...just how many have actually done that only to see their savings wiped out due to (insert own views here)...

public utilities should not be in the hands of shareholders

"(insert own views here)"; they gave all their money to Bernie Madoff.

The old Bell System was a utility that was publicly held. They did OK. A publicly held utility in the US of A is regulated by but not run by the government.

Sounds like a good system. We used to have similar ones in the UK before the government sold off the family silver for a quick buck.

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Reality Internet Personality

...which comes back to what I've already stated...

public utilities should not be in the hands of shareholders

And since when is "The City Of Detroit, Michigan" a shareholder owned entity?

Tch, Tch, Tch, who said anything about the city being owned by shareholders? Water is(or was) a public utility was it not?

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Actually, why is no one bailing out Detroit? Why aren't there any capital injections to at least make sure basic life necessities are still provided to the citizens of the city, even if they can't pay the bills? You guys have no problem bailing out a bank, but you won't bail out a big city? That seems screwed up to say the least.

This should receive "Best Post of the Thread" award.

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Actually, why is no one bailing out Detroit? Why aren't there any capital injections to at least make sure basic life necessities are still provided to the citizens of the city, even if they can't pay the bills? You guys have no problem bailing out a bank, but you won't bail out a big city? That seems screwed up to say the least.

Why? Michigan isn't a swing state.

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Actually, why is no one bailing out Detroit? Why aren't there any capital injections to at least make sure basic life necessities are still provided to the citizens of the city, even if they can't pay the bills? You guys have no problem bailing out a bank, but you won't bail out a big city? That seems screwed up to say the least.

This should receive "Best Post of the Thread" award.

Agreed.

Although I think Lynn made a good point reminding us about the actual people who live there.

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Reality Internet Personality

Actually, why is no one bailing out Detroit?

Detroit is not a for profit company. When Obama bailed out GM the US of A owned most of the stock along with the UAW. The stock has since been sold. What you are purposing is refilling the trough they slop from. I thought Canada was going to fill their trough.

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Actually, why is no one bailing out Detroit? Why aren't there any capital injections to at least make sure basic life necessities are still provided to the citizens of the city, even if they can't pay the bills? You guys have no problem bailing out a bank, but you won't bail out a big city? That seems screwed up to say the least.

This should receive "Best Post of the Thread" award.

Agreed.

Although I think Lynn made a good point reminding us about the actual people who live there.

Sorry about that, got distracted in preparing a late night meal.

Forgot about Lynn's post (Sorry Lynn).

Both posts should share the award!

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Tch, Tch, Tch, who said anything about the city being owned by shareholders? Water is(or was) a public utility was it not?

As of now the water company in Detroit part of the government of Detroit. It is going to be sold and then it will become a regulated utility with prices and profits set by the government. Most of US utilities work that way with few exceptions. Government has no business running business, regulate it and get out of the way. It works.

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Tch, Tch, Tch, who said anything about the city being owned by shareholders? Water is(or was) a public utility was it not?

As of now the water company in Detroit part of the government of Detroit. It is going to be sold and then it will become a regulated utility with prices and profits set by the government. Most of US utilities work that way with few exceptions. Government has no business running business, regulate it and get out of the way. It works.

...until they blame leaky pipes on customers running their water supply 24/7.

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...until they blame leaky pipes on customers running their water supply 24/7.

That is Detroit doing that. If the utility was a for profit regulated company Detroit's board of utilities would be all over them for failing to maintain service.

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...until they blame leaky pipes on customers running their water supply 24/7.

That is Detroit doing that. If the utility was a for profit regulated company Detroit's board of utilities would be all over them for failing to maintain service.

Ah, so you agree then that she did not let her water run 24/7?

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...until they blame leaky pipes on customers running their water supply 24/7.

That is Detroit doing that. If the utility was a for profit regulated company Detroit's board of utilities would be all over them for failing to maintain service.

Ah, so you agree then that she did not let her water run 24/7?

Not at all. As I said the pipes would have to be leaking after the billing meter in her home. One should notice $6000 dollars of water coming out of the walls.

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As Es99 has already pointed out to you, billing meters are not always accurate.

I believe I posted something similar several years ago on these forums. Received a power bill for £1,200.

At that time, I was running a nice little farm, supplemented by repairs to customers systems. I also knew approx. what each quarterly bill would be & had it covered.

It took something similar to what that woman experienced to get my meter checked out. It proved to be a faulty meter & based on my power consumption up to that point, they reduced that bill by £400.

However, based on your argument, I was at fault & should have paid the full £1,200 as meters cannot develop a fault.

You would make a great CEO for any for profit utility company!

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As Es99 has already pointed out to you, billing meters are not always accurate.

As I said;

A utility is required to do a meter check if a customer requests one. I did this for my electric meter, I was told they would change it but new well oiled meters run faster than older ones. I said never mind but they changed it anyway during the next reading.

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As Es99 has already pointed out to you, billing meters are not always accurate.

As I said;

A utility is required to do a meter check if a customer requests one. I did this for my electric meter, I was told they would change it but new well oiled meters run faster than older ones. I said never mind but they changed it anyway during the next reading.

Oh & that makes it correct then? It couldn't develop a fault? It couldn't have an incorrect costing set?

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...until they blame leaky pipes on customers running their water supply 24/7.

That is Detroit doing that. If the utility was a for profit regulated company Detroit's board of utilities would be all over them for failing to maintain service.

Ah, so you agree then that she did not let her water run 24/7?

Not at all. As I said the pipes would have to be leaking after the billing meter in her home. One should notice $6000 dollars of water coming out of the walls.

I'm not sure how they do it in America, but in most places the piping will come into the house underground. If she does have a leak it could be there..however, considering how many people they are cutting off I suspect there is something else going on here. Unless you really are suggesting that 100s of people are running their taps all day?

Most of the bills people are having their water cut off for are not in the 1000s. So this one example isn't really representative of the problem anyway.

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Reality Internet Personality

I'm not sure how they do it in America, but in most places the piping will come into the house underground.

Yes so what? That's not how billing works. None are so blind ass those who will not see. I have lost all respect for this supposed site.

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I have lost all respect for this supposed site.

You are debating in a political forum, that has been provided as an extra by the admins of the Seti@Home project.

Politics is well known for bringing out the best and worst in people, the only people likely to post on this forum will have strong political views, that may well run counter to yours, they are from all over the world so may have a different outlook.

So because of one forum you have lost all respect for Seti@Home.

Yet you continue to participate.

It is really your choice, keep reading the posts here and keep getting annoyed or do something else.

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It is really your choice, keep reading the posts here and keep getting annoyed or do something else.

I can take the heat no problem. That is not why I have lost all respect. If you want a mutual admiration society just say so. Or is that what you just did?

It is not SETI just the political forum that I have lost all respect for.

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It is not SETI just the political forum that I have lost all respect for.

Ahh sorry it was you use of the word "site" that made me think it was SETI@Home.

I stopped posting here some time ago, unfortunately now being a mod means I have to come here now and again, not the high point of my day!!

PS I don't want a mutual admiration society and that is exactly what politics isn't :-)

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