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What’s on your mind?

VulchR said:
Perhaps, but there are alternatives to nuclear power that don't risk contaminating areas with radiation. Anyway, in the UK we've been told there might be rolling blackouts. In this regard, I am glad I don't have a 'smart meter' that can be used to shut off my power remotely, or charge me a kidney for energy use during peak times.
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Then get Windmill , house batteries and solar power on your home then worry not for blackouts!
 
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VulchR said:
Perhaps, but there are alternatives to nuclear power that don't risk contaminating areas with radiation. Anyway, in the UK we've been told there might be rolling blackouts. In this regard, I am glad I don't have a 'smart meter' that can be used to shut off my power remotely, or charge me a kidney for energy use during peak times.
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They can cut you off and charge you a kidney regardless!
 
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VulchR said:
Perhaps, but there are alternatives to nuclear power that don't risk contaminating areas with radiation. Anyway, in the UK we've been told there might be rolling blackouts. In this regard, I am glad I don't have a 'smart meter' that can be used to shut off my power remotely, or charge me a kidney for energy use during peak times.
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FYI you will need a smart meter soon, the radio signal they have been using to keep the older meters that have economy 7 or cheaper evening rates charges has or will be turned off very soon. So if you want to continue to be charged for a cheaper rate overnight I think you will need a smart meter. We don’t have one, I hate them, but the government is effectively forcing them on you via the energy companies, they can control what you use at will then.
The rolling blackouts if we have any will entirely, and I do mean entirely be the direct fault of successive governments, no one else is to blame for them and certainly not any current events.
 
Pezimak said:
FYI you will need a smart meter soon, the radio signal they have been using to keep the older meters that have economy 7 or cheaper evening rates charges has or will be turned off very soon. So if you want to continue to be charged for a cheaper rate overnight I think you will need a smart meter. We don’t have one, I hate them, but the government is effectively forcing them on you via the energy companies, they can control what you use at will then.
The rolling blackouts if we have any will entirely, and I do mean entirely be the direct fault of successive governments, no one else is to blame for them and certainly not any current events.
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I pay a flat fee per kW and so far as I am aware there is no radio in my meters. I simply report the values on the meters every so often via an app and occasionally the power company comes out to confirm. My use is relatively low at any rate (tiny house with one person), I am told I can keep my meters until they break down. Having a smart meter is not required by any law.

I do agree about the failure of UK governments. It seems to me they got caught only seriously considering fossil fuels or nuclear power. The UK should have reached secure energy independence decades ago.
 
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VulchR said:
I pay a flat fee per kW and so far as I am aware there is no radio in my meters. I simply report the values on the meters every so often via an app and occasionally the power company comes out to confirm. My use is relatively low at any rate (tiny house with one person), I am told I can keep my meters until they break down. Having a smart meter is not required by any law.

I do agree about the failure of UK governments. It seems to me they got caught only seriously considering fossil fuels or nuclear power. The UK should have reached secure energy independence decades ago.
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The rates set on the meter and the time, if it's got a digital display, is radio controlled. But your provider will tell you if you need to change anyway.

Yeap, the U.K. energy security is a total joke.
 
What's been keeping me up at night???

It's time for a promotion again, I don't love where I work TBH I'm simply tired of thinking for everyone but I have three job opportunities that are realistic.

One is a move up headquarters doing what I do now, while I like the guy I'd be working for, and I could learn a lot working for him, the HQ I'd be working for is pretty much useless but my feelings on the subject is probably why he'd hire me.

My boss is retiring in the spring, it's the job I've been aiming for for more than a decade but in this place it's just going to cause more stress my hope is I can mitigate some of it by sticking to policies, plans, and procedures but realistically I'll just be pushing the stress down the chain. The gent I'm going to hire to fill one of my vacant positions will fill my roll in this scenario but I'm not sure I want to put him into the untenable position I live in.

Lastly I applied for a position I was asked to apply for, the position is "Distinguished Visitor Team Lead" right now that team is silly small with a bunch of work so I'll need to mass hire. That part of the job doesn't bother me much but it takes me away from my eternal generalist philosophy. It will also limit where I can go next to just a few places DC being the most realistic, DC isn't horrible I guess and the command I'd be going to isn't all that interested in shipping experience back to the states which would make my wife happy. My lack of enthusiasm for the job is in conflict with my desire to help out a buddy that really needs it, even if it doesn't benefit me in any obvious way.

I guess the larger problem is I don't need the money the promotion is offering but I also need the promotion for the promotions I want in a couple a years. I'm a door kicker by nature so my current job (CUOPS Chief for the military people) fits my personality well but I'm not going to be happy if I stay where I am now leaving potential on the table.

Maybe none of them will work out but my gut tells me I'm going to have to choose and it's not going to be at the same time so I'll have to turn something down hoping for the next.
 
