With older versions of the cell phone, you had to trade them in, or donate them, if you didn’t want to start a collection. With the newer versions, they are capable of doing more. Therefore, they can come in quite handy when you are no longer using them on a cellular plan.

One use for such a smartphone would be a GPS Navigator. By using an old smartphone, you save yourself the trouble of running your operating phone out of battery. You can keep your current phone charged while using your old phone to navigate with. You can download a GPS app that stores the maps for use. TomTom for iPhone, iPhone and CoPilot for Android all have apps that don’t need WiFi for operation. If you need the windshield mount, these can be found on eBay.

Your old smartphone can also be used as a remote. There are apps you can download that can turn the smartphone into a remote for your TV, computer or media player. The Google TV remote app comes with a mouse pad, a range of buttons and arrows. The Remote app by iPhones allows you to control an Apple TV. It comes with a keyboard so you can type. The Griffin Beacon works with infrared and can turn your smartphone into a universal remote by translating actions with IR signals.

Your old smartphone can also double as a keyboard extension or a touchpad. The iPhone offers an app called TouchPad to allow you to control your computer with WiFi. NumPad is another app put out by iPhone that you can use to help extend your keyboard functions. Android offers the RemoteDroid. This app gives the user a touch screen mouse to navigate with an on-screen mouse. You still don’t have to have service to the phone to use these apps. Simply download them to your computer, then to the phone. Android’s RemoteDroid offers versions for PCs and Macs.

Another use for your old smartphone is as a desk clock or an alarm clock. There are stands available for a smartphone. These stands make it possible to stand the phone up on your desk, night stand or anywhere else you need a clock displayed. Moviepeg is a company that sells stands. You can also try eBay. These phone docks rate in pricing from inexpensive to expensive. Once you have the right dock for your phone, you can simply pick out a clock app that best suits your needs and your tastes. There are several to choose from at the App Store and at Google play.

By utilizing the technology your old smart phone does possess, you may be able to put it to good use, and save some money in the short-term.

The two inform the rest of the crew of Julie’s decision leaving Jason upset, Maggie in tears and Jackie overjoyed by her new promotion.  Bethenny is concerned over Maggie’s emotional state and wonders whether or not she will be able to take on the pressures that the job entails.

There is some underlying tension between Jason and Bethenny over their work situation.  Jason wants to help out with Skinny Girl but Bethenny is not so sure that this is the right decision for their relationship.

Balancing a business, marriage and child are not the only areas that Bethenny is juggling.  Now that her business is growing Brooke, Bethenny’s interior designer, is attempting to upgrade her apartment with 22,000 dollar lamps and 70,000 dollar mirrors.

Bethenny is caught in a bind trying to figure out if these expensive pieces are really her lifestyle.  She struggles with her humble roots and trying to justify wanting to buy a 35,000 dollar bar set.  The struggle travels home with her when she asks Jason what he thinks of the furniture situation and he gives her indirect answers only making the situation harder for her.

Despite Bethenny’s personal trials she seems to have things together in the business world.  She is starting a new branch of Skinny Girl called Shape Ware which appears to be lingerie for the more “everyday woman”.  Bethenny gets her all of the women who help her hold her life together to model the line; this includes her hair stylist, Stacy and her assistants Julie, Maggie, and Jackie.  Stacy spices it up with her bright red lips to kill and sparks Bethenny’s interest.  In an attempt to get a smidgen of Stacy’s lipstick for herself Bethenny plants a giant kiss on Stacy’s mouth.

Stress arises once again as Julie, Bethenny and Jackie go over the schedule for the week.  Bethenny doubts that Jackie will be able to handle all of the responsibility coming her way while Jackie feels confident that she can.  However, only time will tell.

After tending to a packed schedule of parties and business decisions Bethenny pays her therapist a visit.  This is where her true feelings come out regarding Julie’s decision to move back home.  Bethenny breaks down while reminiscing about her and Julie’s long past together.  She realizes that things between the two of them will never be the same.

