Streaming 411

Back in 1985 when I got my first apartment and VHS recorder, I would record my favorite television shows every day while I was working, and then spent one evening a week curled up on the couch, relaxing and catching up.  The advent of the DVR made the recording of recurrent television programming even easier to watch television on your terms, and even skip through those pesky advertisements if you couldn't wait for what happened next.

Today, streaming libraries like Netflix, Hulu Plus or Amazon Prime take this type of binge viewing a step further by enabling consumers to access entire libraries of past seasons, making weekend marathon viewing a regular occurrence for many of us.  Just last month me and my teenage daughter kicked off summer vacation by watching the first two seasons of Glee on Netflix, often for a whole evening, or an entire Saturday afternoon.  My family will also tell you I've been known on a weekend to turn on a Law and Order or Ugly Betty marathon and just "veg" when I'm feeling particularly burnt out on the fast pace of life, working and raising a large family.

The Wall Street Journal Community asked in their Question of the Day "Are you a binge TV watcher?"  The choices were "yes", "I used to be" and "no".  I answered yes, even though my binges might only occur once a month, and up to once a week during the dead of winter, or when I'm particularly overwhelmed and need to escape.  I think they should have provided a few more options.

Anyhow, 55% said yes, 6 % said they used to be, and 39% said No.  The message boards lit up with folks weighing in on what their favorite guilty pleasure was.  One guy said " 'Battlestar Galactica'.  'nuf said."  Another admitted that he got into watching the Soprano's by renting 4 episode videos at Blockbuster, and then watching an entire year over a weekend.  He also indulged in the same type of binging viewing The Big Bang, The Wire, and Breaking Bad.

One curmudgeon looked down his nose and said "I find that TV watching is a 'mindless' activity.  I don't watch."  Well bully for you, sir! 

Here's the lowdown about your TV viewing personality, and what your best bet is for scratching the itch:

The Daily Appointment Viewer - When television first took off decades ago, all of us who grew up in that era were appointment viewers.  The entire family sat down to watch the popular sitcoms, dramas and variety shows of the day at the time they aired.  The television set was a family focal point in many cases.  My early years I remember watching Little House on the Prairie every Sunday night, and my big, burly bricklayer father would weep and blow his nose during many of those episodes.  I remember watching The Carol Burnett Show, Sonny & Cher, Donny & Marie, and Merv Griffin.  When I became old enough to stay up past 10 on the weekends, I tuned in to see Gilda Radner, Chevy Chase and Jim Belushi create the best of late night comedy on the groundbreaking Saturday Night Live.

Appointment viewers today tend to be the Baby Boomers, who grew up enjoying keeping their TV appointments as part of their usual end of the day relaxation ritual.  If this describes you, then you are probably happy with either an antenna and getting TV for free, or paying for a basic cable package with local network programming.  If you want to dabble in streaming, you might want to rent a movie via Amazon Instant Video or Vudu, or indulge in a subscription to Netflix where you can watch such classics from yesteryear like Cleopatra, Barefoot in the Park, Seven Year Itch, or We're Not Married starring Marilyn Monroe, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Ginger Rogers.  If you love classic TV, you'll find such oldies but goodies as The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Twilight Zone, The Wonder Years, The Rockford Files, Cheers, or the originally Hawaii Five-O from the 1970s.  On my list is watching Saturday Night Live - The 1970s.

Network Television Fan - If you love everything from daytime talk shows to sitcoms, dramas, and great reality series like Dancing With the Stars, but need a lot more freedom and don't wish to keep that nightly appointment, a subscription to Hulu Plus is right up your alley.  This streaming service has the most up-to-date library of television programming.  If current isn't as important to you, Netflix will do just fine, and they have a much larger and more eclectic library.

Reality TV Junkie - Do you begin googling when the new season of Big Brother will premier months before?  Do you enjoy watching past episodes of the salacious antics of the house?  Would you like to chat with your favorite stars, and scour the message boards to see what like-minded fans are saying about this season?  Without a doubt, SuperPass is the subscription for you.  Netflix has a decent library of some favorites as well, like Say Yes to the Dress, Storm Chasers, Ghost Adventures, Toddlers & Tiaras, and The Biggest Loser.

