Well, I almost spit my corned beef hash omelet across the table at Jen’s this morning.
Here I am, getting all excited about replacing my gas-guzzler truck, showing the inevitable signs of rust thanks to our local salt addiction, with an all electric car, for the reasons described in this post a few days ago. No more carbon footprint, and all that. And a blue ribbon from Al Gore, if anyone ever finds him again.
And then I see this “Maine Voices” item in today’s Portland newspaper, entitled: “Electric cars have one besetting problem: the source of their fuel”
The author asserts:
And, while electric cars may reduce the consumption of gasoline, the electricity they burn is generated in Maine largely by burning natural gas. Just how does this represent a net reduction in carbon emissions?
What? He’s kidding, right? This can’t be! They’re supposed to be clean running, ‘carbon neutral’ cars, aren’t they?
And then to make matters worse, we find out that our beloved local hero Angus is a protagonist in this story.
The high price of electricity in Maine can be traced to 1998, when then-Gov. Angus King signed into law new electric utility regulations that forced Maine's utility companies to abandon their generating facilities and instead buy electricity on wholesale markets.
Things only get more curious as you read along…..
Companies using natural gas to generate electricity have fuel costs of around 10 cents per kilowatt generated. Companies like King's that use wind to generate electricity have fuel costs of zero. But, guess what? The regulations King signed into law stipulate that all producers get the same rate, regardless of their fuel costs.
What’s next? A column claiming that back-in parking isn’t all it’s cracked up to be?
I do believe I’ll have that case of the vapors now.
Stella? Stella! Be a dear and get me a cold compress and a hot toddy, would you dear?
Heh... last spring I had a meeting in Brunswick with the other board members of the Friends of the Highland Mountains. It was a coincidence that the meeting was in the same town wherein the principal of the company we are opposing, Independence Wind, lives.
ReplyDeleteAnyhoo... I'm a country girl, and don't get to the city much, so the trip was a bit of an adventure as I tried to find the restaurant where I was supposed to meet the guys. I apologize, for I can't remember the name ( a flower, maybe? Gardenia? Hmmm... sorry. It was a great place but the name escapes me! Very pleasant waiters.. very accomodating...good food). I did meet several nice locals in town as I stopped here and there to ask for directions. I even met a randy Brunswick Corgi, which made my face flame (and my right leg numb). At that stop, I finally was properly directed to my destination, close by to the college campus. The final gent who tried to point me (500 feet around the corner) in the right direction gave me this word of warning. "Be careful though! They've got new rules there, and the police are pretty strict about them. You have to drive in backwards!"
Well, although this raised my brows, I didn't question the old-timer. After all, I was busy tryin to separate myself from a short, round, yellow dog with really big... ears before my remaining shred of dignity was lost to me forever. I gave my leg a good shake and hurried to my truck. Sure enough, there was the restaurant. I'd driven by the entrance at least a half-dozen times. I pulled past the street, put my truck in reverse, and backed down the road until I reached the parking lot on the left. (Of course, had I been driving FORWARD, it would have been on the right, now... wouldn't it?) Lucky for me, the parking lot was quite empty, as most of the patrons were parked, tailgate-first, into spaces across the road.
Funny, that...
There's a reason I don't often leave the Township. I'm just thankful that I was the first board member to arrive. No sense in giving the fellows any more ammunition, right? They'd already written explicit directions and drawn me a detailed map.
I got a good chuckle from that Bonehead Moment as I sat there in my truck, perfectly backed into a wide-open spot in the middle of the lot. Thanks for reminding me of that. And... nice blog. :o)
I suspect the place to which you refer is "Scarlet Begonias," a local favorite for something like 15 years. Their current "digs" are new in the last year.
ReplyDeleteThe original location was BYOB and much smaller, and had a different feel about it....much more "we're all in this together."
The pizzas are amongst the best I've ever had; the ability to work with flavors of various sorts is the owner's specialty. It's a family operated business; Dad, Mom, and the 3 kids all involved.
Thanks for commenting and for the grins. You have a fine blog as well.
"Poppy"