Thursday, October 2, 2008

LICENCE TO BILL

When you buy a television, you need to then, I jest not, buy a television licence to operate it. Legislation this loony could only come from a couple of places but one in particular. Yeah you guessed it: The Nanny State.

While in lecture yesterday morning, my Criminology professor Edwards brought forth this chillingly real but humorous 'criminal' offence to the class, direct from ever-coddling Nanny State ("across the pond" as Larry Miller would say, not Massachusetts) of Britain. Oh, and a license could cost one up to $300 (at today's exhange rate, about 169 GBP) to procure my professor claimed and even though enforcement may not have been as ardent as it was in the 1970's when this ad appeared as a public service announcement, you best get one or *gasp* earn you some jail time!



BEHOLD: THE TV DETECTOR VAN! YOU'VE BEEN CAUGHT WATCHING COLUMBO!

Even Peter Falk, who was well known for fraternizing at great length with the guilty party before knowing it, wouldn't have wasted his time.

In actuality, this propagandistic 'Big Brother' PSA is more fear and sheer nonsense. There are no "detector vans" or suited British gentlemen inside them whose just caught you watching Colombo without a licence. Your greatest penalty, should you be caught, reportedly officials might visit your residence and give you fair warning to obtain a licence in 24 hours, would be to appear in court, followed by a hefty fine. Transparently, you can see the scheme at play.

Wondering how officials would know of your illegalities? Simply purchasing a TV from any store could be your undoing claimed Edwards, as the retailer collects and records such information at the behest of the government.

Ironically enough, isn't this along the lines of why the British left for America in the first place?!

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