I Have Seen The Future!

When was the last time you heard of someone buying a radio? How do your kids watch “TV?” And what on earth is ‘cable?’ The age of separate appliances for entertainment is nearly at an end. Radio and TV now arrives via fiber over the Internet. The term ‘broadcaster’ is being replaced with ‘program producer.’ It’s a new world coming, you no longer have to wait to see!

You can fast forward to the future today: Simply log on to your favorite streaming video or Internet audio site. My current favorites are abc.go.com and hulu.com. Abc.go.com features shorts and full length versions of ABC’s prime time shows and more in full HD quality. Get a good connection and you’ll see the sharpest 16 x 9 picture you may ever hope to see. Port the VGA or S-Video output of your PC to your large flat screen display and you have seen the future! Commercials are easy to endure at less than 30 seconds each. ABC’s advanced presentation even brands your playback to your area by showing you the logo of your local old-fashioned TV station.

A similar site is the Fox and NBC consortium called Hulu.com. Hulu offers more shorter length clips than ABC but also presents full-length movies with ‘limited interruptions.’ I watched the old classic ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ and saw a single commercial inserted every 20 minutes or so. Not bad for free! This could be what ‘television’ evolves into.

You can easily build a new-wave media center for yourself. All you need is more and more laptops! I tried seeing how many baseball games I could watch all at once using Major League Baseball’s mlb.com. I watched four 1.2 mb streams without losing definition and continuity. It was pretty amazing! MLB does not air most of the commercials seen on networks like the Yankees’ YES or the Red Sox’s NESN. You’ll see an animated standby slide instead which takes a bit of getting used to. Baseball games local to your area may be blacked out, as well.

If you don’t have a method to portal your PC to external screens directly, you can also sneak the video onto the big screen using your kid’s video game console. I use a Nintendo Wii to watch You Tube videos or whatever else suits my fancy. Game consoles are limited in resolution and playback abilities. For instance, a Wii can only play back You Tube videos in regular size. It does not have enough horsepower to produce a ‘full-screen’ rendition, but you can zoom the images as big or small as you like. It’s not a bad compromise and the Wii interface is very easy to use.

Internet radio can be a lot of fun, too. Better than any shortwave set, I tune into Ireland, Scotland, Australia, Canada and a host of others in perfect quality and often in very nice stereo. I can tune into BBC Radio Scotland, RTE One from Ireland, OZ FM’s rock’ n’ roll from Newfoundland or WCBS Newsradio in New York City. It’s all there and it’s by demand.

So, let’s see…tonight I’ll watch the CTV news from Canada, take in The Late, Late Show from RTE Ireland, watch a few music videos on You Tube and listen to Michigan Public Radio before bed. Who needs a radio and TV? It’s all on my computer and it’s all free!

My Friend Bill

William “Bill” Stocker, N8LFR, passed away Sunday evening, September 14 at about 8 pm at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Saginaw, Michigan. Bill was three days short of his 84^th birthday. I knew Bill through my participation in the original Old Goat’s Net on the Lake Huron Amateur Radio Club repeater located in Bad Axe, Michigan. Bill was the cornerstone of amateur radio in these parts and quite a remarkable man.

Bill was a true radioman known throughout the county as a fine professional. A World War II veteran, Bill sometimes worked for the local two-way radio firm, Thumb Radio, was the caretaker of the local TV station, WDCP Channel 35 in Ubly, and also served as the custodian of the LHARC repeaters in Bad Axe. Bill was the seasoned authority on all things electronic. He was an avid ham and was always willing to take questions and always offered thoughtful answers.

Bill loved his community serving as mayor and councilman in his hometown of Bad Axe. He was a member of the VFW and Masons and also volunteered as a firefighter. His goal in life was to make the world a better place. He succeeded time and time again.

Nearly every Fourth of July, Bill rode the Masons’ float in the Port Austin parade. I remember Bill, one summer, donning a ‘McDuff, the Crime Dog’ suit for the parade. It was a big oversized costume, inflated with a running fan, and it was really hot to wear in the summer’s sun. Bill didn’t mind because he knew how much the kids liked it and had worn it all over the county at charity events. When the LHARC annual picnic came along at the end of July, Bill once again got into the suit just for the fun of it. What a guy he was!

Bill’s demeanor was always low-key and thoughtful. He was a good listener and would make everyone feel like they were important to him. I was often astounded when Bill shared a point of radio history or a nugget from his vast experience. There wasn’t anyone who doubted Bill was ‘Mr. Radio’ in Huron County and beyond. His voice was quite familiar as the identifier on the two meter repeater we all still use on a daily basis.

