Comments on I'm a Cadillac-Driving Welfare Queen

Of course, they couldn't just issue one coupon worth $80. Must use double the resources necessary for the job! Good going, government.

Welfare queens cheat the system to get things they want and will use. Consuming things you don't need just so you can toss them in landfill someday is more of a middle class suburban thing.

sooo....that website doesn't confirm that your oder was received? WTF? Even SLOG does that.

I'm still a little confused. Will I still be able to live without cable when this big change happens? If I get a converter box will it pull digital signals out of the air? This is all so strange.

It's really kind of shocking how little coverage this has gotten; you know there are going to be millions of people flipping out in January with no TV.

I predict mayhem on February 17. I also predict that a panicked government will restore analog broadcasts for ANOTHER year, and have to pay the stations many billions for their trouble. Half of the set-top boxes won't work, or the people trying to connect them won't be able to figure it out. People like my mom will just give up watching TV all together -- and they're about the only ones left watching network broadcast TV anyways.

Word! Good looking out.

OK, I answered my own question: It should indeed do the trick, so all one will need is a set top box and tv, no cable. Hopefully it will work.

TAINTED DAY
Was the fascinating phrase generated by the security check in an appropriately ominous font.

I got my coupon in the mail a few weeks ago. Allegedly there are a ton of different converters for a ton of different TV formats. Are these things not universal, or can I just blow my $40 wad on one comfortable with the knowledge it will work with either of my old TVs?

@3: I just placed an order. I got a confirmation screen. They even filled in correctly the last four digits of my 9-digit zipcode.

Try again, I guess.

I recently bought a new tv that happened to be digital. The best thing about it is the in-between channels. For instance, KCTS has like four channels, 9-1,9-2 and so on. They all have different programming and one is in Spanish.

7-2 used to be a steady, silent, live shot of the Space Needle from Queen Anne hill 24/7. I think they recently changed it to cheesey re-runs though.

Gomez is a case in point. I'm not slamming you, Gomez, just pointing out that if you're confused, a LOT of people are going to be completely dumbfuddled. Places that sell these converters are going to be overwhelmed with questions and returns. If history is any judge, half the boxes will have something wrong with them, creating an Everest of new e-waste. Numerous government spokespersons will appear delivering incomprehensible and conflicting assurances.

Note that this is going to take place in the first month of the new Obama administration.

When did you apply? I applied in Jan. I think, still haven't seen mah koopawns!

Would it be ethical to use my coupons to get a free box, then sell it to someone who doesn't have online access and thus doesn't know about the coupons?

@14: No.

@13: I applied in January, also. Any day now!

@14: Not ethical, but great.

12. Not taken personal at all, Fnarf. That's in fact an excellent point. I'm no tech-head, but I'm savvy enough, and if I can't make sense of the process, what happens with the others who aren't as savvy when the crunch happens? It's gonna be a mess. Maybe it'll encourage a few people to ditch the TV and go outside... but there are better and less inflammatory ways to create proactivity.

Also, my card says to use it by 4/6, so whoever gets these... if you're going to use them, use them quick.

@15: if I do it anyways, and go to hell, will I like it there?

@18 - Would you enjoy an eternity with Will?

You know you paid for that, right?

Y2K09Feb something...

No, but I already applied for your coupon already @18, and gave it to Mr. Poe.

He said he needed something to wipe up with ...

Wow, that's a good one!

@13 - same thing happened to me. Hope they're not expired by the time I finally get them.

@14 - my understanding is that the converter actually costs close to $70, so the coupon doesn't even cover the total cost of switching over (yet another reason why this whole proposal stinks to high heaven)

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