http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2012/12/28/the-tgif-open-line Comments On: The TGIF open line: Entergy meets the press by Max Brantley en-us Copyright 2013 Arkansas Times. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, Arkansas Times readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact Arkansas Times. robert@arktimes.com (Arkansas Times Webmaster) Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:00:01 -0500 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:45:00 -0500 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
Or some similar necessity to leave the neighborhood.

Or, if you want to be sneaky, you could flip the switches in your electrical panel, thus suffering a power outage, and have to take her elsewhere.

Being a good neighbor is one thing. Being manipulated and imposed upon is quite something else. And people who don't mind imposing upon others don't mind at all if the others become enablers.

"People will treat you the way you teach them to treat you."

IMHO
Posted by SkyPilot]]> Sat, 29 Dec 2012 11:57:50 -0600 Arkansas Times
I work for a large landowning timber company and we negotiate easements for overhead lines constantly.
Posted by santhony]]> Sat, 29 Dec 2012 10:09:53 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by the outlier]]> Sat, 29 Dec 2012 09:18:38 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Yellowdogdaughter]]> Sat, 29 Dec 2012 08:42:53 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by YossarianMinderbinder]]> Sat, 29 Dec 2012 08:24:06 -0600 Arkansas Times http://www.todaysthv.com/news/article/2404…
http://www.fox16.com/news/local/story/Warm…

I'm sure that the people in their darkened homes were elated to discover these resources while watching TV.

From another intuitive online source, the San Francisco Chronicle, Dec. 28:
"The city is using Dunbar Community Center as a warming center and overnight shelter. Southwest Community Center is used as a warming center, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m."

Such a statement could have been repeated while people were on hold for hours calling the utilities, rather than hearing "we are doing our best to fix you up."

And all of you who bought into internet phone services, how's that worked out for you? When either the power or the internet is down, you're isolated.

After reading the exhaustive LR emergency management page and the manual, written by a committee of bureaucrats, I noticed a distinct omission from their detailed plans - how do you notify people about assistance when power is out?

Now this might justify City funds being spent to reinvigorate the ailing neighborhood associations to provide such information, notifying them using old-tech walkies. It'd be a wiser use of public funds than paying the Chamber of Crooks to lobby against us.

Just a few ideas to ponder before the next whatever.
Posted by YossarianMinderbinder]]> Sat, 29 Dec 2012 05:29:49 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by the outlier]]> Sat, 29 Dec 2012 05:04:18 -0600 Arkansas Times
With the power, cable, and internet out, how do people find out if there are any warming shelters? Cell phone batteries drain quickly, so you have to know exactly who to call and be able wait on hold for a long time. Radio stations were of little use.

On the 25th and 26th, many public places like schools, libraries and community centers were closed and the police were busy with road accidents, so getting information or shelter at those sites would be fruitless.

Before another situation like this, cities need to establish a system where people can go to a specific place assured that assistance will be there and not closed. The locations need to be repeated on every letter sent out by the city and utility bills.

As in tornadoes, floods, and other weather calamities, it is better to know beforehand, rather than be scrambling afterwards when communication and transportation are kaput to find out where there's help.
Posted by YossarianMinderbinder]]> Sat, 29 Dec 2012 04:01:12 -0600 Arkansas Times
Would more underground help? Dunno. My whole neighborhood is underground utilities. but the feed lines from the substation are not.

One related thing. My wife got in a position on the road in her SUV where she wasn't able to get turned around (this was Thursday). An Entergy worker from Louisiana got her SUV turned around so she could get out & got her into 4WD low. He didn't have to do that (and might not have been allowed to) so my hat's off to him and Entergy.
Posted by JCJ]]> Sat, 29 Dec 2012 00:31:41 -0600 Arkansas Times >Overhead power lines require easements just like buried lines do. You think you can just plant poles and string overhead lines without an easement<<

Nope. They don't in Ark. They have "right of way" granted by the state. Nothing much you can do. Disrupted the hell out of my friend's rural setting he thought was going to be so picturesque when he retired. Went right across his 10 acres.
Posted by eLwood]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 22:52:35 -0600 Arkansas Times
As your mama probably said to you in a southern drawl when you were growing up "pretty is as pretty does". So grit your teeth, and smile pretty and offer to drive her to her friend's house. Tell her you'll be glad to let her know when her power is back on and even come and pick her up. If that doesn't work, you better tell WIES to hide all the knives because she doesn't want to be a widow!
Posted by NeverVoteRepublican]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 22:44:53 -0600 Arkansas Times
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK_DOJa99oo…
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>> Would I want to be without cable TV or Internet service over the last 12 years so I could own a generator that I haven't needed?<<
--santhony

It would take at the most 2 yrs of tv cable fees to pay for an essential generator, less if you're buying much premium content. If I fell for the offers Cox Cable tries to push on me each month our monthly total cable fee would be $180 plus taxes after six months.
Your choice, entertainment or essential electricity. Btw, local electricity has been out several times due to thunder storms and auto accidents but, not at our house.
Posted by eLwood]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 22:30:48 -0600 Arkansas Times
I'm at my wit's end with my snow refugee. She's been here for 3 days and I think
she wants to move in. I heard her talking on her cell phone today (for some
reason, she always has it on speaker and holds it 3 inches from her ear. Is that
an old woman thing?)