"As an Afterthought" TV Watcher - Yep, you own a TV - a real nice, high definition widescreen, in fact.  You might watch the traffic and weather in the morning, but that's about it.  You work 60 hours a week, and you've discovered that your mobile device is handy to grab some downtime on the train watching a show.  About once a month it would be nice to stream a movie when you actually slow down.  You might do well to rent individual titles from Vudu, iTunes or Amazon Instant Video.  The good news about these services is you usually have a generous time to watch the content from the time you rent it - but be aware that once you start to watch it, you'll have to watch it within 24 hours.  And when your busy schedule finally catches up with you and you actually come down with the flu, go ahead and rent an entire season's worth of episodes.  You're worth it!

The Binger - As discussed above, a binger might set aside an entire evening, or a weekend, to watch episode after episode of the same programming until they've consumed the whole season.  A monthly subscription all you can eat buffet streaming library like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime is a must have if this is your personality type.  Action mystery serial dramas like ABC's Lost has been especially popular for the binger, because the show builds on itself.  In order to understand what's happening, you won't want to miss a single episode, or you'll be "lost" (pun intended).  Soap operas like Desperate Housewives, or Melrose Place make for some good binging fodder.

Blockbuster Movies All the Way! - You love to see new releases, and are a huge fan of Hollywood's epic masterpieces.  Your HD and/or 3D movie screen is just itching to be used for the great works.  You'll want to be able to rent newer releases of movies from a service like Vudu, Amazon Instant Video or iTunes.  Netflix will leave you frustrated if you rely on it solely, because they simply do not gain access to newly released movies.  If you think about it, it makes sense.  Why in the world would you rent a movie, purchase a DVD or go to the theatre if Netflix got new releases quickly.  But a combo platter of Netflix plus renting movies is a great way to have a well-rounded home streaming situation.

Let me know in the comments below what style you are, or perhaps suggest another style I haven't thought of.  You can also visit our comparison page to find out more about these streaming services.

Have a pooch who doesn't do well when left alone at home?  Can't afford doggie daycare?  Is your canine depressed, or maybe high strung?  Looking for a way to soothe the savage beast?  Robert MacPherson over at mnn.com interviewed Bandit the dog, who reviews Dog TV, the first TV for dogs.  Available for $9.99 a month, along with apps for smartphones and tablets, this may just be the ticket to provide entertainment and engagement for your pup.

Says Bandit "I lead a dog's life.  Good food.  Long walks.  A fulfilling job chasing off the mailman.  So what's all this fuss about a television channel that's created just for Fido?"  This "scientifically developed" (at least according to the team at Dog TV) stream of content shows hounds exploring all types of interesting venues with exclusive dog-cams capturing the entire adventure.  Set to music designed to "sooth the savage beast," this content will entertain your dog whose very DNA screams being part of a pack; being alone for long stretches can really cause problems for some pooches.

Developed with the help of Nicholas Dodman, a veterinary behaviorists at Tufts University in Massachusetts, this product is really taking off.  Despite a rough economy, we Americans love our pets, and continue to spend copious amounts of cash on man's best friend.  Dodman has long been encouraging the development of such a product for dogs.  "I call it environmental enrichment and I've been doing it for years.  The point of this is not to have dogs sitting down and watching TV for hours on end like we might.  It's just that there's something in the room that breaks the monotony of being home alone."

The article at mnn.com discusses the fact that a large percentage of Americans already leave TV or radio on home for their pooch when they're out of the house.  But Dog TV helps create the illusion of motion, which captures Fido's attention way better than standard TV does.  Whether it's fellow canines wrestling for ownership of a coveted toy, or watching an animated ball rolling back and forth, Dog TV really does work for entertaining your dog, according to Bandit whose owner wrote the entertaining article.

Dog TV also provides times to encourage your pup to take a nap by showing other members of the pack taking a nap while soothing music streams in the background.

Take note, though, that digial television sets (or devices) are a must.  Standard analog sets flicker too much for dogs, and they can't see the pictures in the proper way.

If you're human and you're bored, check out other "just for fun" articles at Streaming 411 by clicking here. 

Visit Dog.TV to learn more.

