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iPad: Item to Publicly Abuse and Destroy

2010-04-14T16:02:00.000-07:00

That's apparently what some people think Steve Job's new gadget for Apple is made expressly for. Footage of a certain Tom Dickson slamming the iPad onto a telephone in order to break it in half (because the designers clearly lacked foresight in forgetting to consider the dimensions of a standard blender) has garnered over 5 million views in the last week alone. On the day the iPad launched, a baseball- bat-wielding crowd of teenage boys posted similar footage of an iPad being smashed to pieces in a parking lot. But when asked if they felt any animosity towards Jobs or Apple, the boys looked confused by the question and answered, "No. We love Steve Jobs." Apparently, the question was a non-sequiter. Like seriously, why would you ask such a question? I mean, how else would you express and display your love and adoration for someone? By breaking their newest and latest creation, of course!

And we wonder why the rest of the world hates us. We swim in boatloads of privilege, freedom and democratic liberties, and use it for things like breaking expensive gadgets in the name of "entertainment" and Youtube street cred.

I'm not defending the iPad or arguing for the justification of this oblong and awkwardly-sized app-displayer that can't take pictures or run Flash. But then again, idiots do get laughed at so maybe my sense of humor isn't entirely to blame. Humor is usually at the expense of something or someone's dignity so I guess this time it will cost you $500 plus any shred of self-awareness or decency you might have left.

Cultural customs often bind teenagers all over the world into rigid routines, societal norms and day-to-day realities: African children would forgo food and shelter to walk 5 miles to the nearest school, while others in the Middle East live in fear of getting shot at, bombed or discriminated against. What do ours do?
How are they creating residual
income? Smash and destroy invaluable devices while snickering at the camera. Good one, parents. Way to teach our next generation to understand and appreciate the things they are lucky enough to have.

Hollywood's Unsung Hero

2010-04-08T11:34:00.000-07:00

They say behind every great fortune is a great crime. In the case of Hollywood, for every Bruce Willis, there is a Charlie Picerni. Who's Charlie Picerni, you might ask?

Yeah, that's the way the game is played in Hollywood. The red carpet hooplas might pretend to make a show of recognizing non-actors for the part they play in making the movie, but really...aside from the more well-known directors and filmmakers (Scorcese, Speilberg) the rest are virtually unknown among mainstream audiences.

Indeed, to whom would successful actors attribute their fortune to if not to the stunstmen and women (and post-production film editors) who make them look good? That's right, behind every Mel Gibson falling off burning buildings is a ballsy, no-name stuntman whose name most moviegoers will never know.

Often going uncredited in such blockbuster hits as "Indiana Jones" and "Diehard", the stuntman has even more reason to be down on his luck in today's 3-D, CGI, James Cameron-ified world of movies. Green screen is the name of the game today, and many able-bodied stuntsmen are finding that their services are no longer needed.

Of course, there are actors who famously insist on doing their own stunts, including Jackie Chan and Viggo Mortensen from the LOTR trilogy.
While residual income for actors
are still growing, we can see the rise of filmmakers getting in to the industry. While filming a fight scene for Peter Jackson's famous adaptation of Tolkien's fantasy book series, Mortensen's tooth was knocked out by his opponent, after which he famously asked for superglue for the tooth so that he could continue filming the scene. Talk about staying in character.

These days, films try to incorporate both CGI/motion capture and physical stunt design to maximize the impact using both kinds of effects. If done well, the effect is a seamlessly edited, completely escapist movie-going experience. If done poorly, well, you've just paid 15 bones for a glitchy, makes-you-aware-that-you're-watching-a-movie movie. Ah well, you can always Netflix it when it comes out on DVD. Just make sure you read through the credits and have a moment of silence for the stunt guys and gals after the film ends.

Right to Be Wrong

2010-04-07T16:06:00.001-07:00

I might be singing out of key
But it sure feels good to me
Got a right to be wrong
So just leave me alone
-Joss Stone, "Right to Be Wrong"

You know something’s catchy when you find yourself saying, “Damn, why didn’t I think of that?” I mean c'mon: arguing for the right to be wrong? The powerfully poetic pun is always the writer's ever-elusive subject, and the songwriter's eternally desired companion.

Okay so call me a freakshow for reading a subliminal political message in Joss Stone lyrics. But methinks the talented young songstress, aside from penning the words to an amazing soul number, was on to something deeper than just externalizing teenage angst to R&B riffs. She might actually have been commenting, albeit unwittingly, on the now raging debate on the role of the federal government concerning our nation's alarming childhood obesity rate.

Think about it. Ever since the new campaign for childhood obesity prevention "Let's Move" was announced, Michelle-Obama-haters have been knocking the First Lady for “over-mothering” obese children all around the nation, and creating an initiative which, essentially, refuses fast food, soda and junk food companies the “right to be wrong.” True, singing out of key doesn't really harm anyone (though Simon Cowell might disagree). But junk food does. Should tone-deaf school boards be the only ones to decide what is sold to students on their campuses, even if what they decide hits all the wrong notes? Should the federal government "leave them alone"?

While we're on the subject of things being "wrong", if I may ask a naive question: Why would you offer to sell someone (a not-yet adult to be exact) something that will ultimately end up causing harm? I mean, yeah, telling American capitalists how to make money by throwing ethics out the window would be like preaching to a Grammy-winning choir. But it seems as though the lyrics to the song some right-wingers are chanting these days is really "the right to DO wrong".

Now, a government measure to prevent this particular right from being practiced, when you really think about it, isn’t so far-fetched right? We as a nation, and as members of the same species, have ostensibly agreed to refuse people the right to do wrong things. Like, oh, I don’t know, murder, steal, rape? It would be crazy to insist that legally restricting the freedom of people to exercise these kinds of rights is the bigger wrong, and that we should be protecting the right of businesses to sell and market harmful products to kids.

Which brings us to the philosophical and always necessary question: What is difference between right and wrong? And more importantly, who gets to decide what this very crucial difference is? Or to put it simply, where do you draw the line?
In regards to childhood obesity, it seems that we have at least reached a consensus that kids under the ripe old age of 10 who have the blood pressure of an overweight 56-year-old is a problem. Or a teenager weighing 400 pounds and feeling compelled to lose weight because she “wants friends” is where one might draw the line between healthy and unhealthy. Or right and just plain...wrong.

No, the obese child should not play victim and blame it on the system. Personal choice and responsibility play a huge role. But is a choice between Sprite and Coke, chips or fries, really a fair choice? The truth of the matter is that, in a plummeting economy, fast food is cheap, easy and, well, fast. And if obesity is indeed reaching the same number of people as the tobacco industries once did, using the same tactics (strategic taxing on unhealthy food products) might not be a bad way to go.

This issue is inextricably bound up with the issues of national healthcare, free market and federal government regulation of municipal activity (i.e. school food programs). You can't really talk about one without touching on the others. For now, I'll leave you with some neat tips on how to stay healthy while cooking at home. And for the soylovers out there, check out these tips on how to incorporate a healthier alternative to regular dairy into your diet.

Sadly, American Idol is losing the man who says what everyone is thinking but afraid to verbalize (possibly the sole reason I turn to Fox these days). But it seems as though, in the open audition for the Obese Child, our First Lady has sat down and made herself comfortable at the judge's table.

20 Healthcare Questions

2010-03-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

Remember the old game ‘20 Questions,’ a.k.a. a form of Truth or Dare? Q: How much more interesting would this game be if the questions were fundamentally UNanswerable? A: Infinitely. Let’s spice it up, shall we?

Why do I need ID to get ID?” (an insightful Mos Def in an old school classic)

What would we do without Wikipedia? (Just walk around not knowing Cher's real name or why Boyz-II-Men went from 4 to 3 I guess...)

Why is a barely-legal Disney channel crooner the center of a phenomenon known mainly (and disturbingly) to middle aged women as ‘Bieber fever’?”

“Can Americans afford to get sick?”

This last one is, of course, the only one that has been getting much attention in recent news (though Entertainment blogs have been having a field day with Jesse James and his alleged mistress -which begs the age-old question: "Why do men cheat?" A blog for another day, ladies). On Tuesday, President Obama used over 20 different fountain pens to sign the bill, after receiving a hearty handshake and a not-completely-unexpected expletive from Biden (hilariously audible clip of this also available on CNN.com) before announcing the passing of this historic overhaul of the American national healthcare system.

People groups affected include tanning salon owners, who will be forced to charge their customers an extra 10 percent nationwide. This tax is projected to bring in at least 2.7 billion over the next decade, which will help to fund the bill and increase coverage for more Americans. On the bright side, maybe certain B-list celebrities will think twice before going out in public looking like an Oompa–Loompa (*cough-cough* Lindsay Lohan)

While tanning salons are significantly cheaper than a tropical vacation three times a year (and yes, that exact statement was issued in all laughable seriousness by various tantrum-throwing tanning salon patrons who were interviewed by CNN Money), one cannot ignore yet another underlying question behind the “outrage” of tanning salon owners: In light of the current economy, what are the moral and ethical implications of capitalizing on a select market of consumers who purchase artificial UV rays while sober?

After Al Gore's diminishing-polar-bear-habitat hoopla, can Americans still justify the 'convenient' use of a rapidly dwindling energy and electricity supply for the purely aesthetic adjustment in skin tone? And those of you who “need Vitamin D” might be off the hook for now, but don’t think I’m not thinking what I know the rest of y’all are thinking: “Dude, can’t you take a pill for that?”

In a war-torn economy, Americans used to simply tighten their belts, maintain stiff upper lips, and send their ladies out in red bandanas to darken their lungs inside metal factories. In England, they “remained calm and carried on” (but then again, they have universal healthcare over there so remaining calm might actually be a viable option). Nowadays “tanning salon outrage” makes front page news. Granted, even tanning salon owners gotta eat so what can you really say? Except that Socialist accusations have reached an all time high for Obama, and comments following news articles and updates on healthcare are getting vicious.

Maybe the real question for Americans should be how to skirt the ever-complicating system and still maintain a functional level of health. Or a less solemn humdinger: how many minutes can you talk to someone this week without mentioning the word 'healthcare'? Ready... set.... go!

Pinch Me I Must Be Drinking

2010-03-17T11:32:00.000-07:00

Guinness-loving Norcalians can relax tonight. Berkeley, Oakland, Alameda and San Francisco are all offering free cab and tow service for inebriated St. Patty's Day revelers. The group of injury lawyers who are sponsoring this service aren't the only ones battling belligerent behavior tonight. Triple A of Northern California is calling their tri-state lawsuit-preventer (California, Nevada and Utah) "Tipsy Tow".

Does anyone else wonder what it is about this garishly green holiday that justifies the lack of inhibitions? While March does mark the onset of Spring (hence the color of choice), the holiday is not without its ironies. The most obvious one being that it actually started off as a sacred homage to one of Ireland's patron saints - some refer to St. Patrick as the Martin Luther of Ireland, the country's own St. Paul. (Also ironic is that one of St. Paddy's Day monikers most obviously puns on quite possibly THE most anti-American band to date - maybe one of the only American traditions Greenday wouldn't write pissed off lyrics about. But I digress...) Hardly the makings of a lime-flavored jello shot showdown, to be sure. What started off as a day where Lent practices (fasting of vices) were temporarily suspended has now turned into an all-out bar hopping, drink downing Mardi Gras minus the purple and gold.

At least drunkenness is in the vein of commonly accepted celebratory practices though. I mean, what's up with the creepy looking Lucky Charms leprechauns looming over the supermarket aisles and freaking me out before I finish walking through the automatic sliding doors at Target? And the pinching complete strangers for not donning the color green? Who made that up? Someone who obviously didn't get pinched as a child.

Irish history is fabulous, don't get me wrong. And another reason to drink? I haven't met a single person yet who would say no to that. But if you see me in the corner looking suspiciously over my shoulder and shielding my arms from you, don't say I didn't warn you. Take my advice: hoard your cases of beer and look up Irish facts in the privacy of your own home, or learn how to make your own green-tinged cocktails!

And to the rest of you Irish and non-Irish folk, bottoms up! And remember to call Triple A after your last round of 'Danny Boy.'

Attention Students: This is Not a Drill

2010-03-10T15:49:00.000-08:00

Remember those duck and cover drills in elementary school? Admit it: you used to live for those moments when you could stop copying down Social Studies terms, or showing your work on those pesky long division problems, or whatever else those teachers with mediocre training would get you to do while you’re stuck indoors during the best hours of the day.

The fire drill bell goes off at an ear-shatteringly loud decibel, and students all over the school giggle to each other and eagerly drop their pencils to huddle underneath their desks. Yup, you know the drill. It occurred to me that most Californian students would probably wonder to themselves what it would really be like to live with the constant and very real threat of an earthquake. I mean, we have the San Andreas fault and all, but since the big San Francisco quake in 1906, there hasn't been anything close to what's been going on in the Southern hemisphere as we speak.

As the entire world stands in the wake of two devastating quakes, there really isn’t much laughter to be had. The ‘earthquake lady’, as Dr. Kate Hutton has been dubbed by the masses, has received more and more face time since the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile have caused massive panic in all hemispheres. Even as neighboring countries rush to provide aid and relief, they also have become more concerned with how to be prepared for potential earthquakes in the future.

Rehearsal that does not precede a real show is no rehearsal at all. For without the looming reality of the final performance, what real motivation can a rehearsal sustain in its actors? But if the recent two quakes have shown us anything, it’s that all those drills might not have been a complete waste of time, as many elementary school procedures often are. Check out these tips on how to be prepared in case of an earthquake from an exclusive interview with the Earthquake Lady herself and how to support the victims of the recent quakes.

Cheating? There's an App for That.

2010-03-09T09:30:00.000-08:00

Remember when being called 'tiger' was a good thing? Like when someone calls you 'champ', or 'sport' or any other variation of those peculiarly American appellations fathers call their sons while slapping them on the shoulder and throwing around the old pigskin.

Yeah, those were the good ol' days. Fast forward to the world of perpetual internet access, where privacy is a lost cause and paper trails have now gone digital. The word 'tiger' conjures up all sorts of inappropriate things (it ain’t just the animals on four legs that pop up on Google image search now), including a certain record-breaking golfer who left the world's most unfortunate digital and audio trail of infidelity in his very public fall from grace. But it turns out that the brands and companies which dropped their endorsement deals with Tiger aren't the only ones capitalizing on his marital failures.

Yes, the infamous App creator strikes again. In case you weren't familar with this new breed of entrepreneur, h/she is the consummate multi-tasker: with one hand on the pulse of pop culture, the other hand has a firm grip on the latest iphone. Throw in the programming know-how and voila! New apps appear faster than you can say spot the nearest Apple store.

This time around, it seems as though one of these brilliant minds thought, "If only there were a way to protect those careless misogynists from getting caught in their tracks!" Yes the tiger puns really won't stop. And this time, we have paw tracks to add insult to injury. Introducing Tigertext: Cover your Tracks. You know an App has traction when it makes you say, "Damn, why didn't I think of that?" No, literally TRACtion: after it deletes your text message, it leaves a graphic of animal paw tracks in the text box. Cute in a kind of shady, vile sort of way isn't it?

You can even customize the amount of time your text remains intact- from 'delete on read' to a shelf-life of up to a month. So for the cheaters playing it safe, all remnants of the deed are erased immediately. But for those who prefer to flirt with both mistresses AND danger, you can toy with this option and really get your adrenaline going. It’s an equal opportunity enabler, this app. Now if only someone could get the ‘Mission Impossible’ theme song to play while the app runs.

Healthcare Reform or Media Trap?

2010-02-25T13:15:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, President Obama will be speaking with Republican leaders on the issue of healthcare reform in a live televised debate. One of the goals of this meeting will be to figure out how to come to an agreement on certain key issues regarding national healthcare reform before moving forward with the reform bill. In particular, President Obama has expressed a willingness to be open-minded to suggestions from the Republican party members that will not only help give more coverage to more Americans, but simultaneously help lower the national deficit.

So did any of that register to you out there? Yeah, it all sounds like something straight copied and pasted from CNN.com, right? Often when I hear newscasters or read journalists' reports on what's going on in Washington, a lot of it registers to me as "blah blah blah." Not because I'm not interested in the issues per se, but because of an underlying distrust in news media as a whole. Where did this come from? I'm not exactly sure, but I'm willing to bet that I'm not alone.

Even this televised meeting for example. From the day it was announced, it has translated to many, especially Republican representatives, as a "trap." Many are suspicious of a purportedly "open" discussion, and Obama's request for Republican leaders to "lay their ideas out on the table."