I only get to spend a handful of days every summer in Huron County so I never got to know Bill as well as I had liked. For nine summers I have checked into the LHARC Old Goats’ Net every morning like clockwork. You’d better believe that the very first check-in most mornings was Bill’s familiar voice chiming in with ‘N8LFR’ (his amateur radio call sign.) Now, there will always be a void because Bill is missing. Bill always encouraged younger hams to chair the daily net and learn about the repeaters. Now, their time has most definitely come. Things will never be the same. We will really miss you, Bill.

I Dare You!

Do you remember recess in grade school? Someone always had a dare. "You do it!" "No, you do it!" I vision the same scenario when presidential candidates are chosen. It's a lot of work. The pay isn't great. Eight years and you're done. No, you do it!

Look at this year's battle for the big prize. Our best corporate and political leaders are nowhere to be found. What remains are two spineless pairs of sparring partners each without any substance. Even more disconcerting is their ability to respond to each other's actions. It is no different than a childhood schoolyard. Is this the best America can do?

Let's start with the Democrats. After a long and trying primary season, discarding the elections in Michigan and Florida on technicalities, Barrack Obama emerged as their choice for president. Perceived as young, ambitious and somewhat devil-may-care, Obama needed more substance and credibility. The Republicans already had an old guy to show their strength and conservatism. Well, the Democrats found a non-descript old guy too! Enter Joe Biden, an old goat to balance out the wild young colt!

Mr. Biden is an interesting case. He weaseled his way through Syracuse University after being caught plagiarizing considerable content in his law journal entry. Five deferments, based on his mild asthma, freed him from serving in Vietnam. He is probably best known for his endless wandering questioning of Supreme Court nominees Clarence Thomas and Robert Bork. More recently, his derogatory quotes have brought him grief. Who could forget: "You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not joking." (Does he know Apu at the Kwik-e-Mart?) What a formidable guy!

The Republicans are no different. John McCain is as non-descript as any Democrat running for The White House. Seeing the gap that Mrs. Clinton left as she exited this circus, Republican marketing specialists sent out their call out of the castle: "Bring us a woman!" And they did! Enter Sarah Palin, a pistol-packing Annie Oakley from Alaska. What a perfect choice to reinforce an old and weak jellyfish! One woman is no different than any other. Sarah will do fine! And Vern, I understand she can even kill and quarter a deer! Do you believe that? What a winning team!

You don't have to be a woman to find this behavior completely insulting. Leaders of the G.O.P., just how shallow and stupid do you think we are? My disgust was amplified to rage after catching a TV discussion the day Palin was announced as the veep pick. On-screen, I saw a middle-aged female 'expert' remarking that women of the 21st century simply have to make choices and achieve their own balance in their lives. Business and personal achievement are much more important than family...and after all, the kids will adapt. Yes, in life we all adapt even if we have pregnant teenage daughters. Parents can't be held responsible for these things! Ma, when I grow up, I want to be just like her. Yeah.

Vice-presidential wannabees aren't that important, are they? Examine the tentative nature of our presidential candidates. Barrack Obama would be the first Afro-American president. How I wish it weren't true but race still angers irrational extremists. John McCain is a battered Vietnam War veteran, aged 72 years, who has had three of his four limbs broken and has fought cancer. Both are not secure bets for surviving four year terms. Would Biden or Palin suffice as our country's Commander-in-Chief? Wait a minute. Didn't Biden have two bouts fighting brain aneurisms? Is young Sarah Palin our only hope? I hope not!

Should I feel disgusted or just sad about our state of affairs? America has become a depressing place to be. The greed of Wall Street is undermining all our savings and hard work. The political parties want to serve stale bread instead of enticing us with gourmet delights. Family values no longer have value. Do we have to accept rapid decay as a way of life? I wonder how long it will be before someone of competency leads America with authority and confidence. Our country is in dire need of a skilled leader instead of a cardboard figurehead. "You do it!" "No, you do it! I dare you!"

Ready? Repair Remote!

Remote controls are nearly disposable. If it breaks, just buy a new one. But what do you do when the original one that came with the unit has a unique feature that you really like and can not be replaced? Can you actually fix these things? The answer is ‘yes!’ If you own a soldering iron, or know someone who does, it becomes a lot easier.

Here’s how: Most remotes fail due to excessive dropping or dirt. There are very few parts in a remote control, so troubleshooting is not hard.

