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Writers Corner
NEW! Being Built
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Contact Us |
| MainAttraction.net
PO Box 46
Cromwell, CT 06416
860-575-3994 |
THE SWITCH TO DIGITAL
TELEVISION
Beware of ‘HDTV Converter’ scams
What does it take to get HD?
To start with, you’ll need…an HDTV.
By Steven Sande, Digital TV Facts
If anybody tries to sell you a device that will turn
your analog TV into an HDTV, don’t take the bait.
No such device exists—because no standard TV can ever give you high-definition
television. HD images offer significantly higher resolution, capable of
revealing fine details, accompanied by CD-like surround sound. That poor old
analog TV can never give you that, alas. It lacks the necessary technology. If
you want to watch shows in HD, the first step is to buy an HDTV. (We’ll get to
the second step later on.)
HDTV is (aside from the early analog HD systems in Japan and Europe) a digital
television system. Digital TV, or DTV, is a technology that efficiently encodes
a television signal as a bunch of zeroes and ones.
Watch digital channels on an analog TV
You don’t have to haul your analog TV out to the trash, however, when analog
over-the-air (OTA) broadcasts end on February 17, 2009. The addition of a
set-top box will allow an analog TV to display digital programming. But the
programs will be viewed in standard-definition (SDTV), not HD. Even SDTV will
generally look and sound better than typical analog television, though.
If you watch TV with an indoor or outdoor antenna, your analog TV will need a
DTV converter box to continue doing its job after the switchover to digital
broadcasts is completed in 2009. The federal government will make $40-off
coupons available to help consumers pay for the boxes.
• Read more: DTV Converter Box Coupons
Cable or satellite TV subscribers require a digital cable box or receiver to
watch digitally delivered programming on an analog TV.
• Read more: Digital TV facts for cable TV customers
• Read more: Digital TV facts for satellite TV customers
That, then, is what it takes to get digital TV programming—in SDTV form—on your
analog TV. Again, if you want HDTV programming, you will need an HDTV.
But in addition to having an HD set, you must have a source of HD programming.
HD programming options
You can watch local HD broadcasts over the air for free on an HDTV that includes
a built-in ATSC digital tuner.
Besides an HDTV, cable or direct-broadcast satellite customers will need to
subscribe to a package that includes HD programming. (Depending on your HDTV and
your pay-TV provider, you may also need an HD-capable cable box or satellite
receiver.) Otherwise you’ll just be watching in standard definition.
While broadcast stations and cable networks have increased their HD offerings,
many programs have yet to make the jump to HD. Capacity limits on cable and
satellite systems have limited HD programming to certain channels, although the
number of HD channels is expected to grow over time.
Scams vs. labeling errors
To recap: Stay away from anyone who claims that an “HDTV Television Converter”
will convert your analog TV to HD. Nod your head, feign interest. Then turn to
the huckster and earnestly ask: “Does this one run on magic beans?”
Note, however, that some models of set-top HD receiver boxes will also work with
analog TVs, providing local digital TV channels in standard-definition quality.
An HD receiver (also known as an HD tuner) is primarily intended for use with a
tuner-free, “HD-ready” TV.
Careless merchants might label a set-top HDTV receiver as an “HDTV converter
box.” The name can be misleading. But don’t assume they are out to cheat
you—unless they make worthless claims about an HD experience on an analog TV.
| |
Barack
Obama For President
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GET OUT AND VOTE!
BUT VOTE FOR AMERICA.
8 YEARS OF BUSH HAS PUT THIS COUNTRY
SO FAR IN DEBT THAT EVERY AMERICAN NEEDS
TO VOTE FOR A REAL CHANGE
 |
| Fireman
Billy |
In Phoenix, Arizona, a 26-year-old mother stared down
at her 6 year old son, who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although
her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of
determination .
Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up and fulfill all his
dreams. Now that was no longer possible..
The leukemia would see to that. But she still wanted her son's
dreams to come true.
She took her son's hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think about
what you wanted to be once you grew up ?
Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?"
Mommy, "I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up."
Mom smiled back and said, "Let's see if we can make your wish come
true."
Later that day she went to her local fire department in Phoenix ,
Arizona , where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as
Phoenix. She explained her son's final wish and asked if it might be
possible to give her six-year-old son a ride around the block on a
fire engine.
Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than that.
If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning,
we'll make him an honorary fireman for the whole day. He can come
down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls,
the whole nine yards!
And if you'll give us ! his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for
him, with a real fire hat-not a toy one- with the emblem of the
phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and
rubber boots. They're all manufactured right here in Phoenix , so we
can get them fast."
Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his
fire uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting
hook and ladder truck. Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and
help steer it back to the fire station.
He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day
and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different
fire engines , the paramedic's van, and even the fire chief's car.
