Has Television Lost Its Educational Value?

[Cyrus]

Sorry, but this time I really must rant. I was watching the travel channel just now. This is the SECOND program I have seen on the travel channel like this. It’s a show called art attack. Sounds cool? I thought so...until I started watching. This bozo is literally screaming the entire show. It was on an Egyptian monument transported to the met in NY. He’s explaining the 'magic' symbols of hieroglyphs, because they were 'like magic'.

Another time there was a cooking show with two fat bastards who were also screaming the whole time. They were making a turkey. One guy was talking about putting seasoning into the turkey, meanwhile his fat friend was screaming, "lets do this" and "all right!".

I mean, come on. Are we f'in retarded here?

I remember a time when I could turn on the discovery channel and watch shows on Egypt. Well produced shows with mystical music in the background, dimly lit shots of the Egyptian temples that made them seem eerie and mysterious. A description of the history by a well spoken narrator.

I also remember a show called 'great chefs of the world', and 'great chefs of USA', that would feature gourmet chefs and show how to make 5-star dishes. It was things like roasted duck, frog legs, and lamb stew.

Now there is Rachel ray...how a woman who has no training as a chef has a cooking show is beyond me. She should work at McDonalds.

The more shows I see on TV, the more of this stupid, let's scream because screaming = energy and people will want to watch more. It makes me turn off the TV.

Let’s not even get into the news. That’s total garbage too, except for Charlie rose.


I am seriously thinking about sending an email complaint to the travel channel. At least they still have some good shows, like poker, Bizzare foods with Andrew Zimmer, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, and that show with Samantha Brown who travels around Europe.

There was also that great show with this white guy who wore glasses and went around the world on PBS. He would explain the art, history and culture where he was at. Really good show. Also, this old workshop is good too. I generally like PBS, they have shows for people with a brain.

 

[Cyrus]

Oh, I found them!

http://tcpilotweek.com/trailerpage_feastyboys.html

Here they are. Look at those dumb piglets squeel.

Help, my IQ is going down! I can't turn this trash off!

Cook it away bubba!

"its like cutting through cotton candy!" <smacks forehead>

-I love how they talk with their mouths full too!

 

[Math Is Hard]

I don't watch television, but it sounds like you know what you are talking about. If you ever run for Broadcast Czar, I will vote for you.

 

[Cyrus]

Hooray, someone with a brain

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1185684650440103656&q=great+chefs+discovery&total=11&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

 

[allanworks]

1 agree with what you say the only thing i like to watch is national geographic but sometimes they get stupid too and what happened to the all day thing were they would play stuff about outer space then the next day would be about anamels then egypt and so on

 

[Math Is Hard]

I think this might be a good show:
http://it.slashdot.org/it/07/12/18/2017223.shtml

"CourtTV (TruTV) has a new series starting Dec. 25 at 11 pm called 'Tiger Team.' It follows a group of elite penetration testers hired to test organizations' security using social engineering, wired/wireless penetration testing, and physically defeating security mechanisms (lock picking, dumpster diving, going through air vents/windows). They do all of this while avoiding the organizations' various security defenses as well as law enforcement."

 

[allanworks]

im going to go another direction how about this 1 person is smart a group is stupid here's what i mean tell 1 person that alians exist his reaction won't be to bad tell everybody that alians exist global panic see my point

 

[Cyrus]

I think this might be a good show:
http://it.slashdot.org/it/07/12/18/2017223.shtml

"CourtTV (TruTV) has a new series starting Dec. 25 at 11 pm called 'Tiger Team.' It follows a group of elite penetration testers hired to test organizations' security using social engineering, wired/wireless penetration testing, and physically defeating security mechanisms (lock picking, dumpster diving, going through air vents/windows). They do all of this while avoiding the organizations' various security defenses as well as law enforcement."

That sounds interesting. I love social engineering. -See Kevin Mitnick. Interesting guy and story. I read little of his book, amazing stuff.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-867690210032956546&q=Kevin+Mitnick&total=63&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=2

The also had all sorts of great stuff about 'phone phreaking' back in the 80s. Really, really cool.

 

[Astronuc]

Oh, I found them!

http://tcpilotweek.com/trailerpage_feastyboys.html

Help, my IQ is going down! I can't turn this trash off!

Cook it away bubba!

"its like cutting through cotton candy!" <smacks forehead>

-I love how they talk with their mouths full too!

I guess they appeal to those of the NASCAR culture?

 

[dst]

That doesn't make any culture stupid, it just means you're watching trash on TV.

