TV’s Analog Push-Back: Delaying the Switch to Digital Television

TV’s Analog Push-Back: Delaying the Switch to Digital Television

Nearly 12 years after the call for a switch to digital television. But just a few weeks away, money has dried up for converter box coupons and many argue that the public still is not ready for the switch. Now, Congress is considering delaying the analog TV shutdown for a few more months. Here’s why the United States may not be ready for an all-digital TV broadcasting system just yet.

On Feb. 17, 2009, analog television broadcasts in the United States are scheduled to end forever, giving way to a 100 percent digital television system. At least, that is the current plan. The digital television transition has been delayed more than two years since the original deadline and, as we get within weeks of DT-Day, problems are popping up that may push the date back even further.

As of Jan. 14, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) program had mailed out 44.6 million government-issued coupons to defray the cost of DTV converter boxes. (There’s a limit of two coupons per household.) Of those, 19.8 million had been redeemed, 13.7 million coupons were about to pass their 90-day expiration deadline, and 11 million were still active but unused.

The problem? Congress’s initial allocation of funds—$1.34 billion—has been used up, leaving millions of households without access to the coupons. Apparently, the demand was higher than anticipated, and Congress is now worried that many constituents will be stuck paying the full price for a converter box as they frantically prepare for DTV. The boxes cost about $60.

All new applications for NTIA coupons are being put on a wait list, which now has more than 2 million requests—and that list is growing. Because its initial budget allocation has run out, all the NTIA can do is wait for unredeemed coupons to expire, which will free up more funding, or go hat in hand to Congress and ask for more money—or do both.

Meanwhile, the Federal Communications Commission, local TV stations and legislators are all being bombarded with letters, e-mails and phone calls complaining about the cut-off date and the NTIA coupon program—and questioning the government’s shutting down the analog TV system in the first place. And, everyone from President Obama to the FCC commissioners to Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., is recommending that the analog shutdown be pushed back a few more months—say, to mid-June.

But the NTIA isn’t happy with that plan. When we asked for a comment on the proposed delays, Bart Forbes, spokesman for the NTIA, emphasized that the Feb. 17 deadline was already a delay from the original deadline of Dec. 31, 2006. Forbes also pointed to comments to Congress by outgoing commerce secretary Carlos Gutierrez who stated, “I am writing to urge no delay in realizing the benefits of this important initiative.”

Moving the date back another four months would be good news for viewers who need to replace their outside TV antennas but didn’t do so before winter set in—particularly residents of northern states. And it would allow more time for funds from unused coupons to flow back into the system.

But there are major disadvantages to a delay, starting with the thousands of TV stations that have had to operate both analog and digital TV transmitters for the past 10-plus years. These stations have done their homework—they’re ready for DT-Day, and would really like to cut back their electric bills by shutting down their analog transmitters once and for all. And there are more than a few new digital TV stations that can’t even go on the air until the current analog occupants of their channels move out.

Any delay in the DTV transition could also slow plans for using pieces of the soon-to-be-vacant spectrum of TV channels from 52 through 69; this spectrum was bought by investors such as AT&T and Google. Also waiting for a spot on that spectrum are hundreds of public safety agencies looking for more desperately needed emergency radio frequencies within those same channels.

On the other hand, the switch could hit vulnerable citizens—the poor, the elderly, the disabled and those with language barriers—the hardest, says Sen. Jay Rockefeller. “We risk leaving those who are most reliant on over-the-air broadcast television for their information literally in the dark,” he tells PM. “This is why I have introduced a bill to delay the date of the DTV transition to June 12, 2009.”

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KEY INDICATORS on how our planet is changeing

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Diet Diary Doubles Weight Loss

Diet Diary Doubles Weight Loss

 Dieters who wrote down everything they ate had twice the weight loss of other people following the same diet. Karen Hopkin reports

 Dear diary: Today I ate three carrot sticks while I fantasized about eating carrot cake. Alright, alright, I ate three pieces of carrot cake, and never once considered an actual carrot. How am I ever going to lose that last 10 pounds? Well, new research shows that keeping a diary—a food diary—can help. According to a study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine*, people who write down everything they eat each day lose twice as much as those who don’t.

 Nearly 1,700 people participated in the study. They were asked to follow a heart-healthy diet, full of fruits and veggies and low-fat or nonfat dairy. They attended weekly group sessions and were told to engage in moderate exercise for half-an-hour a day. After six months, nearly two-thirds of the participants had lost at least nine pounds. But the real surprise came from the food logs: those who simply kept track of what they consumed lost twice as much as those who failed to fess up. So next time you’re tempted by the clarion call of the carrot cake, stop to consider how it would look in your diary—not to mention on your hips.

Karen Hopkin

6 Tips To Gut-Busting Abs

 Everyone these days wants to know the secret to acquiring that ever so coveted six-pack. Here are 6 tips that will actually get you gut busting abs. Read on for more!

