Have you noticed how TV remote controls are a lot more complicated? Truth be told, watching TV has gotten a lot more complicated, too, and the two certainly go hand in hand — literally.
Admittedly, remote controls have provided an incredible convenience for us TV watchers, when we can find them. It sure beats getting up to turn the channel or adjust the volume.
Speaking of those tasks, many of you remember when a remote control had only five buttons: power, volume up, volume down, channel up and channel down. Who could have imagined that we would need more? Somewhere along the line, convenience became confusion.
It seemed to start with the new features that required a “menu” button to navigate. With various devices hooking up to TVs, we needed an “input” button. With various speaker output options, we needed to be able to swap back and forth. And with various screen choices, we needed an “aspect” button. Whew.
When picture-in-picture was a new thing, we had to have buttons to manage that. I have to admit, that was an amazing (and expensive) feature at the time.
We hooked our TVs up to our home stereos, which had their own remotes. When VCRs and DVD players were used frequently, we needed remotes for those, too. And when five remote controls became too much, we needed a universal remote to manage them all. Ugh.
Today’s TV remotes even have buttons for streaming with Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu and others, assuming you pay for those services.
I am still not sure what those unmarked red, green, yellow and blue buttons are for on my remote, and I am not courageous enough to find out.
I have learned to appreciate the subtitles, but I have not learned to appreciate how to easily turn them on or off.
Tools? Info? Smart hub? When does it end? I see that my remote has a center button that says “OK.” I am still searching for the one that says, “Not OK.” Can you relate?
The only one of these dozens of buttons that has come in really handy on the TV is one that many of us would like to also have in real life: mute.
Have a marvelous Monday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com
See Shane Goodman's previous columns here. |
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Clear Mortgage meteorology
Another warm day ahead before rain chances ramp up this evening. Storms continue into Tuesday, when some may become severe. We could see raindrops into Wednesday morning as temperatures cool.
For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage. |
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| From the April issue of CITYVIEW | | | POLITICAL MERCURY
‘The Beekeeper’ is a not-so-subtle Trump fantasy movie
By Douglas Burns
If civil judgments don’t drain the Trump Machine into cashless-ness, the former president may want to open up theaters in the swing states for free showings of the Jason Statham movie “The Beekeeper.”
Screenwriter Kurt Wimmer may be accidentally inspiring MAGA more effectively than any speechwriter in Trump’s infamously off-script political orbit.
“The Beekeeper” is a trope built on a conspiracy theory packaged in improbability. | | | READ MORE |
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| CITYVIEW's Best Of Des Moines® | | | The results have been tallied and published in the February issue of CITYVIEW and online!
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| Featured home for sale | | |
$320,000 1530 45th St., Des Moines, IA 50311
This classic 1.5 story brick has been updated and preserved inside and out. More than 1,800s square feet plus finish in the lower level and an enclosed front porch. Main level features an open floor plan, updated kitchen, brick fireplace and light-filled rooms.
See the listing here.
| | | See More Homes For Sale |
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| Featured commercial real estate transaction | | | 207 FOURTH ST., DES MOINES
SALE DATE: 2024-01-16
SALE PRICE: $1,600,000
SELLER: #16 LLC
BUYER: HAWKEYE DSM LLC
ACRES: 0.134
SQUARE FEET: 13,010 |
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| From the April issue of Norwalk Living magazine | | | The gift of a future
Residents share their stories of organ transplants.
By Chantel Boyd
Andrew Sayasane, owner of Winn's Pizza in Norwalk, needed a new, lifesaving kidney. His friend, Dennis, failed to be a match, but Dennis’ fiancée, Lainie Fox, was a perfect match. Five years prior, Lainie's dad had died from kidney disease, and she wasn’t able to donate to him. This time, she was able to make a difference.
Andrew's health had been declining, and dialysis was not enough to keep him functioning. Andrew wanted to be there for his wife, Jayme, and daughter, Athyna, and to run his restaurant. Lainie's gift of her kidney allowed him to do that.
Andrew had a kidney disease that reduced his kidney function to just 7%. Lainie’s kidney made an immediate impact. | | | READ MORE |
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Fox Business stock market analyst Liz Claman told Tilray CEO Irwin Simon that “For the moment, you need a Caitlyn Clark. Your stock is down.” Tilray is a beer and cannabis giant so it seemed like Claman was saying "Caitlyn is wonder woman." The WNBA draft is expected to suggest the same thing today.