I heard a friendly voice ask her to come to their house
because they had power. The friendly voice on the other end of the line seemed
very genuine in wanting her to come.

Neighbor lady responded thusly, "I think my power is supposed to be out until
Tuesday but I couldn't be happier here. It's like we're a big happy family.''

I'm glad "Candid Camera'' wasn't there recording my expression. I hid my look of horror from neighbor lady, but WIES saw me and mouthed "be nice.''

I had to get away. WIES was working on something and I went to the bar to meet my buddies for a few hours. When I came home, neighbor lady was stretched out on the couch, dentures out and barefooted (she has long toe nails, which grosses me out to no end).

I want to watch the second half of the Texas Tech-Minnesota game but WIES says I can't bother our "guest'' because she is in the middle of a movie on HBO.

As y'all know, WIES is nice to the point of being taken advantage of. Me? I want to toss her out on her ass. I won't do that, of course, because I don't want to get a divorce (plus, I would never toss anybody out on their ass when the power is out, even when they're taking advantage of me).

If her power doesn't come back soon, I will get the butter knife and stab my jugular.

Suggestions???

Signed,

Desperate in Hillcrest
Posted by Mrs. Sistertoldja]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 22:13:46 -0600 Arkansas Times
I agree that with respect to generators, we're talking priorities. We had a major outage in 2000. We are south of the carnage this year, so it has been 12 years and counting since the last major disruption in our power. Would I want to be without cable TV or Internet service over the last 12 years so I could own a generator that I haven't needed? It's true that we might be looking at more frequent disruptions in the future, but I don't think many folks would sacrifice cable/satellite TV and/or Internet service for a piece of equipment that they might need for a week ever 10-15 years. But that's just me.
Posted by santhony]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 21:56:19 -0600 Arkansas Times
a.i., don't under estimate the impact of the pine borer on killing even large trees that are just standing there, waiting for a good wind. I had one lose the top 20' in the storm and fortunately, it came straight down, taking all the side limbs with it. And pine ISN'T for burning in a fire place or wood stove so once hit by borers or fallen, they have minimal to zero value.
Posted by couldn't be better]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 21:48:44 -0600 Arkansas Times
I will say it again, preserv, if you can afford cable tv you can afford an electrical generator. It's a matter of priorities. After asking what ours cost my neighbor with 2 kids shook his head, said he couldn't do it. I told him there's smaller, essential units. So, next time I saw him I guided the conversation to tv and cable service. He's paying over $80 mo to watch television plus $55 for an internet connection.

But, I also wholeheartedly agree preser the power companies should be made to go underground and become more reliable. We both know that ain't gonna happen in Ark with the corporate Demos or Repubs.
Posted by eLwood]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 21:45:45 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Self Appointed Arbiter]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 21:35:46 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by radical centrist]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 21:28:17 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by Goof]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 21:08:24 -0600 Arkansas Times
In most programs, renters can qualify for assistance if they are poor enough. Many of the landlords who regularly comment here can qualify for this or tax rebates, unless they don't want to be called moochers by Repugs.

Homeowners can get rebates for purchasing energy-efficient appliances and insulation.

Contact your local utilities or the state energy office for details:
http://www.arkansasenergy.org/
Posted by YossarianMinderbinder]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 20:57:47 -0600 Arkansas Times
The answer is not better preparedness on the part of homeowners. It is better preparedness on the part of the power company that rips us off for our energy bills.
Posted by presrevrob]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 20:32:01 -0600 Arkansas Times
I remember visiting friends years ago who used unvented gas space heaters in their homes. They often complained of headaches. But they were so proud that their gas heaters displayed a bright yellow flame. It looked warm, but it was a sign of unburned gas and CO being emitted.

Try as I would, I couldn't convince them that the blue flame was warmer and safer. I'd adjust and clean the units to get the right combustion, but I knew they'd have the yellow flame next time I visited. All of them are staunch unhealthy Repugs now; I can't decide which is cause or effect.
Posted by YossarianMinderbinder]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 20:25:01 -0600 Arkansas Times
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/12/…
Posted by Vanessa]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 20:14:09 -0600 Arkansas Times
After reading James Hansen's "Storms of My Grandchildren" it didn't take much for us to decide on a generator. Extreme weather conditions were predicted in Dr Hansen's 2009 book, much of it taken from his 1988 Congressional testimony. Extreme weather will only continue to get more extreme. The effects of AGW are just beginning. It may be another six years before central Ark gets another ice/snow storm and you will be six yrs older, the utilities' power lines will still be hung from poles. When utility companies walk into a state legislative meeting the legies have their own vaseline at the ready. So expect nothing there. Easier to bribe than to bury lines.

As dbi noted yesterday there was a time when humans managed just fine without 24/7 electricity. They had firewood vendors and people who delivered coal to homes which were much smaller than today's homes. There was also a lot of untreated asthma and lung disease and it was nothing uncommon to die from a case of the flu helped along with kerosene heaters and the leaks from fireplaces or coal-burning stoves.

If you're planning on a new home or changing homes in the near future just make a generator part of the package.
Posted by eLwood]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 19:57:36 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by mrprincipal07]]> Fri, 28 Dec 2012 19:44:48 -0600 Arkansas Times