Podcasts about hulu plus

SiRR and Ashley review the first episode of Hulu's Paradise featuring Sterling K. Brown, James Marsden and Julianne Nicholson.Watch PARADISE on HULU Plus!

Peloton joins the Military Spouse Employment Program. Peloton Australia launches a trade-in program.  Peloton announces its next NBA Ambassador in-studio visit.  Two of Peloton's NBA Ambassadors have been named to the USA Men's Basketball team.  Amazon had some big Peloton price drops during its “Big Spring Sale.”  Peloton embroiled in suit over (unordered?) parts.  Dr. Jenn - Setting boundaries with family members so you get your Peloton time Katie Wang is back on the schedule. Tunde was on Hulu's Life & Beth. Andy Speer partners up with Tampa Bay Rays.  Did Kendall Toole tease a new man in her life?   TCO celebrated National Puppy Day by spotlighting instructor pups. The latest artist series features Cardi B.  Jake Gyllenhaal is a Peloton member (as told to Smartless).  TCO Top 5. This Week At Peloton.  Peloton offers two financing options.  Harvard has Pelotons on campus.     All this plus our interview with Marissa Walch Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.theclipout.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sree Kochugovindan, abrdn Senior Research Economist, breaks down the Bank of England's decision to keep rates unchanged. Greg Valliere, AGF Investments Chief US Policy Strategist, discusses the Israel-Hamas war and its political impact in Washington. Jonathan Pingle, UBS Chief US Economist, says a slowdown in the US labor market would lead to a slowing in inflation. Geetha Rananathan, Bloomberg Intelligence US Media Analyst, discusses Disney's plan to buy Comcast's stake in Hulu. Pierre Ferragu, New Street Research Head of Global Technology Infrastructure, previews Apple's earnings release.Get the Bloomberg Surveillance newsletter, delivered every weekday. Sign up now: https://www.bloomberg.com/account/newsletters/surveillance  Full transcript:This is the Bloomberg Surveillance Podcast. I'm Tom Keene, along with Jonathan Farrow and Lisa Abramowitz. Join us each day for insight from the best and economics, geopolitics, finance and investment. Subscribe to Bloomberg Surveillance on demand on Apple, Spotify and anywhere you get your podcasts, and always on Bloomberg dot Com, the Bloomberg Terminal and the Bloomberg Business App. What a joy to see her in London. Sree Kachigovin and joins us right now, senior research economists at Aberdeen three. I'm absolutely fascinated by how the US stands alone, how Jerome Powell yesterday stood alone with massive stimulus leading into massive real GDP. Does the United Kingdom, where Governor Bailey stands now, do they need stimulus to keep it going? I think stimulus would probably not be a good idea at this point. Really, what we want to tackle is inflation. Now. The Bank of England have a very challenging backdrop. Growth outlook is weakening, but we still have very elevated inflation pressures. Now inflation is past the peak, it has started to decelerate. However, energy costs are still quite elevated. The headline inflation is still very high. And also we have even though those multi price based effects will start to unwind over time, we still have very sticky core services and wage pressures in place. So stimulus right now would not be a good idea for the UK. Now it's not restrictive fiscal background at the moment, but further stimulus would actually not be helpful with the Here's a fun fact from the Bloomberg News story that Lucy White wrote for US. Ben Bernanke actually attended the Bank of England's meeting as an observer. It's part of his review into the UK central banks forecasting communications. And of course this comes as Bailey has faced some criticism that they didn't move quickly enough to respond to inflation. Sree, can you compare and contrast the efficacy of communication at the BAIE versus the FED. I think, as we mentioned earlier, there was a conversation about group think. There is a split within the within the Bank of England, and I think the communication has been quite clear from the various members. We've had the arguments for staying on hold, the arguments for perhaps another an additional hike, and all of those are quite consistent actually with the data that we're seeing. But it seems that on the whole we are witnessing switch towards a focus on growth and the weaker activity data and some greater faith in terms of inflation actually passed the peak and decelerating from here. So we're also seeing there. So we have a signal from the split in the vote, and we also have that signal well, very very clear in terms of rates are going to be on hold for a meaningful period of time, even if, as we expect, the economy enters a recession, rates are going to remain quite elevated. And that's quite a burden for small companies in particular who are much more sensitive to the rate cycle. They are facing a profit squeeze. There is a bit of an issue there in terms of future business investment and so there are a number of challenges there, particularly for the smaller, smaller firms. So that's something that the Bank of England are going to have to really be wary of. Yeah, credit availability for small firm is always an issue, whether it's stateside or across the pond street. When it comes to the stimulus versus austerity debate, that time was referencing how does the Bank of England's decision to keep rates on hold for a second straight meeting and warn about a possible recession, warn about the need to perhaps raise rates in the future of inflation reaccelerates. How does that restrain or limit the government's options when it comes to supporting the economy. I think the government is also very aware, and we have heard from Sunak p at the Prime Minister. We have heard that there is a focus on inflation even within the government. Yes, they do have an election coming up, but they're worried about stimulus too soon and too much stimulus too soon. So I think they're going to pair back on any measures that are going to fuel inflation. Further, I think that's also concerned from them, get every challenging decision for them, given that there is an election on the horizon. Are all the gains in the United Kingdom focused on London? I mean, I mean, is it like, you know, the dominance of Paris and France. Are all the economic gains which you have been tangible here have they been focused on the south of England? Well, there has been a big debate for a number of years with regards to the regional disparities, and that was something that for a few years there have been some focus on what are the policies that can help level up the economic outlook. However, it has been quite challenging in order to do that with the pandemic recovery from the pandemic. And I think the leveling up policies may be, you know, they're on the horizon in the future, but right now, really the focus is quite narrow. That regional disparity, unfortunately, is still very much there. Christrie, thank you so much. Cut your govid in with us with Aberdeen joining us now. On the other points in the Wars of Washington, Gregory Vellier, he's chief US Policy Strategistic AGF Investments. Greg I believe it is November, that's twelve months away from an election. Take the drama of October in our many wars and fold it into how things change twelve months before an election. How does your world change given the pending one year out election. Well, good morning time. So many unknowns. I'd say one big one is Benjamin Netanaihu. If you saw the extraordinary story in the New York Times on Monday talking about how Israel and Netanaihu were blindsided by Hamas they got totally caught off guard. There's going to be recriminations. I think that has to be looked at very carefully. There's the FED and there's this continuing fight in the House between fairly moderate Republicans and the right wing. That fight is about to resume within days, right, But you've got a right wing Speaker of the House. Now, shouldn't that restore some order in the House. One would think Scarlet wouldn't one, But I'm not quite sure about that. I think that even a handful four or five House Republicans could block this next spending bill. And there are Republicans in the House who don't want to spend money on Ukraine, as you guys know, and some lukewarm attitudes toward Israel. But the big fights still is a budget. We have a budget deadline in about two weeks and they're not close to being done. Yeah, and so we're watching that November seventeenth deadline very carefully. I want to get your take also on what the economy means for the presidential election tries. It might The White House has been selling Bidenomics, but it's not doing very well. When consumers are feeling pretty sour. What does the current FED policy mean for the economy in twenty twenty four. Well, I think there's maybe some relief among consumers that the FED didn't raise race. But I thought you and Tom a few minutes ago hit it perfectly talking about food prices. I mean, food prices are up. What did you guys say, nineteen percent cumulative? Yeah, over three years, over three years, But that leaves an awful lot of people, maybe not us, but leaves an awful lot of people discouraged that this is not improving. Yeah. What's important there, Scarlett, is the USDA with this is really good data from the US Department of Agriculture. They say that for the have nots of America, it's not third world, but thirty percent of their compensation is going to food, which means thirty percent of their conversation is not going to discretionary spending or anything else that usually supports the economy. Greg, I want to bring it back once again to FED policy in the economy in twenty twenty four because J. Powell's term expires as FED chaer in early twenty twenty six. So whoever wins the twenty four to four election, would get to pick the next FED chair. What does that mean to you? And I bring this up because if Donald Trump wins the nomination, yes he nominated Powell as fedchair, but he also nominated Judy Shelton as a FED governor. Yeah. I think if Biden wins, obviously he'll try to keep at Jerome Powell. If Trump wins, he will fire and get rid of Powell as quickly as possible, and that will I think cost some anxiety for the markets. You know, one other quick point I would make about what we could see in the next year or so that maybe is outside of the box. I go to piece this morning on Robert F. Kennedy Junior. There's a new poll out overnight from Quinnipiac showing him a twenty two percent that I was surprised. I think a lot of people were surprised to see that. And I do think that he will take away from Joe Biden, young people, independence, African Americans, environmentalists. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Is not going to be the next president, but he may determine who will be. Craig Villie, thank you so much. With AGF investments, we can rip up the script with a gentleman that worked in the macroeconomic section at the FED. Jonathan Pingle joins the course with UBS, their chief US economists, John I'm sorry, I got to go here, and Julia Cornado XBMB Perry by Macro turns his way out in front of this. Are we completely misguessing the efficiency, the productivity, the technological advancement of America? Are we just flat out to pessimistic? Well, I mean it's hard to know what the expectations are, right there aren't that many people as in the weeds on productivity, you know, on the immigration rebound as Julia, and you know, give Julia a lot of props since we were at the board together a year long time ago. But I would say two things, and Sheer Powell touched on this yesterday. One is, you know, we have been seeing a pretty impressive rebound and labor supply and that's been both the combination of you know, a significant improvement and net international migration coming out of the pandemic. In addition to you know, some groups like prime age women punching out new all time highs and their labor force participation rates. And you know, we've certainly been writing about that, and Julia's done a good job as well on the productivity stuff. Though we do have to remember that productivity was incredibly weak as we went through the pandemic and immediately coming out, so we did have a fair amount of catch up to do. And when we look at sort of the longer run trends after today's data, just mathematically you are going to be a little bit above the longer run trends. So it is good news, but you're actually really still not that far from what we were seeing pre COVID. But I will say together, I think it's right. We're seeing nominal wage gains slow, and some of that is these supply side improvements and unit labor costs dropping. You know, we were forecasting a seven to ten drop. You know that is the result of the slowness we saw in average hourly earnings combined with basically five percent GDP growth in the third quarter. So that's a good supply side story. Tell me about course services. The chairman didn't talk about it much yesterday, but are we seeing a service sector disinflation to give confidence to an outright goods deflation? We are? I mean, we've had We've had some positive news on the core services over the last several months, but I would say we're sort of not out of the woods yet, right Like, you know, I think that's one of the reasons Chair Powell yesterday, you know, and Mike McKee did a great job with his you know, trying to pin the chair down on the objective versus subjective decision. But what we want to see is a little bit more slowing in the labor market in order to see more slowing in those components of inflation, because if we look at the ECI, it does look like wage gains are still a little too risk to be consistent with sustainable two percent inflation. So I do think the Chair and Mike was just saying this, they do need to get the labor market to slow here if they are going to achieve their mandate and restore price stability. All right, this is clearly a big, big week for labor market data. You had ADP employment change jolts and of course jobless claims this morning. Unit labor costs as well in productivity. We know that the UAW has come to agreements with the automakers, but if you are an union organizer and I'm thinking of the Actors Guild, for instance, that is still on strike. What is your takeaway from the flood of data that we've gotten on the labor market right now? Well, land market's still tight, right so you know, so you know, even I mean, and I don't really think you need to look much beyond the unemployment rate at three point eight percent to say, you know, the nation's at full employment and markets are tight, and you know you've got a point here where there might be some bargaining power for workers. The other interesting thing about a number of these strikes is there are a lot of non wage issues at stake. You know, you're talking about, you know, the use of AI for the actors, you're talking about, you know, the shift to electric vehicles amongst the UAW. And that's actually been sort of an interesting aspect where, you know, a lot of these labor negotiations it's not just about the wages, you know, it's really also about sort of these changing industry dynamics that they want to protect their workers from. So how does that show up in the data, How does that show up in the economy in what's measurable, Well, we should definitely see the impact of the UAW strike tomorrow. In tomorrow's data, you know, the BLS released their strike report. You know, between the strikes the Big Three and Mac Trucks, that should be about a thirty thousand job reduction in motor vehicle and parts assemblies employment. You'll see it in Table B and B one of the employment situation release. So we should definitely see that way on the employer report tomorrow, but that'll rebound in the subsequent in the subsequent report. And I think the bigger picture is that you have put in place for some of these contracts, you know, a return to things like you know, cost of living adjustments, et