Clifford: From the Page to PBS

December 2nd, 2013

Clifford is a dog beloved by children around the world. But how did Clifford the Big Red Dog go from his humble beginnings to one of the most popular shows on the public network PBS? Let’s dive into the history of that big dog everyone loves: Clifford!

Clifford-The-Big-Red-DogClifford began his “life” in a children’s book written by Norman Bridwell. The first Clifford book was published in 1963, and was one of the first successes of the Scholastic Book publishing company. Clifford’s success is so tied to Scholastic, in fact, that he is considered to be their mascot. After the success of the first book, numerous sequels were written, effectively creating a Clifford book series which continues (although not with as much frequency) to today.

In 1988, Scholastic Studios created a special made-for-video series which was released in the late 80s and again in the mid-1990s. The made for video series adapted many of the Clifford books, including the first books and its early sequels. Between 1998 and 2000, around 50 Clifford books were published by Scholastic Books, making it one of the most prolific children’s book series of all time.

In 2000, a new Clifford the Big Red Dog TV series was produced by Scholastic Studios to be aired on PBS Kids. This new series, which lasted from 2000 to 2003, used many of the storylines featured in the books written by Norman Bridwell.

The show was comprised of two 15 minute stories. Typically, one story focused on Clifford’s owner Emily Elizabeth, while the other story focused on Clifford and his dog friends. In this version of Clifford, the dogs only talked when human characters were not present–when they were, they barked like normal dogs.

The show was a major hit for PBS and for the popularity of the series itself. Veteran actor John Ritter voiced Clifford until his death—he died just before the release of Clifford’s Puppy Days, a new show intended to keep “Clifford” going while aiming at a younger audience. Since Ritter’s death, no new episodes of Clifford the Big Red dog have been produced, partly to preserve his legacy as the famous character.

Although no new TV episodes have been released, Clifford’s popularity continues to grow because of Clifford’s Puppy Days, new book releases, and the love of children everywhere who can’t get enough of that big, red dog.

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Boris Karloff’s Thriller

November 4th, 2013

thrillerA good anthology show is worth its weight in gold.  Well, a show doesn’t really weigh anything, so, well… anthology shows are one in a million.  How about that?  At least good ones are.  The Twilight Zone and Tales from the Crypt for example are prime time awesome anthology shows that have become legendary.

Another anthology program that I recently discovered and deserves to be mentioned among the best that have ever aired on TV is called Thriller.  Or more appropriately titled, Boris Karloff’s Thriller   That’s right.  The master of horror, Mr. Frankenstein himself, Boris Karloff was the host of the show and before every spine tingling episode, would introduce the subject matter and the main “players” as he called the actors.  Because of the anthology format, each episode was self contained, yet retained many common themes of crime and horror.

Filmed from 1960 to ’62 and comprising a mere 67 episodes, Thriller straddled the line between horror and pure suspense, each one a memorable Hitchcockian treatise on the human condition.  Plots ranged from a little girl accused of murder to warlocks and golems plotting to capture a business man in order to steal from him.

And another great thing was that not only did Karloff host the show, he starred in some of the very best episodes, five in total.  That’s not enough for me since I am a huge fan of the man but it’s nice to get an extra little taste of the legendary horror icon and he’s still got it here, at times creepy, at other times showing off his old man vulnerability.  It is both touching and sad to watch him work.  He’s obviously getting a kick out of being on the show.  He was proud to be a part of it.

Like with most anthology shows, there were multiple guest stars that went on to fantastic careers in television and film including William Shatner, who also starred in anthology show The Twilight Zone, Leslie Nielsen, Rip Torn and John Carridine, among many others.  It was a fantastic show and should be considered required viewing for any horror and suspense fans.

 

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Have You Looked At Dish Network Lately?

August 9th, 2013

With features like Dish Anywhere, the Hopper and Blockbuster@Home, Dish Network is the best provider to choose for programming, availability and convenience. Check out the Best Dish Network Package Deals right here.

Dish Anywhere is a service that works with the Hopper HD-DVR. With Dish Anywhere, you can get remote access to your home programming package, the programming that is recorded on you DVR and all the programming that is available through the Blockbuster@Home service. With the free mobile app provided by Dish Network, you can watch your shows at work, at home, at the gym or at the office on your lunch break.

Even if you won’t have an available Wi-Fi connection, you can still download up to ten movies and other shows before you leave home for the day so that you have it available for you when you are ready for it. Dishnet Anywhere literally puts thousands of viewing choices at your fingertips anytime you want them.

