Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

CL & P Energy Orb Helping People Save Money On Electricity Bill
Courant.com ^ | August 24, 2009 | By LYNN DOAN

Posted on 08/24/2009 4:15:57 AM PDT by raybbr

At noon on a recent day, Keith Henderson's "energy orb" began to glow red.

This sphere-shaped device, given to Henderson by Connecticut Light & Power Co., resembles an opaque crystal ball. And in some ways, it does tell the future — on this recent afternoon, it's warning Henderson that, if he turns on his television right now, he'll pay.

He keeps it off.

"After a tiring day of work, it's just so easy to turn on that television," the 53-year-old postal worker said, "and then I look at that orb and it reminds me, 'Hey, you've got to conserve electricity.' "

Henderson is a guinea pig of sorts. He and about 3,000 other CL&P customers are participating in a new, ratepayer-sponsored pilot program that charges them different electricity rates based on the time of day they use power. They generally pay the highest rates in the afternoon — when the region's demand for electricity is the highest.

Some, like Henderson, were given glowing orbs — some that flash different colors to indicate when rates are high and low and others that change colors depending on the time of day. Others received smart thermostats and control switches that allow CL&P to turn on and off their air conditioners at pre-determined times of day.

Keith Henderson is participating in a Connecticut Light & Power program that alerts him to peak electricity usage and helps conserve energy. Henderson holds an orb that glows different colors and tells him the optimum time to use electricity. He keeps the lights off and the window shades closed during the day to conserve energy. (MICHAEL MCANDREWS / HARTFORD COURANT / August 4, 2009)

(Excerpt) Read more at courant.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: globalwarming; sheeple
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-26 next last
Yeah, that's it. Check the "Orb" to see if it's okay to watch tv. Check the "Orb" to see if it's okay to take a bath.

GAAAAAAAAACK!

1 posted on 08/24/2009 4:15:57 AM PDT by raybbr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: raybbr

I love how he is in the dark. Tell me oh orb when I can watch Oprah and Idol.


2 posted on 08/24/2009 4:19:28 AM PDT by doodad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: raybbr

Make the Orb go nuclear slip it in Al Gores window.


3 posted on 08/24/2009 4:20:08 AM PDT by linn37 ( "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples money.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: raybbr
Remember HAL?


4 posted on 08/24/2009 4:27:21 AM PDT by xcamel (The urge to save humanity is always a false front for the urge to rule it. - H. L. Mencken)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xcamel

HAL,I need some low cost afternoon power.

I’m afraid I can’t do that, Dave!


5 posted on 08/24/2009 4:30:22 AM PDT by liberateUS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: raybbr

Big Brotha is watching you


6 posted on 08/24/2009 4:32:27 AM PDT by GeronL (Toward the TOTUS State-Nightmare in Obamaland .. http://tyrannysentinel.blogspot.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: raybbr
After a tiring day of work, it's just so easy to turn on that television," the 53-year-old postal worker

Whats wrong with this statement????Hint, oxymoron comes to mind.

7 posted on 08/24/2009 4:33:06 AM PDT by MrPiper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: raybbr
Rover?

For fans of The Prisoner and Rover

BCNU

prisoner6

8 posted on 08/24/2009 4:36:16 AM PDT by prisoner6 (Right Wing Nuts hold the country together as the loose screws of the Left fall out.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: raybbr
"You look at that orb and you actually feel bad turning on the air conditioning," he said."

Mind control. Customers pay for the electricity the orbs and monitors use. Excuse me, but with temps over 100, my A/C is running.

9 posted on 08/24/2009 4:39:21 AM PDT by bgill (The evidence simply does not support the official position of the Obama administration)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: raybbr

Stupidity knows no bounds.

Why not just check the Internet, and figure out it’s all a giant hoax, and you are being laughed at, by the people taking the taxes.

I usually know when I have used too much electricity, when I get the bill.


10 posted on 08/24/2009 4:42:04 AM PDT by Tarpon (The Joker's plan -- Slavery by debt so large it can never be repaid...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: raybbr
"After a tiring day of work, it's just so easy to turn on that television," the 53-year-old postal worker said, "and then I look at that orb and it reminds me, 'Hey, you've got to conserve electricity the EFFING Power Company should be building more power plants!! WTF, you a-holes, do your damn job! Our population is growing and we need energy!' "

Every time I see one of the stupid PG&E or Chevron adverts that say "we're in this together" or "do your part" or "use less of our product" I want to scream. What happened to the can-do spirit that our nation used to have?

