22 Jun, 2007
Anti-CFL Article
I read it. It's interesting. But I also noticed that the website from which it flows is a haven for crazed far-right-wing crazies (yes, double crazy) who need to stop voting forever.
I'm holding my nose (can't you see that?) and presenting the link -- Facts about CFLs . . . downplayed in government-enviro push.
Here's a paragraph that -- if true -- is potent:
When a CFL breaks, the EPA cautions consumers to open a window and leave the room immediately for at least 15 minutes because of the mercury threat. The agency suggests removing all materials by scooping fragments and powder using cardboard or stiff paper. Sticky tape is suggested as a way to get smaller particles. The EPA says vacuum cleaners and bare hands should never be used in such cleanups.
21 Jun, 2007
Electrical Disaster Roundup
Power outage creates amusement ride nightmare -- "a dozen riders on a roller coaster spent half an hour hanging upside down -- 150 feet above the ground -- after a power outage shut down the attraction."
Contractor slams $1.1M transformer into overpass -- I think this speaks for itself, doesn't it?
Woman shocked by power line -- she's 200 feet away -- the story: In Michigan, a 4800V power line fell when a tree knocked it down. A woman who was 200 feet away was knocked down, shocked unconscious, and send into convulsions. One might guess that's not all that likely, but she says it happened!
(More)
21 Jun, 2007
You Can't Get Power In SF
Can you hook me up? That is a common phrase heard at the offices of Pacific, Gas and Electric Co. these days as a construction boom in San Francisco is causing a flood of requests for electricity and gas service.
Developers and contractors are frustrated that, too often, the answer is no, or at least not very soon.
The glut of hook-up applications is stretching PG&E operations. It also is forcing the utility to change the way it does business to accommodate frustrated developers who must sometimes wait for the red tape to unravel before their welders, pipe-fitters and crane operators can get to work.
Developers and contractors are frustrated that, too often, the answer is no, or at least not very soon.
The glut of hook-up applications is stretching PG&E operations. It also is forcing the utility to change the way it does business to accommodate frustrated developers who must sometimes wait for the red tape to unravel before their welders, pipe-fitters and crane operators can get to work.
It's a really interesting read. The article talks about unacceptable outages, the utility not having enough power, and more. What's apparent is that the power company's travails are limiting growth in the SF Bay Area.
21 Jun, 2007
Fiber Installer Training
21 Jun, 2007
Cell Tower Factolito
According to CTI - The Wireless Association, "the number of cell sites in the U.S> has grown from 913 in 1985 to 195,613 at the end of 2006."
21 Jun, 2007
Great Web Uses
JOURNEY OF MANKIND -- The Peopling of the World. A really neat use of Web technology to convey information.
Ancient Rome - Digital Simulation -- Rome Reborn. A simulation of how the ancient capital of Western civ might have looked. According to an article, some private companies are working to put something like this in a theater (to open 4/08) -- in Rome.
21 Jun, 2007
You're Ignoring ZigBee . . .
EleBlog take: Electricians will end up intimately involved with ZigBee. Why not get a head start, just in case I'm right?
Network World (5/23) had a good introductory piece to ZigBee. The headline notes that it differs from Bluetooth, but the piece is written so that, even if you don't already know what Bluetooth technology is, you'll still "get it."
Two IMPORTANT things if you follow that link:
a. Make sure you do not ignore the "Infographic" (it says "click to see"). Click it.
b. NetW presents articles in pieces. This one goes on to 2 other pages. You can see the whole thing by clicking "print," or just keep clicking.
15 Jun, 2007
Web-based Access Control
One security company exec, in Rochester, Minn., says his is "a rural company." At this point, 65% of the company's access control system installs are Web-based. This isn't "coming" -- it's here.
15 Jun, 2007
LEDs To 'Fight' CFLs
The AP/USAT article talks (in part) about advantages the LED has over the CFL. I'm wholly on board with that. Let's hold off on banning incandescents until the LED option's competitive advantages (including BIG energy savings) harden, crystallize, and become more apparent.
15 Jun, 2007
Wireless Energy(!)(?)
This seems important!
