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| What's your energy situation? | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Aug 2 2006, 09:09 AM (691 Views) | |
| kenny | Aug 3 2006, 12:49 PM Post #26 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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Huh? Ummmm Nobody is holding a gun to your head forcing you to have an air conditioner, a pool, and the latest gizmos. ![]() Poor you!
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| Daniel\ | Aug 3 2006, 02:19 PM Post #27 |
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Fulla-Carp
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Well, nobody is forcing me to live in Hawaii, either, but this is my situation: The price of electricity here is 2.7 times what it is for mainland average per kilowatt-hour. We have a "public utlities commision" Gasoline is the highest in the country too. My electricity bills and gasoline are about $800. with no air conditioning. I have nothing good to say about energy policy in the US right now. |
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| Nobody's Sock | Aug 3 2006, 02:33 PM Post #28 |
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Fulla-Carp
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"Nobody is holding a gun to your head forcing you to have an air conditioner, a pool, and the latest gizmos" Tis true. But as I am not blessed enough to be able to live next to the ocean like you, an air conditioner in this Valley is critical to our survival. We had a 20 plus day stretch over 100 degrees, with a week of 112 to 114. Try that out in Long Beach Kenny. The thing is, last fall I had my 30 year old home upgraded. I had new AC ducting run in the attic, blew new insulation up there too to get to R39 or something. Converted my 2 roof mounted swamp coolers to blow into the attic instead of into the house as I need to protect my investment (Grand Piano) from gross humidity. But my electric bill is still higher than it was last year. If I find out that the CEO of PG&E is making piles of money like that GM chairman did, doggy's going hunting.
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| "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." | |
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| Nina | Aug 3 2006, 03:02 PM Post #29 |
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Senior Carp
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Do you guys have a time of use plan? That's an easy way to save some bucks. Solar water heaters pay themselves back in about 3 years... assuming you get it this year and get in on the federal rebates. California may also have some incentives. The biggest energy drains in your house: A/C, pool filter, electric dryer, computers (especially the big honking ones), plasma TVs (especially the big honking ones), hot water heater, dishwasher. WAIT: Are you running BOTH an A/C and and 2 swamp coolers at the same time? That's gonna kill you, because the A/C is fighting the swamp cooler. Put UpDux in your roof to pull the hot air out through your roof. Plus do you really need 2 swamp coolers going? They move a ton more air than an A/C unit... your attic doesn't need that much cool air, I'm thinking. |
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| Nobody's Sock | Aug 3 2006, 03:42 PM Post #30 |
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Fulla-Carp
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the swamp coolers don't draw much power at all. They also have thermostats installed and only kick on when the attic gets to 100 degrees. When they're on, I can go to any vent on my roof and feel some major air getting pushed out. My water heater is gas and it's cost is negligble right now. I have an electric dryer but for the last 3 months we have not used it. Hang our clothes outside. It's mainly that ac, pool, and teenagers! I think the main difference between this year and last was that we basically lived on the swamp coolers only, hardly ever used the ac. This dammed piano has forced me to alter the swamp cooling and use the ac alot more now. Dammed ac is a 3 year old 4 ton 13 seer too. I thought they were supposed to be energy efficient. Bah! |
| "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." | |
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| Kincaid | Aug 3 2006, 03:59 PM Post #31 |
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HOLY CARP!!!
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Make sure the humidity doesn't get too high - you want to protect your investment (house) from dry rot. |
| Kincaid - disgusted Republican Partisan since 2006. | |
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| iainhp | Aug 3 2006, 05:36 PM Post #32 |
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Middle Aged Carp
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Al - I don't dispute the problems that exist trying to add transmission lines and new generation. However, as the utilities are the ones reaping the benefit (ie ref Enron and imaginary power shortages whcich allowed the seller to charge whatever he wanted for electricity) I think there is blame to allocate to the utilities, after all they saved the cash not building the new stuff AND reap the windfall from the shortage it created. Nobody's sock is suffering from the threshold problem. Once his power consumption went over the first threshold, the price (per kWh) for the power used above this threshold increased. Once it went past the next threshold, it increased again. This is supposed to help create an environment of conservation, but again the utilities reap this windfall too. Frankly, nothing will happen until the lights go out big time. This won't happen for a few more years, when power demand has naturally increased again, but supply does not. This is also the model that the road system follows - nothing is even talked about until gridlock occurs. Water systems and sewers are following the same models too - no replacement of aging equipment. Pension plans - just as bad (hey, I live in San Diego!) Meanwhile, why invest in an air conditioner if you can't set it to a comfortable 72 degrees when you want to? |
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| Nobody's Sock | Aug 3 2006, 10:02 PM Post #33 |
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Fulla-Carp
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I'm hip with iainhp. Well said. I had charges in the 4th threshold for the first time and the multiplier really jumps up there. I feel for you California big city dwellers with your gridlock. San Diego isn't LA or the Bay Area, yet, and I'm grateful that that isn't a part of my life , yet. But it's all comin to a head soon. We're runnin out of elbow room. I spoke what many would call taboo a couple of weeks ago when I suggested our govt. mandate a limit of two babies per female citizen. It sounds harsh and vulgar right now sure, but it will be something that will come to bat in the political agenda before I start drawing social security. Or should I say "if I ever start to draw social security". |
| "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." | |
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| ivorythumper | Aug 4 2006, 10:08 AM Post #34 |
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
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Hardly. If the population of CA were divided into the land area each person would have over 2.75 acres. A family of 4 would have 11 acres. You choose to live in a crowded part of the state, and think that a draconian law that does extreme violence to the family, human dignity, and the rights of the individual is the answer to a problem that YOU brought on yourself. Just move. |
| The dogma lives loudly within me. | |
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| Nobody's Sock | Aug 4 2006, 10:20 AM Post #35 |
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Fulla-Carp
