Sometimes I like to write bits and pieces about things we all
encounter. I enjoy remarks from my readers and once in awhile
they give me ideas to address.
Recently, I read about a new electricity use offer. The article
stated electric companies are considering offering variable
use charges based upon the time of day usage occurs.
Is
this idea new? I recall my childhood home had two electric
meters. I’m not totally sure how they were set up but
my parents paid close attention to the time of day hot water
could be used for baths. There was also a time of day favorable
to use electric stoves and ovens. Apparently the cost varied
by the time of day the use took place. Sure seems just like
what’s being offered as new today.
Infinity
is the new spin on cable I guess. The company claims the
way cable is delivered now is government mandated.
This
may be true but it is also very helpful to the cable
companies. It gives them total control of every channel received
by
their customers. In order to get a specific channel you
wish to view,
you have to buy a group plan of channels you don’t want.
I was told this was the new way cable service was provided.
There is also a new way repair of your TV is provided. You
talk to people in foreign countries who direct you through
steps to perform your own service. Yes – this is
new. We are all becoming TV repair people!
With
all the “cable upgrades” that have occurred,
we have one we could have done without. The constant
notices flashing across the screen telling us the cable
company
has found a problem with our service. No kidding, why
do they
find it necessary to interrupt programming to deliver
this message?
Why does it happen almost daily? This actually is new
and what happened last week was new; after the notice
was posted
the
TV, Internet and any other related cable service was
out all day and into the night.
The
cable box we were told was free is old, previously used.
The idea of the box was around years ago and
upgraded as
no longer necessary. The new free box, up to three
per household, has now become a new added cost as
a digital
adapter appearing
on everyone’s bill. If you turn your service
off when you leave the area, you are charged $20
a month
to store
the box for them. That is new.
Someone told me if you just cancel your service when you go
on vacation for an extended time, when you return and sign
up again you get all the new customer perks. Does that really
work?
OK that was longer than a bit.
How
about items that state they are 100 percent fat free? Does
that mean you get free fat? If you read
the ingredients you
will really wonder about that fat and how some
items can be marketed as “all natural” like ice cream. The “all
natural” includes a long list of preservatives. Many
ice creams now are referred to as frozen deserts. Unlike ice
creams of the past, these frozen deserts,pretending to be ice
cream, have a “best by” stamp dated
over a year from purchase. Next time you pick
up your
ice cream
check
out the ingredients list, ugh.
Where does E. coli come from? Can we smell it? I only ask because
our beaches were doing fine all summer with no problems until
recently. When the liquefied cattle waste was sprayed on the
farmlands last week the smell was terrible, especially in a
resort vacation area. Shortly after we could take a breath
safely, our beaches were closed due to contamination.
Is there a connection?
My list continues but my space is gone. More later.