15 Jun, 2007
Employment Comment
The 6/7 weekly commentary on the site of Comstock Partners -- a group of folks who are bearish right now -- includes this:
The employment market, too, is weaker than it seems on first glance. Even
the dubious figures supplied in the establishment payroll report show a
year-over-year jobs increase of only 1.4%, a number usually preceding
economic recessions. In the first five months of the year average monthly jobs rose by only 132,000, compared to 201,000 in 2006. In addition the increase of 157,000 jobs in May showed construction jobs virtually unchanged. However, the BLS birth/death adjustment added a mythical 40,000 construction jobs to achieve that figure. Given the condition of the housing industry, we find that hard to believe.
No, the folks at Comstock aren't agreeing with me. They added fuel to the fire.
15 Jun, 2007
Metal Thievery
First, it leads one to suspect that the thieves had some decent knowledge of electrical power distribution. Electricians?
Second, this copper theft thing has been going on since 2004. You'd think maybe that localities, if not states, would impose laws on scrap yards that make it impossible for them to accept copper for recycling without a certification of from where it came.
Sometimes, it seems we are helpless in the face of our problems. Maybe we are, sometimes. But this seems so simple. Why is it so hard to do?
15 Jun, 2007
Ethernet & Green
12 Jun, 2007
Electrical Construction Employment
First, some notes:
a. These are NOT all electricians. I've learned that the hard way, by looking at BLS data for skilled occupations. According to BLS, there are roughly 400,000 professional electricians working in the electrical construction industry.
b. What do the rest of these people (some 315K) do, then? They are helpers, apprentices, spear-carriers, etc.
c. Construction employment (all trades, production workers) was down marginally in April 2007, from April 2006. Electrical construction was up. That's not a call for celebration. I think it indicates the shift from one heck of a lot of residential construction (which absorbs relatively more non-electrical on-site labor) to a higher percentage of nonresidential building (which requires a higher level of electrical work). Dollar-wise, electrical makes up 4% to 5% of a house, and can account for 10% or 12% of an office building.
d. Note that the high figure for 2006 electrical worker employment was 725,900 (in September). We're just a stone's throw from there -- a 1.6% gain in electrical worker employment in the next month or months will take us over that recent high-water mark.
The all-time high reported by BLS was 784,100 electrical workers in the field, on average, in September 200.
EleBlog Take: I was kind of stunned that electrical worker employment held up so well in 2004-2005 (relatively speaking). Here are the annual averages for electrical worker emloyment, as provided by BLS:
2000: 758,400
2001: 759,400
2002: 699,500
2003: 662,500
2004: 655,900
2005: 671,100
2006: 706,900
. . . as you can see, there is no "fall off a cliff" here. Yes, the 2005 figure is 100,000 below the peak annual average, but it's not a sharp reduction. And last year's average figure is 93% of the peak year (2001) . . . a thing I did not think a shift from nonresidential construction to heavy residential buidling could sustain.
Obviously, I'm missing something (or I am just flat-out WRONG).
What's needed is a detailed analysis of whether productivity in electrical construction work (and construction overall) is holding even-- or falling like a stone. Unfortunately, the BLS data cannot be further parsed -- to figure out how many of these electrical construction workers were doing nonresidential and residential work, how many were illegal aliens (if they are indeed included in these numbers -- or not), and so forth.
12 Jun, 2007
Employment Figures - Construction
That ain't much, considering what's going on in housing.
Total construction employment has been down for each of the past four months (January was higher than Jan. 06), but only marginally. There are a number of mysteries here:
1. Are noncitizens working in construction counted? There are an awful lot of them, or have been, in the field -- especially in residential new construction work.
2. Could the number of new workers put to work in nonresidential construction -- which thus far has had a very good year -- be offsetting the losses in residential?
3. According to the Birth/Death model (which you can find on the BLS website, www.bls.org), economists working for the federal government have "assumed" into existence 135,000 jobs in the construction industry from June 2006 to May 2007 inclusive. I regard the Birth/Death creation of jobs as a phantom generally, but especially so in construction. Is this part of the solution to the mystery?
2. Could the number of new workers put to work in nonresidential construction -- which thus far has had a very good year -- be offsetting the losses in residential?
3. According to the Birth/Death model (which you can find on the BLS website, www.bls.org), economists working for the federal government have "assumed" into existence 135,000 jobs in the construction industry from June 2006 to May 2007 inclusive. I regard the Birth/Death creation of jobs as a phantom generally, but especially so in construction. Is this part of the solution to the mystery?
There's another piece of the puzzle embedded in the skilled worker shortage and the gradual attrition in savvy, productive workers in the construction industry. Is it possible that the construction industry needs More Bodies to do the same amount of work? In my humble opinion, it is.
