Loud Commercials - Where can we turn?

I am frustrated on a daily basis with the lack of our government's responsiveness to the millions of physical assualt that are perpetrated upon us by loud commercial broadcasts over the television... broadcasts where the volume of the commercial is significantly louder than that of the programming.

The FCC, in true bureaucratic form has this to say: 

Loud Commercials. The FCC does not regulate the volume of broadcast programming, including commercials. Surveys and technical studies reveal that the perceived loudness of particular broadcast matter is a subjective judgment that varies with each viewer and listener and is influenced by many factors, such as the material’s content and style and the voice and tone of the person speaking. The FCC has found no evidence that stations deliberately raise audio and modulation levels to emphasize commercial messages.


Manually controlling the set’s volume level or using the “mute” button with a remote control constitutes the simplest approach to reducing volume levels deemed to be excessive. Many television receivers are equipped with circuits that are designed to stabilize the loudness between programs and commercials. These functions usually must be activated through the receiver’s “set up/audio” menu. Should these techniques fail to resolve the problem, you may consider addressing any complaint about broadcast volume levels to the licensee of the station involved. Additional information about loud commercials can be found at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/backgroundnoise.html.
 
Talk about Noise!
 
Have there been any criminal assualt charges placed against the tv stations for bombarding us with those unwanted sound waves?  Maybe there should be.  Somehow there has to be some relief!

Emily's Fight - Pizza Event!

Emily's Fight - a cancer fundraiser to help with Emily's medical expenses. 

http://onesteptrust.org/EmilyFightFund.html

Please support Emily Knorr as she battles brain cancer (Optic Glioma).

Sunday, November 7, 2010
10 am to 10 pm

RUDY’S PIZZA
612 PLAZA DRIVE
FOUR SEASONS PLAZA
NEWARK, DE 19702
302-737-4150

Just MENTION “Emily’s Fight” and
25% of your bill will be donated!!!
DINE-IN or CARRY OUT

Thank you to Rudy’s Pizza
http://www.rudyspizzaitalian.com
Rudy’s Pizza is also making a personal donation to this fundraising effort!!!

Important Words that become Impotent

I have become saddened by the overuse of some words.... words that used to have meaning to me.... cool words like "elite".  I hear it so much now that by my understanding of the definition, it is by definition no longer elite.  Other words that I now tend to ignore as they seem to be more hype and background noise than actual information exchanging vehicles... are:  new; best.  I found this list of the 10 most overused words in metal journalism, and found it to be interesting.  I didn't know what "metal journalism" was until I checked out the site.  I guess that phrase isn't overused.

Amazon fights for First Amendment and customers’ privacy rights

In the latest episode of financially strapped states that are trying to capture sales tax on online purchases...

Amazon denies North Carolina’s request for tax-related information.

The online retail giant has already provided the State with customer order data; however, they are refusing to disclose more personal details. In a complaint filed in Federal District Court in Seattle, Amazon argues the audit violates the First Amendment and customers’ privacy rights.

Federal law prevents states from requiring out-of-state retailers to collect sales tax if the company does not have a physical presence in that state.

I guess that law was enacted during the era of fiscal responsibility?

What About Privacy?

Why is it that when a new surveillance camera is installed, there is a general outcry about our privacy being invaded? Yet…every teen and their mother, who have cell phones, think nothing of filming whatever or whomever they find of interest and making those recordings quite public, by posting them on the internet. Is that not an invasion of privacy?

The intent of surveillance cameras is not to invade one’s privacy, but to protect the victims of potential or actual wrongdoing. Due to public access to posted viewing materials, there are individuals who find themselves, explaining to various authorities, why at a specific place and time, they were engaged in an activity, which was not safe, lawful, sensible or which lead to adverse consequences. These individuals are explaining themselves, not because of surveillance cameras, but because they’ve experienced their 15 minutes of fame on the internet.

We may want to re-think before “coloring outside the lines” because someone, who is not concerned with your privacy, is sure to be watching…and maybe recording.

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None Of The Above

Many folks, including myself, are sick and tired of the partisan politics that has stagnated our government.  I refer to both primary parties.  It seems that almost all we hear regarding the federal political process is bickering, fear mongering, and name calling.  Isn't it time that we sent our people in Washington a message, that they should get back to the work that we sent them to perform?

When I see international news stories about "radical" this and "radical extremist" that, I now for the first time see echoes of this type of behaviour within our own country.  I hear myself talking to the television, saying... "you can't really believe that.... right?".  We have a fair number of our own radical extremists.  We should learn to recognize them and keep their rhetoric out of the governmental process of this, our government.

I think we need two things:  first, we need to get at least one more political party, preferrably two more, significantly placed in national government.  We need to do this to bust up the dog and pony show that the two primary parties have placed on stage for us;  secondly, we need to vote the radical extremists out of office, and put people in there who are there to do a job.