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worth watching anymore. I can count on being informed and entertained by the History Channel, CNN, and Fox News, sometimes the Learning Channel or Discovery Channel, but that's about it.

The trifecta the DVD, major retail chains, and video store discounts as made cable movies almost obsolete. So many DVDs have become more appealing than the actual movie themselves. Places like Wal-Mart and Target sell older movies on DVD at prices cheaper than new ones were on VHS years ago. Chains like Netflix and Blockbuster offer competitive plans that let you get movies brought home for cheap. It takes little expense to build a massive DVD library now. By the way, VHS is still here to stay, and many second-hand stores are practically giving away their old VHS movies.

Finally, the best reason to rid yourself of cable is to reject MTV. MTV has contributed almost nothing of value to the world. The culture of MTV promotes bland, commercial pabulum, and forces the talented into obscurity. How else could Metallica utterly forsake its true fans with garbage like "Reload?" How else could Michael Jackson be allowed to destroy himself? How else could the world be inflicted with Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys? When I quit watching MTV altogether, I discovered a whole new world of music, at my local, independently owned music shop.

I'm back in the little town I once lived in. I get three channels now. I'll still not get cable, or satellite. I get the news. My wife gets "Judge Judy." My little girl gets "Sesame Street." We all get "Hannah Montana." That's enough for us.

Learn more about this author, John Oystein.
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