Smart Meter???
There is continual interest, speculation and concern surrounding Smart Meters and Smart Meter Grids. The first Florida community to resist the implementation of Smart Meters that I have heard of is Lakeshore Neighbor’s Association, Lakeland, FL. I have not yet received the results of their August 15, 2011 6:00pm meeting at City Hall. I will post updates. The purpose of this post is to invite dialog and provide resource information.
Florida Power and Light provides web sites www.fpl.com/energysmartflorida and www.fpl.com/contents/privacy_policy.shtml. These sites will suggest that there are benefits including improving the efficiency of meter reading and billing, increasing the quality of customer service by eliminating the need for estimated bills, saving staff time and fuel, preventing recording errors and minimizing the need for personnel to go on the property.
The privacy concerns from citizens are denied by FPL. They will tell you they only monitor how much electric you use, not how you use it. When I asked them how they interface with Grid Glo I was referred to a supervisor. I am still waiting for a reply. I urge you to research gridglo.com. The company is located in Delray Beach, Fl. According to the web site, utility companies are rapidly installing smart meters resulting in massive amounts of data being gathered. Grid Glo assigns an EPM score, (Energy People Meter) which is a real time digital fingerprint of people’s energy use.
Web sites opposing Smart Meters continue to grow. Concerns over violations of our fourth amendment persist: www.stopsmartmeters.wordpress.com and www.refusesmartmeter.com. You can also contact florida@bansmartmeter.com for local information.
To date FPL has not addressed the health concerns. What are the risks from the microwave radiation are detailed by Dr. Zory R. Glaser Ph.D. www.zoryglaser.com and “The Sage Report sagereports.com/smart-meter-rf . Excerpt from the Sage Report *the reflectivity of polished metal surfaces is usually quite high (such as stainless steel and polished metal surfaces typical in kitchens.
In my next post I hope to have the answers to:
Do Smart Meters have a second antenna that will eventually talk to my appliances? Will my washer and refrigerator report me? Use www.govtrack.us and read bill S398 Implementation of National Consensus Appliance Agreements Act of 2011, HR 2208 Smart Grid Advancement Act of 2011 and HR 2748 Smart Electronics Act.
Are Smart Meters UL (Underwriters Laboratory) listed and certified? Of the people I have talked to they do not see the UL tag on their meters.
Some Smart Meters are being installed with prior notice to the home owner and some meters are installed without any prior notice. In my next post I hope to have photo examples of both. If you search google you can see the different types now available. Ask your family and friends to look at their own house and submit pictures.
Additional Resources:
www.augustreview.com/issues/technocracy
Note: If Safari does not bring you to these sites try using Firefox or Crome.
Being a Grandparent
Being a Grandparent: I have been a grandparent for the last six years. Need I tell anyone the joys and heartaches that come with it? I do not think so. The demands, the crying, the laughs, the kisses and hugs are all a part of this wonderful journey. I did not have the benefit of my Grandparents. They passed away before we got to know one another. My dad told stories as do most families. These stories included gossip, medical remedies, tall tales and moments of courage. It is the moments of courage I remember most. My Dad and I were close but he, having raised his five kids alone, was not the typical grandparent. For me that was fine and very understandable. When I began my journey of grandparenthood I was very committed to the idea that I would take the very best of my and my dad’s life experiences and pass them on. Little did I know at the time I would be talking about the national debt. I would have talked about personal financial responsibility, i.e. saving your allowance, do not spend more than you have, do not use credit cards to get what you want unless you can pay it off the next month. Your financial profile tells a lot about who you are.
When I go on like this people say to me Janet you are forgetting a generation. What about your own kids. I say that I and most of the people of my generation spoiled our kids. We worked hard and believed it was better to make life easier for them. Unfortunately, we were wrong. We did not prepare them. They did not have the benefit of the experiences of people who lived thru the depression. I had many relatives talk about how hard it was. I sat with them and heard their stories of courage. Regrettably when I tried to repeat those stories I was silenced with the “yeh I know you walked five miles in the snow to go to school”. I did not demand they listen and learn. What can I expect of a generation that was raised in the good life. Is it their fault? There are exceptions to this and they are making their voices heard. God willing, one by one we shall all stand side by side to right this wrong.
I tell them to be concerned with the National debt. Pay attention for the sake of your children. I tell them that now because rightfully or wrongfully I am a part of a generation that has taken their future. I have to apologize to them. I have to tell them I am doing everything I can do to reverse it. I have to tell them I do not know if I will be successful.
Am I willing to cut back, stand up for what is right and quit the blame game to look for viable answers …yes. Are you? If you are, join the fight, put your boxing gloves on and fight a good fight. Win or lose, the most important lesson I can pass on to the next generation is be personally accountable for everything you say, do and how you vote.