The most popular destinations for summer travel this year are, from first to fifth: London, Paris, Tokyo, Rome and New York City, according to Google Flights. Paris has an Olympiad. Tokyo has great bargains, the best in four decades. Rome and London are perpetually popular. But New York has slipped the last two years. Maybe it was not such a great idea to chase more than half of the city’s AirBnBs off the market?
Today's Specials. Bianchi’s Hilltop (2829 Hubbell Ave., Des Moines) has cavatelli dinner specials Mondays... Tito’s Lounge (3916 Urbandale Drive, Urbandale) serves chicken wings as an all you can eat special on Mondays... Lasagna is the Monday special at Winn’s Pizza and Steakhouse (122 W. Ashland Ave., Indianola).
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com |
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| Community guides | | | 2024 Area Recreation Guide Saylorville Lake Iowa
SAYLORVILLE LAKE, JESTER PARK, BIG CREEK STATE PARK
• Maps
• Activites
• Campgrounds
• Attractions
| | | READ NOW |
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FROM KCCI: Iowa star Caitlin Clark makes surprise appearance on 'Saturday Night Live'
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Caitlin Clark made a surprise appearance on "Saturday Night Live" during the show's "Weekend Update " segment. The Iowa star is in New York for the WNBA draft on Monday night, when she is expected to be the top pick by the Indiana Fever...READ MORE FROM KCCI
FROM WHO-TV: Landowners hoping for eminent domain policy to pass this session
DES MOINES, Iowa — The use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines has been a hot topic at the Iowa Statehouse for several years. After multiple attempts to limit the use of eminent domain for these projects, a bill made it through an Iowa Senate subcommittee last week which is giving those who have been fighting for protections hope.... READ MORE FROM WHO-TV
FROM WOI-DT Local 5: 'Ghost guns' add to high number of Des Moines police firearm recoveries
DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines police shared on social media they have recovered over 150 guns so far in 2024, with two "ghost" guns recovered from a Tuesday morning shooting adding to that number......READ MORE FROM WOI-DT Local 5 |
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ESPN: Scottie Scheffler closes with 68, wins another Masters title... READ MORE
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: New Kentucky Coach Mark Pope Had Such an Electric Entrance at Sold-Out Rupp Arena. ... READ MORE
YAHOO! SPORTS: NBA playoff picture: Thunder clinch No. 1 seed in West; Suns, Pacers secure final bid in each conference .. .. READ MORE |
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1947: Jackie Robinson becomes first African American player in Major League Baseball ... READ MORE
2013: Three people killed, hundreds injured in Boston Marathon bombing: On April 15, 2013, two bombs go off near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three spectators and wounding more than 260 other people in attendance. Four days later, after an intense manhunt that shut down the Boston area, police captured one of the bombing suspects, 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev; his older brother and fellow suspect, 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev, died following a shootout with law enforcement earlier that same day. ... READ MORE
1912: Titanic sinks: At 2:20 a.m. on April 15, 1912, the British ocean liner Titanic sinks into the North Atlantic Ocean about 400 miles south of Newfoundland, Canada. The massive ship, which carried 2,200 passengers and crew, had struck an iceberg two and half hours before. ... READ MORE
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| Birthdays and notables | | | Happy birthday Stevie LeWarne!
These celebrities were born on this date: Alice Braga, Chris Stapleton, Danny Pino, Dara Torres, Douglas Spain, Emma Thompson, Emma Watson, Cooper Barnes, Seth Rogen, Hootie Hurley, Jordan Chiles, Iyaz
SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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The answer to yesterday's riddle:
Which kind of cookie is the richest? TOLL HOUSE! - Jolene Goodman. FORTUNE COOKIES! - Carolyn Rogers. Or, The one with the most dough(money). - Gail Tomlinson. Other answers from William Snyder, Rex Post and Jeri Motsick.
Today's riddle
What do you call a going out of business sale at an apparel boutique?
Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
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To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or Johnston Living magazine, contact:
Andrea Hodapp
Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 322
Mobile: 515-883-0523
andrea@iowalivingmagazines.com
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