cetera. So this should generally mean for these workers somewhat firmer wage gains over the next few years than would have otherwise been the case. Jonathan Tingle, thank you for the brief, particularly there quickly on advancing productivity is with UBS. I love saying this the Union Bank of Switzerland. We're going to get complicated here and straighten this out. Hulu being taken out by Disney. Brian robertson Comcast unloading the Dogkeetha Ranganathen of Bloomberg Intelligence is truly encyclopedic on this near nine billion dollar that transaction. Getha, I'm lost here. Is Comcast happy today that they unloaded the stock or is this the deal of a lifetime for mister Eiger? So this is this is, as you just pointed out on this is a pretty complicated transaction. All that we got yesterday was that Disney is definitely buying out comcast thirty three percent stake. So Disney already owns two thirds of Hulu, so we know for certain that Comcast is offloading it who Disney is buying it? Now the biggest question here is going to be price. So we know the floor value was set at twenty seven billion. Disney actually came out yes, they're saying that they do expect to make that initial payment of you know, eight it's actually nine billion minus some capital calls, which which is why you get the eight point six billion. But really the point is going to be how much greater than twenty seven billion is the valuation going to be? And that is where all of the complexity is going to arise over the next few months. I mean, John Pharaoh is addicted to Hulu. He's just you know, he like binge watches Love Island USA and the rest of it. GITHA doesn't matter who watches this stuff in this transaction or is this just people distant from what we watch every day? I mean, Hulu has forty eight million subscribers some so it is a very very successful streaming service. You're absolutely right. It has a very deep catalog of classics. It has all of us Keith, You're not going to sell surveillances audience. The Love Island USA is a classic. Continue well, it has you know, it has a lot of the must watch shows, right you brought up the Bear Only Murders in the Building is show. It has a lot of shows that come up from broadcast TV, so it's a great catch up service. And it also has kind of this live Hulu Plus live option as well. So there are a lot of different flavors that it offers. But I think the biggest thing for Disney is really the ad component of it. If there is any streaming service out there that has got advertising right, it is Hulu. We know that Netflix is struggling with that right now, so is Disney Plus. So are a lot of the established services. Amazon is looking to bring an advertising service. Hulu is the one established brand already bringing in about three three and a half billion dollars in AD revenue. So that infrastructure is a gold mine and is super valuable to Disney and for that reason, Hulu is one of the few profitable streamers. Netflix of course another profitable streamer here. But what is it about the ad packaging that Hulu has figured out. As a consumer of Hulu, it's really frustrating to see the same Tom Brady hurts commercial over and over again. No, you're absolutely right, But at the same time, I mean, this is a company, you know, obviously they have They are the ones that have ads, that have had ads on now for the longest period of time. They've built all these different they've built very a very very robust AD stack, and they've also kind of made all these different you know, relationships with advertisers. Of course, you have the larger Disney brand as well at work there, but that is something where they've really been able to crack the code. I mean, Hulu is one service where you have majority of you know, the consumers on the on the ads supported option, which is what has made it such, you know, so successful in what it's set out to do. Disney says it has enough cash and credit to buy Hulu, whereas Comcasts will be using the proceeds to boost its accelerate its stock repurchase program. When this financial transaction is completed, does it move the needle at all for either Disney or Comcast stock. I think it definitely moves the needle for Disney because this removes a key overhang. Remember, there are so many strategic questions that are still kind of pending for Barb Biger, whether it's the future of ESPN, whether it's the sale of the ABC network, and so, you know, kind of just closing this deal with Hulu and then integrating it with Disney Plus, I think just removes a key overhang for the stock. Five years out, do they mate. Do you see Hulu combined with Disney Plus to really take on Netflix as a combined adult in kids' entity. Absolutely, I think that is what the plan is. I mean, at the end of the day, they are looking to get synergies across the board in their streaming product because Disney Plus is still losing money. It is still going to lose about two and a half three billion dollars this year. But I think when you combine this we're looking at savings of at least one one and a half billion dollars. I think it's definitely going to accelerate streaming crafitability for Disney. Synergy to me means rebundling, So you're going to have to pay some big, heftier price to get all these different channels or streamers into twenty. That's what Paul Sweeney would say as well. What I'm fascinated by is when we're all said and done with this. I mean, there's Hulu and there's Disney Plus, and they're going to merge and they're gonna take on Netflix. Keitha, do you see a true duopoly out there? Is that where streaming is heading? It definitely is heading there, Tom, There's no doubt about it. I mean Netflix is far ahead of the competition. They have almost two hundred and fifty million subscribers. We do see them getting to three hundred million over you know, maybe the next few years. But yes, this is kind of very much turning into you know, Netflix versus Disney versus most probably Amazon. So yeah, maybe a tryal Max HBO. Yeah, that's a tough one, you know, Hbo Max. You know, she's got to be a second tier service, second tier look at it. She's just like, Wow, you know what's so bad about that? And this goes, this goes with Discovery Plus and Max and all that is. You know where am I going to see ninety day fiance? I know you're addicted to it. If it doesn't work, O Githa ruganof and thank you so much. I think I learned something there. Pierre Farragu wrote the Black Books for Bernstein and Technology for years. Yes, he's got a fancy title Global Technology Infrastructure at New Street, but the answer is once and forever he will always own the Black Books over at Alliance Bernstein Peer. Thank you, Pierre, Thank you so much for joining us. And you have been cautious on Apple. Is now a time to buy the shares? After the lassitude that we've seen over the last twelve months. I would have liked to say yes, but unfortunately, and the reason why I would have liked to say yes is because sentiment is very very low on the name. You know, sixty percent by ratings and forty percent sale and a neutral rating for that name. It's very very It's as low as can be, I would say. So we've had like a very slow yeer. You know, three after in a row in negative growth, we're getting back to politive growth probably on the guide, but it's just because we're hitting like the the easier compare now and so that slowdown, like the stock reacted relatively well to that slowdown. If you look at the Apple stock, it roughly tracked the NASDAK. So not much happened on the stock. And the reason why you know I wouldn't jump on board now is first not a significant pullback so valuation. You're still paying like a hefty premium for our early It's partly justified, of course, for the quality of the franchise. But you know what happens next that really creates a surprise and gets the stock to work. From here, the high kinmentalist the harder matter pere single digit revenue growth. So I went back to the pandemic and basically sales are up forty seven percent from twenty nineteen, but the free cares flow generation after that is up seventy one percent. In your caution, are you suggesting that that formula they have of operating leverage, of generating ebit, of generating free cash flow is now broken? Given single digit revenue growth. No, I think it still works. But you know, of five percent revenue growth, you don't you don't generate as much free castural growth. So the way I like to think about it is out of like you know, between three and five percent revenue growth apper it can generate you know, you know, above five percent, like six seven percent earnings DIVIDI and free casual growth on a sustainable basis through like systematic buyback, through operating leverages that there are. So there is definitely a huge amount of quality there and a very strong benitry as you just mentioned. So all that is worth su premium. When you look at Apple today, it's straight on twenty seven times, you know, for for our earnings status and plus names who grow between five and ten percent anum, the overall economics are treading on like twenty two times, So you have a significant premium. So you won't have like a evaluation surprise out of this very healthy, very high quality model. And so when you own the Stoke today, you have to to believe this premium is going to remain, which I think is fine, but you can't expect like a sudden jump and a sudden increase in valuation multiple unless you have a new growth story, and that's where it's kind of difficult to expect that to cor right. The China part of the equation is not a growth story for Apple right now. How is May sixty pro getting a lot of attention kind of stealing the thunder in many ways? And Apple bears will always point to the China demand for iPhone fifteen as a reason to not be optimistic. How does Tim Cook frame the negative headlines that are hitting Apple out of China, whether it's the sixty pro or whether it's Beijing's ban of using foreign phones for government workers or stayed owned enterprises. Yeah, so I think it's a very good question. It's a source of concern. Interestingly, I don't think it's going to materialize that quickly because like the new Qua Way phone is really like in early innings, you know, they probably don't have a strong case to be that competitive against the iPhone. But it's true that you know, in this junk you mentioned since twoenty and twenty term, a lot of that was like what we're getting out of the picture in China and Apple really like gaining about twenty million XI units iPhone units combined with an increase in a spit and so that part of the business I think is true is kind of a trick over the next couple of years. Because China, China might be able to put together alternative to the AFO, the aphone remained like an exceptional product. You know, this is the only phone at a string animeter manufacturing a note for the main shift exceptional quality, exceptional like integrated software and hardware that there are. So I wouldn't say the Chinese are going to create the fund that can compete with the iPhone, but we know that in the past about twenty million funds we are selling at Huawei, and when Huawei dies appeared that market seem to have moved straight into Apple's hands. I see, and that's that's a concern of course. So how about Apple and AI? I mean, Apple was kind of left behind when Chat, GPT and all the other AI tools you know, took over the zeitgeist. I know Apple's working on things with relaated relative to Siri, and how can incorporate more generative AI into its products? Is this something that has reached a point where investors can can model it? No, So I think on the business model of Apple, you know, with making all its profits from selling hardware and then selling like mostly subscription services over this hardware, Like you know, the kind of like magical one trick where you can chart like thirty dollars a months for a generative AI based services that does doesn't really exist. The way I see it is that for Apple, generative are is going to be more of a defensive move. Siria has never been exceptionally impressive in terms of what it can achieve in terms of voice recognition and user user service. Apoba is going to continue to do their best to enhance the overall user experience with generative AI, But I don't see that as like as a revenue enhancement for them as it could be for like a Microsoft or Google and metal and advertising and things like that. Heard you just to finish here, is the Apple such a animal like you were mugged by your kids to go out and buy more toys like bram or like food like King. I mean you're on the same game. Are you suggesting that this is a stock that treads water for five years or are you actually looking for a diminished share price? So that's I think from from here over the next five years, I think that's a stock that can compound with its earnings power or its dividend power, so you know, it can compound like in single digits, maybe high single digits, so it's not it's not too bad for a very high quality name. And then I would look at buying it only if there is a bit of a dislocation at some point, like a loss in confidence if this quality I see that Apple wasn't there all the time. And so if you see like a weakness coming out of China or things like that, and if the stock is hurt by that, I think I would be I would be baking to revisit and look at, you know, getting into the name at a more attractive evaluation because when you're talking, companding and valuation is almost everything, because that's that's what drives, you know, your ability to buy back your stock more efficiently and things like that. So I really think you need a lower melteaper to make Apple compelling, like you know, single legy companding opportunity, and then a kind of like a breakthrough opportunity, you know, an opportunity to increase prices, to increase in clevolume, to launch a new products. Difficult to see that on the horizon. To be honest, Pierre, thank you for the brief peer fargu for some real Apple caution. They're different than the fanboys that so many people speak of. Subscribe to the Bloomberg Surveillance podcast on Apple, Spotify, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Listen live every weekday starting at seven am Eastern Bloomberg dot com, the iHeartRadio app tune In, and the Bloomberg Business app. You can watch us live on Bloomberg Television and always on the Bloomberg terminal. Thanks for listening. I'm Tim Keane and this is Blumber HmSee 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TUESDAY! USE THE TIMESTAMPS! Today we are lucky to have Jenifer Faison (@msjeniferfaison) from the podcast and ABC News Studios docuseries BETRAYAL-THE PERFECT HUSBAND, now on HULU! I binged this series over the weekend and the story blew me away. Jenifer is amazing and I think youre going to love her! Plus, Ariana Grande divorcing, Joe Manganiello/Sofia Vergara divorcing, Below Deck, and what the Screen Actors Guild is striking for!   Timestamps 2:56-Show Notes/Solo Pop Culture stories/SAG strike 33:41-Jenifer Faison from Betrayal -This week So Bad It's Good is sponsored by our friends at Better Help! Let therapy be your map, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/SOBAD today to get 10% off your first month.  -Go sign up for the patreon for over 250 episodes NOT on the main feed! patreon.com/sobaditsgood Also, So Bad It's Good has merch now! Go to www.sobaditsgoodmerch.com to order yours TODAY! If you're enjoying the insane amount of blood, sweat and literal tears of this pod consider telling a friend or rating us 5 stars on iTunes! Special shoutout to Maritza Lopez (Insta: @maritza.gif) for all of her insanely hard work creating these beautiful pieces of art on my instagram and patreon page!!  Instagram: @sobaditsgoodwithryanbailey, @ryanbailey25 Twitter:@ryanabailey25 TIKTOK @sobaditsgoodwithryanb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Had a lot to cover in this podcast and a lot to talk about. Will be doing podcasts again in the regular.