Source:  http://www.mnn.com/family/pets/stories/dog-tv-created-to-soothe-canine-souls

I used to be a big movie fan as a kid and some of my favourite memories from my childhood are tied up with seeing Superman, ET and one of the Sinbad films.

The whole experience was magical for me, from queuing up impatiently to picking a big bag of sweets to settling down and watching the trailers. I am sure I am not the only person who used to think that this was the highlight of the month so why did I stop going when I got older?

It’ s strange because once I started to work I made enough money to go on my own every week, although my miserable wages wouldn’t have stood up to a huge bag of sweets every single weekend perhaps. However, instead of enjoying myself in the cinema I spent my money on computer games, ridiculous shirts for work (I never did wear that yellow one) and a wide variety of ready made desserts.

Now It’s a Burger King

Somewhere along the way the last cinema in my home town closed down and I barely even noticed. I should have been sad to lose the first (and last) place I ever saw someone get changed in a phone booth and an alien ride a bike but somehow it kind of passed me by. The cinema was turned into a blooming Burger King and I got my kicks from other things.

Then something marvelous happened recently; a new cinema was built in town. I started talking about the subject with my work colleagues and we all seemed to share very similar memories on the subject. For the best part of a decade I hadn’t discussed this with anyone and suddenly I could clearly recall walking up the stairs with my Dad and looking for our seats in the darkness while clutching an unfeasible amount of snacks.

In the end we all got built up into such a frenzy of anticipation that the opening night could have been a real disappointment. As it was, we all really enjoyed it. I had thought that the slick, modern new building would maybe ruin the old fashioned experience I still had locked up in my head after all these years.

That Familiar Popcorn Smell

I wasn’t left disappointed though. As soon as I entered the building and saw the old movie posters and smelled the lovely popcorn smell (why doesn’t it smell like that at home?) I knew it was going to be just like old times. I think that going to the cinema is one of those things we take for granted too much and I am so glad to have rediscovered the pleasure of seeing a movie in a comfortable seat and with a bucket of food which is bigger than my head.        

Steve Harrison can often be found at his local Showcase Cinema, Visit the site to find cinema times near you.

After devouring the Hunger Games’ books in about 4 days, I wasn’t surprised to hear a movie was in the works.  After all, with the success of Twilight and Harry Potter, Hollywood knows a teen driven market when they see one. I was anxious though, wondering how they would bring such atrocities to the screen and how they would cast such specific and colorful characters.  It could end up being a great, big, expensive mess.

Luckily, after seeing the film this weekend, it was not a mess. In fact, I was surprised at how much they got right.  Of course no film is perfect but this film succeeded in bringing the world of the books to life.  Below are 5 things they got oh so right.

Katniss

I had heard all the rumblings over Jennifer Lawrence being cast.  She was too thick, too womanly, not starved enough looking for the part.  I had seen her in Winter’s Bone though and knew she was one of the best young actresses in Hollywood right now.  And it took 2 minutes into the film for me to love her.  Yes she is sturdy looking. But Katniss is a hunter.  She eats meat.  And she needs to be strong.  For once it wasn’t a wimpy, willowy actress who looked more likely to fall over at the slightest breeze then come out swinging.  She had a deep intensity and fierce loyalty about her.  She didn’t need a lot of dialogue to make perfectly clear who she was.  I believed her love for her sister, her disdain and utter hatred for the Capitol and her fighting spirit.  

The Arena

What was most unsettling about the arena where the games take place, was how it looked so much like the woods by my house. Seemingly innocent, but so deadly. From the tracker jackers (which now I’m petrified of wasps) to the fireball scene to the trees that provided a short lived safety zone, the art department nailed it.  Not over done and totally believable.

The Costumes

The Capitol’s residents are described in such detail, it would have been really hard to screw them up on screen.  And I think the wardrobe department had a heyday with it.  They utilized all the colors of the rainbows, no better shown than on Effie Trinket.  She was so deliciously nauseating from her pastel lips to her pink coifed hair.  Her outfits were outrageous.  And a special shout out to Katniss and Peeta’s costumes on the chariot.  They looked fantastic.  

