Comments for Smart meter opt-out on council agenda at http://www.theind.com , comment 1 to 11 out of 11 comments http://www.theind.com Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:50:12 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.theind.com/news/indreporter/9590-smart-meter-opt-out-on-council-agenda#comment-25587 Like Mr. St. Julien, I have absolutely no concern or problem with a smart meter being mounted on the side of my house. It would be nice to have a watt-hour meter that does not rely on mechanical components, especially considering the regular meter on the side of my house hasn't been calibrated since installation. - Paul Kleinpeter Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:45:35 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/indreporter/9590-smart-meter-opt-out-on-council-agenda#comment-25581 Oops, meant to include the link to the energy-axis page on the Elster site with demo I mentioned: http://www.energyaxis.com/ea-home.asp - John St. Julien Tue, 20 Dec 2011 23:13:06 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/indreporter/9590-smart-meter-opt-out-on-council-agenda#comment-25580 There is clearly a lot of fear-mongering going on. And, yes, I've looked at the "research" (and the nut-case youtube videos also, to wit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHCPEfdGdyE&feature=youtube_gdata_player) To put it mildly: unimpressive. Here's what a reasonable person needs to know: The meter on the side of your house (Rex2) runs on the 900 mhz band...at less "power" than your cell phone, in the default mode 6 times a day for 4 milliseconds. 900 mhz is the very same 900 mhz radio signals that provide the basis for many household wireless phone systems and is not some mysteriously evil-sounding "non ionizing RADIATION" that you should be afraid of. In phone use it is usually broadcast at a higher power and you hold it up to your head (!!!!) for hours (!!!!). I've bought a system like this for my own home because it works on that radio band and so that there's no interference with my WiFi. It's old tech, as common as dirt, has been endlessly researched at much higher power, for longer periods, at much closer proximity to your body, and is simply no big deal. There are far too many people out there that want you to be as afraid as they are. (of what is never quite clear). Don't buy into it. Here's a link to a third-party teardown and discussion of the specs on IFixit—a widely admired tech site that does meticulous tear-downs of computers. I've used 'em to rebuild a lot of laptops. They've got a great reputation they wouldn't want to lose. They've got no dog in this fight and are just reporting what they find. http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Elster-REX2-Smart-Meter-Teardown/5710/2 The good stuff starts a step 9. The tech is actually pretty neat. The really diligent can go to the Elster site and root around to their hearts content. The info is readily available (sans fear-mongering). If you're actually interested in the larger system I'd recommend suffering through the SWF file "EnergyAxis interactive demo"--link bottom center of the page. It's an interesting concept and makes a lot of sense even if they guy doing the explaining indulges in a little hucksterism. Executive summary: The meter on the side of your house (Rex2) runs on the common as dirt, well-researched 900 mhz band...at less "power" than your cell phone, in the default mode 6 times a day for 4 milliseconds. Whoop. NO BIG DEAL. - John St. Julien Tue, 20 Dec 2011 23:11:11 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/indreporter/9590-smart-meter-opt-out-on-council-agenda#comment-25575 LUS is installing the REX2 (also referred to as the REX2-EA meter and the Elster A3TL meter. The REX2 is typically used on homes and the A3TL is typically used on businesses. I read the technical documents on the meters and found they can read and store data every 5 minutes or every minute. What hasn't LUS been open and shared this with residents? The REX2 (residential) can record how much power you are using once every 5 minutes. The information can be downloaded from the meter using an optical probe and a notebook computer. Also, the REX2 internal configuration can be changed using wireless access. The A3TL (commercial) can record how much power you are using once every minute, which is called Load Profiling. Again, the information can be downloaded from the meter using an optical probe and a notebook computer. - Joseph Dugal Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:31:24 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/indreporter/9590-smart-meter-opt-out-on-council-agenda#comment-25574 Oh wow. This could be a real fun one. We may see all of the koo koos come tumbling out on this. - Gene Broussard Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:49:12 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/indreporter/9590-smart-meter-opt-out-on-council-agenda#comment-25573 Can't figure out why i should have to pay $12 for a guy to read my meter, when i already pay city taxes which pays for LUS. I'd say thats double-dipping Terry. - Joe LeBlanc Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:10:20 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/indreporter/9590-smart-meter-opt-out-on-council-agenda#comment-25572 I just wonder how many of you have done any research on the Smart Meters. Seems to me there are a lot of experts suddenly. I have been researching this for about a year. In California it is a proven fact that the meter caused at least 7 house fires. Lawsuits were filed and they are now removing 1000's of meters. General Electric is now installing smart chips in all of their appliances, what do you think thats all about, gosh Smart Meters and Smart chips,hmmmm!! There are radiation concerns and I'm still trying to figure out how spending 22 million of taxpayer money will save us money. LUS to you there should be no opt out fee additional for opt out because you already have that fee built in for the present meter readers. Enough said. - Jim Crumling Tue, 20 Dec 2011 06:15:57 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/indreporter/9590-smart-meter-opt-out-on-council-agenda#comment-25571 It is not in my nature to punt. Will the GreenAmbulanceman and the half bubble off scope surveyman Festermaker, have the contract on the smart meters, along with joey durel of course. - ciano Tue, 20 Dec 2011 03:29:57 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/indreporter/9590-smart-meter-opt-out-on-council-agenda#comment-25569 SMART METER PRIVACY VIOLATIONS. 1. Must-See 4-minute youtube video on Smart meters http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8JNFr_j6kdI SMART METER HEALTH PROBLEMS AND CANCER. 2. The WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION May 31 2011 placed the Non-ionizing radiation coming from Wireless smart meters (& some other wireless devices) on the Class 2-B Carcinogen List. http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2011/pdfs/pr208_E.pdf 3. The NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH Feb 2011 found biological changes in the brain after only minutes of exposure to non-ionizing radiation. http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/305/8/808.abstract 4. LABORATORY SCIENTISTS have observed
 (1) Human Cell Damage
 (2) DNA Chain Breaks 
(3) Breaches in the Blood-Brain Barrier
 from levels of non-ionizing radiation lower than emitted by WIRELESS Smart meters. http://electromagnetichealth.org/electromagnetic-health-blog/cc-video/ 5. INSURANCE COMPANIES Hired Independent Laboratory Scientists and they also observed Cell Damage and DNA Chain Breaks. Now Insurance Companies will NOT Insure Liability damage from Wireless Smart meters and other wireless devices.
