Response To California's Large-Screen TV Regulation

An anonymous reader writes "It's great that unelected bureaucrats in California are clamoring to save energy, but when they target your big-screen TVs for elimination, consumers and manufacturers are apt to declare war. CEDIA and the CEA are up in arms over this. Audioholics has an interesting response that involves setting the TVs in 'SCAM' mode to meet the energy criteria technically without having to add additional cost or increase costs to consumers. 'In this mode, the display brightness/contrast settings would be set a few clicks to the right of zero, audio would be disabled and backlighting would be set to minimum. The power consumption should be measured in this mode much like an A/V receiver power consumption is measured with one channel driven at full rated power and the other channels at 1/8th power.' This is an example of an impending train wreck of unintended consequences, and many are grabbing the popcorn and pulling up chairs to watch."

Governmental Controls

[TechnologyResource]

Are they going to tell us what we can watch too? Good thing I don't live in California.

Re:California Uber Alles

[jimicus]

Maybe they'll add cool televisions to their targets when they invade our privies.

Why are they invading your toilets?

Re:Simple solution

[swanzilla]

If you want people to use less electricity charge more for it and use the tax to fund something good like public transit

Mr. President? Is that you?

Silly fool!

[WinPimp2K]

This is a win-win-win-win solution for California.

1> These measures ensure that California's current power plants will be capable of supplying all the electricity nmeeded for the foreseeable future. There be no need for trying to find a safe place to put new power plants that will either vastly increase CO2 emissions or worse cause increased radioactive contamination from nuclear power.
2>In addition, it will vastly increase employment opportunities in the state. When you cross back into California with your illegal power-hogging bigscreen, you will be met by "inspectors" from the newly expanded agriculture department. They will confiscate your contraband and charge you with crimes against humanity. you will then be temporarily incarcerted in facilites which will require many new prison guards until such time as you can be deported for trial by the ICC in their Somalian facility.
3>As you will be unable to pay taxes/rent/mortgage your home/apartment will be seized by the state. As it is now owned by the state, there can be no possibility of it being foreclosed upon which will operate to further reinforce the rock solid stability of the CA banking industry.
4>The vastly increased payroll requirements of all the new state workers will of course consume the current budget surplus so that there will be no need for any tax cuts - and in the years following, the taxes paid by those state employees will result in further surplusses so that even more state employees can be hired.

Re:Tax

[eln]

I see a business opportunity for folks willing to be a TV "mule" to smuggle big-screens into the state.

I don't think this would be as popular as you might think. I can only think of one person who would be capable of kiestering a 65-inch TV, and even he might be turned off by the sharp corners.

Re:Tax

[Duradin]

I don't think anyone in the rest of the U.S. would stop California (or Texas) from leaving.

Sure we'd have to spend a fair bit in border security to make sure none of them ever get back in but it'd be worth it.

Re:What's the big deal?

[tepples]

What's the big deal with large TV's anyway. 12" CRT TV owner, and proud of it.

If you're single and rarely have friends come to visit, a TV the size of a laptop PC's monitor might work. But people with a family or a social life can't easily fit four grown bodies around a 12" TV with a comfortable viewing distance and angle.

Re:California Uber Alles

[Anonymous Coward]

"The pigs?" What is this, 1967?

Do you call money "scratch" too?

Re:Tax

[czarangelus]

I think being part of the American Empire is like being married to a crack addict. He makes us go to work while he sits on his ass watching television, and then takes a significant fraction of what we earn and he blows it on crack and PayPerView. He hits us, tells us what friends we can have, what we're allowed to eat and drink and what we aren't. He is always going out and picking fights with the neighbors, then he comes home bloody and expects us to take care of his ass.

And he gets most violent of all when we try to file a divorce.

Re:Deckchairs?

[LatencyKills]

I've always said that if we could just get everyone to agree not to have children for the next 100 years or so, all the other problems facing the human race would solve themselves.

Re:Deckchairs?

[russotto]

I say we build three spaceships. The "A Ark" would contain leaders, the "B Ark" would contain middle-men and the "C Ark" would contain workers.

Dibs on whichever ark is carrying the telephone sanitizers.

Re:California Uber Alles

[Anonymous Coward]

D'oh! I literally read that as pigs, as in the four-legged variety. I thought they had trained pigs as search animals...that'll teach me to skim the comments!

Re:Tax

[CodeBuster]

That reminds me of a particular line from the film, My Cousin Vinny [imdb.com]:

Vinny Gambini: I object to this witness being called at this time. We've been given no prior notice he would testify. No discovery of any tests he's conducted or reports he's prepared. And as the court is aware, the defense is entitled to advance notice of all witness who will testify, particularly those who will give scientific evidence, so that we can properly prepare for cross-examination, as well as give the defense an opportunity to have his reports reviewed by a defense expert, who might then be in a position to contradict the veracity of his conclusions.

Judge Chamberlain Haller: Mr. Gambini?

Vinny Gambini: Yes, sir?

Judge Chamberlain Haller: That is a lucid, intelligent, well thought-out objection.

Vinny Gambini: Thank you, sir.

Judge Chamberlain Haller: Overruled.