Your most useful tool is unlikely. Digital cameras perceive a much broader spectrum of light than the human eye. Aim a digital camera at the LED at the front of the remote. Press any button. The camera will interpolate the infrared light of the remote into a visible light you can see through the camera’s screen. (See picture above.) If you see the light, you know the remote works. If you don’t see the light, the camera will guide you to success.

Proceed like this: Use a long blunt object, like the back of a butter knife, to carefully pry open the remote. Be gentle and go slowly. When you open it up you will have two halves of the remote’s case, a rubber keyboard and a printed circuit board.

Take a look at the printed circuit board first. Are the metal springs or tabs that hold the batteries in place clean? If not, clean them with a pencil fitted with a white (coarser) pen eraser. A regular eraser may suffice. Clean away any leaky battery goo while you are at it. Alcohol on a Q-tip works as a good solvent for these messes.

Look and see if the spring or tab for the batteries still connects to the circuit board well. If it has cracked loose you can often repair it with a delicate touch of solder. Similarly, look at the LED at the front of the unit and the little crystal (silver chicklet or cylinder) that acts as the frequency standard for the pulses the remote creates. All should be well attached to their connections on the circuit board. Re-solder them if they are not.

The rubber button pad is actually is a piece of nifty technology. Each button has a little black dot on the side that touches the circuit board. When you touch the button, and the little black dot touches the circuit board, you actually change the amount of magnetism at that point which, in turn, changes how many electrons hop across the switch. Wow. And it works very well!

The rubber pad and all its little pieces need to be clean to work well. Pepsi syndrome and crumbs can really ruin what the buttons are trying to do. The circuit board needs to be clean, too. Gently wash the rubber pad with soap and water and air dry it (no heat!) Remember to stop the sink before washing. You don’t want to see an essential tiny part go down the drain! Gently clean the circuit board with a touch of alcohol on a Kleenex. Never scrub!

Now it’s time for the big test. If you can, try to operate the control without completely assembling it. Opening and closing the remote’s plastic enclosure can be a bear. Look through the live view feature of your digital camera and see if the LED is now emitting light when you press a button. If it isn’t, look further at all the parts to try to discover what is wrong.

Finally, if a remote is emitting light but still doesn’t work it may be programmed wrong. I saw this problem recently with a universal remote. The batteries had been out of this remote for a long time and all its settings went back to factory defaults. It no longer operated the TV it was once programmed for. Look online for the guide book and code list for your universal remote and try to reprogram it. To efficiently search on-line, you’ll need the remote’s make and model number for an accurate match. Look for numbers engraved in the plastic or written on the inside of the battery compartment or on the battery cover. If you can’t find a guide for the exact remote, look for similar models. You may ‘luck out.’ I did! Take my hints and give it a try! Fixing them might be a lot less remote than you think!

Seven Years Ago

We all know what happened seven years ago. I wanted to record my personal experiences regarding the day’s events and all the days that followed. It started as a fairly typical day. I got off my commuter train in Scarsdale and visited my dentist. When I rejoined Metro-North, heading for New York City, the train was very crowded and I had just enough room to stand by the door.

I walked across Manhattan as I did every day. The route took me through midtown from Grand Central Station to the far west end of 57^th Street. At the time, I worked at the CBS Broadcast Center as the manager of CBS News Graphics. I arrived at about 8:45 am and settled into my office. About ten minutes later, the guy who worked in the office next door to me said ‘Hey, you have to see what’s on TV! A plane crashed into The World Trade Center!’

Both of us were watching local TV newscasts and flipping back and forth between channels. It was approaching the top of the hour at nine o’clock. Our morning news show, The Early Show, was just about to sign off. Anchor Bryant Gumbel ended the last moments of the show with a shot of smoke coming out of the Trade Center making a quick comment as end credits ran on the air.

At the top of the hour, all the network and local newscasts returned to the air live. Everyone was confused. Immediate reports speculated that it might have been a wayward small plane. Distant shot or close-up, the entire world seemed to be watching the accident via television. Just a few minutes later, we saw the silhouette of another huge plane make a unusually large turn over the Hudson and plow into the other World Trade Center tower at full speed. We didn’t know what was going on but we knew it was going to be a long day.

Both my next door neighbor Brion and I were responsible for show crew requirements and we were already on the phone calling everyone we knew. The message was simple: Come to work and prepare to stay a long time. Newscasts would be on the air all day long and someone had to be in the studio to make it happen. We had mixed results. Some people wanted to run in. Others insisted on staying home. By about 9:45 am, we started hearing scattered reports about other plane hijackings around the country although the various accounts were only fragments of information.