Though Obama has repeated his own desire for a change in the tone of American politics, and for an elimination of a kind of relentless "political theater" as some have termed it, he has still failed to convince many that his intentions are without guile. Though I think at this point, with the economy still being what it is, it would be difficult to convince even the most optimistic American that things are going to change.

Now I'm sure Jay Leno, and Bill Maher and those folks have probably already made a snarky comment or two about all the heated healthcare headlines swirling around this week. Call me soft, but I can't bring myself to crack a joke today. Instead, I leave you with some cool tips on how to cook healthier, and be more aware of health-related risks.

With all the buzz on new diet fads (HCG - where a pregnancy hormone which inhibits appetite is literally injected into a non-pregnant person. Wow. As if people aren't cranky enough these days...) and our own First Lady leading the pack with her childhood obesity prevention initiative Let's Move (a woman who's well dressed AND knows how to get down to business? 2010 better watch out), it's always helpful to know how to adjust your eating habits with minimal changes to your current diet.

Cheers to everyone trying to make 2010 a healthier year.

Bridgestone Superbowl 2010 Ad - "FAIL!", says the killer whale

2010-02-25T09:38:00.001-08:00

Those poor, poor people at Bridgestone. Last night, I watched in disbelief as their flashy new Superbowl 2010 commercial was aired on cable. The commercial in itself was nothing ground-breaking.... in fact, it was rather fun. Here's the gist:

Three good-looking young guys in a truck speed down the typical 'car ad' winding road, braking, slewing violently. They have stolen a killer-whale, a la 'The Hangover.' 'Great bachelor party', one of them jokes, as they accelerate down a pier towards the ocean. As they reach the end, they brake and slew the car around.... and the whale slides out of the back, crashes through the rail and falls into the ocean. He does a little leap of joy, like flipper. He's free!

A fun, lighthearted commercial that probably cost thousands of dollars and hundreds of man-hours (full-sized anamatronic whale, anyone?) and would have been highly successful.... had the top news story of the day not been that a killer whale at SeaWorld had killed a trainer in front of a live audience.

Seen in this light, the airing of the commercial on this particular day seems slightly sinister, even revolutionary, maybe - right now the animal's fate is being discussed, and while it is agreed that the creature will not be put down, due to the trainer's strong love of the whales (who she thought of as her children), Bridgestone's commercial has unwittingly served as a 'Youtube-style' video-response from the entire general public to SeaWorld. Free the whale!

Public opinion aside, I could almost hear the sound of foreheads being slapped in the Bridgestone HQ as the commercial aired, and aside from wondering in a queasy kind of way why the commercial wasn't pulled at the last minute, all this got me thinking about meaning in the media, and how quickly a film that cost millions of dollars and was the culmination of someone's life's work could so quickly be rendered meaningless by a dumb twist of fate.

But that's the media for you. And, in case you haven't seen it, here's the Brightstone advert for you:

Tiger Woods - Human or Animal?

2010-02-22T10:24:00.000-08:00

Tigers Woods. Tsk tsk. What to say about a man whose professional career as the world's greatest golfer was almost ended last November, when he crashed his car at 2:30am whist driving away from his house at high speed. He was then 'rescued' by his wife, who was for some strange reason chasing him in his car wielding one of his own golfing clubs.

Suspicious? Maybe. Dumb? Absolutely.

It has since been revealed that despite being married to Elin Nordegren, a former Swedish model and daughter of former minister of migration Barbro Holmberg, Tiger had indulged in a series of no less that 15 extramarital affaris, including famously San Diego cocktail waitress Jaimee Grubbs, who publicly claimed in the gossip magazine Us Weekly that she had a two-and-a-half-year affair with Woods.

It almost makes you wonder whether you really can have too much of a good thing.

Born Eldrick Tont Woods, Tiger Woods is one of the most successful professional golfers of all time. His personal affairs notwithstanding, he had been a poster boy for the American Dream to so many people, benefiting the lives of those who he helped through his many and highly publicized charity events. On the course, his swing and stance was perfect. He had more awards and praise heaped upon him in his ten year golfing career than most people experience in a lifetime.

But off the course, it seemed that his behavior had been less than perfect. With fans turning away in droves and his sponsorship deals dropping like flies after details of his affairs began to emerge, he famously said that "he used to believe he was entitled to do whatever he wanted to do, and that, due to his success, normal rules did not apply to him."

Unfortunately for Tiger, when you're married to a supermodel with two kids, on top of being one of the world's most recognizable faces, 'normal rules' have a way of following you home, or in Tiger's case, chasing you out of your home wielding one of your own golfing clubs. If you could write a manual on how to completely ruin your life, Tiger's Woods style, it might read a little something like this.

To those who argue against nature over nurture, you have your anthropology experiment right here in the form of a man who thought he could do whatever he wanted because he is famous. To anyone who has ever dated a star of some kind, you might say that the warning was on the box.

But to those of you with any common sense whatsoever, you might say that the higher they are, the further they fall.... and in Tiger Wood's case, it looks like the fall will continue for a long while to come.

To Luge or Not to Luge: Musings on the Ambiguous Athleticism of the Winter Olympics

2010-02-17T15:19:00.000-08:00

Is anyone else wondering at exactly what point the athleticism is supposed to kick in with a “sport” like luging? Seriously, what particular athletic skill are we supposed to be admiring here? I mean, I’m no athlete myself, a regular layperson when it comes to sports (let alone an international circus act like the Olympics). But when you’re watching someone slide down a tube on what can only be described as a barely-there bobsled, the physicality (and safety) seems pretty minimal (and suspiciously similar to the kind of strategy a 5-year old would use on a playground slide).

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean any disrespect. Especially with the recent tragedy of 21-year old Georgian luger Nordar Kumaritashvili (and British luger Kazimierz Kay-Skrzypeski’s equally tragic death at the 1964 Innsbruk Games- I guess history really doesn’t teach us anything), I am certainly not trying to be irreverent for the sake of irreverence. Seth McFarlane’s my homie but I’m shocked to say that Sarah Palin might be right about this one: some things are just off limits. All jokes aside, I’m really just asking for someone to help me understand the athletic prowess (if any) behind a practice known to some as glorified tobogganing (I think tobogganing is safer though).

Another bone I have to pick with the Winter Olympics: what is up with the impossibly narrow lanes in speed skating? I mean if we all pitched in to fund wider racing lanes, wouldn’t this whole Ohno-being-an-asshole-vs. South Korea debacle cease to exist? Not that wider lanes would eliminate the drama though – I mean, have you seen a Korean soap lately? Drama for your mama AND your mama-in-law (there’s always an in-law catfight at some point). I mean, how is skating THAT close to someone, so close that you’re quite literally AT his heels, even allowed? You almost can’t even scrounge up empathy for the poor Olympic medal hopefuls who end up biting the ice chip dust and sliding into the foam walls mid-race. How can you feel bad for someone who has voluntarily entered a race in which the rules require you to pursue your opponent’s spandex-covered bottom with your nose while slicing away at the ice rink on razor-sharp skates?

I guess even extreme sports have feelings. They need some kind of validation other than the dumbfounded look us normal folk give when we are told that extreme sports are defined by the very risk of death itself. The question remains: Is it worth it? I don't know if the Kumaritashvili family would agree anymore.

Denim Duds Definitely a Dud

2010-02-10T17:27:00.000-08:00

[Cue circus music] Step right up folks! American fashion has officially hit an all time low, ladies and gents. If you thought Crocs and the Ed Hardy logo were bad, get a load of this: Pajama jeans. Yes, you read that right. And no, I’m not referring to the current “boyfriend jean” trend. No, my fellow forward-thinking fashionistas. Sadly, we’re not talking about loose-fitting, artfully ripped and torn denim that you’ve been seeing on runways and hanging off of anorexic celebrities’ hip bones. We’re talkin’ straight up spandex and jersey masquerading as well-fitted designer label jeans, complete with high-contrast stitching (I sense a True Religion lawsuit coming on) and rivets “so they look like they were made by some European designer”. (Hey, is anyone else wondering when rivets became an outsourced fashion accessory?)

I mean let’s face it, if you’re gonna call a spade a spade, pajama jeans are really just the awkward cousin of another recent fashion faux pas also touted for its convenient marriage of comfort and style: denim leggings. A co-conspirator, if you ask me. As if American fashion doesn’t already have a bad rap. And just when Tom Ford and Marc Jacobs thought they had the upper hand too! (Actually, both American high fashion boy wonders revived European luxury brands so what does that tell you? Hey, maybe they can demystify the whole rivet controversy!)

Aside from its “sneaky” act of deception (seriously, you almost expect the women in these ads to turn around and wink at the camera, point with both hands and yell, “Gotcha!”), these jeans apparently boast a comfortable fit that mimics the feeling of pajamas. So you can run your errands in comfort AND style. “The best of both worlds”, the website says. Hmm. Kind of reminds you of Carls Jr.’s campaign for the six-dollar burger, doesn’t it? Trying to force upscale dining into the mold of fast food when at bottom, we all know we’re still eating Carl’s Jr. no matter how you spin it. And really, how gourmet is it to be wolfing down a burger with one hand while speeding perilously down the 405? Pajama jeans can mimic designer jeans all they want, but it’s a mediocre impression at best.

C'mon, everyone knows that part of what makes real jeans irresistible to a woman, makes them THE go-to casual-but-put -together outfit, is precisely what also makes them uncomfortable; the stiffness of the twill spun fabric which holds it all in -especially since real women have curves, right America Fererra? Taking away the very essence of denim itself seems almost emasculating, an act of sartorial castration if you will.

It’s an insatiable desire, wanting the best of both worlds. I mean, there are equally bizarre manifestations of such desire everywhere you look: North Korea wants to be both loved AND feared. Baptist missionaries in Haiti want to help AND kidnap. Is it too much to ask that we exercise a little more caution before combining two antithetical concepts into one “convenient” package? Or maybe it’s not caution that we lack, so much as a basic acceptance of the universal rules of fashion: no pain, no fashion statement. Deal with it ladies. If you wanna look good, you gotta pay your dues. Or you can pay $39.99 and get a free t-shirt with your order - hey at least that part of the outfit won't be ridiculed. Just don't tell anyone you got them by purchasing the Jeans for the Inordinately Lazy Dresser.

TVLesson Writing Contest now Open - Get Creative and Win Prizes!

2010-02-03T16:34:00.000-08:00

This month, love is in the air with TVLesson's Valentines Day Competition. We are looking for new talented creative writers to enter our contest and submit Valentines-themed articles, tips and recipes to TVLesson. You’ll have a chance to win monthly prizes, whilst building up a following and promoting yourself to our 5 million yearly viewers.

CONTEST DETAILS

Are you a romantic whiz in the kitchen? Do you know a recipe for chocolate lava cake that drives women wild? Or do you have any real-life relationship or romance tips that you'd like to share with our viewers this Valentine's Day?

Send us your favorite original Romantic Recipes, relationship advice and love-tips (PG-13 only!) and you will be entered into our Contest. The top 3 entries that get the most votes on our website will win a $50 Best Buy gift card. 10 runners up will get $20 Best Buy gift cards.

You are allowed unlimited entries. Have fun with your recipes and tips, and let your creativity run wild. Feel free to include pictures, advice, commentary, funny stories and anything else you think might make your entry stand apart from the pack and win you a prize.

CLICK HERE to enter!

PRIZES

* 3 Winners - $50 Best Buy gift card

* 10 Runner's Up prizes - $20 Best Buy gift card

RULES

* Theme – Valentines Day! Romantic Recipes or Love/ Relationship/ Dating Tips and Articles
* Please include the word 'Valentines' in the title of your article

* Winner will be decided by viewer voting - so tell your friends to vote for you!

* Your entry must be original, in English, unpublished online* and unproduced, not accepted or

displayed by any other online or print publisher or producer at the time of submission

* Unlimited entries. Enter as many times as you like (one entry per submitted article).

* Winner will be decided by viewer voting - so tell your friends to vote for you!
* No Illegal or explicit content or images
* No copyrighted images or content

PRIZE RULES

* Gift cards for all winners will be posted to the address you register with when you sign up.

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Contest Starts: 2.1.10

Entry Deadline: 2.17.10

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iPad Unveiled: An Interesting but Pointless App Displayer

2010-02-02T17:19:00.000-08:00

These days, we can all name at least one thing that has failed to live up to its hype. In no particular order: over-commercialized holidays (will Hallmark never let up?), Avatar minus the visuals (disgruntled cultural critics unite!), Obama’s presidency (apparently, secretly right-leaning leftists have officially taken over the approval rating polls). Oh and how could I forget the billboard-hogging McRib sandwich – I mean, is anyone else wondering how you can make a comeback if you never really came to begin with?

News pulses and online trends are unanimous though: Apple is finally slated to be the underdog in THE techie tourney of the year: die-hard Steve Jobs worshippers vs. the rest of us in a chokehold deathmatch for the title: the 2010 (Un)Justified Hype Championship. I guess it’s not so much a title as it is a kind of geeky bragging right (move over Tina Fey) and maybe a cover story in Wired magazine. Geek or not, no one can deny the way Jobs has had the general public eating out of the palm of his hand since the advent of the iPod and its ubiquitous high-contrast black and white ads of dancing audiophiles. And I have to admit, it was a teensy bit inspiring to watch the still-enthusiastic iCEO (his moniker, not mine) present his shiny oblong brainchild to the masses: a moment of elation for sure. But I still think it's a bit of a false alarm: in other words, we can all put our heads back down and continue texting on our iPhones now.

Seriously, at the end of the day, when the blinding white lights turn off at the Apple store and Shaq stops being a good sport about the “finally an ipod that can fit in his hand” jokes, is there a real justification out there for this toy? In order to keep the price “reasonable” (still an elastic word given the current state of the economy), the iPad can’t 1) take pictures and can’t 2) run Flash. I mean, wow. For a 10-inch LCD screen , that’s 2 for 2 folks.

Still, I really can’t talk too much smack about a brand whose products underwent the most famous makeover in techie history (Skittle colored iMacs anyone?). And given its lucrative success immediately following the late 90s, you can hardly throw iPad updates into the Who Cares Hindenburg (props to the LNWJF writers for that one). I mean, Jennifer Aniston probably wouldn’t agree with this (according to Vogue), but I think the rumors flying around for this thing almost rivaled the Brangelina fiasco. Yep, it was right up there along with the Haiti earthquake and Susan Boyle's album release date.

Ahh well, what are you gonna do? If technological advances are really just a mad scramble towards obsoleteness, then all this iBashing is really just killing time until the iPad nano comes out anyway.

V is for Vodka

2010-01-22T14:09:00.000-08:00

If you’ve decided to forgo the night out and just keep it low key this VD (or as I like to call it, Vodka Appreciation Day), it doesn’t get any easier than popping in a DVD (or VHS for the oldies-but-goodies out there!) and staying in for the evening. (If you’re still on the fence about braving a V-day crowd of coupled-up kooks this February, here’s an image for laughs: SJP and Cynthia Nixon in last year’s SATC flick batting away curled balloon strings while trying to have a meal.) If you’re wondering how to revolt against yet another over-rated and overly-commercialized holiday- here it is: a no muss, no fuss movie night. For all you single ladies out there (who, despite the catchy tune, feels Beyonce strutting around without a ring is really just Ms. Jay-Z wanting to rule the airwaves yet again by penning a kick-ass girl power track-remember Survivor?), I know what you’re thinking: Just spare me the saccharine happy-endings, right?

Yeah, I’m with you on that one. My personal favorites expertly turn the genre on its head. My Best Friend’s Wedding has an exquisitely bittersweet finale, with a jilted Julia Roberts in one of her finest performances. A more recent take on the doomed relationship is 2009’s 500 Days of Summer, a break-up framed entirely as a series of flashbacks. Another delightful surprise is Broken English (2007), an under-the-radar indie flick with none other than the indie queen herself Parker Posey playing an unlucky single in her mid –thirties dealing with her own painful bouts of self-sabatoge when the too-good-to-be-true French hunk (played by Melvil Poupaud) enters her life.

Speaking of movies, it seems as though the large ensemble cast formula for feature films is here to stay. After Crash took home the Oscar for best picture in 2005, it seems like every production company and team wants to take a crack at it. Some would say 2003’s Love Actually revived the form for rom coms, especially in terms of the seemingly random (but carefully orchestrated) inter-connectivity between initial strangers; since then, with films like 2006’s Paris, Je’taime (which spawned the New York version New York, I Love You), 2009’s He’s Just Not That Into You and next month’s highly anticipated start-studded ensemble Valentine’s Day, the market for movie viewers who want to kill 15 celebrity birds with one movie ticket seems to be a pretty sure thing.