 By: Steve Halvorson

 Article Summary:
 The body distributes body fat fairly consistently around the whole body.
 Doing sit-ups all day will not increase the size of your abs.
 Fat can only be burned through aerobic processes in your body.
 
 6 Tips To Gut-Busting Abs
 

 Everyone these days wants to know the secret to acquiring that ever so coveted six-pack. A guy with chiseled abs will leave the girls drooling and a girl with sexy, toned abs will have a hoard of men ready to beckon to her every need.

 However, amidst a sea of misinformation and false claims, most people have very little clue as how to actually achieve that desired appearance. There are hundreds of so called “experts” out there that either don’t know what they are talking about or they simply want to sell you a product that they know won’t work.

 The purpose of this article is to clear up all of the confusion in order to help you, the reader, achieve a set of gut-busting abs that will leave others in awe.
 
 The Problem

 I bet you’ve seen the commercials for products like the Ab Roller, Ab Lounge, Torso Trimmer, and the Ab Scissor. In fact, you may even have one of these products in your household.

 I would also venture to guess that you probably believe that doing hundreds of sit-ups is going to get you a nice set of abdominals. However, and this may shock you, but the reality is that it is all lies. That’s right. Doing sit-ups or doing a nice little workout on an Ab Roller will not get you the results you want.
 
 Everyone these days wants to know the secret to acquiring that ever so coveted six-pack. Here are 6 tips that will actually get you gut busting abs. Read on for more!

 Impressive abdominal muscles are often defined as the very foundation of the perfect balanced physique! Check out these exercises from beginner to advanced and listen in for nutrition facts!

 There seems to be a very strong misconception out there that you can actually spot reduce around the abdomen. Doing sit-ups does not burn the fat right off of your abs. It just doesn’t work that way.

 The body distributes body fat fairly consistently around the whole body. The first place that it stores it in women is in the butt and thighs. For men, excess fat is stored right around the abdomen.

 The only way to achieve a six-pack is to reduce your total amount of body fat by burning more calories than you consume. Doing sit-up after sit-up will only condition the abs under all the fat. It will not “work the fat off” as many like to believe it will.
 
 I have been in the same boat as many others out there. I used to believe that a simple abdominal machine could do the trick. However, the more and more I did my homework, the more I realized how false that idea was.

 I began to realize that the fitness industry isn’t always about helping people achieve results. It’s a business like anything else and it all comes down to money. If a product doesn’t work but people are willing to buy it, then why wouldn’t someone try to capitalize on that opportunity?

 We’d like to think that everyone out there has good intentions, but the truth is that there are a lot of extortionists out there that will try to make you believe a lie so they can make money.

 I’m going to the one who actually tells you the truth because I believe strongly that helping people achieve results by giving them the right information is far more important than making money through exploitation of innocent customers. Here are 6 tips that will actually get you gut busting abs.

 The Solution

 1. Train Abs Heavy: 

 The only abdominal training that you should be doing is intense training with heavy resistance. A good rep range to work within is the 8-12 repetition range. Do one or two different abdominal exercises with a total of around 5-6 sets. That’s all you need.

 The purpose of this is to build some size on the abdominals so that they will press up against the skin, which will help out tremendously in achieving ripped abs. Doing sit-ups all day will not increase the size of your abs because there is little resistance being added

 The three absolute best abdominal exercises are:

 Cable Crunches 

 Exercise Data
 Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals
 Other Muscles Worked: None
 Equipment: Cable
 Mechanics Type: Isolation

 Tips: Kneel below a high pulley. Grasp cable rope attachment and place wrists against the head. Flex hips slightly and allow the weight to hyperextend the lower back. With the hips stationary, flex the waist so the elbows travel toward the middle of the thighs. Return and repeat.
 Weighted Leg Raises 

 Exercise Data
 Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals
 Other Muscles Worked: None
 Equipment: BodyOnly
 Mechanics Type: Isolation

 Tips: Hang from a bar with your legs straight down. Raise your legs by flexing your hips while flexing your knees until your hips are fully flexed. Continue to raise knees toward shoulders by flexing your waist. Do NOT swing and use momentum. Go slow and concentrate on using your abs to pull your legs up. Return to the starting position. Repeat. You can place weight between your ankles for added resistance. You can also raise your knees to one side of your body to work the obliques.
 Weighted Decline Crunches

 Exercise Data
 Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals
 Other Muscles Worked: None
 Equipment: BodyOnly
 Mechanics Type: Isolation

 Tips: Using a decline bench, position yourself with your feet locked in at the top. Your upper body should be raised off the bench so that you have to contract your abs just to stay in place. Place your hands on each side of your head, over your heads. Don’t lock your fingers! Raise your body slowly while you contract your abs. Crunch up until your elbows are on either side of your thighs. Hold and flex your abs, then slowly lower your body back to the starting position. Don’t lower your body all the way down the to bench! If you can, hold a weight plate across your chest for added resistance.

 It is also important to make sure that you perform the exercises properly. Cable crunches are the absolute best abdominal exercise out there. However, it is actually very rare to see anyone perform this exercise correctly.

