Author: alternateorg

Here’s what I understand about CA:
1. The energy companies have NOT been deregulated, it’s the companies that produce and sell energy to those companies (PG&E and Edison).

2. The deregulation affects the energy companies like this: They have to pay more for energy. Lots more. But California law dictates that these energy companies cannot pass the same ridiculously high rates on to consumers (to an extent).. hence a: the lack of energy in CA due to the energy companies not being able to afford it from those that produce it, and b: higher energy bills, despite lack of energy.

So… the problem stems from those producing the energy having the freedom and audacity to charge whatever the hell they want, and the companies that buy from them being legally bound to not charge nearly as much as they pay for it. So had the sector not EVER been regulated in the first place… that might have helped, but now deregulation IS where all these problems come from. I think actually that the real problem is that PG&E (or at least SDG&E) made a choice earlier to not produce the energy they sell. If that CA law stating that electricity cannot be charged over a certain amount, the problem would still be around, because consumers would have insane bills (like $600/month), which they wouldn’t be able to pay, forcing the energy-sellers to fall deeper into debt anyhow. So I feel that deregulation really is the source of this problem, if only indirectly… by allowing those with the power (no pun intended) to be greedy fucks.

This story is about AOL/TimeWarner buying Apple…. cough **bullshit** cough… Anyway, he starts it off with the following warning:

BEFORE YOU CLICK on your online broker to snatch up Apple shares, hold on. There is no reason to believe this deal is in the works.

I for one would sell *all* my shares the instant AOL decided to buy Apple…

Also, I dont think anyone is going to go “snatch up” AAPL stock because of this guys “what if” editorial.

Proof that someone has been thinking about things that I post came via email today. Here it is:

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 09:44:43 -0800 (PST)
From: ******@yahoo.com
Subject: re: ‘It just doesn’t work’ deregulation post
To: ddmmyy@antisocial.com

BTW: the cable industry has never been regulated,
therefore never deregulated.”

Here are a couple of articles that I think clearly support my claim that deregulation is the problem in California. They both require registering with the LA Times, which is a pain in the ass, but I think they state the issue at hand rather nicely.

In terms of cable deregulation, it actually did happen, not that long ago in fact.

I think both of these articles explain the issues so much better than my rambling could have. Also, I left the writer’s email out because I doubt he wants it posted without say-so.

Is it just me, or does this sound like a REALLY bad idea?

…a company called Zairmail; using his website, you can send hundreds of snail-mail letters without any hassles — no envelopes, etc. — and all for free, he says. The catch? You agree to let the company insert some advertisements in the envelope.

This is going straight into my Fucked Company list.

From WiredNews
A small group of space enthusiasts plans to charter an aircraft to witness up close the event of a lifetime — the fiery death next month of the Russian Mir space station as it hurtles into the South Pacific.

It’d be my luck to be on the OTHER side of the plane… “If you look out the right side of the aircraft, you’ll see the most strangely beautiful celestial fireworks display ever witnessed by human eyes… and for those of you on the left side, well, you’ve got a great view of.. well.. jack fucking shit.”

I must admit, I thought Mountain Dew would be much higher up in the caffeine polls…. That’s certainly where my vote went.

Stuff. There’s you know.. like.. stuff. In the. Stuff section. Well, there’s desktops, anyway.

I’ve busted my ass today, and gotten the whole damn site working. I improved many functions, and the site is just about finished for now. Just about the only emptiness is on the ‘stuff’ page, but judging by the way I’m going today, that’ll be content-free for not much longer. The admin tool looks like a broken-down pickup truck but it works, and you don’t care about that. Listen closely… the sound you’ll hear is me collapsing in a heap. I’ve learning more about PHP today than I have in the year or so this site’s been online.>

This is a joke. I can’t believe the new chairman of the FCC actually thinks people still believe deregulation works. If he isn’t aware, prices have only gone up on phone bills, cable bills and most clearly power bills in California. All products of deregulation.

“I believe deregulation is instead a critical ingredient for facilitating competition.”