College Of University

Satellite TV Programming

With more than 375 channels to choose from, satellite TV programming offers far more TV listings and viewing options than cable or over-the-air TV.

Satellite TV also gives you access to music channels, pay-per-view movies, sports packages, adult channels, and international programming.

DISH Network Satellite TV Programming

DISH Network programming packages start at $19.99 per month.

They also offer pay-per-view movies and events, adult programming, and sports packages. International programming includes: African, Arabic, Armenian, Asian, Chinese, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Israeli, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, South Asian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Urdu channels.

DISH Network has the biggest variety of movies, music, and shows and the most HD (high definition) programming of the two satellite TV providers.

Here are DISH Network’s current satellite TV programming packages:

Dish Family Pak

This package includes the following program channels:

Angel One, Animal Planet, Biography Channel, Bloomberg Television, Boomerang, BYUTV, CCT-9, CCT-E&F, CNN Headline News, Colours TV, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, CSTV, Discovery Kids, Discovery Times, DIY, EWTN, Fine Living, Food Network, FOX News Channel, Great American Country (GAC), Hallmark, Hallmark Movie Channel, HSN, Kids Tunes, NASA, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite (East), Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite (West), Nicdelodeon Games & Sports, Nicktoons, QVD, RFDTV, Shop at Home, Shop NBC, TBN, The Outdoor Channel, The Science Channel, The Weather Channel, TV Land.

America’s Top 60 ($29.99 per month)

This package includes the following program channels:

ABC Family, America’s Prevue TV, Angel One, Arts & Entertainment (A&E), Beauty & Fashion Channel, BYUTV, Cable News Network (CNN), Cartoon Network, CCTV-9, Classic Arts Showcase, CNBC, Colours TV, Comedy Central, Country Music Television, Court TV, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Daystar, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel (East), Disney Channel (West), Documentary Channel, Drive TV, E! Entertainment Television, ESPN Alternate, ESPN2 Alternate, ESPNews, ESPN, Eternal Word Television Network, FEC/PAEC, Food Network, Free Speech TV, Good Samaritan Network, Headline News Network, Healthy Living Channel, The History Channel, HITN, Holistic Television Network, Home & Garden Television, The Home Shopping Network, Horseracing TV, iSHOP, Jewelry Television, The Learning Channel, Lifetime, Link TV, Men’s Channel, Music Television (MTV), Music Television 2 (MTV2), NASA, Nickelodeon/Nick At Nite (East), Nickelodeon/Nick At Nite (West), Northern Arizona University/University House, Pentagon Channel, QVC Shopping Network, Research Channel, RFDTV, The Sci-Fi Channel, Shop At Home, Shop NBC, Spike TV, The Travel Channel, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Turner Broadcast System (TBS), Turner Network Television (TNT), TV Games Network, TV Guide Channel, TV Land, TV Outlet Mall, University Of California, University Of Washington, USA Network, VH1, The Weather Channel.

America’s Top 120 ($39.99 per month)

This package includes all of the channels in the America’s Top 60 package, plus the following program channels:

Altitude Sports & Entertainment, American Movie Classics (AMC), Animal Planet, BBC America, Black Entertainment Television (BET), Bravo, CD-70S Songbook, CD-Acoustic Crossroads, CD-Adult Alternative, CD-Adult Contemporary, CD-Adult Favorites, CD-Big Band Era, CD-Blues, CD-BYU Radio Network, CD-Classic Rock, CD Classic Ambience, CD-Contemporary Christian, CD-Contemporary Instrumentals, CD-Contemporary Jazz Flavors, CD-Country Classics, CD-Country Currents, CD-Easy