The episode ends with the Shape Ware photo-shoot.  Bethenny expresses her doubt about Maggie and Jackie taking over for Julie and Julie attempts to put her at ease once again.

It appears that the group felt that the old “Stooges” was a well written script and had the characteristics of no rude and crude behavior as well as carried a certain respect for religion during the Hollywood golden age. Catholic League President, Bill Donohue makes claims that the new version of comedy has a faithful resemblance to modern comedians as it mocks nuns and shows babies urinating in the face of Stooges. The main objection to the film was a story of the Stooges in a fundraiser for an orphanage that boasts Kate Upton in a “nun bikini” with a rosary necklace. This same League offered up their disgust of another drag nun who is named Sister Mary-Mengele, later known as a Nazi war criminal.

According to Donohue, this film is not a good remake of the earlier “clean” version of  the Stooges, but depicts a sociological significance as it attempts to mark culture in a modern world. He doesn’t think it offers anything encouraging to the change occurring in today’s world.

Of course, Fox takes the stance of dispute against the League’s claims that Moe, Larry, and Curly are not the same team as they were in their days of old. A spokesperson for Fox released a statement that the movie is a broad comedy that keeps the spirit of the long running TV show and its three stars, and that the Stooges have proved over time that having fun and laughter is good medicine for the viewers. He also adds that the nuns that are portrayed in the film are caring and heroic characters, with a touch of modern day comedy not meant to make fun of anyone, but bring laughter to their lives.

Looks like the CBS network is sensitive to the League’s claims as it refused to air a gut- bursting thirty second ad in one of the network breaks during the Monday night NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game for 20^th Century Fox. The giant’s “The Three Stooges” would not air due to it’s disapproval of the movie making fun of prescription drug ads as well as the sound of the audio throwing off on generic drug ads and setting them up for network suits and create a disaster by some of their biggest advertisers.

Fox submitted the narrated commercial for network approval March 22, and CBS granted the spot, but later superiors tabled airing of the ads. Pharmaceutical companies are some of their biggest advertisers.  However, the website reported that they did not catch Fox off guard as the ads did actually air during the early rounds of the tournament. “The Three Stooges” hit theaters on April 13.

It was self-evaluation week.  Everyone’s self-evaluations failed to convey their true selves’ except for Jenna’s which was completely honest only because she was under the influence which disjointed her normally faulty judgment. However, Jenna managed to steal back her form and throw it away before any real damage could be done.

The writers played yet another trick on Jenna by making her think that they were a famous director and encouraging her to paint herself blue and do cartwheels in the middle of time square.  After she figured out she had been tricked she dedicated herself to revenge at any rate, which happened to come in the form of Kenneth.

As the new janitor Kenneth revealed to Jenna that he knew everyone’s secrets simply by looking through their trash.  Jenna then schemes to get back at the writers by looking through their trash and finding their darkest secrets.

She humiliates the culprits by telling that Frank is a member of the Taylor Swift fan club and that Two-fer has strange sexual fetishes but Jenna hurts Lutz the most by leaving him out deliberately and failing to find anything.
Frank and Two-fer later come to Jenna and tell her that she really hurt Lutz and crossed the line, therefore is a bad person.

Meanwhile Jack calls Pete into his office because he is dissatisfied with Pete’s evaluation.  Under the section of “Where do you see yourself in five years” Pete said that he would like to remain right where he was.  Jack saw this as a “loss of mojo” and determined to help Pete get it back.  However, after many failed attempts all Pete had to show for Jack’s help was a black eye and a shaved head that revealed that Pete actually had a tattoo that resembled penises that were also somehow shaped like swastikas.

Liz goes with Tracy to Dr. Spaceman because Tracy somehow has a ring lodged up his nose and has not been able to smell for years.

After getting his sense of smell back he mistakes Liz for his father because the two ironically use the same hair grease.  Liz then takes advantage of the situation and manipulates Tracy into leaving his family and committing himself to doing his job better than he ever had before.

