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February 10, 2012
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David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
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Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
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Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
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February 6, 2012
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Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
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Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
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Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
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January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
January 11, 2008
/ 4 Shevat 5768
Big boob tube
By
Greg Crosby
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Bigger is better. At least that was the message delivered by Panasonic president, Toshihiro Sakamoto at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Sakamoto revealed Panasonic's plans for the future of consumer electronics which included the world's largest flat screen TV - a 150-inch plasma set measuring 11 feet by 7 feet. Yes, I said 150 inch. That would be like nine 50 inch TVs grouped together. Now THAT is big screen television!
"Can you imagine sitting at home watching the Olympics on this baby?" Mr. Sakamoto joked to the crowd. While Sakamoto didn't rule out home use of the giant, he said the new television would be primarily marketed to a commercial audience. He said Panasonic's new line (including thinner 1 inch models) would hit the market next year but didn't announce a specific release date for the 150 inch giant. No price was given either. You know what they say, if you gotta ask …
Panasonic has been working with hundreds of families to determine how they use their home entertainment systems. Mr. Sakamoto announced that new lines of Panasonic TVs will come with built in SD memory card slots, typically found in digital cameras, so that all photos a person takes with their camera can be easily shown on a TV. He also announced that the company will be releasing a new high-definition camcorder that saves information to an SD card, so that HD videos can also be watched on a new Panasonic TV.
I don't think my wife would let me buy a 150 inch television, even if I could afford it. My wife would raise the roof, or rather; she wouldn't raise the roof, which is what we'd have to do to get the thing into the house. My den isn't large enough. Our entire home isn't large enough. Maybe if I set it up in the yard…nah, I don't think so - they don't make extension cords that long.
Coincidently, we were browsing at new TVs just the other day. Our current set is about 12 or 13 years old and has been having its share of "senior moments" lately. Besides being much heavier and more cumbersome than the new thin models, the sound quality is getting progressively worse. Where once we were able to listen to it at a level of about 24 to 28, we now need to crank it up to around 35 to 40, sometimes much higher than that depending on the stations. Also, the color has become faded and murky. The contrast is off, and the sharpness just isn't what it once was.
Come to think of it, my television is kind of like me - I suffer from all the same symptoms. Fortunately my wife hasn't been out shopping for a new husband yet - at least not that I know of.
For those of you who have not ventured into an electronics store of late, let me tell you that the whole procedure of picking out a new television has gotten more complicated than the Middle East peace process. There's HDTV, there's rear projection, there's LCD, there's plasma, there's 4:3 ratio, there's 19:9 ratio, there are lines of resolution - 720 or 1080, and then there is 1080i and 1080p. There is HDMI and HDMI 1.3. There are low resolution bands, there are high resolution bands. Pixels. Florescent tubes. Contrast ratio. 60Hz and 120Hz frame rate. Do you watch in a darkened room or a highly lit room? Do you want it to be a "home theater" or a work station? What kind of components will you want to plug into it? And what about speakers? Is your DVD player compatible? And your receiver?
In the good old days my mom and dad just had to decide what size screen they wanted (or could afford) and if the cabinet was to be cherry wood or walnut stained. Period. They didn't have to be electronic wizards or computer geeks to buy a television. All they needed to know was which wall the TV would be placed at in relation to where the couch was facing.
Things are different now. Now I need to attend classes at Cal Tech before I can make an intelligent choice. The fear of buying the "wrong" TV tears at my guts and grips my throat in a choke hold. The thought of spending a lot of money on this thing only to discover in a couple of months that I bought the "wrong" TV is a bit disconcerting, to say the least.
I know I have to research the web sites and electronic reviews. I have to compare prices. I have to figure out which model and manufacturer offers us the best value for what we spend. I need to read consumer feedback and look at repair charts. I have to discern which brand is the best and of the best brands, which can we really afford. Yes, I need to do research.
But how I wish I could just go with the cherry wood cabinet.
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JWR contributor Greg Crosby, former creative head for Walt Disney publications, has written thousands of comics, hundreds of children's books, dozens of essays, and a letter to his congressman. A freelance writer in Southern California, you may contact him by clicking here.
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