Aardvark Daily aardvark (ard'-vark) a controversial animal with a long probing nose used for sniffing out the facts and stimulating thought and discussion.

NZ's leading source of Net-Industry news and commentary since 1995
PAYBACK TIME! | WebStats | XML feed | Contact | New Sites | Archives | Forums | About
Note: This column represents the opinions of the writer and as such, is not purported as fact
TV, who needs it? 26 April 2005 Edition
Previous Edition | Archives

Please visit the sponsor!
Sponsor's Message
At some point in the not too distant future, your TV set will become useless.

That's right -- you'll be unable to watch anything on it, unless you fork out extra $ for a digital TV converter.

This enforced move from existing analog broadcasts to solely digital ones is supposed to happen in the USA next year and eventually we'll also be facing the extinction of "old fashioned" TV broadcasts here too.

However, there are those who simply can't wait to get all TV out of our lives and have even set up a website to hasten its demise.

If you want to join this anti-TV movement you can even buy a little infrared off-switch that allows you to really pee people off -- while pretending to be totally innocent.

Now have your say
Got something to say about today's column, or want to see what others think?  Visit The Forums

While you're here, why not visit the Aardvark Hall of Shame and perhaps make your own nomination.

Boy, although I don't watch much TV myself, I have to say that these people need to get a life. Who cares if 95% of the western world waste an inordinately large percentage of their lives passively absorbing the dross that broadcasters pump out 24/7.

The way I see it is that my life will effectively be longer, more enjoyment-filled and productive while the TV-gazers will waste hours/days/weeks or even years that they can never recover.

They say that TV is the opiate of the masses and I find it rather interesting that our government is happy to ban the "recreational" use of NOS while simultaneously owning two channels of FTA TV broadcasting that do little to improve our lives. I mean, one could hardly argue that anyone's life is greatly enhanced by watching yet another episode of DIY Rescue or Celebrity Treasure Island.

We're told that some video games must be banned because they are too violent, depicting things such as beheadings, gratuitous mutilation,etc -- yet every night on TV we see exactly the same kind of material, both on the news and in movies or drama series.

We're told that it's illegal to download images depicting torture from the Net -- yet we're dished up programmes like "Fear Factor" on a weekly basis.

Hmmm... what's wrong with this picture -- and is it any wonder that I simply don't bother wasting time in front of the box?

But don't ban TV, don't complain about other people wasting their lives watching it -- take full advantage of the extra day or two per week that *you* get to enjoy your life by not being addicted to this insidious opiate.

I think that TV, like Lotto and recreational drugs, is largely the domain of those who really do need to keep a track of how little time they have left on the planet and stop wasting it.

Aardvark Forums
The forums are back up at: www.aardvarkforums.co.nz/forums, have your say on today's column

Yes, You Can Gift Money
I've published this website for the past nine years as a service to the local internet and IT industry and during all that time it has been 100% free to access. It is my intention to ensure that it remains completely free and free of charge and contains only the most sparse levels of advertising. Aardvark is not a business, it is a free resource.

If you feel that this is a good thing and/or you hold a "geniune affection" for yours truly -- then you are welcome to gift me some money using the buttons provided. In gifting this money you accept that no goods, service or other consideration is offered, provided, accepted or anticipated in return. Just click on the button to gift whatever you can afford. NOTE: PayPal bills in US dollars so don't accidentally gift more than what you were intending :-)

Contacting Aardvark
The Best of Aardvark Daily I'm always happy to hear from readers, whether they're delivering brickbats, bouquets or news tip-offs. If you'd like to contact me directly, please this form. If you're happy for me to republish your comments then please be sure and select For Publication.

Other media organisations seeking more information or republication rights are also invited to contact me.


Add Aardvark To Your Own Website!
Got a moment? Want a little extra fresh content for your own website or page?

Just add a couple of lines of JavaScript to your pages and you can get a free summary of Aardvark's daily commentary -- automatically updated each and every week-day.

Aardvark also makes a summary of this daily column available via XML using the RSS format. More details can be found here.

Contact me if you decide to use either of these feeds and have any problems.

Linking Policy
Want to link to this site? Check out Aardvark's Linking Policy.