The show concludes with Jenna getting tricked by the writers once again.  After looking through the trash all night to find something on Lutz they tell her that Lutz didn’t care in the first place.  However, she leaves feeling like less of a bad person.

Pete no longer wants Jack’s help and Jack later tells Liz that it was really him who had a problem with the self-evaluation because he couldn’t figure out where he wanted to be in five years.

In the final scene Liz takes Tracy back to Dr. Spaceman to get his nose re-blocked.

Breaking every commandment in the Good Book, yet justifying every evil trick they pull on scripture from it, the Dallas crazies are full of gossip and malice towards their old high school mate as she gets caught up in the drama after her late husband’s criminal financial woes and moves back in with her mother in the Dallas neighborhood where she grew up.

The show stars Leslie Bibb as Amanda Vaughn, former high school “Queen Bitch” and recently widowed mother of two who moves back to her hometown. Amanda lost it all when her rich husband was caught taking billions from investors and dies in a car crash, along with his mistress. In the first two episodes, Amanda is constantly running into riffs with her former schoolmates she used to make fun of: Charlene Cockburn, the “new Queen Bitch;” Sharon Peacham, a real beauty in high school, but is now heavy and insecure and is Charlene’s sidekick; the town gossip Cricket Caruth-Reily who is married to her secretly gay husband Blake; and the fence riding pal, Heather Cruz, a mighty Dallas Real Estate Exec.

Amanda and her teenage children moved in with her mother, Gigi Stopper, who wants to train and groom Amanda’s parenting skills to her own high-lifestyle liking, giving advice about the strategic moves she thinks Amanda and the kids need to survive in the back-stabbing environment. Amanda has grown and risen above that tenaciously cruel way of life since she has grown up and wants to move on with her life.  That has been hard to do with Charlene and her cronies refusing to believe Amanda has changed and all the while keeping the heat on her to drive her back out of town, and out of their insecure and threatened lives.

The show has won its audiences and gets the go ahead from viewers to “keep the good times rolling” as it is one great hour of entertainment and a good mix of comedy and serious moments. It borders on hypocrisy as the Texans try to one up each other but all stick together to gang up on Amanda. Rib-cracking comedy erupts as the religious twists of the girls claiming to be good Christians and hard workers in the church are overshadowed by breaking every commandment known to man as they persecute each other, as well as Amanda.

The show has already earned 9 more episodes as it grows in ratings each week. ABC plans to slide it right into the 9PM slot when Desperate Housewives ends in two more weeks. Catch all the fun Sunday nights at 10PM Eastern

As soon as the video starts, there is a straightforwardness that grabs the viewer. This is not a “smoke and mirrors” production. There is not a lot of hype and fanfare to wade through.

The narrator, Jason Russel, offers a simple, honest look at the impact of Joseph Kony’s actions over the last 20 years. It outlines the horrors that have been inflicted on the children of Uganda, Africa, for the sake of power.

These children have had to endure loss in unfathomable proportions. Joseph Kony, founder and head of the LRA (Lords Resistance Army) turns the young girls into sex slaves and Ugandan boys into soldiers. They are forced to perform as Kony demands, killing parents, participating in the degradation of their young girls, and going from place to place to torture, rape, abduct and destroy. Those that do survive these attacks bear the scars of horrific mutilations on their faces for life. There is no forgetting and moving on.

Until Jason Russel took steps to make his Kony known, the world was not even aware this was happening.

Throughout the video, Russel speaks about and to his son, Gavin. Gavin is very young, but can grasp the concept of “good and bad”. The message in his appearance on the video is simple. Even a child understands the need to stop the bad guy, and the action that is taken today will positively affect the coming generations.

Kony 2012 seeks to make the general public aware of the atrocities that are being committed against children that have been appropriately named the Invisible Children. It introduces Jacob, a child Russel met when he was young and running from Kony. Jacob is shown crying, saying that death would be a better choice than the life he had.

It’s a moving and informative video about the suffering that went unnoticed by the world.

