Douglas Howe: September 2007 Archives

Did anyone join in TV Land’s third annual dinner-hour blackout last night? I did …sort of.

The TV Land cable network sponsored its third annual "Family Day--A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children" last night. During the dinner hour from 6 to 7 p.m., their goal was to encourage families to dine together, or at least that’s what they said. Larry W. Jones, TV Land's president, promoted the evening as a contribution to family life. He pointed to studies showing that "the more often children eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use illegal drugs."

Jars of Clay recently released a retrospective called "The Essential Jars of Clay," and unlike some retrospectives, this one is, well, essential. If you’re not a Jars of Clay fan, this is a great opportunity to get in on a dozen years of this band’s groundbreaking work. If you’re already a Jars of Clay fan, you’ll love the collection of songs you know, as well as some studio surprises and unreleased tracks that are woven into the playlist.

It was back in 1995 that Jars of Clay made a quiet but unmistakable entrance onto the pop music scene with their unique sound that includes mandolin, violin, cello, and assorted other instruments. Their music ranges from a grinding alternative sound, to a driving top-40 vibe, to the gentle melody of soft ballads. The thing that sets Jars of Clay apart--even more than its unique sound--is the brave authenticity and courageous spirituality that makes their songs as smart lyrically as they are touching emotionally.

When it comes to hot DVD box sets, one name I would not usually get excited about is Barry Manilow, who's releasing an upcoming five DVD set. After all, I'm a guy!

Seriously, I think Barry Manilow is one of the most paradoxical forces in pop music. To some, he is a brilliant and deep, expressing in song what fans feel in the depths of their hearts and at the core of their relationships. For others, he's amazingly shallow, full of hair, make-up, trite sayings and shallow showtunes. People either love this guy, or they don't. Or, perhaps, they do but don't really admit it publically. I'm not sure why that is, but it is.

Unless you paid close attention, you may have missed the major cultural event that took place last Friday all over the country. What is it?

Well, in a small box on the top--and in a small column at the bottom of page 1--USA Today announced it was celebrating it's 25th anniversary.

Whether you read your daily news online or pick up a local paper in the morning, you may be among the millions who count on USA Today and usatoday.com. It's concise. It's colorful. It's conversational. Or so it says in its very short celebration note. I think it's inspiring that they're accomplishing their mission. Or at least I would opine that they are accomplishing it.
"Welcome to USA Today," said founder Al Neuharth on the bottom of the front page 25 years ago. In these 25 years, its mission has been "to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation." USA Today claims to be the 'the nation's newspaper" by offering a 50-state perspective and focusing on what its staff believes America most shares: "a love of sports, culture, politics and a passion for this country and its future."

I hope you've had a chance to see one of the host of 9-11 memorials, retrospectives, and history shows that have been featured this week on nearly every network and cable station, including the History Channel, National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channels, and all of the news stations.

In case you're looking to be inspired while you're gaining some historical knowledge, you might consider "Lawrence of Arabia: The Battle for the Arab World," showing tonight at 10 p.m. on PBS.

The more each of us can learn about the history of the struggle between those of different nations and faiths, the more we can gain insight to apply to our current and everyday situations at work, home, and play. While the politicos hammer out arguments in the cultural arena, each of us has personal choices to make each day about how we treat the people around us and who we choose to throw in with.

"Lawrence" is a historical figure who served as a British officer and who ended up helping the Arabs who were fighting against the Ottoman Empire. Especially after President Bush's speech and whatever news talk follows that, anyone interested in real history and real inspiration can learn from the story of a man who made real choices in real time, showing a kind of courageousness and valor that is still being talked about nearly a century later. It may not be must-see TV, but it's better than most of the alternatives tonight.

Football is everywhere these days, with games being played virtually every day of the week, televised nationally on cable and network TV. All the more reason for the NFL to set a dramatic precedent by dishing out an unparalleled punishment...

9-11 and 3:16. What do those two numbers mean to you? For Max Lucado and his publishing teams, the first is the release date of a host of new products, and the second is the product itself. “What if hope...