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Watching TV seems to have taken over from hockey as the national pastime. It has gone far beyond being our favourite form of entertainment. The TV has usurped the roles that used to belong to the teacher, the newspaper, the book, the ballpark and the babysitter. We have accepted this electronic genie as the focal point of our lives without giving much thought to the side effects that [recommended in a formal composition -Ed] it produces. Because of the TV, we read less, exercise less and spend less time talking to each other. Next to sleeping, watching TV as we lie on the couch is the easiest thing we can possibly do, which explains its massive popularity. The reduction in physical activity has lead to an increase in cardiovascular problems. The reduction in time spent reading books and newspapers has taken a heavy toll on our literary skills. And the reduction in community activities has strained the social structure that our civilisation depends upon. This does not mean that the act of watching TV is inherently harmful; what it does suggest, however, is that we ought to limit the hours that we spend staring [replaces 'glued' for the sake of formality -Ed] to the fascinating [replaces 'alluring' to avoid excessive connotation -Ed] little screen. Indeed, the TV can be a useful source of news, entertainment and even education. On the other hand, continually switching channels [replaces 'channel surfing' to keep with the formal tone -Ed] as a means of passing the time of day is definitely not a good idea. It is simply the most inefficient way of accomplishing absolutely nothing.