TV's Are Mortal Too

My TV has died...better it died than did Jean or Jim, but I am going to spend some time today and tomorrow in getting a new one. I am learning quite a bit about TV's, as my old one (the big one I had in the living room) was 13 years old when it passed away (no funeral services but I will grieve at it's passing). Given my technological ignorance, I did my research on TV's in Consumer Report's magazine and on line. My instinct is going to win though, because I am going to buy another Sony set.
There are cheaper ones by other makers in the size and style I want, but Sony has always been the best in electronics. But which Sony. I looked at a few places here as well as on line and have narrowed it down to a 40" Sony Bravia KLV with 720 resolution at $1800 or the Sony Bravia KDL 40" with the highest resolution offered at 1800 pixels. That one costs $2300. There were so many kinds of sets, but I think Plasma HD and LCD HD are the best of the new technologies. So I only looked at those and quickly eliminated plasma sets because of their fragility. Both of those two choices are LCD High Definition sets.
But what an ordeal in buying electronics today. there are so many options and new technologies that, like the computers we buy, the consumer buys obsolete almost as soon as he takes the TV out of the store. Being not well versed on TV technology I think buying Sony brand is one way to lower the odds that I will get something that wont work as well as it should.
Sigh...and my 5 year old computer will have to be replaced next year. I know the chip and hard drive could fail at any time. I am waiting to see the new Vista operating system work, as vista will be out in late January. I will buy a computer with a dual processor and vista, but only after I observe other people buying those first. No doubt there will be some problems with the new OS, so it is better to let the bugs work out before buying one . I probably shouldn't write about replacing this computer. It might die right now just out of contempt of my plans to junk it.
TV's may die, but Halloween never dies for me, so I have a quick story about this past Halloween's most unsuitable trick ot treat costume. Oscar Aponte, 32, a former prison inmate at Westchester, NY jail, decided to wear an unusual costume when he took his young son trick-or-treating this year. Oscar dressed in his orange prison jumpsuit. Haha I guess Oscar is proud of his time in the slammer or just has fond memories of it, But unfortunately, Oscar went to the door of a corrections officer who was guarded him in Westchester jail. The officer alerted the Westchester County Jail and the prison was locked down to see if anyone was missing. But alas! Oscar is a free man.
He had smuggled the prison outfit from the jail when he was released in September. Since all prison attire must be left behind prison authorities are wondering how Oscar got it out (He's a thief...they should expect him to steal). And since Oscar is a career criminal and has been charged with petty larceny and criminal possession of stolen property (the orange prison jumpsuit), he may have to do his trick-or-treating in that outfit again next year..while he is in prison for his theft.