I was reading Boni's blog for the first time in a couple of weeks. She was ranting about CUC. We are all ranting about CUC. A nony in the comments section points out, rightly, that all the griping in the world does nothing...what we need is the money (and I would add, a plan to spend it). Ed jumps in to say even if we had the money, what he calls the OBN would waste it.
Here is my take on it:
Let's use OPM, other people's money.
Why? Because Marching is a waste of time. Suing ourselves is a bigger waste of time, because if we win, we lose since we are the ones who have to pay.
So here is a solution that will actually work: get the activists/advocates/to spearhead a Popular Divestiture Petition that if passed by the 2/3rds majority needed, forces the gov't to divest itself completely of CUC and allow a competent private firm to come in and do what is necessary to get the power on reliably.
Forces, as in an immediate order to sell at whatever (if anything) they can get someone to pay for it. There are small population power producers that specialize in just our dilemma. One or more will want to come into this market and make a buck. If this is backed by a competent PUC to oversee the monopoly and prevent it from abuse, we have our wish come true: we don't have to think about the power any more and we can get on with the important things that need to be done.
The rest of the rant: Why bother to read the published outage schedules? You know there is a 50/50 chance that it will occur on or around the published time anyway. You may bet your bottom...err bottom on the fact that you will also experience one or more other unscheduled outages as well. I agree with Ken, most of expect one of these days the power will blink a few times, switch out and just not come back on for days or weeks. I hope we are in time to do something before that happens.
Popular Petition forcing divestiture. It will work. But only if we force it to happen.
Here is my take on it:
Let's use OPM, other people's money.
Why? Because Marching is a waste of time. Suing ourselves is a bigger waste of time, because if we win, we lose since we are the ones who have to pay.
So here is a solution that will actually work: get the activists/advocates/to spearhead a Popular Divestiture Petition that if passed by the 2/3rds majority needed, forces the gov't to divest itself completely of CUC and allow a competent private firm to come in and do what is necessary to get the power on reliably.
Forces, as in an immediate order to sell at whatever (if anything) they can get someone to pay for it. There are small population power producers that specialize in just our dilemma. One or more will want to come into this market and make a buck. If this is backed by a competent PUC to oversee the monopoly and prevent it from abuse, we have our wish come true: we don't have to think about the power any more and we can get on with the important things that need to be done.
The rest of the rant: Why bother to read the published outage schedules? You know there is a 50/50 chance that it will occur on or around the published time anyway. You may bet your bottom...err bottom on the fact that you will also experience one or more other unscheduled outages as well. I agree with Ken, most of expect one of these days the power will blink a few times, switch out and just not come back on for days or weeks. I hope we are in time to do something before that happens.
Popular Petition forcing divestiture. It will work. But only if we force it to happen.
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10 comments:
It took a long time for me to finally start ranting. I grew up with power outages, but not like this. This is ridiculous. This is beyond anything I could imagine.
It won't be getting better any time soon.
If we are to ever reach electric reliability we need to get the politicians and the bureaucracy completely out of the picture. All of them. Not partially privatize CUC but keep government completely away from the process...no supplying fuel, no 'subsidies', just away, completely away. Then there will be a chance.
Rant away Boni, it's cathartic.
I've been staying away from CUC, my catharwritis is acting up so I'd just get high blood pressure.
I've pushed for privatization for years and one of the responses has always been 'somebody will get paid off'. So, what? That would be a one-time deal as opposed to an institution and hopefully they'd get caught eventually.
BTW: The phone system was a sweetheart deal when it was privatized, not because of payoffs but because they got super cheap Rural Electrification loans (REI or some such-- I've never looked it up) to upgrade the system.
Judging by the name...
Yep. It's a USDA USDA program.
Shudder. Please don't suggest it to CUC. Privatize first.
catharwritis ... hehehhh
I was just thinking about the phone company. It's so disheartening to think that our utility woes are a result of being run by the government. A sad cliche', but in this case we can't disagree. Won't someone please privatize!
I'm beyond privitiaizing. Think, producing it yourself, as soon as possible. If the price of fuel wasn't high enough, then the price of properly refitting the plants is.
The biggest arguement I've heard against wind power is typhoons and zoning. Take down the tower when a major storm is coming or rebuild it after and make damn sure the people on the hill don't zone against the unsightly towers. If the neighbors bitch, offer to share if possible. My lad is wearing pants today, how goeith Alex?
I haven't run across the actual bill, but one of the papers has the old saw about 'protecting employees'.
Hmm, I'd think any private company would be worried about having enough local employees. Seems the only ones worrying would be the Peter Principle elite. Or Pedro Principle: hired at their level of incompetence.
Mark, the wind towers I've seen pused out here include a fold-down feature for securing during a typhoon. Not sure of the vertical axis 'turbine' type towers.
Pants, huh? Mine still runs nude at every opportunity. He has discovered snorkeling in a big way and want to spend all waking moments at the beach now.
Good point about zoning...the zoning nazis can rear ther heads just as a project is about to take off.
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Yeah, Ken, the immigration/labor departement is singing the same song.
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