The Dish Hopper is the latest in Dish technology, providing a complete home viewing experience from a single HD-DVR. The Hopper can record up to six primetime shows at one time, offering a 2TB hard drive for storage on everything you want to see. It can also help you find the remote and keep tabs on what the children are watching in their rooms.

The Hopper can be used for viewing on up to four different sets at one time. You can show up to four shows at one time with one device so that everyone in the house gets the programming they want to see and you can keep them on parent-approved programming.

Blockbuster@Home is the obvious choice for anyone that likes movies. This service is free for the first three months on new sign-ups and comes with all of the great Blockbuster shows, movies and games, plus up to 20 premium movie channels. You can access these selections through the Dishnetwork Anywhere service so that your family can have great programming waiting for the doctor or going on a trip.

You need this new advanced type of television system. Dish Network Satellite TV has a great selection, remote access and affordable pricing. It’s a great provider to help meet your family’s viewing needs.

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Time Warner Cable Gives You the Great Choices

August 8th, 2013

With Time Warner Cable TV, you already get the best variety of programming with the best picture quality available. Advanced digital technology brings you perfectly clear images with CD-quality audio. Now, you also get the most no-fee High Definition programming available on the market today.

HD makes images appear more lifelike, and the sound quality is unbelievable. You’ll become immersed in the ultra-realistic pictures, while the enhanced, theater-quality sound pulls you into the action. No other viewing format compares to the clarity and quality of High Definition.

You get a wide variety of network, cable, and local HD channels, providing endless hours of HD entertainment. Sports, news, movies, and special events are all available in HD for no extra cost. And, if you want even more HD variety, Time Warner Cable Digital TV offers options for even more HD entertainment.

The On Demand network has over 1,000 HD titles available for you to watch at any time. On Demand includes great movie titles, tons of popular shows, and even special event programs in High Definition. You’ll never run out of things to watch in HD.

Time Warner Cable Broadband Internet Puts the Internet at Your Fingertips
A slow connection can severely limit your online options. And it just doesn’t make sense to pay for access to the internet, if you can’t access all of it. With Time Warner Cable Broadband Internet, you get the speed to explore every corner of the World Wide Web.

You can download large files, get into online gaming, watch streaming movies with the family, or browse the internet with pages that load quickly, without the crashes and errors that a slow connection can cause.

Time Warner Cable Digital Home Phone—Great Service at a Great Price
Old-fashioned home telephone service can be confusing, expensive, and have poor quality phone calls. Trying to remember when the rates change so you can call long distance is a nuisance, and all of the hidden fees can add up in a hurry. It’s a lot to go through for phone calls that don’t sound very good to begin with.

Time Warner Cable Digital Home Phone provides simple, affordable, high quality home telephone service. The unlimited local and long distance plans are easy to understand and don’t limit you to certain calling times. And the prices are lower than anything you can get from traditional providers. The call quality is amazing—every call comes through with perfect digital clarity and quality. No more static or echoes, just the voice of your loved one coming through loud and clear.

Time Warner Cable Bundles Put it all Within Your Budget
Getting one high quality service at a good price is nice—getting three is great. You can get all three Time Warner Cable home entertainment services in a money saving bundle for one low monthly price. When you bundle services, you get steep discounts off the already low prices.

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Charter Cable Promotional Offers

August 8th, 2013

Taking the lead in affordable home services, Charter Communications Promotions come with more abilities without the extrapolated fee that other cable companies charge.  Including Charter Cable TV On Demand, Charter Internet, and Charter Phone these services each can be manipulated to fit your needs at home whether through communication, entertainment, or education.

Technology is on the rise, and so should you and your family! With these services from charter you can finally access these technologies at your will without limitations or worry about being overcharged.  When combined you get maximum savings and the most features so that your experience is as well-rounded as possible, so why not give yourself an advantage with these services?

Charter TV On Demand has over 6,500 selections of movies, shows, children’s shows, and more that are all watchable whenever you want.  This is important when you have a busy lifestyle without much free time and need to find time to relax!  Tons of HD options are offered with On Demand so that you will fall into the action easier than ever.  You can even take advantage of 1,000s of options for FREE!

Pay-Per-View comes with Charter TV and consists of a never-ending stream of live events.  Better than paying money to trek the family to a game or concert and then pay for it, save hundreds of dollars by watching the biggest events happening live as well as movies and more right from your living room!

Enjoy the cinematic fun that Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound brings every movie and HD channel you want to watch.  Included free with some of the HD selections from Charter TV, you will be more shocked when you watch scary movies and might even catch yourself dodging bullets when you watch action shows!