 

[Oerg]

S

Another time there was a cooking show with two fat bastards who were also screaming the whole time. They were making a turkey. One guy was talking about putting seasoning into the turkey, meanwhile his fat friend was screaming, "lets do this" and "all right!".

I mean, come on. Are we f'in retarded here?


I also remember a show called 'great chefs of the world', and 'great chefs of USA', that would feature gourmet chefs and show how to make 5-star dishes. It was things like roasted duck, frog legs, and lamb stew.

i love iron chef!

 

[Cyrus]

That doesn't make any culture stupid, it just means you're watching trash on TV.

I think if you find more and more of this on tv, then the culture is being dumbed down. Millions of people watch tv.

 

[Cyrus]

i love iron chef!

I like the origial version from Japan. The made for America version is no good, and racists IMO. Why is that host running around doing Karate?

 

[wolram]

I do not have a tv, i thought the money saved on the license fee would be better spent else where, when at my folks house i will watch the occasional show on discovery and the news.

 

[Cyrus]

I guess they appeal to those of the NASCAR culture?

Ummm I donno. I watch NASCAR from time to time for half an hour or so. Even it's not that stupid.

 

[rewebster]

I do not have a tv, i thought the money saved on the license fee would be better spent else where, when at my folks house i will watch the occasional show on discovery and the news.

I didn't have a TV by choice for 18 years (the last co-inhabitant couldn't stand to be without one, so I 'broke' down and got one)------

how much is a 'licence fee' for you? and does it vary from person to person, or the number of TV's?

 

[Gokul43201]

Another time there was a cooking show with two fat bastards who were also screaming the whole time. They were making a turkey. One guy was talking about putting seasoning into the turkey, meanwhile his fat friend was screaming, "lets do this" and "all right!".

Then you must absolutely love Emeril!

 

[ranger]

The History Channel has been showing some stupid shows. Shows like the Bible code are a waste of air time. Then there is the one with Nostradamus about him predicting the end of the world in the year 2012 or something like that. I can't imagine how many idiots are believing that.

The Food network does have some good shows. I like "Good Eats". But seriously, who spends $40 a day on meals?

 

[BobG]

The History Channel has been showing some stupid shows. Shows like the Bible code are a waste of air time. Then there is the one with Nostradamus about him predicting the end of the world in the year 2012 or something like that. I can't imagine how many idiots are believing that.

The Food network does have some good shows. I like "Good Eats". But seriously, who spends $40 a day on meals?

But they also show Shockwave. I'm not sure how historically significant an attempt to set the land speed record is, but he did technically make history - he's the only person to survive a 200+ mph motorcycle crash.

 

[dst]

I think if you find more and more of this on tv, then the culture is being dumbed down. Millions of people watch tv.

You have a point there but that needs an already stupid population to work.

 

[turbo]

Another time there was a cooking show with two fat bastards who were also screaming the whole time. They were making a turkey. One guy was talking about putting seasoning into the turkey, meanwhile his fat friend was screaming, "lets do this" and "all right!".

Now there is Rachel ray...how a woman who has no training as a chef has a cooking show is beyond me. She should work at McDonalds.

The reason there are so many cooking shows is money. It is cheap to produce a cooking show, and if it gains enough of a following to generate ad revenue similar to that of a soap opera, talk show or a comedy show, the profits can be great. Then there are revenues to be had from product endorsements, cookbooks, etc. Note that these "cookbooks" are rarely instructive on the level of that great old "Joy of Cooking", but are usually just collections of recipes with pretty pictures. Yep! Dumbed-down, indeed.

 

[Mororvia]

At least they still have some good shows, like poker, Bizzare foods with Andrew Zimmer, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, and that show with Samantha Brown who travels around Europe.

You hit two of my favorites!

I tell you what does bother me about TV... The Learning Channel used to have many shows similar to Discovery. Now its all for having babies and getting married!

 

[NeoDevin]

..."Joy of Cooking"...

One of the best cookbooks ever. Between that and the Betty Crocker `Big Red' cookbook, you have every recipe (almost) imaginable.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

"Joy of Cooking"

That's pretty much what I learned from.

The Chicken Kiev is one of my specialties but I haven't made it in ages. When it comes out just right, it just about causes an explosion of butter and spices when you cut into it.

The old Spice Islands cookbook has some great stuff as well.

