Community Thread (Off Topic)

[Townie709]

I realize that, but I am only speculating as well! Being Pro-development is really the only strategy I can see that will bring Doc a victory in the next election. If he decides to express similar views as O'Leary, he will certainly lose as she is younger, more vocal and has a larger following.

Development is something I believe people here are starting to warm up to, it's just that there is nobody on council who is really pro-development. Making am intelligent case for the need of development (which isn't that hard to do) Should convince most on-the-fencers and he will glide into a victory. I just hope people will have warmed up to development by the time September rolls around, otherwise we are most definitely screwed!

[SignalHillHiker]

62 cm of snow for Thursday.

[Townie709]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

62 cm of snow for Thursday.

YAY!!

Our first big snowstorm of the season!!! I love the snow

[christopher_chafe]

Originally Posted by Townie709

YAY!!

Our first big snowstorm of the season!!! I love the snow

My dear friend Townie709, would you like me to private you my address so you can come and shovel my driveway and a path to my front door!

[Ayreonaut]

Don't worry guys. Signal is having all the snow plowed over to my place. Those who love it can come on over. $5 to swan dive off my roof.

[jeddy1989]

STORM UPDATE

A storm which has the potential to cripple some eastern parts of the island including metro St. John's is on the move. Environment Canada meteorologist Paul Greeley says the storm will develop near PEI, and as it tracks toward the island it will intensify. He says the Avalon will experience heavy snowfall starting Thursday evening. The heavy snow will persist through Friday, and we may see 40-60cm when it's all over. As well, winds will reach near 100km by Friday.
Greeley says it won't only be the Avalon that will feel the force of this storm. He says they are expecting similar conditions for the Burin Peninsula, Bonavista Peninsula and Clarenville area. He says a snowfall warning will also be issued for the Southwest Coast where snowfall amounts will be lower, in the 15cm range. However, he says winds will be high in those areas.

http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=29726

[SignalHillHiker]

I love it too. I feel like I know you all so much more now. Good work, everyone.

[Ayreonaut]

Sobey's didn't even have any of the prepackaged baby spinach! That's what I use for salads.

Guess I'll just eat cereal and Viva Puffs for a few days.

[SignalHillHiker]

I LOVE BEING HOME! AAAHHH!!!

I'm getting nervous/excited now. I can't wait to go out taking pictures. lol I'm stupid that way.

[jeddy1989]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

I LOVE BEING HOME! AAAHHH!!!

I'm getting nervous/excited now. I can't wait to go out taking pictures. lol I'm stupid that way.

what a year!

Best summer and warmest/ longest we can remember and now possibly the worst blizzard ... HELLO climate change!

[SignalHillHiker]

You're, like, the expert on this forum's smilies. I love it.

[jeddy1989]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

You're, like, the expert on this forum's smilies. I love it.

hahaha I love them! and I've been trying to incorporate them to brighten up my posts

[SignalHillHiker]

Well, I think that's just great!

[J_Murphy]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfou...sumer-110.html

Newfoundland Power's PUB request deemed out of line

Newfoundland and Labrador's official consumer advocate says Newfoundland Power's rate request is over the top, and argues that ratepayers could wind up giving executives extra pay for delivering a profit to shareholders.

Hearings begin Thursday at the Public Utilities Board on Newfoundland Power's request for a 7.2 per cent increase for its customer base.

Johnson, who was appointed to the watchdog position by the Newfoundland and Labrador government, said the 10.5 per cent profit margin, or return on equity, is simply too high.

"Newfoundland Power is a very well-protected, well-regulated utility. Very safe, no competition," Johnson told CBC News in advance of the hearing.

"And how they could ask their customers to pay [that] return on equity for them? It boggles the mind."

Johnson said he is also unhappy that Newfoundland Power pays incentives to its executives for delivering a high return to shareholders, given that much of the Fortis Inc.-owned company derives its income from rates set by the PUB.

"I don't blame shareholders in Newfoundland Power for wanting every last cent they can get," he said.

"However, if that's going to be the way, the shareholders have got to pay the cost of paying the [executives] to achieve those results, not the customer."

The PUB expects to hear presentations on the rate request through Jan. 25.

What do you guys think of this. To me, it seems absolutely appauling and I have to agree with the consumer advocate here.

[SignalHillHiker]

A private, for-profit company shouldn't have a monopoly. It should be public, with the utility allowed only to keep as much profits as necessary to top up its investment and emergency funds. Then, as Manitoba Hydro does in that province, rebate cheques should be sent out annually to ratepayers in order to pay back the difference.

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

A private, for-profit company shouldn't have a monopoly. It should be public, with the utility allowed only to keep as much profits as necessary to top up its investment and emergency funds. Then, as Manitoba Hydro does in that province, rebate cheques should be sent out annually to ratepayers in order to pay back the difference.