Of course, movie execs and marketing experts know to release these (and other cheese-tastic celluloid delights) just before V-day. How else would countless hopeless-romantic s justify the one day they get to drag their kicking-and-screaming boyfriends (or discreetly resistant but outwardly compliant and enthusiastic boyfriend-hopefuls) to shell out the 10 bones to watch Kate Hudson or Mandy Moore frolic around in too many costume changes (when let’s face it, they’d much rather be at Daybreakers watching a zombie throw down or the Denzel flick)?
Though it’s interesting to note that to date, the highest grossing rom com since the late 70’s is My Big Fat Greek Wedding, a cross-cultural story which revolves around a thirty-something year old single woman who finds love after already being labeled a veritable old maid by her family members. Guaranteed laughs revolve around the film’s comedic rhythm which depends primarily on the moments of hesitation with which most of us approach situations of cultural difference and unfamiliarity. The whitest of whites and the Greek-est of Greeks collide in scenes of hilarious courtship and an equally flamboyant and poignant marriage ceremony.

Nia Vardalo’s overnight success is followed closely by Nancy Meyer’s hit film What Women Want, starring Mel Gibson (pre-Passion of the Christ) and Helen Hunt. The plot revolves around a chauvinistic Gibson who, by way of a serendipitous electrocution, is able to read women’s minds, (unbeknownst to the women). Film as escapism at its best, my friends. If only men were half as intuitive, am I right ladies?

Whatever you end up doing (or not doing), here are some other ideas on how to pass the time this Valentine’s Day! And since some have argued that the best remedy for depression is hard liquor, my last word of advice to you would be to keep your bar fully stocked come February 14th.

Brrrrring on the Heat

2010-01-08T09:22:00.000-08:00

For various reasons, I rarely rave about the weather here in Socal. Most locals take the sun for granted, I suppose. If you've been surrounded by something your whole life, you hardly see it anymore until an outsider mentions it. The sun, the traffic, the superficiality. That's why I can always spot an out-of-towner by the way they talk about the weather (or by the fact that they even mention it at all). I guess by comparison, I must admit that having an 80 degree Christmas is pretty insane. While others freeze their tails off trying to stay warm and out of the snow/sleet/cold, us SoCalers are slathering on sunblock and schlepping around in flip flops.

Seriously, if you're from the East coast (or from anywhere in the Deep South where temperatures are at record lows right now), I bet you're scoffing at me right now. I sleep with the window open, yell at my roomates when they leave the heater on too long and wear scarves primarily as a fashion accessory. But I secretly long for the kind of weather that would warrant the guilty-pleasure purchase of the infamous Ugg boots. Though I can’t help but think that every time I see those ubiquitous Sherpa-lined suede concoctions it must be a veritable slap-in-the-face to those truly struggling to keep warm. Especially when paired –quite intentionally- with mini skirts, booty shorts and sometimes just spandex tights with no additional bottoms (Lady Gaga would be so proud). No matter how much I want them, Socal weather doesn’t seem to justify shelling out the 150 bones.

But this recent cold snap is no joke. We’ve got people falling over dead in their own homes, iguanas shutting down and going into hibernation (no really, that’s not a joke) and falling out of trees. And that’s in South Florida, the state of year round humidity. If you’re wondering how to stay warm under genuinely cold circumstances, check out some of these helpful bits. Otherwise, I suggest you find a working heater (or someone that has one) and hold on to it for dear life.

Entertain This

2009-12-31T09:30:00.000-08:00

“When a word ceases to be a term of description and becomes merely a term of praise, it no longer tells you facts about the object: it only tells you about the speaker’s attitude to that object. (A ‘nice’ meal only means a meal the speaker likes.)”
-C.S. Lewis

Recently, I was asked why something unpleasant would be categorized under “entertainment.” The inquirer was someone considerably younger than myself, and seemed to be under the unsurprisingly common assumption that what entertains must necessarily be pleasant or at least pleasure-inducing.

I did what anyone put on the spot would do: I started feverishly racking my brains hoping I wouldn’t have to pull something out of my ass (like a lot of adults do when children ask pointed, naïve questions). Luckily, the astounding array of unpleasant reality TV shows both past and present came to my rescue: Jersey Shore, Fear Factor, Dirty Jobs, The Bachelor, The Real World, and Keeping up with the Kardashians to name a few.

His question answered, the satisfied pupil went along his way, and I was left wondering about the elasticity of words. The more I thought about it, the more perplexing his question became. And the more I began to wonder if I had shortchanged my answer to his question.

My initial reaction was to dub his query unsurprising because of the typically positive connotations that the word ‘entertainment’ often carries. Historically used to refer to generally pleasant diversions and occupations of the mind, ‘entertainment’ has long been used to refer to recreational artistic performances (think court jesters and medieval minstrels) which brought relief from the every day by inducing amusement and laughter.

The equally surprising nature of his question, though, lies in the seemingly unacknowledged omnipresence of more modern forms of entertainment that eluded him perhaps momentarily. Because let’s face it: you would be hard pressed to find someone today who is unaware of the ubiquitous presence ‘entertainment’ has in the collective consciousness. Young people of today’s generation most likely won’t be able to recall a time “Entertainment” didn’t have its own category on veritably every local and international news channel; in fact, the volume and demand of what many consider entertainment today has now warranted its own channel just to keep track of it all (Entertainment Tonight, ENews!, etc.). And by ‘keep track’, I mean all of it: the good, the bad and the ugly. Brangelina’s latest adoption case and Oprah’s recent trip to Africa is right up there along with rumors of a Jolie-Pitt split and the day time talk show goddess’s fluctuating weight patterns. Fashion faux pas, box office flops and award show flubs all get equitable time under the limelight.

What’s more, with the advent of Youtube, Myspace, Facebook and other such user-generated sites, entertainment (and ensuing celebrity) is no longer exclusively the domain of the rich and famous: the recently coined term “Youtube sensation” attests to the rising number of self-made stars today’s generation boasts. Of course, you’ll always get a bad apple or two (or three…). I still don’t know if it’s entirely a ‘good’ thing that anyone and everyone has access to post whatever they want, whenever they want (case in point: the popping of the biggest pimple in history – look it up if you want to experience simultaneous gagging and vomiting)- though there is no denying the many useful ramifications and effects of such technology (cell phone videos capturing political chaos and acts of civilian murder in the Middle East).

Yeah, I’m off my soap box now. But before this turns into a moralizing rant on the state of the media, I must admit that not all reality shows are from the devil. My rule of thumb tends to be: If a shows states upfront its premise to be a kind of ‘show’ in the traditional sense (American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance), it will often have nothing to hide.

But I can't ignore the nagging feeling that there is something to be said about the unremitting public demand for a very particularized phenomenon of entertainment, as evidenced by the highest ratings in series history for the episode in which Jon and Kate Gosselin announce their separation in Jon and Kate Plus Eight: invasive documentation of family life. Where does this kind of insatiable curiosity come from? (Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, anyone?) Perhaps this is a question best left to sociologists and psychologists (and therapists) but it does strike me as an interesting coincidence that the term often used to refer to the strange attraction to such shows is “guilty pleasure”. Entertainment it is and therefore pleasurable it is too, but why the guilt? If the act of deriving pleasure from another’s pain is partly to blame, one can only wonder why such desire, even in small doses, even exists.

2010 will undoubtedly be another year of such entertainment (as we speak, Snookie is rapidly turning into a household name and New Jersey into a tourist hot spot), and I don’t pretend to state my case as the first of its kind, or the most effective way of getting to the root of the problem (if you even think it is one). But the next time you hear the word “entertainment”, if you find yourself tacking on “for who?” or “at whose expense?” you might be moving closer to the real answer to the unassuming question that triggered this blog entry, an entry which has, finally, reached its end (for now).

Musicomedical Ingenuity

2009-12-26T10:11:00.000-08:00

Ahh, there's nothing like some good ol' late night TV to unwind from a long day at work and get you in the holiday spirit, eh? Where else can you get two of my all-time favorite entertainers on the same show improvising like there's no tomorrow?

Now I know what you're thinking. Jimmy Fallon doesn't really compare to the veterans of late night - Leno, Letterman, and company. Well, I don't care what you've heard about Jimmy Fallon's Late Night Show, the guy is amazing. Okay so his monologues aren't like Conan O'Brien's, but that's cuz he's NOT Conan O'Brien. Jimmy's still gotta retain his Jimmy-ness, and he does his best to do just that. Hilarious SNL-esque sketches, some down-to-earth stand up in between introducing his guests, and relatively non-threatening audience interaction. You don't ever have to worry getting completely roasted by Jimmy if he calls you out because, well, he's just too sweet to take it that far.

But let's take Fallon off the pedestal for a sec. By now, you probably know that he generously shares the spotlight with THE best house band to boot: Rockin' the stage every night (and commuting nightly from their hometown of Philly) is the Legendary Roots Crew. It’s like a free mini-concert every night, even sans musical guest performances. Original ‘sandwiches’ (intros and outros composed by the band, led by its amazing drummer and producer ?eustlove) keep the audience members on their toes. Did Max Weinberg and his late night band compose original and personalized intro music for each and every single one of Conan’s guests? Exactly. Hands down: one of THE best moves in comedic (and musical) history since Adam Samberg’s unapologetically crass and wildly successful album Incredibad – another ingenious brainchild of the inherently organic collaboration between comedy and music.

Dave Chappelle once commented on the way comedy and music often go hand in hand: "Comedians and musicians - we're like this [interlocks all ten fingers with both hands]. Every comic wants to be a musician. Every musician thinks they're funny." Case in point: Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz perfoming an original Christmas song (first aired on an SNL episode) which Julian Casablancas, frontman of The Strokes, then covered - with a little help from the Roots of course - on a Late Night episode last week. A kick ass cover if you ask me. Simultaneously you get a dose of hilarious comedic effect and astounding musicality all rolled into one song initially meant for laughs only.

Some of you overachievers are probably already thinking about after-Christmas sales, and how to start the New Year off on the right foot. But if you’re like me and winding down from a low key, at-home Christmas celebration, hunkering down in your PJs and watching TV just might be the perfect way to conclude yet another hectic holiday season.

Merry Christmas!

Avatar - What's All the Fuss About?

2009-12-21T15:25:00.000-08:00

Unless you have been buried in a bog, marooned up a mountain or otherwise cut off from all forms of mass media for the last month or so, you'll have probably heard about the release of the new James Cameron movie, 'Avatar.'

After Titanic become the all-time top-grossing film with a take of just over $1.8 billion (after Gone With the Wind, Star Wars, The Sound of Music, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and the 1956 version of The Ten Commandments), it seemed ridiculous to think that Cameron could top that. But top that he did. Worldwide, "Avatar" topped $230 million in its first weekend.

If you're like me and the last time you went to the cinema they were called 'talkies', you'll probably be wondering what makes this movie any different from the plethora of pre-Christmas releases waving their million-dollar animated fingers for your attention. Let me give you some reasons why you should go see it.

I'll start with the basics. At position Numero Uno - this is a James Cameron movie. On his resume: all the Terminator movies, Titanic, Aliens, The Abyss, Rambo... basically every movie that was ever made that is worth watching that wasn't made by Spielberg.

Number two - this is quite possibly the most expensive movie ever made. Really. This is Mr. Cameron's first fiction feature since 1997s Titanic, so they didn't skimp on cost by creating their own backyard special effects. At last count the animated (CGI) movie cost over 300 million. Or to put that into money that you and I will understand, that's 25,000 year's rent paid if you live in the LA area, or 16,666,666 Egg McMuffins at McDonalds. Don't ask me how or why I worked that one out.

The big question is: was it worth it? Well, check out the trailer and decide for yourselves:

We wish you a Recession-Friendly Christmas...and a More Financially Stable New Year

2009-12-17T09:24:00.000-08:00

If you were brave enough to have ventured out to any local mall this past weekend, you were probably thinking what I was thinking: Recession who? Everywhere I turned, I was hit by, stuck behind, walking uncomfortably close to or trying desperately to fight off hordes upon hordes of Christmas shoppers with that crazed look in their eyes. You know that look. The anxiety-ridden, wild-eyed look of consumerism that continues to plague America's malls not just during the holidays, but on most days (if we're really gonna be honest here).

A quick pitstop at any store quickly turns into a shoulder-grazing, shopping-bag bumping, sideways-stepping mad rush to get in line before the next customer.

Indeed, in a nation where after national tragedy strikes, we are told by our leaders that "it's okay and safe to go shopping now", it's no wonder that even in hard times, consumerism would still be the last value standing. Though it is a rarity to see anything substantial -like say, an entire way of life- change overnight, there are ways to keep the purse strings tight this Christmas. And you thought this was going to be a rant with no remedies.

Take, for example, the act of gifting. Before heading out the door with your wallet and list of who's been naughty or nice, plant your feet firmly inside the doorway and take a good look around. Regifting takes a lot of heat for being an un-kosher way of getting away with not having to purchase a gift, but that's because it often isn't done correctly! Let a pro show you how it's done! On a side note, regifting has also become a way of raising money for charitable causes - puts a different spin on the infamous fruitcake that also takes a lot of flack during the holidays, doesn't it?

Another option is to give your knuckles a good crack or two and stretch your arts and crafts muscles. Go through your mental rolodex of basic arts-and-crafts skills that might come in handy this Christmas. Even if you don't knit, you can at least wield a hot glue gun. And there's nothing wrong with cotton balls and Elmer's glue for some good ol'-fashioned grade school Christmas card sentiment.

After racking your brain, you might decide that a trip to the mall is still necessary. Make it count by following these helpful tips on how to be a bit more frugal this holiday season.

Some last minute tips: But be sure to lace up those sneakers because tottering on heels or limping around in tight, uncomfortable shoes at a crowded mall will only heighten your irritation with the millions of other Americans who are trying to snag the same deals you are. And give the employees a break: they're getting paid close to minimum wage to help you pick out a gift for someone -the least you can do is keep the ranting and complaining to yourself (or within the confines of a blog).

TVLesson's First Internship Graduates with Flying Colors

2009-12-14T16:28:00.000-08:00

TVLesson is proud to announce the graduation of its Fall 2009 Media Internship.

The Internships, which generally last from 1-3 months, provide a way for local filmmakers and film students from nearby schools and universities to interact with TVLesson and gain valuable work experience as a Filmmaker, whilst learning things like Cinematography, Lighting, Sound Design, Directing and video Editing.

Says recent graduate Matt, 'My TVLesson Internship gave me the confidence to try out new ideas and technologies and collaborate with a fantastic group of people who I never would've met otherwise. Our first Intern film was a finalist in the South Bay Film Festival, which I feel was a big achievement and looks great on my resume. Thank you, TVLesson!'

For all you budding writers out there, here's what our interns have to say about the process of writing a short film:

TVLesson is currently accepting applications for our Spring 2010 Internship program, which kicks off in the first week of January. Local Orange-County-based applicants can apply by emailling us at: info (at) TVLesson (dot) com for more details.

Congratulations to our Fall 2009 Graduate Interns!

Want to take a joyride in space? All Aboard with Virgin Galactic!

2009-12-07T11:26:00.000-08:00

It seems the stuff that dreams are made out of, but within the next ten years, commercial airlines could be offering almost-affordable luxury cruises in space.

Formerly only available to mega-millionaires who forked out six figures to ride on Russian Rockets on a trip to the orbiting space station, commercial spaceflight crossed the event horizon into the realms of possibility today, with today's unveiling of a new type of crossover air-space craft which will make trips into the stratosphere to view the curvature of earth a possibility to commercial passengers.

The craft, appropriately named SpaceShipTwo, looks eerily similar to a Star Trek fanatic's childhood wall posters. Fixed between a 'mothership' of two powerful spacecraft joined together, the sleek, double-fronted beast will carry SS2 to launch altitudes before dropping away to let the spaceship carry on solo into space.

British billionaire Richard Branson and his family will be the first people to 'take her up,' and it is expected that Virgin Galactic - yes, that's its real name - will be offering Space Flights within the decade.

In case you still don't believe it: here's the booking form.

Check out Virgin Galactic's jaw-dropping promo video, and see how you can fly into space - without remortgaging your house.