Labor Market Even with all the negative headlines, the labor market data remains resilient. The recent JOLTs report for December showed job openings increased 572,000 to a 5-month high of 11 million. This easily surpassed the estimate of 10.25 million openings and would mean there are 1.9 job openings for every available worker. Quits continued to remain elevated at 4.1 million. This is down from the peak in 2021, but if you look at the chart below you will see prior to Covid we hadn't seen a quits level above 4 million. Layoffs did climb slightly in the month to 1.5 million, but looking at the pre-Covid levels we are still below historical norms. I would continue to say we will see a reversion to normalcy rather than a crisis.   Jobs Report The jobs report was impressive to say the least. Headline payrolls for January increased 517,000, which blew past the estimate of 187,000 and comes on top of upward revisions to November and December which netted a gain of 71,000. The household survey showed an even larger gain at 894,000 and produced an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which was the lowest level since May 1969. Job gains occurred in every major sector with leisure and hospitality leading the way with an addition of 128,000 jobs, professional and business services added 82,000 jobs, government added 74,000 helped by the end of a strike from university workers, and healthcare rose by 58,000 jobs. The leisure and hospitality sector are now just 2.9% or 495,000 jobs below is February 2020 pre-pandemic level. Wage inflation was also reasonable with a 4.4% gain compared to last year. This was a deceleration compared to December's gain of 4.6%. The only major negatives I see are the participation rate and employment to population rate as they both remain below pre-pandemic levels. The participation rate came in at 62.4% vs 63.3% pre-pandemic and the employment to population rate was 60.2% vs 61.1% pre-pandemic. Overall, I'd say this was a very strong report and it continues to provide data that makes me believe we will not have a major recession.   Tailored Shareholder Reports Usually new regulation complicates the issue rather than clarifies it for the consumer. Recently, the SEC came out with a final rule called Tailored Shareholder Reports (TSR) which deals with mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs). What I like about the rule is it mandates a 2-3-page document that will outline a fund's performance and fees, and give a brief summary along with some other information using plain English and charts. For those that invest in mutual funds and ETFs, this could be a good tool for comparison where to invest. If you're working with a broker who is putting your investments into mutual funds, or ETF's I'd recommend asking for the TSR on the investments they are putting you in or recommending.   Super Bowl Streaming The Super Bowl is now less than two weeks away and if you cut your cord from cable, you may have problems watching the Super Bowl. Last year it was easy because NBC carried the game, and you could simply switch over to Peacock and pay their $9.99/month subscription to watch the game. This year the big game is on Fox, and they don't have a streaming service. You may have to look into sites like Hulu Plus, YouTube TV, or Sling TV. These are just a few suggestions but be prepared to pay more than $9.99/month. One other option you do have is good old rabbit ears antennas, which actually have advanced pretty well over the years. Fox still broadcasts over the air so that may be a free alternative. I'd start thinking about this soon, if you wait until Super Bowl Sunday morning, you may be running around to your neighbor's house to try to catch the big game.   Harrison – “Tax planning with the new RMD age”

Today,  the girls discuss how they manage when their husbands are out of town for work, and they give kudos to the badass single moms out there but make it very clear that they know that they are not in the same boat. Shanea discusses her recent foray into organizing, and Chika reveals that she is not so perfect after all as she has a horrible tendency to sign up for things that she really should not be signing up for. Listen now to find out more!

THURSDAY!! I am so excited for todays episode. If you've been listening you know how fascinated I've been with the 4 part Freeform docuseries The Deep End on Hulu. We are lucky enough to take to the director of The Deep End today Jon Kasbe!!! (https://jonkasbe.com, Insta: @kasbefilms) It follows spiritual leader Teal Swan, her teachings and how she has affected others. It has been one of the most jaw dropping things I've watched this year. I cannot recommend it enough! PLEASE CHECK IT OUT! Also, if you want to watch the Monday's pop culture roundup live subscribe to the so bad its good YouTube page! You can watch us make our goofy faces. Go check it out! https://youtu.be/ngGQDuwbBRw Also, So Bad It's Good has merch now! Go to www.sobaditsgoodmerch.com to order yours TODAY! Also, So Bad It's Good has a voicemail now! 323-425-9542. Pleas feel free to call with your thoughts! If you do you are giving me full permission to use on the show! Also, I'm on CAMEO. I'll be filming in Dorit's Room so sign up today at cameo.com and search Ryan Bailey! Have a great week guys! - Right now, save up to 60% off your subscription when you go to BABBEL.com/sobad. That's BABBEL.com/sobad for up to 60% off your subscription. Babbel—Language for life. -Power up your pleasure with Pom or any of the other toys from Dame Products. Go to dameproducts.com use code SOBAD today for 15% off site wide. That's code SOBAD to take 15% off your first order at dameproducts.com  Remember to subscribe and join me Monday thru Thursday for interviews with podcasters and reality stars, show recaps, Garth and Justin, Bill and Becky Bailey and so much more!! Plus, tell your friends. I, honestly, think there is something for everyone in these pods. The more the merrier!  ALSO GO CHECK OUT THE PATREON patreon.com/sobaditsgood. Support what we are doing here. THANK YOUUUUUUU!!!!! If you're enjoying the insane amount of blood, sweat and literal tears of this pod consider telling a friend or rating us 5 stars on iTunes! Special shoutout to Maritza Lopez (Insta: @maritza.gif) for all of her insanely hard work creating these beautiful pieces of art on my instagram and patreon page!!  Time Stamps are below. Use them. They are your friend. This pod isn't meant to be digested all at once! Contact me on Insta if you need me to send them to you if you can't find them! 4:50-Show Notes 31:25-Jon Kasbe, director of The Deep End!!! Instagram: @sobaditsgoodwithryanbailey, @ryanbailey25 Twitter:@ryanabailey25 TIKTOK @sobaditsgoodwithryanb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“But we do have to remember that when we are communicating, when words are coming out of our mouths and reaching somebody's ears, that's a connection, that's a strong connection, and if we are not really believing in the things that we are saying, or feeling the things that we are saying, or able to create a feeling that's strong, then that connection won't be strong enough. And that's really important in both communicating and advertising and providing information, and all of the things that we do as voice people. We are communicators first and foremost, always.” -- Dan Friedman   This episode's guest has been in the voiceover industry for nearly two decades, voicing projects for Crowne Plaza Hotels, Hulu Plus, Walmart, Hardees, Aetna, and many more, and a professional audio engineer for twenty-five years.  He's produced, directed, and provided his voice to thousands of audio productions, and in 2010 he published a book called Sound Advice: Voiceover From an Audio Engineer's Perspective. A first of its kind in the industry, the book covers audio engineering and studio session etiquette as it relates directly to voiceover talent. He continues to write a popular blog on his website, Sound4VO.com, and he's a well-known voiceover coach, teacher, and home studio consultant., as well as a certified coach in the Roger Love Voice Method. His name is Dan Friedman, and I'm looking forward to sharing his perspective on how we can learn to better communicate. He's seen it all, from both sides of the glass, so I know he has lots of golden nuggets to share. As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes.  If you have questions for me, just visit http://www.audiobrandingpodcast.com/ (www.audiobrandingpodcast.com) where you'll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the http://www.audiobrandingpodcast.com/ (www.audiobrandingpodcast.com) webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available.   Hearing and Getting It We start things off with a look at Dan's earliest memories of sound. He tells us about the first song he ever fell in love with and the chills that Mary Clayton's voice in "Gimme Shelter" still gives him. He recalls his early career, and how a surprise job opportunity as an audio engineer inspired him to pursue a deeper understanding of the science of sound.  "Here I was," he says, "working for these big acts at times, and just thinking 'I get it, but I don't get it. I can hear it, but I don't get it."   An Emotional Connection Dan tells us about his experience becoming a certified Roger Love Voice Method coach, how he discovered an unexpected talent for singing, and the further insight it gave him into the different elements of voiceover and voice performance. “All of these things,” he explains, “are interesting nuances that I can add to my repertoire of coaching and direction, and that's just really been transformational.” But the most important aspect of voiceover is something less tangible: “To be successful,” Dan says, “you have to have an emotional connection in some way.”   We Are Communicators We continue as Dan elaborates on the emotional core and personal connection that voice can provide between the speaker and listener. He explains how a voice coach can help with forging that connection, and talks about some of the mistakes that even highly trained professional voiceover artists can make. As he puts it, "people don't hear their own voices that way. So when you work with a coach, when you work with a director, they're able to steer all this so that it's a cohesive package."   All the Pieces of the Puzzle The first half of our interview ends with a look at how a flexible tone and sense of nuance can bring a script to life, how experienced performers can sometimes find the process even more of a challenge than artists who are just starting out, and...