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Pezimak said:
The rates set on the meter and the time, if it's got a digital display, is radio controlled. But your provider will tell you if you need to change anyway.
...
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My meters are wholly mechanical, which is why I trust them - it's hard to hack mechanical gears. Mind you, my electrical box 'fuses' are wires stretched between two screw terminals that burn through if there is a short. The wires aren't even encased in cartridges like fuses normally are. My home is 'vintage'. *cough*
 
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VulchR said:
My meters are wholly mechanical, which is why I trust them - it's hard to hack mechanical gears. Mind you, my electrical box 'fuses' are wires stretched between two screw terminals that burn through if there is a short. The wires aren't even encased in cartridges like fuses normally are. My home is 'vintage'. *cough*
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Wow that is old! I would certainly keep quiet then. They can’t remotely turn your mechanical reader off that’s for sure.
 
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VulchR said:
My meters are wholly mechanical, which is why I trust them - it's hard to hack mechanical gears. Mind you, my electrical box 'fuses' are wires stretched between two screw terminals that burn through if there is a short. The wires aren't even encased in cartridges like fuses normally are. My home is 'vintage'. *cough*
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And don't you love it when the heavy-duty hot-water heater fuse wire burns out, and all you can find is light-duty lighting fuse wire...
 
satcomer said:
Don't buy then all at once, speed the cost out over a year or two and buy each part separately and build it one brick at a time!
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They cost a bit more than I can save in a year or two! I bought an EV this year so my savings took quite the hit. But at least I’m not paying for petrol anymore.
 
DaveFromCampbelltown said:
And don't you love it when the heavy-duty hot-water heater fuse wire burns out, and all you can find is light-duty lighting fuse wire...
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Paper clips perhaps? I jest, I jest...

I purchased all the necessary fuse wire for a spare supply ages ago in case it was no longer produced. 😉 But, at some point I will upgrade to circuit breakers - right after I sell a kidney. Anyway all of the electrics in my place need to be redone. The lights are on some sort of circular cicruit that doesn't cut power to both poles, leaving one always live, as I learned by being knocked accross the room changing a light fixture once. 220V will wake you up.
 
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VulchR said:
Paper clips perhaps? I jest, I jest...

I purchased all the necessary fuse wire for a spare supply ages ago in case it was no longer produced. 😉 But, at some point I will upgrade to circuit breakers - right after I sell a kidney. Anyway all of the electrics in my place need to be redone. The lights are on some sort of circular cicruit that doesn't cut power to both poles, leaving one always live, as I learned by being knocked accross the room changing a light fixture once. 220V will wake you up.
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We moved into a derelict house nearly three years ago. Each room had one single socket. We had extension leads everywhere. Surprised nothing blew.
Had a complete rewire including the fuse board. Feel a lot happier now.
 
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Apple fanboy said:
We moved into a derelict house nearly three years ago. Each room had one single socket. We had extension leads everywhere. Surprised nothing blew.
Had a complete rewire including the fuse board.
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My nephew did the same thing with his old home buy! He ended up updating every room on 10 years to refused it and now with 2 kids and new house (he even sided the home with hew siding too! He and his Wife thought they could change the place to their liking and now it worked out finally after 10 years!
 
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yaxomoxay said:
I have to face the truth: for some inexplicable reason, I do consider the purchase of my touchless trash cans one of the biggest improvements of my life. I don’t know why. Opening a lid either with hands or pedal is simple and easy, even a toddler can do it. But touchless? It’s pure heaven.
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A toddler can do it? I doubt it. I have an office full of people that don’t seem to understand how to close the lid on a bin.
 
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I'm ready to cut my sister out of my first-tier life, after 8 months of not receiving an apology from her.

She & her bf have always been against the COVID vaccine, but she finally had to get it last November. She made the fatal mistake of not only telling our parents, but also telling them to keep it a secret - she didn't want me to know, because I had told her several times over last year that getting the vaccination would be inevitable.

Turns out our Dad was dying, having succumbed to severe heart blockage. And I had a right to know that she & her bf were taking precautions to prevent Dad from being exposed to COVID when they were around; and I also had a right to know that I didn't have to worry about her about getting a bad case of COVID as much, since she had gotten vaccinated. And she has a responsibility as a family member to not keep secrets about such things. Like Mom said - we never keep secrets from each other, especially that of our well-being (or not).

When I confronted her about it after Christmas, she blew up and said that she refused to talk about it and that she would leave immediately if she was pushed about it (she's 50 years old, mind you). I didn't want a blow-up the day after Christmas while we were all gathered at our family house, so I shut up about it. I was ready to confront her after the holidays, knowing that she would blow up and we would be fighting, and that Dad was the only one in our family strong enough to eventually mend fences between my sister and I.

Dad passed away early this year (thankfully COVID was not listed as a cause on his death certificate, or I probably would have used that against her), and I've let things go to be sure that Mom didn't have the added stress of family fighting on top of Dad's death.

My sister's bf is always taunting me about politics (he just can't help himself), and I told her that I would no longer engage them on the subject - in order to keep peace in the family; and I've successfully stood my ground by not engaging him. But lately, I find myself directing the energy I use to keep my mouth shut over to that of realizing that she never apologized to me for trying to cut me out of family business that relates to the health and well-being of my family (that she got vaccinated and told my parents not to say anything).

And my strength to overlook what she had done is weakening - that she never apologized to me is unfinished business, in my mind. And I find myself holding it against her.

^ I know, pretty heavy stuff; but it has strongly been on my mind lately - as this message topic requests. Thanks for letting me vent!
 
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