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      Monday, August 15, 2016


mrs. crankypants
12:16 PM - 08/15/2016

The topic: The cost of energy

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Our local utility, San Diego Gas & Electric, A Sempra company, just keeps screwing the users over. They keep thinking up new ways so suck the populace dry. Cut back, cut back, cut back, they implore their customers. The customers comply.

Holy shit! They aren't using as much energy, we're not making as much money!  Our shareholders, our employees, our upper echelon suits salaries!  We can't afford to not make as much money, in fact we need MORE! MORE!!!!

(Doing research into the San Onofre shenanigans where the utilities made backroom deals with the Public Utilities Commission on how to cover their losses by sticking it to the consumers is a real eye-opener; losses that were a direct result of their own greed that could have cost thousands and thousands of lives.)

We lost our low income discount last year because our usage was too high. That was thirty percent off of our monthly bill. We adjusted. The bills were still higher, but not as bad as if we hadn't cut back. They have a place where you can view your energy usage on their website. It comes directly from the meter. I watched it and realized that one of the big sucks was the pool pump.  Brian didn't believe me, but after much nagging on my part, he cut back how long it ran and started it earlier in the day.  And since it was running when not much else was, it was very easy to point it out to him on the hour by hour usage chart. We need to replace the pump. He admits that now.

Anyway, earlier this summer they went to two tiers of pricing. The first was basic usage at a cheaper rate, then you get bumped up to a higher rate when you go over the basic.  Previously, there were three tiers. Now there is just one. It started past one of our billing cycles. Our cost for last month was $480.00.  The most current wasd $507.00.  I once again started in about the pool pump. There was a little yelling that ensued. He was yelling "when do I have the time?" and I was yelling "everytime I check into it, you tell me you'll go down the pool place and ask them what pumps have rebates! Why are you yelling at me because you aren't doing something you said you'd do? And besides, I can't cut back much in the house anymore. I don't use my computer, I use the laptop. I don't run the fans. We quit running the whole house fan and attic fans. The air conditioner hasn't run all summer. I now hang our clothes on as clothesline instead of running the dryer.  I can't cut back anywhere else! But you leave the fans and lights on in your shop and you aren't in there! You're running all over town doing errands, yet everything is going in the shop! And it makes no sense!"

Crickets.  Crickets are big around here.

So, yesterday, we went over to his mom's house. His brother and SIL were there, as well as his niece and nephew. We got on the topic of the electrical. Mark said that their previous month's bill was over $400.00. Marion's was almost $300.00. It's crazy.

So, we're all bitching about the costs when Brian says to Mark "remember that big fan you had that I brought down from the property?" Mark kind of did. Brian told him "I checked out the motor, that thing is 35 amp!" So, that puppy has been unplugged. I'll be curious to see what else he can cut back on. 

But it frustrates me to no end that I even have to bring this stuff up, yanno?


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geekstuff
09:59 AM - 08/15/2016

The topic: The cameras

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I'll probably be closing down catcam.us later this month. Viewership is way down and the office really needs to be redone. Everytime I look, there's not a cat in sight, so it's just a waste to run it, the camera, the light...

A sad realization that something I've had so much fun with over the years will be shutting down. By my own hand.


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catstuff
09:53 AM - 08/15/2016

The topic: Today’s Bernadette news

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This little kitty can poop! Really nice firm poos, but, boy howdy, are there a lot. I'm cleaning out the box a couple of times a day. 

Saturday night I got a blanket and sat on it in front of the cage with the door open. We had a very intense petting session. She purred up a storm, rubbing her face all over my hands. At one point I petted her under her neck and got a love bite for my troubles. I think she was getting a little over stimulated so ended the session.

I ran Botti this morning and watched her watching it vacuum. She seemed very intrigued.

She smacked the bun on my head this morning when I was petting and talking to her. She wasn't real sure what that thing was, so let's just kill it to be on the safe side.

And I actually saw her stretching this morning and clawing at the wood she lays on. That's a first.

She's showing more interest in leaving the cage. Not a lot, but when the door's open, she looks past me. It won't be long before she's ready to leave it and join the population.


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lisaviolet is seventy something, married with no kids, takes care of lots of cats, likes taking photographs, loves Southern California weather and spends altogether too much time avoiding her responsibilities.

In her spare time, she makes pretty things to sell in her store.

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