“Big Brother” Energy Control

Surely this is not new to most people, but it deserves to be mentioned.

Yesterday yet another mailing arrived urging us to “Join the partnership where helping you save money, helps all of us save energy!” Naturally, this mailing came from one of the big corporations that also continue to pretend to be “saving trees” by sending mailings about “going green” by allowing them to control my account electronically without paper mailings.

The program being promoted is called WattSaver®. The key information is found in the footnote:

*WattSaver works like this: On the hottest weekday afternoons from June through September, demand on Westar Energy’s system is at its highest. At these times, we may cycle your central air conditioner or heat pump on and off in 15 minute increments in a coordinated effort to reduce energy demand. These cycling events will normally last about four to six hours or less. During that time, your thermostat will display “SAVINGS” and the system fan will continue to circulate air throughout your home or business. Cycling events will occur infrequently and only on weekdays — never on weekends or holidays. You may choose to not participate in a cycling event once per month.

Like good little automatons we are expected to volunteer and believe that this is for the sake of “saving energy.” These “thermostats” are to be connected to the Internet. What else will be monitored through these “thermostats”?

Should this be cause for concern?

Let’s see, to what other forms of monitoring our personal information and persons are we already subjected?

• all cell phone and traditional phone calls are monitored for both contacts and conversations
  
• all phones can be utilized as listening devices
  
• all modern cell phones can be utilized as tracking devices (GPS)
  
• all Internet searches are tracked and recorded
  
• all web sites and blogs are monitored
  
• all e-mail messages and chat messages are monitored
  
• all banking transactions are monitored
  
• all non-cash (and most cash) purchases are monitored
  
• all health care and medications are monitored
  
• all accredited educational activities are monitored
  
• all driving activities are monitored through traffic cameras
  
• most newer automobiles are monitored through various tracking devices installed both for govermental and banking agencies
  
• all tax deductible donations are monitored
  
• all incorporated groups, including religious organizations, are monitored
  
• all transportation by air, sea, train, bus is monitored
  
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• and the list goes on . . .
  
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Do people not realize that with these Internet controlled thermostats that total control over heating and cooling is entrusted to whomever gains access? What if a “virus” shuts down the system? What if . . .?

Do people really want to surrender control of these matters to someone in India or Malaysia or wherever? What will customer service be like when the thermostat goes haywire?

Do people really want to have TSA or Homeland Security or FEMA tuck them into bed?

The sad thing is that even though I refuse to volunteer to have such a thermostat installed in my home, most Americans will volunteer, especially since it is “free.” Oh yes, “free,” as in everybody pays. But since the majority will volunteer, they are actually volunteering me, because once these are installed in enough homes and businesses, they will be declared to be mandatory for all.

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* here is a definition of automaton, just in case this is a new word to you, especially definition #2.
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Does Daylight Saving Equal Energy Savings?

This article seems to be mistitled: Daylight Saving Time Ends This Weekend, and It’s Healthy. As one reads the article, the information presented seems to indicate the exact opposite, that the shift in the clocks can actually have detrimental bodily effects. So why this title?

The article quotes a study that shows that the change in time causes stress on the body. (Oh, like we need a study to show this?) The study further shows that the stress factors can last several days and for those who are already vulnerable from sleep deprivation that it can cause additional sleep deprivation that “can affect the cardiovascular system, leading the vulnerable to have heart problems in the days following Daylight Saving time changes.”

What was the title of this article again?

Oh! OK! The point is not that Daylight Saving Time is healthy, nor that changing the clocks is healthy, but that ending Daylight Saving Time is healthy. Changing the clocks is unhealthy. The alteration imposed by Daylight Saving Time is unhealthy. Not following Daylight Saving Plans is healthy.

Why didn’t they say that?

In the second half of the article it says the following:

Does Daylight Saving Equal Energy Savings?

The seven-month period of daylight saving time is mandated by governments — not biological clocks — which began implementing the time switch during World Wars I and II to save energy and resources for the war effort. From World War II until recently, daylight saving in the U.S. ran from April until mid-October.

But in 2007, Congress adjusted daylight saving time to begin three weeks earlier and end one week later, a move they hoped would help save energy. At the time, they pointed to the fact that longer daylight in the evening hours reduced people’s need to turn on lights in their homes at night.

Critics of the policy questioned the government’s decision, wondering whether people would simply turn on as many lights in the morning hours instead. In response, the Department of Energy studied the energy savings in 2008. They found that during daylight saving time, U.S. electricity use decreased by 0.5 percent per day, which added up to 1.3 billion kilowatt-hours, enough to power about 122,000 average U.S. homes for a year.

Now this seems to be a good representation of governmental studies and conclusions. The total amount of change in the electricity consumption data from 2007 to 2008 is 0.5 percent per day. The time frame has been extended by 4 weeks, changing the period over which the measurements will be taken, extending the time period to include more days when air conditioning will not be used, the BIG summertime cause of increased electricity consumption. Could FOUR weeks of days with customarily less energy consumption be a factor? Hmm? Moreover, 2008 had increases in energy costs. Many people set their summertime thermostat settings higher in order to save money on air conditioning costs. Could that have made a difference?

The total reduction was counted as one half of one percent! How can that tiny drop be assumed to have been from daylight saving time reductions. Do not the other factors also have to be weighed?

One half of one percent is not much savings anyway. Does such a tiny savings justify the inconveniences, even if the assumptions are found to be correct, even if the 0.5 percent is directly attributable to the adjustments to the clocks?

Calorie Burning

A couple who shares this activity together is not likely to become obese.

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