How about some Jokes [Admin: No Politics, Religion, Nudity, Explicit Posts]

[KJRR]

That's why I refused to let the power company replace my electric meter with a smart meter so they can throttle me down.

Smart meters, smart phones, smart cars,... this guy just wants the dumb stuff, I'll supply the smarts.

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[Fawnbuster]

I did the same, for that reason, and due to the Digital Signal Processor (DSP) in all of them. Back in the late 90's IBM Research (where I worked at the time) built a smart home. We were able to catalog every device plugged into the electrical grid via a DSP we placed in the meter. We could even ID the TV show or movie that you watched based upon the change in the electrical signal variations as the movie played. This was without the use of today's "smart" appliances.

Convenience comes at a price. You think how wonderful until a government / corporate begins monitoring you 24/7... and one day you get a knock in the night.

And before you ask, Yes, I like my tin foil hat!

I have extra foil in the pantry!

I happened to be home and in the house when I heard a noise at the meter beside the back door. I went out and found a contractor for the Elec company undoing the locking band on my meter. I said what the hell are you think your doing? Surprised the hell out of him. He was pulling a wagon as he went house to house unannounced swapping them out. He said I'm giving you a new meter, a smart one. I told him when I changed out my panel they gave me a brand new meter, a dumb one. Leave it alone and lock it back up and leave and don't come back.

No notice from the company or options. I went back and forth with them for 2 months until they gave up. They said we'll have to charge you an extra $25 a month to send a meter reader out. Wasn't happy but we pay it. The company told me that the Indiana regulatory admin okd the swaps and or extra fee. Again no notice in the mail, in the bill, no email and no notice in my local paper.

Later I needed a service guy from the company come out and tighten up my feed (storms made it sag close to my garage roof) he even commented that he kept his dumb meter also, too much big brother . We pay for it, and we can pay for it as we see fit.

 

[Fawnbuster]

Smart meters, smart phones, smart cars,... this guy just wants the dumb stuff, I'll supply the smarts.

Ataboy KJRR

 

[Dr. Zaius]

 

[TJC]

I have extra foil in the pantry!

I happened to be home and in the house when I heard a noise at the meter beside the back door. I went out and found a contractor for the Electric company undoing the locking band on my meter. I said what the hell are you think your doing? Surprised the hell out of him. He was pulling a wagon as he went house to house unannounced swapping them out. He said I'm giving you a new meter, a smart one. I told him when I changed out my panel they gave me a brand new meter, a dumb one. Leave it alone and lock it back up and leave and don't come back.

No notice from the company or options. I went back and forth with them for 2 months until they gave up. They said we'll have to charge you an extra $25 a month to send a meter reader out. Wasn't happy but we pay it. The company told me that the Indiana regulatory admin okd the swaps and or extra fee. Again no notice in the mail, in the bill, no email and no notice in my local paper.

Later I needed a service guy from the company come out and tighten up my feed (storms made it sag close to my garage roof) he even commented that he kept his dumb meter also, too much big brother . We pay for it, and we can pay for it as we see fit.

I had been in contact with the Project Mgr at the electric company and long discussions well before the rollout of smart meters began.. He knew exactly what my concerns were and agreed to not install the meter. I came home from a walk to find an electric com0any truck in my driveway and the meter installed. The installer was still around back so I took his truck keys, went over and told him he was trespassing, and to replace the old meter. He refused. I then informed him that he could not install a monitoring device without my express permission, and that I was calling the sheriff to report a felony - eavesdropping and surveillance without my permission. I then advised him to call the electric company before the sheriff's deputy made it to my house, as I planned to have him arrested. He called the company.

The meter was promptly removed, and the old one put back in place.

The project mgr calls me every 18 months or so asking if I am ready to have the meter replaced. He has even dropped by the house a time or two to chit chat...

I politely reply no thank you.

I am being charged $10 / month.

BTW, the way the electric company gets around the privacy issue is updated the fine print (that no one reads). Basically if you allow the meter to be installed you tacitly agree to allow them to spy on you. The are counting on the customer being ignorant.

 

[Fawnbuster]

Glad you stood your ground!

 

[Jason B]

Kudos to all that refused the smart meter, but I still don't see how you get away with it. It's not your meter, it's not your power lines. Good thing the power companies aren't A-holes and just disconnect for your refusal.

Anyway, I don't get all the paranoia about 'privacy issues' when every other service you have, be it phone, internet, Amazon, credit cards and what not all have access to your 'data'. And if you have any Google account, say for YouTube, or use Chrome, or any map/navigation, Google sees all, knows all. I don't worry about it. I'm not doing anything illegal or something I would be ashamed of.

 

[subquark]

I did the same, for that reason, and due to the Digital Signal Processor (DSP) in all of them. Back in the late 90's IBM Research (where I worked at the time) built a smart home. We were able to catalog every device plugged into the electrical grid via a DSP we placed in the meter. We could even ID the TV show or movie that you watched based upon the change in the electrical signal variations as the movie played. This was without the use of today's "smart" appliances.

