At-Risk Consumers

An above-the-fold headline in today's Washington Post: Congress Urged To Postpone Nation's Switch To Digital TV. The urging is being done by Consumer's Union who have their collective undies in a wedgy over the fact that the federal government has run-out of money for those $40 free coupons for digital converter boxes for folks who do not already own a digital TV and have rabbit ears or an antenna on their roof. The converters will be necessary beginning February 17th in order to continue to receive over-the-air broadcast of Desperate Housewives.

In case you have forgotten, the purpose of the conversion is to free up wireless airwaves for public safety agencies and other advanced mobile services.

The Post reports that the federal government has spent $1.34 billion on the coupons to date.

Spokesmoron for Democratic Representative Edward Markey of Massachusetts, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, indicated that the Congressman is sympathetic to the Consumers Union plea stating that "with the date looming, moving the date back certainly warrants further discussion and may be a wise choice.."

This a day after President-elect Obama announced appointment of his Government Waste Tsarina. I hope the Tsarina read the Post today.

In other news, I'm getting mighty tired of the weather. It's been bitterly cold for days - yesterday the low at the weather service office was minus 18 degrees fahrenheit. That's cold. But today we're in for a change of pace - a major snowstorm is moving in. We could add another foot-and-a-half or so to the two feet or so that are already on the ground. By early next week it will warm-up to the low 30's and maybe even 40 by mid-week. All of this is unpleasant. Cold, snow, then a sloppy mess.

On the other hand, it hasn't exactly been a walk in the park in the Great Northwest. Looks like southwestern Washington is under water and there has been flooding in southern Puget Sound as well. On the other, other hand, the Northwest's storm season is largely over by the end of January...whereas we still have a couple of months of winter ahead of us. There is no doubt in my mind where I'd rather be...