He was also videotaped for the local news program . Having his dream
come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon
him, so deeply touched Billy that he lived three months longer than
any doctor thought possible.
One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the
head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept that no one should
die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital.
Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a fireman , so she
called the Fire Chief and asked if it would be possible to send a
fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his
transition.
The chief replied, "We can do better than that.
We'll be there in five minutes.
Will you please do me a favor?
When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will
you announce over the PA system that there is not a fire? It's just
the fire department coming to see one of its finest members one more
time.
And will you open the window to his room?
About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the
hospital and extended its ladder up to Billy's third floor open
window.
16 firefighters climbed up that ladder into Billy's room.
With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told
him how much they loved him.
With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and said,
"Chief, am I really a fireman now?"
"Billy, you are, and the Head Chief, Jesus, is holding your hand,"
the chief said.
With those words, Billy smiled and said, "I know, He's been holding
my hand all day, and the angels have been singing."
And he closed his eyes one last time.
*****************************
Stop telling God how big your storm is.
Instead tell your storm how big your GOD is.
|
NEW from DeWalt
THE 16 - D RAPIDFIRE NAILGUN |
New Nail Gun, made by Dewalt.
It can drive a 16-D nail through
a 2 X 4 at 200 yards. This makes
construction a breeze.
You can sit in your lawn chair
and build a fence.
Just get the wife and kids to
hold the fence boards in place
while you sit back and relax
with a cold drink. When they
have the board in the right
place just fire away. With the
hundred round magazine, you can
build the fence with a minimum
of reloading. After a day of
fence building with the new
Dewalt Rapid fire nail gun, the
wife will not ask you fix or
build anything else.
Guaranteed!
|
| Meet Your New Camp
Counselor - Usher |
Keeping Cool
Without Breaking the Bank |
Independence Day
Dedication Honors Heroes |
July 2008 (Medialink) - Grammy
award-winning entertainer and philanthropist Usher Raymond IV has a new
gig - camp counselor. In his continuous efforts to give back to the
community, the multi-talented singer and entrepreneur is expanding his
humanitarian efforts with hands-on work in Atlanta and beyond.
Camp New Look is a free, two week, residential camp that empowers teens
from under-served communities by giving them the necessary skills to
enter careers in the sports and entertainment industry. Campers
participate in curriculums designed in areas of business as well as
acting, dance, music, sports and video production. They also take part
in workshops with special guests, field trips and community service
projects.
This year, campers will follow in their mentor's footsteps by launching
a new fragrance. The finished product will be unveiled during a red
carpet event at the close of camp. Usher also announced a new
partnership with his hometown WNBA team, the Atlanta Dream, to launch
the New Look Internship program. The program will continue to develop
their understanding and pursuit of a career in sports and entertainment.
Now in its fourth year, New Look and Usher have served over 1,300 teens
from across the country through Camp New Look in Atlanta and mini-camps
in New York, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and Milwaukee. |
July 2008 (Medialink) - With gas prices
higher than ever and the economy on shaky ground, the average American
is looking for ways to cut costs. But, that doesn't have to mean going
without AC and "sweating it out" this summer. By taking a few steps
around your house, you can stay cool without breaking the bank.
Here is one simple step: switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs. CFLs
use less energy and give off less heat, so the air conditioner doesn't
have to work as hard. Home experts also suggest using a programmable
thermostat so the unit only clicks on when you need it the most.
Here are some other expert tips for cutting energy costs:
- Keep shades closed during peak sun hours;
- Plant trees outside your home to provide shade;
- Make sure your air conditioning units have the Energy Star label;
- Try ceiling fans in place of AC;
- Consider a programmable home network control system.
|
July 2008 (Medialink) - In memory of the 33 flight crew members of
American and United Airlines lost on September, 11, 2001, a memorial
project embodying the three characteristics displayed by the crews was
unveiled in their honor on the Fourth of July.
Over six years in the making, Valor - Commitment -
Dedication was the
vision of Valerie Thompson, a flight attendant for American Airlines.
She formed the 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial and Foundation to design and
create the bronze sculpture. Valued at $1 million, the artwork was
designed by Utah artist Bryce Cameron Liston and will stand 18-feet
tall. The piece includes an airline captain and first officer, female
and male flight attendants, a child and two eagles.
Grapevine, TX was chosen as
the site of the memorial for its rich
history of aviation. One of several host cities to the Dallas/Fort Worth
International Airport all DFW Airport terminals are located within
Grapevine city limits.
