Power Corrupts – the Zen Factor – Online Parts International

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Power Corrupts – Is Nuclear Power Cheaper?

Then suddenly our one and only nuclear power station shut down. (Cape Town, South Africa) Oh my goodness! Then the media stepped in. And that was ‘Oh My Golly Gosh‘ in serious, hard core capital letters.

Let’s look at hard core reality: a nuclear power station stops because someone dropped a bolt in an alternator as an act of sabotage. How big was this bolt? So, a nuclear power station only has one guy looking after the show, no security video and this person drops a bolt in without seeing whom it is. No supervisors in attendance, no other people working with this person. Gee, guys, this is not a car engine!

Power Corrupts – the Absorption Factor

Yes, power corrupts because first and foremost our political allies do not seem to be doing enough about the rebated structures offered our neighbours, secondly the Zen Factor – which is a the state we are all in. We make a lot of noise each year about fuel prices, inflation and taxes but within a month its all forgotten. We all know of course that there is going to be a state of equilibrium and then a state where things are out of balance. We are currently out of balance, our income is no longer enough to save for retirement and economists paint the road ahead with a very bleak brush.

Coup de Grace – Pay for our Cock Up

And now for the coup de grace – South Africans will be liable for a price hike of nearly 600% over the next 4 years to pay for the mistakes they made over the last 10~20 years years. The media jump in, the tree huggers jump in, Joe Soap jumps in, the bosses jump in with a pay increase and we have a Michael Jackson concert! Let’s look at the reality. Yes, we need to look at greener alternatives. Is something being done about it? Yes and no. One – you will receive rebates, discount whatever for going the green route. What does it cost the home owner to go this route. Do we actually know that most electricity is used by industry. (at a rebated price too!). Can a gold mine that uses a 10 000 HP hoist run on a couple of solar panels and batteries. The chances are zero to nil to sweet blow all – because it costs too much. How many mines are still using coal power? Can they convert overnight to solar energy? Come on guys, get off the ganja weed. Two – speak to your staff and find out how much they know about power i.e. electricity and a savings plan. Ha ha! Unless you work for a company that works with electricity which is nil to zero because they don’t need premises to make money you’ll be shocked to find that most people know jack. With a capital J.

Power Corrupts the Home Owner

Now of course we look at the home owner. The average home has an electric stove and geyser. Let’s economise and throw in a windmill, solar energy and a couple of batteries to run these devices. I won’t tell you how much this lot will cost you but it will be the price of your home, I bet your bottom dollar. Where the frigging hell do the media come with throwing in a solar panel; etc to be the end of your woes? So what is 600%. Look at the electricity bill and maybe, if you are lucky multiply this by 6. My bill currently is R500.00 per month, the biggest consumption coming from the pool pump first, the geyser secondly and thirdly the stove. The pump runs for 6 hours per day, my geyser is new (is switched off peak times) and has extra insulation. Sorry guys, I need to get rid of these gadgets. Do you know why I’m writing this – because the home owner is going to be screwed over because the media have made it sound so simple. I know a guy that has the IQ of a gecko and he is making a mint out of home-owners through this crap. What’s the solution?

Popular Mechanics – Tech advancement at its extreme

Guys/Girls subscribe to Popular Mechanics or at least a magazine which will give you the latest technological advances. If you don’t have an answer the readers will or almost definitely the people writing the articles.I’m not advocating the purchase of this or these magazines and we are in no way affiliate to them but their articles are topical and will give you insight. Rather a reader with a bit of foresight than a monkey with hindsight.

Now that I have inspired you I can only advise that you as a responsible home owner should look at wind energy and the noise factor, solar power, batteries and the replacement value. The replacement cost will be higher than what you save on electricity over a period of a year. If you do not maintain these deep discharge lead/acid cell batteries they will fall over. If you can afford these batteries you should be talking about the pitfalls. Hold the horse! If you can afford these batteries you obviously work for Escom. BTW has the media gone to the executive panel of Escom and seen how they save energy? I’m still waiting for it. Unless their ‘dwellings’ run off surplus methane gas from the banknotes they handle, or the garlic from the meal they had last night at the Ritz, in all likelihood they don’t.

Power Corrupts – but not so much the honest man!

On a more positive note I am glad to see that more and more people are starting to conserve energy. Starting with lighting, computer and sound system the results have been encouraging.

So what if power corrupts – Why aren’t we fighting against over-population?

When I was in standard six (nowadays in grade eight, 1972) our one language teacher (Afrikaans, Ronnie) mentioned that our biggest problem was based on over-population. I don’t read about this problem because obviously this is no longer of concern. In 1972 it was a problem and now we all copulate like tomorrow doesn’t exist. Give me a break!

Should we not be looking at this first or is this not a money making news breaking story? I say cut down on the babies, teach people how to build energy efficient houses and f**k the rest. For starters.

Your loyal scribe: Scribe Z

(Ed’s note – the price of electricity in South Africa has effectively doubled since 2009. Oct 2009 – Jan 2014 = 4 years).