Convenience comes at a price. You think how wonderful until a government / corporate begins monitoring you 24/7... and one day you get a knock in the night.

And before you ask, Yes, I like my tin foil hat!

Yes, really a pic of me! =D

 

[Jason B]

I did the same, for that reason, and due to the Digital Signal Processor (DSP) in all of them. Back in the late 90's IBM Research (where I worked at the time) built a smart home. We were able to catalog every device plugged into the electrical grid via a DSP we placed in the meter. We could even ID the TV show or movie that you watched based upon the change in the electrical signal variations as the movie played. This was without the use of today's "smart" appliances.

Convenience comes at a price. You think how wonderful until a government / corporate begins monitoring you 24/7... and one day you get a knock in the night.

And before you ask, Yes, I like my tin foil hat!

Until?

 

[MountainGoat]

My immediate thought is how to disable the smart function, hack them or whatever...without electrocuting one's self of course. There has to be a way. If some guys in Russia can take down all our car dealerships surely we can disable a smart meter.

I remember back in the day there was some trick of setting up a bicycle to generate electricity (like in that movie Soylent Green) but you plugged it into a wall outlet and it would run the electricity meter backwards, haha.

 

[Fawnbuster]

Kudos to all that refused the smart meter, but I still don't see how you get away with it. It's not your meter, it's not your power lines. Good thing the power companies aren't A-holes and just disconnect for your refusal.

Anyway, I don't get all the paranoia about 'privacy issues' when every other service you have, be it phone, internet, Amazon, credit cards and what not all have access to your 'data'. And if you have any Google account, say for YouTube, or use Chrome, or any map/navigation, Google sees all, knows all. I don't worry about it. I'm not doing anything illegal or something I would be ashamed of.

Im not the least bit paranoid i just like my privacy and ability to spend my money on what I want.

I'm clear on Google which owns youtube and other media platforms that track everything,my concern is being throttled down at times by the power company. My wife wears a Cpap, I have a pacemaker that bluetooth's to my phone and we need the power as is. Consider people who are oxygen dependant...If someone buys a tank of gas and all of a sudden the oil company decides you've used enough and put your truck in limp mode...

I'm not breaking any laws, I was a cop for 34 years I just think that the laws and regulations and companies that place rules on consumers is too much big brother for me. In Indiana the laws and rules allow for a resident to opt out of the smart meter, the problem is catching them switching it. I got lucky and caught the contractor, I seriously doubt I could've gotten them to come back and replace it with a dumb meter. If a paid employee from the electric company hates them and refused to allow one on his home, that's a red flag for me and the meter. What's he know that i don't? Probably alot more. I'm planning on a Natural gas generator soon as well.

With AT&T being broken up by anti trust laws in the 70s I can't understand why Google hasn't been hammered by the government and broken up ? Too much money changing hands. I bought a Nest thermostat when they 1st came out, worked flawlessly until Google bought them and then the software updates and there "green rules" came along with forced settings making it too warm in the summer and too cold in the winter, they set parameters you can't opt out of. We have 3 large dogs and a cat, when we would be gone in the summer the Nest would let the house get WAY too hot for the dogs and they where clearly in distress. Then finally they stopped supporting the software and wanted you to buy a new Nest with even more restrictions. So I threw it in the trash and bought an Ecobee, best money I've spent in a while. It has 4 sensors to detect heat and movement and adjusts accordingly. One on the thermostat in the hallway, one in our bedroom., wife's office and one in the kitchen for the dogs all wireless and small and I am not forced to deal with the heat or cold unwillingly.

Here's a screenshot of what the app looks like and it's internet connection works great.

 

[Jason B]

My immediate thought is how to disable the smart function, hack them or whatever...without electrocuting one's self of course. There has to be a way. If some guys in Russia can take down all our car dealerships surely we can disable a smart meter.

I remember back in the day there was some trick of setting up a bicycle to generate electricity (like in that movie Soylent Green) but you plugged it into a wall outlet and it would run the electricity meter backwards, haha.

I remember the old meters that had the rotating disc. Some said that you could place magnets it specific areas to slow it down, thus reading less usage. Downside was that if caught tampering with a meter would cost you more in fines and fees that what you saved, possibly even criminal charges.

" Most electrical theft crimes occur through meter tampering, bypassing meters, and tapping power lines. Other less frequent crimes include tapping into neighboring premises, using illegal lines after disconnection, self-reconnection without consent, and electrifying fences. Possessing fraudulent electricity bills is also a federal crime and is punishable by law. "

 

[LaBalbe]

 

[Fawnbuster]

I hope the door wasn't on the ground!

 

[TJC]

With AT&T being broken up by anti trust laws in the 70s I can't understand why Google hasn't been hammered by the government and broken up ?

Maybe because Google was funded by the CIA / NSA / DARPA. Just like Facebook, and others.
https://qz.com/1145669/googles-true...and-nsa-research-grants-for-mass-surveillance

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