THURSDAY!!! YOU GUYS! I'm still sick but today is a great show! WE have Lex Niko @lexniko back with us recapping the SECOND episode of THE KARDASHIANS on Hulu. We cover so much more than just that though. We talk streaming wars, coachella, influencers, revolve, blak chyna court cast. TWO HOURS OF GOODNESS. I'm going to go back to bed but trust me even if you don't like the kardashians you will dig this! I guarantee you laughs! Also, So Bad It's Good has merch now! Go to www.sobaditsgoodmerch.com to order yours TODAY! Also, So Bad It's Good has a voicemail now! 323-425-9542. Pleas feel free to call with your thoughts! If you do you are giving me full permission to use on the show! Also, I'm on CAMEO. I'll be filming in Dorit's Room so sign up today at cameo.com and search Ryan Bailey! Have a great week guys! -When you're wearing Rothy's, your footprint feels lighter than ever. Get $20 off your first purchase today at rothys.com/SOBAD. Remember to subscribe and join me Monday thru Thursday for interviews with podcasters and reality stars, show recaps, Garth and Justin, Bill and Becky Bailey and so much more!! Plus, tell your friends. I, honestly, think there is something for everyone in these pods. The more the merrier!  ALSO GO CHECK OUT THE PATREON patreon.com/sobaditsgood. Support what we are doing here. THANK YOUUUUUUU!!!!! If you're enjoying the insane amount of blood, sweat and literal tears of this pod consider telling a friend or rating us 5 stars on iTunes! Special shoutout to Maritza Lopez (Insta: @maritza.gif) for all of her insanely hard work creating these beautiful pieces of art on my instagram and patreon page!!  Time Stamps are below. Use them. They are your friend. This pod isn't meant to be digested all at once! Contact me on Insta if you need me to send them to you if you can't find them! 6;14-Show Notes 15:00-LEX NIKO! Instagram: @sobaditsgoodwithryanbailey, @ryanbailey25 Twitter:@ryanabailey25 TIKTOK @sobaditsgoodwithryan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 17 kicks off with a deeper dive into the aftermath of "The Slap"! Next up an all Bravo Network reality scoopapalooza, followed by updates on the Kardashians & Associates. The final item on the Pop Roster is updates on former Grey's Anatomy heartthrob Jesse Williams' bitter divorce. Crystal amd Bryan then turn the corner, the Metaphysical Corner and discuss Mediumship. This is such an in-depth episode, you'll not want to miss a moment.Join the Holy Agreements Meeting: https://crystalannecompton.com/agreementsSpirit Pop! is on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSrQREs0eKbRklkhydYh_wgSpirit Pop Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAbW19_UhnJVWIcKADdLN3wKeep up with Spirit Pop! on Instagram! https://instagram.com/spiritpoppodcast/Follow us on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@spiritpoppodcastJoin our podcast Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritpop/Follow our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075700914684

Three distinct tonal changes make this actiony thriller with a horror twist a tough sell. Execution is mixed bag but Beltrami score helps. Worth putting on in the background. #noexit #hulu --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/toddlyden/message

Ian and David use all the cheat codes on Joe Carnahan's Boss Level!The Hulu Original film stars Frank Grillo as Roy, an ex-Special Forces operative who winds up inside a reality-altering machine. He lives the day of his death over and over (and over) again, fighting assassins, protecting loved ones, and trying to find a way out of this loopy lunacy.The guys talk about the filmmakers' effective use of video game language in telling a non-video game story; why the cast (including Naomi Watts and Mel Gibson) make this an absolute must-see, and how Boss Level fits comfortably within the "Repeating Day" genre while also creating exciting new paradigms for future filmmakers to explore.Show Links:Watch the Boss Level trailer.Follow David's film criticism at Keeping It Reel. Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!Boss Level is now streaming on Hulu Plus.

This week the Dudes are giving you some recommendations for how you can fill your couch time in front of the boob tube. Let Sky and Colin pick your next movies to watch on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max and a wild card pick just to spice things up! Apologies for the delayed release of this episode. We experienced technical issues while recording. Stay classy, Swampies.

Another week, another show for the geeks you love so much. We're back with another ghost story, reactions to new movie trailers from the week, talk conspiracy pizza slices, gush over some upcoming action figures, and so much more! Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe if you haven't already. Don't forget to tweet us your name suggestions for my brand new baby that will be here in June. The best (most ridiculous) will be read on the show! Also, don't forget to watch 1995's Mighty Morphing Power Ranger The Movie! It's on Hulu Plus, so bust out a e-mail burner account and set up a free month trial! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/geekoutfreakout/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/geekoutfreakout/support

Ashley and Joel needed to regroup more quickly than normal to discuss the announcement that Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles TV Series has found a home on Hulu!!! Follow the progress on the series over the last two years with these linked stories. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/anne-rice-bring-vampire-chronicles-tv-950550 (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/anne-rice-bring-vampire-chronicles-tv-950550) https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/anne-rices-vampire-chronicles-series-goes-paramount-tv-anonymous-content-998454 (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/anne-rices-vampire-chronicles-series-goes-paramount-tv-anonymous-content-998454) https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/anne-rices-vampire-chronicles-lands-at-hulu-1127585 (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/anne-rices-vampire-chronicles-lands-at-hulu-1127585) AND, hear Ashley and Joel's thoughts on Handmaid's Tale and Castle Rock from Hulu, two very different adaptations of great literature. What can they tell us about what we'll see for Lestat and our vampires? From 32 minutes on, Ashley and Joel go into SPOILERS for Handmaid's Tale season one and two. At 48 minutes it's SPOILERS for Castle Rock season one through episode 6, The Filter. If you're loving Castle Rock and looking for King connections, check out the Castle Rock Zone Podcast from our friends at Golden Spiral Media. http://www.goldenspiralmedia.com/castle-rock-zone (http://www.goldenspiralmedia.com/castle-rock-zone)

In this week's episode, we revisit Samuel Fuller's filmography with a viewing of The Naked Kiss! We highly recommend you watch the film before listening to the episode, because we dive straight into discussion. This film is available on Hulu Plus, Amazon, and iTunes. We apologize for the late delivery of this episode. Scheduling issues and a computer changeover … Continue reading The post Episode 28: The Naked Kiss appeared first on A Reel Education: Noir.

In this week's episode, we thoroughly enjoy Jules Dassin's heist masterpiece, Rififi! We highly recommend you watch the film before listening to the episode, because spoilers abound! This film comes and goes on Hulu Plus, but it is part of the Criterion Collection, so it is easily available on DVD and Blu-Ray. Join us on June … Continue reading The post Episode 26: Rififi appeared first on A Reel Education: Noir.

Dennis and Kate make a quick stop at the Viz headquarters to visit the Animation Marketing Manager Amy! We talk all the new releases of old anime and manga titles, with a special focus on Hunter x Hunter, Sailor Moon, and Ranma 1/2. Amy also has a hot tip on how to stream Viz anime titles on Hulu without needing a Hulu Plus account on your phone or tablet. Finally, pulling back the kimono, not only do we have wine this episode, we're also eating some delicious chocolates. Dennis: @ichnob | Diana: @binkxy | Ed: @ippennokuinashi | Eve: @eve_il | Kate: @TaikoChan | Sam: @EssFive Email | Libsyn Blog | Facebook/vintageanimeclub | Twitter @VintageAnimePod | iTunes | Stitcher | Google Play Music | Blubrry | RSS Follow VizMedia social networks on Facebook and Twitter. Stream various Viz Anime titles on Viz.com or Hulu. See you next time for Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture

Andrei Marinescu is the Distribution Partner in 500 Startups. He was also the first marketing hire at Hulu, launched Hulu Plus and grew the business to over 3M paying subscribers ($500M annual revenue run rate) in 18 months. Growth Hacking course for free at https://www.growthhackingpodcast.com/freecourse For more information and resources, visit https://www.growthhackingpodcast.com  

This week, we watch the amazing noir/French New Wave hybrid, Elevator to the Gallows! We highly recommend you watch the film before listening to the episode, because, seriously, it's amazing. This film is currently available on Hulu Plus and on DVD. Join us on February 21st for our episode on Night and the City! The post Episode 18: Elevator to the Gallows appeared first on A Reel Education: Noir.