11 posted on 08/24/2009 4:45:43 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: raybbr

I have never used too much electricity. I just use what I want, when I want - it always works out to be just what I intended to use. I have no use for global warming hoaxes and their taxes.

Global warming is all about marxists who think my usage is “unsustainable”, whatever that means. Global warming is all about the radical marxists using government to force me to conform to a lifestyle that they dictate - I’m not going to do it.

Global warming is all about worthless left-wing nutjobs who view themselves (10% of the population) are the rulers living a high consuming lifestyle dictating to the rest (90% of the population) how they must consume next to nothing, to just live like a lab rat in a cage. Do what you are told, live in your tiny cage, and you will be keep minimally alive.

We seek to have us live in 500 sq ft inner city stacked boxes, no car, walk to the grocery, hope we don’t get mugged, tightly packed mega-city. To me, that is what is unsustainable. I’m not participating.

Name one, just one, large city that is not a liberal hell-hole. Name one large city that has low crime and is fiscally sound with low taxes and high quality of services. Can’t be done.

Now, name one (or more) rural area that is low crime, fiscally sound with low taxes and high quality of services - easy, there are many.


12 posted on 08/24/2009 4:56:59 AM PDT by rigelkentaurus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MrPiper
Whats wrong with this statement????Hint, oxymoron comes to mind.

I'm thinking - just "moron".

13 posted on 08/24/2009 4:57:48 AM PDT by raybbr (It's going to get a lot worse now that the anchor babies are voting!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: raybbr
About 2 years ago there was a subsidized program here in MA, perhaps elsewhere, for consumers to buy devices a bit more useful than this orb; I got one. It consists of a gizmo clamped onto, and then monitors, the electric meter. The other part has a display, and shows various things, such as instantaneous amps being consumed, cumulative power, etc. I thought it was quite useful and clever to see how turning on/off something contributes to the overall electric bill. This orb thing seems like a dumbed-down version, that just gives a few colors instead of hard numbers.

The downsides of the device was that the meter gizmo was too sensitive to position correctly on the meter; both gizmos were battery hogs; and last but certainly not least: it was "subsidized", that is, a handout paid for by either jacking up electric rates, or some govt taxpayer grant/subsidy.

14 posted on 08/24/2009 5:00:22 AM PDT by C210N (A patriot for a Conservative Renaissance!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: raybbr

OBEY THE ORB...

"Ack! It's eating my soul!"

"Come on, Susie, look into the orb. It wants to be your friend..."

"I wanted is to watch some football and all I got was a socialist mind-controlling device!"

This SO looks like a still from some sort of Stephen King movie.

15 posted on 08/24/2009 5:02:56 AM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: raybbr

16 posted on 08/24/2009 5:08:33 AM PDT by paulycy (Screw the RACErs.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: raybbr
MCCAIN: Well, to support a 1,400-page piece of legislation to start with is always difficult for me, but I believe that the only way we’re going to truly reduce greenhouse gas emissions effectively is the nuclear power.

We have got to build 100 nuclear power plants in the next 20 years. We can do that. Right now, the administration’s position is against storage and they’re against recycling of spent nuclear fuel. I can’t support a genuine reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, unless nuclear power is a key part of it.

Orb that!

17 posted on 08/24/2009 5:14:51 AM PDT by McGruff (I have great health insurance and so does every member of Congress - Obama)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: linn37
Make the Orb go nuclear slip it in Al Gores window.

Since he invented it....he probably has one already.

18 posted on 08/24/2009 5:25:11 AM PDT by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: raybbr

Pavlov laid out the theory behind this years ago...


19 posted on 08/24/2009 5:27:43 AM PDT by vrwconspiracist (The Tax Man Cometh)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: C210N

First they are voluntary, then they become recommended, then they become mandatory...........


20 posted on 08/24/2009 5:32:05 AM PDT by SW6906 (6 things you can't have too much of: sex, money, firewood, horsepower, guns and ammunition.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-26 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson