I recently learned about the Kids In Mind website. I’ve got to tell you this is one awesome website. Kids In Mind offers detailed descriptions of movies and dvds. Each description contains basic background information followed by sections rating the categories of sex/nudity, violence/gore and language on a scale from 1 to 10.  It will tell you what’s considered offensive, what attire is worn in the movie that you might not want your child to see and if any substance abuse is featured, among other things. It probably won’t tell you how many times promotional pens are mentioned but it will tell you how many times each different profane word is mentioned. Descriptions are factual and not based on personal enjoyment like reviews. This site is terrific, even if you don’t have children.

In a Toys R Us newsletter I received recently I learned about Kidtoon Films. Kidtoon Films are G rated movies that play in nationwide affiliate theaters on Saturday and/or Sunday mornings with a ticket price of $3.50. The movies will be geared for children ages 3-9. The Kidtoon Films website offers a newsletter and a review of each movie, so parents know what the movie is about. The movie for August is Sushi Pack and the movie for September is Sesame Street Abby In Wonderland.

Did you ever notice that when we see pictures of actors and actresses they always look like they’ve got terrific skin? I’m guessing that in a number of cases makeup and airbrushing is responsible for that. But did you ever wonder how they go about making a character in a movie or tv show look like they have acne? I’m sure it’s done in makeup, but I wondered how they do it. I mean, how does one construct a fake pimple?

There’s a number of giveaways and contests going on right now with DVDs as the prize. Here’s where you can find some of them:

Little Einsteins DVD giveaway on A Bookworm’s Diary - ends 08/25/08

Veggie Tales DVD giveaway on A Bookworm’s Diary - ends 08/18/08

Little Einsteins and Handy Manny DVD giveaway on Movie Room Reviews - ends  08/16/08

Play With Me Sesame DVD giveaway on LI Kids - ends 08/24/08

Go Diego Go DVD giveaway on LI Kids - ends  08/14/08

LI Kids Best Of Both Worlds DVD giveaway on LI Kids - ends 08/23/08

Camp Rock Extended Rock Star DVD giveaway on LI Kids - ends  08/25/08

LI Kids Ariel’s Beginning DVD giveaway on LI Kids - ends 08/30/08

LI Kids Phineas And Ferb DVD giveaway on LI Kids - ends 08/20/08

Transformers Cybertron giveaway on Seven Dogs And A Baby - ends 08/15/08

I don’t mean a channel selling diet pills or anything like that. I mean a channel that dieters could use for support, inspiration and instruction. It could have healthy cooking shows, exercise shows, reality shows and other similar shows. Maybe someone could even create a diet game show, guessing caloric values or something. I find it difficult to believe that noone’s ever thought of this. So, have any of you ever seen a diet channel on television anywhere?

Ever wonder how to set up a home theater? Burn episodes of your favorite tv show to dvd? Record tv on your computer? CNET’s Digital Home DIY website offers lots of advice and tutorials on how to bring your home into the digital age. The site is broken down into categories including digital imaging, gaming, HDTV, home control, home movies, home theater, music and networking. Each project contains tabbed sections giving reasons why you want to complete this project, what you’ll need to complete the project, video instructions on how to carry out the project and examples of the project in action. It’s a pretty helpful site for instructions and ideas.

Am I the only one who’s seeing less and less automobile commercials? It used to feel like every other commercial on television was for an automobile. I used to see Honda, Toyota, Kia and Nissan ads constantly. I understand trimming the fat with a little Fenterdren, but I’d think now more than ever ad execs would be trying to come up with ways to sell the fuel efficient cars since the suv’s aren’t selling. So am I being silly or have you noticed this too?

MSNBC has an excellent article for anyone wanting to apply to be on a reality show. The article contains listings of and include a brief blurb about applying for that show and a link to where you can apply. The shows included in the list are

1. American Idol
2. America’s Next Top Model
3. Amazing Race
4. Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader
5. Bachelor
6. Bad Girls Club
7. Big Brother
8. Biggest Loser
9. CMT Shows
10. Deal Or No Deal
11. Extreme Makeover Plastic Surgery
12. Extreme Makeover Home Edition
13. Hell’s Kitchen
14. Make Me A Supermodel
15. MTV Shows
16. Nashville Star
17. Opportunity Knocks
18. Project Runway
19. Real World
20. Stand Up For Diversity
21. Supernanny
22. Survivor
23. VH1 Shows
24. What Not To Wear

Happy applying and good luck to all who enter.

It’s funny how kids evolve as they grow up. For many years my son TJ only watched cartoons and animated shows. He’s twelve. Over the past year or so he’s moved away from the cartoons and into comedies, both current and reruns. He likes a lot of the old comedies that are on Nick At Nite now in reruns. Right now Family Matters is on and he gets the biggest kick out of Urkel. He cracks up at the sounds Urkel makes. (Viewers know that Urkel has allergies but I don’t remember seeing any Air O Swiss humidifiers or anything like that, do you?) It’s kind of neat when you realize your child is watching the same shows you used to watch when they were on the first time around. It’s been so long since me and hubby have seen some of them that we watch with my son and we laugh all over again.

I don’t know how I missed hearing about this until today but I just learned that on August 15 the animated movie Star Wars The Clone Wars will open in theaters. I haven’t watched Star Wars since the days of Luke Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi. I didn’t see any of the “newer” ones. Die hard Star Wars fans should make sure that they’ve got their plasma tv mounted because apparently this film will lead the way into a television series that will be broadcast starting this fall first on Cartoon Network and later on TNT. Have you seen all of the Star Wars movies? Which was your favorite?