SURPRISING STUFF
The silent developing war between the local gas and electric service providers.
Alliant and WE Energies are the two energy companies that provide energy services around the Geneva Lake area. How’s this silent war developing? The first salvo was fired a few months ago with the publication of a spurious and magazine (also inaccurate) article that attributed the gas from cooking stoves across the U.S. to be causing fifteen percent of the environmentally polluting material with respect to global warming. The war was begun at that point.
The article concluded that electric and electromagnetic stoves would have to be substituted for gas stoves, and on top of that, heat pumps would have to be substituted for gas-burning home heating units. This war, begun by the electric companies, that incidentally, are already set to have to deliver tons more electricity for the developing electric car takeover on the roads, also want to supply basically all energy to homes in the entire USA. This is an astounding attack.
In truth, and easily checkable on the Internet, the entire gas usage of the USA for any length of time measured does not equal the amount of natural gas vented around the world from the excess vented or burned gas sent directly into the atmosphere from the necessary result of drilling and pumping of oil from below the surface in every oil-producing country, including the United States. Imagine the gross cost alone of replacing all home heating systems with heat pumps (which, by the way, don’t work once the temperature outside goes below zero!). The electric and electromagnetic stoves, if you have not priced them lately, are also now going for over a grand in price. Then, there’s the cost of electric energy as opposed to gas. Checked your own bill lately? Gas is about a third to half as cheap as electrical energy. This silent ‘war’ is underway although this is likely the first place you will be reading about it.
Springtime is here, which means that it’s time once again for the National Weather Service to conduct its annual storm-spotter classes.
This year, classes will be offered in person during the next two months, with one online option to occur on April 8th. Thunderstorms, tornadoes, and lightning cause injuries, billions of dollars worth of property and crop damage, and even deaths each year. This is an opportunity to become part of a community of trained volunteers to help keep our communities safe and informed. The volunteers are to be trained severe-weather spotters and provide timely and accurate reports of severe weather directly to the National Weather Service.
In an average year, the United States experiences more than 10,000 severe thunderstorms, 5,000 floods and 1,000 tornadoes. Storm spotters are the first line of defense against extreme weather and play an important role in supporting their communities. Volunteers include police and fire personnel, emergency workers, dispatchers, hospital, public utility members, school employees, church employees, private citizens, and anyone interested in becoming a part of the storm spotter system. Training is free, and typically lasts an hour and a half to two hours. During this time volunteers learn about the basics of thunderstorm development, the fundamentals of storm structure, and to identify potential severe weather features, the kind of information to report, how to report information, and basic severe weather safety. Classes in the immediate area will be held in Elkhorn and Delavan. To find a class, or more information visit; https://www.weather.gov/mkx/spotter-schedule.