With this video, Jason Russel seeks to move people into action. There is information given on the community that has been started on Facebook, and the organization, TRI, that is offering “Action Kits” with bracelets containing geo codes. These codes can be used to track the impact that an individual can help make in this situation.

It also discusses Russel’s plan to “Blanket the Night” on April 20th, 2012. Russel is organizing a country-wide “blanketing” in which every occupant across the country will wake up to pictures and information on Joseph Kony. Jason Russel seeks to make him famous, not for his prosperity, but for his capture and arrest.

The video can be viewed for free, online, in a number of locations. For those interested, 29 minutes and 59 seconds can help them change the world.

The newest episode promises to be something special, with flashbacks to 1912 and the ever-present tension between the turned, but young, vampire brothers, and their love, Elana.

In this episode, the lovely Elena is surprised to receive an invitation to Klaus’ mansion. He apparently wants to show off all of the new renovations. She graciously accepts, much to the consternation of Damon and Stefan. The two insist on going with her. Also, Damon is reminded of Sage, an old friend.

As for the unanswered questions? Well, Julie Plec, executive producer for the show, says they will be answered… eventually. The good news is that this episode starts the series back up, so lingering questions can finally be answered, one episode at a time.

Plec promises that the relationship between Elana and Stefan will be given a second chance. Plec alludes to “breakthroughs, movement and frustration” for Stefan and Elena. Elena will have to deal with the emotional aspects of her fractured relationship with Stefan and the guilt she feels for the suffering her presence seems to have caused her friends. To complicate matters, Stefan’s absence also left her with an open door for Damon to walk in. How is Damon handling Stefan’s return?

As far as Damon’s part in this, Plec says Damon will be his usual angry, angst-ridden self. But, Plec is quick to point out, when the chips are down, and someone needs help, he will be there.

Plec did reveal a surprise twist for the remainder of season three. It involves a “maybe” romance between Elena and Alaric. Who saw that coming? These two are flirting with the idea of taking their relationship to the next level. The question that comes to mind is, will it change his lifestyle? Will he be able to quit drinking so much and return to the class room- for Elena or himself?

It seems the Originals have yet another challenge to overcome. Plec reports that the discovery of another white oak tree also has a hand in shaping the rest of season three. Though Klaus and Rebekah are still the only ones that know of its existence, that won’t last forever. Will the secret hold into next season? Damon knows there’s something up, but how far is he willing to go to find out? For right now, though, the on-screen siblings seem to be happy with the glow of victory they finally gained over their mother.

As to the finale? Plec promises a combination from the finales of seasons one and two. The danger is still there, but there is also a lot of emotional content that still has to be registered and portrayed. What does this mean for “Vampire Diaries” fans? More breath-holding drama mixed in with a little vampire gore!

The results are in for the “American Idol” Top 13! The Top 13 are listed here, in the order that they performed in. The good news is there is a strong chance for a female winner this season (if Jessica Sanchez or Hollie Cavanagh have anything to say about it). Don’t miss the “safe” picks at the bottom.

Contestants in the order they performed: Joshua Ledet, Elise Testone, Jermaine Jones, Erika Van Pelt, Colton Dixon, Shannon Magrane, Deandre Brackensick, Skylar Laine, Heehun Han, Hollie Cavanagh, Jeremy Rosado, Jessica Sanchez and last, but not least, Phillip Phillips.

Joshua Ledet sang “I Wish” by Stevie Wonder. The 19 year old from Westlake, California has been compared to Fantasia Barrino, one of his biggest idols.

Elise Testone sang “I’m Your Baby, Tonight” by Whitney Houston.  Elise is from Charleston, SC and 28 years old.

Jermaine Jones, from Pine Hill, N.J., sang “Knocks Me Off My Feet” by Stevie Wonder. Did you know he is 6’8 ½”? He is 25 years old.

Erika Van Pelt, age 26, sang another Whitney Houston song, “I Believe in You and Me”. She is from South Kingstown, R.I.

