[sdiy] Real cause of DIY death

[R. D. Davis]

Quothe jbv, from writings of Mon, Jul 18, 2005 at 06:06:54PM +0200:
> well, although I agree with a large part of your critics
> about today's TV programs, I just can't associate
> "ethnic" & foreign-language channels with "YAWN"...
> IMHO, the multiplication of such channels (thanks to
> the satellite technology) is an incredible opportunity
> to have clues about the way other parts of the world think...

Yes, but if one can't understand what they're saying, like if they're
speaking in Spanish when the language here in the US is
English... well, it makes no sense to have to pay for that.  We still
don't get the BBC, and there are no French, German or other European
channels, etc., for example, which probably have far more outstanding
cultural content than what we get, even if English isn't spoken on
them (many German operas are fantastic!).  Instead, we get one Mexican
channel along with two black channels.  Also, I forgot to mention the
worst rubbish: those idiotic sports channels where overpaid men in
odd-looking multi-colored tights walk around scratching their private
parts and spitting in front of the camera... how revolting and
uncivilized!

> IOW it can be a great way to open one's mind about other
> cultures and other ways of thinking...

To be fair, some of the programming on the Mexican channel, like
scantily clad women jiggling about, is entertaining, and I did catch a
Benny Hill like skit there once, although I couldn't tell what they
were saying.  One does have to give them credit for not being
politically correct, however. 

> There are so many great indian / korean / egyptian movies,
> some made in the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's etc.
> A lifetime isn't enough to discover all those gems...

We don't get any of those, alas.

> And I should also mention musical programs on those
> "ethnic" channels, which often give a good opportunity
> to discover alternate uses of synths (different scales,
> different timbers), and are sometimes more attractive
> than the same old tired white-face english-speaking
> rock n' roll bands...

Unfortunately, we don't get any of that either, except perhaps
something shown on public TV (e.g., MPT or WETA) once in a while, but
there is plenty of black-face rap crap.  Some rap was good in the very
beginning, and made for some funny videos too, but, like most of
today's "rock," it's now often little more than pathetic, repetitive,
vulgar, ear-offending, rubbish.

-- 
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