Billion Dollar Handout To Upgrade TVs

db32 writes "SFGate has the story of the cutoff date for those rabbit ear antennas that some of us grew up with (Feb. 19, 2009). Now while the story of analog vs. digital TV has been beaten to death, still I think there is something more here. 'The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration... said it is setting aside $990 million to pay for the boxes. Each home can request up to two $40 coupons for a digital-to-analog converter box, which consumer electronics makers such as RCA and LG plan to produce.' Beyond my disdain for most TV to begin with, I am blown away that with all of our current problems — homelessness and crime on the home front, war fighting and terrorism abroad — our government is seriously going to spend this much money on upgrading peoples' televisions."

Somewhere in a NSA memo...

[HungWeiLo]

I'm sure "TVs" are code-named "Urban Pacification Devices (UPD)".

Ancient Romans had government-subsidized gladiator matches. Americans have Fox-subsidized American Idol. Same difference.

Terrible

[CODiNE]

It's terrible terrible indeed, and I'll be signing up for my 2 vouchers as soon as I can.

Re:Kill your TV!

[Anonymous Coward]

Every time I see one of these posts, I am reminded of the following Onion article: Area Man Constantly Mentioning He Doesn't Own A Television [theonion.com].

Re:Somewhere in a NSA memo...

[powerlord]

Ancient Romans had government-subsidized gladiator matches. Americans have Fox-subsidized American Idol. Same difference.

Does that mean that next season we'll see the smarmy british Judge face off against a pack of vicious lions?

Heck, it might actually get me to watch that drivel.

It's amazing you're still happy...

[raehl]

Are you going to try and prove to a happy person that are, in fact, just as angry and boring as you are? What's the point?

How are you going to get any happier if you don't take happiness from others?

Why all the fuss?

[networkzombie]

I thought the new Futurama episodes were going straight to DVD?

Re:yes, but...

[Anonymous Coward]

But how are we supposed to ignore our social problems without TV?

drugs

Re:Yeah, this is chump change...

[Anonymous Coward]

The fact that a reasonably educated westerner can't figure out the resource allocation to accomplish the basic goal of feeding 600 million Americans is why Communism fails, and why government screws things up.

A reasonably educated westerner would at least know that the USA only has a population of 300 million.

Re:Yeah, this is chump change...

[JoGlo]

A reasonably educated westerner would at least know that the USA only has a population of 300 million.

North AND South America?

Re:Yeah, this is chump change...

[glittalogik]

While the previous replies hold true, I think that was just a typo. /. has already established beyond a shadow of a doubt that even reasonably educated westerners can't find the Preview button.

Re:It's amazing you're still happy...

[Have Blue]

When will people stop saying this? If I take your happiness, you still have it. That's why it's not theft, it's happiness infringement.

Re:Citizens of USA called Americans

[EtherealStrife]

As a citizen of the United States, I prefer Californian.

Our Government at work

[AnalogDiehard]

Senior citizen: Senator, I cannot afford to get my prescriptions on my Social Security check.
Senator: Sorry, that's the breaks. Medicare only goes so far. Here, have a digital to analog television converter. That should make you feel better. Have a nice day!