Lifestyle TV shows... good or bad?

[Malibu]

Two recent events have churned up a few thoughts in my mind about lifestyle TV shows. You know the ones; They turn your swamp into the garden of Eden in about 3 1/2 minutes, or some yummy bimbo in tight shorts makes a dining table with nothing but string and an old broken pallet.

The basic question is: Should they be allowed to televise that sort of show?

Two things brought this on...
1) I was in the hardware today picking up some lengths of pine for a workbench. The bloke that served me was with someone else 5 minutes earlier (who was now gone) and he was mumbling about "bloody Sunday tradesmen... they come in here wanting to get stuff to build an extension on their house, and they expect me to tell them how to do it...", or words to that effect. He blamed it on the lifestyle shows on TV for people getting high ideas about doing things around the house and the fact that they don't show a true picture.

2) As an electrician, I get all sorts of things in at work that people want me to fix... the toaster, the drill, etc. That's ok, it goes with the job.
A lady brought in a circular saw the other day that she'd cut the cord on, and asked if I could fix it. She was trying to make (whatever it was) that she'd seen on one of those TV shows. I first thought it a bit strange that she'd cut the cord when she put the saw down on the cord, but these things sometimes happen. When I got the saw, I just shortened the cord and everything was rosey, except, I gave the saw a quick once over and found that the guard wouldn't spring back in to cover the blade. That explained a LOT!:confused:
I tried to fix it as best I could, but it would not go back in position. Then I found the reason... it was because the blade bearing was clapped out and rubbing on the guard. The blade would 'wobble' about 6mm from side to side! :eek:
I took it back to her, explained that the cord was fixed but I strongly urged her to toss the saw and get a new one and I showed her why.
She said... "Oh, that must be why it was cutting funny". :mad::confused::eek:
I'd hate to see a 9" circular saw blade flying across the backyard like a frisbee!

All this, from a lifestyle show?
Ok, granted, I don't have proprietry rights to be in the workshop.. none of us have. Just because we're not chefs, doesn't mean we can't cook.
I've certainly bled my fare share and kept the band-aid factory in overtime as I'm sure most of us have.
But what gives TV the right to stick on a show in the name of 'entertainment' where the whole object is to get into using unforgiving devices such as circular saws, chain saws, electric planes and a whole range of wizzing-whiring sharp thingies that'll take your finger off without a second thought?

Yes, yes... we all started somewhere, even me. But, when I used my first circular saw, I had direct supervision and instruction by someone with a mountain-load of experience. All tools that I've used I was shown in the correct way to do things and I apply that knowledge to all the tools I will ever use.
"It comes with experience" I hear you say, and sure, it does. But it's too late when you've chopped off your leg with a hired/borrowed chain saw because of poor information.

Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree, but where do the TV channels get off? Where is the culpability? Is it all smoothed over legaly by a disclaimer at the end of the credits that says "Don't try this at home..."

What do you think?

[Auld Bassoon]

I agree with you Malibu, some folks see a short segment on TV and think that they can do 'that' too. Perhaps some can, but many will get into all sorts of strife.

I was in my local Bunnies on Saturday getting a couple of extension leads and a remote switch for a couple of flourescent lights for my shed, and overheard a bloke ask a Bunnies assistant how to wire up a switch. To the assistant's credit he plain refused, and explained why. The guy was asking which terminal was earth :eek:

[bitingmidge]

With so much safety being built in to cars, horses all but gone as a means of transport, and innoculation against all common diseases, there is little left to ensure that only the fittest survive.

The whole human gene pool is slowly being diluted, allowing more and more complete idiots to survive, and worse, to breed. :eek:

Fortunately nature is a wonderful thing, and in order to balance out the process, the lifestyle television format evolved. Such is the process of natural selection, that only those whose genome is no longer of use to mankind are attracted to view these programmes, and the least useful humans to try to copy the outcomes, oblivious to the dangers to themselves and others.

Don't stand in their way, that is akin to interfering with the evolutionary process.

P

[witch1]

crikey midge you really have got me thinking.
I have, so far, managed to get by with only superficial injuries, but maybe its been more like good luck than good management or skill, what do you advise, should I quit while i'm ahead-- sell the meagre supply of equipment I have acquired, and get into navel contemplation or some other nice safe pastime.
or..... sorry midge just had a minor abberation,
O.K.now! I have decided to bravely go on and show a little gumption, take the risk and if I can stick it out , may be I will acquire some of the skills that most of you guys seem to have in abundance.
good luck midge, in all your future endeavours
ancient mariner (WITCH1)

[Waldo]

G'day Mailbu,

I'm all for yummy bimbos in tight shorts telling me what to do, but for the rest of it, a big resounding...