Having said all that:
a. I thought construction unemployment would be much bigger right now.
b. I still think it will be.
c. I think it's too soon to see the "more bodies to do the same amount of work" factor play.
d. I could be wrong.
12 Jun, 2007
Floor Box Recall
12 Jun, 2007
Wal-Mart & CFL Mercury
12 Jun, 2007
CFLs: Consumer Concerns
Here's the content if you don't want to click:
THE ELECTRICAL SAFETY AUTHORITY RESPONDS TO CONSUMER CONCERNS ABOUT
COMPACT FLUORESCENT LAMPS.
Toronto, ON – The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) is receiving increasing reports from concerned
consumers regarding the end-of-life failure of Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs). The end-of-life failure
for CFLs may vary depending on the manufacturer of the CFL, and on the type and location of the lighting
fixture being used. When CFLs fail they may emit smoke, an odour, or a popping sound; and the plastic
base may become discoloured, charred or deformed. Certification agencies have advised that this failure
does not present a shock or fire hazard for approved products.
ESA is concerned that it can be difficult for consumers to distinguish between what is normal and what
may be a precursor to fire or some other hazardous condition. As a safety precaution, ESA encourages
consumers to replace CFLs at the first sign of failure or aging. The early warning signs to look for include:
flickering, a bright orange or red glow, popping sounds, an odour, or browning of the ballast enclosure
base).
ESA is also advising consumers that different CFLs are required for different applications and use. CFLs
may lack information on the packaging, or provide conflicting information about safe product use.
Consumers are encouraged to read the base of the lamp and to contact manufacturers for additional
information if required. Unless otherwise specified, CFLs should not be used: in totally enclosed
recessed fixtures; with dimmer switches; in touch lamps with photocells or with electronic timers; where
exposed to weather; or where exposed to water.
ESA is encouraging product manufacturers to review packaging information to support consumers
making safe product decisions. Activities are underway to update the existing Canadian safety standard
for CFLs to address consumers’ end-of-life product issues.
Contact: Electrical Safety Authority: Ted Olechna, Provincial Code Engineer, (905) 712-5366.
11 Jun, 2007
Gas Shortages (not gasoline)
Today's Financial Times contains, on page 2, "UK warned of gas shortages over next decade." According to Eon UK -- a big energy suplier -- it is "five minutes to midnight" for the company "in the effort to provide the electricity Britain will need in the 2010s." According to a report, by 2015, "Britain may find it has less gas than it needs."
OK -- who cares about Britain, really? That's not the point. Here's what's going on in the natural gas market (a quick review):
a. Lots of electrical generating plants, the world over, are using natural gas. That includes plants in the U.S.
b. Coal is the alternative here. It's a rotten alternative (unless we clean up emissions).
c. U.S. and Canadian supplies of natural gas are dwindling. The conventional wisdom -- it makes me nervous to quote it -- is that the U.S. will start importing LNG (liquified natural gas). Of course, Britain will have to rely on LNG.
d. Energy experts say that, as the U.S. slowly becomes more reliant on LNG imports (which come in via ship), our gas prices will start to act just like important crude oil -- i.e., they will become volatile.
e. If you interpolate the British story with this, you can see that it's very possible that, in the long term, LNG and natural gas price volatility will move in one direction -- ever-higher prices.
b. Coal is the alternative here. It's a rotten alternative (unless we clean up emissions).
c. U.S. and Canadian supplies of natural gas are dwindling. The conventional wisdom -- it makes me nervous to quote it -- is that the U.S. will start importing LNG (liquified natural gas). Of course, Britain will have to rely on LNG.
[it makes me nervous, BTW, because I generally want to move contrary to the CW]
d. Energy experts say that, as the U.S. slowly becomes more reliant on LNG imports (which come in via ship), our gas prices will start to act just like important crude oil -- i.e., they will become volatile.
e. If you interpolate the British story with this, you can see that it's very possible that, in the long term, LNG and natural gas price volatility will move in one direction -- ever-higher prices.
- - - - -
ELEBLOG TAKE:
1 -- Coal is said to be cheap, but that's only if we all stop caring about inhaling. Generating electricity via coal will become more expensive soon, as we start to do the right thing about emissions.
2 -- Natural gas is said to burn "clean" compared with coal. At one time (just a few years ago, in the 2000s), 95% of the new electrical generating plants being built or on the drawing board were gas-fired. But with gas supply moving from reliability and price stability to less-reliable LNG imports accompanied by volatile (and probabliy mostly higher) prices, this is NOT going to be nirvana.