Instrumentals CD-Euro Style, CD-Fiesta Mexicana, CD-Hawaiian Music, CD-Hot Hits, CD-Jazz Traditions, CD-JukeBox Gold, CD-Kid Tunes, CD-Latin Styles, CD-Light Classical, CD-Modern Rock Alternative, CD-New Age, CD-New Country, CD-NUJAZZ, CD-Power Rock, CD-Reggae, CD-Urban Beat, College Sports Television, Comcast Sports Net Chicago, Comcast Sports Net West, Comcast Sports Net Mid-Atlantic, Discovery Health, ESPN Classic, FOX News Channel, FOX Pittsburgh 2, FOX Sports, FOX Sports Arizona, FOX Sports Bay Area, FOX Sports Cincinnati, FOX Sports Detroit, FOX Sports Florida, FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports New England, FOX Sports New York, FOX Sports Northwest, FOX Sports North, FOX Sports Ohio, FOX Sports Pittsburgh, FOX Sports Rocky Mountain, FOX Sports South West, FOX Sports South, FOX Sports West, FOX Sports West 2, FOX Soccer Channel, Fuse, FX, G4, Galavison, Game Show Network, Independent Film Channel, International Music Feed, Madison Square Garden, MSNBC, New England Sports Network (NESN), NFL Network, Noggin, Oxygen, Pax TV, Sirius BBC Radio 1, Sirius Boombox, Sirius Elcis, Sirius Love Songs, Sirius Margaritaville, Sirius Underground Garage, Sirius 60’s Vibration – 60’s Hits, Sirius Alt Nation – Alternative Rock, Sirius Area 63, Sirius Back Spin – Old Skool Rap, Sirius Big 80’s – 80’s Hits, Sirius Bluegrass – Bluegrass Music, Sirius Blues – Classic Blues, Sirius Broadway’s Best – Broadway Musicals, Sirius Buzzsaw – Classic Hard Rock, Sirius Classic Rewind – Recent Rock, Sirius Classic Vinyl – Early Rock, Sirius Classical Voices – Opera, Sirius Disorder – Free Form Rock, Sirius Faction – Rock/Hip Hop/Punk, Sirius First Wave – Classic Alternative, Sirius Hair Nation – 80’s Hair Bands, Sirius Hard Attack – Heavy Metal, Sirius Heart & Soul – R&B Hits, Sirius Hip Hop Nation – Uncut Hip Hop, Sirius Hot Jamz – Jam Bands, Sirius Jazz Cafe – Smooth Jazz, Sirius Left of Center – College Rock, Sirius Mexicana – Refional Mexican, Sirius Moving Easy – Easy Listening Hits, Sirius Octand – Pure Hard Rock, Sirius Outlaw Country, Sirius Planet Jazz – Contemporary Jazz, Sirius Pops – Classical Favorites, Sirius Praise – Gospel Music, Sirius Prime Country – 80’s & 90’s Country, Sirius Pure Jazz – Classic Jazz, Sirius Remiz – Dance Club Mix, Sirius Revolution – Christian Rock, Sirius Runbon – Reggae & Tropical, Sirius Shade 45, Sirius Gold 50’s & 60’s Hits, Sirius Hits One – Top 40 Hits, Sirius Soul Revue – Classical Soul, Sirius Spa 73 – New Age, Sirius Spectrum – Worls Class Rock, Sirius Spirit – Christian Hits, Sirius Standard Time – Standards, Sirius Symphony Hall – Symphonies, Sirius Super Shuffle, Sirius The Bridge – Mellow Rock, Sirius The Coffee House, Sirius The Globe, Sirius The Pulse – The 90’s & Now, Sirius The Roadhouse – Classic Country, Sirius The Strobe – Classic Disco, Sirius The Vault – Deep Cuts Classic Rock, Sirius Totally 70’s – 70’s Hits, Sirius Universo Latino – Latin Pop Mix, SiTV, Soap Net, The Speed Channel, Sports Alternate 1, Sports Alternate 2, Sports Alternate 3, Sports Alternate 4, Sunshine Network, Telefutura East, Telefutura West, Toon Disney, Turner Classic Movies, Turner South, Univision, Univision West, WE: Women’s Entertainment, WGN Superstation.

America’s Top 180 ($39.99 per month)

This package includes all the channels in the America’s Top 120 package, plus the following:

7890 – 4 Decades of Music, Biography, Bloomberg Television, Boomerang, CNBC World, Discovery Health, Discovery Home, Discovery Kids, Discovery Times Channel, Dish Music – 50’s & 60’s Hits, Dish Music – 70’s Hits, Dish Music – 80’s Hits, Dish Music- All That Jazz, Dish Music – Beach Party, Dish Music – Classic Soul, Dish Music – Country Music One, Dish Music – Expressions, Dish Music – Hitline, Dish Music – Hot FM, Dish Music – Italia, Dish Music – Love Songs, Dish Music – Moodscapes, Dish Music – New Orleans Jazz, Dish Music – Piano & Guitar, Dish Music – Roadhouse, Dish Music – Tropical Breezes, Dish Music – Urban Adult, Do It Yourself Network, Encore

(West), Encore Action, Encore Love, Encore Mysteries, Encore Wam, Encore Westerns, ESPNNU, Fine Living, FOX Movie Channel, FOX Reality TV, FOX Soccer Channel, The Golf Channel, GOL TV, Great American Country, Hallmark Channel, History Channel International, Lifetime Movie Network, Military Channel, The Movie Channel (West), MUN2,
National Geographic Channel, Nick Toons, Nickelodeon Games & Sports, The Outdoor Channel, The Science Channel, TMC Extra West, VH1 Classic, Wisdom Television.