Nup!

[Sturdee]

Such is the process of natural selection, that only those whose genome is no longer of use to mankind are attracted to view these programmes,

Thanks a lot mate, I'm one of those addicted to these kind of shows. A lot of my ideas come from those make over shows.

Yes, yes... we all started somewhere, even me. But, when I used my first circular saw, I had direct supervision and instruction by someone with a mountain-load of experience. All tools that I've used I was shown in the correct way to do things and I apply that knowledge to all the tools I will ever use.
"It comes with experience" I hear you say, and sure, it does. But it's too late when you've chopped off your leg with a hired/borrowed chain saw because of poor information.

Then you have been extremely lucky but I had to learn how to use them from the instruction leaflet that came with the tools or from books borrowed from my library. And I haven't cut my fingers of, although I once shot a 75mm nail once into my knee cap when it bounced of the hardwood frame.

Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree, but where do the TV channels get off? Where is the culpability? Is it all smoothed over legaly by a disclaimer at the end of the credits that says "Don't try this at home..."

Yes, IMO you are barking up the wrong tree. They are providing information and there is no culpability if someone follows their ideas. Also your post smacks of the holier than thou type of attitude that I abhor.


Peter.

[bitingmidge]

Thanks a lot mate, I'm one of those addicted to these kind of shows. A lot of my ideas come from those make over shows.

Ahhh, but unless I miss my guess Peter, in terms of natural selection, you are beyond the breeding cycle..... .

Nature would achieve nothing by eliminating your personal genes at this late stage, so I guess there's some sort of immunity that occurs with age.

I hadn't thought of that!


P

[Gra]

Look at it this way. It is a feeder for our hobby. More people involved in the hobby, means more suppliers, more suppliers means compiteition, competition means lower prices (usually). this is good.

One of my other hobbies is full of snobs, and old guys that wont accept new comers, as a consiquence it is dying out. The average age of the people involved is about 60. This has the problem that any information is dying off with these old guys, and the young ones arent learning, because of the older guys attitude. In a few years time it will probably almost completely die out due to lack of new blood, and all of the equipment will go overseas.

I guess what I am saying is however you get new blood (Pun intended) into the hobby does not matter, as long as you get new blood.

Stepping down from soap box now

[witch1]

Ahhh, but unless I miss my guess Peter, in terms of natural selection, you are beyond the breeding cycle..... .

Nature would achieve nothing by eliminating your personal genes at this late stage, so I guess there's some sort of immunity that occurs with age.

I hadn't thought of that!


P

midge
I believe that despite all the unfortunate things that happen to our race the average family is improving in general I.Q. because of all the amazing advances in technology.
The stuff available on TV is not all rubbish and even the WOOD shows do help people to glean clues that help them to better understand how things work and on most shows how to take care of your tools.


Without these shows I may never have taken an interest in woodwork so for what its worth,, you've got me to talk to.
ancient mar..etc

[Sturdee]

Ahhh, but unless I miss my guess Peter, in terms of natural selection, you are beyond the breeding cycle..... .

Nature would achieve nothing by eliminating your personal genes at this late stage, so I guess there's some sort of immunity that occurs with age.

I hadn't thought of that!


P

Already done my bit for the country and have passed on my genes to my offspring.

Same bright, intelligent, enquiring and irreverent attitudes to life as mine.


Peter.

[witch1]

sturdee
I like your style
WITCH1

[Honorary Bloke]

Well, I don't mind those shows so much. They are often good for a laugh. But some of them, at least over here, do things with saws and other tools that are inherently unsafe. Like running a 4' x 8' sheet of ply through a small bench saw set up outdoors with no blade guard, no splitter, and 3 or 4 people pulling and pushing every which way. :eek: I keep waiting for one of them to get kicked back compeltely out of camera range.

[Iain]

The guy was asking which terminal was earth :eek:

Easy, the one that doesn't tingle when you put your tongue on it
(I have seen it happen when a neighbour stood on a stepladder and put his tongue in a light socket while his missus turned the switch on, he discovered man could fly without the aid of any mechanical apparatus , and lived)

[silentC]

I have seen it happen when a neighbour stood on a stepladder and put his tongue in a light socket

You stood back and watched this? Didn't you like him?

[ozwinner]

Thats gold Iain, what the hell was he checking for? :confused:

Al