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Patrick Sawyer

climber
Originally California now Ireland
Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 1, 2015 - 03:13am PT
Okay Supertopians, in the past few years I have hardly started a "political" thread or rarely contribute to them on the Taco Stand (or other forums, I see political threads as a waste of time for the most part, most people's opinions will not be changed one way or another, in my opinion).

But this is not really a political thread, as such, but more a "consumer" thread.

I had not idea about these smart meters, certainly we didn't have them in Dalkey, Co Dublin (as I know of) or here in Wexford. So it is news to me, probably not to some or all of you.

So my brother in life Jay in Saranap (Lafayette/Walnut Creek) sent me this link of a documentary. Over an hour, heck I've got too much to do. But out of curiosity I started watching a bit. I am about 15 minutes into it.

It says free viewing until December 1 (including today), I do not know if it will be available after today, but I am going to watch the whole thing. It is very interesting.

The power companies and manufacturers of these smart meters are making a killing, if the documentary is to be believed, if it is accurate. I grew up with PG&E, and they are apparently culprits as well, ripping off the consumer and indeed, the taxpayer, according to the documentary.

When I saw that Obama (who I like but did not vote for) signed in some legislation in 2008 as part of a stimulus program, I thought he was just as guilty as the corporates, maybe he is or isn't, although I'd think any POTUS would have done the same. Get the economy going, even if it costs the taxpayers and consumers. And of course, in my opinion, corporatocracy is the ruling class, and I am not a conspiracy nut at all.

I think the documentary is worth watching and I am going to finish watching it, I can always do the housework, dog walking and finish an article for me former editor (deadline 17:00 tomorrow) later. If the documentary is even half true/factual, I'd be a pissed off consumer if a smart meter was installed in my house. I mean, busting into people's properties to install the meters would be enough to make me angry, not to mention the increased bills and fire hazards.

https://takebackyourpower.net/free-viewing/


EDIT

I received this email just now…

Hey there,

As you probably now realize, the so-called “smart” meter roll-out is
such an important issue.

Our health, safety, freedom, privacy, and financial security are all at stake.

We believe that change only happens when we get informed and work
together to spread the truth.

Below is a link to the movie. We'd love it if you shared it with anyone
who is important to you. Again, it's only available to watch for free
until midnight on Tuesday, December 1st, so send it along today!

http://www.takebackyourpower.net/free-viewing

Thanks again!

Blessings and gratitude,

Josh del Sol

For your records, here is a copy of the information you submitted to us...

Email Address: dpatricksawyer@gmail.com
First Name:
Last Name:
If at any time you wish to stop receiving our emails, you can:
unsubscribe here
Patrick Sawyer

climber
Originally California now Ireland
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 1, 2015 - 04:44am PT
Okay Moose, but it is not just my pain, yet.
Patrick Sawyer

climber
Originally California now Ireland
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 1, 2015 - 06:21pm PT
Its totally not fair to charge people for the power they use, when they use it. Bastards. Next they'll want o charge more for extra garbage and turds. Whatever happened to the land of FREE?

Jaysus, of you, of all people. You are missing the point, or are you trying to pull my chain?

I stated that if the report is true, even by a bit, it is a concern.

But you in your Ivory Tower, so to speak, your high holy horse, you cast aspersions. Dude, you are going to be more affected by this than I am. Are you a PG&E customer, or do you work for them?

I will pay for utilities I use at a fair price, within reason (talk about Irish Water and their ways), but your flippant post (I hope it is that) is bullsh#t.

Am I sensitive? Yeah, to crap. Go back to Tennessee Authority and I will leave Ireland for my home California.

Yaddi dah.

EDIT
Dingus, sometimes I wonder if you know the "discourse of reason". As for myself, I am still searching for it.

EDIT (again)

Oh, how stupid of me. DMT, you are trying to be ironic, funny. It escaped me at first. Duhhh, now I will go stick my head in the toilet.
Patrick Sawyer

climber
Originally California now Ireland
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 1, 2015 - 06:55pm PT
Damn Tennesseans, you emigrate to Califonia and think you know it all. Well, well.. well…

I have nothing more to say Dingus, you have me tongue tied (a figure of eight?)

Oh, not Tennessee? Kentucky? "Yo shot your first bar" when you were only two, Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild…?

Hey Dingus (rhymes with Charles Mingus, great jazz man, I met him several times), go back to the midwest and I will return to California, for better of for worse.

Peace dude. And I bet I still know as much as you as climbing on Highway 108 territory (though it has been decades). Okay, maybe not, it has been a while.
Patrick Sawyer

climber
Originally California now Ireland
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 1, 2015 - 07:12pm PT
Dingus, I admit, I do not know about smart meters. I stated that in my OP. But the documentary I linked to does make a compelling point for questioning such meters, does it not?
Patrick Sawyer

climber
Originally California now Ireland
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 1, 2015 - 07:22pm PT
Imagine what they'll be like 50-years from now?