HDTV Buying Guide 2015 Tis the season for us to go wishlist shopping and help you spend your money - one of our favorite times of the year. If you happen to be lucky enough to have budget for a new HDTV this Christmas, but still aren't sure which one to buy, we've got you covered. Unlike years past, we're going to skip the budget categories, and the screen size categories and jump right to our top picks. We each pick three TVs and one ‘money is no object' / ‘dare to dream' TV for you to consider.   For those who don't still have last years buyer's guide handy, here are few of the sets from last year along with their prices. As odd as it sounds, most of the prices actually went up.  Unlike receivers, it may not pay to wait a year to get a set on the list. So check out this year's list and jump on the good deals before they're gone.   Seiki SE50FY35 50-Inch 1080p 60Hz LED TV (was: $349, now: $556) LG Electronics 65LB6300 65-Inch 1080p 120Hz Smart LED TV (was: $1299, now: $1199) Sharp LC-60LE660 60-Inch Aquos 1080p 120Hz Smart LED TV (was: $799, now: $1049) LG Electronics 55EC9300 55-Inch 1080p 3D Curved OLED TV (was: $3499, now: $1797) Sharp LC-90LE657U 90-inch Aquos HD 1080p 120Hz 3D Smart LED TV (was: $6195, now: $6688)   Braden's Picks VIZIO E50-C1 50-Inch 1080p Smart LED TV (2015 Model) ($498) I didn't want to do anything smaller than 55 inches, but a 50 inch TV for $498 is tough to pass up. Especially when Vizio has emerged as a brand that you can trust for the most part to deliver on quality and reliability. They aren't just a value brand anymore, but they maintain an excellent, affordable price point. Full-Array LED: for light uniformity, and up to 12 Active LED Zones for deeper, more pure black levels. Smart TV: built-in high-speed Wi-Fi for apps like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, and YouTube. You can step up to 4K for $200 more, but at 50” it probably isn't worth it.   Samsung UN65J6200 65-Inch 1080p Smart LED TV (2015 Model) ($1198) Samsung is probably the gold standard these days in HDTV, or at least the most popular brand out there. And 65 inches is probably the sweet spot for really big screens at very reasonable prices if you do some shopping around. This set combines great features with a really affordable price - even for Samsung. Its Smart TV technology allows you to access movies, games, streaming services, and other apps so you can easily get to your favorite media. Surf the web using the built-in Wi-Fi, or use the screen-mirroring feature to play your mobile content on the big screen and you can plug into the USB port to watch your own media. It doesn't have micro-dimming for better contrast, but you can get that for $360 more in the 6300 series.   Sharp LC-70UE30U 70-Inch 4K Ultra HD 120Hz Smart LED TV (2015 Model) ($1931) Sharp tends to be my go-to brand for really big panels at really deep discounts and this TV is no exception. There are some Vizio models that you might want to compare with it, but it packs a punch for under $2000. Sure it's only 5 inches larger than the Samsung UN65J6200, but it is 4K and has local dimming for great contrast. The Revelation Upscaler displays all content at near-4K quality. It even has Smart TV features built on Android TV with access to the Google Play store, so you can customize the Smart TV experience to your liking. The only thing you don't get is HDR, but that's rare right now and costs quite a bit more. Your best bet for HDR is to upgrade to OLED, but that'll easily cost more than double what this TV costs for the same screen size.   Honorable mention: Sansui SLED6516 65-Inch 4K DLED LCD TV 120HZ TV ($899) A 65” 4K TV for $899? You might be rolling the dice on quality and/or reliability, but at $899, it could be worth the gamble. Ara's Picks Last year: LG Electronics 60LF6100 60-Inch 1080p LED Smart TV $865 This year I am all about large format 1080p TVs. I love my 4K Vizio P-Series but after a little more than a year of ownership I can count the number of times I have watched a 4K show on one hand (not including testing for the show). So this year it's about saving money and getting some fantastic TVs at great prices. First up is this 60 inch LG. LGs are actually pretty decent in quality and reliability and for $865 what's not to like? It's not going to blow you away with video processing features. Its 120Hz refresh rate and LED lit. Beyond that it is a smart TV. The main reason for making my list is that it's 60 inches and only costs $865. And it only weighs 52 pounds!   Sharp LC-65LE654U 65-Inch 1080p 120Hz Smart LED TV $997 It used to be that our list was full of Japanese manufacturers. This year Sharp is the only TV that makes my list from Japan. This is a 120Hz smart TV with good picture quality. Built in Wifi makes it easy to get you streaming video from Netflix and Youtube.   Samsung UN75J6300 75-Inch 1080p Smart LED TV $1997.99 My next TV is a step up in size and quality and two steps up in price. It uses something that Samsung calls Micro Dimming to produce deeper blacks than most LED TVs. Not quite the same as Plasma but unless they are side by side you won't be able to tell. Also a smart TV, the TV has a quad core processor to make that experience better than most. There is also a Wide Color Enhancer to combine with the Micro Dimming to make colors look more lifelike. At just a hair under $2,000 you can have a projector like experience in your family room.   Ultimate Christmas Presents:   LG Electronics 65EF9500 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Flat Smart OLED TV (2015 Model) ($4998) Looking for the unrivaled picture quality of OLED and at the incredible UHD resolution a 4K TV provides without the goofy curved screen? The EF9500 OLED 4K ULTRA HD TV sports a flat screen that still displays brighter, more accurate colors OLED provides. Immeasurably deep black levels heightens realism in everything you watch. And at 4K resolution*--four times that of Full HD--even the smallest details become crystal clear, for the most lifelike image ever from LG.   Samsung UN85JU7100 85-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2015 Model) ($8997) Feel the drama of blacker blacks and brighter brights with striking crispness. With 4K UHD resolution you'll enjoy a picture with 4X the detail of Full HD. See the difference precise color and contrast can make – and a Smart TV experience that puts your favorite content at your fingertips. Plus, this 4K UHD TV complies with the Consumer Electronics Association specification guideline requirements that includes full RGB color resolution. Feel the drama of every entertainment experience with improved black levels and contrast – while bright areas remain bright. Experience a greater sense of depth with optimized contrast across multiple zones of the screen.  

In this episode, we are joined by special guest Pat Wick and we watch Akira Kurosawa's Stray Dog! We highly recommend you watch the film before listening to the episode, because we spoil all the juicy parts. You want to see the movie. This film is currently available streaming on Hulu Plus, and it is easily … Continue reading The post Episode 13: Stray Dog appeared first on A Reel Education: Noir.

Welcome our new minisode miniseries, The Neighbors Chronicles! As the title suggests, we're reviewing each and every episode of The Neighbors. One. Fucking. Episode. At a time. This is our obligation to our namesake and the baffling nature of the mystery that is Tommy Wiseau. Please enjoy our torment as we try to pick through jokes dealing with shotguns, whipped cream, partial nudity, suggested chicken sex (don't ask), and general randomness. The Neighbors is viewable on Hulu Plus. Don't say we didn't warn you. If you'd like to know more about the mystery that is Tommy Wiseau, read his Reddit AMA here. Buy Tommy's underwear! It comes with a copy of the much-sought-after script for The Room!

Special musical guests Cory Branan & Taylor Locke joins Jon Gabrus, Will Hines, and Drew Spears to create the next gen Google Goggles in a musical edition of improv4humans with Matt Besser! Cory & Taylor play songs that inspire scenes about feeling out of place in a skate rink, what happens when a girl who used to date bad boys starts dating an improv nerd, living arcade machines, and much more! Humans, watch Matt Besser & Rich Fulchers Adult Swim infomercial parody In Search of Miracle Man right now on YouTube . Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and its all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy Improv Manual ,Matt Bessers new comedy album at mattbesser.com , and check out Cory Branans music over at www.corybranan.com !See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cory Branan and the Google Goggles - Special musical guests Cory Branan & Taylor Locke joins Jon Gabrus, Will Hines, and Drew Spears to create the next gen Google Goggles in a musical edition of improv4humans with Matt Besser! Cory & Taylor play songs that inspire scenes about feeling out of place in a skate rink, what happens when a girl who used to date bad boys starts dating an improv nerd, living arcade machines, and much more! Humans, watch Matt Besser & Rich Fulcher's Adult Swim infomercial parody “In Search of Miracle Man” right now on YouTube . Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and it's all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy  Improv Manual , Matt Besser's new comedy album at  mattbesser.com , and check out Cory Branan's music over at www.corybranan.com !

Baron Vaughn, Amanda Sitko, Joe Hartzler, Mookie Blaiklock are ghosting the world on this weeks improv4humans with Matt Besser! Theyll also browse through the foggie section of a cellphone store, make their way to the rainbow bridge, and follow the life of a bragger. Plus, everyone debates a caller as they discuss Monica Lewinsky comparing herself to Tyler Clementi in another edition of Case Closed. Humans, watch Matt Besser & Rich Fulchers Adult Swim infomercial parody In Search of Miracle Man November 10th-14th at 4am. Program your DVRs now humans. Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and its all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy Improv Manual ,Matt Bessers new comedy album at mattbesser.com , and Dragoons new album at dragoongalaxy.bandcamp.com !See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rainbow Bridge - Baron Vaughn, Amanda Sitko, Joe Hartzler, Mookie Blaiklock are ghosting the world on this week's improv4humans with Matt Besser! They'll also browse through the foggie section of a cellphone store, make their way to the rainbow bridge, and follow the life of a bragger. Plus, everyone debates a caller as they discuss Monica Lewinsky comparing herself to Tyler Clementi in another edition of Case Closed. Humans, watch Matt Besser & Rich Fulcher's Adult Swim infomercial parody “In Search of Miracle Man” November 10th-14th at 4am. Program your DVRs now humans. Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and it's all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy  Improv Manual , Matt Besser's new comedy album at  mattbesser.com , and Dragoon's new album at  dragoongalaxy.bandcamp.com !

Austin Lucas and the Fact Off - Special musical guest Austin Lucas as well as Jon Snodgrass of Drag the River joins Sean Conroy, John Gemberling, and Gil Ozeri for a Game of Thrones fact off in a musical edition of improv4humans with Matt Besser! Austin & Jon will play some songs that will inspire scenes about a grandfather who shares stories regarding the greatest generation, a wishy washy shoulder angel, and much more! Humans, watch Matt Besser & Rich Fulcher's Adult Swim infomercial parody “In Search of Miracle Man” November 10th-14th at 4am. Program your DVRs now humans. Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans NBC's Marry Me & on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and it's all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy  Improv Manual , Matt Besser's new comedy album at  mattbesser.com , and check out Austin Lucas' music over at www.austinlucasmusic.com !

Special musical guest Austin Lucas as well as Jon Snodgrass of Drag the River joins Sean Conroy, John Gemberling, and Gil Ozeri for a Game of Thrones fact off in a musical edition of improv4humans with Matt Besser! Austin & Jon will play some songs that will inspire scenes about a grandfather who shares stories regarding the greatest generation, a wishy washy shoulder angel, and much more! Humans, watch Matt Besser & Rich Fulchers Adult Swim infomercial parody In Search of Miracle Man November 10th-14th at 4am. Program your DVRs now humans. Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans NBCs Marry Me & on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and its all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy Improv Manual ,Matt Bessers new comedy album at mattbesser.com , and check out Austin Lucas music over at www.austinlucasmusic.com !See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

