Culture & Traditions

Many people are pretty conscious of how much energy they use. But have you ever wondered if your cable set-top box is sucking up too much power? Or if your satellite TV setup is an energy hog?

By Gerlinda Grimes

Time-shifting TV has become the norm for many households. Along with convenience and enjoyment, however, come a lot of less obvious complications that the industry is still trying to figure out. How has time shifting changed how we watch TV?

By Jacob Clifton

It's been awhile since the days of sitting down right at 7 p.m. to watch a favorite TV show. Internet and cable companies have made it easier to watch the shows we love when we want to. How are TV time technologies shifting?

By Jacob Clifton

With the invention of online streaming of television shows, TV ratings have changed. After all, there should be a way to measure not only standard TV ratings, but also ratings for online viewing. How is this challenge being tackled?

By Rebecca Fairley Raney

Want to watch your favorite shows through the Internet? The world of online TV can be confusing, but if you know where to look, you can find what you want. What are a few ways to watch your favorite shows online?

By Rebecca Fairley Raney

Networks decide to cancel shows for a variety of reasons, but no matter what, it's never fun to discover that a show you love is about to get canceled. So how have fans come to rescue of their favorite programs over the years?

By Becky Striepe

Has one of your favorite programs ever faced cancellation? Sometimes even the best TV shows don't pull the viewership they need to keep them on the air. So is there anything you can do to help keep your favorites from being canceled?

By Becky Striepe

Have you ever invested hours and hours of watching a TV show, only to see it get canceled? Don't worry -- you're not alone. We've got 10 TV cult hits that had a tough time getting viewers in front of the tube.

By Gerlinda Grimes

Many American shows have gained an almost cult-like following abroad, thanks in part to the Internet and satellite technology. So which ones are the most popular? We highlight 10 of them here.

By John Perritano

Some real-life crime stories are sensational enough to get their own fictional treatment on television. Ladies and gentlemen, the stories you are about to read are true -- and the names are, too.

By Jane McGrath

Countless films and TV shows have used the courtroom to capitalize on the climactic moments and sensational elements of the justice system. But how accurate are those depictions of legal procedure?

By Jane McGrath

There is certainly no denying the appeal of forensic investigation TV shows. But there's also no denying these shows employ sloppy, even criminal, investigation techniques and often use tools and technology that would never fly in the real world.

By Chris Warren

TV shows like "CSI," "Bones" and "Law and Order" could all-but help criminals figure out better ways to pull off their misdeeds without getting caught. But does watching the show really make a criminal better at, well, being a criminal?

By Chris Warren

Some TV relationships are simply too good to be true. Whatever it is that makes many well-known TV relationships seem improbable, we can't help but tune in, week after week, rerun after rerun, especially when it involves any of these 10.

By Beth Brindle

Admit it: You tune in for the twists and turns of "Grey's Anatomy" and "The Bachelor(ette)" as though your own fate hangs in the balance. So has this obsession with TV affected our real-life relationships?

By Beth Brindle

Thanks to the steady march of technology and the advent of HD, home theaters are more affordable than ever. But how do you transform your media room into a home theater that captures the essence of the real thing?

By Wesley Fenlon

With theater-to-DVD turnarounds taking only a few months, and services like Netflix providing inexpensive ways to watch movies at home, the movie and theater industries have had to adapt to the rapid evolution of television technology that has put the movie-going model in danger. So could the TV eventually kill the movies?

By Wesley Fenlon

The invention of the DVD changed the media industry in ways that were unimaginable just a few decades earlier -- from the way media is produced and marketed to the way it generates revenue. What are some other effects of DVDs on the film industry?

If you only know about nuns through movies and television, then you might think that all nuns wield rulers while singing, dancing and flying. In reality, nuns have set themselves apart from the world to lead a more spiritual life, one with vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

By Molly Edmonds

Today's version of marriage looks very different from the unions enjoyed by our ancestors. For most of human history, marriage was more akin to a business deal between men, and the bride in question had very few rights or other options. So how did marriage become associated with love?

By Molly Edmonds

Sure, someone can quit smoking. But if that person still yearns to light up a cigarette every day for the rest of his life, has he really changed? What does it take to alter behavior?

By Charles W. Bryant

Getting your first tattoo is a rite of passage. But before you get your guitar gently inked on your bicep, it's important to do your research and know what you're getting into. Here are 10 tips for the tattoo virgin.

By Emilie Sennebogen

The oldest examples of tattooing yet found were discovered on a corpse dating back to 3300 BC. Learn about this and more in this history of tattooing.

By Meghan E. Smith

The L.A. Ink posse is counting down the top five mistakes people make when getting a tattoo. Get their advice for what not to do the next time you get a tattoo.

Religious worship can serious and somber, but it can also be joyous and celebratory -- in the correct context, of course. Here are 10 deities, like that infamous Dionysus, who command their followers to party.

By Josh Clark