Charter TV comes with a bundle of channels which these programming tools only complement.  Literally hundreds of selections will be 100% accessible to you with the click of a button thanks to the simple-to-use onscreen guide that Charter has perfected over the years.  With the largest selection of digital and HD channels and more children’s  sports, and movie networks than other cable companies, why not entrench yourself in the best entertainment on TV possible by ordering Charter TV?

Charter Cable Deals offer the fastest internet in the world with Charter Internet!  DSL used to be the best of the best but ever since Charter Internet came along with lightning fast speeds that make even Satellite internet feel slow, DSL can only fall short in comparison.

Including a simple installation, Charter Internet offers a simple online experience through complex abilities that other services just do not provide.  Every one of your online needs can be met through Charter whether you want to stumble through the web for new music, books, or pictures, check your email, or play games and stream videos.  Charter Internet is so effective you can stream anything that is available in HD without lag and you can play the internet’s most graphically advanced games without lag.

Charter Internet comes with features galore including faster downloading thanks to extra broadband with its PowerBoost feature and a security package that consists of the highest level security features and programs to protect your personal information and computer.  Also included are parental controls to for 24/7 protection for your kids, personal email accounts, and tons of others!

When it comes to surfing the web, do it on your time whether or not others are online.  Charter Internet has the strongest wireless connection that can support a bundle of people surfing simultaneously from any room in the house!  Never get stuck surfing in one location repetitively, rather enjoy movement from one favorite surfing spot to the next.

Charter Cable Deals have the best offers on phone service with unlimited calling plans that make for the most affordable and the easiest-to-use home phone ever in existence.  Charter Phone lets you call cross-country while enjoying an instant and clear connection so your conversations are filled with substance rather than you saying “what?” over and over again.

Charter Phone unlimited plan has no overage fees so that you can call to the U.S. territories and states freely.  When you kids jump on the phone you do not have to nag them for talking too much ever again, and you can simply not stress about your phone bill knowing it will not be altered no matter how much your phone is used.

A great deal of calling features included with Charter Phone let you handle every call with grace.  Annoying telemarketer? Ignore them all with call screening.  Annoying stalker? Enjoy ignoring them with selective call acceptance.  Other features that are insanely helpful for taking and making calls include caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding variable and selective, custom ring, speed dial 8, and others!

Order a Charter Cable Deal online for the best savings and the fastest delivery.  You will not regret the hours every week you save by not waiting around for inefficient technology as well as exploring a new world of entertainment!

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Comcast Xfinity Saves You Money

August 8th, 2013

Entertainment is a requirement in most households- until it gets too expensive. When a family is on a strict budget that can’t be deviated from, entertainment can take a back seat to more important things. Unexpected fees, overages on a phone bill or unplanned maintenance on the car can leave you strapped for cash until you next check. When this happens, the last thing you worry about is entertainment.

When it feels like your budget is going everywhere at once, simplify and reduce your home entertainment spending with Comcast Deals. Saving money is more important than ever, and Comcast offers home entertainment solutions, combined with phone services and home internet. This means you can reduce your current monthly spending rate for additional room and organization.

As a home entertainment provider, Comcast can give you the type of entertainment you want, including live events, new movie releases and thousands of On Demand selections and hundreds of HD channels.  These television services can help you save hundreds of dollars every year on trips to the movies, movie store or the arenas.

Comcast can even give you a  DVR or HD-DVR to record all of the TV programming you won’t be home to see. Watch television on your time, with the ability to rewind, fast forward and pause through your programming, as you like.

Stretch That Dollar
When every penny counts, you need to watch the minutes on your mobile plan. Comcast offers a home phone service that offers a flat rate for unlimited local and long distance calling. Use Digital Voice service to make your calls to any location in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, any time you need to make them. Spare yourself costly monthly overages and the hassle of counting minutes with an unlimited service you can use anytime.

This telephone service can also provide you with the calling features you get with your mobile service, like Caller ID, Call Waiting, Call Forwarding, Three Way Calling and more. You can even get digital voice mail with online access so you never miss a message.

The money you save with this service could be the money you need for other necessities in the middle of the week.

Needs Met At Home
Its more affordable when you can do your school research at home, or watch your HD movies online, or even download your newest play list. You don’t have to go to the library, movie store or game store to get the things you need.

Comcast offers more than 100 Mbps, with WiFi that can sustain use for several devices at one time. This means you surf as fast as you need to, from any compatible device in your home.