I'll be 109, I live to see that day. By then, by some estimates, the house I live in (about 40 meters or so from the Celtic Sea) will be under water. And I blame PG&E.

EDIT

Blast it, where is my scuba gear? The phone is ringing in the office and the toast is up. Soggy.

Now, take a deep breath….
Patrick Sawyer

climber
Originally California now Ireland
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 1, 2015 - 07:33pm PT
Hey Jim, how did you know I take cold showers 05:00? But I have a new boiler, so the hot water and heating is back, (after a month).

Sigh, first world problems.

Cold baths and showers, my balls shrivel (excuse me ladies). Nah, they were already that way.
Patrick Sawyer

climber
Originally California now Ireland
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 1, 2015 - 07:42pm PT
Its for your own good, comrade.

Dingus, it is "it's" with an apostrophe. Do I, us, sophisticated west coast pedants have to teach you hicks from the sticks midwesterners grammar?

Yes we will sink when the glaciers melt, into oblivion. See you then buddy.
Lorenzo

Trad climber
Portland Oregon
Dec 1, 2015 - 07:44pm PT
Explain exactly what the beef is?

I see in Ireland the regular rate is .18€ a kWh , around €.16 if you prepay ( prepay?)
Translated into real money, that's something like .19$ and .16$ USD per KWH.

Here in portland, the rate is around .14$ at peak time and .045$ at off peak.
Patrick Sawyer

climber
Originally California now Ireland
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 1, 2015 - 07:55pm PT
Lorenzo, we are not talking abattoirs, so there is no beef.

Yes, so far, in Ireland…

But what about where you live? You are immune to such "deviations"?

EDIT

Lorenzo, I do pre-pay, for the better. When one is on a tight budget, pre-pay here in Ireland is the way to go in my opinion. Having not lived in the States for over two decades, I do not know what is best.

My point in bringing up the documentary, is one of awareness. That's all. I have no other agenda.
Lorenzo

Trad climber
Portland Oregon
Dec 1, 2015 - 08:19pm PT
Well, here smart metering is optional ( Portland, Oregon) if you are on PGE. My neighbor has it.

I'm on Pacific power, which doesn't push it as hard, so I have an analog meter. ( the grid system here in this neighborhood has different providers whether you are on N-S or E-W streets. People on corners get to choose, if they pay for hookups and meter locationing )

The sales pitch is you can save money if you plan usage of things like water heaters. Neither of us is convinced. ( I use mostly gas for that kind of thing) And the competition and ability to compare helps. Even with a hot tub, I can usually bank I will be paying near the minimum monthly rate.
I actually pay a small premium for wind farm energy which has somewhat different requirements to be efficient

The major problem here with wireless smart meters was that they were catching fire and were scheduled to be replaced in 2014. I don't know if they are done with that. There was a dust up a couple years ago concerning inaccurate metering, but that seems to have died down.
Lorenzo

Trad climber
Portland Oregon
Dec 1, 2015 - 08:37pm PT

Dec 1, 2015 - 08:05pm PT
Lorenzo,

Oregon has an extra 2% sales tax on food that isn't organically grown. The tax is folded into the overall sale at the wholesale level, so that no one notices.

You mean an extra 2% sales tax of the normal rate? Yeah. That would be hard to notice.

jstan

climber
Dec 1, 2015 - 09:20pm PT
SCE did not give us a choice here in SOCAL. We get charged for the meter and SCE laid off 1100 meter readers.

Try as I might, I have not been able to figure out who it was that really benefitted. But I'll keep working on it.
jstan

climber
Dec 1, 2015 - 09:23pm PT
Now Jim. Easy there big fella.
Dave.B

Trad climber
North Carolina
Dec 1, 2015 - 10:42pm PT
Food for thought:
Are the funds the US Government "gave" to pay for these smart meters going to be reimbursed by the utility companies or is this another example of big business robbing the tax payer's coffers by way of elected officials?



Patrick Sawyer

climber
Originally California now Ireland
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 2, 2015 - 05:09am PT
Let's face it folks, we are at the mercy of the corporates, whether it be in California, Oregon or Ireland.

I am as mad as hell and I am a gonna…

...walk on the beach, ain't life a beach.

Dave, even in North Carolina, the corporates have you by the short and curlies?

One of my nephews is at The Citadel in South Carolina, I wonder if they pay taxes in those sort of schools?

I say it is time we rise up and fight. But, if we could just bottle the methane from our farts and those of cows. Hmmm, now I need seed funding to find a way to bottle cow farts, the methane could power billions and billions of homes, and save the earth from greenhouse effects.

I want to be a corporate. I used to want to be a top climber, reaching the top, or a doctor, but no, I have decided, at 59, it is time for a change, I am going to be a corporate and rule Donald Trump's card.