 

[turbo]

In 2006, a revised 75th anniversary edition of "Joy of Cooking" was released. I got my copy from my mother when I was getting my own apartment in college. It's over 35 years old, now, but it still gets used. My wife and I have our favorite dishes, but we'll both mine this cookbook (and the Betty Crocker cookbook that NeoDevin mentioned) for ideas and tips. We rarely make dishes by following recipes closely, instead relying on experience and experimentation to make dishes better (hopefully). My wife's favorite dish is one that I made up in my head. She came home one night with a bag of frozen jumbo shrimp and said "think up something to do with this" so I made a marinade out of wine, lemon juice, olive oil, molasses, ketchup, crushed garlic, seasonings, and some of my hot chili relish. I peeled and de-veined the shrimp, marinated them overnight in that sauce, and grilled them in a wire basket, painting them with the reserved sauce to get nice rich coating on them. Some people who profess not to like "hot" foods will tuck into these spicy shrimp until they're gone.

 

[binzing]

Yeah, citizens of the US (not Americans! I hate how so many of us think that were the only people of this damn continent!) are getting more stupid. Most of the TV I watch is the Science Channel, I think its why I have such a good grasp of a lot of scientific ideas, and like VH1. Some Discovery and Travel, but only the good shows. Ha ha, about screaming idiots..my mom full-on hates Billy Mays and any of the others that yell all the time in their comercials about cheap s*** that no one is going to buy anyways. I'm with you all the way Cyrus.

 

[DaveC426913]

Cyrus:

Stop looking to TV for intellectual stimulation. It's there so you can turn your brain off.

There's a flaw in your logic of judging TV as garbage: the flaw is the act of judging it.

 

[Cyrus]

TV is a medium for conveying information, just like a canvas, the pages of a book, or the notes on sheet music. There used to be lots of great, intellectual shows about art history and culture on TV. I am complaining about how those shows have turned into crap.

There are still shows out there that turn your brain on. Watch PBS.

 

[turbo]

TV is a medium for conveying information, just like a canvas, the pages of a book, or the notes on sheet music. There used to be lots of great, intellectual shows about art history and culture on TV. I am complaining about how those shows have turned into crap.

There are still shows out there that turn your brain on. Watch PBS.

Unfortunately, the dilution of the sources (500 channels and nothing's on) has turned TV into even more of a wasteland than it used to be. I have just a TV antenna (and like it that way) and watch only the news and some relevant local programming. The rest is pap, and I won't pay for satellite programming to get more of the same.

If you want something entertaining and intellectually stimulating, I recommend BBC's "Planet Earth" series. Great photography, production, and narration.

 

[Cyrus]

I must say, BBC does a good job. Even shows like Top Gear have wonderful shots at exotic locations, good music, proper lighting, and a good story. For the most part, it is well produced.

 

[binzing]

Yeah Planet Earth and Blue Planet are awesome, I'd buy the dvds but I don't have the cash.

 

[Cyrus]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4708291363575166474&q=feasty+boys&total=3&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1

More of the fat pigs. I megaloathe these guys.

 

[animalcroc]

All cultures are stupid because they consist of brainwashing your children to believe a certain set of beliefs.
As for good news programs, watch The News Hour with Jim Lehrer on PBS and BBC.
TV is bunch of crap nowadays with 6 minute commercials, racism, and propagation of stupidity in various ways.

 

[binzing]

Megaloathe, eh? Sounds like the beginnings of a metal band played by physics geeks, who are activists for the worlds problems, lol.

 

[Evo]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4708291363575166474&q=feasty+boys&total=3&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1

More of the fat pigs. I megaloathe these guys.

Who ARE these people and why?

 

[Astronuc]

Who ARE these people and why?

http://www.feastyboys.tv/ - They're the most irreverant cooking duo on cable, print or the web! Join the Feasty Boys and their Feasty Friends as they show you how to make
"Cookin' Simple"...

http://www.feastyboys.tv/meetfeasties.cfm

Evo - you got to try this one! - 2001-02: "Gettin' Stupid w/ Cupid..."
http://www.feastyboys.tv/archive_details.cfm?Archiveid=17

2003-05: "Got Crabs??"
http://www.feastyboys.tv/archive_details.cfm?Archiveid=41

2002-01: "Top Secret Recipes w/ the Feasty Boys..."
http://www.feastyboys.tv/archive_details.cfm?Archiveid=27

http://www.feastyboys.tv/archive.cfm

Hey this is mainstream cuisine.

Ya'll give these dudes a break now.

 

[mgb_phys]

I must say, BBC does a good job.

Well if you will just apologise for the whole "boston harbour + tea" thing we will consider taking you back.

 

[henxan]

Cyrus:
Its in all media "channels" now. Internet, films, tv-series. Earlier one could watch a action or a martial art flick, though a bit rudimentary Special effects, one was able to watch long cuts. maybe 10-15 seconds even. One really got a better understanding of what was going on.