VIZIO P702ui-B3 70-Inch 4K UHD We have been talking about 4K TVs for what seems like an eternity. This week Ara finally took possession of his VIZIO P702ui-B3 70-Inch 4K UHD (Buy Now $2498). Now before you all say “no one can see the difference on a screen that size sitting at a normal distance”, hang on until we get to the performace part of the review. As soon as Vizio announced this set at CES Ara knew it was going to be his first 4K TV. At 70 inches it fills up the normal sized family room but not so much that it looks too big. Even Ara's wife who was skeptical when she heard that a 70 inch screen was going to replace the 58 inch plasma felt the TV was a good fit for the room. The family consensus is that watching the Vizio is almost like watching in the media room, mainly due to the family room being a bit cozier.   Features: Ultra HD picture - 8 million pixels and 4x the resolution of 1080p Full HD. 5 HDMI inputs, one dedicated for high performance devices Spatial Scaling Engine - Scales 1080p Full HD content to 4K Ultra HD resolutions. VIZIO Internet Apps Plus - Optimized for Ultra HD streaming. 802.11ac wireless - ideal for Ultra HD streaming. 72 Active LED Zones - Dynamically adjusts the LED backlight per zone creating deeper, pure black levels and higher contrast Setup The TV was bought through Amazon and it came with delivery and setup. The guys showed up and removed the TV from the packaging, connected the stand and then placed it on TV stand. Ara connected the tuner, Ethernet, HDMI and power cables and the turned it on. The TV asks you some questions and within a few minutes you have a picture on set.   Next up was adjusting the TV with a “Calibration” disc. Settings are shown at the end of this article. While Ara was able to get a good picture with the disc, there are so many settings on this TV that these discs do not address, it is well worth hiring a professional to calibrate the set. If you are going to spend ~$2,500 for a 4K UHD TV you should get the most out of it. There are also two factory calibrated settings that you can chose, Calibrated and Calibrated Dark focusing in the following 4 areas: Color accuracy – Calibrated to International Telecommunication UnionITU-R Recommendation BT.709 Gamma control – Set to 2.1 for Calibrated, 2.2 for Calibrated Dark Color temperature – Calibrated to D65 (D65 corresponds roughly to a midday sun in Western Europe / Northern Europe, hence it is also called daylight illuminant.) Brightness and contrast levels – Calibrated to minimize black and bright clipping   VIZIO recommends if you are situated in a bright setting, adjust the picture mode setting of the TV to Calibrated. On the contrary, if you are in a dark setting, adjust the picture mode setting to Calibrated Dark.   We turned on the Audio Return Channel (ARC) on the set so we could get 5.1 out of the tuner and the built in Netflix app. This required that we use an HDMI cable that supports ARC and a receiver that also supports it. We were good to go on both parts and after CEC control was also activated on the Denon receiver we were ready to start watching TV! Performance First up was watching through the DirecTV satellite receiver. This was a mixed bag. Depending on the channel or what was being played on the channel we kind of felt like it was 2000 again. The TV really exposes flaws in the signal. Just like the move to HD from NTSC. First up was football on ABC. ABC is a 720p channel and in LA it is multicast which compresses the signal. Things didn't look as sharp as we are used to. This was evident in the playing field more than anywhere else. When the camera would show the grass you could see the video processing sharpen the image in those areas.   The odd thing was on the same channel but for the nationally televised game in the evening the picture looked flawless. Everyone watching in the house was amazed at how good it looked. The only thing we can think of is that the day game was a regional game for Los Angeles and that ABC didn't use the best gear in the production of the game. For the national game the A-team production van was used. When it was all said and done we would have never noticed this on the plasma.   Watching college football on CBS did not exhibit any of these issues. In Los Angeles CBS does not multicast so the entire bandwidth is used for the TV signal. The Alabama game looked incredible! Both OTA and Satellite signals were used with similar results. Bottom line, a good signal looks fantastic. That was the case in 2000 and its the case today. We could see macroblocking on sitcoms that we never saw on plasma. Scaling up to a 4K TV with 70 inches or realestate will expose flaws. That's just something you will have to live with when watching network TV.   Then we watched Blu-ray and this is where we got the oohs and ahs we were hoping for. The Vizio did an incredible job here. The colors were so vivid and detail so sharp that we got that looking through glass feeling while watching. The opening shots of “A Million Ways to Die in the West” were breathtaking. We then pulled out an oldie but a goodie, “Blackhawk Down”.  This movie has a lot of night scenes that are great for testing a TV's ability to show shadow detail. Some listeners/readers have questioned Ara for giving up his plasma which typically have deep dark blacks and high contrast for an LED based TV. The Vizio did a great job with the dark scenes. Almost as good as the plasma. Close enough to where Ara didn't feel like he was losing anything. This was accomplished by using direct lit LED with 72 zones. By completely turning off LEDs in zones that are not being used the TV can approach black levels and contrast of plasmas.   Finally there was the 4K test. We hit the Netflix button on the remote and searched for 4K content. First up was a nature video, a la HD Net circa 2000. Yes it was like 2000 all over again. We watched stuff because it was in UHD!   Netflix labels its its UltraHD as 2160SD which has a resolution of 3840x2160. True 4K is 4096x2160 and that is labeled 2160HD. We were not able to find a 2160HD program.   Regardless, the 2160SD content looked incredible. You need the ability to stream 15Mbps to be able to view Ultra HD  content and if you have it you will be amazed at the clarity. We also watched the Blacklist in UHD, which comes highly recommended by listeners.   We were amazed at the detail and clarity. The charts and graphs say you can't really see the difference in resolution on a 70 inch TV at 12 feet but we'll have to disagree. It looks amazing! We can't wait for 4K Blu-ray!   One area that we weren't that pleased with the TV was off angle viewing. Here the plasma had this beat. If you are sitting directly in front of it it won't be an issue but in Ara's family room there are two positions where this will be an issue. Just something to consider if you are interested in this set.   The remote control is nice and has a full keyboard on back which makes searching for content a bit easier. We added the TV to the Roomie remote with no issues, but we had to do so with our IR blaster. At this point in time there is no way to turn the TV on over Ethernet.   In addition to Netflix, the TV includes, Vudu, Hulu Plus, Youtube, Pandora, and Amazon to name a few Internet apps. Amazon, Netflix, and iHeart Radio have hard coded buttons to make getting to these apps easier. Conclusion We are at the beginning of the Ultra HD transition and you may wonder if its too early to switch. One can argue that it is, but if you have a Blu-ray player or a 15Mbps Internet connection you really don't have to wait. The Vizio P702ui-B3 will take those platforms and make them better! We can't wait for 4K Blu-ray!   Settings No Picture Mode Management settings were changed. Probably best to consult a professional calibrator.  

Tim Meadows, Matt Walsh, and Peter Hulne show us what the first encounter between Bill Clinton & Monica Lewinsky was really like on this weeks improv4humans with Matt Besser! They'll also execute a poolside porn shoot, establish fight rules, and follow the life of a father with the IQ of a corpse. Plus, they'll travel to Australia in order to gather ideas for more episodes of Cosmos. Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and its all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy Improv Manual ,Matt Bessers new comedy album at mattbesser.com , and Dragoons new album at dragoongalaxy.bandcamp.com !See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

IQ of a Corpse - Tim Meadows, Matt Walsh, and Peter Hulne show us what the first encounter between Bill Clinton & Monica Lewinsky was really like on this week's improv4humans with Matt Besser! They'll also execute a poolside porn shoot, establish fight rules, and follow the life of a father with the IQ of a corpse. Plus, they'll travel to Australia in order to gather ideas for more episodes of Cosmos. Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and it's all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy  Improv Manual , Matt Besser's new comedy album at  mattbesser.com , and Dragoon's new album at  dragoongalaxy.bandcamp.com !

Charlie Sanders, Betsy Sodaro, and Ryan Meharry will show you what happens when you decide to live the no sock lifestyle on this weeks improv4humans with Matt Besser! Theyll also follow Batmans brother as he fights crime, josh around as they tape promos for The Today Show, and try out a new shot chaser that comes from dogs. Plus, nothing gets in the way of a fathers hunt for his sociopathic son during another edition of Your Best Story. Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and its all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy Improv Manual ,Matt Bessers new comedy album at mattbesser.com , and Dragoons new album at dragoongalaxy.bandcamp.com !See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Frozen Wogurt - Charlie Sanders, Betsy Sodaro, and Ryan Meharry will show you what happens when you decide to live the no sock lifestyle on this week's improv4humans with Matt Besser! They'll also follow Batman's brother as he fights crime, josh around as they tape promos for The Today Show, and try out a new shot chaser that comes from dogs. Plus, nothing gets in the way of a father's hunt for his sociopathic son during another edition of Your Best Story. Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and it's all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy  Improv Manual , Matt Besser's new comedy album at  mattbesser.com , and Dragoon's new album at  dragoongalaxy.bandcamp.com !

Lauren Lapkus, Stephanie Allynne, Mary Holland, and Erin Whitehead all return as Wild Horses on this week's improv4humans with Matt Besser! Listen as they show us what being apart of their book club would be like, search for the world's fastest toilet paper roll, explore the life of a one-eared woman, and much more. Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and it's all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy Improv Manual ,Matt Bessers new comedy album at mattbesser.com , and Dragoons new album at dragoongalaxy.bandcamp.com !See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wild Horses Return - Lauren Lapkus, Stephanie Allynne, Mary Holland, and Erin Whitehead all return as Wild Horses on this week's improv4humans with Matt Besser! Listen as they show us what being apart of their book club would be like, search for the world's fastest toilet paper roll, explore the life of a one-eared woman, and much more. Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and it's all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy  Improv Manual , Matt Besser's new comedy album at  mattbesser.com , and Dragoon's new album at  dragoongalaxy.bandcamp.com !

Ian Roberts, Lauren Lapkus, and Horatio Sanz join Matt Besser for a spectacular improv4humans recorded LIVE from the LA Podfest 2014! Equating sex to chinese food, encountering cocaine users in a bathroom, a live theatre experience complete with real dead bodies, and Laurens cookie time are all explored in an episode you wont want to miss! Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and its all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy Improv Manual ,Matt Bessers new comedy album at mattbesser.com , and Dragoons new album at dragoongalaxy.bandcamp.com ! Photos courtesy of Sam Varela.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

LIVE from LA Podfest 2014 - Ian Roberts, Lauren Lapkus, and Horatio Sanz join Matt Besser for a spectacular improv4humans recorded LIVE from the LA Podfest 2014! Equating sex to chinese food, encountering cocaine users in a bathroom, a live theatre experience complete with real dead bodies, and Lauren's cookie time are all explored in an episode you won't want to miss! Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and it's all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy  Improv Manual , Matt Besser's new comedy album at  mattbesser.com , and Dragoon's new album at  dragoongalaxy.bandcamp.com !  Photos courtesy of Sam Varela.

Spider Mouth - This week's improv4humans with Matt Besser features humans Katie Dippold, Anthony King, and Billy Merritt visiting a daycare center where language is power, attending a dinner party complete with the unveiling of a terrible piece of art, and figuring out the correct way to discipline a child. It's an episode that will make you think twice about your comfortability on an airplane and the gap between economy and business class. Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and it's all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy  Improv Manual , Matt Besser's new comedy album at  mattbesser.com , and Dragoon's new album at  dragoongalaxy.bandcamp.com ! LA Humons: improv4humans will be LIVE at the LA Podfest on September 28th at 2pm with Ian Roberts, Horatio Sanz, and Lauren Lapkus. Go to www.lapodfest.com for tickets! If you can't be there you can watch the show on the live feed over at www.lapodfest.com/live and use the discount code “4humans”

This week's improv4humans with Matt Besser features humans Katie Dippold, Anthony King, and Billy Merritt visiting a daycare center where language is power, attending a dinner party complete with the unveiling of a terrible piece of art, and figuring out the correct way to discipline a child. Its an episode that will make you think twice about your comfortability on an airplane and the gap between economy and business class. Be sure to watch many of the stars of improv4humans on the new Hulu series Hotwives of Orlando. This is some funny shit and its all available now on Hulu Plus. Make sure to get the Upright Citizens Brigade television show season 3 now available on DVD, the UCB Comedy Improv Manual ,Matt Bessers new comedy album at mattbesser.com , and Dragoons new album at dragoongalaxy.bandcamp.com ! LA Humons: improv4humans will be LIVE at the LA Podfest on September 28th at 2pm with Ian Roberts, Horatio Sanz, and Lauren Lapkus. Go to www.lapodfest.com for tickets! If you cant be there you can watch the show on the live feed over at www.lapodfest.com/live and use the discount code 4humansSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CIA: Cinematically Informed Americans is a show on the Lucid Geek Speak channel of podcasts. Today we get caught up on events that have passed since our hiatus, and Netflix recommendations.Right Click HERE and select save link asNetflix/Hulu/Amazon Recommendations for Instant Streaming:(Netflix unless otherwise noted)Jordan:1. Never Sleep Again2. Rapture Palooza3. The Following4. True Detectives - HBO GOFredd:1. An Idiot Abroad2. Beauty Is Embarrassing3. Agents of Shield (Hopefully coming to Netflix soon, but currently the last five episodes are on HuluPlus)4. ArrowSean:1. Solomon Kane2. IT Crowd3. HBO stuff on Amazon Streaming -Rome-Carnival-Deadwood4. Betas (Amazon)Andy:1. Derrick2. Exit Through the Gift Shop---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Why make Jamie look more like Mr. Freeze and less like the comic book character?---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Seems like a confirmation to me.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Boba Fett movie? Sounds awesome!---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------So many Marvel things...can't get enough of it!---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ben Foster is a boss -  and nuts in the movie Alpha Dog (above)---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Game of Thrones continues to be the best thing ever.

