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The kitchen used to be considered mom's domain. But it's now the central gathering point in most homes. During parties, people congregate sipping cocktails and chatting while waiting for the food to cook. Mail is read and checks are written at the kitchen table. Messages are transmitted via refrigerator magnet.

Ever wonder why your cable rates keep climbing? Take a peek behind the scenes at what cable providers have to pay for programming: With only three months remaining on its current contract, ESPN, the sports network, and Cox Communications are still negotiating future annual affiliate rate increases&mdash;which are currently projected at 20%. Merrill Lynch analysts estimate that Cox pays ESPN (and parent Walt Disney Company) approximately $400 million per year, costs that are passed on to subscribers. Cox is seeking a reduction in fees, a move that could become a model for other cable companies and satellite services. Similarly, Fox Sports Net reportedly asked the Cox organization for a 35% increase for use of its 12 regional sports networks. Affiliate fees account for more than 10% of total annual revenue for big media companies like Disney, TimeWarner, and Viacom, according to <I>The Hollywood Reporter</I>.

Joel Brinkley checks out the <A HREF="/accessories/1103panasonic">Panasonic TU-DST52 digital receiver</A>, noting that this is the latest generation DTV unit from the company that created the very first model released in the US. "These products have been among the best. This latest incarnation is no exception."

While large Japanese electronic firms have always raced neck and neck to bring consumers all the latest features in surround-processor technology, smaller "high-end" manufacturers on this side of the Pacific seem less inclined to frequent the bleeding edge. Bucking the trend is Canadian manufacturer Class&#233;, whose newest surround processor is as full-featuredly up-to-the-acronym as Tokyo's finest. The SSP-60's multichannel analog inputs are de rigueur for reproducing discrete SACD and DVD-Audio surround formats, while the inclusion of both Dolby Pro Logic II and DTS Neo:6 will breathe new life into your 2-channel movie and music collections.