 TV Video (3 minutes) http://eon3emfblog.net/?p=382 
 Cell Phone use and other devices are Voluntary and can be shut off at the user’s discretion, but Smart meters mounted on homes are emitting radiation 24/7 and can not be shut off. 6. WIRELESS SMART METERS – 100 TIMES MORE RADIATION THAN CELL PHONES.
 Video Interview: Nuclear Scientist, Daniel Hirsch, (5 minutes) http://stopsmartmeters.org/2011/04/20/daniel-hirsch-on-ccsts-fuzzy-math/
 
 7. WIRELESS SMART METERS – CANCER, NERVOUS SYSTEM DAMAGE, ADVERSE REPRODUCTION AFFECTS. 
Video Interview: Dr. Carpenter, New York Public Health Department, Dean of Public Health, (2 minutes) 
http://emfsafetynetwork.org/?p=3946 
 8. THE KAROLINSKA INSTITUTE IN STOCKHOLM (the University that gives the Nobel Prizes) ISSUES GLOBAL HEALTH WARNING AGAINST WIRELESS SMART METERS.
 2-page Press Release 
http://www.scribd.com/doc/48148346/Karolinska-Institute-Press-Release 9. RADIATION MEASURED FROM SMART METER MOUNTED ON A HOME (once active in the utility system) SHOWS RADIATION TRANSMISSION PULSES APPROXIMATELY ONCE EVERY FOUR SECONDS 24 HOURS PER DAY traveling through the bodies and brains of the inhabitants of that home. 
Youtube Video (6 minutes, 1st minute is sufficient) 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRejDxBE6OE PG$E, California’s Utility Monopoly, recently admitted that each smart meter mounted on a home transmits radiation between 10,000 and 190,000 times each day. This admission corrected previous false statements repeated often by many utility companies across the country. 
 NOTE: many of the tests on non-ionizing radiation (the type of radiation emitted by smart meters) have been done using devices other than smart meters because smart meters have only been in people’s homes for a very short time. But as a Wireless smart meter emits 100 times more radiation than a cell phone, it is not difficult to project. If a machine gun (smart meter) fires 100 bullets in the same time that a pistol (cell phone) fires one bullet, it is not difficult to project the harm that the machine gun can do, even if the tests were done with the pistol. CUSTOMER UTILITY BILLS AFTER SMART METERS INSTALLED. 10. Skyrocketing Utility Bills after installation TV News Video (3 minutes) http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/63581287.html?tab=video 11. Systemic Smart Meter Billing Errors Over 200% Uncovered in Australia TV News Video (7 minutes) http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-tonight/money/article/-/10241945/power-scandal-exposed/ - video NATIONAL SECURITY RISKS DUE TO SMART METERS. 12. CIA Director James Woolsey calls Smart grid “Stupid” due to National Security problems caused by so-called smart meters. News Video (1 minute) http://www.energynow.com/video/2011/08/10/preview-mix-james-woolsey - Robert Williams Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:54:47 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/indreporter/9590-smart-meter-opt-out-on-council-agenda#comment-25567 Walter is right in this case—and much of the censure here should go directly to the media that has been all too happy to sensationalize this story. KATC lead with a story that featured fear uninformed fear-mongering. I'm very happy to see that the real name policy resulted in some excellent and informed commentary from people who were willing to put their names and reputation on the line when the anonymous attack dogs were muzzled. Go take a look at the comments at: http://www.katc.com/news/are-lus-smart-meters-too-smart-/ Suddenly we have local commenters of which we can be proud. - John St. Julien Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:44:00 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/indreporter/9590-smart-meter-opt-out-on-council-agenda#comment-25566 One should not use terms like big brother and cut down genuinely concerned citizens unless you have researched this process of Smart Meters and Smart Growth. You obviously don't know or have not done any research on this matter before negatively spouting off on us who care about our community. I,m really taken back by your sarcasm(Free Republic creepy) One thing you left out in this article is that LUS and LCG are using 22 million dollars of taxpayer money to do this project. I invite you to go to www.acadianapatriots.com and get the real story. - Acadiana Patriots Jim Crumling Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:19:36 +0100