America’s Everything Pak ($74.99)

This package includes all the channels in the America’s Top 180 package, plus the following movie channels (31 movie channels in all):

Showtime Unlimited Package, Starz! Super Pak, HBO Package, Cinemax Package.

Note: For more programming information, ordering information, and the latest bonuses and free offers from DISH Network, click on the links below.

DIRECTV Satellite TV Programming

DIRECTV satellite TV programming starts at $41.99 per month.

They also offer pay-per-view movies and events, adult programming, and sports packages. International programming includes Chinese, Filipino, Italian, South Asian, Spanish, and Vietnamese channels.

DIRECTV has the most sports program packages of the two satellite TV providers, including the popular NFL Sunday Ticket.

Here are DIRECTV’s current satellite TV programming packages:

Total Choice ($41.99 per month)

This package includes the following program channels:

A&E Network, ABC Family, America’s Store, American Movie Classics (AMC), Animal Planet, BBC America, Black Entertainment Television(BET), Bloomberg Television, Bravo, BYU TV, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Cartoon Network, The Church Channel, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, Comedy Central, Country Music Television (CMT), Court TV, Current TV, Daystar, DIRECTV FREEVIEW Events, Discovery Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Disney Channel (East), Disney Channel (West), E! Entertainment Television, ESPN, ESPN CLASSIC, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, EWTN, FINE LIVING, Fit TV, Food Network, Fox Movie Channel, Fox News Channel, Fuse, FX, G4 Videogame TV, Galavisión, Game Show Network, Hallmark Channel, Headline News, HITN TV, Home & Garden Television, i Independent Television, Independent Film Channel, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, Link TV, MSNBC, MTV, MTV2, National Geographic Channel, NFL Network, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite (East), Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite (West), Noggin/The N, Outdoor Life Network (OLN), Oxygen, PBS You, QVC, RFD TV, SCI FI Channel, Shop At Home, ShopNBC, SOAPnet, Speed Channel, Spike TV, Superstation WGN, TBS Superstation, The Church Channel, The History Channel, The Learning Channel, The Weather Channel, The Word, TNT, Toon Disney, TRAVEL CHANNEL, Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), Turner Classic Movies (TCM), Turner South, TV Guide Channel, TV Land, TV One, Univision, USA Network, VH1, WE: Women’s Entertainment, World Harvest Television, XM: America, XM: Audio Visions, XM: Beyond Jazz, XM: Bluegrass Junction, XM: Bluesville, XM: BPM, XM: Chrome, XM: Cinemagic, XM: Deep Tracks, XM: Ethel, XM: Frank’s Place, XM: Hank’s Place, XM: Highway 16, XM: KISS, XM: Lucy, XM: MIX, XM: Nashville!, XM: RAW – XL, XM: Real Jazz, XM: Soul Street, XM: Special X, XM: Spirit, XM: Squizz – XL, XM: Suite 62, XM: Sunny, XM: The 40s, XM: The 50s, XM: The 60s, XM: The 70s, XM: The 80s, XM: The 90s, XM: The Blend, XM: The City, XM: The Fish, XM: The Flow, XM: The Heart, XM: The Joint, XM: The Loft, XM: The Move, XM: The Rhyme – XL, XM: The System, XM: Top 20 on 20, XM: Top Tracks, XM: VOX, XM: Watercolors, XM: World Zone, XM: X Country, XM: XM Café, XM: XM Classics, XM: XM Pops

Total Choice Plus ($46.99 per month)

This package includes all the Total Choice programs, plus the following channels:

The Biography Channel, Boomerang, Discovery Home & Leisure, Discovery Kids, Discovery Times Channel, Discovery Wings, DIY – Do It Yourself Network, Fuel, History International, PBS KIDS, The Science Channel, SOAPNet.