The Music

The wonderful thing about the score for this film, is that it was subtle.  It didn’t over shadow the film. Instead it complimented it.  And the song that Katniss sings to her sister and then to Rue was so beautiful and simple.  I highly commend the team of composers.  It could have been so tempting to create a great overpowering score but instead the actors created that heartbreak, tenderness, fear.  

Oh Cinna

I’ll admit, when I first heard that Lenny Kravitz was playing Cinna I said WHAT?! No way.  I actually thought Stanley Tucci should have played him.  Boy was I wrong.  Kravitz brought his cool and calm suave to Cinna.  He made him attractive and a care taker. My only complaint was that he wasn’t in it enough.  I’m very much looking forward to seeing more of him in the next installment. 

In short; fantastic books, great film and a highly entertaining story.  The production did a wonderful job bringing such beloved characters to the screen. Unlike other books, especially ones that involve sparkly vampires. 

Lisa Coronado is a content writer for Custom Magnets. 

“Don’t let your kids watch TV; it will rot their brains!”

Have you heard this before? Most parents have, from some concerned relative or another. The reality is that kids love to watch TV, and you can’t shield them from it forever. Perhaps some content is questionable, but there are lots of educational kid’s shows out there. By watching TV, your kids are likely learning these seven things.

Cultural Differences and Tolerance

One of the best things TV will provide your child with is a peak at other cultures. Kids shows are packed with lessons on diversity and cultural differences. Whether your kids will learn about foreign countries or different people in America, they’ll be getting lots of quality exposure to other cultures. And with that they’ll be learning the very important lessons of tolerance and acceptance.

Geography

Just like your kids will see different countries on TV, they’ll also get to see different parts of the country and the world that they wouldn’t otherwise visit. They’ll learn about different landscapes, climates, towns, and geography. It’s a great way for them to see new places.

Current Events

It might not be appropriate to watch the evening news with your young children, but they can still learn about current events through the television. Lots of kid’s shows that are producing new episodes will integrate current events, news, and topics that adults are talking about today. Your kids may gain some age-appropriate knowledge about the news, and it’s a great way to prompt discussion about things that are going on in the world around them.

Social Skills

As characters on your kid’s favorite TV shows get into a variety of different situations, your kids will learn valuable social skills. While it’s not the same as practicing for themselves, the TV can expose your kids to a variety of different types of social interactions. The characters will model appropriate and inappropriate behaviors and reactions, and your kids may feel more familiar or prepared when they encounter a similar situation in real life.

Technology

Technology like the Internet, computers, and cell phones are going to become very familiar to your children as they get older. When they’re very young, the TV can help introduce these things to them and demonstrate how they’re used in a more practical way.

Self-Confidence

The television is no substitute for praise, love, and attention, but it can help promote your child’s self-confidence. If they see their favorite characters doing things like learning, making crafts, and making new friends, they’ll feel more confident in their own abilities to do those things, too. Also, when they see kids on TV that are similar to them, they’ll feel more self-esteem for who they are.

Caring for Other People

One of the things that’s pretty universal across children’s programming is that the characters help each other out. They support each other, and they demonstrate kindness and empathy. Your child will pick up on this theme and get a greater sense of the importance of caring for others.

Alexandra Kelly is a school teacher and dedicated mother who loves to write in her free time. She often helps her students with essay editing and is currently grading a massive stack of those essays right now. She also helps her kids edit their application for admissions into college as she loves to do her best to ensure her students succeed.

Dancing with the Stars is now in its fourteenth season on ABC, and it’s still one of the most watched shows on primetime television. If you haven’t checked it out yet, what are you waiting for? Maybe you’re skeptical about another celebrity reality TV show, and you rightly should be, but DWTS reins in the ratings for a reason – for a few reasons, actually. Here are some things you’ll love about DWTS.  

The Dancing
Celebrities or not, DWTS is a dancing competition, and it certainly entertains in that respect. The wide variety of dance styles showcased in every episode, from samba to salsa to foxtrot, is always exciting and fun to watch. The production certainly isn’t cheap, and flashy staging, costumes, and props ensure even the most mediocre dancers have some flair. Lots of celebrities turn out to be naturals and their talent shows. The ones that never get the hang of it make us laugh and keep things more down-to-earth.

