XPost: rec.arts.comics.strips   
   From: YourName@YourISP.com   
      
   On 2025-10-24 16:53:03 +0000, Paul S Person said:   
   > On Fri, 24 Oct 2025 07:16:04 +1100, sjharker@aussiebroadband.com.au   
   > (Stephen Harker) wrote:   
   >   
   >> Cryptoengineer  writes:   
   >   
   >    
   >   
   >> My concern is information on usage. We have smart power meters used by   
   >> the power companies to get usage information and so bill more   
   >> automtically.  There were repors of this being used tofind houses which   
   >> were not occupied (on trips away for example) and so target for   
   >> burgling.  Like most I have my heat-pump hot water progrmmed to heat in   
   >> the period 1000 to 1500 hours where solar should be good and the grid   
   >> power is on non-peak.  Some also progarm other devices (heating/cooling   
   >> or washing) in similar times.  This is laragely to bank the solar when   
   >> at a maximum.   
   >   
   > I am eagerly (OK, that's satire) awaiting my next power bill because   
   > it may reflect a new scheme where they charge for electricity   
   > depending on the time of day it is used.   
   >   
   > The notice was very interesting: it /talked/ about two periods/rates   
   > ("light use" and "heavy use"), but it showed a chart with /three/   
   > colors on it: one (11PM--5PM, say -- this is from memory) for low   
   > demand, one (5PM -- 8PM, again, from memory) with no explanation and   
   > one (8PM-11PM, again, from memory) for high demand.   
   > But three periods make sense (even if my time frames are off): heavy   
   > demand for cooking dinner, less heavy for watching TV, light for   
   > everything else.   
   > What will really happen is unclear at this point. I will have to see   
   > it to even have a chance of figuring it out.   
      
   Our electricity company offers "free days" (I think it is three per   
   year, plus you can 'buy' more using their loyalty scheme rewards   
   points). You of course need a smart meter, which they say we do have,   
   although we've had the house since new and nobody actually installed   
   one that we know of.   
      
      
      
   > This is similar to my phone/internet bill: I got an email some time   
   > back (and a letter yesterday) stating that they will be split so I   
   > will get and have to pay two bills a month /starting in October/, and   
   > yet my October bill (payment due 10/28/25) had both still combined.   
   >   
   > Maybe the November bill will come in two parts ... maybe they meant   
   > October 26 ... who can say until it happens?   
   >   
   > At least I will finally see how the various fees, taxes, and other   
   > petty annoyances are divided between the two!   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)