On Feb 5, 2009, at 12:40 PM, xxxxxx wrote:

    I swear sometimes your news cast miss the point so far, if you were at the scene of a mass murder I wouldn't put it past you people commenting on some poor victims taste in clothing.

    Do you know why we are converting to digital TV?   Do you really?  Just like commenting on a victims riddled body saying how they had poor taste in shoes, you miss the main point.  Sure digital TV looks better.  BFD.  Is there anybody there at the news room that remembers what happened on 9-11, why that date is forever designating an act of terrorism on the US?  Gee, I wonder.

    I better explain.  During the disaster (terrorists atack) we had a number of agencies involved in trying to save lives, the police, fire department, coast guard, port authority and maybe others.  They had a problem.  They were all working toward one goal but the were unable to talk to each other.

    THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!

    They couldn't talk to each other because they each have their own limited band of frequencies to use and they do not overlap hence the police could not talk to the fire department to the port authority etc.  It would be extremely helpful if they could talk to each other in times of emergency, even crucial.

    What was needed was a common frequency where everybody could talk to everybody else but the spectrum was full.  Digital TV was already a reality at the time using a part of the spectrum not suited for handheld communications however the analog band sits ina good position and there would be lots of space if analog TV were not there.  So, it was decided to get rid of the analog TV (VHF) and reallocate some of that space for joint public safety use.  Great idea, lives could be saved, with new terrorists attacks a given, joint communication abilities are imperative.

    So what is our congress worried about, and apparently the media as well?  People who sat on their ass too long and now are unable to get a converter box, people that don't have the money to get a converter box and people that are just too damn stupid to have a clue about anything.

    So, it turns out we are holding up public safety for maybe thousands of people, because some procrastinators couldn't be bothered to heed one of the thousands of ads on TV telling them to get a converter box.

    Well I'm really sorry, but I hope it is somebody in the media that really really needs the police to contact the fire department directly or visa versa because of some terrible crisis of their own and of course they won't be able too.  I really wish it for congress most but I think you are all part of the problem.

    Happy jihad