Plus, If You Don't Act Now
By: Joanne Klabon

We’ve all heard those TV and Radio ads that offer those amazing new miracle products for an unbelievable price only to be topped by the “plus, if you act now” statement that gives you a two-for-one deal that can’t be beat. But have you ever heard the statement, ‘plus, if you don’t act now’? In the past, they typical statute-of-limitations on billing errors was anywhere from 3- to 7-years. In this ever-changing telecommunications environment it is becoming more difficult to get credits and adjustments on billing errors back to the origination date.  Many of the service providers are writing six-month clauses into contracts and re-writing service policies or tariffs to shorten the credit periods to as low as two months. The service providers are stating that the customer has a responsibility to audit their bill for errors and report them in a timely manner. As many organizations shrink their Telecommunication Staff, this becomes an almost impossible task. (read more)
 

The Constant Is Change
By: Paul Favatella

It is a new world, again. Prior to the 20th Century, going back for millennia, the common means of transportation was the horse, which was only available to the wealthy. Common technology of the world, other than the Gutenberg Press, railroads and guns, would not surpass that of Ancient Rome until the end of the 19th Century.

To highlight the speed technology has progressed, all we need to do is look back 50 years. That is only 58 years from the end of the 19th Century. In this country, the decisions regarding electricity or natural gas were which switch or plug to use or where to set the thermostat. In the 50’s, many people continued to heat their homes with coal, and air conditioning was uncommon.

-- In 1958 a 60 AMP Electrical Service was cutting edge in a residential setting.
-- By 1978, very few homes were heated with coal and 100 Amp Electrical Services were commonplace. In the late 70’s, 1950’s technology and procedures were history; the only constant is change.
-- Today, most new homes have 200 Amp Electrical Services and air conditioning. Those individuals who heat with coal or wood are few and far between.
(read more)

Oil Follies: Forget speculators and Saudis.
(source: Time Magazine)

King Abdullah just summoned everybody to Saudi Arabia to sort out the whole oil business, and the first humiliation for the U.S. is that we came running.  Then again, this is old news.  For 35 years, since the first oil crisis, we’ve been treating OPEC, and especially the Saudis, like friendly members of the Society of Important Countries rather than the criminal conspiracy they are.  The second humiliation is that the meeting didn’t work.  The small gratuity offered by the Saudis of a modest increase in pumping had virtually no effect on the price of oil, which remained high, well above $130.  The third humiliation is that by going to this meeting and begging the Saudis to increase production, the United States revealed its complete ignorance of basic economics.  (read more)
 

How is my Electricity Generated, Delivered, and Priced?
(source: Energy Information Administration)

Many technologies and fuels are used to generate electricity at power plants, which is then delivered to consumers through a complex network of lines and equipment known as the "grid." The price that consumers pay for electricity is determined by weather factors, fuel costs, consumer demand, and regulations.  Many Technologies and Fuels are Used to Produce Electricity About 90% of U.S. electricity is generated by three fuels: coal, nuclear, and natural gas. Most electricity is generated by rotating turbines that drive alternators. Turbines are typically driven by water, wind, hot gases, and most commonly steam. (read more)