| Consumers Get 'High’ Anxiety
Different tech standards confuse people, too, and keep them away. The types of screens, the various resolutions, size and programming all combine to give consumers a good old fashioned case of the shakes when it comes to picking an HDTV." Some efforts are being made to address all the confusion. Manufacturers have Web sites dedicated to the technology; and retailers have printed materials and Web-based education sites to help consumers understand what they need and what's available. Best Buy, for instance, produces a monthly magazine explaining the intricacies of its various product offerings; and the retailer has teamed up with tech Web site CNET to provide consumers with Internet-based information. "Multiple parties are stakeholders in this sector," Schaeffler said.
TORCH NEWS TICKER 2/3: Lesnar notes, Ross blog, Smackdown ratings ...
The History Channel had the top-rated ad-supported cable program with "Life After People", leaving the two hours of Raw from Jan. 21 in the 6th and 8th slots. Raw averaged 4.9 million viewers. USA Network's "Monk" finished 5th, with the Democratic Debates on CNN being sandwiched in between Raw at 7th. Top 20 Cable ratings. 1:00 p.m. - CNNMoney has a press release from NEP Systems, which partnered with WWE to make the transition into HD. Plenty of technical information on the equipment used by NEP in the process. Said NEP chief technology officer George Hoover: "WWE challenged us with creating a mobile production facility ... This is a one of a kind unit that houses the most sophisticated sports telecast equipment out there today and we are proud to launch WWE into a new era of its growth." WWE VP of television operations Mike Grossman said, "This upgrade is the first of many technological advances for our brand in 2008." Press release.
Anne Frank given musical makeover
What will sell this show is its 13-year-old Cuban-born star Isabella Castillo, who shows great maturity and energy in the title role, portraying Anne Frank as sensitive and imaginative, but also as an essentially normal teenage girl. She gawps at boys, rows with her mother and whispers excitedly to her sister about getting her first period. The diary, which went on to become a historical treasure and sell 40 million copies, was often referred to by Anne as "Kitty". Here, Kitty is given a human face, in the form of an on-stage alter-ego played Basque actress Patricia Arizmendi. Meanest thug As a production device, it helps - we witness Anne's private hopes and fears, rants and desires. But again, if Anne Frank were to see this production, she might reasonably ask: "Who dressed Kitty?" The human diary first appears in a red chiffon dress with a fat sequinned belt and big hair - much like Wonder Woman going to a black-tie event.
My Turn: Why I don't 'shop Taos'
Local newspapers often print letters from merchants in Taos County who encourage residents of the city and county to shop locally. Many local retail establishments are struggling to survive and residents are asked to purchase here to support the local economy. I rarely shop Taos. I wait once a month and shop in Santa Fe, or, when on business out of state, shop and mail my purchases home. I also make frequent purchases over the Internet. Why? Because I have experienced the following: Choice is limited. I don’t find what I need here. It’s just as easy to order over the Internet and receive my goods for the minimal cost of shipping and get exactly what I want when I want it. The purchase usually arrives in a matter of two to three days and is delivered to my door. Cost of shipping usually amounts to the cost of a couple of gallons of gas at most (and if the order is large enough, shipping is free). Many merchants don’t make it easy to purchase what I need. More than one merchant on the plaza refuses to take checks.
Is Homeland Security Too Focused on “Guns, Guards and Gates”?
September 11th was a brutal reminder that there are people out there who have the desire and means to kill us in a mass attack, and we have to stop them. "The best defense is a good offense", we like to say, but in this case it's a little trickier than that. We need an offense mindful of long-term gains and a defense more nuanced than smash-mouth football. "Guns, guards and gates," our bulwark against external threats, remains an essential part of our defense. Yet consider this: attacks attempted or carried out in the UK involved insiders, young Brits willing to kill their fellow citizens. It's hard to employ a simplistic "us vs. them" strategy, when "they" are living and working alongside us. To better understand this quandry, I recently caught up with Juliette Kayyem, Undersecretary of Homeland Security for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and a former adviser with the National Commission on Terrorism.
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