The Stars
And putting dancing aside this time, the celebrities themselves make the show. DWTS has notoriously casted B-list and below stars, but that doesn’t diminish their appeal. Gladys Knight is one of the bigger names, and it’s nice to see she’s still around. Even the lesser-known stars are heating up the screen. William Levy, popular in Spanish soap operas, makes this show worth watching every time he comes out with a tight fitting or partially unbuttoned shirt, which happens to be always. The contestants aren’t the only stars to watch – frequent guest performances are a treat, such as recent visits by Seal and Rascal Flatts.

The Drama
With so many celebrity egos in one place, you know there’s bound to be some juicy drama. This week there were rumors that celebrity Jaleel White flipped out on his partner Kym Johnson during rehearsal, calling her an idiot after he accidentally stepped on her foot. It will be interesting to see how the tension plays out on stage. Even past DWTS contestants are still good for some juicy drama. Recently former contestant Kate Gosselin and partner Tony Dovolani continued to spar in the headlines, with Tony telling Anderson Cooper that dancing with Kate caused him to need “a lot of therapy.”

The Judges
What celebrity competition show would be complete without a few fiery judges to critic their performances for us? DWTS has three: choreographer Bruno Tonioli, choreographer Carrie Ann Inaba, and British dance teacher Len Goodman. All three are expressive, funny, critical, and knowledgeable all at the same time. Their over-the-top comments and reactions are so fun that you wouldn’t want to watch just the dancing without hearing their takes on it.  

The Hosts
Lots of times, reality show hosts are just there to move things along without offering much value themselves. On DWTS, host Tom Bergeron brings some unexpected comedy, even if it’s just because he seems so out of place in a dance competition. Co-host Brooke Burke is stunningly sexy, and she’s an attractive addition to the lineup that will, at the very least, keep your husband happy enough to tolerate DWTS two nights a week.

Alexandra Kelly is a school teacher and dedicated mother who loves Dancing with the Stars and loves to write. She also loves correct grammar and always insists her students proof their work with a grammar checker prior to submitting it. She is an avid baker and is constantly on the lookout for the perfect banana nut bread recipe - her favorite snack.

Do you consider yourself a geek? Are you the first one of your friends to have the latest technology and actually know how to work it? If you answered yes to these questions, this list of movies is for you! Here are the top 7 computer science movies of all time:

Hackers

Hackers are either the bane of your existence or your heroes. No matter which side of the fence you’re on when it comes to hacking, this movie is a must-see for every computer science student. The movie brings to life the story of a high school student, arrested for writing a computer virus. Later in his life, our hero bands together with a group of friends to stop a dangerous virus from wreaking havoc on the nation’s computer systems.

The Matrix

If you’ve never seen this movie, you may be one of the only people left on the planet. Insanely popular, the movie stars Laurence Fishburne and Keanu Reeves as members of an alternate reality where computers rule the world. The movie will leave you wondering what reality actually means.

Weird Science

Are you tired of dating only to find that no one matches up to your geek qualifications? Pop this movie into the player and settle back to watch two geeks create the woman of their dreams. By feeding statistics into their home computer, two teenage boys are able to create the perfect woman. While the lightning strike is a bit too reminiscent of Frankenstein movies, we still adore this tale of geek love.

The Social Network

Have you ever wondered exactly how Facebook got its start? Sit down for a viewing of The Social Network and you’ll soon discover how bad-mouthing your ex on the Internet can lead to billions of dollars. Though the movie does take creative license here and there, it closely follows the story of how the social networking giant started from humble beginnings.

Tron

For those of you that have ever worried about being broken down into bits and sucked through your computer screen, this movie shows exactly what can happen! Jeff Bridges is sucked into his computer and must fight battles to save his own life and be released back into the world. The movie may seem to be lacking some wow factor today but, for its time, was incredibly futuristic.

WarGames

Hacking, even accidentally, can be dangerous business. Matthew Broderick soon finds that spending too much time pecking on the keyboard can have dire consequences! Playing what he thinks is an ultra-realistic computer game, Broderick comes very close to launching the Third World War. Made in a time when computers weren’t found in every living room, this movie scared the masses into thinking that something like this could really happen!

