Can you believe this?

Here in AZ, as with most states I would guess, both the state and the power company, Arizona Public Service, have for years been telling us to conserve energy.  It must have sunk in because more and more people are saving more and more electricity.  Good right?  Not so fast people…..

Since we’ve been saving so much electricity the power company, APS, started losing some of it’s profits. So it want to the state agency which regulated the amount APS can charge it’s customers and as for a $5.85 charge each month per customer as a “Clean Energy Charge”. Of course, since the state agency is controlled by republicans, it was approved.  In fact one of the members of the approving board said, in regards to solar, “We didn’t tell these people to put those ugly things on their roofs”.

Now this doesn’t sound like much but when you multiply it times the 2.8 million customers APS has in AZ you can see this is a great deal of money.  Besides being a charge for all those who actually installed solar, etc., all customers have to pay this charge whether using power saving devices or not.

In Washington, Oregon, NC and SC as well as other states if you buy a Hybrid or Electric car do you know you will be charge more each year for your license plates?  Yup… you’re doing exactly what the Fed’s and State’s want you to do and when you do you get to pay and extra $100.00 over the normal price for your plates each year for a Hybrid and $200.00 more if you have a total electric vehicle.

Damn these governments and their tactics.  It’s like going through the drive thru at any fast food restaurant …….they will screw you every time on your order.  

I think the reason neighbors don't know each other is that homes are no longer made with a front porch.  At some point we all decided to stop sitting on the front porch and greeting neighbors as they walked or drove by and migrated to the back yard behind fences and walls.

I'm not sure this was intentional on our part yet it still happened.  And not just in one location but throughout the entire country.  Within 10 years, my research says, the entire nation was a back yard people.  Even more mysterious is the fact that we remained that way and still do.  Yes I know the pool and/or BBQ is in the rear yard so that's were the living takes place.  Maybe we just really don't want to know our neighbors or maybe they don't like us.  Who know's?

I think the reason my marriage has lasted almost half a century is the fact that we make time, usually on the front porch, to sit each day and just talk.  It doesn't matter what the subject merely the conversation is enough for both of us.  It can be about the neighbor's, music, cars, kids, etc. Absolutely any subject is on the table for discussion.  And yes I think this is a big reason so many marriages and/or relationships fail.  They forget to talk.  Discussion leads to communication and communication is what's needed for any relationship to grow and last.

For some reason, though we learn to communicate at a very early age, we forget to communicate when it's most important.  We come home and as soon as we enter the home we forget about communication.  It's not just a male thing.  I find, more and more, females are doing the same thing.  "How was your day" is not just an idle question it's an invitation to start a conversation which may or may not be totally about your day.  So take advantage of the opening and make use of the time.

It's never to late to start the communication or the front porch (or front yard with chairs) activity and get to know your neighbors.  If it doesn't work move.