Death Of Big Screens

It looks like the state of California's Energy Commission regulators appear to be on track to pass the nation's first ban on energy hungry, big screen TVs. Yep! They want to stop Californians from watching the boob tube on big screens. They will vote in three weeks to set maximum energy consumption standards for TVs to be phased in over two years beginning in January 2011. In effect. any one living in California could forget about watching a TV set over 50" because those would be banned in the name of "energy efficiency".

So it now appears we have a new industry for the politicians to demonize: "BIG TV" !!! Yet, it does not follow... When electricity becomes more expensive people will conserve naturally without government regulation. Hmmmmm A bigger concern is the amount of time couch potatoes spend in front of the TV's.I am in disbelief that anyone would support this bill. How much the consumer wants to spent for electricity is his own business. If he wants to save he will buy a power saver set. What will the government do next limit the size of a person's house?

That would save energy but who wants the government regulating every aspect our life in the name of a dubious "energy saving" policy. The Energy Commission says that California's 35 million TVs and related gear account for about 10% of all household electricity consumption, a small pittance when compared, for example, to the energy used by the estimated 6 million illegal immigrants now residing in California. If done, consumers could save $30 per set each year from reduced electricity use. That's not a whole lot gained in exchange for taking away the consumer's free choice.

Too, the TV manufacturers say they, like all other manufactures have, are already making more efficient big screen Tv's and that there is no need to regulate production of Tv's as a result.I am all for saving energy and being more "green". lets start by getting rid of cars and instead ride our horses. We could quit building houses since the involve killing trees. We could live in caves and heat those caves with horse dung.

No T.V.'s anymore??? Well, we could make shadow puppets on the cave wall from the light of your dung fire. And you cell phone addicts, say good-bye to your cell phones and hello to carrier pigeons and smoke signals. Thanks California!