Office Space

Combine geeks and office cubicles and you’ve got one heck of a comedy! The film takes hating your job to a new extreme! Don’t let watching the movie scare you off of working in an office. Chances are that you’ll never hate your job quite this much.

If you’re looking for a fun way to spend Saturday night, renting any one of these top geek movies is a great way to waste a couple of hours. Choose one or pick several! You’re sure to wonder how you missed these classics the first time around.

Jamie Harris is a school teacher and in her spare time she blogs for bestcomputersciencedegrees.com a site she often recommends to those who are looking for the Top 10 Best Online Schools for Computer Science and IT or those who are just looking to find the Best Computer Science Degrees in general.

College provides a great setting for television. College is all about exploration and experimentation, and there's lots of dramatic potential in a character's struggle to find herself. Although some shows offer a pretty unrealistic or idealized image of college life, others really capture the essence of a college lifestyle. Here are some of the best shows set on a college campus:

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Although only two seasons of the seven-season show deal explicitly with college, they're some of the best examples of college TV. Much of the fourth season is concerned with Buffy's difficult transition into college life. Students will easily sympathize with her as she deals with a troublesome roommate, harsh professors and feelings of displacement. Of course, all of this is delivered with a healthy dose of vampires, monsters and hell-gods, so viewers won't ever get bored of the college drama.

2. Felicity

Running four seasons and following the entire undergraduate life of the show's eponymous main character, Felicity portrays the dramatic upheavals and self-discovery that is endemic to the college experience. After following her high school sweetheart to college, Felicity must navigate a winding path of soul-searching and love triangles. Few shows ever fully captured the heart of college life in the 90s quite as well as this show, and elements of it still set the bar for programming today.

3. Community

One of the funniest shows on air today, Community is a meta-sitcom that pokes well-intentioned fun at several other programs and genres. The show follows a cast of students studying at a community college, and although the challenges they face tend to be a bit absurd at times, the heart of the show is completely genuine. Students deal with the same struggle as young people everywhere: Who should they be, and what should they do? Genuinely witty script-writing and an endearing cast of misfits make this show a sure classic.

4. Greek

A surprisingly edgy show for ABC Family, Greek follows the lives of students in fraternities or sororities and challenges the stereotypes for those groups. Its portrayal of gay characters makes it both progressive and real, and the characters deal with realistic ups-and-downs of college living. Although the show occasionally wanders into melodrama territory, it remains a solid example of a great college show.

5. Undeclared

Lasting just one season, this Fox comedy was a sharp and poignant and one of the smartest depictions of college life on TV. Following the difficulties of one geek with an undeclared major as he tried to find himself, this show still has a fan following despite its short run time.

Of course, no matter how great a TV show is, it's probably not wholly accurate about college. University classes tend to last longer than five minutes, and students really do spend more time in class and studying than they do fighting vampires or becoming embroiled in drama. Nevertheless, college shows are a great frame of reference for young adult viewers looking for a program that they can really relate to.

Adam Miller is a writer enrolled in a public relations masters program online to earn his degree.

Who doesn’t want a cinema at home? There is nothing like a private audio visual wonderland for one to enjoy with friends and family. Celebrities have obviously got the best home theatres that money can buy because they can afford the space and equipment for awesome home theatre systems.

The White House

Naturally, with several high-profile families having lived under the White House roof several first ladies have imprinted their decor mark on disparate rooms in this distinguished property. During the Reagan presidential era the hat and coat room of the White House was turned into a 40-seater plush movie theatre. An audio visual dream, the screen is massive, while the sound and visual systems are only the best audio visual home theatre systems on offer. Thank you Nancy Reagan for a cool home theatre; and thank you Laura Bush for the rocking red plush seats.

Ryan Seacrest

Now here’s a man who not only knows how to rock an interview but certainly knows how to rock a fine home cinema. His Los Angeles pad features a wireless home theatre with four in-wall speakers, two subwoofers and three touch-screen pads that can be used to change music and movies while lying on the plush sofas in the screening room. Seacrest also has a waterproof remote control that can be used from the pool to change music. Oh to be stinking rich, attractive and somewhat tall.

