sherri's blog

Inside the NFL has moved to a new home. The show will premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 10 (9:00 p.m. et/pt) on SHOWTIME and continue to air each Wednesday during the NFL season thru February 11, 2009.

Longtime host Bob Costas will not be returing this season. His replacement, who will join analysts Phil Simms and Cris Collinsworth and host James Brown is Former NFL All-Pro defensive lineman and Super Bowl Champion, Warren Sapp.

While the location of the of the show and some of the players may have changed, Inside the NFL will continue to provide highlights each week from every game along with the analysts views on everything from team matchups to whatever other goings on are happening  within the NFL.

So if you're a long time fan of "INSIDE THE NFL" and you don't already subscribe to SHOWTIME,  then now is a good time to add it to your programming package so you don't miss any of the action.

It has recently been announced that Satellite TV the No.1 provider of quality hd programming and customer service will be the exclusive broadcaster of Farm Aid's New England Concert. This noble and worthwhile event, will not only draw upon the musical talents of legendary icons of the music business,  such as president and founder of Farm Aid, Willie Nelson, and board members Neil Young, Dave Matthews and John Mellencamp but will also include performances from a diverse group of talented artisans who have so generously agreed to donate their time. Some of the other musicians who will be taking to the stage are Arlo Guthrie, Nation Beat, Danielle Evin and Kenney Chesney, to name just a few.

This mega musical extravaganza which takes place on September 20th, 2008 will be broadcast live in HD and commercial free only on Satellite TV's the 101 Network from it's beginning at 4:00pm until it's ending at 11:00 p.m. In addition to the stage performances, Satellite TV subscribers will also be privy to interviews with the artists, farmers, food activists and see numerous clips from pre-concert press footage of the event.

Home viewers will also be able to access an interactive application which will allow them to learn more about their favorite performers as well as how to find good food from family farmers.

*Please Note: Satellite TV, through their generosity has pledged to match their subscribers gifts from Sept. 6th to September 30th up to $50,000. 

Kudos to the Food Network for constantly rising to the challenge of continuously peaking the culinary curiosity of their avid fans by providing them with a constant influx of new and exciting shows.

The latest offering of the Food Network, The Cooking Loft, which is hosted by culinary creator and head chef Alex Guarnaschelli, at famed New York eatery Butter made its much anticipated debut last weekend. Let me tell you it was worth the wait. Chef Guarnaschelli's soft spoken, low key approach to cooking on this interactive show would make even the most novice of cooks confident in their ability to recreate all of the recipes she and her helpers prepared on the show. 

You can enjoy Food Network on Satellite TV in high definition on Channel 231

Guy Fieri (my favorite host on the food network) host of Guy's Big Bite and Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, will be hosting yet another show (where does he find the time) on the Food Network. Information about Guy's latest culinary endeavor is limited, however becauuse of the trailers on the Food Network, I can tell you that the show is called "Guy Off The Hook" and will premiere on September 14th at 1:30 p.m. et/pt. How appropriate is using the phrase"off the hook" for the title of Guy's latest show, as those words are one he uses quite frequently on his shows. Did you know that"Off The Hook"  was supposedly the original working title that Guy wanted for his Food Network show, instead of Guy's Big Bite.

Since winning the Next Food Network Star competition, Guy's fame and marketability has risen at what seems to be warp speed. He is definitely smokin hot and the high volume of viewers who watch diners, drive-in and dives and made it such a success prove this fact out. While there are those who feel that perhaps Guy is getting too much exposure, I say no way. Guy's bigger than life persona is what makes watching his shows so enjoyable.

So whether you're a Guy Fieri Fan or a foodie at heart remember to watch "Guy Off The Hook" on September 14th on the Food Network. Oh yeah, did I mention that the Food Network is broadcast in HD on Satellite TV.  

Just off the wire. News is that Satellite TV in their continuing efforts to keep pace with their customers diverse viewing habits has signed an agreement with The Inspiration Networks, which gives Satellite TV  distribution rights for INSP (Inspiration Network). Beginning on August 27, 2008 all of Satellite TV's 17 million customers will be able to watch INSP on channel 364.