Did you tell someone else about Aardvark today? If not then do it now!


Latest
Security Alerts
Microsoft Issues Long-Awaited WMP Fix(eWeek - 19/04/2005)

Mozilla flaws could allow attacks, data access (CNet - 19/04/2005)

Symantec Patches High-Risk Vulnerability (eWeek - 9/02/2005)

'Critical' patches released for Windows, IE
(CNet - 13/01/2005)

Latest
Virus Alerts
Sober worm makes a comeback (CNet - 19/04/2005)

Porn worm launches DoS attack on Microsoft (vnunet - 31/03/2005)

New Bagle damages security software (CNet - 02/03/2005)

Paris Hilton worm spreads (CNet - 23/02/2005)

Bookmark This Page Now!

 

OTHER GREAT TECH SITES
GeekZone (NZL)
SlashDot (USA)

 

MORE NEWS
NZL Sites
IDG.Net.nz
NZ Netguide
NZ Herald Tech
PC World NZ
Scoop
WordWorx

AUS Sites
ZDNet
The Age
Australian IT
AUS Netguide
NineMSN Tech
IT News

USA Sites
Wired.com
CNet
CNNfn Tech
TechWeb
Yahoo Tech
ZDNet Tech
USA Today Tech
7am.com SciTech

UK Sites
The Register
BBC SciTech

 

My Jet Engines
Check Out Me And My Jet Engines

Today's Top News Stories


Open in New Window = open in new window
New Zealand

Open in New Window Vector lights up business broadband
Utility pitches new fibre connections at one-fifth of Telecom's list price...
IDG

Open in New Window Lawyer untangles Telecomms Act
Smaller ISPs may have shot their bolt in deciding to accept Telecom’s commercial Unbundled Bitstream Service — effectively shutting them out...
IDG

Other

Open in New Window Google readies banner offerings
Search giant to start allowing advertisers to display animated ads on third-party partner sites--a first for Google...
CNet

Open in New Window Microsoft, Oracle call for patent reform
The U.S. patent system needs to be fixed, some companies say. The timing is perfect: The Senate is holding a hearing Monday...
CNet

Open in New Window Online music lovers 'frustrated'
UK music lovers are frustrated with restrictions placed on tracks bought online, says PC Pro magazine...
BBC

Open in New Window ManiaTV: MTV for the Web?
When he's told old media is dead, entrepreneur Drew Massey dumps his magazine and launches an internet entertainment company for twenty-somethings that broadcasts film clips, music videos and chatter 24 hours a day...
Wired

Open in New Window Happy 15th Birthday, Hubble
After a decade and a half in service, the Hubble Space Telescope continues to amaze scientists and space buffs alike. See a collection of Hubble's most spectacular images...
Wired

Australia

Open in New Window One in six kids see net porn
ALMOST one in six children as young as eight who use the internet have been exposed to online pornography, most frequently through pop-up advertisements...
Australian IT

Open in New Window Tax office targeting increase in ID fraud
AUSTRALIAN Taxation Office research indicates large-scale identity theft is increasing and the ATO has stepped up anti-fraud operations to combat it, according to Deputy Commissioner Michael Monaghan...
Australian IT

Other

Open in New Window BBC Launches Real-Life 'Hitchhiker's Guide'
As "A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" nears its cinematic release, the BBC has launched a new service based on the novel's central concept...
Reuters

Open in New Window Microsoft launches 64-bit Windows
After revving the engine for quite a while, Microsoft is hoping to take 64-bit computing into the fast lane...
CNet

Open in New Window The end of analog TV
Depending on the outcome of discussions in Congress, television as we know it may end at exactly midnight Dec. 31, 2006...
MSNBC

Open in New Window Internet 'sweepstakes' raises question about gambling
D.R. "Doc" Carson made his way to the Internet Cafe every morning and pulled up a chair in front of a terminal. He skipped the keyboard...
CNN

Open in New Window Web server attacks 'growing fast'
Hackers successfully attacked more than 400,000 websites and servers in 2004, finds a report...
BBC


Looking For More News or Information?

Google
Search WWW Search Aardvark

Privacy Policy | Copyright © 2005, Bruce Simpson, republication rights available on request

jet engine page