You don’t have to waste time on lengthy downloads, or experience lag in your multiplayer games. You can save time, spare yourself the time and effort of making extra trips outside your home, just by using the services you already have.

There is another feature of the Comcast internet service that you can use to spare extra expenses. Comcast offers free online security software that provides protection from viruses, spyware, bots, trojans and other online threats. This software also protects personal information and helps block hackers from phishing on your computer.

This free service comes with Parental Controls that are able to block sites and help you monitor online activities. This services add to the value of the internet package you choose, making it possible to get the online security you need for free.

All In One
Comcast has the ability to help you tame your budget, while allowing you to provide your home with the essentials. Comcast can help you control your entertainment budget by putting everything you need for great entertainment at your fingertips. These services are always readily available, offering it all on an affordable monthly rate.

The Comcast home phone service can eliminate the cost of expensive mobile bills, overages and unexpected charges. With a local and long distance home phone service, most of your calling needs are met at home, and you can save your mobile minutes for when they are necessary.

The Comcast internet service saves you trips to the library and other areas, so you can save gas, time and trouble. With these three important services in your home, you have what you need, when you need it, for family fun and communications. When you combine them through Comcast, you get the additional benefit of a Bundled bill, with Bundled savings and online bill pay options.

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NSA and Online Privacy

August 7th, 2013

Facebook, Microsoft and even Google, among others, have found themselves in between a rock and a hard place. They have been told by the NSA that they have to comply in turning over user data. For their loyalty to the federal government, these software and social media giants have been told by users, their main source of income, that they suck.nsa

So, what’s a multi-billion dollar company to do? Facebook, among others, is fighting back by requesting that the Senate to stop groups that are seeking to access emails without warrants. This push back against the powers that be was said to have come after the Justice Department sought an exemption from current legislation. The current legislation states there must be a warrant before reading a personal email. The warrant must be served through the SEC, or Securities and Exchange Commission.

With warrantless searches, the NSA and other authorities would be able to search and snoop at will, without companies or individuals knowing about it or being able to stop it once they did find out. Warrantless searches would hinder current standards for a fair legal process, should these individuals or companies get charged with a crime. They also carry the potential of exposing private or sensitive information since the owners of these accounts wouldn’t know their information was being tampered with. Warrantless searches have become one of the biggest civil rights fights of 2013.

With the Justice Department requesting an extension, authorities would be able to snoop through personal emails on personal accounts without the individual knowing that it was occurring. Whether it stems from a sincere desire to see the NSA stopped in civil rights overreach, or Facebook just wants to protect its bottom line, the social media giant is lending its substantial weight to the fight against invasion of privacy.

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Asheville Attorney Perry Fisher Honored Buy His Peers

August 7th, 2013

Perry Fisher currently practices personal injury law at Fisher Stark Cash, P.A., an Asheville, NC law firm. Mr. Fisher has become known as an attorney with integrity and impeccable professional ethics. His clients trust him and his peers respect him.  Mr. Fisher’s integrity and skill has not gone unnoticed. Recently, Mr. Fisher was awarded the AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell.  Fisher Stark Cash P.A. has also received the AV Preeminent rating for law firms. Click Attorney in Asheville North Carolina for more detailed information about Perry Fisher.

The Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating is a coveted honor that only about five percent of all attorneys practicing in the U.S. will ever receive. Based on anonymous feedback from other attorneys and judges, the review is based on unbiased and impartial information from observers that have witnessed legal skill and professional ethics practiced by the attorney in question. The opinions are anonymous so the rating is not influenced by wealth, position or personal nomination.

Martindale-Hubbell has been rating lawyers, bankers and real estate companies since the 1800s. Not only has Perry Fisher garnered this AV rating through his dedication and service, but this is the fifth consecutive year he has been awarded the rating.

Mr. Fisher stated, “I am very honored and humbled to receive this professional distinction from my peers recognizing what I feel is a history of providing outstanding service to my clients, and I look forward to continuing to serve my clients to the best of my ability.”

Perry Fisher has been practicing law since 1987 when he began practicing with the firm of Van Winkle, Buck, Wall, Starnes and Davis in Asheville. In 2007, Mr. Fisher started what is now known as Fisher Stark Cash, P.A.  He has taken over 140 jury trials to verdict.  Mr. Fisher’s practice includes wrongful death, catastrophic personal injury matters and traumatic brain injury. Mr. Fisher also does pro bono work on a regular basis and continues in his commitment to excellence for his clients and the communities he practices in.

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