Tag: TV

Remember when Netflix announced that it was going to spin off its disc-based business into a separate company called Qwikster? Well, you can forget about all that. The company has decided that it’s keeping everything under the same banner, which has people speculating about what the hell is going on over at Netflix. Before I get to that stuff, here’s a clip from a statement emailed to Netflix customers:

It is clear that for many of our members two websites would make things more difficult, so we are going to keep Netflix as one place to go for streaming and DVDs.

This means no change: one website, one account, one password…in other words, no Qwikster.

The reactions have been interesting so far. Some people believe that this is a sign that Netflix is about to be bought by another company. Some analysts feel that Netflix is an ideal purchase for Amazon and would be an outstanding tool to fuel the Kindle Fire tablet.

Others believe that this is another sign of poor management over at Netflix. The company has made some head-scratching moves this year and this is just the latest in a series of questionable maneuvers.

Personally, I’m just glad everything will remain under the same roof. Keeping streaming and disc rentals is more interesting to me as a verbal entertainer. I want to sit back, grab some popcorn, and watch Netflix duke it out with Gamefly. How about you? What do you make of Netflix announcing and renouncing Qwikster so…uh…quickly?

So the word on the street is that Ashton Kutcher has been unfaithful to Demi Moore. One report has him fooling around with a young cutie named Sara Leal. A more recent story has him playing around with multiple women in a hot tub at the San Diego Hard Rock Hotel. He’s 33 (and much smarter than he looks). She’s 48 (and still immensely beautiful). If you were in his shoes, would you be able to cheat on your hot, older wife? Pictures of Demi and Sara are included below…you know, for reference.

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A lot of us have dreamed about cable companies moving to an a la carte model. We’ve dreamed of lowering our cable bills by only paying for the channels we actually watch. It looks like that dream just might come true. A perfect storm of a dreadful economy and improved digital offerings (Hulu, Netflix, etc.) just might push cable operators to break down and finally go a la carte. According to Reuters:

U.S. cable operators are privately working on a plan to force programmers to unbundle their networks and allow customers to subscribe to channels on an individual basis.

The plan represents a complete reversal from cable operators’ long-held opposition to what is known as “a la carte” programming. Over the last decade, the cable industry battled ferociously with regulators to protect the right to bundle programming, arguing it offered customers the best value.

But executives now say the change is a necessary response to shifting dynamics such as higher carriage costs and using the Web to watch programs, as well as a weak economic recovery that has forced many consumers to cancel cable television subscriptions.

This would kick all sorts of ass! I currently have more than 400 channels through (crap bag) Time Warner Cable. At most, I watch 20 of them. This includes variants of the same network (HBO East, HBO West, HBO Family, etc.). I would love to not having to pay for the rest of the crap. My wallet would love it. My eyes would love it. It would be the best thing to happen to television since TiVo.

Having said all that, cable companies move at a glacial pace. If an a la carte model was adopted, I wouldn’t expect it any time soon. (I’d love to be wrong about that.)

If your cable company went with an a la carte model, how many channels do you think you’d subscribe to? Which ones would you want? If you don’t have cable, would an a la carte system make you subscribe?

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Jim Henson would have been 75-years old today. He was one of the most extraordinary people that ever lived. He touched the lives of millions of people. He helped people learn. He made people laugh. He made people cry. He created wonderful programming like The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, Dinosaurs, and more. He was a huge reason why Sesame Street became so popular and successful. His behind-the-scenes work on The Empire Strikes Back helped make Yoda one of the most beloved characters in the Star Wars universe. He entertained people of all ages, and he did it with heart and soul.

Kindly celebrate the life of Jim Henson with me today. What were your favorite Jim Henson movies and TV shows? Which Jim Henson characters were your favorites?