04 Aug 2009
Britain To Put CCTV Cameras Inside Private Homes

Paging Mr. Orwell!

Rumors that a new detention center, named Room 101, is being constructed inside the Ministry of Love are unconfirmed.

(link) [Wired]

via Overlawyered

07:33 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link

Electric Company Wants Monthly Fee For Solar Users

In the US, utilities are granted absolute monopolies by local governments over geographic areas, ostensibly to prevent "wiring clutter" and other physical issues. In effect, the local government subsidizes the very existence of the electric/phone/water/etc. company. In my not-so-humble opinion, that monopoly in and of itself justifies requiring the company holding it to purchase power from solar/wind users, and obviates anything resembling a "connection fee", as no utility customer in the area has any choice to connect to anyone else, fee or not.

Xcel Energy customers who have their own solar panels are worried about a new fee being proposed by the company. A monthly fee to pay for transmission and distribution of energy would be charged to customers who have solar panels, irrespective of their energy use for the month. An Xcel Energy spokesman said the fee is to ensure that regular customers don't subsidize the 'connectivity fees' for the solar panel customers who don't pay when they generate as much as they use. When pressed, the spokesman admitted that nobody actually pays a 'connectivity fee,' yet they wanted to prevent the mooching from occurring in the future (presumably when they hit everyone with such a fee). He also called the absence of a connectivity fee for solar customers a 'double subsidy' because many solar customers receive rebates to install the panels.

(link) [Slashdot]

07:30 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link