Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Power to the people




There has been a bit of discussion in yesterday's blog comments about gifting and technology. For now, all I will say is thanks for the comments and that people differ and technology is what it is. When it comes to technology, it seems everyone, particularly consumers, forget about the real driving force in today's marvels. It is not advertisement or innovation or anything of a material nature; it is one of the tiniest known particles (it actually is not a particle, but I don't know of anything better to call it). It has a disturbing (to me) property of being able to exist in more than one place at the same instant, yet no one can ever be sure of exactly where it is at any time. It is the electron. It is our electrical power.

If I know anything, I know a little bit about electricity. Through four years of schooling and many years of on-the-job tomfoolery, I learned what it is (1960's style) and how to make it do work. I had a lot to say about it and even had it written, but it was boring so I deleted it. All I can advise you is that we are using a lot of electricity to make our lives the way we want them, but we are not upgrading the electrical distribution system to keep step with our "needs"; it is on the verge of collapse in the US. Very soon, each homeowner will have the option to generate his own electricity at a price that is equal to or lower than what the utilities charge. Very soon means within the next 10 years. The initial cost will be the biggest drawback, but is coming down all the time due to technologies. Should be interesting times for you youngun's.
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I had to go out in the cold and snowy world yesterday to take Chris to work. Her car would not start; the battery is dead. Electricity. The tv cable is out in the neighborhood and all a tv signal is is electricity. Cell phone signals: microwave electricity. Portable electronics: battery electricity.
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Not much else going on today ... have a good one.
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1 comment:

Tammy said...

ohhh. so much fun to think! my brain was frozen. upon much reflection I am thinking what was most bothersome to me about watching "my girls" with their new toys is that I know for a fact their father (my brother) had to sell some of his possessions just to make his child support 2 months ago. These "toys" cost so much money and the girls act like they are owed just because all the other kids have it. I watched the youngest one toss her new game across the tile floor to her sister and it banged into the wall not even thinking about the consequence of breakage. Plus some of these "toys" were replacements of ones they HAD already LOST! Families are losing their homes and struggling to make ends meet yet somehow we keep buying.

The greed make me sad. How do we find the balance to raise our children with the intelligence they need to run the world and the soul they need to remain decent human beings?

Thanks for allowing us to sound off on your desk dear Ken.

keep inspiring us to debate and think.

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