I am the only one left ...

centex · Jan 24, 2004

I was just wondering if I am the only one left who still uses an old fashoned outdoor TV antenna, rotary dial telephones, and dial-up internet. I have always maintained that I would just quit watching television if it became necessary to pay for it, especially since I really can't find anything worth watching on it anyway. I can buy used DVD's from the rental place for less than $10 and I find watching sports on TV ironic. I have never been able to come to grips with paying more for touchtone telephone service when I know it costs the telephone company less to provide it than rotary dial and I have better things to do than sit in front of a computer all day. I guess I am just old fashoned but I rather go fishing or wear out my tractor so that is what I do most of the time. I am seriously considering having my telephone disconnected because I do not like doing business with dishonest businesses and the telephone companies lie more than even politicians. They tell you they will sell you phone service for $X and then when you get your bill it has so many extra charges that they won't tell you about that the bill is actually more than $2X. Besides, 80% of the calls we get are telemarketers and 90% of the emails are SPAM.

jinman · Jan 24, 2004

( ...I find watching sports on TV ironic. )

I tried watching sports on my radio, but the instant replays were pretty fuzzy. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

PhilNH5 · Jan 24, 2004

Don,
I was with you until this past Christmas. We had rabbit ears on my TV. Got one channel - two if it rained. We don't watch TV.
My daughter used to play B-ball. Once when she was 11 a coach asked her if she watched a womens pro basketball game the night before. My daughter said "no". "Why not ?"queried the coach. "Because I'd much rather play B-ball my self and have fun than watch some one on TV having all the fun" The coach was speechless. I thought it was a great answer myself.
We got cable internet access for Christmas. It was cheaper to lump it in with a basic cable package than to get internet alone. So we now get 8, count 'em 8 channels /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif But we still don't watch.
There is to much fun to be doing out in the real world as you mentioned. We spent last night skating. Today we had a big breakfast cooked on the woodstove. Then we will haul firewood. It is 1 F out but a beautiful day.

So even though I now have cable internet access I still share you aproach.

Phil

PineRidge · Jan 24, 2004

Don you sound like a unique individual to me. My hats off to you for holding on to the simple things. Satellite TV, high speed Internet access, touch tone phones, and computers are everyday tools to me and nothing out of the ordinary. Different strokes for different folks I guess. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

But hey at least your using DVDs. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Kyle_in_Tex · Jan 24, 2004

You can thank the politicians for most all the extra $$$ on your phone bill.
My Basic local service is $10.03 but my monthly bill gets up to $19.71 due to all the fees, charges, surcharges and tax. Yes they even charge taxes on the fees,charges, and surcharges.

It is still ( I feel) a very fair price that can save me a bunch of time, money and from having to travel many miles to get or give information...Kyle

tc35dforme · Jan 24, 2004

Centex,

First let me say that I do respect you and your rights to be somewhat individualistic.

Now, that said, without acceptance of change and progress, with its related costs and headaches, we'd still be beating our selves up trying to plow with oxen pulling a hand hammered blade.

Change is costly, change is scary, change is a pain in the a$$, but change is necessary. Have you tried the Do-not-call list ?? Maybe a SPAM blocker program. Try it, maybe you'll like it.

The way I look at it ... change is progress. Here's a neat quote I like:

"I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better."
-G. C. Lichtenberg

jinman · Jan 24, 2004

( Different strokes for different folks I guess.
)

I have to agree with you. My internet provider suddenly decided to mark "spam emails" before forwarding them to me.
Check out the attachment and what they considered to be spam. How could they do that? /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

RobertN · Jan 24, 2004

We are not too far behind you. We have the antenna on the roof. We use DSL for the network, since it does both home and work purposes. And, the phone we need for work.

A few things about the TV... We have come close to taking ours out. Even with cable, there is really not that much good programming(IMHO). The programming there is just sucks you in from the rest of the world. I know with our son, we just lose him in a program. I know the same thing happens to me too.

There is soooooooooo much to do in this world besides sit in front of the tube. The tractor, a book, skating, walking, actually talking to family and friends, pondering, stargazing, the list could go on forever. Yet, we often get sucked in to watching a screen which gives us so little yet takes so much of our life.

Then there's these here computers... Switch from one screen to another.... And, you can even arrange to have TV tuned in to it!

There's a balance kind of thing. Too much of anything is usaully not best for a person. I see kids sit in front of the TV for hours, either watching shows or playing games. A little outside time would not hurt them, especially as out of shape as a lot are(not all, but still a lot).

I wish we had Discovery, HGtv, and the cartoon schannel. I really like Discovery, cause you can actually learn things. HGtv has interesting stuff. The Cartoon channel or Nickelodeon play "real" cartoons(I miss Roadrunner, both the cartoon, and my old car).

I know folks with tv's in all rooms. We have one too many, and we only have one. There is so much out there besides TV! It is hard to believe the impact it has had in what, the last 50 years or so(since it really took off commercially).

PineRidge · Jan 24, 2004

Jim while I agree that spam is really getting out of hand I think your provider went a bit overboard on that call.

I applaud the "do not call list". Now if they could make a "do not email list" we would all have extra time each and every day. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

AndyM · Jan 24, 2004

To each their own. We have a rooftop antenna in the garage attic, and I sometimes go a week at a time without watching it. I do have DSL internet, and there are web sites I have to check daily (TBN for one). We finally bought a DVD player last week when our local video store quit renting VHS tapes, and my wife rents a lot of movies when she's home by herself.

In life, there are "needs" and there are "wants", and I TRY to stay towards the "needs" and less towards the "wants", but there are some times I can't help myself--
I didn't NEED a new tractor, I WANTED a new tractor! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif