Senate Approves Delay in Digital TV Switch

[onelilspark]

AH! Seriously...there are emergency services that need those signals!

"The transition date would move to June 12 from February 17 under the bill that was fueled by worries that viewers are not technically ready for the Congressionally mandated switch-over. It would also allow consumers with expired coupons, available from the government to offset the cost of a $40 converter box, to request new coupons. The government ran out of coupons earlier this month, and about 2.5 million Americans are on a waiting list for them."

http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/01/27/0056245

 

[golfgal]

They have been talking about this since Clinton was in office--if you aren't ready now you won't be ready this summer

 

[Charade]

What happens on June 12th when the same dolts aren't ready?

 

[goofyernmost]

They have been talking about this since Clinton was in office--if you aren't ready now you won't be ready this summer

It is amazing that we are not still using outhouses. Can we be more sensitive to the dumbest of the dumb. This has been talked about and warned for what seems like forever and the poor stupid public still isn't ready? Give me a break.

Change it and you will be amazed at how quickly people adapt. If someone needs the stuff for "emergency" communications then they haven't been paying much attention lately have they. Sorry, you are to slow to make the change along with the rest of us, but since TV wasn't even in existence until the late 40's, I think people can survive and prosper without it.

 

[Charade]

It is amazing that we are not still using outhouses. Can we be more sensitive to the dumbest of the dumb. This has been talked about and warned for what seems like forever and the poor stupid public still isn't ready? Give me a break.

Change it and you will be amazed at how quickly people adapt. If someone needs the stuff for "emergency" communications then they haven't been paying much attention lately have they. Sorry, you are to slow to make the change along with the rest of us, but since TV wasn't even in existence until the late 40's, I think people can survive and prosper without it.

Less than a week IMO.

 

[JonS99]

The dumbing down of America continues...

 

[joviroxx]

Oh for pete's sake...

 

[Free4Life11]

So does this mean 4 more months of pop up ads, scrolling banners, news announcements, etc.

 

[Charade]

So does this mean 4 more months of pop up ads, scrolling banners, news announcements, etc.

 

[Soarin08]

AH! Seriously...there are emergency services that need those signals!

http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/01/27/0056245

Geez. If you aren't prepared, you never will be.

 

[chisnpeke]

It was still saying 22 days today on our local channel.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

How very lame.

 

[Charade]

The Senate acted responsibly to give the Obama administration time to attempt to bring order to a mismanaged process," the West Virginia Democrat (Rockafeller) said in a statement.

What?!?!

It was approved by you clowns YEARS ago and *now* it's mismanaged?

 

[Free4Life11]

What?!?!

It was approved by you clowns YEARS ago and *now* it's mismanaged?

Apparently because the $1+ BILLION dollars in coupon $$ was not allocated ONLY to the poor and elderly, and the coupon $$ has now run out, it is mismanaged. So since you, I, and any citizen could apply for a coupon, the "needy" were "shut out." Because 8-9 months is not enough time for them to pick up the phone and call for a coupon.

Of course getting a system in place so that only the poor and elderly could get a coupon would have probably ate up half of the coupons funds...

 

[Charade]

Where's Bicker?

 

[mkingdomlvr]

And in case nobody noticed-there are taxpayer dollars going to this campaign as a part of the Obama Stimulus plan.


TV is now a "right", funded by taxpayer dollars.

If you are too lazy or too stupid to have dealt with this issue by now, then you should be either exercising or reading a book instead of watching TV anyway.

 

[bicker]

Where's Bicker?

I've already said my piece on this: Thread: Don't Delay the DTV Transition

Beyond my earlier objections, I now also object to adding taxpayer money into this -- they simply should have allocated more of the proceeds from the auction. I have no idea why they didn't do so. It seems like sheer carelessness, from BOTH perspectives: From one side, it is objectionable for taxpayer money to be used for this; from the other side, it is idiotic to use taxpayer money, thereby giving the first side ammunition for attacking adding resources to the coupon program. Unless I'm missing something fundamental, there is no philosophy or perspective within which using taxpayer money, instead of proceeds from the auction, makes any rational sense, whatsoever.

 

[Charade]

I'd be curious to see how the Senate voted on this. I can't find the bill or the roll call. My skeptical side says it was along party lines.

 

[TinklednPants]

I'd be curious to see how the Senate voted on this. I can't find the bill or the roll call. My skeptical side says it was along party lines.

Not exactly. At least according to this site it was a unanimous vote.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5it5Ah-n5nYIhcyYbsgdx9Vh4CKugD95V6PFO0

 

[cinmell]

So does this mean 4 more months of pop up ads, scrolling banners, news announcements, etc.

I am so sick of the scrolling banners and reminders! I was looking forward to not having to see or hear them anymore.