the ultimate American Idol right before your eyes is something that is truly special. Most idols drastically change their appearance during the show, their style changes and they start to be much more confident. In the end, you are spending all of your time rooting for them and running to the phone to vote as soon as the polls open.
While this might seem like a strange set of reasons to watch American Idol you have to admit that somewhere deep inside your heart, you fit into these reasons and methods as well. Which reason is yours for watching is always a secret, but you are likely to have a few of your own. The reasons rarely matter, but what does matter is watching someone be crowned the American Idol and knowing that you were a part of it.
American Idol Contestants – Instant Stardom and Off
Everybody runs around talking continuously about each season of American Idol as if it is the greatest experience ever in the world. But if you have been watching the show for a while, you are very much aware that there was 6 seasons even before the most recent. This leaves 7 seasons worth of rejected potential Idols wondering around the world trying to make a life for themselves. While some of the previous contestants have gone on to do amazing things with their careers, even more have slipped into the cracks again.
Season one was the start of something huge. Not only was there two hosts, remember Brian Dunkleman? Do not feel bad, most people have no clue who he is or that he was involved. But there was also contestants such as Justin Guarini, Kelly Clarkson, and even Tamyra Gray to mention a few it was an incredible season. The overall excitement was mounting heavily but where have these contestants actually gone? Kelly Clarkson of course emerged as the winner and is still active in the music industry. Justin Guarini has made a few television appearances, and even released a few albums but his commercial success has been significantly limited. Tamyra Gray has found to date the greatest success on television appearing in several different shows. She has also recently found success in the Broadway showing of “Rent.”
Season two started with a bang, and brought with it the former marine Josh Gracin who has gone onto win the hearts of country music lovers, Carmen Rasmusen who also released a country music album and even brought with it Kimberly Locke, Clay Aiken, and the amazing Ruben Studdard. With the talent that emerged from this season it was undeniable that the show was in full swing. Ruben went on to record several albums, while Clay Aiken has found great deals of success with both albums and even on Broadway. Others like Carmen, Josh and Kimberly are not as followed, but have still received attention following their time on the show.
Season three found contestants like Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia Barrino and the notorious William Hung who while not an actual finalist still lives on in the hearts of all true fans for what not to do at an audition. Additional treasures were found in Diana DeGarmo as well. From season three, it was rather obvious that it was a bit harder to find lasting talent. Jennifer Hudson has so far emerged as the most successful contestant of the season, and after being booted in a 7th place finish she has gone onto star in Dreamgirls with Jamie Foxx and Beyonce Knowles and even win an Academy Award for her performance. Fantasia meanwhile has grabbed headlines for her strange antics, failure to appear for performances on Broadway and less than stellar commercial success.
Season four brought out all of the bad boys of rock, with Constantine Maroulis and even Bo Bice. By bringing the two rockers to the stage, it was a shift to a different style of music, and it has been these two contestants credited with inspiring season five contestant Chris Daughtry to try out. Winning the season was Carrie Underwood, who has been an enormous success and to date the most successful American Idol winner yet. The remaining contestants from the year have managed to slip back into the background with only occasional news stories, such as Vonzell Solomon the third place contestant arrested for a handgun at an airport.
Season one was the start of something huge. Not only was there two hosts, remember Brian Dunkleman? Do not feel bad, most people have no clue who he is or that he was involved. But there was also contestants such as Justin Guarini, Kelly Clarkson, and even Tamyra Gray to mention a few it was an incredible season. The overall excitement was mounting heavily but where have these contestants actually gone? Kelly Clarkson of course emerged as the winner and is still active in the music industry. Justin Guarini has made a few television appearances, and even released a few albums but his commercial success has been significantly limited. Tamyra Gray has found to date the greatest success on television appearing in several different shows. She has also recently found success in the Broadway showing of “Rent.”
Season two started with a bang, and brought with it the former marine Josh Gracin who has gone onto win the hearts of country music lovers, Carmen Rasmusen who also released a country music album and even brought with it Kimberly Locke, Clay Aiken, and the amazing Ruben Studdard. With the talent that emerged from this season it was undeniable that the show was in full swing. Ruben went on to record several albums, while Clay Aiken has found great deals of success with both albums and even on Broadway. Others like Carmen, Josh and Kimberly are not as followed, but have still received attention following their time on the show.
