The US Hamster Wheel

[OFSO]

And now for something completely different. Tens of thousands of electricity consumers in northern California are without power as the utilities have turned off the juice in case fallen lines start fires. Yes, it happens (esp. in N Spain where maintenance is a dirty word) but cutting power to thousands just in case ?

[barkingmad]

A very wise precaution.

For maximum safety don’t fly in case you crash.

[Boac]

Watching the Arrows display that way the weather looked really hot - bikinis on the beach, etc - so I guess the fire risk is high, but is there a particular reason why lines might fall eg more sharpie activity.....

[Boac]

Also from The Independent, today:

"Donald Trump “constantly” talks about forcing staff to take lie detector tests, according to former administration officials who claim his penchant for polygraphs offers a window into the paranoia that has enveloped the White House.

The president has become routinely obsessed over leaks from the executive branch since taking office, comparing those who disseminate information with spies while accusing anonymous media sources of being “made up”.

Really hope he doesn't take one hinself.

[llondel]

And now for something completely different. Tens of thousands of electricity consumers in northern California are without power as the utilities have turned off the juice in case fallen lines start fires. Yes, it happens (esp. in N Spain where maintenance is a dirty word) but cutting power to thousands just in case ?

Yes, we're expecting to lose power later today. As of 7am it's still here. PG&E's response to people suing them for starting last year's wildfires because they don't have enough money to improve the distribution network to reduce the probability of it happening. There appears to be a weather system coming down from the north and it's the combination of high winds and dry terrain.

Screenshot_20191009_070657.png (218.43 KiB) Viewed 265 times

All those nice purple circles. Nothing south of San Francisco yet.

[Boac]

I would like to hear from you, Prospector, whether you approve lying by POTUS?

[OFSO]

It's no longer called "lying". Now it's "misspeaking" . Sounds much nicer.

[Boac]

Whatever, OFSO - would be nice to hear.

[Boac]

I would imagine that Israel is looking sideways at the US right now - the 'ditching' of allies in Syria must bring into question whether the US would assist Israel in any ME conflict. Interesting times.

[Woody]

So who still thinks that he’s trustworthy

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... ities.html

[Undried Plum]

Trump said "I won't say it ever happened to me, but it did."

[Boac]

Truly a genius.

[Undried Plum]

He's a stable genius.

One of my neighbours has got a donkey like that.

[Boac]

Makes the Chump a clever ass, then?

[boing]

I am disappoinited to have to point out the reality but both the UK and the US face the same problem. They are both trying to select the best representatives from a very poor group of possible applicants. To put it very crudely it is like trying to choose the prettiest turd from a septic tank.

Over the years, by apathy and misfortune, we have allowed ourselves to become ruled by a group of self-serving, immoral, brainless, spineless politicians. Now we expect to dip into this tank of dross and come out with a diamond.

Get real, the only solution is to drain the tank, flush it out, and then refill it with fresh clear water. It may be necessary to rinse in blood because the incumbents are not going to have their privileges removed without a fight.

Our problem is not that the people we would like to run the country do not exist, it is that the people we would like to run our countries will never be allowed to apply for the job.


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[boing]

On the subject of US power outages.

Pacific Gas and Electric have been in a form of financial instability for years. They had several nuclear power plant projects refused, delayed during construction and even prevented from operation when construction was completed. Depending on your viewpoint this was either good or bad thing but regardless it was hugely expensive for the company.

In all probability the funds that may have been available were not spent in the most beneficial way. As we all know shareholder pressure and other "big corporation" considerations sometimes seem to be more important than on-going operations.

The result appears to have been (legal implications of how this is expressed) that certain power line maintenance was not as it should have been and this, allegedly, led to a major wildfires in Northern California. Pacific Gas and Electric has now filed for bankruptcy, I do not know what the present situation is but the figure bandied about is that the wildfire claims cost PG & E 30 BILLION dollars.

So, can you be surprised that any and all electrical power suppliers are shutting down their distribution systems in a time of risk?

[Boac]

Can an American member remind me - did the Israelis help the US in Vietnam? Nah - cut 'em off (actually, I think they have been already............ )

[Boac]

Why is China only sending the vice-p to talk to the Chump - have they given up too?

[Alisoncc]

So, can you be surprised that any and all electrical power suppliers are shutting down their distribution systems in a time of risk?

But, but, but... What about the cashless society? Can have all the cards in the world, but no 'lecky and you're buggered.

[boing]

A point I made in the discussion on disasters. The average society, never mind the average person, simply cannot grasp the implications of a long term electrical supply problem.

When the power is cut off by a utility they can warn when the event will take place and they can restore the power as required. If strategic lengths of power lines are destroyed by terrorism we do not know when it will happen and how long it will take to repair. Yet the US Government spends millions on making us take our shoes on and off at airports but it shows very little concern for the security of the national electrical grid system.

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