C*#k, excuse me Koch, brothers, watch out, here I cum, ahhh, come.

And vulgarity does not pay. Sigh.

EDIT

And despite his lack of intelligence, in my opinion, (he once was smart, until he became a Republican, hah hah), Ronnie Raygun was right, cow farts (and "belches") contribute a lot to greenhouse "airs". I believe he said that around 1983, or was it 1988?

So let's not cut down the Amazon rainforests for McDonald's hamburgers, let's eat beans, the musical fruit.

Gawd, that reminds me of the Boy Scouts.

Bean, beans
the musical fruit,
the more you eat
the more you toot,
the more you toot
the better you feel,
let's have beans
for every meal.

Or Blazing Saddles, the farting cowboys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6dm9rN6oTs

"How about more beans Mr Taggart"

"I say you have had enough."
Patrick Sawyer

climber
Originally California now Ireland
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 2, 2015 - 07:08am PT
Andy, I did not mean to offend you. One of my closest friends, Brian, I grew up with, has been a PG&E employee for over 40 years, soon to retire (McKinleyville).

I started this thread to see if it could create an awareness, not a ruckus.

I will not apologize for the abuse you have received in your line of work, as I would never abuse somebody doing their job.

But as I stated, even if half the documentary is true, there is cause for concern. And knock of the shite about California/Irish. I was born and raised in California, my family has been in America since 1640. I just happen to live (and love) Ireland, I love the States and California too.

So, Andy take your effing high horse someplace else. If you are just a pawn to PG&E, hey, whatever it takes to make a living. I have been a pawn and duped by big business as well.

Dingus, a good man I only know from the Taco Stand, he just seems to have a burr up his behind on this, and trolling in my opinion.

And Dingus, I do not subscribe to conspiracies as such, you fool. I just thought that if even some of the documentary is true, it is cause for concern. So watch who you call a conspiracy nut. You let me down, but you don't care what I think anyway.

EDIT

I started this thread out of awareness, I will not nuke it or I will be heavily criticized by some if I did. As well, I did not intend to start a firefight. I do not flame or troll.

But damn it Dingus, I have NEVER, EVER hit anybody in my life in anger, EVER. Tae Kwon Do and Tai Chi, but those were supervised. And stage combat (as an actor), again, supervised.

But right now, if I saw you I would give you a good whack. And believe me, you would take it and you would not give back. Take my word for that. And you too Andy.

Patrick Sawyer

climber
Originally California now Ireland
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 2, 2015 - 07:27am PT
That is true Andy, I live near the sea and the winds get up and when the power goes down, I call ESB and ask, politely, when will my power be restored (thankfully the phone lines stay up, fingers crossed, it is blowing Force 8 right now).

The gal says (yesterday) that the crews are working best they can, under the conditions, but safety is the primary factor. And I agree. I do not want somebopdy risking their life just so I can lolly around on the internet. Though, whan I am facing a deadline, it is nice to know that their are people out there trying to get me hooked up, power wise.

Andy, the whacking business is just my bluff. My false bravado. Please think nothing of it.

I did not intend this thread to be a firefight. And right wing, me? Far from it dude. Cheers and yes, peace.
WBraun

climber
Dec 2, 2015 - 07:36am PT
They are NOT smart meters.

Dumb meters.

They only do what they are told/programmed and nothing more.

If they were smart meters they would give you real power .....
Patrick Sawyer

climber
Originally California now Ireland
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 2, 2015 - 07:41am PT
Dingus, perhaps I am misinformed by that documentary, but it seems to make a compelling case. I have never even heard of such until I was sent the link.

As for whacking you, let's just leave that I give you slack when you yell tension, just joking.

As for Irish mud, there is some good beer in Ireland. Back home in California, my late dear brother Mac, one of the best winemakers of his generation, by peers' recognition and god himself, Robert Parker. Mac got his viticulture/enology degree from Davis, and fementation sciences as well. (Some of his wines went for $5,000 a bottle in some restaurants. Stupid beyond belief, I'd never pay that even if I was billionaire.)

In the 1970s and 1980s we made some of the best beers - lagers, stouts, ales - you would ever find, but we never started a microbrewery, just in the winery at home. Not rot gut crap where the bottles blew up and the stuff tasted like dog poo. We made real good stuff, properly, krausening from one batch to the next, no corn sugar for carbonation. Real stuff. And very good, as good as anything one will find on the market nowadays.

Perhaps we should have taken it commercial, like Gary Fish in Oregon with his Deschutes beer. His older brother Steven, was my high school (and beyond) climbing partner.

Now back to the topic. As I have stated, this smart meter stuff is all new to me. But it would not surprise me to think that there is some sort of BS going on. Do you trust corporations and big business?
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