An American Dream in Britain - Susan Boyle makes chart history with Debut Album

2009-12-02T09:59:00.000-08:00

It's like watching the American Dream play out in Britain right now. Unemployed churchgoer Susan Boyle, a complete unknown (even in her own village) a year ago is now one of the biggest surprise stars of 2009. After wowing cynical judges on 'Britain's Got Talent' in summer '09 with her accomplished, operatic performance of 'I Dreamed A Dream', she shot to instant superstardom. Today, her debut album 'I Dreamed a Dream' sold over 700,000 copies, entering the Billboard charts at an astonishing #1.

The singing sensation has drawn frequent criticism over her frumpy looks - the bushy eyebrows, her reluctance to wear makeup or fashionable clothing, even at the height of fame, and in particular her untamable mane of gorse-like gray hair which has inspired many a caricature in daily papers. But there's a lingering feeling that we like her like that. When she plucked her eyebrows two weeks after demolishing opposition in 'Britain's Got Talent', it made front-page news. People were up in arms about it, and for good reason.

Why? Because Ms Boyle represents The Dream to all of us. She is a Nobody who has become a Somebody, whist reminding us that everybody, no matter how unknown, IS a Somebody. Her down-to-earth ways and awestruck attitude to fame shame those record company executives who spend millions of dollars 'creating' stars by hiring groups of pretty 16-year old's who can't sing, grooming and training and advertising them, then acting all surprised when they disappear without trace 12 months later.

If the music business is a monster, it seemed certain that it would eat Susan Boyle alive. Surprise surprise, she not only fought back, but chased the monster into a corner and beat it to death with a bagful of her own eyebrow clippings. Susan Boyle is here to stay, and you need only watch this video of her last performance on 'Britain's Got Talent' to see that.

Good luck Susan. I'll be buying your album.

The New Twilight Movie - What's all the Hype About?

2009-10-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

With Halloween coming up this weekend, there's nothing better to put you in the mood for a night of spooky fun than a good old-fashioned monster movie. This weekend's offering includes Saw VI, The Vampire's Assistant, and the spooky-without-meaning-to-be musical movie 'Michael Jackson: This Is It.'

The main choice for most people under the age of 25 will be, of course, Stephanie Meyer's latest movie, 'New Moon,' a werewolf/ vampire love story that is predicted to hit #1 at the box office the weekend of its release.

Whether of not you're a fan of Stephanie Meyer, you can't deny that her Twilight series has captured the imagination of teens and adults alike. It seems like the classic rags to riches tale: after being initially rejected by 14 agents, the first book in her teen-oriented vampire romance series became the biggest-selling book of 2008, selling around 17 million copies around the world.

Since then, three other books have followed in quick succession: New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. As a series, the books have been praised by fans and casual readers alike for their readability, whilst drawing fierce criticism from some (including Stephan King) for their simple 'childlike' writing and for reinforcing old fashioned stereotypes of women.

It's not hard to see why - in book after book the heroine Bella Swan is constantly rescued by the hero, the vampire Edward Cullen, whilst following him around like a love-sick puppy and ignoring or even spurning the advances of other human boys her age.

Critics say the heroine provides an unhealthy role model for young women, whilst fans rave about the interplay between the vividly-drawn characters and the themes of forbidden love and realistically-portrayed teenage angst.

Whether you love or hate the series, the second movie in the series New Moon will be released next week, and introduces a new romantic rival for Edward - the young werewolf Jacob Black. Is Ms Meyer a genuine new talent in her own right, or simply yet another writer cashing in on the massive surge in popularity of vampires following the sadly-demised 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' super-series? Joss Whedon she ain't, but the girl sure knows how to spin a good yarn.

Check out the trailer for the upcoming New Moon movie and decide for yourself:

If you're a big werewolf or vampire fan, check out these great costume ideas for this Halloween:

How to do vampire makeup:

Do you love werewolves? Check out this awesome werewolf costume for inspiration:

How to Cure Halloween Procrastination...

2009-10-26T16:32:00.000-07:00

So, Halloween is on Saturday night, and you're SO prepared for Halloween this year it's not even funny. You've got your costume sorted out, your house is blazing with lights and exotic spider-webs and plastic neon witches climbing up the guttering, and you have sackloads of candy for the local children and a bunch of scary movies by the DVD player.... in your dreams.

Okay, so in reality, you're kind of sort of thinking about maybe swinging by the costume store on Thursday night to see if they have anything cheap-ish left on sale, followed by a last-minute run to Target on Friday after work to pick up whatever cheap candy the Great Unwashed Masses have left (hopefully) untouched and (mainly) unchewed in the bargain bin. Take heart. You're not alone.

If you're like me and you can happily turn Halloween procrastination into an art form, here's a couple of tips to inspire you.

First-up, for a cheap costume, raid your girlfriends/ mothers/ sisters cosmetics drawers and check out the amazing creature make-up in this vid by Hollywood Mac experts:

Do you like zombies? Would you like to create some realisticly gory Zombie special effects make-up? Is there such a thing as having too many zombies? Find out in this fun video by the fabulously green Indy Moguls, How To Do ZOMBIE Special Effects Makeup.

And finally, if you want to get your own back at those annoying little sticky kids that turn up at your door and cover your hedge in toilet paper, check out this article and find out How To Scare Trick or Treaters.

Happy Halloween! :-)

Texas Tech pulls the plug on Twitter

2009-09-30T16:50:00.000-07:00

So the latest furor over the use of the insanely popular social networking site Twitter is centered on the Raiders. Texas Tech recently issued a team-wide ban on the Raiders team's not-so-private usage of Twitter, after a senior linebacker confessed to his Twitter viewers Sunday afternoon that the season was not going as expected, in a Tweet which read:

His post has now been taken down, but Williams' gut-reaction to the Houston loss - "WTF I can't believe what happened man my senior season isn't goin' anything like what I busted my azz for... - still remains proudly posted, along with very similar sentiments from offensive lineman Brandon Carter:

"This is not how I saw our season," [Carter] wrote on Twitter early Sunday morning. "I just cried like am (sic) idiot. I want us to be so good my last year and I feel like I’m letting everyone down."

Carter also used the feed to break the news that he'd been suspended for next week's game against New Mexico and stripped of his captaincy. That post was also soon deleted, but not before it had fueled a round of high-profile wire stories Sunday night.

Obviously one might wonder why anyone even remotely famous would be using a public social networking site... but as the Raiders found out, it's not about what you say but how you say it.
The danger of sites such as Facebook and Twitter (come on, is anyone actually using MySpace any more?) is that within seconds, a single random (and possibly career-destroying) thought can be broadcast worldwide to a phenomenally large audience.

They may not be sitting in front of a microphone, but stars and celebs alike need to realize that their 'private' usage of Twitter is akin to putting out a worldwide press-release each time they so much as report on what they're eating for breakfast.

Forget Drunk-Calling, Highway-Texting or Pants-Pocket Dialling, the Twitter Hangover is the latest and greatest social Faux-Pas. Whether you're famous or not, the fallout from an errant remark like this can be not only embarrassing, but potentially libelous. Here's five Tips on how to avoid embarrassing yourself on Twitter.

For those of us still in the Dark Ages on how to use Twitter, here's a nice simple introduction to the site:

Match It for Pratchett - Donate $1 to Alzheimer's research

2009-09-22T08:53:00.000-07:00

Terry Pratchett, the bestselling fantasy author, is suffering from a rare form of Alzheimer's but would like it to be known that he is not dead yet.

In a statement posted on the website of his illustrator Paul Kidby, the author in typical humorous fashion describes the diagnosis as "an embuggerance."

He adds: "Frankly, I would prefer it if people kept things cheerful, because I think there's time for at least a few more books yet."

Terry Pratchett, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in December, recently donated $1 million to the Alzheimer's Research Trust to help find a cure.

The best-selling author said:

"I am proud to become a Patron of the Alzheimer's Research Trust. Alzheimer's is a nasty disease, surrounded by shadows and small, largely unseen tragedies. I understand the desperation of sufferers and their carers and their hopes for, if not a cure, at least some regime that might help us live with Alzheimer's. Frankly, I'd eat the arse out of a dead mole if it offered a fighting chance. It was a shock to find out that funding for Alzheimer's research is just 3% of that to find cancer cures. Right now, one thing we can do is make certain that Alzheimer's does not remain out in the shadows. Once upon a time, cancer was only spoken of as "a long illness". When people felt able to talk about it, the battle could begin. The same thing can happen with Alzheimer's. Before you can kill the demon, you have to say its name."

Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said:
"We're so pleased to have Terry's continued support. He is an inspiration to the 700,000 people who have dementia and 25 million friends and family affected by the disease. With a force like Terry demanding a drastic increase in dementia research funding, the government must recognize soon that it can no longer put off urgently needed reform."

Pratchett, 59, is best known for his satirical Discworld novels and he has sold more than 55 million books.

Pat Cadigan started an online campaign (dubbed "Match it for Pratchett" by participants) on her blog to get half a million Discworld fans to each donate a pound (that's about two dollars in U.S. currency) to Alzheimer's research, thus matching the half-million pounds/a million dollars donation Terry Pratchett made yesterday to the Alzheimer's Research Trust in the U.K. Cadigan says on his blog, "So whaddaya say, guys? … You can spare that much. Go here and make your donation. Tell them it's in honour of Terry Pratchett."

The Match It For Pratchett site, www.matchitforpratchett.org , has been set up for more information. A Facebook page has also been set up by the originator of the initiative, which includes a letter from the Alzheimer's Research Trust.

Check out this latest interview with Terry Pratchett (below). You can donate directly to the trust by going to their official site at the Alzheimer's Research Trust.

Summer Sounds - Def Leppard, Poison and Cheap Trick show review

2009-08-31T11:58:00.000-07:00

If you're a music fan, one of the greatest joys of summertime is the opportunity to enjoy your favorite bands outside, in the fresh summer air (or the not-so-fresh air, if you live in LA right now).

This weekend, I was fortunate enough to get a VIP pass (ok, so they were lawn seats. So I'm cheap. So what?) to one of the most talked-about concerts of the Rock Summer -the much touted Poison/ Def Leppard summer tour. This show was at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine.

THE VENUE - THE GOOD

As a venue, the Verizon Ampitheatre holds its own with the best of them. The stage itself is a good size, although the seating is on a very steep hill - which is actually good if you want to see the show but you can't afford to shell out $150 for stageside seating. Even those right up on the lawn at the top get a fairly decent, unobstructed view of the stage, and the two Jumbotron screens provide close-ups of the action.

THE VENUE - THE BAD

If you're a fan of the traditional pre-show tailgate parties, be aware that the venue practices a zero-tolerance policy against Outside Alcohol - even in the parking lot. Be warned that dozens of uniformed officers on segways (licence plate: PRTYPOOPER) patrol every inch of the parking lot hours before the show. If you are caught with alcohol (even unopened bottles or jello-shots in a cooler) you will be asked to pour it all out or leave - and no, drinking it all in one go if caught is not an option. (We tried). Just a little heads up!

Drinks inside the venue are (typically) over-priced, starting at $8 for a Red Bull, $10 for a beer, $18 for a frozen margarita and $22 for a bottle of white wine.

THE SHOW

The show itself was a mixed bag. The two rock dinosaurs Leppard and Poison were supported by Cheap Trick, who gave a solid if short performance with 4 old songs and one new song. After 35 years together, their sound was tight and lead singer Robin Zander proved he's still got what it takes to get 16,000 people on their feet and cheering for more... despite the odd onstage temper tantrum.

POISON

For me, Poison was the highlight of this lineup. One might make fun of lead singer Brett Michaels for his high-publicity reality-show appearances, but as a frontman he's still got the looks and the moves that leave others in his genre far behind.

Although initially Michaels sounded very hoarse on a number of songs (payback perhaps for a summer schedule chock-full of gigs), he was able to guide the band with enviable energy through a scorching back-catalog of hits such as 'Nothing But A Good Time' and 'Every Rose Has It's Thorn.' Every song was greeted with a rousing chorus of cheers and a forest of flickering cigarette lighters. The fact that the vast majority of the audience was in its early 20's and dressed to the nines with eyeliner and Big Hair gives fans hope that glam rock is not yet dead!

Guitarist C.C. Deville stole the show as always with a blistering solo matched with a truly impressive light display synched to his playing. Bassist Bobby Dall was absent for this performance.

C.C Devillie up to his usual tricks!

DEF LEPPARD

Def Leppard headlined the set, but despite their far more elaborate set and infinitely superior sound mix, fans knew it was more of a co-headline. 'The Lep' may have some of the most loyal fans in rock today, but even though I count myself as one of them, I felt that they were outdone by Poison on this particular performance in terms of energy and performance.

Don't get me wrong. I've been a Def Leppard fan since I was a kid, but seeing them paired with Poison draws attention to some of their music shortcomings.

Yes, this summer's tour provides a stunning show. Yes, if this is your first show it will blow you away. You certainly get your money's worth. But for me, Def Leppard's set felt very over-produced compared to the rougher, rawer energy of Poison.

Whereas Poison had real pyro and lots of it, Leppard had banks and banks (and more banks) of 50-foot high video-screens showing - you've guessed it - videos of pyro. And therein lay the problem. I watched the pretty backdrop videos with rapt attention throughout the first two songs before I even noticed the band was on the stage too.

The theatrics should've been turned off after the first song, or at the very least used sparingly rather than run at full two-million megawattage blast through EVERY SINGLE SONG. The colors were bright, the images house-sized and ever-changing. The flames morphed into beautiful women and stormy cloudscapes and moody clocks swirling over purple alien landscapes, prompting the questions a) who made this beautiful monster, and b) why won't it let go of my eyes?

Where's Waldo? Spot the band on this stage!

Musically, Def Leppard matched their over-elaborate, attention-sucking backdrop with similar layers of backing tracks. It's no shame to play with a click-track, especially not in this day and age when two gee-tars and a drum don't cut it no more, but after the clean-cut live sound of Poison, I felt like I was drowning in Leppard's harmonies. I had to look very carefully to see who was actually doing the singing, and pause every few songs to pour about two pints of Reverb out of my left ear.

Frontman Joe Elliot's voice was also a little lacking, perhaps because of the heat or the exhaustion of trying to keep up with the over-energetic visuals. It was hard not to notice how his vocals were carefully turned down as he approached some of the higher notes, then turned back up afterwards. But he made up for it via sheer force of personality and his trademark charm. His between-song banter went down particularly well, and as a Brit myself it was very refreshing to hear some personality coming from a frontman instead of the usual 'Lemmie-hear-a-'Hell-Yeah!'' pseudo-cool banter so beloved of many lead singers.

The other attention-stealer in the Leppard set was (you've guessed it) guitarist's Phil 'Shirtless Wonder' Collen's ever-exposed washboard stomach. It shone. It gleamed. It made you stop dancing to 'Photograph' to ponder whether he used Olive-oil or turtle wax to keep it looking so shiny.

But like Def Leppard's backdrop (The flames! The women! The 3D bubbles!), it was a constant distraction. Whereas the others changed costume several times during the set to match the mood of the music, Colleen's jaw-dropping figure was proudly on display at all times. Don't get me wrong, if I was in such great shape myself, I would go around shirtless all the time. I would give my stomach its own Facebook page, and possibly shares in Wunder-Tan. But when every conversation you hear around you in the audience seems to center on what exercise/ diet routine the guitarist uses to look that tanned and toned, you can't help but wonder what happened to the music.

To sum up, if Def Leppard wants to keep winning the headlining slot over Poison, they'd do well to watch themselves play from the lawn seats at the back of the stadium, and perhaps tone down their show just a touch. They may have a fifty-foot high all-singing, all-dancing backing video, but for the majority of Leppard fans out there, just a photograph is (more than) enough.

Goodness, It's Hot!!!

2009-07-20T14:14:00.001-07:00

I can't believe how hot it is this summer! I haven't seen any record breaking temperatures, but I'm guessing that the average temperature is higher than it has been the last couple of years. Anyways, I've been looking for some things to do over the summer, but It's so hot that all I've been doing is going swimming. It's fun, but I'm guessing everyone else had the same idea as me because it was packed. Beach balls and hoops would hit me left and right and I'd bump into someone every 10 minutes, but it was well worth it being in a large pool of water.

Besides swimming, there are many things that one can do, it's just up to you whether you can find it or not. One great idea is to go to the beach. Of course, this is pretty obvious, but the question is what are you going to do there? There is swimming in the sea, but there are many more places to explore when you go there. You can play beach volleyball, which is a fun game to play in the sun, although it might get hot, so wear plenty of sunscreen lotion. You can also visit the shops along the beach for some added fun. If you have no money, you can always window shop. If you do have a lot of cash on you, you can splurge a little bit and buy yourself something nice.