Season three found contestants like Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia Barrino and the notorious William Hung who while not an actual finalist still lives on in the hearts of all true fans for what not to do at an audition. Additional treasures were found in Diana DeGarmo as well. From season three, it was rather obvious that it was a bit harder to find lasting talent. Jennifer Hudson has so far emerged as the most successful contestant of the season, and after being booted in a 7th place finish she has gone onto star in Dreamgirls with Jamie Foxx and Beyonce Knowles and even win an Academy Award for her performance. Fantasia meanwhile has grabbed headlines for her strange antics, failure to appear for performances on Broadway and less than stellar commercial success.
Season four brought out all of the bad boys of rock, with Constantine Maroulis and even Bo Bice. By bringing the two rockers to the stage, it was a shift to a different style of music, and it has been these two contestants credited with inspiring season five contestant Chris Daughtry to try out. Winning the season was Carrie Underwood, who has been an enormous success and to date the most successful American Idol winner yet. The remaining contestants from the year have managed to slip back into the background with only occasional news stories, such as Vonzell Solomon the third place contestant arrested for a handgun at an airport.
A Look At The Popularity Of American Idol
Did you know the first season of American debuted less than five years ago? It made its premiere on June 11, 2002. The show quickly became a topic for talk "around the water cooler" as people discussed the singing ability of the contestants still on the show and debated who should get cut and sent home next.
By the time the season finale aired on September 4, 2002, the Fox network realized they had a big hit show. The other networks weren't concerned. Not yet anyway. That has changed though. The other networks no longer try to compete against American Idol and expect their Tuesday and Wednesday night shows that air at the same time as American Idol to take a dip in the ratings. Dancing With the Stars, another popular show where the viewers get to vote on who stays and who goes home, is not going to air their upcoming season on Tuesday and Wednesday nights like they have in the past. They are going to air their show on Monday nights and have their results show on Tuesday nights with the Tuesday night airtime being right after American Idol ends.
American Idol is now the number one show in America, by far. In fact, they could lose half their viewership on any given night and still be in the top 10 television shows.
Not watching the show can put people at a social disadvantage because discussion of the show is a hot topic almost anywhere a person goes. That's why I started watching it in season two. I was sick of everyone I knew talking about it and feeling like I was an outcast because I knew nothing about the show. Now, I'm addicted to it as are millions of other Americans. And the ironic thing is the concept for American Idol didn't originate in the United States.
American Idol is based on a British television show called Pop Idol. And yes, Simon Cowell was part of Pop Idol. Simon, along with Simon Fuller developed Pop Idol and then brought the concept to the United States as American Idol.
Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Ryan Seacrest have all been part of the show since it first aired but did you know Ryan had a co-host the first season? His name was Brian Dunkleman. Brian left after the first season. He was unhappy with his role on the show, the producers were unhappy with his performance, and Simon Cowell was openly critical of him. Dunkleman is involved with American Idol again though. He does voice over work on American Idol rewind, a show rehashes everything that happened in past seasons of American Idol – you know – just in case you missed it or want to see it again.
But why has American Idol become the phenomenon it now is? After all, it isn't the first singing competition to be aired on television. Star Search had singing competitions and was on the air for 12 years but it never became a mega hit. The key might be in viewer participation. Star Search had some participation but only from the studio audience whereas American Idol gives anyone with access to a phone the ability to be part of the decision of who goes and who stays. And the voting public gets to make 100 percent of the decision once the top 24 contestants are picked. The judges get to speak their mind each week and they hope the voters will listen to them, but ultimately the viewers decide. I think that is a big part of what has made American Idol so popular. The viewers get to make the decisions. It gives viewers the feeling of control and power.
Combined with the viewers making the decision of who goes and who stays is the contestants themselves. They are everyday people just like you and me who happen to be talented singers, usually anyway, and have not yet been discovered. Plus, the judges and producers have a good knack for not only choosing contestants who can sing but ones with personality as well which makes the show very entertaining.
There are likely very few people living in the United States who have not heard of American Idol. You almost have to be living under a rock to not know about it these days. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I think it's good. It's a family friendly show without violence unless you count Ryan and Simon's or Paula and Simon's fights.
The phenomenon doesn't show signs of slowing down. How much bigger can it get? Who knows? All we can do is wait and see.
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