To Ron:  I was fortunate that TV didn't come to my town until I was 11 and my home until I was 13, by which time I was incurably addicted to the printed word, and had figured out how to amuse myself in meaningful and life-enhancing ways without technological assistance.

Although I did live with television for the next 15 years, I was never much interested in the (mostly) utter crap that was broadcast, and would retreat to the library or the garage to tinker with my hobby - cars.

When wife and I separated (I was 28) I left the TV with her, and have chosen not to live with one (TV or wife!) since (last November marking the 30th anniversary of my "divorcing" the idiot box).

Not being distracted by second-rate (or even the occasional worthwhile) broadcast programs, I have managed to live an incredibly rich and rewarding life: rich in experiences of people, places, and things -- all first-hand rather than the second-hand, surrogate life lived by many through the "square eye."

I have no interest in spectator sport and have nothing but disdain for the trite or shallow "entertainment" offered, and am not the least bit interested in the Paris Hiltons of the world. - nobodies of no consequence whatever.

Television, as programmed and broadcast, really is the modern opiate of the masses and serves to dull the thinking and critical mind. It is an incredibly poor substitute for living one's own life, doing one's own "thing."

Phooey, I say, to television!

From Ron: Your points are well taken. I confess to liking the Public Television Channel and the History Channel. One series, The Universe, awes me with the stories of galaxies and planets. Nova did a program this week on human genes and showed the future miracles of body cures. The trick for me is not so much turning TV off entirely, but knowing when to turn it on.