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Angry French Pensioners Cut Power To Central Bank, Hint At More To Come
Angry French Pensioners Cut Power To Central Bank, Hint At More To Come
France’s trade unions on Wednesday defended a series of illegal power cuts to 150,000 homes, thousands of companies and the Bank of France in an effort to force the Macron government to quash its wide-ranging pension reform, according to Reuters.
The power cuts, illegal under French law, deepened a sense of chaos in the second week of nationwide strikes that have crippled transport, shut schools and brought more than half a million people onto the street against President Emmanuel Macron’s reform.
Asked on French radio whether the power cuts weren’t a step too far, Philippe Martinez, the head of the hardline CGT union, said the cuts were necessary to force Macron to back down.
“I understand these workers’ anger,” the mustachioed union leader said. “These are targeted cuts. You’ll understand that spitting on the public service can make some of us angry.”
Following a meeting with government officials, he hinted at further cuts, saying “we may amplify these kinds of methods”. –Reuters
French President Emmanuel Macron slammed the pensioners “in the strongest of terms” during a cabinet meeting, according to a government spokeswoman – however his office acknowledged that they were open to “improvements” to their reform package ahead of another day of negotiations between the prime minister and union leaders.
Macron wants to turn the myriad of French pension systems into a single points-based one. That would force staff at state-owned firms such as railway SNCF or utility EDF, who enjoy more generous pension plans than private-sector workers, to work longer.
SNCF train drivers currently can retire at just over 50, for instance, against 62 for those in the private sector. That means taxpayers have to plug the SNCF pensions deficit to the tune of 3 billion euros every year.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
Preparedness Author Michael Mabee Warns of Grid Threats: “It is not enough to be the only prepared family”
Preparedness Author Michael Mabee Warns of Grid Threats: “It is not enough to be the only prepared family”
In the U.S. we are literally on life support, plugged into the electric grid. If somebody unplugs us, everything necessary to sustain life stops: food, water, fuel, transportation, medical care, communications, financial – everything.
The grid is vulnerable to numerous threats. The U.S. Senate said that in a long-term nation-wide blackout, millions of citizens could die. After a few weeks, we would die in droves from waterborne diseases, starvation, and societal collapse. What if the grid went down for longer than a few weeks?
Why isn’t anything being done about this threat?
We have known this for over two decades from numerous federal reports and hearings, but nothing has been done about it. Why?
“The grid is self-regulated,” author Michael Mabee explained. “The only federal agency with the authority to act, FERC, is run by industry insiders.”
For the past 15 years, commissioners of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission have been cut from the same bolt of cloth. All but two were lawyers. Most go on to high power positions in law firms representing the utility industry. Some actually go to the utility industry itself. FERC is a stepping stone to a lucrative future position in the industry or representing the industry.
FERC Commissioners don’t want to upset the industry by requiring it to protect the grid from cyber attacks, electromagnetic pulse (EMP), geomagnetic disturbances (GMD), physical attacks and untrimmed foliage. The industry fights efforts to harden the grid. FERC Commissioners do not want to antagonize an industry dangling lucrative positions following their FERC terms.
The federal government has no plan for a long-term power outage. FEMA recently admitted this:
“Current planning does not include any contingencies for very long term or extremely widespread power outages.” –FEMA National Preparedness Symposium May, 2018
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
6 Everyday Gadgets With Manual Powered Alternatives
6 EVERYDAY GADGETS WITH MANUAL POWERED ALTERNATIVES
Normally when I write up one of these articles I pick one gadget or appliance that normally runs on traditional electricity or fossil fuels and describe the benefits of an alternative energy version of the same thing. But there are so many everyday gadgets that we use that have energy free alternatives that may not warrant a full-page write-up but are still important to know about.
We are so accustomed to flipping a switch and have our gadgets turn on and do all of our work for us. But if you want to reduce electricity usage and your carbon footprint there are plenty of alternatives to gadgets you use every day, and most of them don’t require much more work on your part than the powered versions.
CAN OPENER
Ok, in all fairness most of you probably already have a hand crank can opener. They are far more common than the electric variety. If, however, you are using an electric can opener and you are not running a restaurant where you need to open hundreds of cans a day, switch to an old-fashioned can opener, a simple metal one will probably last longer than that loud electric version anyway.
COFFEE MAKER
If you are a real coffee lover then you are doing yourself a disservice by drinking the regular drip brew variety. A French press makes a much better coffee and only takes about ten minutes. Coffee out of a French press tastes richer and gets you going faster. If you are someone who uses the single serve cups of coffee then you can use a French press to enjoy a single-cup of coffee without sending a bunch of cups off to the landfill.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
Storm Leaves 600,000 French Households Without Power
Storm Leaves 600,000 French Households Without Power
According to French electricity grid operator Enedis, winter storm Zeus which unleashed hurricane-force winds across much of southern France, has left more than 600,000 French households without power as of 4pm on Monday. The company’s website advises that the power cuts have affected 175,000 customers in Brittany, 190,000 in Auvergne Rhone Alpes, 130,000 in Nouvelle Aquitaine, 80,000 in Pays de Loire, and the company advises that more than 3,500 technicians from Enedis are working in the field to deal with “very major” storm damage.
Earlier in the day, The Local reported that weather warnings are in place for large swathes of France as wind speeds hit over 190km/hr on Monday. National weather agency Météo France updated the number of departments on orange alert to 31 on Monday morning, as fierce winds lashed much of the country. The town of Camaret, in Brittany, already saw record winds of 193km/hr during Monday morning, reported Europe 1 radio.
An orange alert is the second highest alert on the agency’s scale, and urges residents to be vigilant.