Produced for the 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial and Foundation
Contact:
Lisa Zlotnick, 212.812.7129
Lana Kim, 212.812.7132
Nicola Blount, 212-812-7184 |
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Iran Condemns McCain for
Cigarette Joke
Reuters
Posted: 2008-07-13 20:46:00 |
TEHRAN (July 13) - Iran has condemned U.S. Republican presidential
candidate John McCain for joking about killing Iranians with cigarettes
and said it showed his "warmongering" foreign policy attitude, media
said on Sunday.
McCain, who once sang in jest about bombing Iran, on Tuesday reacted to
a report of rising U.S. cigarette exports to the Islamic Republic by
saying it may be "a way of killing 'em."
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said: "McCain's
crude remark on the indiscriminate killing of the Iranian nation not
only testifies to his disturbed state of mind, but also to his
warmongering approach to foreign policy."
In a statement quoted by the website of Iran's state Press TV satellite
station, Hosseini added:
"We condemn such jokes and believe them to be inappropriate for a U.S.
presidential candidate. It is most evident that jokes about genocide
will not be tolerated by Iranians or Americans."
McCain, known for acerbic comments and for sometimes firing verbally
from the hip, was responding to a report that U.S. exports to Iran rose
tenfold during President George W. Bush's term in office despite
hostility between the two countries.
A rise in cigarette sales was a big part of that, according to an
Associated Press analysis.
"Maybe that's a way of killing 'em," McCain said to reporters during a
campaign stop in Pittsburgh. "I meant that as a joke, as a person who
hasn't had a cigarette in 28 years, 29 years," he added, laughing.
His comments coincided with rising tension between Iran and its
arch-foes, the United States and Israel, over the Islamic Republic's
disputed nuclear program.
U.S. leaders have not ruled out military options if diplomacy fails to
assuage fears about Iran's nuclear work, which they suspect is aimed at
making bombs but which Tehran says is only to produce electricity. |
|
GAS
PRICES? |
| Let me tell you something folks.
President Bush could have stopped this but he
didn't.
As an oil man he wouldn't want to stop it as he makes more
money.
But this president has done nothing about it
and will not do anything about it.
$5.00 a gallon folks. Think about it... |
| |
| Believe It!
Many years ago in Scotland , a new
game was invented. It was ruled "Gentlemen Only...Ladies
Forbidden"...and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language.
In the 1400's a law was set forth that a man was not allowed to beat his
wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have " The rule
of thumb "
The first couple to be shown in bed
together on prime time TV were Fred and Wilma Flintstone.
Every day more money is printed for
Monopoly than the
US
Treasury.
Men can read smaller print than women
can; women can hear better.
Coca-Cola was originally Green.
It is impossible to lick your
elbow.
The State with the highest percentage of
people who walk to work: Alaska
The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now get this...)
The percentage of
North America that is wilderness: 38%
The cost of raising a medium-size dog to
the age of eleven: $6,400
The average number of people airborne
over the
US
any given hour: 61,000
Intelligent people have more zinc and
copper in their hair.
The first novel ever written on a
typewriter: Tom Sawyer.
The
San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile
National Monuments.
Each king in a deck of playing cards
represents a great king from history:
Spades - King David
Hearts - Charlemagne
Clubs -Alexander, the Great
Diamonds - Julius Caesar
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 =
12,345,678,987,654,321
If a statue in the park of a person
on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If
the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of
wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground,
the person died of natural causes.
Only two people signed the
Declaration of
Independence on
July 4th, John Hancock and CharlesThomson. Most of the rest signed on
August 2, but the last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.
Q. Half of all Americans live within 50
miles of what? }
A. Their birthplace
Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name
requested?
A. Obsession
Q. If you were to spell out
numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter
"A"?
A. One thousand
Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire
escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common?
A. All invented by women.
Q. What is the only food that doesn't
spoil?
A. Honey
Q. Which day are there more collect
calls than any other day of the year?
A. Father's Day
In Shakespeare's time, mattresses
were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the
mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the
phrase......... "Goodnight, sleep tight."
It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago
that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his
son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and
because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey
month . which we know today as the Honeymoon.
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints
and quarts... So in old England , when customers got unruly,
the bartender would yell at them "Mind your pints and quarts, and settle
down."
It's where we get the phrase "Mind your
P's and Q's"
Many years ago in England , pub
frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their
ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get
some service.
"Wet your whistle" is the phrase inspired
by this practice.
~~~~~~~~~~~AND FINALLY~~~~~~~~~~~~
At least 75% of people who read this
will try to lick their elbow
....................................
Don't delete this just because it looks
weird. Believe it or not, you can read it.
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty
uesdnatnrd
waht I was
rdgnieg.The
phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to
rscheearch at Cmabrigde
Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the
ltteers in a wrod are,
the
olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat
ltteer be in the rghit
pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can
sitll raed it wouthit a
porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not
raed ervey lteter by
istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? |
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