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Bull**** IT. What dignity is involved with popping out 6 or 7 children in today's world? Yes, there was a need for some families back in the day when the father had a farm to manage, but those days are long gone. For people to have more than 2 or 3 children now a days is plain irresponsible and selfish to the society they live in. I live in a melting pot of culture here, and to see the masses of welfare women (mostly hispanic and hmong) who think the means to an end is to keep popping babies to get more welfare money is disgusting. And your talk about real estate in California forgets the caveats of the uninhabitable lands of the Sierras and the Mohave. A very appreciable percentage of the California land mass. And let's not forget the once untouchable farm lands of the San Juaquin valley, which now today are like the rain forests of the Amazon, shrinking more and more for new homes. |
| "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." | |
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| John D'Oh | Aug 4 2006, 10:32 AM Post #36 |
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MAMIL
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What would you do to people who got pregnant for the third time? Deport them from La-la land? Forcibly abort the fetus? Sell the baby for spare parts on the open market? Use it for dog food? |
| What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket? | |
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| Nobody's Sock | Aug 4 2006, 11:31 AM Post #37 |
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Fulla-Carp
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All of the above John No seriously, if she breaks the law and has a third, the child is given to the state for adoption, and the woman receives a free tubal ligation. |
| "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." | |
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| ivorythumper | Aug 4 2006, 11:33 AM Post #38 |
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
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I have numerous friends with 7, 9 or even 12 children. They are all loved, they are all irreplacable, they are all joys (as well as occasional heartaches) to their parents. It sounds like you look at you kids as if they are economic units, not persons in love relationship. That to me is sad, and speaks more of a peculiar selfishness, than the generosity of parents who sacrifice for the sake of love. |
| The dogma lives loudly within me. | |
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| ivorythumper | Aug 4 2006, 11:35 AM Post #39 |
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
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Why is it always those who think the world is overpopulated decide that OTHER people should be eliminated? Have the courage of your convictions and commit suicide, man! |
| The dogma lives loudly within me. | |
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| Nobody's Sock | Aug 4 2006, 11:37 AM Post #40 |
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Fulla-Carp
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You first. You truly are an exacerbating man. |
| "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." | |
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| ivorythumper | Aug 4 2006, 11:38 AM Post #41 |
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
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I don't think the world is overpopulated, so its not my issue. It's yours, so just practice what you preach.
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| The dogma lives loudly within me. | |
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| Nobody's Sock | Aug 4 2006, 11:41 AM Post #42 |
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Fulla-Carp
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I guess you've never had the pleasure of visiting Mexico City, Sau Paulo, Brazil, or some of the urban areas of India and China. Just spend five minutes in any of those places, heck spend 5 minutes in NYC or LA and tell me the world is not overpopulating. |
| "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." | |
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| Nobody's Sock | Aug 4 2006, 11:43 AM Post #43 |
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Fulla-Carp
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"I have numerous friends with 7, 9 or even 12 children. They are all loved, they are all irreplacable, they are all joys (as well as occasional heartaches) to their parents" I never claimed that the more children one has, the less love they get. All I state is that in Today's society, 7 to 12 children is plain selfish to this planet. |
| "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." | |
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| ivorythumper | Aug 4 2006, 11:43 AM Post #44 |
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
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You would guess wrong. The malthusian argument has been debunked. It is not about overpopulation but land resources and food distribution. Your Maoist solution is much uglier than people living in poverty. |
| The dogma lives loudly within me. | |
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| Nobody's Sock | Aug 4 2006, 11:45 AM Post #45 |
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Fulla-Carp
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"I don't think the world is overpopulated, so its not my issue. It's yours, so just practice what you preach" I did. I am vasectomized. So are most of my colleagues who stopped at 2 children like me. |
| "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." | |
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| ivorythumper | Aug 4 2006, 11:45 AM Post #46 |
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
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Then the argument can be made that your existence is plainly selfish to this planet. |
| The dogma lives loudly within me. | |
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| John D'Oh | Aug 4 2006, 11:45 AM Post #47 |
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MAMIL
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No thanks. I prefer education to forced sterilisation. |
| What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket? | |
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| ivorythumper | Aug 4 2006, 11:51 AM Post #48 |
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
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BTW, 2 children per couple is not even replacement level. Your solution will slowly kill off the human population. |
| The dogma lives loudly within me. | |
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| iainhp | Aug 4 2006, 11:51 AM Post #49 |
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Middle Aged Carp
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Course this has nothing to do with energy, which is what this thread was about. |
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| Aqua Letifer | Aug 4 2006, 11:53 AM Post #50 |
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ZOOOOOM!
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Well, some might argue that our lack of effective urban planning, reckless misuse of agricultural and residential land, lackadaisical pollution restrictions, heavy reliance on limited energy sources, our dismissing the idea of self-sustaining local communities, and the abuse, over-production and total dependence of every significant technology that's been created in the past 500 years has led to the problems you're speaking of, not the newborns coming into the world that played no hand in any of those things. Yes, some might argue that. |
| I cite irreconcilable differences. | |
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