We've talked about how BC Hydro is becoming the new Enron and we've talked about how investment fraud requiring bailouts with tax dollars is a scam, now let's look at the Smart Meter Scam. The new Smart Meter commercials remind me of the HST and the Farmed Salmon adds. They wouldn't spend that much money on the adds if it wasn't going to increase the rates. Even Bill Vander Zalm speaks out against them.
Cost
The first flaming concern is cost. BC Hydro is billions in debt because Christy Clark's Liberals privatized the power companies that sell power to BC Hydro at inflated rates. Once you privatize a public service, that company is now mandated to make a profit. It comes as no surprise that these independent power companies are over charging BC Hydro for the power we use.
Throwing a billion dollars away by physically removing existing hydro meters that function with new more expensive meters that have a long list of public concerns is not fiscally responsible.
Say for example someone had the idea of making plastic telephone poles. Great, we're gonna save the forests and make plastic telephone poles. Lets throw out all the existing telephone poles that are currently functioning and replace them with the new environmentally friendly plastic telephone poles. That would be dumb. It would be wise to start using the new poles with new construction. Removing all the existing telephone poles and replacing them would be totally fiscally irresponsible.
Same thing with the Smart Meters. There's nothing wrong with technical advancement and making digital meters. It's just that it would make a heck of a lot more sense that they started trying them out with new housing being constructed. That wouldn't be such a colossal waste of tax dollars.
Daytime Usage
Let's say a word about day time usage. One of the reasons for using Smart Meters is to charge consumers more for power they use at peak times during the day and charge them less for power they use at night. What an absolute scam that is.
The whole point is to rationalize charging us more money for power so the private power suppliers can fulfill their new mandate and make more money. It's not like they're going to freeze the price of power at peak hours and simple give us a reduced rate for off peak consumption. They're going to charge the same for power used at night and charge more for power used during the day. That's the whole point of spending a billion dollars on new meters. To charge consumers more money.
It's like spending millions of tax dollars on advertising trying to convince us the HST will be a tax reduction. If the HST wasn't going to increase their tax revenue by taxing things that were previously exempt, they wouldn't be spending millions on advertising.
Health Risks
OK let's say a word about health risks. There have been a lot of concerns raised about the health risks of Smart Meters. These need to be considered before they are forced upon a citizen of a democratic nation against their will. It's like that Erin Brockovich movie and the cancer causing effects of power lines. No one wanted to know about those statistics.
Now we're not going to see too many people complain about their cell phone causing them cancer. We have heard of some small communities opposing cell phone towers in their community because they didn't want all that radiation. Although not too many people are going to complain about having wireless cell phones and wireless Internet at Starbucks, but the truth is we are rapidly polluting our airwaves with tons of wireless radiation and that can't be good for you. If someone has a heath concern about a Smart meter forcing them to have one is undemocratic.
Over Billing
Of course we have the other golden goose egg. Australia has had a huge problem with Smart Meters over billing. Gee like that's not a Corporate brainstorm. It's not like the cell phone companies haven't tried that one. Over billing is another valid concern.
Privacy
Privacy is another concern. These Smart Meters are not just digital meter. It goes far beyond that and becomes a form of surveillance. The power company does not have the right to install a surveillance device on your home. That is as Big Brother as it gets. Since it's wireless, criminals could intercept the information and use it to track when you are home and when you are away to break into your home.
There are a huge list of concerns with the Smart Meters but the bottom line is that they are a scam. Putting them into new construction is one thing but replacing every existing hydro meter in the province is fiscally irresponsible. We need to address the real problem: the independent power companies that are over charging BC Hydro for the power we use. That is the source of the problem. Some smoke and mirrors distraction will not change that.
You know, one thing I've learned about you since we've been communicating is that you are humble and modest. I know you'll never admit it so I'll just tell you what most of us know: you are a good investigative journalist. Truly. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteHumble and modest? Lol I’m sure others will disagree but thanks. We all have issues. I have many : )
ReplyDeleteAgent K, have you heard about this...?
ReplyDeleteVANCOUVER - Organized crime has infiltrated the black-market trade of salmon caught for aboriginal food and ceremonial purposes, apparently diverting it for sale on the open market, an inquiry into the Fraser River fishery has heard.
There 's no link, I got it from "Prime Time Crime," the CP link expired. But the native fishery is completely corrupt. They are as responsible as anyone for the salmon problems, they are dip-netting all the returning spawners. They sell to all the Vancouver restaurants.
Which group of organized crime is selling the salmon?
I don’t know which organized crime group would be involved with that. Maybe they just mean because it’s a crime and because it’s so prevalent it’s called organized crime. I saw a First Nations brother with a gill net on the Cheakamus river once. Having done some Voyageur Canoeing I learned about eddies. It’s easier for the Salmon to swim upstream if they swim along the side of the river where the eddies are much calmer and sometimes even pull you upstream. He stuck his net out to catch the Salmon as they were swimming up one side of the river. It was very effective and very interesting to see. Kayaking around the Bedford Channel in Fort Langely you can see tons of those kinds of nets on the sides of the open river when the Salmon run. I don’t think it’s just the First Nations brothers doing it. Maybe that’s what they mean. Others are doing it now too.
ReplyDelete"About 200 customers of the Central Maine Power Company recently noticed something odd after the utility installed smart meters in their homes: household electronics, including wireless devices, stopped working, or behaved erratically. Many Smart Meters broadcast in the 2.4GHz frequency range. Unfortunately, so do many of the consumer gadgets we take for granted these days including routers, electric garage doors, fire alarms, clocks, electric pet fences, answering machines, and baby monitors — even medical devices."
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/7efyzpg