Of Holidays and Power

[Xjmt]

Things here were going along swimmingly for a while there when both this computer and my wife's work 'puter slowed down.

In that it was both units my suspicions are:

a. It's a quite warm and muggy day here on a 'getawayfriday' of a holiday weekend and while some folks had already left work the companies were still open with their ACs still on while a bunch of the employees got home and turned on their ACs.

b. The power company assumed that would happen so they cut back on output.

c. Both.

Our local power company did get the blame for that huge power failure in the N.E. portion of this country. You see a portion of what they're supposed to do is trim the branches away from the power lines. About 10 years ago they tried to get the phone company to share the cost but the phone company pointed out that the trees don't bother phone lines like they bother power lines.

So our cracker jack power company did what any responsible capitalist would do. They fired the guys that were hired to cut back the trees to keep them away from the power lines.

Anyway things seem to be working OK now. For now.

[trucker2000]

Well we are glad you can be here.

[Donahoo]

... they're supposed to do is trim the branches away from the power lines. About 10 years ago they tried to get the phone company to share the cost but the phone company pointed out that the trees don't bother phone lines like they bother power lines.

So our cracker jack power company did what any responsible capitalist would do. They fired the guys that were hired to cut back the trees to keep them away from the power lines.

They've actually been doing that here this week. We've been here since 1986 and this is the first time I remember seeing the power company cutting the tree limbs. But we had two power outages in the winter of 2002-2003 that lasted for days and they took a lot of criticism over it - especially since the people on the expensive side of town got their power back on first both time. The redneck on my side of town can get pretty vocal and they didn't hesitate to call the TV station and complain.

Anne

[Xjmt]

The redneck on my side of town can get pretty vocal and they didn't hesitate to call the TV station and complain.

Uh-huh! And I didn't even mention the weekend the power was 'selectively' restored. To where? The rich side of town? No. Downtown. Why? Because there were going to be both a baseball game and a football game nationally televised, that's why.

Local business folks (especially restaurant owners) were pi$$ed!!
And so was I!

[brian]

Here in Florida, we're not used to really cold temperatures, and practically nobody in Florida heats with anything but electric heaters. So when they happen, the drain on the electrical system is great. When this overload happens, they institute rolling brown-outs, where you can have your electricity turned off periodically, like a half hour every couple of hours or so. (Of course, I wouldn't call that a brown-out, so much as a black-out, but that's another issue.)

But I notice that certain areas aren't affected. The local mall never loses power. I guess it's who you know, or which palms you grease.

[Xjmt]

But I notice that certain areas aren't affected. The local mall never loses power. I guess it's who you know, or which palms you grease.

Right. Same here. Government for the people, of the people, sorta-kinda.

[trucker2000]

But I notice that certain areas aren't affected. The local mall never loses power. I guess it's who you know, or which palms you grease.

Right. Same here. Government for the people, of the people, sorta-kinda.

It's actualy, "Government for the Rich, by the Rich"

[Lou]

But I notice that certain areas aren't affected. The local mall never loses power. I guess it's who you know, or which palms you grease.

Right. Same here. Government for the people, of the people, sorta-kinda.

I believe Malls spend money to have some sort of back up systems. Something to do with public safety responsibility. If the power went out, you'd have all sorts of accidents, panic, & who KNOWS what So they have a certain responsibility to keep that from happening to people.

[Xjmt]

But I notice that certain areas aren't affected. The local mall never loses power. I guess it's who you know, or which palms you grease.

Right. Same here. Government for the people, of the people, sorta-kinda.

I believe Malls spend money to have some sort of back up systems. Something to do with public safety responsibility. If the power went out, you'd have all sorts of accidents, panic, & who KNOWS what So they have a certain responsibility to keep that from happening to people.

I hadn't heard anything like that before. The only privately owned business I know for sure near us that has a backup generator is a locally owned restaruant. Durning power failures you can't get near the joint.