The Inspiration Network, for those of you who might not be familiar with it, is a Christian television network which features value based family programming, some of which is specific to children, teens,women and men. The network in addition to their original talk and music programs also features inspirational weekly programs from more than 20 different faiths.

Some of the shows which will Satellite TV subscribers will be able to watch on The Inspiration Network are "Dooley & Pals", "Everyday Woman" and "The Zone" to name just a few. For a more indepth view of the vast selection of programming which INSP will be airing on Satellite TV channel 364 please refer to your Satellite TV channel guide. 

The NBC network is set to premier yet another reality tv series. The show which is called America's Toughest Jobs will air Monday, August 25th at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on Satellite TV.

This extreme competition reality tv series is the brainchild of creative/executive producer Thom Beers ("Deadliest Catch, "Ice Road Truckers") and executive producers Gail Berman and LLoyd Braun. America's Toughest Jobs will test the physical and emotional strength of 13 men and women as they compete against each other in some of the most dangerous and demanding jobs on the planet.

Some of the hair raising and agonizing jobs which the contestants will try to master the skills for are crab fishing, logging and oil rigging to name just a few. Each week the contestants temporary boss and co-workers for a particular job will determine whether or not they made the grade and if they will be allowed to soldier on or be sent packing. The interesting twist to this new reality tv show is that the annual salary of each job will be added to the pot until the finale, when one lucky greenhorn will be declared the winner and be the recipient of all that hard earned cash.

So if you're of fan of "Deadliest Catch", "Dirty Jobs" or "Ice Road Truckers", be sure to tune in and watch America's Toughest Jobs.

Location, Location, Location. We all know that location, at least when it comes to real estate is a major factor in determining the monetary value of a home or a vacant piece of property but should location be used to determine the cost of your everyday goods and services.

Case in point. Did you know, or perhaps you already do that cable companies also use this very same ideology or mantra when it comes to determining the rates for their cable customers. Doesn't seem right that an individual would be be penalized and forced to pay higher rates ( the same rate as those cable subscribers who get a heck of a lot more channels) for their cable tv and receive fewer channels because of where they live. Haven't you ever been curious about how much folks one town over are paying for their cable and what their getting for their money. I mean have you ever bothered to question why when you visit a cable companys web site they ask you to provide a street address and zip code before they divulge any pricing information. What's up with that.

Satellite TV, on the other hand, unlike some of their cable company competitors allows you to satisfy your curiosity quickly and easily. You don't have to plug in all kinds of zip codes with a matching addresss in order to get a rate, because Satellite TV's rates unlike their competitors are the same nationwide and if I might be so bold as to borrow from Martha Stewart " that's a good thing". It  doesn't matter to Satellite TV if you live in Paris, Texas or Paris, Maine, you'll still pay the same rate.

Now if you can't say the same thing about your cable companies rates, then maybe it's time to switch to Satellite TV, who in case you don't know has over 95 national hd channels and has been consistently ranked #1 in cutomer satisfaction.

With the constant rate hikes cable tv customers are always being subjected to perhaps it's time for the subscribers to ask their cable providers the words from the title of Janet Jackson's hit lead single from her "Control" album. The words, "What Have You Done For Me Lately".

Studies and reports have shown that the rate hikes imposed on cable tv subscribers has fast outpaced the rate of inflation and it doesn't appear that this trend will end anytime soon. In todays economy, what with the escalating price of food, fuel, clothing and other everyday living expenses people are having to tighten their purse strings and revaluate their budgets. So, because so may of us see cable as an everyday living expense and not a luxury, it only makes sense to question whether or not you're cable company is giving you value for your money, at least in this day and age.

For instance, does you cable provider constantly move you favorite channels to a higher priced programming package or maybe they just drop them all together? Do the rate hikes adequately reflect the number of channels you receive? Is your cable provider keeping up with the competition with regard to channel availibility? Perhaps you cable company, like so many, add new channles to their line- up in dribs and drabs. You know, 2 channels this month and maybe if your lucky you'll receive another 2 or three channels 6 months later.

