TVSquad

Do you remember a long time ago when you had no options to watch a TV show if you didn't see it when it aired (you had to wait for a repeat)? Of course you don't, you people with your Twitters and your iPhones and your space-age Saran Wrap. But there was a time when if you wanted to watch, say, The Magician, you had to stay home and watch it. No iTunes, no Hulu, no YouTube, no DVDs.

Then came the VCR, and everything changed. Only $1000! (Full-sized ad here.) Notice the fine print at the bottom: "Caution: The unauthorized recording of television programs and other materials may infringe the rights of others."

Kelly Clarkson has held the title of the "most successful American Idol recording artist" for a very long time. But things aren't going so well for Kelly who has cancelled her summer tour due to poor ticket sales.

Kelly posted the following statement on her website: "In the craziness of the music business, performing is what I look forward to doing the most, so it is really disappointing to me to have to tell you that I won't be coming out to tour this summer ... But I promise you that we're going to get back out there as soon as is humanly possible to give you a show that will be even better."

Today is the 100th birthday of the inventor of television, Philo T. Farnsworth. Farnsworth got the idea for television while plowing his family farm in Idaho when he was 14 years old. When I was 14 years old, I was trying to figure out what would work better, Clearasil or Stridex.

The history of television is a really interesting story. After Farnsworth demonstrated the wonders of TV in his San Francisco lab when he was 21, RCA head David Sarnoff was thinking of ways to stop him and take credit. Many people today still think RCA (and Vladimir Zworykin) invented television, but it was Farnsworth. Aaron Sorkin wrote a script for a Farnsworth movie, but decided to make it into a stage play instead. The Farnsworth Invention will debut in California next year.

Happy Birthday, Philo. And thanks for giving me a job!