3 -- Nuclear power is the option that makes sense, and the one that I personally would prefer. However, if done right -- the way I'd like to see it be done -- nuclear power will be expensive, too.
2 -- Natural gas is said to burn "clean" compared with coal. At one time (just a few years ago, in the 2000s), 95% of the new electrical generating plants being built or on the drawing board were gas-fired. But with gas supply moving from reliability and price stability to less-reliable LNG imports accompanied by volatile (and probabliy mostly higher) prices, this is NOT going to be nirvana.
3 -- Nuclear power is the option that makes sense, and the one that I personally would prefer. However, if done right -- the way I'd like to see it be done -- nuclear power will be expensive, too.
We'll need to do one, two or all three of these things. We might need to burn more coal (and clean it up), use more natural gas (and LNG) and pay more for it, and build safe, reliable nuke plants.
But the bottom line is that higher prices and easily foreseeable shortages, plus price volatility in the future, will all put a premium on things that electrical people can do for their customers -- make them more energy-efficient; provide them with more electrical power options; and build for them onsite power plants (alternative energy or not).
11 Jun, 2007
Energy Savings for DCs
The savings are substantial -- for an average 25,000 square foot
data center, clients should be able to achieve 42 percent energy
savings. Based on the energy mix in the US, this savings equates to 7,439 tons of carbon emissions saved per year.
The release is almost 2,000 words long. The gist: There is a "data center energy crisis." IBM runs 8M sq. ft. of data centers on Planet Earth.
11 Jun, 2007
Lighting Occu Sensors
11 Jun, 2007
HomeBuilder Program from GE
a dashboard that provides the homeowner with feedback on electricity & water use
an "advanced lighting package"
solar electric options; and
more.
an "advanced lighting package"
solar electric options; and
more.
11 Jun, 2007
Keough On Gen Y & China
On Generation Y:
"Also, Generation Yers have not had the same relationship with their parents as previous generations. Chester says they only have three to five minutes of face-to-face, meaningful dialogue with their parents each day, while they spend five to seven hours in front of their computers, socializing with their friends.
"He tells employers not to pander to them “but to understand who they are and where they’re coming from.” Some of these new employees have higher expectations than the previous generation, for example. They’re more questioning of their bosses and want to engage in productive work from Day 1."
See "Generation Yers: A new employment problem."
"Based on all the articles you’ve read about manufacturing fleeing overseas, what percentage of products would you guess are still manufactured in the United States and Canada compared to the total world gross domestic product? Would you guess 10 percent, 15 percent? You’d be wrong."
06 Jun, 2007
Power Line Brouhaha
However, there IS another side to the story. A Sierra Club exec provides it. His gist: The Bush Administration is screwing rural folks with this "mindless" act.
06 Jun, 2007
High-Tech Hotels
"Her children, ages 8 and 10, stayed in an adjacent room and wanted to leave their bathroom lights on overnight. But the light switches were so complicated -- there was even a manual for them in the room . . . -- it was impossible to discern how to keep the bathroom lights on and the room lights off at the same time. The front desk sent up an electrician, solving the problem that night but not the next. So [her] husband copied what the electrician did and disconnected a few wires from behind the bed.
"Their experience at the hotel, which she says also included a shoddy picture on their TV set, contributed to their decision to cut their trip short by a day."
"Their experience at the hotel, which she says also included a shoddy picture on their TV set, contributed to their decision to cut their trip short by a day."
06 Jun, 2007
Sen. Maria Cantwell
And fourth, she's really easy on the eyes. I know that's piggish of me, but -- hey, she really IS easy on the eyes.
Take a look at the release on her plan to improve power grid efficiency or the (6-page PDF) summary of the "Reducing Demand through Electricity Grid Intelligence" act.
06 Jun, 2007
CO Detectors Slapped Down
CO alarms. Home builders and code officials continue to be
concerned about the reliability of carbon monoxide detectors and the
lack of consistent guidance regarding their placement. At the final
hearings, ICC members agreed with NAHB and local officials and denied a
proposal to mandate the detectors. The decision is also in line with
the ICC Code Technology Committee’s finding that there is insufficient
validation to support a recommendation to mandate them in the IRC.
06 Jun, 2007
Elevators in Houses
- a quote from the story: "When you're talking about an $800,000 house, a $20,000 elevator to keep you there until the day you die doesn't seem so bad."