Next there's the question of "what have you done for me lately" with regard to the quality of customer service. Do you feel that the customer service dept. is just paying you lip service or are they really attentive and interested in helping you resolve you problems.

Being a former cable tv subscriber I could probably go on and on with "what have you done for me lately" questions that you should be asking yourself about your current cable tv provider. If most of your answers to the above questions are negative, and you don't feel as if you're getting the most bang for your buck, then maybe it's time to consider a change.

Check out Satellite TV today. In addition to over 95 national HD channels, they have a variety of programming packages with pricing sure to fit every budget. Don't just take my word for it. Do your own comparison between Satellite TV and you cable tv provider. After that I'm sure you'll agree that Satellite TV definitely offers you more value for you money.

What! You have got to be kidding me! Those are just a few of the words and phrases that I was shouting out when I watched the season finale of the Next Food Network Star on Satellite TV. I could not believe that Aaron Mc Cargo, Jr., an executive catering chef for a hospital was crowned the winner. What I wonder is if the home viewer voted and only their votes counted would their choice be the same as the judges. It is after all the viewing audience who will be tuning in to watch the winners show.

First off, while I like Aaron and thought that he dished up some fine culinary fare, he definitely didn't come across as having any real stage presence. Yes, I know that he was nervous and who wouldn't be when you have a limited amount of time to produce a perfect performance on command. You would think however, that by the finale you would have your jitters under control. I mean, shouldn't the winner just exude confidence, authority and chrisma. It's these characteristics that give you credibility with the home viewer.

Then there's the issue with the name of his show. Rather than Aaron coming up with a catchy title or titles as Lisa did, he just latched onto the name that was pitched to him by Gordon Elliot. Does that mean Aaron will let others dictate to him the menu/meals he should prepare for each of his shows episodes.

I have to wonder why Bob Tuschman (v.p. programming & production) and Susie Fogelson (v.p. marketing) and the rest of the Food Network execs. decided to get the premier for Aaron's show "Big Daddys House" up and running so fast. The show will air it's first episode on Sunday, August 3, 1:30 p.m. e/p. Perhaps the powers that be at the Food Network have determined that it's better to air the show as soon as possible, to seize the moment and draw the viewer in quickly so they don't forget about the show, as might happen if they were to wait several months to air it. Remember The Gourmet Next Door, which was hosted by season three winner Amy Finley. She was named the winner on July 22, 2007 yet her show didn't air until October 14, 2007. Just ask yourself, when's the last time you saw a new episode of her show.

Finally, because none of the contestants had every thing the judges were looking for, they should have named all three winners, called the show "The Revolving Chef" or some other crazy name and just rotated them on a weekly basis, thereby showcasing the talent and creativity of Adam, Aaron and Lisa and giving the home viewer not only diversity but the option to choose and watch their favorite contestant do their thing.

Next time I'll use my Satellite TV DVR to record the contest and fast forward to the award decision.

Do you like cooking but don't have a vast assortment of cookbooks lining your bookshelves? Perhaps you're a budding culinary chef looking for some more mouthwatering recipes to add to your collection. Maybe you're just tired of seeing the same old, same old, on the Food Network.

If any of the above describes you, then have I got a great channel for you to check out. The channel (hold onto your hats) is PBS. If you haven't watched PBS lately you don't know what you're missing. The network/channel airs a wide variety of cooking shows which encompass a diverse offering of gastronomical delights. You can watch and learn tips and techniques from well known chefs as they prepare dishes from the simple to the sophisticated.

Some of my personal favorite are America's Test Kitchen, Everyday Food and Everyday Baking from Everyday Food( Martha Stewart fans will love these shows). I have prepared, much to my family's delight, a fair number recipes that have been showcased in various episodes of the above mentioned shows. I enjoy these shows enough that I have set my DVR to record each series so I don't miss out on any of the recipes.

If you're a culinary show junkie like me, then be sure to give PBS a look see. There's sure to be a cooking show that offers up recipes for scrumptious meals that would bring a smile to the face of those who consider themselves to have the most discriminating of palates.

Note* Check the listings of your PBS station to see what cooking shows are airing in you area.