Indochino is a company that makes high-quality affordable made-to-measure suits online. I've written about them on the blog many times. Recently, they sent out an email blast with a pretty detailed graphic that illustrated what goes into each of their suits, illustrating specific elements about the fabric, the materials and the construction. As I looked at the graphic, it occurred to me that not only was the company being very transparent about the construction of their merchandise, but that the email was an obvious response to a growing number of men who are actually interested in this information. My father was a very well-dressed man who took great pride in his Brooks Brothers suits, but I am certain that he and most men of his generation were not only unaware of these kinds of details, but also probably weren't that interested. They just trusted. With the rise of the tailored suit today, in the wake of "Mad Men," Daniel Craig as Bond, "Suits" and other cultural influences like Twitter and geeky men's bloggers like me, men seem more curious, interested and discerning than ever when it comes to the details (inside and out) of what they wear. Complementing that interest is the pressure on brands to be more transparent and forthcoming about how their garments are built. At the end of the episode, I recommend a fabulous film trilogy from the New Wave era by legendary filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni. This "trilogy on modernity and its discontents" includes L'Avventura (1960), La Notte (1961) and L'Eclisse (1962). They are part of the Criterion Collection and available for streaming on Hulu Plus. Check them out.

Ultimate Home Theater in a Box There are so many Home Theater in a Box systems out there many of which cost less than $400. But seriously, what can you get for $400. A good center channel typically costs more than most HTIB systems on the market today. Each year we try to assemble a Home Theater in many boxes that we would be proud to show off in our homes. Our system will have at a minimum a HDTV, Blu-ray Player, Receiver, and 5.1 speakers. For this feature we choose components that we either have direct experience with or have experience with a similar model made by the same manufacturer. In years past we would set a maximum price but this year we are not doing that. We are defining a system that can had by anyone who is serious about home theater. These system will look and sound great by anyone's definition! Braden: Sharp LC-80LE757 80-inch Aquos Quattron 1080p 240Hz Smart LED 3D HDTV ($3688) It's hard to pass up an 80” TV when you can have it for less than $4000. I was trying to keep the budget to under $6000 or so, but when you consider that an 80” TV is nearly front projection size, and it doesn't suffer from ambient light issues or degrade at all during the day, the $3688 price is a great deal.  It has the exclusive Quattron color technology that delivers a billion more colors, so you get a more powerful picture with brighter yellows, deeper blues, and richer golds. And it has a 240Hz Refresh Rate with AquoMotion 480 that doubles the effective refresh rate so you can see sharper fast-action movies and sports. And it's a smart TV, so need need to add an external streaming player for apps. For those who want to save a little, scale down to a 70” TV, the VIZIO E701i-A3 70-inch 1080p 120Hz Razor LED Smart HDTV is just as smart, but only costs $1498. Denon AVR-X3000 7.2-Channel 4K Ultra HD Networking Receiver with AirPlay ($899) It's no secret Denon is my favorite receiver brand, and the X3000 made our Receiver Buying Guide for a reason. It packs a ton of features, quality and big sound into a very reasonable price. It has 7 HDMI inputs and two HDMI outputs for multiple zone viewing. The X3000 comes with Audyssey's Gold package so you can get your sound exactly the way you want it. The unit is Airplay and Windows 8 compatible and comes with Denon Remote app for mobile devices. The receiver's network functionality supports Internet radio services such as SiriusXM, Pandora, and Spotify. Like we said in the Buying Guide, there are many more features than we can't list. It's a very capable receiver and will last you for years. Klipsch RF-42 II Reference Series 7.1 Home Theater System ($1494) Going back to the trusty favorites, Klipsch has never let me down. They make incredibly high quality, supremely efficient speakers that sound great and are easy to listen to. The provide the detail you need for subtle soundtracks and effects in movies and the power you need for all the big explosions. Movies and music will sound just as they were intended to - no matter the room type or size - with the power, detail and emotion of Klipsch Reference II sound. This system includes: 1 RC-42 II Center Channel Speaker, 2 RF-42 II Tower Speakers, 2 RS-41 II Surround Speakers, 2 RB-41 II Bookshelf Speakers and 1 Klipsch SW-110 Subwoofer. This system gets you into 7.1 sound at a great price. There's nothing keeping you from upgrading each of the parts over time, like the subwoofer or maybe a bigger center channel. Samsung BD-F5900 3D Wi-Fi Blu-ray Disc Player ($98) Unless you're buying the OPPO, a Blu-ray player is a Blu-ray player. This Samsung unit ticks all the boxes for what you need in a solid performer, and it adds a couple uniques features as well. For example, S-Recommendation helps you find new things to watch, and Samsung Apps offer you new ways to entertain. It has a built-in web browser and Wi-Fi and allows you to stream from your other devices with AllShare. It supports 3D if that's what you're into and can up-convert your favorite DVDs to near Blu-ray quality. Of course it has all the standard apps as well, like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vudu and Pandora, so there's no need for a secondary streaming player. Miscellaneous You can't have a good home theater without a good universal remote, so throw in a Logitech Harmony 650 Remote Control for $60 to round out the package. Sure it isn't the best in the Harmony line, but it controls everything in the package: TV, Receiver, Blu-ray player, Set Top (for Cable or Satellite), with one slot left for a device to be added later. You have to provide your own batteries, but pick up a few rechargeables and you're all set. Figure around $200 for miscellaneous cables and connectors, and the package is complete. Summary Total cost, not including shipping or tax, for a complete home theater with an 80” television and 7.1 surround sound comes out to $6439. I was shooting for a $6000 budget, and came pretty close. It's difficult to fathom that a budget of $6000 can get you an 80” HDTV. If you need to scale back a bit, you can get the same system, but with a 70” HDTV for only $4249. That's unreal. A 70” TV is gigantic, and the 7.1 surround sound will completely immerse you in the experience. Not a bad way to get into HDTV and Surround sound all at once without breaking the bank. Ara: Panasonic TC-P65ZT60 65-Inch 1080p 600Hz 3D Smart Plasma TV $3200 Well this should be no surprise to anyone. I picked a plasma TV. I still think plasmas produce the best picture out there and for the price its hard to beat. My first HDTV cost me $4000 for a 50 inch DLP that was 720p. For $800 less I get 15 more inches on the diagonal and weighs the same. We were blown away by the picture when we saw it in a light controlled room. And that's the Key, while it will produce a great picture during the daylight it really excels in darker rooms. So make sure you have window covering when watching movies during the day. If you are watching normal daytime fare it won't be an issue. The TV is a Smart TV with all the apps, controls, and gimmicks that come with it. You can connected it to your network so your iRule or Roomie remotes can control it via Ethernet. But the main sale for me is the glorious picture! Get these before they are gone forever. Yamaha RX-A2030 9.2-Channel Network Aventage Audio Video Receiver $1600 I was going to go with a receiver that was on our Receiver Buying Guide but then I figured I want to try everything. Having owned three Yamaha receivers and recommending hundreds more I decided to go with the Aventage line. Every aspect of this receiver is about sound. From the parts used to the vibration dampening mechanics this receiver is for those who want a high quality audio experience. It too has all the niceties of the other receivers on our list: 4K, iOS/Android app, Airplay, Auto calibration and a ton more. Being a 9.2 receiver you will be prepared for the future what ever that ends up being! Aperion Audio Intimus speakers and Hsu VTF-3 MK4 subwoofer 7.1 Speaker System (Total Cost $1970) For this system I am pairing the Intimus speakers with a HSU Research subwoofer. We'll start with two Intimus 4T Tower speakers ($320 each), one Intimus 4C center channel ($160), and four Intimus 4B bookshelf speakers ($260/pair). Aperion is a fantastic speaker company out of Portland Oregon. They offer a free 30 day in home audition at no risk to you. The Intimus line sounds great and will match quite nicely with the Yamaha receiver. On the subwoofer side you know I am going to select the one that rocks my home theater, the VTF-3 MK4 ($650). Its a good sized subwoofer that packs a wallop!     OPPO BDP-103 Universal Disc Player (SACD / DVD-Audio / 3D Blu-ray) $500 There are so many blu-ray players out there for less than $100 so why go with the $500 oppo. The main reason is video processing. The Oppo has Marvell's Kyoto-G2H video processor with the latest generation Qdeo technology will mean all the content whether blu-ray, DVD, or streamed video will look its best. Plus you can connect a cable or set top box to the Oppo and scale and process its video with the Kyoto-G2H. And that makes this the best choice out there for Blu-ray! AppleTV $90 I know what you are asking, Why get an AppleTV when your Blu-ray player and TV already support the same content. For me its about flexibility. Airplay makes it easy to stream content from my iOS devices to my TV plus I have a lot of purchases in iTunes so my music, TV, and Movies are in Apple's cloud and this device makes it easy to get to. If you are not into Apple you can swap out a Chromcast or Roku 3 for the same price. Well for the Chromcast you'll get a rebate :-) Miscellaneous This is where we throw in everything else. But in this case there really isn't much else left. Well maybe a cool remote control. A Harmony Remote would tie it all together nicely but if you have a tablet or smartphone you may want to consider a Roomie or iRule remote. Which ever route you choose we are allocating $200. this assume you already have a tablet or phone if you go that route. The last thing to consider is cables, power strips, and connectors. We will allocate an additional $250 for these items as well. Summary In years past we would limit ourselves to a specific dollar amount but that would also limit our choices. This system, while not cheap, won't break the bank and will be considered outstanding by anyone in the industry. Sure you can do better, but the additional cost may not produce a noticeably better experience. So without further ado… Ara's ultimate home theater Christmas gift comes in at $7810 plus taxes. That is pretty insane for what you get. Consider Braden's first 42 inch enhanced definition (DVD quality) plasma was $5000 and as stated earlier Ara's 720P DLP was $4000. Enjoy!!

