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Starting Wednesday, it’s against state law to watch TV, look at a laptop, or stare at a DVD player while driving.
Don’t worry, it’s still legal to mesmerize yourself with all sorts of other distracting gadgets. And still dangerous.
You can still gaze at GPS and other navigation gizmos, audio system displays, and that cute little screen that tells drivers of some cars what kind of gas mileage they’re getting. It’s OK also to look at one of those video images designed to keep you from backing the car over a tricycle in your driveway.
The new law is an update of an ancient ban that only covered live television broadcasts received via TV antennas. It’s not clear whether the new law restricts our freedom to fiddle with our iPods as we drive.
What about texting while driving? That’s still legal until ... [MORE]

It's taken 18 years, but the Los Angeles Times is reporting that the first season of 'thirtysomething' is set for DVD release on August 25. And the other three seasons will come out about every six months after that.
Just to remind you "thirtysomething" ran from September 1987 through May 1991, and looked at Reagan-era class-consciousness, career striving and family values collided with post-hippie ethics, and was enacted through a group of educated, upper-middle class characters. There were two main couples featuring actors you'll be familiar with even if you didn't watch "thirtysomething": Michael/Hope (played by Ken Olin/Mel Harris) and Elliot/Nancy (Timothy Busfield/Patricia Wettig), and their friends, families and co-workers.
Readers were passionate about The N&O's decision to distribute a paid advertisement about radical Muslims. These letters appear online only.