Around ten, the first tower collapsed to the ground. I remember concentrating on my recruiting work and watching the TV in my office through the corner of my eye. Various directors and producers were calling clamoring for every person they could think of. Hotel rooms were being booked. Alternate transportation was being arranged. By 10:20, I remember NBC’s Today Show mentioning that there was a possibility that several other planes may have been hijacked with unknown destinations and that there was a massive fire at The Pentagon in Washington, D.C. It was obvious that an attack was in progress en masse but why it was happening and who was participating was a mystery.

Around the same time, people down the hall at CBS Master Control had received phone calls from the transmitter engineers on top of the North Tower. They were pleading for help surviving with the oxygen provided by Scott air packs that they had for emergencies. The panic was intense. How would they get down? There was a tremendous fire from the plane crash below them. I remember my corporate e-mail begin to be filled with reports from observers and gatherers of news as all-points bulletins to everyone who could read it. No one knew where this was going. It was around this time that I realized that my amateur radio handi-talkie had been stolen out of my carry-all bag never to be seen again.

At 10:30, the North Tower teetered and fell to the ground. The signature tall red and white TV antenna wobbled on the way down like a car whip antenna in the breeze. I remember thinking ‘So that’s what they look like when they fall’ knowing that I would probably never see anything like that again.

During the next hour, we heard more details about The Pentagon plane crash and another aircraft down in Pennsylvania. Fighter jets were everywhere, it seemed. All commercial flights had been diverted and grounded. Where was President Bush? Had Vice President Cheney taken over the government? Only then did we think that the CBS Broadcast Center might be a target, as well. Things calmed down a bit. I was glued to my phone still working on crew requirements.

As the day progressed, we heard that the Hudson River crossings were closed and that the West Side Highway had been halted in its tracks, as well. One of my Chyron operators was stuck in her car, stopped at a dead halt, for nearly six hours. Traffic was impossible. Some people managed to get in and arrived every once in awhile. Around 3:30 pm, my friend Kevin and I decided to venture outside to a local deli to bring back a late lunch. The air smelled like a wet construction site. We were miles away, yet we could easily sense our proximity. This was real.

By this time we were all exhausted and tired looking for adrenaline to carry us through the long haul ahead of us. One of my friends, a camerawoman named Michelle, had been rumored to have been at the site during the collapses. Later that evening I saw her covered with white powder as a souvenir of her plight. I was so glad to see her alive and well. It was another reminder of how close we were to the site.

The afternoon dragged on with endless speculation regarding what had happened. Of course, non-stop news and special reports were to continue all night. My telephone pleading for crews changed to a relentless search for hotel rooms. The work never ended. The requests kept coming for every future day part. Crew the overnight show. Crew the morning show. Get people in for emergency edit sessions. All of the New York City TV stations were off the air except Channel 2 who still had a transmitter at The Empire State Building. All the broadcasters’ equipment at WTC was now crushed and buried in the tower rubble.

If I remember correctly, we finally got off the air with continuous coverage at 9 am Wednesday morning about a full day after the initial events. My wife called me asking me to call my daughters’ school. It had not occurred to my daughter, until she went to class, that I had not come home. I insisted that she be brought out of class so I could tell her that I was OK. She sounded very relieved when she heard my voice. I had been up the entire night and I was hungry and tired and sleep-deprived. I finished my final hotel and crew arrangements and had my ducks in a row. I headed home just around noon time.

Manhattan was as quiet as it might be on an early Sunday morning. I walked across town back to Grand Central Station. I think only the main entrance was opened. The train home was unusually full. Grown men were seen wearing sunglasses to hide their eyes as they were crying and weeping aloud. Nearly every station I passed had women with children standing on the platform waiting for fathers and husbands to finally arrive. Some never did.

The days that followed were the beginning of a new world. Police and National Guardsmen were seen at nearly every Manhattan street corner. Complete streets were closed off by large concrete barriers. Travel was limited and restricted. Every building wall and lamp post was covered with flyers seeking missing people. Business was not back to usual for quite a long time. We got used to armed patrols on our commuter trains and in Grand Central Station. Suddenly, we really were in a police state.

As time went by, we heard about the casualties: The husband of a tennis partner, the brother of an old work mate, the sister of an employee. Everyone seemed to know someone who had been taken victim by the disaster. We all felt the lack of freedom. We all saw the new Manhattan skyline – towers missing in the distance. The planes following the LaGuardia flight path, that sends aircraft north up the Hudson River, now gave me chills and continues to. Things will never be the same. My daughter visited the disaster site months later. On a piece of plywood fence she left her summary: ‘god Bless Amarica. One home. One peas.’