The next to perform was Colton Dixon, a native of Murfreesboro, Tenn. He sang “Lately” by Stevie Wonder.  Dixon is 20 years old. He played an extra in “Hannah Montana”, the movie.

Shannon Magrane, age 16 from Tampa, Fl., sang the song “I Have Nothing” by (you guessed it) Whitney Houston. Magrane wants to perform with Beyonce.

Deandre Brackensick, the 17 year old from San Jose, California, sang “Master Blaster” by Stevie Wonder. He said he loves the Hawaiian culture.

Skylar Laine, one of the early favorites, is from Brandon, Miss. She sang Houston’s “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”. She says she loves to hunt.

Heehun Han sang “All in Love is Fair“. Han, age 22 from Flushing, N.Y. is very talented. She can fold her tongue in half and eat an entire Noodles cup in under 10 seconds.

Hollie Cavanagh was next, with “All The Man That I Need”. She is 18, from McKinney, Texas. She loves to play center midfielder in soccer. She received high praise from the judges for her performance.

Jeremy Rosado sang “Ribbon in the Sky”. Rosado is from Valrico, Fl., and is 19 years old. He drinks a lot of juice!

Jessica Sanchez was next, with “I Will Always Love You”. This self-professed perfectionist is 16 years old, from San Diego, California. She likes to rap. The judges came out of their seats and clapped for her when she performed! Steven Tyler told her she had just made 40 million people cry.

Phillip Phillips, from Leesburg, Georgia, sang “Superstition”.  Phillips is 21 years old. He does an impression of “Family Guy” Mr. Herbert.

The “safe” picks seem to be Joshua Ledet, Colton Dixon, Skylar Laine, Heehun Han, Hollie Cavanagh, Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips. If you don’t see your favorite on the “safe” picks list, there’s still a chance!

Staying with the demand, newer shows will branch into sub-categories, or niche programming, like “Baggage Battles”, showing on the Travel Channel or “Thrift Wars”, airing on Oxygen. “Baggage Battles” will follow the auctions that sell airline baggage no one has claimed. “Thrift Wars” offers a look at the New York thrift scene, as dedicated thrift-seekers look for the vintage items they are after. The items are bought in an effort to sell them and make a profit, so the cheaper, the better.

Traditionally, studies have found that “follow-up” shows have not done as well as original programming. However, this has not stopped networks from coming up with numerous shows that span a wide variety of topics. The less popular follow-up shows that are planned for airing include more shows about pawn stores, abandoned storage units and auctions. Niche programming, however, will also include reality shows about logging, hand-fishing, hoarding, housewives and swamps.

No matter the content, advertisers are happy with the existence of these shows. They can pay less with a “follow-up” than they do with an original program, and still reach their target audience.

Another hurdle to jump for networks will be the fees that cable and satellite providers are going to want to negotiate. If the “follow-up” programs are not as popular, they won’t want to pay as much for those as the original programs.

As risky as the venture may seem to some, Oxygen and Travel Channel are at peace with the new content in their programming lineups.

Whatever opinions may be out there, it’s the viewers that will have the final say.

Everybody has seen the zombie story played out. It’s been done and redone, so why all the interest for yet another zombie show? It’s no ordinary program.

“The Walking Dead” delves into the moralist side of a zombie apocalypse, reminding the viewer that life (and drama) don’t quit just because you are on the menu (if caught).  It’s more than bullets and rotting flesh, but there is plenty of that, too. This show fulfills the craving for blood, guts and gore, while exploring human interaction between characters that would never have met before they became a part of the menu.

In the two seasons that “The Walking Dead” has aired, it has explored romances, reunited families, dealt with bigotry, racism and hate, and shown the grief and shock of unexpected deaths among close family members. These situations are made even more intense by the backdrop of chaos and rotting, moaning zombies that are trying to eat every living thing in sight. While the characters are trying to sort through what remains of their lives, and survive their current predicaments, they are obligated to run for their lives and protect the ones they love the most.

The show is currently in its second season, on its ninth episode. It can be seen on AMC.