Although I've had several friends write guest posts for this blog, I've only written one guest post for another blog. I had won a contest over at Nothing Important and had this entry posted on March 6, 2006. Since it's not available there anymore, and because I don't have anything to say today, here it is for your enjoyment.

There's something I don't quite get: cable channels.

I'm pretty young (16), so I've grown up watching cable TV. It's always seemed that there was a channel for everything: the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, Arts & Entertainment (A&E), Animal Planet, the Learning Channel (TLC), Food Network, Game Show Network (GSN), the Travel Channel, Home & Garden Television (HGTV), ad nauseam. (These channels and many more are staples of satellite TV as well.)

There's only one way I can explain the multiplicity of very specific channels. It must have had its roots in the days before cable, when everyone watched the big three networks (CBS, NBC, and ABC) and had to put up with -- ugh -- variety in programming. Then new technology came along. "Honey, guess what? We're getting the Underwater Basket Weaving Channel!"

Fast forward to the present. Apparently the cable networks' business models are failing, or maybe they just want to spice things up. Why else would they seem to be exchanging programs and losing their narrow focus? The other day I was watching an episode about food on the History Channel's show "Modern Marvels," in which they usually look at technology and stuff. What the heck, everybody?

Take Game Show Network as another example. I think they finally realized that not everyone wants to watch game shows, so they shortened their name to GSN and adopted the tagline, "The network for games." Now anything vaguely game-related can find its way into the programming block. They have a new show called "Anything to Win," which actually is about (in)famous people who will do anything to get ahead. Games? Not in the case of Johnnie Cochran and the other folks featured.

By the way, what's the Discovery Channel supposed to be about, anyway? Discovering things? I always thought it was about science. I guess not, since they've spun off the Science Channel. Now all they show on the Discovery Channel (and TLC, and HGTV) are shows about remodeling houses. And probably makeover shows; I don't really know.

I expect all of the aforementioned cable networks to merge into the Everything Channel next spring. Till then, here's a fun game to try: Cover up the corner of your screen and try to guess what channel you're watching. I'm sure if you played it years ago, you'd find it harder now than it was then.

I could probably think of a few more examples of cable channels losing their focuses, but I really don't watch that much TV. So, while you're watching a show about the history of the food eaten by traveling hairstylists and interior designers on the Underwater Basket Weaving Channel, I'll be checking my e-mail.

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I'd like to thank Jeff/Danny for letting me write on his blog. If you enjoyed this post (that is, if it didn't make you jump out a window), you may be interested in reading my own site, www.theworldofstuff.com, where I chatter on and on like this all the time, except it's usually about my own life.