TV OR NOT TV

Toronto high schools are being hustled by a group of con artists who want to put TV screens in their hallways.

Of course, ads will appear.

Of course, ad people would love to get their claws on all that young consumer flesh.

Of course, schools are strapped for cash. This is Canada, remember. So, of course, schools are tempted.

Bad idea. Very bad idea.

I watch TV.

I don't watch the nature channel or CBC or pubic television.

I watch sports (NFL football, tennis and golf), comedy (Seinfeld re-runs, which I have seen now at least 20 times per episode), and the occasional dramamine or movie.

I do not expect TV to educate or enlighten me.

I get from TV exactly what I want - escape from my troubles.

I relax. My feeble mind wanders. I daydream. I sing. I eat food. I talk on the phone. I snooze.

Schools need books and teachers and yes, even computers. They also need art supplies and sports equipment.

Governments should pay for these.

If your government is not, then hassle the living daylights out of them.

I will not watch a video screen "installation" in an art gallery.

The medium is the message.

TV is not art.

It is shopping and silliness and that's just fine...

As long as it's not foisted on children who should be using their actual minds during school hours.

RIM Me...I'm waiting

"Love the journey."

That's the new ad campaign for my favorite thing in the whole world, the ubiquitous Blackberry.

Every website has their ads.

The Globe has not one but two full pagers.

No question, the Research in Motion (RIM) folks who have paid for these spots can be proud. This is boss advertising.

However...

There are still some of us around who are old enough to remember when getting RIMmed really meant something.

Granny Shmammy

The Vancouver Sun has the most curious article this morning.

The headline reads:

"Nanny, granny or secondary suites are key for home ownership in Metro Vancouver"

After explaining the obvious - rental income helps pay the mortgage - the piece goes on to tell us how the City of Vancouver encourages such accommodations.

Huh?

There is a house a block away from me that is for sale.

Asking price $2.2 Million.

Brand new.

But the so-called basement has a bathroom, the laundry and one useless square dungeon of a room.

That is because the City won't allow people on the West Side to build full basements that might be - oh, the horror! - rented - egad! - out.

It's a puzzlement.

Jacques Brel, Nina Simone & Piaf...Now Barbra