Desert Island Discs

If you could bring only ten tunes to a desert island, what would they be? I just reorganized all my CDs and visited with some old musical friends. After brief thought, I compiled a list of ten favorite songs…and here they are:

1. LTD – Back In Love Again. If I had to embarrass myself by ‘getting down’ in my car, with the radio blasting, this would be the tune. It’s down-home danceable funk, complete with a hot horn section, perfect for polyester. You must check out the You Tube clip of this song ripped from an old recording of Soul Train! Lead Singer Jeffrey Osborne (pictured – before his solo career) leads a big band all dressed in red jumpsuits and serious Afro hair-dos. These guys are no amateurs! They used to back-up Sam and Dave! The bass line alone is plenty to get you up and going. I defy anyone to not dance to this! By the way, L T D stands for Love, Togetherness and Devotion ba-by!

2. Aretha Franklin – Freeway of Love. Mariah Carey? Celine Dion? Please! Aretha is the Queen of Soul and the Queen of All Singers. Ladies, take note: This is how it’s done. There is no other and there will never be. Her career is amazingly diverse in style. Her superior quality is constant. So, drop the top, baby and let’s cruise on into ‘It’s Better Than Ever’ street!

3. Michael Jackson - Don’t Stop (‘Till You Get Enough.) This is what happens when you simply have the best in the world: Michael Jackson, Hollywood’s finest session musicians, legendary Quincy Jones as producer and Bruce Swedien completing the final mix. Collaborative and complex, this recording is a delight to be enjoyed again and again. Listen on headphones. Listen on speakers. Listen in your car. You’ll hear more and more. Every instrument is crisp and present. The spatiality of the stereo image amazes me. So much is going on here and it all comes together with orchestral harmony. The song itself is killer enough to make any dance floor die and die again. Big band funk with Latin percussion. Who thought this up? Aren’t you glad they did!

4. Shawn Colvin – Tennessee. She may be from South Dakota, but her heart and soul heads towards Nashville and Memphis. Confident and filled with procacity, this is Shawn at her very best. Bela Fleck came by for this delight, the kind of record ready for flying along I-40 with the top down. Another beautifully clean recording with an amazing three-way guitar break creating a centerline for the progression of this tale. Who ever heard of a love song to a state? The lyrical imagery and the hot musicianship make this quite a valentine.

5. Mary Chapin Carpenter – I Feel Lucky. Chapin is a very smart lady. With Ivy League credentials, she has charmed us for years and years with her insightful storytelling and ingenious moving lyrics. Here she is - sassy and simply a lot of fun – a devil-may-care attitude to an improbable lottery win. Clever and crafty, this playful satire perfectly captures a sunny day of play. Great fun! (While you are at it, check out Wynonna Judd’s Girls With Guitars. It’s a stealth Mary Chapin song, with all the same feeling, that Wynonna was lucky to get and perform.)

6. Wilson Philips – You’re In Love. Sometimes formulaic pop music really does work. This song is a case in point. The singers are excellent. The tight musicianship compliments the unrequited regrets of the songwriter’s voice. I have always visioned the singer of this song peering sadly out the window of a small corporate jet heading skyward and not looking back. Michael Landau’s lead guitar delivers a solid statement of unquestioned fate for the former lover. I guess it was never meant to be but this song tells it so sweetly.

7. Chic – I Want Your Love. As far as I am concerned, Chic lead guitarist Nile Rodgers is the most prolific producer and musician of the late 20^th century. I Want Your Love was one of his earliest gems recorded with his bass player buddy Bernard Edwards by his side. Nile’s distinctive guitar lead and Bernard’s extraordinary bass line produce a groove like no other. (Catch Sister Sledge’s He’s the Greatest Dancer for another delightful dose of classic Chic sound.) In later life, Nile’s golden touch created masterpieces for Diana Ross, Deborah Harry, Madonna, Duran Duran, David Bowie, The B-52s and even rai star Cheb Mami. Rodgers continues to produce and inspire to this day.

8. Don Henley – End Of The Innocence. Written in 1987 during the era of Ronald Reagan and Gary Hart, this song, co-written by pianist Bruce Hornsby, sounds as rich as it did twenty years ago. The lyrics intertwine a hateful disdain for the political establishment and a passion for the songwriter’s true love. Was it intended to be a song for hopelessly-in-love political activists? You could think about this one for a very long time. Bruce Hornsby’s biting piano style perfectly frames some of the most brilliant lyrics you may ever encounter.

