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Congress Pays You $3 Billion to Keep Watching TV
Felix the Cat writes "After budgets cuts led to the layoff of engineers and scientists at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a US Senate committee has approved a $3 billion dollar subsidy to assist Americans in their difficult transition to digital television in 2009. The old analog television spectrum will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. The transition date was chosen to not interfere with college football bowl games or basketball playoffs." From the article: "The draft of a House bill would end analog transmissions on Dec. 31, 2008. It does not mention a subsidy for set-top converter boxes. So, lawmakers will likely have to work out differences between the two bills, though Stevens said he did not anticipate a big fight with the House over the deadline or the subsidy."
Will any of this subsidy affect my $1.99 Lost episodes?
There is truth in humor.
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Amen, brother. When I went to college in 1980 I couldn't afford a TV of my own (I recall them being expensive, $300 in 1980 dollars, and besides since I left a girl back home I had to save all my dough to spend on phone bills). So I just stopped watching it. Haven't since. Not a "statement" or moral choice -- just never found enough time or desire, I suppose.
So that'll be 25 years without watching the tube come September. Only problem is the odd looks when I completely miss TV-culture references. Like Mr. or Dr. Steinfeld and some show about friends ("Friends"?). Means nothing to me. Nor have I seen any "Star Trek" shows since the original, although I do understand that there are about eleventy-two subvarieties of it now, with talking robots and stuff.
I've considered explaining I've just returned from twenty years in the Australian outback, but I can't do the accent.
In other news, statistics are up 360%.
Christ, and no one has sold the broadcast rights to it yet? What kind of screw-ups are running this war? Have they even lined up sponsors? Auctioned off the stuffed toy and Happy Meal(TM) tie-in rights? I'm so depressed.
Considering what's on TV, paying me $3 billion dollars isn't enough to get me to watch more televesion.
If you're reading this, stop it.
Chief Wiggum lifts covers of the bed and peers under
Wiggum: Well I'll be damned!
I hope I didn't brain my damage.
How does this get modded up? Does it occur to you that some people in America are smart, watched the debates, and chose to support Bush? I, for one, have a brain, watched the debates, and voted for Bush because I thought he would make a good president.
Same here. I'm smart, pretty well informed, watched the debates, and voted for Bush.
You know, it's possible for someone to see the same facts as you and interpret them differently. That doesn't imply stupidity on either part, just different perspectives.
Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
This is why we don't let people score their own IQ tests.
"Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it." -- GBS