The Cellar  

Go Back   The Cellar > Main > Current Events

Current Events Help understand the world by talking about things happening in it

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-27-2009, 01:53 PM   #16
TheMercenary
“Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo”
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Savannah, Georgia
Posts: 21,393
Quote:
Originally Posted by dmg1969 View Post
Found this in a news story from KDKA...

Under the law, utilities can shut off your service for failing to pay your bills -- even in the winter.

There are exceptions -- for medical reasons, of course -- and here's a big exception.

From December 1st until March 31st, utilities cannot be shut off if your family income is below 250 percent of poverty.

That means for a couple, utilities cannot be shut off if family income is below $35,000 a year. For a family of four, there can be no winter shut-off if your family income is below $53,000.
35K cannot be 250% below poverty. And 53K sure the hell is not.
__________________
Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!
TheMercenary is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2009, 01:55 PM   #17
lookout123
changed his status to single
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Right behind you. No, the other side.
Posts: 10,308
Not 250% below. 250% of.
__________________
Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin
lookout123 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2009, 01:58 PM   #18
Pie
Gone and done
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 4,808
Look at his date of birth (in their records)? Some sort of logic loop like:
if ($Customer_Age > 70)
{
$action->Followup($family);
}

Now, really, was that so hard?
__________________
per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions
The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.
Pie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2009, 02:04 PM   #19
glatt
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 27,717
Quote:
Originally Posted by lookout123 View Post
Why?
Utilities are not your standard business. They get special treatment. They have their wires all over land that they do not own. They are permitted a virtual monopoly to provide power (or gas) in a given area. They get that special treatment because they provide a critical service.

It should be part of the deal they have with us that they follow certain rules before turning off service for lack of payment.

If you are a landlord (and you know this) you have to follow certain rules before you evict someone. Why should it be any different for turning off someone's power when it's below freezing?
glatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2009, 02:07 PM   #20
lookout123
changed his status to single
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Right behind you. No, the other side.
Posts: 10,308
How many months can you go without being shut off up there? In Arizona you can go a bit over 90 days before they put the warning tag on your door. The bright red 5 x 11 tag says "Please contact us to make arrangements and avoid loss of power". If there is no contact within a week the power is cut. It isn't a surprise when things get shut off.
__________________
Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin
lookout123 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2009, 02:08 PM   #21
Undertoad
Radical Centrist
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Cottage of Prussia
Posts: 31,423
When I've gotten shutoff notices from PECO/Exelon, they always have in big print the number you should call right away if there is anyone infirm in the house.
Undertoad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2009, 02:28 PM   #22
dmg1969
I got nothing
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Central PA
Posts: 486
There's a lot we still would need to know. Did he have family close by? If so, why were they not in contact with him or otherwise helping him? Was he suffering from dementia? If so, that would explain his non-response to any shut-off notices.
__________________
Void where prohibited. Your results may vary. Not intended for resale. Do not remove tag. Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.
dmg1969 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2009, 02:31 PM   #23
lookout123
changed his status to single
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Right behind you. No, the other side.
Posts: 10,308
I agree dmg, but we're talking about one really unfortunate, bizarre example. if it wasn't rare, it wouldn't be worthy of a news story. people fall through the cracks sometimes. sad, but true. my point was simply that the company is not responsible for doing anything more than they did unless they were contacted for assistance.
__________________
Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin
lookout123 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2009, 02:32 PM   #24
glatt
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 27,717
Quote:
Originally Posted by lookout123 View Post
I agree dmg, but we're talking about one really unfortunate, bizarre example. if it wasn't rare, it wouldn't be worthy of a news story. people fall through the cracks sometimes. sad, but true. my point was simply that the company is not responsible for doing anything more than they did unless they were contacted for assistance.
And my point is that they should be. If they followed the rules and this guy ended up dead, then the rules are bad and need to change.
glatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2009, 02:38 PM   #25
HungLikeJesus
Only looks like a disaster tourist
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: above 7,000 feet
Posts: 7,208
The utility didn't shut off the power, they installed a current limiter, which restricts the amount of power he could use.

Quote:
A city utility worker had installed a "limiter" device to restrict the use of electricity at Schur's home on Jan. 13, Belleman said. The device limits power reaching a home and blows out like a fuse if consumption rises past a set level. Power is not restored until the device is reset.
__________________
Keep Your Bodies Off My Lawn

SteveDallas's Random Thread Picker.
HungLikeJesus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2009, 02:39 PM   #26
lookout123
changed his status to single
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Right behind you. No, the other side.
Posts: 10,308
one man fell through the cracks and that means a whole company needs to change the way it does business?
__________________
Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin
lookout123 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2009, 02:54 PM   #27
dmg1969
I got nothing
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Central PA
Posts: 486
Quote:
Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus View Post
The utility didn't shut off the power, they installed a current limiter, which restricts the amount of power he could use.
A limiter which shuts off the power if he surpasses the "allowed" useage of power. What is allowed? One space heater? Two space heaters? Hell, he could have been asleep when the limiter killed the power in turn killing him.

I agree that it is a bizarre example and one that fell through the cracks. However, how many times have we heard the phrase "if one innocent person is wrongly executed, it's one too many."? Now...I AM NOT saying he was executed by the electric company!!! I am just making the comparison...one slipping through the cracks like this is one too many. Especially someone this age. It's just terrible.
__________________
Void where prohibited. Your results may vary. Not intended for resale. Do not remove tag. Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.
dmg1969 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2009, 02:58 PM   #28
lookout123
changed his status to single
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Right behind you. No, the other side.
Posts: 10,308
Quote:
"if one innocent person is wrongly executed, it's one too many."?
You're barking up the wrong tree with me on that one.
__________________
Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin
lookout123 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2009, 03:01 PM   #29
TheMercenary
“Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo”
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Savannah, Georgia
Posts: 21,393
Quote:
Originally Posted by dmg1969 View Post
However, how many times have we heard the phrase "if one innocent person is wrongly executed, it's one too many."? Now...I AM NOT saying he was executed by the electric company!!! I am just making the comparison...one slipping through the cracks like this is one too many. Especially someone this age. It's just terrible.
You can't be serious. We are about to enter the largest age of what is good for the greater masses and not for the individual. Those on the margins of the bell curve will be left off by design. Better get use to it.
__________________
Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!
TheMercenary is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2009, 03:04 PM   #30
dmg1969
I got nothing
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Central PA
Posts: 486
Quote:
Originally Posted by lookout123 View Post
You're barking up the wrong tree with me on that one.
It was just an example...I'm pro-capital punishment myself.
__________________
Void where prohibited. Your results may vary. Not intended for resale. Do not remove tag. Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.
dmg1969 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:26 AM.


Powered by: vBulletin Version 3.8.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.