9. Steely Dan – Time Out Of Mind. Many consider Steely Dan’s Aja to be one of the greatest recordings, technically and creatively, ever made. This song belongs to their follow-up disc Gaucho. So, what is it all about? An enticement from a drug dealer? A challenge to embrace adulthood? It’s all in the ears of the beholder. Besides Steely Dan’s Fagen and Becker, you’ll hear Rick Marotta, The Brecker Brothers, David Sanborn and Mark Knopfler. Harmonies provided by Leslie Miller, Patti Austin, Valerie Simpson and Michael McDonald. The crème de la crème. This is a sophisticated recording for adults with a mature funk. Think of it as a fine blended whisky. So soothing… nice and tasty worthy of several helpings. So sweet the sound!

10. Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten. Unwritten is like Jack’s beanstalk. It just grows and grows and grows! First released in 2004, it’s been a part of five movie soundtracks, world champion ice skating competitions and American Idol. It’s serenaded the Degrassi kids and served as the theme song for The Hills on MTV. Others know it for promoting Pantene hair products. Many versions and dance mixes have been released adding more and more life to it. Simply put, it’s everywhere! The lyrics are forthright and inspiring. Listen to this song and you’ll be ready to conquer the world! Natasha’s bluesy carefree style carries this anthem far and wide. It could easily be the most successful (and catchy) song of this century.

Postscript: The song of this summer should have been Metro Station’s Shake It, the infectious dance tune, until it was discovered that one of their lead players, Trace Cyrus, is the brother of Miley Cyrus a/k/a Hanna Montana! (Horrors!) The award therefore goes to Natasha Bedingfield for Pocketful of Sunshine, another dance-up tune from her repertoire of songs filled with motivational lyrics. Honorary mention goes to Jordin Sparks for One Step at a Time, inspiring listeners with positive lyrics and a well-crafted harmonious sound to create a tasty tip-of-the-hat tribute to Quincy Jones’ signature style.

Now the interactive part: What are your top ten tunes and why? What songs did I mention that are so off-base I have to be kidding? Send your comments by clicking below. I’m looking forward to see what you think!

Fall for Fun!

Last September, I wrote about events to anticipate during the fall season. Many of last year's favorites return in the next four weeks. What a month of anticipation and enjoyment!

It could be the best reason to own a television! Pushing Daisies is finally returning to the air on October 1st at 8 pm on ABC. There simply is no other show like it. Ned the pie maker, his true love (at a distance) and his unrequited love (named Olive Snook!) will be back in brilliantly colored high definition before you know it. Season two has a lot in store for us. Olive (pictured) becomes a singing nun, Chuck creates quite a buzz as an undercover 'bee girl,' and you'll dim sum and lose some! Personally, I can't wait!

Pushing Daisies is so cleverly written that you can't just watch it once. Recording the show is essential to catch every nuance of their brilliant writing and visual puns. Instructions: Repeat often and enjoy more and more! Each episode is a gem in itself. For die-hard fans, this fall's treat is doubled. All the episodes of Pushing Daisies' first season, including last year's amazing Halloween episode, are scheduled for release on Tuesday, September 16th on DVD and hi-def Blu-ray disc.

September will also be filled with music thanks to WLIW Productions on Long Island. Look for two of their presentations on your local PBS stations:

Carole King will welcome you into her living room starting Sunday, September 6th with an hour-long concert embracing her most famous signature songs along with her catalog of American standards that have proved successful for so many others. Her smiles alone will make this evening special.

Only a day later, Cape Breton's most famous lassie, Natalie MacMaster, will dance the night away fiddling a full round of new jigs and reels. Natalie will share the stage with several members of her talented family along with banjo legend Bela Fleck. Hayley Westenra adds her vocals to a memorable and haunting version of Joni Mitchell's 'Both Sides Now.' What a weekend this will be! Look for Natalie starting Sunday, September 7th on PBS.

This autumn will be exciting on the big screen, as well. The highly-anticipated movie version of Jeanne Duprau's City of Ember is scheduled for release on October 10th. When the lights go out, Lina and Doon will be seeking clues to save the city in a big, big way! Stephenie Meyer's best-selling first novel, Twilight, will debut as a movie on November 21st just in time for Thanksgiving. Girl loves vampire. Love and blood...or is that love of blood? It should be a wild ride, we all agree!