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Carver Communications - Index

Carver Communications - 2.1.09 - Index

By Cathey Meyer
The Conversion of 2009
My TV converter box coupons were
long ago ordered (June ’08) and long ago
applied (July ’08), and I am pleased to discover
that my non-cable viewing channels
jumped from 15 out-of-focus, distorted channels
to nearly 30 (depending on the digital
reception) clear as high-def-in-my-living
room broadcasts. I did not have to purchase a
single new television and my old rabbiteared-antennas
work just fine for reception.
Granted 13 of my new channels are either in
a foreign language or are requesting me to
send money to Jesus, but on the positive side,
I leaped from one occasional public broadcast
feed to four PBS channels of actual interest.
They ask for money also, but I enjoy their take
on ‘Jesus’ more, so they get some cash from
my account.
No one could be more pleased to
‘beat the man’ and receive my FREE television
(as Mr. Zenith or Mr. RCA intended)! I
am not a total blond and do understand that
the day will come when I must give into the
ways of the 21st century and not only purchase
a television that is smaller than a stan-
dard oven but PAY for some sort of airwave
feed to receive my trusty signal in the comfort
of my own home. My game is to delay the
semi-mandatory expectation as many decades
as possible. I am not ruling out the possibility
that I might give up airwave information all
together and go back to the old fashion hobby
of reading for information. The same cannot
be said for about eight million of my closest
U.S. citizens and aliens (legal and otherwise).
Apparently, somewhere in the Bill
of Rights of my United States Constitution is
a clause that declares, “No one on territories
of the United States of America will be denied
access to FREE television for as long as the
U.S. Government can panhandle monies for
converter boxes regardless of times of war,
economic disasters or the election of a president
who promises change is coming. While
I enjoy the game of getting away with what I
can, I would NEVER play at the expense of
my fellow taxpayers. Again, I am not THAT
blond, so when my government offered to
‘rebate’ me on the converter box issue, I was
nearly first in line to stake my claim. I worked
February 1, 2009 REAL ESTATE NEWSLINE 7
for that company once, and I knew some
flunky Treasury Department accountant had
no clue what kind of worms would crawl out
of the FREE TV box scam. Besides, I have
paid taxes for decades and considered this little
$40-per-TV-limit-two-per-household my
personal tax-back program.
As our imaginary deadline of
February 17, 2009 creeps closer and closer,
you have to wonder what kind of government
conspiracy is occurring on these states of united
confusion. Not since the most recent political
campaigns of 2008 have we as a nation
been bombarded with the most ridiculous of
advertising campaigns. First were all the promotions
to remind the non-cable subscribers
that FREE TV was about to be history. The
poor, responsible pay-for-TV folks must be
going nuts with those ads. Next were all the
advertising promotions explaining how to use
(in Sesame Street fashion) the easy to submit
application for your $40.00 coupon credit
toward the purchase of your personal FREE
TV converter box. Not surprisingly, the
month of January has us experiencing the
panic of non-preparation.
Eight million FREE TV viewers
have ignored the messages of the past year
and now want their credit-coupon. Our trusty
government is now in a panic because 1. They
ran out of coupons and 2. (BIG SURPRISE)
They ran out of money! While this may be an
expected event for some, I have very little
sympathy for any of my fellow FREE TV
viewers. My first question is who decided
that television airwaves are a constitutional
right for everyone? There was a time in
America, when very few folks had a television.
At no point in the television evolution
did anyone pass a law that said all Americans
are guaranteed the right to view television. If
the time comes (and it has) that to enjoy the
freedom of expression on television you have
to pay to view, then GET AN INCOME and
order your cable/satellite/dish!
By the way, what is it that people
think they might miss if their FREE TV goes
away? Has anyone watched FREE TV
recently? According to recent advertising revenues,
apparently FREE TV is not the viewing
bonanza it once was. Of course, if stellar
programs like ‘Bonanza’ were still on—NO
ONE would wait until the last minute to get
their FREE TV box!
Since most of FREE TV now consists
of true-life-unsolved murder stories from
years past, dancing with semi-stars, singing
with semi-vocal abilities, match-making with
macho/macha airheads, deciding if one has
true beauty, disciplining bratty kids of folks
who should never have reproduced, guessing
which suitcase has the money (They all have
money . . .), previewing shows for awards
shows for singing or acting talent that is less
about performance and more about who left
whose spouse for true love and 37 adopted
kids and watching home make-overs of Mac
Mansions that will eventually be in foreclosure,
I am not quiet sure what all the fuss is
about regarding the right to watch FREE TV.
Just an obvious reminder—anyone
can buy a FREE TV converter box.
Possessing a government-money-coupon
towards converter box price credit is NOT
mandatory. Go buy your box if you need to
and if that is too much trouble, do what you
are doing at this very moment—READ for
mindless entertainment.