Intro to Is Common Sense Dead and digital TV

Today is the start of a new blog called: Is Common Sense Dead? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines common sense as: sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts. That definition is as simplistic (no pun intended) as it gets in describing a thought process that seems to be sorely missing in in today's world. I am not suggesting that everyone is missing common sense; but there does seem to be an awful lot of people out there who are clueless. I have met and worked with some very intelligent people who can perform their job supremely, but still lack common sense and consequently make some bad decisions that affect not just them but others as well.

In most circumstances, using common sense can dictate what is the correct decision to make. It seems to me that this world would be a much better place to live and work and with less stress if more people used common sense. To my knowledge, common sense is not a course of study in Colleges, Universities or even at the High School level. So if it is not taught in schools, common sense must be learned by life experiences.

Is Common Sense Dead? will be a weekly, (hopefully posted each Sunday) and will cover topics about the lack of common sense from the mundane to the serious. Politicians and their decisions will also be discussed but not as a party affiliate, but rather their lack of use of common sense in the decisions they make. I hope you find this blog interesting. If it helps you use more common sense in your personal and business lives I have accomplished something good.

Today's very first topic is the transition from analog TV to digital TV transmission. Unless you have been living in another country, you are aware that we have been inundated with Public Service Announcements that the cutoff date for analog TV transmission is February 17, 2009. If your household uses older analog TV's (non-digital sets) and an antennae or rabbit ears to receive over the air, free TV, you have to purchase a converter box in order to receive the new digital transmissions. No converter box no TV reception as of 2/18/09.

I read in the newspaper last week that Congress had overwhelmingly voted for a postponement of the transition to digital TV until June 12, 2009. On the face of it, this seems to be a good thing since there are supposedly millions of households who have yet to purchase the converter boxes. This was due to either being on the waiting list for up to two government $40 off coupons (supposedly Uncle Sam ran out of money for the coupons to subsidize the cost) or elderly people who do not understand what the transition is all about and don't know how to hook up the converter boxes or even people who might have been to lazy or procrastinated in purchasing the converters.

It seems that in Congress' infinite wisdom of approving the postponement, it gave TV stations the options to stick with to the original date of 2/17/09 or wait until 6/12/09. WHAT?????!!!!!!!
That means that some TV stations will switch to digital transmissions on 2/18/09 and other TV stations will wait until 6/12/09. Consequently, there will be some areas in this country where people will have no TV reception as of 2/18/09. IS COMMON SENSE DEAD? Where is the common sense in making that decision? There are some people who use their TV as the only connection to the outside world. If Congress saw fit to postpone the transition, there should have been a no options clause and make the transition 6/12/09 period. This may mean that there might be an additional cost to TV stations, but why not just shut down the digital transmissions until June 12.