God Bless Janet
My Father’s Democrats
My father was a staunch democrat. In his day he believed the democrat party was for the working man. He believed in the unions. He believed in protecting the little guy. In his day maybe he was right. I know his values were right. I know he practiced those values in his everyday life. I know he looked for an opportunity to do his “Good Deed” for the day. It could be as simple as helping someone to fix a flat tire to bringing vegetables he grew to a neighbor.
He was a man that was proud of America. He was proud of his party. Today I know he would not only be upset with the whole process, he would be disgusted with the democrats. If he was able to see and read bill S679, Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011, he would be smart enough to realize this is a path to dictatorship. This bill has passed the senate. He would know both parties that sponsored this bill are NOT constitutionally minded patriots.
I hope everyone goes to govtrack and reads this bill and knows who voted yea and who voted nay.
Please note Marco Rubio voted nay. Thank God we have some freshmen in office who want to protect the American way.
To my Dad RIP, I love you.
Term Limits
S. J. Res 11
Constitutional Amendment – Limits Members of the House of Representatives to three terms and Members of the Senate to two terms.
Marco Rubio of Florida co-sponsored this bill. We all talk about it. We all want it. We all believe career politicians create more problems because of it.
People are flawed and power corrupts. The longer people stay in their elected positions the more flawed and corrupt they become. History has proved this time and time again. Our country proves it to us on a daily basis.
Please keep this in mind and act now to stop this on a local level.
Defend Palm Beach County Term Limits. Stop Burt Aaronson and Karen Marcus now. www.pbcterlimits.blogspot.com
Thank you new members
The Palm Beach County Tea Party brought in the 4th of July by making new friends and sharing our wonderful patriotism with like-minded Americans. Singing our National Anthem together was not only inspirational but reflected the new wave of determination to return to the morals and principals of our founding fathers.
Our founding fathers were not only patriots, they were intellectually brilliant. They did not use their gifts lightly. They used them under divine guidance. Your gifts are also meant to be shared. So please join us and be a part of something divine that has purpose and focus.
To all that joined today my sincere appreciation and commitment to help you in anyway possible be an active, educated, motivated member of the Palm Beach County Tea Party
It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world. I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. Thomas Jefferson
Janet’s Story
After the Obama election my daughter came to my house crying, feeling that evil had gained. I told her to keep her faith. Month’s later friends of my husband came for a visit. Two lawyers and a mathematician who proudly proclaimed their contributions to the Obama election. I said nothing. A year later the same people said they would never vote again. At that moment in time I said that is it. I have had enough of depending on other people, parties, organizations, churches and whoever else proclaimed to be best for my country. I had no political experience but my personnel mission was to find out what I, Janet, could do to support my sense of fairness.
When Obama said not to listen to Fox news I figured it was a good start. I listened for a long time. I took Glenn Beck’s University classes. When Nancy Pelosi said the Tea Party was astro turf I went on the web and found one, called and went to a meeting. They were talking about some big event at the Borland center. I had no idea what they were talking about but I had a date, time and address so I went. They asked me to hand out index cards for questions, and I did. I saw Allen West going to the bathroom and stopped him. I told him if I do not shake his hand my daughter would be mad at me. That is about all I remember of that night.
When Pam asked for a volunteer for oversight I accepted. That night I walked out of the meeting with one word: Thomas.gov. From there on there have been many, many sites I have learned to search though. I sat at my computer for hours searching and learning.
When I heard about something important going on in Tallahassee I went. Thank God my husband went with me. His sense of direction and calming influence was invaluable. I knew a little about one thing and stood up and talked about it. Scared to death, by the way.
When the November elections came around my husband, who would have not voted, saw my commitment and voted with me. It was very satisfying knowing that Allen West got one more vote because of me.
When my husband heard Allen West was not off to a good start because of his chief of staff, I made it a quest to find out whom this Joyce Kaufman was. I found out and sent a letter to her thanking her for all her work. I remembered her from the Borland event.
When Pam asked everyone to get on Twitter and Facebook I did. I had no clue how they operated or why. I have no idea how my input affects anything. I just knew this was something I can do.
When they asked me to stand on a street corner I did. Not my long suit. Having had polio when I was a kid and now having the late effects of makes it very difficult.
I had absolutely no need for a smart phone or a new computer. I now have them both. Again, it is something I could do.
I share my early days of being an activist to underline what my objective was then, now and always: what can I, Janet, do to support my sense of fairness. My faith has always been my compass and Jesus has always been my guide. I do not know, and maybe will never know, if anything I did or will do will have the slightest impact. But I do know for certain I can always look into the eyes of my grandchildren and know I, Janet did all I could do. I can stand before my God and be grateful any for opportunity He has given me to help.
Telling my story is something else I can do.
(Comment from editor: Janet is now a Founder and the Board Secretary for the Palm Beach County Tea Party.)
