Parental control the v chip

Probably the greatest invention as far as parental control over TV programs was the V-Chip. This article is going to take a look at how the chip was invented and came to be. The V-chip was invented by Professor Tim Collings. It is patented with US patent number 5,828,204 and Canadian patent number 2,178,474. The first testing of this great invention was done in 1991. The technology was originally called the View Control by Professor Collings. Eventually, the name was abbreviated to what we now refer to as the V-Chip. Ironically, because the chip was originally designed to block shows that contained violence, people thought the V in V-chip stood for violence. This, of course, was not the case. It wasn't until 1993, however, that the chip itself really got any recognition. At that time the head of the Canadian Radio-Television & Telecommunications Commission, CRTC for short, Keith Spicer, was so impressed with Collings' invention that he met with top US TV executives to express his concerns for the growing violence on TV. He specifically brought up Collings' V-Chip technology and the US TV executives were impressed. At this time the only thing that US TV stations were doing was making announcements before shows went on that they contained violence. But nothing yet was put in place to block the viewing of these shows. In spite of the interest, however, nothing was done yet to actually use the invention. Then in 1994 the news of the V-Chip had spread to Europe. In June of that year Collings was invited to Europe to demonstrate his invention. This was done at a conference on Violence on TV held in Paris, France. A year later, he was invited to Belgium to also demonstrate his invention. This is where US Vice President Al Gore got his first look at the technology. At the time, however, the technology was only able to block one program at a time. By 1997, however, he was invited back to Belgium when the technology was now capable of handling multiple informational schemes. At this meeting Collings contributed to discussions about TV rating systems formats and encoding schemes. Finally, on January 14, 1997, Collings gave the exclusive rights to his V-Chip to Tri-Vision Electronics Inc. The announcement was made at a press conference in Toronto. It was covered by many major Canadian as well as US TV networks. The next step was to have the V-Chip commercialized. So Tri-Vision and Professor Collings worked together to put out the first commercial V-Chip product which was a Set-Top decoder that was capable of handling multiple informational schemes and also able to operate with existing TV technology. The decoder was shown to the public at the Canadian Cable TV Convention in Edmonton, Alberta in 1997. After that it was then shown at the US Cable Convention in Nashville, Tennessee that same year. The V-Chip technology has been in consumer use now since 1999. In North America alone, million of sets use the V-Chip to block unwanted TV shows.

There is nothing like a good father

Father. This word brings up a variety of thoughts and emotions when it is spoken or thought about. Thinking of your own father or other fathers you know probably brings a lot of memories, both good and bad. A father is a person of great influence in a life. He has a strong affect on his children whether he never spends one day with them or whether he is present every day of their lives. A father forever affects his children's picture of a man and of a provider. Many little boys grow up and want to be just like their father. Many girls grow up and want to marry someone just like their father. What thoughts or memories does the word 'father' invoke for you? Are your first thoughts pleasant or hard? Do you have childhood memories that include hours of playtime with your father? Or maybe you remember how your father taught you to fish, climb trees, or build huge castles. Did your father teach you how to ride a bike, catch a baseball or throw a football? If only everyone could be so lucky and have nothing but great memories and feel fondness for their father. Having a good father is something that will forever impact the heart and life of a child. So, whether you grew up with an amazing father or a not so memorable father, it is important that you commit yourself to learning to be a good father for your own children. How can you be a good father? Fathering children well is simply a matter of loving your children like you would love anyone else. What does loving someone require? Perhaps you think of time or perhaps you think of giving gifts as a way to love someone. One of the best ways to be a good father is to spend time with your children. Make time in your busy schedule for them. Spend time getting into their worlds, learning about what they do at school, learning about their friends, and learning about the things they care about. You will never have a strong relationship with your children if they have no memories of time with their father. So rather than working those extra hours of overtime consider spending those hours playing with and learning your children. Another way to become a great father is to verbally affirm and praise your children. A child's confidence and security can be built up greatly with kind words from a father or mother. Consider the power of your words and the affect that one negative or positive comment can have on your child. For most children it is the negative comments they will remember, so look for ways to cut out negative comments or criticism. Let your children grow up with nothing but praise and loving words from their father. Having a great father can be one of the biggest blessings in a child's life. And being a great father can be one of the greatest blessings in your life. So, think of creative ways to get involved in the lives of children and be the kind of father they will try to emulate someday.