Total Choice Premier ($96.99 per month)

This package includes all the channels in the Total Choice Plus package, plus the following program channels:

Action, BLACK STARZ!, Cinemax (East), Cinemax (West), Comcast SportsNet (Mid-Atlantic), CSTV: College Sports Television, Empire Sports Network, Encore® (West), Encore® (East), FLIX, Fox Sports World, The Golf Channel, HBO, HBO (West), HBO Family, HBO Family (West), HBO HDTV, HBO Latino, HBO Signature, HBO2, HBO2 (West), Love Stories, Madison Square Garden (MSG), MoreMAX, The Movie Channel, The Movie Channel West, Mystery, NBA TV, New England Sports Network, The Outdoor Channel, SHOWTIME East, SHOWTIME Extreme, SHOWTIME HDTV, SHOWTIME Showcase, SHOWTIME TOO, SHOWTIME West, STARZ! (East), STARZ! (West), STARZ! Theater (East), Sundance Channel, Sunshine Network, True Stories, VH1 Classic, WAM!, Westerns, YES Network.

Note: For more programming information, ordering information, and the latest bonuses and free offers from DIRECTV, click on the links below.

Click on the following link for more information on free satellite TV systems and service, or these links for programming information, ordering information, and the latest special offers from DISH Network satellite TV or DIRECTV satellite TV.

Training And Certification Requirements For Careers In Solar Panel Installation

If you are looking to enter the field of solar panel installation, you would greatly benefit from being aware of the various training and certification requirements for the job. Obviously, extensive training is crucial if you are to have a certain degree of competency, however, certification is not necessarily an absolute requirement for solar panel installers in most states.

Obtaining certification from recognized solar energy regulatory organizations will likely have the effect of increasing your career opportunities and making your credentials more viable for a green job in the solar energy sector.

It is worth keeping in mind that different states may have different requirements with regard to licensing for solar panel installation professionals. These requirements typically fall under general contractor licenses or their equivalent, with some being more specifically categorized as electrical contractor licenses for PV, plumbing license for solar thermal systems, or solar contractor licenses.

You should also be aware that the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners or NABCEP specifically states that the certification which they offer is in no way intended to take the place of any licenses, credentials or certificates that may be required by local laws in the state wherein you plan to practice your trade. These solar certification and solar training courses are purely voluntary at present, although there is an increasing trend to support these and other similar solar certification programs by way of rebates and other incentives. Furthermore, the number of projects that require solar certification from the NABCEP certification is on the rise, and this will likely increase even further in the near future.

The solar certification program of the NABCEP specifies that solar PV installers should possess the skills and knowledge necessary to recommend solar electrical systems, configure and install these systems, inspect and maintain them in way that meets the customers’ satisfaction, and conform to current industry standards for the performance, safety and reliability of solar electrical systems.

To this end, the NABCEP has developed a system geared towards PV Task Analysis, which is comprised of several areas of discipline, including how to work safely with PV systems, conducting site assessment, the selection of proper solar design, how to adapt the mechanical and electrical design, installation of solar electrical subsystems and components on-site, system check and inspection, and solar electrical system troubleshooting and maintenance.

All of these are of course essential areas of knowledge for those who are seeking qualifications as solar energy industry practitioners. In a report published by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative in 2003 detailing training and certification requirements for the photovoltaic industry, it stated that the training required for solar industry professionals goes well beyond that which is typical for other areas in the building and construction industries. The report goes on to list some of the training requirements specific to the field of photovoltaic installations, some of which are outlined below:

On-site evaluation with regard to system performance. This would include determining the effects of obstructions, angles, and so on.

Characteristics of photovoltaic cells and modules, particularly how they relate to the design and performance of solar electrical systems

System characteristics calculation–which includes aspects such as wire size–as a means of minimizing power loss and optimizing energy production

Current wiring methods

Mounting technology

Solar electrical system maintenance, as well as diagnostics and troubleshooting methods

Customer education

Aside from these training requirements, aspiring solar panel installation professionals should also receive instruction in basic electrical skills, possess knowledge of the electrical grid, and be well versed in various roof and ceiling applications.

The installation of solar hot water or pool heating systems has its own requirements with regards to training and certification, for which the NABCEP has also developed a separate task analysis. This analysis is intended specifically for solar thermal applications, and details knowledge and skill sets that are required of professionals in this area of specialization. Among the areas covered by the Solar Thermal Task Analysis of the NABCEP are:

Safe installation of solar powered hot water and pool heating systems

Systems and component identification

System design adaptation

Effective site assessment methods

Solar collector installation

Water heater and storage tank installation

Piping, insulation and connector installation

Mechanical and plumbing system and component installation

Electrical control system installation

Operation and identification tag installation

System checkout

Solar thermal system maintenance and troubleshooting

This set of tasks assumes that the solar thermal system installer utilizes an industry approved solar system design, along with the required components, installation instructions, schematics, and instructions for system assembly and troubleshooting. While the system itself is not necessarily designed by the solar electrical system provider, he or she must possess thorough knowledge about all aspects of the system, and in some cases may be called upon to modify the design depending on the application or customer requirement.

