Now You've Done It - Mama's P.i.s.s.e.d.

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Now what politicians got their pockets lined for allowing this to happen to us?

What about the poor, low-income, etc. that have nothing but analog and their local stations????

It's all crap - we're getting screwed left, right and center!

AINT IT THE TRUTH MAMA!!!

[KYHeirloomer]

Mama, the thing about analog being dead is yet another example of the paternalistic gubmint deciding what's good for us. Washington made the decision that the TV airwaves would be 100% digital.

Reason cable is not a problem is that your cable box is already rigged to accept the digital (or, colloquially, HD) signals. Any new television is also ready to accept it.

Old ones, those that required an antennae are not. So your choice is to either buy a new set, or apply for the coupon that gives you a $15 discount on a required fourty dollar purchase.

Once again, I'm from the government. I'm here to help you.

Now then, in terms of paying for TV (why the hell(o) do we have to pay to watch tv?). You don't. Nobody says you have to have cable. That's a choice you make. And cable is provided by a private enterprise company that exists to make money. So, if you want the convenience of having a hundred plus channels not worth watching, you have to pay for the priviledge.

Same if you use a dish. Somebody paid to put those satalittes up there, and to provide the receptor boxes, etc. Why should they give it away?

[Mama Mangia]

As far as paying for tv - it's gotten to the point that if you don't have cable you have nothing to watch but news and infomercials which have flooded the tv stations worse than spam!

The local stations make more money from infomercials - and if there are any movies on for the weekend - they play the same ones both days - over and over again. No longer do you get the Monday night movie, (and every other day like they used to) on our local stations.

News, informercials, mega-church services on Sundays - sports (if not blacked out) - and not very interesting.

Before cable - you got to watch tv - and see many different programs and see many different movies.

[MsMai]

We have a relatively new employee. Why the boy was hired I still haven't figured out. Oh, well, I will leave that part of it alone. He has had an Ipod glued to the side of his dang head since the day he began. The supervisor ignores it completely. Yet I have heard her complain to a coworker that she speaks too loudly. I have worked with this gal the 15 years and no one has ever complained before.

This over-grown, boy-kid sings while he listens to the da** Ipod. Also, he lets out these loud burps after lunch. Doesn't matter where or in front of whom, he does this. I want to swat him beside the head and teach him some manners that evidently his parents failed to teach him. His office is littered with 2-litre Pepsi bottles, cookies, all sorts of food packets. I believe the world has gone crazy. This behavior has NEVER been permitted there and it is only this kids that gets away with it. No, thought of that, she is not interested in him personally. She is near 60 years old and he is in his early 20's. If she is then she is crazier than I thought. Now, believe me I have my faults, all of us do. But at least I know how to present myself in a professional manner because I am. It no longer seems to be appreciated.

Also, I am the owner of a cell phone. I have had triple by-pass heart surgery and don't want to have a problem and not be able to call for help. Mine is for emergency calls only. They all should be. I seen so many folks who appear to think it is "cool" to have a cell and to be talking on it. They will grow up one day, hopefully

[KYHeirloomer]

I'm sorry, Mama, but I have to wonder if we're living in the same world.

Until fairly recently I worked third shift at a motel. I don't have cable here, but did there.

With almost 100 stations available there was practically nothing to watch. About half of the stations are merely sales tools: QVC and its many, many, clones. Most of the rest were either full- or part-time infomertials.

Don't know if you're aware of this, but even the Food Network goes that route. Programming (that is to say, FN's "see how many shows we can repeat until people get nauseous" marathons) ends at 4 in the aunt emma. Infomercials then take over until regular daytime programing starts at 8 or 9, depending.

All in all, out of 99 stations I'd say there were, at most, 8 or 9 offering real content. Not saying how good or bad the content was. But the fact is, I get much more content, proportionately, from the 4 regular networks then I ever did on cable.

Which is one reason I don't have it.

[Mama Mangia]

We get 5 local stations - all crappy. they did away with the movie of the night each evening and even some of the sports - leaving us with not much to watch.

I have basic cable - and I have already noticed that basic being up to channel 99 - is now offering many more stations that are 100+ and the stations that are 99 and below - are starting to get crappy - almost below the level of the old analog that gave us good stuff!

If you want to watch anything more - pay more - and I don't care what anyone says - it's not right.

and when enough people sign up for those channels they will change to another level - just for more money.

[Mama Mangia]

MsMai -

I know what you mean. I've seen so much of it. You're kind - a swat to the head. I'd opt for something a little more permanent - like electrical shocks before the frontal labotomy. Or maybe those type have already had the frontal labotomy and that is why they lack common sense and manners.

Can you imagine their homes? Pop bottles and wrappers all over the place??? OMG - I would go nuts. I'm a clean freak - I'd kill anyone that pulled that on me.

His parents should be shot!

[Jafo232]

Well, I will chime in here..

As for cell phones, I agree to a point. I have one for when I go out, but honestly, I use it maybe 3-4 minutes a month. It is nice to have when you have to call the wife: "What did you say you wanted me to get at the store while I was here?", etc.. Idiots that transmit their entire life to a crowd of people are indeed the most annoying. If there were no cell phones, these people would surely find another way to annoy you anyway. As for driving, sure idiots on cell phones are dangerous, but I have also passed many a moron who were reading the newspaper and driving!

Caller ID is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I have to completely disagree with Mama on this one. There are just some times I don't want to talk to relative X. Or sometimes, the caller ID shows me it is my wifes grandmother, so I just hand it to her instead of getting trapped into a 10 minute conversation about arthritis or other such things. Telemarketers that won't take no for an answer? Well, caller ID block works great! I punch in the number I want to ignore and they never get through again.

As for texting, unless I can use a qwerty style keyboard that some phones/PDAs have, then I don't see the point. It takes too long to say anything. I would rather people text in public than talk though.

[chubbyalaskagriz]

I'm just a low-tech dude. I'm more apt to send smoke signals than send a text or buy a cell phone. I definitely see their uses in some folks' lives. But so far in this life- those uses haven't presented me with themselves to me.

TV? Not me. I watch maybe 4-5 hours of news and PBS a week and MAYBE I'll rent a DVD. Cable? Sattelite? I'd rather spend my money on books and magazines. Again- I don't de-value these things- I understand and appreciate their importance to many folks- I just don't care for it. I do listen to me some NPR though- daily.

[kwinem]

I have to agree with everyone's opinions on cell phones. I was the Wedding Director at my church in Southern California & several times during the ceremony cells were going off, once it was the Groom himself and not once but twice during the ceremony and this was after the minister had given the usual speach about turning them off. I have a cell (for business) but I turn it either off or put it to silent as soon as I get out of the car.