Flat screen overlords

Flat screen TV's are coming down in price, which is a good thing. I saw a 42" HDTV at WalMart last week for under $500. The downside of this is that they are everywhere. WalMart was the first that I remember when they put TVs in the checkout lanes to bombard you with advertising in the hope that you will add just one more thing to the shopping cart. But now, they are everywhere.

The local Arby's has two flat sceens on all the time, and even worse, they keep them tuned to Fox News. I'm liable to vomit instantly if I see Ann Coulter while eating. I'm not sure that is the reaction they are looking for. Pretty much every fast food restaurant has them now. The Greene Turtle, a local sports bar, took the idea to it's logical end and put a flat screen in every booth. Now, it's more defensible in a sports bar as you may be there to watch the game. You'd have to be a real loser to go to Mickey Dees to watch the game.

Anymore, I'd be hard pressed to come up with a list of places where I'm not bombarded with advertising from a flat screen TV. They seem to be everywhere, including over the urinals in the men's room at some restaurants. I can only assume it will continue to get worse over the next few years. It's only a matter of time before they can beam holographic advertising down from a satellite that will stay in front of you, no matter where you go. I'm starting to feel like we are close to living in the world described in The Space Merchants. Can I hitch a ride to Venus? Anyone? Anyone?