Eddie Murphy

Funny man Murphy has had his massive mansion on sale for five years now and has failed to sell it. This confuses anyone who sees what the home has to offer. However, that’s not the point of this discussion. We’re talking about Murphy’s brilliant fifties styled home theatre that is certainly not considered a cheap home theatre system. Designed by the Theo Kalomirakis which is a firm who are known for their exceptional private home theatre designs for large and small spaces, Murphy’s home theatre is no exception to the visually appealing TK design.

Steve Finley

Steve is owner of one of the absolutely coolest home theatre systems in the celebrity world. The former MLB player has an inside home theatre that can seat 12 people but it’s his outdoors home theatre system that consists of a 165-inch projection area on an outside wall, with a thousand LED lights, that is the envy of outdoor theatre owners. Finley’s home interior is also covered in 42-inch plasma screens, in-wall and in-ceiling speakers and subwoofers projectors that can be accessed via touchpad screens at certain points in the house. It’s just one of many awesome home theatres owned by extremely rich celebrities. *sigh*

Vida Denning is a freelance writer who enjoys writing on various topics. She took an interest in audio visual after learning about the AV event Chelmsford and what's happening there.

We had posters that went viral (Farrah Fawcett, Tommy Lee Roth, David Jones, Michael Jackson); you have Youtubes that go viral and even make stars (Justin Bieber).  We hung out at the roller rink; you hang out on Facebook.  Forty years have really changed the way youth culture expresses its individuality.  Here are five interesting observations.

1. Technology Shifts - 10 Things the iPod Generation Will Never Experience - Nearly 40 years ago we moved from vinyl record albums and 8-track to cassette tapes, and VHS and Beta were duking it out for domination; the next decade we moved on to CDs and DVDs.  This medium lasted quite a long time until digital media came of age.  I predict that digital music, movies & TV shows will continue to improve and achieve widespread adoption as people begin to see less value in owning a physical copy of their entertainment media.
2. Music Outlets - Boom Boxes gave way to Walkmans - Back in the day we all listened to the same music on the beach (scroll down for my musical walk down memory lane), and most of us were grateful to the guy who brought his boom box to share.  Then the Walkman allowed people to listen to their own individual CDs on the go through stereo ear phones.  We started mixing our own eclectic CDs for ourselves and our friends.  Now iPods with tiny earbuds dominate, and music streaming, peer to peer file sharing services and syncing to multiple mobile devices have replaced CD mixing.
3. Socializing - The roller rink was a strange, mythical place where people used to listen to the music spawned by the disco era and danced on wheels.  It was the singles bar for the under 21 crowd.  Today's collective youth spends far more time connecting virtually through online gaming, texting, chat rooms, and social media.
4. Relationship Dynamics - Forty years ago we went steady and she got to wear his class ring.  There were a few epic romances in every high school that lasted most of the school year, and occasionally into the next year.  Music was very emotional and romantic, and focused on jealousy and heartbreak, with bands like Foreigner, Journey, Styx, and Queen.  Today you "hook up" and have "friends with benefits"  while LMFAO.  But I've got to say Adele is killer!
   
5. Fashion trends were strongly influenced by and identified with music & movie icons - Madonna spawned several different mega trends, there was the Urban Cowboy era, the Disco era and the subsequent Dance era (remember those parachute pants?).  The 70's made a comeback in the 90's with ultra wide bells.  Today, while there are certainly fashion trends, there seems to be no clear trendsetter other than the Sex in the City girls from the 1990s.

My parents Rocked Around the Clock and did the Jailhouse Rock.  I Love Rock 'N Roll.  I Wanna Rock N Roll All Night.  and We Will Rock You.  Like a Rock.  Today the Party Rock Is In the House Tonight.  One thing is certain - music trends have been forever altered, in my opinion, not necessarily for the better.  It's like time stood still musically when I was growing up.

I can't help it.  I'm old (well, at least according to my kids at 47 I'm ancient).  I miss those old days of the 70s and 80s, but one thing that's very exciting to me are the digital media trends that wlll unleash music and movies to the masses in an easy and affordable way.  We are even able to find just about every song from our youth on Youtube, while being served up new songs that continually make me smile with fond remembrance.  I share these musical treats with my kids, who roll their eyes, but then join in on the dance party in the living room.  I'll take today's technology and all that it brings, but can we please go back to leggings and long tunics?  They were comfy