The first pair of baby shoes

: NEVER JUDGE A BABY UNTIL YOU’VE WOBBLED A MILE IN HER WEEBOK’SAny parent will tell you that there is nothing quite like watching as your child takes her first steps. When little Tom or Katie start to teeter around upright for the first time there are a few messages that should flash through your mind in order of importance. Somewhere after “please don’t fall, oh please don’t fall” and “hmmm… the ‘out of baby reach’ shelves need to be a bit higher now” should be “time to get the little one some shoes.” And so the hunt for baby shoes begins.WHEN IS IT TIME TO BUY BABY SHOES?Once your baby starts taking those first steps, it is definitely shoe time. While it is perfectly acceptable (and actually quite helpful) to allow a new walker to go barefoot while learning to balance and totter around effectively, there are situations where shoes are a must due to hazardous or unsanitary conditions. A good rule of thumb is “in the house and on the carpet barefoot is ok - on tiled floors and out of doors shoes are the way.” Walking barefoot helps babies learn to use their little feet and toes effectively to balance and “get their sea legs” so to speak, so it’s a good idea to allow them to be sans footwear whenever feasible. On surfaces that may contain hazards, however, shoes are a must.WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A BABY SHOEBaby shoes should be comfortable and flexible so that the child is encouraged to walk in them. Look for shoes that are made of breathable material so the baby’s feet don’t get too hot or sweaty. There’s nothing sadder than a toddler with a case of athlete’s foot that reaches “William Perry” on the severity scale. The soles should offer some traction but not be so thick that the baby can’t feel the floor beneath her feet. Nothing will make your baby take a header more quickly than a pair of shoes with thick, heavy soles.Remember that baby shoes are not the same as those for adults and older children. They should not need to be “broken in” by the child because that simply isn’t going to happen. Baby shoes aren’t worn long enough to be worn out or broken in. When fitting the shoe, make sure that it doesn’t rub the little one’s feet the wrong way and that there’s plenty of room to grow. Now that you’re buying baby shoes you should be prepared to buy them often. Babies grow faster than you may realize and you’ll probably be looking for new baby shoes about once a month.For your baby’s first few pairs of shoes you may want a pair with Velcro fasteners rather than laces. It’s easy for babies to untie shoelaces, which will have you either retying them repeatedly or constantly worrying that little Dave or Carmen is going to trip over a loose shoelace. As the child ages, however, find some point to switch to laces. Just because Velcro shoes are available into adult sizes doesn’t mean you want your son to be unable to tie his shoes until he’s thirty-seven.

Tips to help your kids succeed in school all year

Research shows that parental involvement in schools improves student achievement, reduces absenteeism and restores confidence among parents in their children's education. "Children need parents who have an interest in what's going on in the classroom," said Reg Weaver, president of the National Education Association. "Parents must do everything they can to get their children fully engaged at school, reinforce their learning at home and develop a strong relationship with their teachers." NEA, the nation's largest educators organization, offers the following tips for parents on how they can ensure a successful educational experience for their children: * Go to parent-teacher conferences. If the school doesn't have them, set aside a time to meet with your children's teachers. Ask how your children are doing and review their work. Let the teachers know how and when it is best to reach you. Finally, ask how you can support your children's learning at home. * Visit the classrooms. Getting a firsthand look at what is going on in your children's classrooms will help you stay informed about what they are learning at school. * Join the PTA or other parent group. Go to school events, such as back-to-school night. As a group, parents can help schools reach their goals. * Pay attention to what your children are learning at school. Be aware of what they need to know to meet the standards set for their grade level. * Contact the school if you have any concerns. Parental involvement also means reading to your children, checking homework every night, limiting television viewing on school nights or simply asking your children about their school day. "Whatever your level of involvement, do it consistently and regularly because it will make an important difference in your children's lives," Weaver said.