Write an article...

I have been working on my brain games tonight, trying to improve my mental capacity since my stroke. After each successful completion of a game, my website gives me little tips and tricks. Tonight I was advised to "write an article" - that is is good for my brain. LOL

So... this got me thinking. And thinking some more. What does one who has been mostly home bound as of late have to write about? Especially when my vocabulary is not what it used to be? But then after a word or two to myself about that neagative thought process, I realized there are MANY things that I could write about. Now the quandry becomes what to select. :)

As of late, I have become quite concerned about something in my own home, and have even discussed it with one of my friends who shares my same problem.

We have Netflix on the Wii. We turned off our TV channels (because here in our town we have to pay to have basic channels) and we pay a dollar less for this Netflix service through the Wii. It includes unlimited instant access to tons of movies and TV shows (both old and new) and 1 DVD at a time, unlimited, all month long.
BUT!
There is a HUGE flaw in this service. Despite getting online and selecting our genres and interests, and blocking what we don't want, their parental controls are PATHETIC. We can select to only allow G or PG movies to stream into our Wii for our use, blocking anything above PG. But that creates a problem. Regular TV shows that we love are then blocked because most of them are labeled NR (not rated) or UR (un-rated). So... no Mythbusters, PBS/National Geographic, no Animal Planet documentaries and even some PBS kids shows etc. If Jes and I decide we want to allow these to stream onto our Wii for just us to watch, we have to go online and change our rating selection... and then it takes up to 2 hours to change!

So... I went through their 20 minutes of questions online to have certain types of shows/movies sent to us, and we removed our rating block. (You cannot choose to have NR or UR streamed unless you also authorize PG13 & R.) We thought that would help by answering all their questions. Oh no! It did not. It continually lists horrible titles that my children must pass through while making their choices for cartoons and kids shows.

As you browse what is available to see, the front of the cases are shown. And many of them end up being pornographic! Because they have NR or UR movies, Netflix offers, at my children's figertips, movies and such that are 100% X rated!! I have seen the begining of one of these UR shows, that looked somewhat benign, only to suddenly within 30 seconds of starting the show witness a full oral sex scene streaming into my home!! That image is burned into my mind... and I WAS NOT PLEASED!!!

I *LOVE* having all of Caleb's PBS shows at our fingertips. I *LOVE* my kids learning from all the documentaries and Mythbusters, Rough Science etc when we have the opportunity to sit down and watch them. Jes and I enjoy some of our old TV favorites such as AirWolf, A-team and many more. It has been fun to have, and a lifesaver while I have been healing!

But I have sent a complaint to Netflix. I should be able to turn on our Wii and let my kids SAFELY choose material that is appropriate for them. Jes and I should be able to say we don't want "nudity, violence, swearing etc" even PROPOSED as material that we would want in our home! They have the technology to analyze what we watch and suggest more similar items... why can't they BLOCK the things we DONT want to have access to??

Isn't it child endangerment to stream these pornographic images into my home?? I can't turn on Dinosaur Train for Caleb and go take a shower, because when it is over, it bumps him back to the menu where he has access to all sort of filth! I walked in one day from doing laundry to see him selecting a horror film! WHA...?? It is set up to be an all or nothing system that I don't agree with! We are diligent as parents and only allow them to watch when we are here at home... but that doesn't stop the images they have to see when we select them a show from the menu! Those inappropriate covers could easily be blurred...though we would rather them to not be shown at all!!

Anyway... I know the obvious answer is just to turn it off completely! I realize that! I just hope that Netflix will listen to my voice! They have a really good product! We have mostly enjoyed it! There are just some things that need to be changed! It is NOT family user friendly!! And they would have much better success I think if they offered better parental controls! MUCH better parental controls!

And there's my two bits...