- stray thought in Joe's brain -- what else can you expect when the generation that invented the phrase "couch potato" grows old?
06 Jun, 2007
What Is V2G?
V2G drivers
The benefits of widespread adoption of the V2G concept could, in theory at least, accrue to utilities, utility customers and vehicle owners alike. Immediate benefits include:
- · Increasing asset utilization by using expensive baseload plants to fuller capacity through the overnight charging of electric vehicles
- · Replacing spinning reserves and regulation services with fast responding, distributed energy storage
- · Offsetting the cost of electric vehicles through electricity sales at peak hours
- · Increasing the reliability of electric service
Long-term benefits of a wider adoption of V2G include:
- · Decreasing price volatility
- · Reducing the need for capital investment in new generation and infrastructure
- · Enabling higher percentages of renewable energy by creating an energy storage buffer
- · Making the electricity market more like other commodity markets through the temporal substitution of electricity through energy storage
- · Reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the use of electric vehicles
04 Jun, 2007
Contractors Over Distributors?
that their problem "is that manufacturers have been concentrating most of their marketing and selling
efforts on distributors. Distributors are adding less value. Distributors now are much more of a logistics
house. The contractor is adding more value."
That's the report in CONTRACTOR magazine. CLICK HERE to see it.
04 Jun, 2007
'Blue Light' Hazard?
out at 30 pages.
2+ pages are devoted to "Typical Observations and Discussion." Included in there is this: "The halogen,
standard incandescent, and warm-colored fluorescent lamps provide the best lighting." Comment from the
author the follows this: "This reflects the opinion of virtually ever viewer who has compared the lamps
side-by-side. 100% of more than 150 doctors surveyed . . . concur that the three display lamps measuring
below 5000K provide the best illumination, contrast, and color replication."
There's more. This is NOT an anti-CFL diatribe. The article is about the vision of people with eye problems,
and comes from www.mdsupport.org -- with MD meaning not doctor, but Macular Degeneration.
As more people live to older ages, they are likely to have more vision problems. Problems seeing "blue"
light are going to be standard for many of us on the other side of 65. While the piece itself is not an
argument against fluorescent lighting or CFLs, it certainly COULD be used to make such an argument.
For more, see: www.mdsupport.org/library/hazard.html
04 Jun, 2007
Cabling Growing @ 18.6%/year
SCS = Structured Cabling Systems. CLICK HERE to see Frank's press release.
04 Jun, 2007
Network Switches & Power
senior strategist, network systems at Cisco. “But there are a lot of considerations. We’re already
seeing wiring closets running rather hot when supporting a lot of 15-watt IP phones. Obviously 30
watts really would push that up."
...from a Network World article on "greener, hotter, more software-heavy switches."
Here's another piece:
“If you just had DC power supply directly into switches, that could be more efficient electrically,"
said David Peers, manager of network development and engineering at the University of Nevada, Las
Vegas. He said this is already happening with servers as vendors look to make racks of data center
boxes run cooler. “That should be more of an option in switches."
CLICK HERE to see the full story (note that it's on 3 pages at the site, so you'll have to click
and then click again).
04 Jun, 2007
Lutron Lawsuit Report(s)
According to her article -- CLICK HERE to see it -- Lutron has
-- settled with Vantage Controls (which is now owned by Legrand)
-- has a pending suit brought in 2006 against Control4, and
-- has now sued Leviton.
-- has a pending suit brought in 2006 against Control4, and
-- has now sued Leviton.
Headline on Julie's item: "Lighting Control Vendors Not Deterred by Lutron Lawsuit.
She's also written a response to criticism about her blog item -- which printed in the May issue of CE Pro. As of this moment, that issue's not yet online; I'll reefer it
when they post it.
I've said this before: Julie is the best writer/reporter in the wiring business.
That includes me.
04 Jun, 2007
Evidence-Based Design - In Use
01 Jun, 2007
Evidence-Based Design
A few points:
Doesn't "evidence-based design" sound like an irrefutable argument?
Some stuff is obvious. Here's a quote from high up in the release: "The evidence is overwhelming: The healthcare environment -- where care is actually provided and received -- has substantial effects on patient health and safety, care efficiency, and staff effectiveness and morale." Gee, was this a big secret to someone or other?