You can go on the pier to watch people fishing, or you can go fishing yourself. Despite what others think, fishing is actually pretty fun. Even though you might have to wait a while before catching some fish, it's a perfect chance to catch up with some friends and have some time where you guys can bond. Plus, once you catch that first fish, it's actually pretty exciting!

If you don't want to go to the beach, find something that will cool you down in your local area. I know for a fact that going ice skating will cool you down for sure. If you don't know how to skate, have fun learning. If you do, have some fun learning a couple of tricks and techniques to make you able to skate better.

If you don't want to go out anywhere, you can call over some friends. The problem with that is that all that body heat in that one room is going to make it extremely hot for you and your friends, so it's probably not the best idea. But whatever you can think of, as long as you're having fun, I'm sure it's going to help you forget about the summer heat.

Been Laid Off? Top 10 Resume Tips from a Hiring Manager

2009-07-17T09:55:00.000-07:00

So, it's that wonderful, carefree time of the year again. Summer's coming, the sky is blue, the birds are singing, and... what's that, boss? The firm is downsizing? You appreciate all my years of hard work but... yes, I understand. Cuts have to be made. Change is A Good Thing. And yes, I do realize the cost of outsourcing my entire department's work to Thailand will make sure your children get through college and have the future the spoiled little brats deserve. Thank you, sir. Goodbye sir...

Being made redundant can happen to the best of us, usually at the worst of times, but this doesn't have to be the end for you. Not knowing where your next rent check will come from is scary, but rest assured that you are not alone in your situation, and that you do have the power to make losing your job into an opportunity for personal and financial advancement rather than the end-of-the-world disaster it probably feels like right now.

The first thing to do is to blow the dust off your resume and take a good hard look at it. Your resume should be your best friend, your ambassador, something you feel proud to send out into the world to represent you. There are hundreds of good books out there telling you how to craft the perfect resume, but all your hard work will go to waste if you don’t get past the first hurdle: the person who will read your resume. In other words, the Hiring Manger.

Here are some real-life tips gathered from my own experience acting as a Hiring Manager for many different companies, to help your application stand apart from the pack.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Tip #1: Make a good first impression. First up, if you're applying by email, be aware that your email will be the company's first (and possibly only) impression of you. If your email subject-line reads 'Expereenced Proofreader Job Application,' …. then they’re probably not going to open your email and read the ‘perfect’ cover letter and resume you spent five hours crafting the previous night.

Tip #2: Treat your email like a mini-version of your cover letter. This will be your potential employer’s next impression of you. Yes, your cover letter and resume are outstanding, but if the email they are attached to reads 'hey you guyz i saw yer ad on craigslist and i'm your guy, check out my resume and youll see why!'..... do you really think they'll bother downloading, printing and reading your resume?

THE COVER LETTER

Tip #3: Address your cover letter correctly. Spend an extra thirty seconds on Google to find out your potential new boss's name, or simply address it: 'To the Hiring Manager,' or 'Dear Sir/Madam,' rather than the overused and annoyingly vague 'To Whom It May Concern.'

Tip #4: Say ‘Thank you’. Similarly, start or end your cover letter by thanking the Hiring Manager for taking the time to read your resume. These days, an advert on Craigslist can attract over 300 responses for one position, so its possible that the Hiring Manager or Employer will have read several hundred resumes before yours. It's a thankless task, and a comment like that will make us feel all warm and glowy inside…. a good frame of mind to hire you in.

THE RESUME

Tip #5: Keep it short. Resumes these days need to be kept short, one or two pages at most. If you’re applying to be a PHD instructor then by all means, give us pages of references. If you’re applying to work in a Kwick-E-Mart, just let us know that a) You can work a till, b) you have no finger injuries that will prevent you from pushing the Copier button, and c) you have up-to-date health insurance and you recently won a Marksman of the Year award at your local shooting academy.

Tip #6: Put your best strawberries on top. Even if your resume is short, put the most tantalizing and tasty information about yourself on the top. If you used to run a company just like theirs, live two blocks from their offices or raised 4 million dollars of corporate funding, tell them so. Give them one good reason why you alone should get the job out of all the similarly qualified people who also applied.

Tip #7: Give them your phone number! It may sound obvious, but remember to put your phone number on your resume. Most interested employers will contact you via phone to schedule an interview, and so if you don’t have a phone number on your resume and they have a pile of 200 resumes to pick from, rest assured they won’t bother emailing you to try and find out your phone number.

THE FOLLOW-UP

Tip #8: If you didn’t get the job, don’t expect a call to tell you so. A job advert on Craigslist can generate 200+ responses; on Monster etc the figure can be higher. Unless you personally know the boss/ Hiring Manger, it's general policy these days to simply not write back to you if you don't have the job. Sadly, it's the way of the world these days.

Tip #9: Don’t be too needy. If a manager likes your resume, you WILL get a phone call within a couple of days of your application. If a week goes past with still no reply, a follow-up email is acceptable to inquire if the position has been filled. A phone call is not. Think of your job application like a first date. If they like you and want to hire you, they WILL call you back. If not, bugging them for a response will come across as somewhat needy, or even desperate - not an impression you want to give a potential employer.

Tip #10: Thank them for their time. If you have attended an interview, write a short 'thank you' note to the person who interviewed you and email it to them afterwards. To do so shows that you have manners, and will also conveniently put your name and email address right at the top of their inbox.

Good luck with your job search! :-)

- Natasha

Those Who Will Be Missed

2009-07-01T14:39:00.000-07:00

Very strangely and unfortunately, many stars have passed away the past month within very short periods of each other. The most notable is Michael Jackson, the king of pop, who at the age of fifty supposedly passed away due to cardiac arrest. This man dazzled everyone with intensity and out-of-this-world dancing for many years, and when he passed away, the whole of the U.S. shook in grief. However, it wasn't just Michael that passed away, but there were a couple of everyday celebrities that passed away as well.

Do you remember the Oxyclean man? Billy Mays, a man who is well known for the myriad of infomercials that he does, had also passed away at the age of 50. Before his autopsy showed that he passed away from heart disease, it was suspected that his death was related to the accident on a plane when something fell on top of his head.

Farrah Fawcett, an iconic symbol to women everywhere, passed away at 62 while she was battling cancer. Once an angel for Charlie, she outgrew her role and rose to fame when Pro Arts Inc. asked to do a photo shoot with her, and 45 years later it has become "the most influential piece of men’s art of the last 50 years”.

They call him "The man of 1000 faces". Fred Travalena, comedian extraordinaire, passed away this sunday from cancer. TVLesson had an interview with him not too long ago as he told us how to become a great comedian. He had an incredible presence with his many impressions and his constant appearances on the Tonight Show.

For all those who are connected to or have been influenced by these great people and many more that have passed away, the people from TvLesson.com hope that you keep strong and keep their spirits alive.

Summer's Here

2009-06-23T15:49:00.001-07:00

Finally! School's over and now it's time to play in the hot summer heat. But what makes summer summer? Is it the unlimited free time we can spend just laying on the soft sandy beach? I think not. In my opinion, it's only summer when we can have all the chilled desserts that we want without adults saying that it's too much because they'll be busy cooling themselves down with a treat as well.

And I think I have the perfect treat to satisfy our tastes for something deliciously cold in our mouths: homemade icicle pops!! Whooo!!

The great thing about these icicle pops are:

1)They're low in calories (depending on which one you eat. You can't expect a fudge pop to be less than 50 calories, although strawberry pops are o.O)

2) they're all incredibly delicious, and

3) they cost a fraction of the money we use to buy Popsicles in stores.

Why waste time making pops when you can easily drive to the store to buy some? Well, if you're a parent, it's a great way to get your lazy child's butt off the couch and have some bonding time, because we all know how much a teenager and a parent need time to talk and have fun. On the other hand, if you're a teenager, it's the perfect excuse to not go on a random fishing trip or go mow the lawn (yawn...how boring would a fishing trip be?)

With three different varieties of ice pops you can make, what's not to love?

Come on... I know you want to try it... =]

The Blues

2009-06-23T10:59:00.000-07:00

One of the most versatile instruments on this planet is the guitar. The guitar has an ancient history that maybe goes back even to the beginnings of time. According to an Arabic folklore, the oud which was a primitive form of the guitar, was invented by the grandson of Adam. Amazing.

To think that an instrument has evolved throughout time to create genres of music such as blues, pop, classical, flemenco and etc is absolutely amazing.
Another popular genre of music is the blues. The blues is a type of song that has a very sad tone to it which makes it ideal for playing when you are in that depressed mood.

If you are curious on what the blues are, watch Walk Hard. Its a parody of the blues era featuring John C. Reilly. It's hilarious.

The guitar is so versatile because you can strum it, you can pick it and you can even tap it!

How does one tap a guitar? Like this:

Pretty amazing stuff huh?

Anti Stabbing Knife Developed.

2009-06-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

You hear it all the time in the news of someone being fatally stabbed. What if I were to tell you that England has developed a knife that cannot stab anything? This new knife has a redesigned blade that prohibits any stabbing action but still retains the ability to cut things.

The knife has a blunt "upper protrusion" with a rounded edge which acts as a protection barrier for the sharp blade. Also, it has a small undercut that snags on to clothes, skin or tissue.

The sharp point below is used as a standard knife point but with limited penetration. An ergonomic handle also reduces the aggressiveness of the sharp knife.

The common kitchen knife has not been changed for centuries so it's good to see that civilization is introducing a safer alternative for modern times.

Knives obviously can never be totally safe, but the fact that it can never cause a fatal wound will allow many people to sleep well at night. This knife would prevent people from just grabbing a kitchen knife and killing someone.

What Women Look For in a Man

2009-06-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

I came across this interesting article while browsing the internet and I thought I'd share it.

The majority population of women have similar characteristics they look for in the men they want to go out with. Look play only a partial role so if you are no Brad Pitt, that doesn't necessarily mean you have no chance. We've all seen those average looking guys going out on dates with a 5"8 model and that's because they figured out a way to present themselves as desirable.

So how does on present themselves as desirable to women?

The first thing you want to watch out for is coming on too strong. If you keep texting or calling her, it seems a little needy and desperate. Girls don't like it when they sense desperation in their man.

Confidence is key to attract women. However, there is a very fine line between confident and cocky and it is crucial you do not cross that line. Try to talk about her and not yourself so much on dates and always appear to be interested in what she is saying.

Another important tip to consider is to be a good listener. Women usually want someone to listen to their problems and what they are thinking and this will definitely make you more desirable to women.

Being humorous and articulate is also very important. Women love men that are smart, clever, and funny because the way to a women's heart is through her laugh.

Make sure you smile a lot and have proper eye contact. Eye contact will show women that you are interested in them and you are listening. Smiling will let her know that you love spending time with them. If she does the same to you, you are in business.

Lastly, women are emotional individuals so they are attracted to some deep psychological things. Try to boggle their minds with new ideas and interesting topics so they can be seduced by your charm.

These are only a few things women look for in the men they date. Try to apply some of these useful tips and maybe you might find your "one."

Best wishes,

Sam Lee

David Carradine Passes Away

2009-06-04T10:55:00.000-07:00

Kill Bill and Kung Fu star David Carradine was found dead in a Bangkok hotel room on Thursday. Thai police told the news reporters that the 72-year-old was found naked by the hotel maid in a wardrobe with a rope around his neck.
The celebrity was in Thailand filming his latest film according to his manager.
His manager said the news was "shocking", adding: "He was full of life, always wanting to work... a great person."
A US embassy official confirmed the actor's death, but added that the cause of death had not yet been officially established.

However, The police believe the actor took his own life, and investigations found that he hung himself.
Carradine was part of an acting dynasty which included his father, John Carradine, and brothers Bruce, Keith and Robert.
The actor was best known for his acting role as Caine in the 1970s TV series Kung Fu, which created sequels in the 1980s and 1990s.
The character became one of the most iconic roles in US TV and earned Carradine both Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.

We will miss you David Carradine. God Bless.

Play Me Off, Susan

2009-05-28T13:51:00.000-07:00

I'm sure all of you have heard of Susan Boyle. She was the famous internet celebrity after nailing a performance on "Britian's Got Talent." She amazed audiences and judges alike after singing a song from Les Miserables because her amazing voice was so unexpected.

Apparently, the pressure was too much because she was found outside a hotel swearing at guests and cops! Boyle, the stumpy singer from Scotland who stunned everyone with her amazing voice, yelled "F*** off" to a television camera tuned to a popular show in Britain. She soon realized how important this whole event was because this was a woman who has never been kissed, and here she was at a show that could change her life forever.

Overnight sensation Susan Boyle threatened to retire from "Britain's Got Talent" after having a meltdown in a London hotel.

Morgan told "The Early Show" that the breakout star has been a whole mess since earning a spot in the finale.

"She even threatened to leave the show yesterday at one stage because of the sheer amount of pressure on her," Morgan told anchor Maggie Rodriguez.

She apparently yelled at the strangers, "How f---ing dare you! You can't f---ing talk to me like that."

Last week, her voiced cracked at the start of her performance.
She understands that she has an important singing career ahead of her only if she nails this final performance. The given pressure is tremendous and so our sympathy goes out to her.

To Future Parents

2009-05-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

Look at this baby. Isn't she adorable? The little smile on her face tells me that she has no worries in her life and all she has, is hope for the future. So if the baby is blissful and ignorance is bliss, then is the baby stupid?

Many people argue that babies come out of the womb as empty vessels waiting to be filled with a conscience mind. They argue that it is as they grow up that they start learning many different things. According to Dr. Jacobs, this is not true.

Babies come out of the womb with an alert mind and Dr. Jacobs tells us that babies already recognize the voice of their mothers from hearing it in the womb. With a great mind like this, what else could they know?

Babies are at their crucial point in their first two years because it is in those years that they are able to learn the most. If you want to become a good parent, it is important to know about what newborns know about people so you can help the development process for your child.

If you are a planning to start a family, or you have one but need some tips and guidance, here is an article to help you. Click here.

I know this is cliche but it is true when they say that our children are our future. Because... they are. After we pass away, the world will be inherited by our children. For the sake of progress, we must utilize the knowledge we have, to help our children to the fullest.

Best of luck in your journey with your children.

-Sam

2009-04-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

TVLesson is no longer going to be available online. A virus broke out within the servers and it caused mass deletion of many of our great videos. I just want to thank all of our fans for their support and our partners for their help…

APRIL FOOLS. Happy April Fools everybody. Growing up, I always wondered where April Fools originated from. According to very accurate sources, April Fools came from France when Charles IX changed the first day of the year to January 1st when it was April 1st. People decided to stick with the old April First and they were called fools; Hence the term April Fools. Wouldn’t it be terrible to be born on April first? No one would believe it was your birthday.

Speaking of birthdays, let’s wish a Happy Birthday to Mike Oh, our ever so popular blogger and senior editor. He turned 27 today so drop him some love on this blog post. If you want to go the extra mile and bake him a cake, you can watch this video here and cook him up a delicious dessert. I'm sure he will be ecstatic.

-Sam

Man's Best Friend

2009-03-24T14:34:00.000-07:00

Interestingly enough, health care professionals have noticed therapeutic effects through animal companionship; such as relieving stress, lowering blood pressure, and raising spirits. There is an account of a Yorkshire Terrier, belonging to Corporal William Wynne, used to cheer up wounded soldiers during the Second World War. However, the birth of therapy dogs can be contributed to Elaine Smith, an American who worked in England as a registered nurse. Smith noticed that patients responded better to a certain chaplain and his canine companion, a Golden Retriever; and upon returning to the United states in 1976 started a training program for dogs to visit institutions.

TVLesson, recently had the privilege to film videos for the Pet Prescription Team on the topic of therapy dogs and their effects on the people the encounter. Sure enough, through the canines friendly and playful demeanor they have brought smiles to patients of all ages:

Not only are these dogs trained to be playful and friendly, they are also taught a myriad of tricks. They are trained to sit, stay, play dead, shake, wave, spin, and much much more. Here is a short clip of some of the tricks the Pet Prescription Team teaches their dogs:

Jillian and Missy

Just looking at those pictures and watching this clip made my day 100 times better. Thank you to the Pet Prescription Team and to all of our loyal viewers and followers. Tune in later this week for a segment on a "snake snaaake snaaake o-ooo it's a snake."