Agreed. It seems a bit shady and greasy to me that Newfoundland Power is raising residential power rates in order to ensure a guaranteed return to the shareholders. I dunno, maybe more of us need to be shareholders in Newfoundland Power.

I must admit I am a bit uneducated on the power structure in this province, but I have to ask why Newfoundland Power exists as it does. In parts of this province, people pay Nalcor (Newfoundland Hydro) directly for their power. Why do we need Newfoundland Power to basically buy the power that is mostly generated by Nalcor (NL Power does have some very small generation) and then turn around and sell it to consumers. Why can't we just buy from Nalcor directly?

[statbass]

Originally Posted by J_Murphy

Agreed. It seems a bit shady and greasy to me that Newfoundland Power is raising residential power rates in order to ensure a guaranteed return to the shareholders. I dunno, maybe more of us need to be shareholders in Newfoundland Power.

I must admit I am a bit uneducated on the power structure in this province, but I have to ask why Newfoundland Power exists as it does. In parts of this province, people pay Nalcor (Newfoundland Hydro) directly for their power. Why do we need Newfoundland Power to basically buy the power that is mostly generated by Nalcor (NL Power does have some very small generation) and then turn around and sell it to consumers. Why can't we just buy from Nalcor directly?

I think the short answer is that large corporate organizations and governments try to make economics so convoluted so that folks like us decide to give up trying to understand it and just learn to put up with it.....

All jokes aside, I don't really know why the province decided to go down this path (unlike Manitoba Hydro did). Maybe the province wants to focus on production and transmission of power and steer away from selling and distribution. That latter does seem to be more along the lines of business and not in scope with government. If anyone has knowledge regarding this I would love to learn more about it.

[Copes]

As the capitalist pig in the group () I very much believe that utilities should be publically traded companies, outside the hands of government. Government should have nothing to do with utility distribution. I firmly believe that businesses run more effectively, have people better trained to manage funds / resources / inventory / customers / etc., and ultimately could put every penny to the best possibly use. I support Fortis owning Newfoundland Power.

What I have a problem with is a publically traded company having a monopoly on an industry. Go nuts Fortis, provide us with power... but when you increase your rate above something I'm willing to pay, I want to have the option to go and get my power from the cheaper guy. I want options. Options, and competitions force companies to be constantly innovating and constantly striving to provide the cheapest, best bang-for-your-buck product. Currently, in Newfoundland this is not happening.

The utility being provided by a private company isn't the problem here. The problem is that one of the other foundations of capitalism is being ignored: competition.

[statbass]

Originally Posted by Copes

As the capitalist pig in the group () I very much believe that utilities should be publically traded companies, outside the hands of government. Government should have nothing to do with utility distribution. I firmly believe that businesses run more effectively, have people better trained to manage funds / resources / inventory / customers / etc., and ultimately could put every penny to the best possibly use. I support Fortis owning Newfoundland Power.

What I have a problem with is a publically traded company having a monopoly on an industry. Go nuts Fortis, provide us with power... but when you increase your rate above something I'm willing to pay, I want to have the option to go and get my power from the cheaper guy. I want options. Options, and competitions force companies to be constantly innovating and constantly striving to provide the cheapest, best bang-for-your-buck product. Currently, in Newfoundland this is not happening.

The utility being provided by a private company isn't the problem here. The problem is that one of the other foundations of capitalism is being ignored: competition.

Well put, but having independent bodies such as the PUB and the consumer advocate does, in theory, create an indirect form of competition - provided these entities perform their rightful duties. NL Power can request a rate increase but ultimately the PUB can accept or reject this. The realism is that rates will increase - the cost of doing business + our propensity to have increasingly more damaging storms + inflation + a whole host of other factors will drive rates up. It'd be naive to think rates will stay the same. The issue I have is the magnitude of the increase; I don't think it's justifiable. I hope the PUB with do it's due diligence here and not raise the rates by this amount (+7.2%), that's just too high. If not, this process becomes a load of horse$**t!

This is only one example of how NLers (and Canadian consumers for that matter) get the short end. For instance, look at cell phones - The CRTC puts so much red tape on the industry it makes it near impossible for non-Canadian mobile companies to compete in this market. That, in turn, allows Rogers, Telus, and Bell to form a cartel and set prices how they see fit... no free market competition here, just an illusion. I'm sure many of you know that consumers in Europe and the US have better plans that cost less. Sorry for flying off on a tangent.. It's a sensitive subject for me....

[statbass]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

A private, for-profit company shouldn't have a monopoly. It should be public, with the utility allowed only to keep as much profits as necessary to top up its investment and emergency funds. Then, as Manitoba Hydro does in that province, rebate cheques should be sent out annually to ratepayers in order to pay back the difference.

NL Power is a subsidiary of Fortis Inc., which is a publicly traded company (TSX:FTS). However, I do agree with J_Murphy and think it ridiculous to ask for such a rate hike so Fortis can essential increase it's dividend payout (at the expense of rate-payers). This surmounts to nothing more than price gouging if you ask me.