On electrical: One of the seven recommendations talks about Lighting:
Some stuff is obvious. Here's a quote from high up in the release: "The evidence is overwhelming: The healthcare environment -- where care is actually provided and received -- has substantial effects on patient health and safety, care efficiency, and staff effectiveness and morale." Gee, was this a big secret to someone or other?
On electrical: One of the seven recommendations talks about Lighting:
Provide better lighting and access to natural light to reduce stress and improve patient safety.
Looking out at bright light can improve health outcomes, including
depression, agitation, sleep, and circadian rest-activity rhythms. In
one study, hospitalized patients with unipolar and bipolar disorder
whose rooms received direct sunlight in the morning had significantly
shorter hospital stays than patients whose rooms did not. Poor lighting
also contributes to medication errors.
Note that the release came out in 6/04.
01 Jun, 2007
Mechanicals Jump On CCI
01 Jun, 2007
Cisco & Electrical (PoE)
Is a company that makes a thing that emits 740W in the electrical biz?
01 Jun, 2007
Housing Data (pieces
"Correction May Soon Run Its Course" -- key word there is "may." Key quote: "We are in another down leg and don't know how long it's going to run." CLICK HERE.
"Credit Tightening to Cut Housing Demand in 2007" -- "As a result of the subprime market, inventories of vacant homes, now at a record, won't be falling significantly until the latter part of the year." If then! CLICK HERE.
"Hot Markets Bearing The Brunt." This is from my favorite economist, Mark Zandi, who found "a number of reasons to expect further erosion in the mortgage market." CLICK HERE.
"Starts Need To Slow Further." The guy says: "Single-family overbuilding is now the key threat to house prices and starts." If that's true, this could last a lot longer than just 2007 into early 2008 (as some have been saying). CLICK HERE.
"Big Builders Look Good To Wall Street Analyst." Well, isn't this typical of Wall Street; these guys and gals never need an umbrella! CLICK HERE.
"Credit Tightening to Cut Housing Demand in 2007" -- "As a result of the subprime market, inventories of vacant homes, now at a record, won't be falling significantly until the latter part of the year." If then! CLICK HERE.
"Hot Markets Bearing The Brunt." This is from my favorite economist, Mark Zandi, who found "a number of reasons to expect further erosion in the mortgage market." CLICK HERE.
"Starts Need To Slow Further." The guy says: "Single-family overbuilding is now the key threat to house prices and starts." If that's true, this could last a lot longer than just 2007 into early 2008 (as some have been saying). CLICK HERE.
"Big Builders Look Good To Wall Street Analyst." Well, isn't this typical of Wall Street; these guys and gals never need an umbrella! CLICK HERE.
Keep in mind, ALL of this stuff was discussed just one month ago. If anything, things have gotten WORSE since then -- or, at least, the data coming out have made it clear that housing is more sick than was thought in April.
01 Jun, 2007
3 Arrows Pointing DOWN
So the MHC # is a look-ahead thing.
I always check out the very bottom of the MHC release (which is posted monthly) -- UNadjusted year-to-data construction starts -- scroll down when you get to the release, which is POSTED HERE. Here's what the Jan-April data say:
Residential Building -- the value of contracts is down 29% in the year's first third.
Nonresidential Building -- value down 3% in 4 months (not UP, as folks have been assuming)
Nonbuilding Construction -- down 2%.
Nonresidential Building -- value down 3% in 4 months (not UP, as folks have been assuming)
Nonbuilding Construction -- down 2%.
ALL THREE submarket segments are down. The total (total for the whole industry) is down 17%.
I went back and checked. This is the first time in 2007 that all three of the segments were DOWN at the same time. I don't have the time to check 2006, but I will bet this didn't happen last year. I also would bet -- based on past performance by the Residential market -- that we haven't had this particular condition (all three arrows pointing down in figures without adjustment) since 2002 or perhaps earlier.
Does it mean something? Maybe.
(More)
01 Jun, 2007
Fallujah Electrical News
Here's a quote from a USACE fellow: "One of the city's two existing 33 kV substations is being rebuilt and two brand new 33 kV substations added to ensure Fallujah has a reliable, stable system." The guys are also rehabbing a 132 kV substation (replacing 2 of 3 transformers, it says).
I wonder if that's the first time in the 21st century that someone has applied the words "reliable" and "stable" to Fallujah?
01 Jun, 2007
Gore's Words to Architects
. . . from a blog on the Architectural Record magazine Web site. CLICK HERE to see the full post (which isn't long).