Winds are expected to reach up to 150km/hr on Brittany’s coastline and 120km/hr inland. Heavy rainfall has been predicted in some areas too. The agency said that residents could expect “significant damage” caused by the wind and disruptions to local traffic.
It warned that there was a possibility of cuts to electricity and telephone lines, and as noted above, this is precisely what has happened. The agency warned residents in affected areas to stay off the rooftops and to secure objects that are liable to be blown away.
Elswhere, the entire island of Corsica was issued an orange alert for flood risks as well as “particularly strong winds”. Residents were told to avoid getting too close to the sea, or indeed anywhere that was already flooded. The warnings are in place until Tuesday at 10am.
Almost 1.7mn Crimeans on emergency electricity supplies, no power coming from Ukraine (PHOTOS)
Almost 1.7mn Crimeans on emergency electricity supplies, no power coming from Ukraine (PHOTOS)
An emergency situation in Crimea caused by a cut in electricity from Ukraine is ongoing, and might be of a “longstanding effect,” Russia’s Emergency Ministry said on Sunday. Electricity in the region is being provided via alternative power sources.
Some 1.67 million people in the area, including almost 1.39 million in Russia’s Republic of Crimea and around 280,000 in the city of Sevastopol have been cut off from power supplies since Sunday evening, along with some 300 public infrastructure buildings, including schools and kindergartens, Russia’s Energy Ministry said.
Electricity is being generated by local power plants, as well as back-up power sources, including solar energy plants and wind farms, the Ministry said. Some 3,000 people are working on alleviating the situation, with about 1,000 units of special equipment involved, deputy head of Russia’s Emergency Ministry Aleksandr Chupriyanov said on Sunday.
“The situation in Crimea and in Sevastopol is under control,” the official said.
Meanwhile, to reduce electricity consumption, Sergey Aksenov, the head of the region, has announced that Monday, November 23, will be a day off. Luckily enough, the weather in the Crimean peninsula is going to remain relatively warm for the next week, with temperatures rising to 18 degrees Celsius (64 Fahrenheit).
Up to 500 socially significant facilities throughout Crimea, such as hospitals, maternity homes, schools, and kindergartens, have been left without electricity, but have been connected to reserve power stations and generators where possible, Crimean authorities reported. More power generators and fuel are likely to be supplied to Crimea early next week to help with the situation.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
2.1 Million Greeks Face Blackout As Public Power Company Unpaid Bills Soars
2.1 Million Greeks Face Blackout As Public Power Company Unpaid Bills Soars
Greece’s Public Power Company is angry. The amount of unpaid bills by its customers has reached the astronomic EUR 2.5 billion. The PPC is so angry that it plans to cut the power to those without outstanding debts as soon as possible – a whopping 2.1 million Greeks face darkness.
As KeepTakingGreece reports, many Greeks cannot afford to pay the bi-monthly bill mostly because the amount to be paid doubles due to added extra fees like emissions, green-whatever, municipality fees, state tv fees, etc.
For example bi-monthly electricity consumption is estimated by DEH to be €52 but i am asked to pay €100 becausee of the extra charges. The bill includes 13% Value Added Tax but also “interest” of €0.44 although I pay per monthly bank order and I am never late. Every 4 months I receive a bill based on my real consumption – and not just an ‘estimation’ – and then I find my self in a state of passing out. Summer months are more expensive due to the use of A/C, winter months are also expensive due to the use of electric devices like A/C to heat the apartment. Bills explode to several hundred euros.
I am not alone in my struggle to pay the bill. But many cannot even afford it.
According to Greek media reports, 2.1 million consumers have outstanding debts to the Greek PPC. They are private households, businessmen of small and medium enterprises, merchants, craftsmen.
Now the PPC plans to “turn the power off” and leave them in the dark. Not without previous notice, though. It will send consumers a warning and if they won’t comply, they will desperately seek to turn on the lights in the evening, cook for their kids, keep the cheese in the fridge, use their wireless phone, watch tv, heat their homes opr complain about their situations on the internet.
The business debts are reportedly 1.8 billion euro.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
Sounding The Alarm On The Country’s Vulnerability To An EMP
Sounding The Alarm On The Country’s Vulnerability To An EMP
Establishment insiders are worried we’re too vulnerable
In the past here at Peak Prosperity, we’ve written extensively on the threat posed by a sustained loss of electrical grid power. More specifically, we’ve warned that the most damaging threat to our grid would come from either a manmade or natural electromagnetic pulse (EMP).
A good friend of mine, Jen Bawden, is currently sitting on a committee of notable political, security and defense experts — which includes past and present members of Congress, ambassadors, CIA directors, and others — who are equally concerned about this same threat and have recently sent a letter to Obama pleading for action to protect the US grid.
Before we get to that letter, here’s a snippet from what we wrote on the matter roughly a year ago:
We talk a lot about Peak Cheap Oil as the Achilles’ heel of the exponential monetary model, but the real threat to the quality of our daily lives, if not our lives themselves, would be a sustained loss of electrical power. Anything over a week without power for any modern nation would be a serious problem. A month would lead to chaos and many deaths.
When the power goes out, everything just stops. For residential users, even a few hours begins to intrude heavily as melting freezers, dying cell phones, and the awkward realization that we don’t remember how to play board games nudge us out of our comfort zone.
However, those are just small inconveniences.
For industrial and other heavy users, the impact of even a relatively short outage can be expensive or even ghastly. Hospitals and people on life-assisting machinery are especially vulnerable. Without power, aluminum smelters face the prospect of the molten ore solidifying in the channels from which it must be laboriously removed before operations can be restarted.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
