Why 911?

[fragger]

I can't get over some of these things you tell us, nex That's a tough country you live in. And Aussies like to think they're a rugged lot We don't appreciate how good we have it here compared to much of the world. We think things are tough when the price of beer goes up a few cents...

Prior to the 90s, all power in Oz was funded and administered by state governments. Now, some still are and some have been tendered out - and, surprise surprise, the cost of electricity in states which privatized their power has just gone up and up (my state of New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory).

Privatization will be good, they said. It will foster competition resulting in cheaper prices for everybody, they said. Yeah, right, nobody with half a brain bought that load of bollocks for a second. Privatization of things like that NEVER results in "cheaper prices for everybody". What it results in is a cartel mentality and price gouging. Private companies aren't in business to provide services for the community, they're there to make money. They're companies.

Nobody wanted electricity to be privatized, but public opinion seldom sways political decisions. The buggers listen, then just go and do whatever they damn well please anyway. We can vote them out at the next election, but we know the other mob is just as bad, and we know that once a public utility gets tendered out, it NEVER gets taken back by the gov. Are you kidding? That costs money which could be put to better use, like purchasing new furniture for Parliament House (and of course, they always go for the dear stuff. No Ikea or Fantastic Furniture for those precious butts )

[Art Blade]

 

[nex]

Without those bailouts we wouldn't have electricity at all!!!
And it all started with ex President Zuma and his Gupta friends
The Gupta Brothers Own a coal mine, the coal supply was taken away from
the original supplier because the Gupta's price was cheaper. Then it
turned out the agreed price was about half of what the actual price is
and the coal is below substandard quality, to the extend that it's
virtually useless.

[Art Blade]

 

[BinnZ]

I experienced a power outage twice in my life. Once when I was in Peru (it happens relatively often there) and once in Sweden, which was last Christmas eve. So we had candle lights on Christmas eve, which was very special. The outage took over 2 hours and everything in the damn house worked on electricity. Outside it was -16 degrees Celsius so we were actually starting to worry

Never had a single outage in Holland. Most of our network goes underground and we never have earth quakes. 

We do pay a high price though for our electricity. And yes, our government also started privatizing power supply in the late nineties. But currently, most price raises are due to extra taxes for environmental reasons. The so called motivational taxes

I bought a whole bunch of LED lights, which saves me a LOT of dough

[Art Blade]

I mostly keep my lights out to save energy. It's fun to pad around in the dark, knocking stuff over.

Like lamps.

[fragger]

 

[BinnZ]

 

[Dweller_Benthos]

Is that why Art takes so long to go to the kitchen for a sandwich and a smoke? Has to feel around the place stubbing toes on furniture?   

They de-regulated our power a few years back, but the delivery is still by the same utility company which is regulated, but privately owned. Most of NY state is serviced by a company who's ultimate owner is in the UK. Go figure that one. But my area is serviced by the more local company that just covers parts of NY, and they usually are on the ball getting things repaired. But I can buy my electricity from anyone, if I want. I keep getting adverts for places that sell only solar or water generated power, and the ones who offer a cut rate, but I don't bother, my rate is pretty low, so it's not worth the effort comparing rates from other companies and switching. The local utility still maintains the wires anyway so I just buy from them.

[Art Blade]

you know something went wrong when you've reached the fridge, opened it, and realised damn, that's not my fridge.

[BinnZ]

 

[Dweller_Benthos]

Art: "Oh, excuse me, ma'am, I seem to have stumbled in the dark into your apartment, completely by accident, I assure you"

[Art Blade]