texas nightmare

 https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2021/02/20/17000-electric-bill-deregulated-power-grid-texas-griddy/ 

demand pricing for electricity during a cold weather disaster. another example of putting the shaft to those who can afford it the least. think about it. residential HVAC systems are crude. (1) one thermostat. temperatures in individual rooms are likely to be several degrees different from the temperature where the thermostat is. (2) when the temperature at the thermostat causes the HVAC system to kick in, air from the furnace, air conditioner or heat pump goes through a duct system into rooms regardless of the temperature in that room. crude. not much different than a wood stove in a log cabin. (3) those with heat pumps get whacked the worst. the heat pump goes into auxiliary heat mode--heat from coils like an electric stove. crude. expensive. how many people with heat pumps even realize that their heat pump has an auxiliary heat mode and they're getting shafted with exorbitant high-demand electricity rates? (when the temperature outside is near or below freezing, our heat pump automatically goes to auxiliary heat mode if we increase the thermostat heat setting by more than one degree) $9K per megawatt hour! part of the responsibility for this outrage also lies with residential builders and heat pump manufacturers. 

virginia's pandemic puzzle

my wife and I have spent hours trying to find out how we get the covid-19 vaccine--most of it going around in circles. it has been reported that "...the Virginia Department of Health has directed all local health districts to close their pre-registration forms and surveys at 5 p.m. on Friday, February 12, and replace them at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, February 16 with a link to the new statewide system." we've spent hours this morning looking for the promised link, including being on a call to the lord fairfax health dept. with an hour waiting time to speak to someone. a few weeks ago it was reported that Virginia is LAST of all 50 states with only 20% of the vaccine getting into people's arms. West Virginia had 80%. government promises a link to preregister for the shot--but it can't be found.  sounds about right for 50th out of 50. 

sent on 2/16/21 on virginia's health department website via "contact us".

no reply.

go figure.

Sen. Pat Toomey faces censure over impeachment vote: 'We did not send him there to do the right thing'

Toomey, Republicans face censures by state GOP over impeachment vote 

"we did not send him there to do the right thing" WOW! there you have it. the republican party shows its true colors. personally I prefer the no party system of government to the 1 or our 2 party system of government. government is broken in this country. the time to fix it is LONG overdue. if you're interested in a solution, then read "solving for democracy" by tony bracks.

had enough?

the good news is that to fix our dysfunctional government and its two-party system is simple and easy--stop voting for  republican and democratic party candidates, including incumbents. 

image by Democracy Chronicles

two party system | See the article "Two Parties See Record L… | Flickr

voting for a republican or a democrat is a vote for their party and a vote for our country's dysfunctional two-party system of government. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIAJl-wZElg

File:Godfather puppetmaster.jpg - Wikipedia

public domain

even with their billion dollar donors, if voters don't vote for republicans and democrats, then the republican and democratic parties will shrivel up and die.

once the republican and democratic parties are gone, and lobbyists are rendered powerless, then our no-party representatives can fix the USA. much-needed changes to the constitution can be made--like "no taxation without representation", a.k.a. powerful national politicians (e.g. pelosi, mcconnell, etc.) that 99+ percent of americans didn't vote for.

hopefully, some day, when the republican party, the democratic party, antiquated party rules and lobbyists are gone, and the constitution has been amended, then we'll be able to vote for leaders who we can stand behind.

nothing will be better for our country. 

File:Two party system diagram.png - Wikimedia Commons

the same goes for the news media--stop patronizing biased news media that lobby for the republican and democratic parties instead of reporting the news factually and truthfully. they'll go out of business. nothing will be better for the USA.