HDTV Buying Guide 2013 If you happen to be lucky enough to have budget for a new HDTV this Christmas, but still aren't sure which one to buy, we've got you covered. We're back with another annual edition of the HDTV buying guide. Staying true to form, we're going to break the sets down into categories by screen size, just like we did last year. For those who don't still have last years buyer's guide handy, here are few of the sets from last year along with their prices. It turns out waiting a year to buy a new TV doesn't always allow you to stretch your budget any further. Toshiba 19” 720p LED for $129 RCA 32” 1080p LCD for $229 Sony BRAVIA 42” 1080p LED $548 VIZIO 60” 1080p 120Hz Razor LED Smart HDTV $999 Panasonic 65” 1080p Full HD 3D Plasma $2499 Up to 32" Depending on your situation, a 32” TV could work as your primary screen. But more often, these screens work out great for a secondary viewing room like your kitchen, bedroom, office or home gym.  At this size, we're focused on value and bang for the buck.   VIZIO E241-A1 24-inch 1080p 60Hz Razor LED HDTV ($178) The 24” 1080p TV drops by $20 this year, or roughly 10%.  This model is part of the new E-series slim frame design from VIZIO, providing what they call high-quality design and picture at the best value. Images look good and the action does well on the 1080p Full HD resolution screen. The slim frame design makes it a good match for just about any room or situation. Plus, as an LED TV, it'll save you money when compared to same size 2012 LCD HDTVs lighted with CCFL technology. oCOSMO 32-Inch 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV ($215) Unknown value brand oCOSMO bumps off last year's RCA for our 32” recommendation. The oCOSMO has all the same features and a better price. It also reviews very highly at Amazon based on the impressions of 47 customers.  OK, so that isn't a ton, but it helps. With the additional feature of a USB & MHL ports helps further expand the functionality of your TV, allowing users to listen to music and view digital pictures quickly and conveniently. Up to 42" This continues to be the sweet spot for TV sales, which makes it a very competitive category. You don't have to look to hard to find some really good deals on very high quality televisions. LG Electronics 39LN5300 39-Inch LED-lit 1080p 60Hz TV ($347) We picked the LG for the value and the picture quality. It will do a good job for you without breaking the bank. the video quality is very good, but the audio performance is what you'd expect out of a TV speaker. It also offers easy self-calibration with on-screen reference points for key picture quality elements such as black level, color, tint, sharpness and backlight levels. This helps take the guesswork out of picture adjustments. It's not a full calibration, but most people aren't doing a full calibration on 39” TVs. VIZIO E420i-A0 42-Inch 1080p 120Hz Smart LED HDTV ($478) Last year's 42” Sony cost $548. This year's VIZIO drops that all the way down to $478 and even adds a few features for you. We aren't huge fans of paying a premium for “smart” TV features, but when you get it for this price, why not? The built-in VIZIO Internet Apps allow you to enjoy online movies, TV shows, music, and apps without the need for an external box or dongle. It has  Smart Dimming capabilities for better contrast, richer colors and more vivid details. And it carries on the slim frame design VIZIO has been promoting, to add to the aesthetics acceptance factor. Up to 50" Pricing in this category doesn't move much from year to year. Last year this category has a plasma TV. This year, though it pains us to say it, we couldn't do it. LG Electronics 47LN5790 47-Inch 1080p 120Hz Smart LED HDTV + Free 60-Watt 2-Channel Sound Bar ($614) If you aren't planning to connect your 46 or 47-inch TV to a surround sound system, this deal is a great option.  You get the stunning picture quality of the LG television, and they're throwing in a 60 watt, 2 channel sound bar for free to eliminate the negative experience associated with the built-in TV speaker. The price is ridiculously low, significantly lower than the 46-inch Samsung on last year's list, and you get the soundbar. It also happens to be a Smart TV, so you get access to premium content providers like Netflix, Vudu, Hulu Plus, and YouTube direct from your TV. Samsung UN50EH5300 50-Inch 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV ($649) A 50-inch set is the primary viewing size for many households, and Samsung consistently makes some of the best televisions on the market. If you're buying a main TV, don't look for the cheapest, look for the best.  It turns out this Samsung is also a really good price, but even if it carries a small premium, its worth it.  You get everything except 3D, which in many circles is still considered everything. With this Smart HDTV, Smart Content provides new ways to explore and locate your favorite shows, movies, games, and more. A full web browser with WiFi built-in and innovative apps made for TV, along with Signature Services, enhances your enjoyment. AllShare Play allows you to stream content from other devices and enjoy it on the big screen. The Wide Color Enhancer Plus provides vibrant natural-looking images and it's all in a sleek ultra slim design. Greater than 50" These are the TVs everyone wants, the big ones you walk by in the store and drool over.  Drool no longer, just click “buy it now.” Samsung UN60EH6003 60-Inch 1080p 120Hz HDTV ($997) This 60” television from Samsung represents the ultimate intersection of performance and value. The picture quality is outstanding, it lacks a few features that the higher priced televisions have, but that's what allows you to take it home, or put it under the tree, for less than one thousand dollars. Experience sharp picture quality, even when you are watching fast-moving images like sports or action movies. The CMR of 240 takes motion-clarity to the next level. Wide Color Enhancer Plus allows you to see picture color the way the director originally intended. Witness the entire RGB spectrum brought to life on your screen to bring you exceptionally vibrant, yet natural-looking images faithful to the director's original intent. Sony XBR55X850A 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD 120Hz 3D Internet LED UHDTV ($2998) Oh yeah, we went there. Sure it's pricey, but you get bragging rights, and that's gotta count for something. It has everything you could ask for to be the beast of the block. Of course, it's a 4K Ultra HD set so you get four times the clarity of Full HD 1080p.  It will upconvert and enhance everything you watch into 4K for the ultimate HD experience. As a 4k set, you have the expanded colors and Sony's unique TRILUMINOS display technology to take advantage of it.  To make sure its future proof, you get HDMI 2.0 ports that will supported 4K video formats if you can track down any content. HT Guy's Ultimate Christmas Present: Two years ago we showcased the Panasonic VT30 65” Plasma at $3,000 as one of our ultimate presents.  And we also liked the Sharp AQUOS 80" LED for $4,430.  Last year we picked the Elite 60" 3d LED HDTV for $4599 and the gigantic Samsung 75-Inch 1080p 240Hz 3D Slim LED HDTV, Gold for a measly $8997. At the time, we considered it to be the most excessive TV possible.  This year, we're going big and also going exotic. But we certainly aren't going cheap. Sharp LC-80LE757 80-inch Aquos Quattron 1080p 240Hz Smart LED 3D HDTV ($3688) To be perfectly honest, all we care about is the size. An 80” TV? That's huge! But Sharp will tell you it isn't just huge, it's also a great television. It has the exclusive Quattron color technology that delivers a billion more colors, so you get a more powerful picture with brighter yellows, deeper blues, and richer golds. It supposedly creates a more realistic picture with greater detail and brightness - a feat that standard TV without Quattron can't achieve. It has a 240Hz Refresh Rate with AquoMotion 480 so you can see sharper, more electrifying action with the most advanced panel refresh rates available today. AquoMotion, Sharp's backlight scanning technology, doubles the effective refresh rate to hit you with all the power that fast-moving sports and movies can deliver. Sharp's Smart TV features let you quickly connect to your favorite content and instantly access apps like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, plus streaming movies, music, games, and websites you love. LG Electronics 55EA9800 Cinema 3D 1080p Curved OLED TV with Smart TV ($8999) Maybe we still don't get the whole curved screen thing, but it's OLED, and we get that for sure. The best picture quality available, hands down. Stunning design at only 4.3mm thick at its thinnest point. Stunning picture quality with Infinite Contrast that ranges from the most blazing white to the darkest black. And, 4 Color Pixel that displays images so vivid you'll forget you are watching TV. LG's advanced 4 Color Pixel technology adds an unfiltered, white sub-pixel to the traditional red, green and blue. The result? A brighter picture with a wider range of colors and superior color accuracy for more true to life and vibrant images. LG OLED TVs have an almost infinite contrast ratio. With self-lighting pixel technology, it can range from blazing white to the darkest black. Higher is better, and "Infinite" has been impossible. Until now. We left off the Samsung UN85S9 85-Inch 4K Ultra HD 120Hz 3D Smart LED TV for $39,997 because that's too crazy. Even for us.

This week, Dan and Adam are joined by Frank and Bennett for their “Closest We’ll Get to a Halloween Episode” episode this week. They talk about preferred movies to watch in October, and Frank sheds some light on his experiences as a Hulu Plus newbie. Then they play Movie Bluff. Taped at The Wheels Brewing …

Tesla Talk! Phone phun! KD... Again! And what have you done to his EYES?! Today's show is brought to you by HuluPlus!

Dale & Slim discuss naming a podcast, Hell Hotel, Hulu Plus, fatherhood, and HD comics. Other topics include the retired The Comics Podcast, thesaurus.com, mystery podcasts, and Instacast.

On this week's show, we'll talk about Google's ambitious plan to put Gigabit Fiber in every home, beginning with Kansas City. And a look at the 2012 London Olympics, an Olympics so far fraught with technical challenges and social media disputes. But first, the headlines...Rumored launch dates for the next Apple iPhone and iPad Mini, Verizon can't charge extra for tethering, Microsoft launches Outlook.com, and Digg relaunches! What We're Playing With Andy: Raspberry Pi Dwayne: NBC's Live Extra Olympic App. Amazon Prime Instant. Hulu Plus on Apple TV. Headlines Apple iPhone 5 and iPad mini event planned for Sep 12, iPhone 5 release date for Sep 21 New purported next-generation iPhone parts photos show fully assembled device Verizon can't charge extra for tethering Microsoft introduces Outlook.com, Hotmail's planned successor Rethink Digg v1 preview Digg launches redesign and new app with editorial curation, no comments   Audible Book of the Week Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet by Andrew Blum Musical Interlude #1: Just What I Needed by The Cars Hot Topic: Google Fiber / Google Fiber TV Google Fiber launches in Kansas City, promises 1000 Mbps up and down The economics of Google Fiber and what it means for U.S. broadband Can Google conquer cable TV? Musical Interlude #2: And I Will Kiss by Underworld (feat. Dame Evelyn Glennie) Final Word: 2012 London Olympics The Olympian Infrastructure Challenge NBC insults viewer intelligence, says Olympic Opening Ceremony is too 'complex' Olympic fail: Officials tell crowd not to tweet or text during events #NBCFail: Online backlash as Twitter locks out Independent reporter Twitter 'alerted NBC to British journalist's critical tweets' Twitter 'sorry' for suspending Guy Adams as NBC withdraws complaint Outro: Caliban's Dream by Underworld (ft. Dockhead Choir, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Only Men Aloud!, Elizabeth Roberts, Alex Trimble) Subscribe! The Drill Down on iTunes (Subscribe now!) Add us on Stitcher! Sign up here to be alerted by SMS when the podcast is live! Geeks Of Doom's The Drill Down is a roundtable-style audio podcast where we discuss the most important issues of the week, in tech and on the web and how they affect us all. Hosts are Geeks of Doom contributor Andrew Sorcini (Mr. BabyMan), VentureBeat editor Devindra Hardawar, marketing research analyst Dwayne De Freitas, and Startup Digest CTO Christopher Burnor. Occasionally joining them is Techmeme editor Lidija Davis.