-Mike

Burn Notice (or Fabricator Notice)

2009-03-11T11:41:00.000-07:00

A Burn Notice is "an official statement by one intelligence agency to other agencies, domestic or foreign, that an individual or group is unreliable for any of a variety of reasons."

Guess that is where the title and premise of the hit TV Series, "Burn Notice" came from. Michael Weston, the main character, receives a burn notice and is left with nothing. With all his assets frozen, Weston becomes a freelance spy/private investigator to earn money for his ongoing investigation for the man who burned him. Weston, being incredibly resourceful, uses household items to create surveillance devices, wireless signal jammers, CCTV blinder, etc. I don't know how hard it is to create wireless jammers or CCTV blinders, but surveillance devices seem pretty simple:

Spy Sunglasses

Spy Stethoscope

Spy Scope

I guess this is the grown up version of all the spy toys I had as child. Maybe I should have become a spy (one of my childhood dreams) with my mathematics degree. Well, enough strolling down memory lane and back to matter at hand. However, even with all this surveillance material at our disposable, why waste the time and money when the internet has made it incredibly easy to find information about almost anyone through social networking sites. You can even follow TVLesson through our Twitter and Facebook page. It's scary to find out exactly how much information about you can be found on the Internet.

-Mike

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!!!

2009-03-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

Time published an interesting article last month entitled, "How to Save Your Newspaper." Is it really possible to save the newspapers, when all that information is available on the internet for free? According to the Time, "it is now possible to contemplate a time when some major cities will no longer have a newspaper and when magazines and network-news operations will employ no more than a handful of reporters." Therefore, newspapers, like the dinosaurs, are a things of the past and on the verge of extinction. If you disagree, comment with your opinions.

Now let's move on to some breaking news:

First up, "The how-to site helps with flirting skills, or playing the banjo." That's right, this is an article in the OC Register on TVLesson. Definitely a milestone for TVLesson. It's been a tough year, but thanks to all of our members TVLesson is now a contender.

Now, I don't know how many of have heard, but Rosario Marin has resigned from her position as head of the State and Consumer Services Agency. According to the LA Times, Rosario "resigned Thursday after questions about income she received for giving speeches to private companies, including some that were doing business with her agency." Well, through these times I hope Rosario can remember the advice she gave TVLesson:

Thanks for tuning into TVLesson's Breaking News.

-Mike

Drum Roll Please!!!!

2009-03-02T21:45:00.000-08:00

This post is a lot later than usual; but as the saying goes, "better late, than never." So as promised, the winner of the poker tournament can found in this picture:

Next hint: On the left side of the picture.

Figure it out yet? Well, if you guessed the guy in the green playing Starcraft. Sorry, you fail. The winner was our talented, up and coming star, Abe. When asked what he was going to do with his winnings, and I quote, "buy Mike whatever he wants." Thanks for the offer Abe, but spend the money on yourself or buy those 2 lovely young ladies in the picture a nice dinner. As to the mystery man in the green. He is Brad Park, our Research Dept. Director, and an INCREDIBLE Starcraft player. Wish I had recorded him playing, but trust me when I say he is AMAZING. Similar to this guy, but better (excuse some of the language used in this video):

To end here is a picture of Brad playing Starcraft (sorry Brad I know I said I wouldn't post a picture of you, but I just had to for all of our TVLesson viewers).

-Mike

Happy Birthday!!!

2009-03-01T13:33:00.000-08:00

Happy First Birthday to TVLesson!!! No, the picture above is not of TVLesson, but isn't she adorable? This blog is dedicated to all of our users and to our wonderful staff. During this past year, TVLesson accomplished many milestones from celebrity interviews such as Gene LeBell, Frank Buckley, Gloria Alred, Jaime Chambers, WWE Superstars and many many others; to a complete site makeover; and added many new features like customizable theme pages, TVLesson toolbar, filmmakers program, and an expansive selection of articles.

TVLesson has had an amazing first year with many ups and downs, but promises their viewers that there will be many more features to come and that this is only the beginning. Stay tuned for more updates and here are some pictures of TVLesson's Anniversary Party:

Aftermath of hungry employees

Some of our team members playing pin the tail on the donkey

Our Media Director serenading the TVLesson Team

Prize Money for our Hold'em tournament, not sure who won; but I will update everyone on Monday.

Again, thank you to all of our viewers and may this year be more fruitful than the past. Tune in later this week for another blog update.

-Mike

Are you Ken?!? Sure you're Ken!!!

2009-02-20T13:20:00.000-08:00

Okay, everyone better enjoy that comic strip because it took me 15 minutes to upload a version that wasn't blurry. Anyways, if you have not heard, Street Fighter IV is out for the PS3 and the XBox 360. So I went to go buy it on Tuesday, but to my dismay it was sold out everywhere. FML. Hopefully, everyone got the joke; if not, click the link, read a few lines, and then laugh at my joke.

Anyways, on to the topic at hand. In Street Fighter IV, they removed the parry system from Street Fighter 3 and added a new focus attack system. The focus attack works great offensively, as well as it does defensively, allowing you to block, stun, cancel, and counter into devastating combos. If you don't believe me watch this:

Okay, honestly those combos in the last minute of that video are ridiculous. Anyone that has flashier combos than that guy, please post them on TVLesson. In addition to the focus attack system, Capcom decided to add ultra combos, no relation to the Killer Instinct Ultra Combos, but just a amazing:

Street Fighter IV surpasses all expectations and was well worth the wait. Thank you Capcom and keep up the good work. Well, TGIF and have a wonderful weekend. Oh wait, one last thing before I go, here is the greatest moment in Street Fighter history:

-Mike

Friday the 13th

2009-02-13T09:11:00.000-08:00

Did you know Friday the 13th is the most widespread superstition across the United States? Many people call off work and refuse to go out of the house on this dreadful day. Me on the other hand would be more afraid of staying at home because this guy might come after me:

Not sure why the number 13 is associated with misfortune, but legend has it that if 13 people sit down to have dinner together, then one of them will die within the year. Also, many cities do not have a 13th street or avenue and many buildings do not have a 13th floor (does that mean the floor is empty or do they just skip the number 13 and make it 14, but then doesn't that make the 14th floor the 13th floor). There are also 13 witches in a coven. Finally, if you have 13 letters in your name, then you will have the devil's luck. Some people who have 13 letters in their names are Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy, Jack the Ripper, and Albert De Salvo (Good thing I only have 9 letters in my name or I might have chosen a different career). So using logic and deductive reasoning let's figure out why most people deem friday the 13th to be such an unlucky day. Friday is the 6th day of the week. One of the assiociations to the number 6 is man (God created man on the 6th day). History seems to deem the number 13 with misfortune. Therefore, Friday the 13th is a day of man's misfortune, which could be why people are so superstitious this time of year. If you disagree with my logic (knowing me I'm probably completely off), then throw up a comment; other than that happy Friday the 13th.

Me talking about friday the 13th has left me little time to talk about Valentine's Day. Maybe I'm bitter because I have no plans for that day. I would get all into the history of Valentine's Day too, but I think this post is long as it is. However, I will share a funny video that caught my eye on What not to do on Valentine's Day. Honestly, has anyone ever done any of that stuff on the video?

Well, I promised you a post and there it is. Wasn't really about Valentine's Day, but hey take what you can get.
-Mike

What is covered in peanut peanut butter, wrapped in cookie dough, and completely deep fried?

2009-02-11T13:37:00.000-08:00

A BROWNIE!!!!!

Yea, that joke did not make any sense; but I had no idea how to introduce this picture. If you think you could have made a better title please post a comment. Anyways, on to the good stuff, by good stuff I mean that deep fried brownie covered and smothered with peanut butter and cookie dough along with the other delectable treats I'm about to post for your viewing pleasure:

This is a cheeseburger with a 15lb hamburger patty from Denny's Beer Barrel Pub. I cannot even begin to imagine how all that fit into his stomach, but I congratulate anyone who has finished this burger.

Talk about the ultimate Super Bowl party snack tray. This thing has 58 twinkies, 1 pound of bacon, 1 bag of Doritos, 1 bag of Cheetos, 1 bag of tortilla chips, 1 bag of chex mix, and 3 different dips. Not to mention a 20 oz summer sausage as a blimp (not pictured above)

Introducing Gregory's 120oz steak. Now for the people who have actually finished this and lived to tell about it, I commend you all.

Now, I know people do not normally eat like this, but even as an indulgence don't you think it's a little much. With these kinds of portions cholesterol becomes an issue. However, there are many ways to lower cholesterol through diet and exercise. The only reason I bring this up is because, if you don't already know, James Gomez's father suffered from a minor heart attack this weekend. He is now in stable condition and hopes to be released from the hospital by the end of the week. Well, my time is running out (no I'm not dying, but it's time I got back to work) so just be wary of what you are eating and stay healthy.

Well, thanks for tuning in this week and I apologize for not blogging last week things have just been incredibly busy, but I will make it up to you and try and get one more post before the end of this week. Especially, since valentine's day is just around the corner.

-Mike

The Coolest Video on TVLesson

2009-01-27T12:08:00.000-08:00

Hello TVLesson,
Today, as I was searching through the TVLesso n video database I came across this video.

This has to be the coolest thing I have ever seen in my life. So amazing that I took time out of work just to blog about it in order to share it with everyone. He makes it look so easy, but I'm sure it's harder than it looks. Here are some others that I found simply astonishing:

The only thing I can say about this last picture is WOW!!!

One last thing before I go, if anyone has any information on how to do this or know a coffee place that can do this, please post a comment or email me at mike@tvlesson.com. I would love to have a video on TVLesson about how to do this or interview people that do know how to do this. This can be your shot at fame. Thank you.

-Mike

Change and Challenge

2009-01-21T07:55:00.000-08:00

Good morning to all our TVLesson viewers. Today is Day 1 of Obama's presidency, Day 1 of Change, and Day 1 of Challenge. I must say his speech at the inauguration was truly powerful and inspiring.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

We must do our part to make this nation great again. So I encourage all of our viewers to post videos on how to make our nation great.

TVLesson would also like to announce CHANGE. You as members now have the option to be you, to be able to add some of your own style and flair to the site, with our new customizable profile page.

Like our nation, TVLesson is great because of its members. The differences in our styles, tastes, and interests fills this site with a myriad of lessons. Now to help in the advancement of our vast library, TVLesson would like to intrdouce our very own toolbar (Yes, that is my name on the screenshot. Can anyone guess my password?). The toolbar was specifically designed to be able to share any lesson found on the Internet. This toolbar will allow the user to embed videos into our library, bookmark videos without embed codes, and bookmark helpful websites onto our site. TVLesson has brought forth some change and would now like to challenge you to make this the greatest tutorial website on the Web.

-Mike

Back in Action for 2009

2009-01-12T14:46:00.000-08:00

It's 2009 and TVLesson got a Facebook. Yes, we are now hip and joining the Facebook bandwagon. For all of our faithful viewers and fans please take a look at the page and become a fan.

More importantly, why have I not posted for over a week? It is becuase TVLesson is incredibly busy working on some new features that will be out later this year. However, if you're a regular user, I'm sure you can stumble across one of our new features. We'll, there is still work to be done, but stay tuned for our amazing new features.

-Mike

A Look Back at 2008

2008-12-31T10:01:00.000-08:00

It is the last day of 2008 and what a year it has been:

National Headlines

Political Headlines

Global Headlines

Sports Headlines

With everything going on this year no wonder TVLesson wasn't mentioned in any of those videos. So how about I have a TVLesson 2008: Year in Review. Meeting stars like Tyrone Wells, Gene LeBell, Rick Dees, Fred Travalena, and WWE Superstars; not to mention the trainer of WWE Diva, Maria, and California Boxing Hall of Famer, David Martinez TVLesson was able to gather tons of information on different careers. TVLesson was also there to cover the story on gay marriages and also score interviews with Jamie Chambers and Sid Garcia. TVLesson was also fortunate enough to obtain interviews with the great Stan Chambers and morning news star, Frank Buckley. Must say it has been quite a year; but this is not the end. This is just the beginning for TVLesson and with many more features coming in the 2009, TVLesson is going to start this year off with a bang. Happy New Year to all our viewers and see you all next year.

-Mike

Humorous 2008 Review

Happy Holidays!!!

2008-12-23T13:50:00.000-08:00

It's the holiday season and we at TVLesson would like to wish you all a Happy Holiday!!!! Okay, so if any of you have been keeping up with the TVLesson Vlog with Jim and Sean, then you all know I have this weird growth on the back of my leg. At first, I thought it was a spider bite; but now I'm leaning more towards a boil. I think the biggest fear is that it will somehow end up like this:

Or maybe even worse (This one is a little gruesome):

Man, that would suck if an alien popped out of my leg, but think of the views that would get. I also have a smaller one below my left eye, my body seems to be a host for aliens.

Well, on to more exciting news. TVLesson has changed tremendously this past year and the coming year looks very promising. We will be introducing some brand new features (I promise you won't be disappointed), so stay tuned for that and again, Happy Holidays!!!

-Mike, the alien host body

3 Posts in One Week!!!

2008-12-18T13:09:00.000-08:00

I know!!!! 3 posts in one week, I'm a little shocked myself. I wasn't going to post anything until next week, but this picture inspired me to make a post.

All I can say is, what happened to Mike Tyson? He must have bitten off more than he could chew (by the looks of it way more). But seriously, he looks like he could be George Foreman's brother. Maybe he should have concentrated on lifting weights in the gym, rather than lifting the lid of the George Foreman Grill. Alright, no more jokes about Mike Tyson, he might bite my ear off (seriously, that was the last one).

Some other TVLesson news is that we now have a video blog, hosted by Jim Gomez and his faithful sidekick, SEAN KIM!!!! (wave hands in a goofy karate motion). Hey, how about we make their blog a little more interesting. You, as the viewer, tell TVLesson what you want them to talk about or do and if it is somewhat reasonable, maybe you will see it on TVLesson. Well, stay tuned for more TVLesson News.

-Mike

The Pictures are Here!!! (Well, some of them at least)

2008-12-16T09:36:00.000-08:00

As promised, here are the beautiful pictures of Anabel,

Isn't she a cute kid? Well, I don't have any of Audrey yet, but when I get them I will post them up for everyone to see. Thanks for tuning back in, until next time.

-Mike

CS4 is now at TVLesson

2008-12-15T09:42:00.000-08:00

Good morning to all of our faithful viewers and I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Okay, so a lot has happened since the last post and I just wanted to fill everyone in. First of all, I want to say congratulations to the president of TVLesson; he is now a proud father of two beautiful baby girls, Anabel, who is now one, and Audrey, the newborn, born Dec 5, 2008 (Pictures to be posted once I receive them). I have yet to see any pictures of Audrey myself, but I have seen some of Anabel and I must say she is one cute baby. If you think you have seen cuter please feel free to link/post them on the comments.

Okay, now on to a subject more relevant to the title. Yes, you guessed it. TVLesson just got a copy of Adobe CS4 Master Collection. It's like Christmas came early this year. Now unfortunately, I can't install it until I have service pack 1 for vista; but I can tell you about the amazing new features for Premiere Pro that I just can't wait to use. Well, I take that back I don't want to bore anyone as I type endlessly about the incredibly cool new features of the Premiere Pro CS4 so instead I will link videos of the the new features I especially like: nest command, sync lock, and batch encoding.

*WARNING: The next item has nothing to do with TVLesson, but if you are bored and have nothing to do I recommend you keep reading*

Now on a side note, this weekend I went to Knott's Berry Farm to watch Airborne Toxic Event and I must say they are simply amazing live. Anna Bulbrook and Noah Harmon are amazing together (Yes, that is him playing the bass with a bow). If you don't know who they are, then let me be the first to recommend them to you (Unless you don't like dark indie rock). Well, there is work to be done; but thanks for tuning into the TVLesson Blog and stay tuned for the pictures of our president's two beautiful daughters.

If you're bored.

Still bored.

Okay, now this is just ridiculous. Get back to work.

-Mike (OMG, you now know my name)

Old blogger out, new blogger in!!!

2008-12-08T12:13:00.000-08:00

This is officially the start of the New and Improved TVLesson blog. This blog will provide a space for our faithful viewers to be updated on any upcoming events, products, and contests that will be held by TVLesson or a place where I vent and tell all the viewers what is on my mind.

Hope everyone had an amazing weekend, but unfortunately Monday had to roll around and ruin it for everybody. This weekend was very uneventful, but I was tinkering with After Effects and Flash and made this simple but fun little clip.

Wondering whether or not to put it up on the site. Vote in the comments with a "yes" or a "no" and let's see what happens.

