h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So these darn yanks have discovered that we Brits have to pay a license fee of 120 quid to watch TV (Since the BBC are not allowed to advertise, the fee is intended to allow them to recover the costs of their service). Lots of laughter emenated from the (now two) americans - "Y'all you could by a whole TV in a couple of years!" was their retort Ha Ha! Very Bloody Funny!

Well, for you parochial English Folk (and the Scottish, who are all parochial), in the land of plenty the average american pays $50 per month to watch TV - you could by three TVs in a couple of years! Ha Ha! Very Funny!

And before we get on to the topic of the number of channels, the UK does only have 5 public channels but the calibre of the progamming is so much higher - they even air shows like 'X-files', '3rd Rock' and 'Buffy' on the BBC, without any adverts (YES - WITHOUT ANY ADVERTISING). And nope - not even any auctions and pledge drives as you have on your National Public Begging channel.


Just to segue (change) to a safer thread, did you know that you can pay a reduced fee to the BBC if you only have a black and white telly, or if you are blind! (but not both) - which, if you are colour blind, is a real insult! To enforce the fee, the BBC has these little vans with 'bedstead antennea' that wander the country, detecting TVs in households that have not paid their fees. Sit down before checking out the TV Detector Vans at Nostalgiacentral.com.


Apparently Air France are also looking into the system to trace lost baggage.


God Save the BBC

I had no idea thats how it worked on the otherside of the pond!

In the US cable TV used to be one monthly fee with no ads. That changed in the mid 70s i think. Now we 'pay' twice. Well some people do anyway...

God-{B}less Capitalism!