Now its all different. Its not uncommon with 4-5cuts in ONE second. The martial arts hasnt evolved, and to hide bad fighting or whatever it is, they cut. Cut and cut and cut. It is driving me mad! You get really tired by watching a film. Tired even, just watching a minute of it. And so it goes, on series.

And actually you have this even in cooking shows. The want to be "new" and "cool," so they zoom in on the food being prepared, shakes the camera from side to side. Multiple cuts in one second. Rapid focusing. You actually get tired and confused watching a f'ing cooking show! Isnt the point with a cooking show to be able to understand, to learn? WTF!..

One important question is: why is it so? Are the audience preferring these programs? Or do the televition execs "think" this is what people want? Or are they just plain "dumbing" down the people?

 

[moe darklight]

dumbing down for the masses? what? O, you guys . you guys are crazy.

culture is alive and thriving. two words: MANSWERS.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Well if you will just apologise for the whole "boston harbour + tea" thing we will consider taking you back.

Apologize for improving your lousy tea? Don't make me laugh. To this day I refuse to drink tea grown in England.

 

[Evo]

http://www.feastyboys.tv/ - They're the most irreverant cooking duo on cable, print or the web! Join the Feasty Boys and their Feasty Friends as they show you how to make
"Cookin' Simple"...

http://www.feastyboys.tv/meetfeasties.cfm

Evo - you got to try this one! - 2001-02: "Gettin' Stupid w/ Cupid..."
http://www.feastyboys.tv/archive_details.cfm?Archiveid=17

2003-05: "Got Crabs??"
http://www.feastyboys.tv/archive_details.cfm?Archiveid=41

2002-01: "Top Secret Recipes w/ the Feasty Boys..."
http://www.feastyboys.tv/archive_details.cfm?Archiveid=27

http://www.feastyboys.tv/archive.cfm

Hey this is mainstream cuisine.

Ya'll give these dudes a break now.

I'm with Cyrus, these people have no reason to exist.

 

[Cyrus]

I watched "10 questions for the dalai lama" but I did not think it was all that great.

As for the fastie boys, I am sure they nice guys and Id have a beer with them. But for a tv show, no way. Its just absolute garbage.

 

[Astronuc]

I'm with Cyrus, these people have no reason to exist.

Oh, come one, where's your sense of humor?

As for the fastie boys, I am sure they nice guys and Id have a beer with them. But for a tv show, no way. Its just absolute garbage.

It's not my cup of tea either.

 

[Andre]

Talking cuisine, I had to do it tonite.

All kids visiting, the youngest daughter did the shopping and decided the meal to be: first dish, Carpaccio with salads and dressings, second dish, fruit de mer, third dish deer beef w/special vine sauce (wow) with Broccoli w/cheese-mushroom sauce and fried potatoes, and as desert ice tiramisu before the café cognac.

So the first two dishes weren't much of a problem as these could be prepared in advance. But the main dish, that's a real hell's kitchen nightmare as all dishes require a short cooking time and no chance do to that in advance. Now try to fry potatoes, deer beef, two sauces and broccoli simultanously in such a small kitchen in which one person is the optimal occupancy, while the guests are waiting.

But it worked and we had a real vintage culture dinner without complaints from the offspring. I guess I could be cook after retiring :-)

 

[Astronuc]

All kids visiting, the youngest daughter did the shopping and decided the meal to be: first dish, Carpaccio with salads and dressings, second dish, fruit de mer, third dish deer beef w/special vine sauce (wow) with Broccoli w/cheese-mushroom sauce and fried potatoes, and as desert ice tiramisu before the café cognac.

So the first two dishes weren't much of a problem as these could be prepared in advance. But the main dish, that's a real hell's kitchen nightmare as all dishes require a short cooking time and no chance do to that in advance. Now try to fry potatoes, deer beef, two sauces and broccoli simultanously in such a small kitchen in which one person is the optimal occupancy, while the guests are waiting.

That's the point of setting out a bottle of wine before dinner. or hors d'œuvres if one really gets involved.

Now this is a nice spread! - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Hors_d%27%C5%93uvre_%28Bosnian%29.jpg

 

[Astronuc]

As for the fastie boys, I am sure they nice guys and Id have a beer with them. But for a tv show, no way.

I guess it's an acquired taste - like NASCAR.

When I saw their promo on the Hamburger, I really got a craving for a Double Meat and Cheese Death Burger. But I'd take to new heights - to that of Double Meat and Cheese MegaDeath Burger!

 

[Andre]

That's the point of setting out a bottle of wine before dinner.

Right, for this kind of family happenings I usually succeed finding a Chateauneuf du pape or a Rothschild Mouton Cadet tucked away somewhere in the cellar.