Well, if you guys haven't guessed it, I'm a huge fan of Adobe Products (especially After Effects). Has to be hands down one of the best products out there. I'm no professional and can't do much with it, but with the help of Andrew Kramer (if you don't know who he is, then shame on you), I have learned the basics and some really neat tricks. Well, I should really get back to work since I am typing this while on the clock, but thanks for tuning into TVLesson.

-New Blogger (stay tuned to find out my real name)

Thanksgiving Weekend

2008-12-02T17:38:00.000-08:00

So Thanksgiving just passed and on that sunday after all that food, i weighed myself and I happened to have gained about three pounds. I talk to my roommates and they said they have gained FIVE pounds! I thought this was crazy. We gained so much, so of course we had to think of a way to loose that weight. So far we think Wii Fit is the best choice. Its probably the cheapest or the easiest to use. Because if your a college student, like me, you don't want to be paying 50 dollars a month for a gym membership. To tell you the truth though, my college does have a gym and students do get in for free. BUT, have you ever got out of class and thought oh this would be a good time to go to the gym but then on the other hand it would be a good time to relax on the couch, watch some tv and have lunch. Of course option B would usually win. Lets admit that people today are quite the lazy ones and thats why we keep gaining all that weight (especially in college). So the best solution had to be Wii Fitness. It's in the comfort of your own house, you don't have to worry about any cute guys or girls looking at you and seeing you all gross and sweaty!

http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/resources/2008/04/wiifit_europe_box_board.jpg

Come on, how could you resist!

...By the way, i promise I'm not working for Wii. I just really like Wii Fit.

Comedy and Laughter

2008-12-01T15:31:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like laughing out loud to a good joke or a comedian. They say that laughter is the cure for everything and it seems to be true because anytime someone is sad, give them something to laugh at and just like that, *Snap* their sadness is gone.

What makes laughter such a powerful tool? Is it because the body releases dopamine every time you inhale to ensue in an epidemic laughter or is it because your muscles contract in and out to make your abdominal muscles ache with pain?

Regardless, laughter makes the world better and laughter, can indeed cure everything.
The reason why people laugh is because of a punch line. Whether if it is a knock, knock joke or a PG-13 joke, the punch line is the key to every joke.

People who mess up the punch line, is basically ruining the whole joke.

Black Friday

2008-11-26T13:16:00.000-08:00

Black Friday is arguably the best day to buy electronics. Not only does it include the best sales, but I personally believe that it brings friends, and family together. I know it seems a little far fetched that buying things together will bring family and friends close together but I'm assuming you don't understand how big this sale is! It is nation wide in all the big stores and people camp out to get in these deals! Camp OUT! People even tend to have their Thanksgiving in the lines waiting for the store to open on Friday.

To experience waiting in line together for 2-3 days will definitely bring people closer together. Think about it. You guys are waiting together, saving spots in line for each other, cooking for each other, and constantly interacting with each other to have time speed up.

You are forced to spend time together is where I am getting at; Which isn't a bad thing.

Anyways, to err is to human so there are proper ways to do anything in the world. Even camping out needs a proper demonstration.

Getting good deals requires devotion! Go starting devoting right away.

Gobble, Gobble!

2008-11-25T11:21:00.000-08:00

It tastes like chicken, eats like chicken, and feels like chicken so why do Americans consume over 15 lbs of turkey every year but not other poultry?

The history of turkey goes all the way back to the Colonial days. It is unsure if the original pilgrims who had the first Thanksgiving ate turkey but it is certain that the Turkey was highly respected as the "True original Native of America." Benjamin Franklin felt so strongly for the bird that he pushed for the turkey to be the National Bird.

Turkey is delicious in so many ways. What is amazing about Turkey is that you can use it in any dish and still make it taste good. Here are some American Favorites: Turkey with Gravy, Turkey with cranberries, Smoked turkey, grilled turkey, fried turkey, and the list goes on.

But instead of knowing OF the turkey recipes, knowing how to make these turkey recipes is more important.

Aid to Fires

2008-11-21T14:54:00.000-08:00

There have been many groups and schools that have been rallying to try to help those that have lost their homes in the fire recently. Some of the schools trying to help the cause include Diamond Bar High School, which was closed on Monday because of the horrible air quality. Throughout this week, they have set up booths for people who were bringing in cans of food and what else they could to help.
On that note, we need to congratulate all the firefighters who worked hard to help protect the homes in Diamond Bar, Brea, Yorba Linda, and Sylmar. Even though they couldn't protect every single home, they tried to do their best so we should thank them for trying to despite the situation. However, they were able to successfully protect all but one of the Country Estate Houses as well as curb the fires by using tons of foscheck and sand. It took them hours, but they were able to stop the fire. Let's hope that no more of these kinds of fires come to our area. It is great that the firefighters are also starting to teach citizens how to be of aid to the firefighters.

Fake Beauty

2008-11-20T16:49:00.000-08:00

Everywhere you look there are magazines, billboards, posters with gorgeous woman on them. People rage on how pretty some woman may be. People don't realize what the industry does to touch up the photos and how much make-up they apply on the woman's face. Of course some woman are naturally pretty but for the most part the photos you see out there are fake and overly photoshopped. Men are barraged by images of unobtainable women in the media, making it difficult for them to desire the ordinarily beautiful. It seems as if this world is trying to sell us a ridiculously laughable, insulting and transparent image of what beautiful is. This video is an example of what the media will do to change natural beauty.

This woman is pretty before the touch-ups but yet they still have to change many things...

GM, Chrysler, and Ford on the Brink of Bankrupcy

2008-11-20T15:08:00.000-08:00

Ford, Chrysler, and GM, the big three American car companies, are on the brink of filing for bankrupcy. The three chiefs of the companies, Alan Mulally, Bob Nardelli, and Rick Wagoner, respectively, all have asked the government to give them a loan of $25 billion to help them get back on their feet. Probably the only benefit of loaning this tremendous sum of money to the Big 3 would be that it would prevent the nation from possibly realizing the true situation we are in right now. The Big 3 also has not provided enough facts to back up their claims. However, Professor Peter Morici, said he thought manufacturers would continue to lose money unless they could match competitors’ costs and reduce capacity. He believes that they must go through major restructuring in order to stay afloat. Even if they are loaned the $25 billion, who knows how they are going to use this money, seeing as past companies have spent the precious company money on $45,000 vacations.

Fires in Yorba Linda

2008-11-20T01:28:00.000-08:00

So just recently there has been huge fires in many areas. One which some what effected me. Yorba Linda is a block away from me. I could see the fires from my apartment. My friends who lived on Yorba Linda had to evacuate. Some friends went all the way home which is about 6 hours away, some even went to Las Vegas. I on the other hand went to my home town in Rancho Palos Verdes, which is about 30 to 40 minutes away. Even though the air was still bad and hard to breathe, it wasn't anywhere as bad as in Yorba Linda. Once you walked outside your eyes would start to burn, breathing would get harder and you'd be sweating from heat. You don't even want to turn the air conditioning on because that lets the smoke in. Staying in Palos Verdes was much better. One thing that i thought was very interesting was the church in Chino Hills. The church did not get burned down, not even an inch but every where around the church was burned down. The fire made a u-turn around it. It was pretty remarkable. AND luckily, even though my apartment was only a block away, my apartment was safe and sound. Im sure the only reason for this was because the block separating my apartment from Yorba Linda is Cal State Fullerton and I'm SURE that those fire fighters would not let the college get burned down.

Tired of it All

2008-11-19T15:17:00.000-08:00

Routines and things not going your way make it hard to be always optimistic. However, this doesn't mean you have to be depressed and emotional all the time.

My mom would always tell me to find solutions and don't ever dwell upon one problem constantly and I came to the conclusion that the solution to all problems in this world is: Are you ready for this? Sleep!

What else can release natural dopamine like sleep can? I love sleeping. Just the thought of sleeping in a small ball in your warm bed with your head snuggled in so perfectly makes me drool.

I know in the real world, you can't sleep anywhere, anytime you want but you can try!
If you are at school and your teacher is giving you a hard time, just sleep! (No do not sleep) If you're at work and you don't want to deal with your mean coworkers, SLEEP! There are methods that you can use to not get caught either.

And if you are having a hard time sleeping at nighttime, when you should be sleeping, here are some ideas on how you can sleep faster.

The Recent Earthquake Drill

2008-11-14T15:28:00.000-08:00

Did you hear about the earthquake simulation in California yesterday? It was supposed to test the preparedness of the United States governments. The situation was a "7.8" earthquake near the south San Andrean fault. It would spread for about 200 miles and shake for about 3 minutes. It appears that California is well prepared. The estimated 5 million people who signed up for the experiment all did their parts well and Governor Schwarzenneger even thanked the government for supplying the funds for the simulation and the people who participated for doing such a wonderful job.
However, there are those that are biased about the experiment. They believe that despite the potential earthquake outbreak, the buildings have been modified and the californian standards for buildings are earthquake proof.
The thing is, even though we don't know whether an earthquake will occur or not, we need to be as prepared as we can for the unannounced earthquakes to minimize damages and casualties.

Singing

2008-11-14T15:01:00.000-08:00

I was online yesterday and I ran into a couple of songs that I liked a lot, so i went to go look for the lyrics. I found the lyrics and I was singing along to the song when I realized my singing wasn't all that good. So I was wondering what I could do to improve my singing, and I ran into a couple of videos that really helped me out. Then I noticed that my voice was really weak, so I got to thinking? What's the easiest way to get a stronger voice? It took me a while but I finally found some tips to help me out. I'm in the middle of practicing right now, and I can really find improvements in my voice.

Best Art Museums to go to Around the L.A. Area

2008-11-14T10:27:00.000-08:00

Some great Museums to go to are:
-The Getty Museum- In Brentwood, Los Angeles, California. The museum's permanent collection includes "pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, and decorative arts; and 19th- and 20th-century American and European photographs. It is well-known for its architecture, gardens, and view overlooking Los Angeles.
-LACMA museum- The museum collection includes; African Art, Art of the Ancient Americas, Art of the Ancient Near East, Art of the United States, Chinese Art, Contemporary Art, Costume and Textiles, Decorative Arts and Design, Egyptian Art, European Painting, European Sculpture, German Expressionist Art (The Robert Gore Rifkind Center), Greek, Roman, and Etruscan Art, Islamic Art, Japanese Art, Korean Art, Latin American Art, Modern Art, Photography, Prints and Drawings, South and Southeast Asian Art.
- MOCA- The museum of contemporary arts.
-Griffith observatory
-The Huntington Library, Art Collection and Botanical Gardens- collections of rare books and manuscripts, quite literally, in the world. Include a specialized collection of French and British art from the 1700's and 1800's.
Im sure there are many more, but these museums are the top ones. Please visit them.

Getting on a teacher's good side

2008-11-13T16:24:00.000-08:00

Just recently, i was caught sleeping in class. I tried very hard to stay awake, but the narrator on the video we were watching was too boring. I tried to explain to my teacher that i had tried to stay awake but she had just coincidentally looked over at me the two seconds i had dipped off into sleep. Because of that incident I tried to think of some ways that I could get on my teacher's good side and i found out some common methods that usually work.
The first method I heard works, despite criticism, is to simply suck up to the teacher, or in other words, be a brown noser. Since teachers look at students based on first impressions, and my first impression wasn't that good, I tried everything that would get the teacher to like me again. Because my teacher was an environmentalist, I brought in reusable water bottles that whole month.
Another method that works pretty well is to come to class early with all your materials even though it's not required that day. For the rest of the month, I would come a couple minutes before the bell rang and brought my textbook to class even though we rarely used it. I started to look like a more responsible student in her eyes until I fell asleep again; I had to start all over.
Before going to school the next day, I spent all night reading the chapter we were going to cover in class so that I would be prepared when she asked questions that day. Unfortunately, she didn't ask me any questions that day. Still, it was useful reading the chapter because the test was a bit easier.
Another method to getting on your teacher's side is improving your grades. It doesn't matter if your grades are improving slowly or quickly, as long as it's improving. This will show to teachers that you are trying to succeed in that class, despite the level of difficulty.
Try using one of these methods to get on a teacher's good side and you will usually succeed. If you can't seem to accomplish any of the given ideas, I don't know what to tell you except don't fall asleep in class.

Why WoW is stupid

2008-11-13T16:01:00.000-08:00

World of Warcraft, also known as WoW i believe is a pretty dumb game. Not so much because what you do in the game but because so many people play it. It takes up their lives. They don't just play for a couple hours, they sit and play WoW ALL day. People say they like it because it is an escape from reality, from this "terrible" world. But honestly, suck it up. Everyone else has to go through life and yes, there may be some things that you don't want to do but that just how life goes and a video game shouldn't be the only option to run to. Do something else productive, like drawing, sports or reading.

Adrenaline

2008-11-13T13:22:00.000-08:00

I don't know about the rest of you guys but I really love adrenaline. It makes me feel alive. There are people who thrive on the adrenaline of extreme sports and there are people who thrive on the adrenaline of mental sports. I am specifically speaking about gambling. What else can give you the rush of knowing you might lose all your hard earned money in one dice roll or on one card turn. It's just too much.

Gambling is a good way to make some fast money and its a very fun way to be engulfed in a wave of adrenaline. Seven card stud and Blackjack are two very popular gambling games that is found in every casino. Some people get intimidated and never take the initiative to live a little and start gambling because they don't know how to play.

Band of Brothers

2008-11-12T19:36:00.000-08:00

I just finished watching the minisode special on HBO called Band of Brothers. It came out couple of years ago but seeing how Veteran's Day was coming up, I started watching it and I finished it two nights ago. I just want people to know that, that show is amazing. Everyone should watch it.

In the history of mankind, there have been wars constantly but the war that impacts our modern world the greatest is probably World War II. Like I've said previously, I watched Band of Brothers which depicted the journey of the 101st Airbourne and I must say that the men who fought in the war paid a devastating price in order for America to come out on top as victors. Men were torn up from grenades and people lost their limbs in a second and yet, they still fought on.

On this Veteran's Day, TVLesson would like to share with the world how grateful we are to these heroes. They certainly are the greatest generation to live. They sacrificed so much to the degree we will never understand. God bless you Veterans. All of you out there.

WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF A FIRE

2008-09-27T19:23:00.000-07:00

Since Winter is coming up very soon, we should know what to do in case of fire.

A fire is something one wishes will never happen – but that does not mean we can be complacent with the idea. It is best to practice safety measures so in case a fire does break out (knock on wood), you will know what to do. Better be equipped with the necessary knowledge and be paranoid than to be sorry. Here are some of the things that have to be done in case of a fire.

First and foremost – invest in fire extinguishers and learn how to properly use them.

If you are in a room, keep yourself as close as possible to the floor and crawl to the closest exit, or away from the fire.

If possible, put a wet cloth over your face to minimize smoke inhalation.

Move as far away from the fire as possible. Close any doors between you and the fire.

Do not open the door and move as far away from it as possible if you see smoke coming from under it.

If the fire is a small one, try your best to put it out before it spreads.

When you think the fire is getting a bit bigger than you can handle, sound an alarm and immediately call for help.

In case your clothes catch fire, resist the urge to run. Drop to the ground and roll over to put out the flames.

Warn the people around you of the fire, so they too can run to safety

If possible, guide the fire fighters by telling them exactly where the fire is. This will save them precious time in trying to locate the fire.

Let the fire fighters do what they do best, and try to stay out of their (and harm’s) way.

How To Get Ready to Play The Guitar

2008-09-23T16:00:00.001-07:00

The guitar is an easy instrument to pick up, but there are many variations to how you can improve and master the guitar. Most beginners follow a general idea of how to start practicing, but eventually branch off into their own unique style that works best for them. Here is a practice plan that is efficient for most beginning guitar players:

1) The first step is to choose your guitar. The guitar you choose shows how determined you are to play that instrument. Some people will choose inexpensive guitars to practice with, but the serious ones will usually start off with a very good guitar to get accustomed to the high quality of guitars beginners will experience later in their guitar playing careers.

2) The next step is to choose your type of strings. There are many different brands of strings but they are all divided into three categories: light, medium, and heavy. Whatever kind of string you choose depends on whether you want a light sound or a deep sound.

3) Another thing you can do to get prepared to practice the guitar is to get a chart of chords for easy accessibility; whenever you don't know how to hold a chord, you can simply look at the chart. Also, many beginners will get a tuner, as their ears aren't accustomed to the musical scale yet and won't know how to tune the strings. Also, a capo is handy to control the pitch of the playing and for simple transposing.

