Electricity Blackout

Roberta is okay, and so is her cat.

Bree's tale was lovely in extraordinary circumstances. A french horn....what a fine thing to do, play the french horn at such a time, it makes me grin.

me too, osso, me too.

I'm glad to hear things are getting back to normal, au.

Hubby made it back in from Cleveland today. Spent last night in a hotel room with no power or water. Hotel fed everyone cold sandwiches for free...they couldn't take anyone's money because all their electronic cash registers were frozen.

This is a transcript of the discussion of and explanation of the power failure, from the Friday 15August 2003 PBS Newshour.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/fedagencies/july-dec03/blackouts_08-14.html

At several points in the discussion comments were made about different authorities, and about different rules, and about how some companies bend the rules, but since it is all individual, there are no fines or anything. Each speaker talked about regulations.

Deregulation is part of the capitalist system, but you have to wonder if there aren't times when utilities used by the country shouldn't be regulated. I remember when they deregulated the airlines. The argument was that all that competition would lower the prices and make it easier for the public. What happened was that fares went up, there were huge battles over who could land where, and airline profits started falling (they said - the head boys always managed to take huge chunks of money with them). And today the airline industry is not in such hot shape. Can't blame it all on 9/11 either.

Anyway, if Cheney's plan was so good, why was it kept such a secret? Why wasn't Congress consulted? Is California laughing at us? And whatever happened to Enron, El Paso, all those wonderful energy folk?

i want this to be over!
but we've been told it may be the end of next week before we're completely out of the rolling black-outs.
in my neighbourhood we had no power for 12 hours, then power for about 6, then no power for about hmmmmm 8 hours, then power for about 2 minutes, then no power for 3 hours, and now power for about 2 hours. the water situation isn't great - the reservoirs are at about 40%.
they are deciding whether or not to restart the subways and streetcars on monday or waiting til the end of the week.
interesting times.

hamburger and mrs. hamburger had no power for about 7 hours, but have had power since late last night.

Oh, Beth! So sorry!

I much prefer this sort of thing in winter. You can always put more clothes on when you're cold. Once you're naked, there's no nakeder to get.

Do you have water? Don't run it (the resevoirs!), but fill a kiddie pool or something?

Yup - got some water stashed - just in case. Nighty-night.

gnight

Good time to remind people to compile those emergency survival kits for these types situations and to replenish them with fresh supplies if you have already taken the first step of creating a survival kit for your family.

Here's a Google page with lots of suggestions and kits to purchase if you don't want to make one yourself.


Recommended Emergency Survivial Kit Contents

The Guardian says it is not possible to pinpoint the source, but the system is a mess and long overdue for modernisation:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1020088,00.html

This may be of interest

McT

Good thought, Butrflynet.

Now the may spend some time and effort to fix an antiquated and over loaded system. And than again when they determine the cost it may be the normal band aid approach. Considering that this did not in the eyes of our congress approach the level of a catastrophic event.

Now they are focusing on transmission line failures in Ohio.

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030816.wblackout0816/BNStory/Front/

I'm always wondering how a country with an electricity system that is on third world level (as Bush said) will re-create such a system abroad, e.g. in Iraq.

Think of the catastrophe that would occur had this been a national election day and we were all voting via electronic voting machines.

Butrflynet



Could it be any worse than the catastrope that befell us in 2000?

Yes it could, especially if there is a data loss of votes already submitted. At least with good ol Chad we still had the physical evidence of his existence even if he was pregnant. It would also have affected more then just one state's election outcome.