Digital TV

From the LA Times:
"The government program that's providing $40 coupons for antenna-using TV viewers to purchase digital coverters has run out of money."
From the AP:
"The stimulus bill that President Barack Obama is expected to sign on Tuesday contains $650 million in additional funding. Once that's available to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, it can clear the 4 million coupon backlog in a few weeks. "

Personally, I think TV is vastly overrated, primarily an advertising vehicle, and if we all turned the darn thing off, we as a country would be much farther ahead. Certainly ahead the $650 mil for the coupons.

We do own a TV, but it's used for the Punkin's videos. When we got here we found that the cable worked if we hooked it up, even though it's technically disconnected. So we left it unhooked, and the cable coiled up in a corner. It's funny when other people's kids come over---they invariably turn on the TV, discover that it doesn't work, then realize it isn't connected. Then comes the "Mom, should we tell them their TV isn't connected?" in a stage whisper that carries across the room. At this point we mention that it isn't hooked up by choice, and watch the poor things wilt.