4) To get started, you need to first learn the parts of the guitar. The guitar is like a human. The top where the headstock is. The heads are the knobs that tune your guitar and change the pitch. Then, there is the neck, or the fretboard, where you hold the chords. Finally is the body, where you strum the guitar, and the pick guard, so that you don't damage the body of the guitar.

5) There are two choices available when starting to learn the guitar. You can either start off by mastering the chord positions on the fret, or you can practice your scales. There are many different ways to practice your scales, and every different variation of the scales you master allows your finger to move faster.

6) The best method to learning the guitar is to consistently practice the guitar. That way, your finger grows callouses so that your fingers don't hurt so much when playing.

7) Another good option is to buy a book of tabbed songs, or search for them online. Tab reading is an essential skill in skilled guitar players, and many people prefer using tabs to chords when finger picking.

8) Another way to improve is to start playing in bands. Playing in bands helps you to help find beats quickly and also help with your improvisation skills, as every band will not sound the same twice.

How To Make Stuffed Mushrooms

2008-09-23T00:51:00.000-07:00

How To Make Stuffed Mushrooms
This great appetizer can be served in trays as hors d’oeuvres or as a side dish. The recipe needs 16 large brown mushrooms (fresh), 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup cream cheese, 2 minced green onions and ½ cup minced chives. This yields yummy 16 mushroom pieces, which can serve about 6 to 8 persons.
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Carefully wash the mushrooms under cold running water. It’s best to use a vegetable brush to get all the dirt out from the mushroom grooves. Pat dry afterwards with a clean towel.
3. Remove the mushroom stems and discard (or save them for another recipe, if you have one in mind).
4. Combine together the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, minced green onions and chives. Mix well until every ingredient is well-incorporated.
5. Take about a spoonful of the mixture and carefully pack it inside the mushroom cap.
6. Arrange the mushrooms in a round baking dish (to ensure even cooking for all of the mushrooms).
7. Put the shredded cheddar cheese on top of each mushroom cap (depends on your taste, in general more cheese is better!)
8. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, just until gets melted and a little bubbly (if you want a crunchy cheesy top, wait until the cheese turns a bit brown/burnt before taking the mushrooms out of the oven).
9. Cool the mushrooms slightly before serving – you don’t want your guests to burn their mouths with the piping hot cheese.

How to Make Sushi

2008-09-23T00:45:00.000-07:00

How To Make Sushi
You don’t need to train with well-known chefs to make your own sushi. Here are simple ways to make fool proof sushi:
• Hold the nori and look for the smooth and rough sides. Make sure that the rough side is facing upwards (towards you) on the mat.
• Keep your hands wet and make balls out of rice. At the same time, make sure that the nori stays dry – a bowl of water for the rice and a dry towel for the nori by your side will be the best option.
• Gently place the ball of rice in the middle of the nori sheet and start spreading it evenly, almost coating the entire sheet except for a portion of about 2 cm on the top part.
• Place a slice of fish (preferably not more than 1) on the edge of the nori, together with about 1-3 slices of vegetables (be as creative as you want with the vegetable choices).
• Starting with the edge of the mat closest to you, enclose the filling with the nori, making a small hill shaped like a rectangle and press it to tighten from above.
• Go forward and continue with the rolling, keeping everything tight with every step of the rolling process. Keep on doing this until you reach the end of the nori. Keep the roll tight from all 3 sides by applying pressure as you move along.
• Using a wet, extremely sharp knife, cut the roll into little sushi pieces. You can make 6 to 8 pieces from each roll, it’s entirely up to you!

How to Control Wedding Expenses

2008-09-16T20:30:00.000-07:00

Preparing for a wedding is one of the busiest and most exciting times for an engaged couple. Naturally, they would want what’s best for the wedding ceremony, down to the smallest details. However, costs could soar to great heights if not controlled. Here are some tips on how to control wedding expenses.
1. As much as possible, do not set your wedding date during peak season months for weddings. There is a huge possibility that suppliers and venues would have higher rates for these months as well.
2. Decide on how many guests you want to invite, and if it is really necessary to invite them at all. Keep in mind that the wedding should be for the bride, groom, their friends and family – not for people who “should be” invited.
3. Choose flowers which are grown locally, or those that are in season.
4. You may also look into using silk flowers instead of fresh ones. Depending on the quality, they may look as nice as the fresh ones and will cost considerably less.
5. Look into less-expensive materials for the wedding gown. There will always be a cheaper alternative to the material to be used. Be sure to choose a good design and an even better designer/dressmaker, though.
6. Don’t spend too much on the rehearsal dinner. Again, ideally this one should be for the bride and groom’s family and close friends.
7. Talk to your suppliers/vendors and be honest with them regarding your working budget. Most suppliers offer flexibility in terms of materials used, freebies thrown in, etc.
8. Take advantage of your friends’ talents and you may cut down on paying for some suppliers. You can ask your friends if their services can be their wedding gift to you. It’s best to consider all your options.
9. Consider going for scaled-down or simplified versions of some of the products or services you need, like going for a simpler cake, invitations, etc.
10. You may also want to consider not serving any alcoholic beverages on your wedding. This may be a shocking idea to some, but it will cut the food/beverage costs significantly. This will also help make sure that all guests are sober enough to really enjoy your special day.

How to Childproof Your Kitchen

2008-09-16T20:25:00.000-07:00

A house should be safe and ready before a child is brought inside it. Household dangers that were not evident before may be life-threatening if a child has improper access to them. Here are some of the things to do to make the kitchen a safer place for your child.
1. Keep alcohol, soaps, detergents and other hazardous materials out of your child’s reach.
2. Put safety latches on cabinets or cupboards that can be reached by children. However, keep in mind that children may still find a way to open the doors, so it’s best to keep harp and heavy objects out of reach.
3. Place the easily-breakable items like chinaware out of reach as well.
4. When not in use, keep the appliances unplugged. Put the electrical cords out of reach as well.
5. When cooking, it’s best to use the back burners, and to turn the handles away from the edge of the counter.
6. Do not use tablecloths which can be reached by children. This can cause accidents, when the contents of the table are pulled along with the tablecloth.
7. Always secure the latches of dishwashers and compactors.
8. Keep a fire extinguisher ready to be used in the kitchen. However, remember to put it away from any heat source.
9. If you cannot avoid having your child with you while you are in the kitchen, place wooden and plastic utensils inside a cupboard that the child can reach. This will provide sufficient entertainment for the child while you are busy with chores.
10. Place a safety gate at the kitchen entrance so children cannot go there when you are not with them.

Famous People all Come to TVLesson!

2008-07-02T15:12:00.001-07:00

As an Educational Website, TVLesson.com emphasizes the importance of knowing what to do, and how to do it. To take it a step further, TVLesson wants to help people know what to do even in the aspects of life. Let's say you want to become a politician; Where would you learn the first steps you need to become a politician? Furthermore, what steps do you need to even find out the steps needed to become a politician? Well, our very own reporter and friend, James Gomez was the former Mayor of the city of La Habra whom we had the privilege to interview.

Now let's say you wanted to know how to play Tyrone Wells' song, "Sea breeze," FROM Tyrone Wells. Seems impossible? Not to TVLesson. We were able to sit down with Tyrone and have him teach us step by step on how to play his serenading weapon of seduction.

TVLesson not only converses with politicians and singers, but also athletes. We had the opportunity to talk to Triple H about his father in law's promotion for WWE, talk to Kenny Landreaux about his MLB career, talk to Leroy Irving about his NFL career and talk to all sorts of celebrities.

So You Want To Be A Reporter?

2008-06-23T12:51:00.000-07:00

Are you interested in the news business? Are you curious to see how some of Los Angeles's biggest news reporters got started? TVlesson.com interviewed Sid Garcia and Jaime Chambers last week and got the scoop on how they started, as well as some tips on how to become a reporter. Check the interviews out.

TVLesson.com Interviews Jaime Chambers

TVLesson.com Interviews Sid Garcia

How to Play Pool

2008-06-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

Pool might be an unfamiliar term to many people. Some people think it's just a big body of water contained in cement, where small children like to play. Which it is; but another kind of pool is a game played with 16 balls and a stick. Pool is a loose term dubbed on a game that is play on a table which has 6 holes in which the balls go in. That is the whole purpose of the game. This is a very fun game to play with friends and just to have a good time.

Are You Ready for College? SAT Tip of the Day

2008-05-07T00:43:00.000-07:00

Sentence Completion
Tips

Instead of plugging in answer
choices for the sentence completion, try to figure out the structure of
the sentence first. Sentence completion can be easily solved if students
understand the pattern of the test.

When it comes to sentence completion, students need to be in aggressive
mode. Usually, first thing that comes to their mind is ‘this is really
difficult test.’ Rather than raising this question, the question can be
replaced as ‘bring it on.’ This might sound little silly, but having an
aggressive attitude can tremendously help student’s test taking skills.
For example, in a football game, it is not only a physical game, but it
is partially a mental game as well. The player needs to be mentally
sharp in spite of the opponent’s over powering skills. Having said this,
SAT test is not that different than a football game. SAT can be easily
defeated if students are in the right motive.

Let’s take a look at a sample problem:

1. Today Wegener's theory is ____ ; however, he died an outsider treated
with ____ by the scientific establishment.

A. unsupported - approval

B. dismissed - contempt

C. accepted - approbation

D. unchallenged - disdain

E. unrivalled – reverence

What is the first thing that you see in this question?

If, as usual, you see the answer choices first, you will most likely
make the first mistake. Please understand that if it does help you to
look at the answer choices first, and it has been working for you, by
all mean, please continue to use your own tactics. Any strategy that
works for you is the best one.

In this sentence completion, let’s try to find the structure of the
sentence. Clearly we can spot the subject of the sentence; the topic is
about Wegener’s theory.

Today Wegener's theory is ____ ;

Please note that finding the answer for the first blank is tough without
additional information. Usually first half of the questions in the
sentence completion (problems 1-5) can be categorized in to types.
Questions after number 5 is required with little more than just finding
types.

We can easily spot the word ‘however’ after the semi column. Semi column
is defined as an ‘apposition.’ As you already know the rules of semi
column, it is there to divide two independent clause sentences. Next we
see the word ‘however.’ The word ‘however’ is a contrast word. The blank
can be positive or negative according the sentence after the semi
column.

Today Wegener's theory is ____ ; however

Next it continues with “he died an outsider treated with ____ by the
scientific.”

If Wegner’s theory dies an outsider treated with “some thing” by the
scientific, we can kind of figure out that his theory has been despised.
Since we agree that second blank is negative, we can surely eliminate
all the positive words in the second part of the answer choices.

A. unsupported - approval

B. dismissed - contempt

C. accepted - approbation

D. unchallenged - disdain

E. unrivalled – reverence

Wow, we already eliminated three answer choices. Please understand, once
answers choices are eliminated, it means never to look at it again. Stop
wasting time looking at the choices that you’ve crossed out. If you look
at it enough, wrong answer choices can trick you. So, we have two
answers left.

B. dismissed - contempt

D. unchallenged - disdain

Remember, we found the word ‘however’ after the semi column. New, we
need to find positive word for the first blank. Which means you can
eliminate negative words for the first answer choices. Let’s get rid of
the word dismissed.

B. dismissed - contempt

D. unchallenged - disdain

The answer choice is 'D.'

In conclusion, although Wegner’s theory has been rejected or despised,
his theory remains recognized.

Mother's Day

2008-05-06T19:40:00.000-07:00

Origin of Mother's Day

In the United States, Mother's day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May. After the American Civil War, social activist Julia Ward Howe wrote the Mother's Day Proclamation in an attempt to end war and push for disarmament. It was originally intended to unite women against war, but she failed in getting formal recognition for a Mother's Day for Peace.

Howe was influenced by Ann Jarvis, who tried to improve overall health during the war by starting Mother's Work Days. She gathered women to clean and sanitize on both sides of the war. When Jarvis died her daughter fought for a memorial day for women. The first instance of Mother's Day was celebrated in West Virginia. Eventually the celebration spread to 45 states. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson announced the first national Mother's Day as a day for everyone to honor the mother's of the sons who had died in the war. Since then Mother's Day has been commercialized and is now the number one day to dine out in the United States.

Mother's day is coming up. Do you know what to get your mom? Some ideas for gifts are homemade cards, a paper heart with a thankful note in it, a mother's day dinner, or a bouquet of flowers. There is also a useful How To for a cheap and thoughtful way to thank your mother for everything she has done for you; A simple coupon book. You can make as many coupons as you want and put a large variety of things on them like "Good for 1 Backrub" or "Good for 1 Car Wash". It's sure to put a smile on your mom's face!

How To Make a Coupon Book

How to Survive a Falling Elevator

2008-05-05T12:46:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wonder how to survive a falling elevator? Well, we just happen to have a great solution for everyone.

Building a Computer

2008-05-05T12:08:00.001-07:00

Building a computer can be a pain in the butt. Many people still have problems putting their computers together.

Step 1: This video demonstrates how to install the copper spacers into the computer case to prepare it for motherboard installation.

Step 2: This video demonstrates how to correctly install a CPU (Central Processing Unit) into a motherboard.

Step 3: Installing a heat sink.

Step 4: Install a power supply. This video teaches you how to properly install a power supply. The power supply feeds electricity to your computer's components.

Step 5: Install a motherboard. This video teaches how to install a motherboard into a computer case. Make sure that the holes in the motherboard line up with the copper spacers screwed into your case.

Step 6: Install a ram. This video demonstrates how to correctly install RAM (Ready Access Memory) into the motherboard of your computer.

Step 7: Install hard drive(s). This video shows how to install hard drives into a computer.

Step 8: Install optical drive(s). This video teaches how to install optical drives (CD, DVD, CD burners, DVD burners, etc.) into your computer.

Step 9: Conclusion to PC build. This video is the conclusion to the PC Build Series on TVlesson.com

Car Problems

2008-04-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

Drivers on the road today pay thousands of dollars in repairs and servicing even though a majority of these cases could have been prevented. Simple things like checking your oil level and tire pressure can prevent damage to your car, and can even save your life. Fortunately for them, they can learn on TVlesson.com. There are instructional videos on some of the basics of automotive maintenance and check up. NOT checking them out could cost you!

How To Check Your Oil

How To Check Your Tire Pressure

How To Put a Spare Tire On

How To Check Your Lights

One of Many Ways to Fix Common Algebra Errors on TVlesson

2008-04-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

John has $y to spend on some new CDs from Music Plus, and Online record store. He can buy any CDs at the members' price of $x each. To be a member, John has to pay a one-time fee of $19. Which of the following expressions represents the number of CDs John can purchase from Music Plus?

This is a typical math problem on the SAT that a lot of people generally have problems with. These questions are tough because they introduce a lot of unnecessary words. For this specific question, when all the unnecessary words are removed and the question is put it into simple algebraic terms, it is easier to understand. On top of that, the answer also contains more than one variable which leads to even more confusion. Fortunately the solution for these problems is on TVlesson.com. Our resident SAT math teacher demonstrates how to solve variable equations like this and clears up any confusion that could have been had. There is also a series on SAT level math on our website. Check it out!
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What is Neuro Linguistics?

2008-04-28T22:32:00.000-07:00

Linguistic Neurolinguistics is the science concerned with the human brain mechanisms underlying the comprehension, production and abstract knowledge of language, be it spoken, signed, or written.

Carol Brunes is a Neuro Linguistics expert. In this video she explains what neuro linguistics is, and how it can be effective in everyday life.Neuro linguistics is the study of how language affect the brain. Incorporating neuro linguistics into conversation will greater impact the person you are trying top persuade. Before any of this can work, the other person must trust you.

In order to persuade someone to go on a date with you, they must trust you. Gaining their trust is something that must be done gradually, and can be aided by things like mirroring their body language. If they are comfortable around you they will begin to trust you. Second, making the date sound casual will increase the likelihood of them accepting your offer. Public places are best, until you get better acquainted with them. Make it sound nonthreatening and safe. The foundation for neuro linguistics is building the trust.

TVLesson is Launching Premium Lessons in 2008

2008-03-23T00:19:00.000-07:00

In early 2008, we are preparing for a better and faster service for all lesson users. For last 6 months from its launched date, we have reached more than 70,000 viewed lessons just in one month. As we are preparing for 2008, premium lessons will be available for all users. Premium lessons contain unique and quality videos from different companies by private interviews. This will create opportunities for users to obtain TVlesson’s only and valuable videos.