 Remember that it is a crunch so your abs should crunch together. Most people don’t crunch down and they end up sacrificing the purpose of the exercise.

 2. Small, Frequent Meals Along With Plenty Of Water: 

 Eating small, frequent meals with adequate carbohydrates, protein, and fats will speed up your metabolism and will allow your body to burn off excess body fat. Your metabolism will slow down dramatically 3 hours after a meal so plan to eat once every 2 1/2 to 3 hours. A faster metabolism equals more calories burned and less fat covering your abs.

 It is also absolutely critical to drink plenty of water as well. Think about it. The body is approximately 75% water. Every cell in your body needs water to function properly since many transport systems in the body require water. It also helps the body regulate itself by serving as a pH and temperature buffer. Water must be important.

 A good way to measure your level of hydration is by the color of your urine. If it is bright yellow, then you are dehydrated. It should either be a very light yellow or clear. During a workout routine, it is best to make sure that your urine is clear. Keeping it clear will prevent you from feeling light-headed and will allow your body to perform at an optimal level.

 3. Breakfast: 

 I see a lot of people that skip breakfast in the morning and they absolutely kill their metabolism. By simply eating a balanced breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up, you can actually increase your metabolism by roughly 20-30%! That is a huge difference!

 Eating breakfast will kick start your metabolism and will help in run smoothly throughout the day. It is the absolute most important meal of the day.

 4. Cardiovascular Exercise: 

 The beauty of cardiovascular exercise is that most of the energy that you burn during cardiovascular exercise is fat (70-90%). Fat can only be burned through aerobic processes in the body. This basically means that your body only burns fat when enough oxygen is available.

 Doing cardiovascular exercise creates a need for energy but also forces your body to pump a lot more oxygen into the bloodstream. Since you are performing exercise, your body will want to maintain your muscle tissue and will prefer to burn off fat as energy instead. Cardiovascular exercise is much more effective in the morning as well since the body is refreshed

 Intense cardiovascular exercise is always preferred when trying to burn fat, but it is also important to note that doing something is always better than doing nothing.

 If you can’t handle intense exercise, then just get out and move. Go for a walk or a bike ride. It really isn’t that hard. Getting ripped abs can happen very fast with an intense workout regimen, but I understand that many people don’t want to put themselves through all of that.

 If your one of those people, then getting active and moving can still get your body to burn enough fat to create visible abs. However, it’ll just take a whole lot longer.

 5. Focus On Building Muscle In Other Areas Of The Body: 

 It is important to try to build up muscle mass on the rest of your body. More muscle mass will result in a higher BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and thus, more calories burned.

 Your BMR is basically the amount of calories that your body burns while you sit around. People that have more mass will have a higher BMR than those with less mass on their body because their body needs more calories to maintain that extra mass.

 Heavy weight lifting will also burn a lot of calories. You can essentially burn the same amount of calories doing a few sets of squats as you would if you spent 30 minutes doing low intensity cardiovascular exercise.

 It is a good idea to attempt to train all the large muscle groups to turn your body into a calorie burning machine. This means doing all the lifts that many people tend to shy away from like squats and deadlifts.

 6. Sleep: 

 Inadequate sleep causes the body to release a stress hormone called cortisol. Cortisol promotes fat storage and will ultimately kill any efforts to get ripped abs.

 Getting enough sleep will also allow the body function at an optimum level which will result in a faster metabolism and greater muscle gains. Plan to get at least 8-9 hours of sleep.

 Conclusion
 
 Hopefully I have cleared up many of the misconceptions about getting ripped abs. The key is to add size to your abs and to burn fat through the right kind of exercise and diet. I strongly believe that anyone who is somewhat in shape can get absolutely ripped in a matter of months.

 It is perfectly possible. All you have to do is just get up and do it. You now know the secret to getting gut busting abs and best of luck on achieving your fitness goals.

Nearly 80 percent of successful dieters are regular breakfast eaters.

Nearly 80 percent of successful dieters are regular breakfast eaters.
 “I just don’t feel like eating first thing” is the most common reason women give for skipping their a.m. meal. Sound familiar? You’re probably getting the bulk of your calories later in the day and your body has gotten used to it.

 To break this pattern, trim a few hundred calories from your dinner by making healthy substitutions, like having carrot sticks instead of french fries, water in place of soda, and fruit sorbet for dessert rather than ice cream. “After a few days, you should have an appetite within an hour of rising,” says Brenda Malinauskas, Ph.D., R.D., an assistant professor of nutrition at East Carolina University.

 The change will be worth it. Research shows that skipping breakfast may cause you to eat more food later in the day, even if you aren’t truly hungry when you jump out of bed. In fact, just 27 percent of normal-weight people reported ditching breakfast, compared with 40 percent of overweight women and 48 percent of obese women, according to Malinauskas’ research. Other evidence suggests that calories consumed early in the day are more satisfying than those you take in during the evening, so breakfast eaters have an easier time controlling mindless noshing and staying at a healthy weight.

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