Off the Grid


I live in an area where some people brag about being off the grid. Frankly I like my electricity. But if I had the money for solar power I would do it because it is cheaper; not because I think people are spying on me through my electrical wires. It is easier to spy via cell phones (yes, land lines are not the culprit) or internet. But I live a life not worthy of spying upon. Just read my blogs.

But the one area I am "off the grid" is in satellite (or cable) television. In the first days of 2006 we got six feet of snow and the Dish Network satellite dish was knocked off my house. Passes were closed for four days. And similar things had obviously happened to a lot of other dishes because the earliest date they gave me for reinstalling was two weeks out. Maybe. And Dish, in its infinite wisdom was unwilling to give me a half month credit on my bill. Their argument was they were providing me the service. Not their fault I was not receiving it.

It was during that time I found I enjoyed not receiving what passes for entertainment in the United States at huge prices (commercials and service fees). I discovered the joy of internet streaming. What I wanted to watch when I wanted to watch it for no cost to me. No seven channels of ESPN I paid for but never watched. No eleven channels of religious programs I did not believe in but supported through cable fees. And I discovered Canadian, Australian and BBC television that was well written, cast with real people (not plastic barbie dolls) who were great actors and not just boobs.

So I called Dish back and cancelled my subscription with them. I was fortunately beyond the two year contract (BTW that can be five years now). They and DirecTV constantly send me offers to get back on their media teet. But except for one or two programs I can get on streaming or wait a season to get on DVD there is nothing on US television I miss. I certainly do not miss reality shows or the twenty minutes of commercials for every "hour" show.

And I am enjoying the fact that streaming companies like NetFlix and Hulu are now developing their own dramatic television. Well written and well acted. But unfortunately network television and the companies that provide it to us on expensive satellite and cable are still holding the strings on a renewal of some great programs like Longmire. Sorry, Big Five, you are holding everyone hostage.

Comments

Post a Comment

I write for me but I care what my readers think. Please be polite and no scamming.

Popular posts from this blog

Polyethylene Packaging - a Dark Times Journal entry

Image
I was in the fourth grade when our family moved from El Paso, Texas to Albuquerque, New Mexico. We moved because I could not breathe the air there. I want to say they cracked petroleum there. But what did I know beyond the sky was sometimes yellow and I could not breathe. Mom was pregnant with Debbie, and Gary and I rode in the backseat separated by a round tank full of Dad's tropical fish. Dad had a job with Sealright, Inc which made paper milk cartons. Sealright was a polyethylene packing subsidiary of Phillips 66. The petroleum company. I was rather proud of myself for learning to say that, and to not laugh when adults would stare at me not knowing what to ask about that. Albuquerque smelled better. Then. Before all the freeways were built and the shape of the valley trapped the exhaust down near the ground in the winter months. We lived in the foothills. I could breathe. I learned that if I could see the air I could not. Still it was better than El Paso though I missed our trip...
Read more

Swimming

Image
For much of my college career my fitness workout was swimming on the B squad of the swim team. I remember it as the days before heated pools and women coaches. I also remember being so exhausted and cold I could only lean against the shower wall and throw up. Not exactly warm fuzzy images but I was in awesome shape. Needless to say it did not leave me with a overpowering desire to swim laps. Point of fact for years my swimming became really informal: Swimming to shore after the canoe tipped over, challenging my sister once a summer to across the lake and back, seeing how long I could back float without moving a muscle, and a scuba course. I also played around with other ways of staying fit: aerobics, bicycling, jogging, skiing and dance classes. All of which seem to be bad for the knees, back or feet. After my ski accident my physical therapist steered me back to the pool. Damn if I was going to swim laps! However, aqua fit was just getting rather seriously taken so I took it. It r...
Read more

The Pruning the Crown of Thorns

Image
Crown of Thorns Before I am a lover of Euphorbias . They are from the deserts of Southern Africa and Madagascar. They have evolved physical characteristics and forms similar to cacti of North and South America and are often incorrectly referred to as cacti. My big Crown of Thorns was one of my first of a growing collection of these succulents from the spurge family of Euphorbiaceae. I picked it up as a 6 inch plant in a New Iberia nursery when my sister and I were touring the northern gulf coast. I believe that was 15 years ago. I made an attempt at limiting its height a few years back to allow it to devote more energy to the new branches and make it a denser plant. That failed. And the height of the plant continued to challenge the window space and soon the long branches were leaning over and leaning against the window. I googled and found the proper way to prune this treasured plant. Still it was very difficult to cut off the four longer branches. Even with a plan. The f...
Read more