If your son is a professional baseball prospect, you might want to know what makes more sense for him: continue playing at the collegiate level, or turn pro right away. The price where it pays to go pro might surprise you.

Of the four major U.S. sports, only baseball and basketball draft high school and college players together. However, the basketball draft lasts only two rounds and includes players from overseas professional leagues, while baseball provides far more opportunities. The Amateur Baseball Draft lasts ten rounds and includes only high school and college players.

While baseball offers immediate professional opportunities to high school graduates, a minor leaguer ballplayer usually needs three or four years of seasoning to be ready for the major league roster. A player who signs a contract in 2007 and immediately reported to a Rookie League or Class A team should be on the major league roster on or before the 2010 season.

First year salaries for a minor league ballplayer range from $850 a month for the first contract season to $2,150 when the player reaches Triple-A, one level below the major leagues. Given the low salaries, the decision to skip college has to depend on the player’s signing bonus and the quality of the college programs that are offering scholarships. It might not pay for a ballplayer to pass on a top college program if the academics are strong enough to help them with life after baseball.

What is a good guideline for a signing bonus for a high school baseball player?

My rule of thumb is that the signing bonus should equal or exceed the projected cost of four years of college plus the major league minimum salary. This assumes the player would remain in college through his senior year-although it is common for baseball players to drop out without completing their degree. At worst, if the player does not make the major leagues, he should have the opportunity to save enough money to pay for college while he toils in the minors.

Following this rule of thumb, a high school player would need to receive a minimum signing bonus of $600,000.

The $600,000 minimum is based on:

? The combined costs: tuition, fees, room and board and essentials at a top private university and traditional baseball powerhouses such as Stanford, the University of Miami, or the University of Southern California approached $45,000. It is quite likely that these costs will approach, if not surpass, $200,000 to complete a bachelor’s degree.

? A 2010 major league minimum salary of $400,000, as stipulated in the most recent agreement between the Major League Baseball Players Association and the owners of the all 30 Major League Baseball teams. The 2011 league minimum is not known at this time; it is tied to a future cost of living increase.

How many players chosen in the 2006 Amateur Draft earned the recommended minimum signing bonus of $600,000?

Only the top 60 players received a signing bonus of $600,000 or more. Only 27 were high school players, the rest were college prospects.

What about the ballplayer who has finished some of his college education or completed his degree?

A college player’s signing bonus should, as a minimum, cover the remaining costs of his college education, plus the wages he might have earned by using his degree, but not playing baseball.

The player with a community college degree has already invested in his education; he can use his community college degree to find work, continue his education at a four-year college, or turn pro. The community college graduate might need as much as $100,000 to complete a four-year degree at a private college. His entry-level salary, after completing his bachelor’s degree, might range from $35,000 to $55,000 depending on grades and course of study, and, this player might still need three to four years of seasoning in the minor leagues.

This player would need a signing bonus in excess of $180,000, but he has a chance of getting a larger bonus if he stays in school and performs well the next season.

The scholarship player who completed his degree can play ball, or use his education to do something else. Like other prospects, he may need some seasoning in the minors–and his salary after three or four years of non-baseball employment could approach, maybe exceed $50,000, almost the same as tuition and expenses for college. His bonus should also be in excess of $180,000.

How many college draftees earned the recommended minimum signing bonus of $180,000?

There were 150 prospects who received a signing bonus of $180,000, or more, with the lowest ranked player selected at the top of the fifth round of the draft.

What is the major tradeoff?

The top high school baseball prospect must consider the risk of postponing college against his chances of making a major league roster within four years. It is quite difficult for a professional baseball player to attend college in the off-season because of travel and seasons that overlap into the fall and spring semesters. Top prospects are also encouraged to play winter ball; that also overlaps into study time.

However, the number of high school players who can command the big bonuses that make it pay to go pro is an elite few-and that number fluctuates from year to year because it is based on the annual level of talent in the pool of draft-eligible players.

The top college prospect must consider the opportunities to complete his education and increase his signing bonus after each season of amateur competition. The college prospect will have a degree, but he will be off to a later start in his professional career, especially if he needs seasoning in the minor leagues. However, the college graduate has more options for life after baseball.

Unless the player becomes an established major league star, it would be better for him to build a post-baseball life off a college degree than return home to lament glory days.