Happy Monday!
It’s Martin Short + “Father of the Bride Part II” + dancing.
Enough said!
Happy Monday!
“The Big Bang Theory” Sweeps into May
The sitcom “The Big Bang Theory” is a scientifically proven success and demonstrates on a weekly basis an exponential rise in its comedic value congruent with past levels of great sitcom hilarity and has shown an elasticity in how it continues to expand its comedic reach and potential while progressing from episode to episode, thereby harmonizing itself with the universe in a dimension thankfully inhabited by us with the capacity to observe the aforementioned situation comedy in the comforts of our own homes on the CBS network at the convenient time slot of 8:00 p.m. during television’s prime time scheduling block.
Or, in other words, a brand new episode of, “The Big Bang Theory” premieres tonight and features special guest star Bob Newhart! This show has brought in terrific guest stars in the past, including Dr. George Smoot (we’re both alums of Upper Arlington High School!) and Stephen Hawking. Mr. Newhart will be no exception during this season’s final “sweeps” period.
There are scenes from this show that truly surprise and show the hilarious, as well as heartfelt, twists and turns that have defined this sitcom as an American favorite. A particular Christmas gift exchange comes to mind…
Today, enjoy one of these stand-out moments when one self-described genius finally lifted himself over the hurdle (or halfway through a bottle) regarding his fear of public speaking.
Dr. Sheldon Cooper, how do you really feel about geologists?
“…that all started with a big bang-bang!”
Is the TV Watching Me?
There is a television commercial for a Samsung Smart TV with a wireless, Wii-like movement sensor. This state-of-the-art product, as highlighted on Samsung’s website, includes many fascinating capabilities, such as: Gesture Control, Voice Control, Face Recognition and Smart View App. All are surely the latest in technological developments for a television set. Click here to be linked to the Samsung Smart TV website, which offers quick tutorials in how their recognitions work. Scroll down to “Control. Navigate. Be recognized.” Then, click on “See How it Works” for each one.
A more intimate relationship between ourselves and our televisions is being pushed more and more everyday. Does that seem creepy or make anybody else incredibly uneasy?
The iPhone and the Android are the two most popular phones on the market today. Why? They are fully loaded with a myriad of applications, high resolution cameras for pictures and video recording, plus many more fun and time consuming features. As an owner, the iPhone 4S is a terrific phone. Actually, a more appropriate term would be handheld computer. Admittedly, there are moments I wonder just how much I’m being tracked on a daily basis. This curiosity does spark an introspective reaction of wanting more privacy, if that even exists anymore.
On occasion, Time Warner Cable or the television will sputter or freeze while in the middle of a sitcom or a crucial Champions League Quarterfinal match. Annoying does not even begin to describe the frustration this causes. Waiting minutes for the system to thaw and/or restarting the cable box is enough to require an Advil. It is the 21st Century and the year 2013, shouldn’t television’s just work as televisions?
Yes, they should.
There is a marketplace for people who want their televisions to be the epicenter of all things entertainment, social and personal. Okay. But what about those who want only a television?
The following is a business proposal specifically for the major television companies: make state-of-the-art televisions that do basically only that. Build and manufacture televisions that have the capability to record a few shows at once with a DVR with stunning high-definition. No smart devices or senors would be programmed. The television would have breathtaking clarity and the capacity to record multiple shows and movies. In essence, it would be a television set, not a computer.
On one side of the electronics store will be the Einstein section, with products that are so smart that we don’t really need to do anything ourselves. Conversely, the other side will feature the clearest and most efficient televisions with the fastest processing speed and outstanding picture quality. There will be a guide, DVR and a 3-D switchover available. The goal being to perfect the technology released to the public from a couple years ago. Before immediately diving into new and uncharted technological waters, it’s time to be patient and excel in the present.
Once this more “basic” option is established, then let the people decide in the marketplace, literally.
Despite speaking about the internet specifically, the concept of a computer or memory system that remembers everything is quickly becoming a reality that is increasingly surrounding us, especially with the roll-out of more and more “smart” products. Is this really a good thing?
“We don’t want everything to be recorded. We still want that dark space. The internet needs to learn how to forget. All it knows at the moment is how to remember, that’s not very human.”
—UK author Andrew Keen, “Digital Vertigo”
Technology is wonderful and life-altering in a variety of ways, without question. For example, advancements in the medical field have saved countless lives over the years. There is a necessary space for cutting-edge technology. However, let’s not be so anxious to hand over yet another set of keys of society and privacy quite yet.
After all, how smart would that be?
Here’s another way to look at it:
Ben Stiller=Smart Television Watcher
Robert De Niro=A Smart Television
Jimmy's Daily Planet 