Nick News special looks at kids and television

Nick News special looksat kids and television
Americans are watching more television than ever -- an average of eight hours a day per family -- and by the time most kids finish high school, they will have logged more hours in front of a television than in front of a teacher. In "Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: Ten Things Wrong with Television," airing at 8:30 p.m. Sunday on Nickelodeon, award-winning journalist Linda Ellerbee and Nick News take a critical look at the medium that plays such an important role in how kids see the world and themselves.
Ellerbee and Nick News surveyed kids across the country about what bothers them about television and posted their responses on www.NickNews.com. In their responses, kids said the following things bothered them: TV stereotypes people; too much sex, violence and bad language; TV news is biased; so many channels and nothing to watch; TV shows don't reflect real life; TV makes me feel bad about myself; and TV news is too negative and scary; and there are too many commercials. The order of the kids' concerns will be revealed in the episode.
"Kids should remember that the viewer is, and always will be, smarter than the television," Ellerbee commented. "Television should be a tool you use, not the other way around."
Getting gift help
Whether it's a relative you only see once a year or a friend who's notoriously picky, some people are just plain hard to shop for. Instead of stewing in frustration, allow FindGift.com (http://www.findgift.com) to help ease your holiday stress.
Think of FindGift.com as a gift idea search engine. With more than 27,000 product reviews from over 800 online stores, the site can help you find a present for that difficult person on your gift list.
You can search the site in many ways. Gift ideas are organized by category (such as keepsakes and occupational gifts), occasion and type. As if that isn't enough, try FindGift.com's gift wizard. Simply input whom the gift is for, their age, the occasion and your relationship to the person and the site will generate a search string for you.
The products you'll find on FindGift.com run the gamut from clever to chintzy, with a broad range of prices to fit nearly every budget. Even if you don't like the products featured on the site, it's sure to help you get your gift-idea juices flowing.
Quote/Unquote
"Sometimes I think, 'To hell with acting,' and then I realize I could be working in a shoe shop. Acting is much cooler." -- Robert Pattinson ("Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire") in Teen People magazine.
"I love tuna fish. I add sweet corn Niblets. Do you know how good it tastes?" -- Sexiest Man Alive Matthew McConaughey, in People magazine.
"I love cookies baking. During the winter they have these candles that smell like cookies, and I always buy like a hundred of them." -- Jared Padalecki ("Supernatural"), in People magazine.
Bands at high school
CANFIELD -- Seven Christian bands will perform from 5 p.m. to midnight on New Year's Eve at Canfield High School, as part of the city's First Night celebration.
Dancing, pizza, a bonfire and fireworks will be part of the event, which features radio DJ Matt Rhodes.
Each band will play for one hour. The lineup includes, in order of performance: Christian Life Praise Band, As Is, Clearview, Mistaken Identity, Never Die Wondering, Shudder and Gates Called Beautiful.
The event is hosted by Teenfusion and Emmanuel Community Church.
10 ways to know you'readdicted to video games
1. When you no longer feel the burning sensation in your eyes after playing games for five straight hours.
2. When you stay up until 3 a.m. to beat "one last level."
3. When your sims get more girls than you.
4. When you made a fake ID to buy M-rated games.
5. If you desperately look for giant green mushrooms when you are about to die.
6. When you dream of the "Final Fantasy" girls at night.
7. When you imagine your criminal rating going up by one star as you run a red light.
8. When your girlfriend leaves you because you gave more attention to your Pokemon than to her.
9. When you go to your Nintendogs for attention.
10. If you eat NOOBz for breakfast.