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UPDATED: Handicapped Woman Refuses Smart Meter — Has Power Cut in the Dead of Winter

Feb. 9, 2013 2:31pm

UPDATE: Office of Ohio Governor Kasich intervenes. Details posted below.

A handicapped woman in western Ohio has to battle the freezing winter weather this weekend because she refused to allow the local power company to install a “smart meter” on her property.

Handicapped Ohio Woman Has Power Cut for Refusing Smart Meter for Health Reasons

Brenda Hawk (Image: YouTube screenshot)

Brenda Hawk has a pacemaker for her heart and because her brain was injured in a car accident, she requires a breathing machine in order to sleep at night. She does not want the new radio-frequency emitting meter because of the health problems these devices have been said to cause. But American Electric Power AEP-Ohio, the local power company, has persisted in their push to swap out Hawk’s analog meter and replace it with the new one.

TheBlaze spoke with Hawk on Saturday. At the time, she was using a kerosene heater to stay warm in the freezing weather. Hawk gave us a basic timeline on the story.

In October of last year, a utility worker arrived on her property and announced that he had removed her old analog power meter and replaced it with a new one. Hawk told him that she had not approved the meter swap and requested that the old one be restored. A series of phone calls between Hawk, the power company and the sheriff’s office was enough to get the new meter pulled out and the old one re-installed.

Fast forward to Jan. 24, 2013. A certified letter from AEP executive Ralph Rocca, Jr. arrived at Hawk’s home announcing that she would be getting a new meter or her power would be cut off. Her efforts to contact Rocca were not successful. All that Hawk wanted was a guarantee from the company that the new meter’s electrical signals would not interfere with her pacemaker. The company could not give her that assurance and it was her position that unless and until they did, no “smart meter” would be installed.

On January 25, after the letter arrived, she called the local sheriff’s office and claims that call was not returned. Hawk also wrote letters to her Congressional Representative Jim Jordan and Ohio Governor John Kasich asking why the new meter program had no “opt-out” clause for health reasons. Those letters were not responded to either.

On Feb. 1, 2013, a woman from AEP did call Hawk and asked about her concerns with the new meter. Again, Hawk explained the problem with the radio signals and her pacemaker. The company rep reportedly told her that it was as harmless as a microwave oven. Hawk cannot have a microwave oven in her home because of the problems it creates for her pacemaker. That phone call ended with the AEP representative announcing that the new meter would be installed next week or the power would be cut.

On Friday, February 8, two trucks from the power company and a sheriff’s patrol car drove onto Hawk’s property, uninvited. She informed them that they did not have an easement and therefore did not have access to the property and she intended to deny them access. Her question to the Allentown Sheriff was a simple one.

“Are you here to protect my property rights?”

Hawk said that his response was shocking.

“No,” said the sheriff, “I’m here to protect AEP – You’ll either have the meter or we’ll turn your power off.”

Hawk asked the officer and the power company reps how they could turn off the power to a home in the winter when it directly violates an Ohio law preventing elderly and disabled people from being without heat during winter months. They asked to be shown the law. Hawk quoted Ohio’s public utility law Chapter 4933: COMPANIES – GAS; ELECTRIC; WATER; OTHERS.

Hawk surmised that this law only prevents shutting off the power of people who do not pay their utility bills. She claims to have never missed a payment and is currently not in arrears with the power company.

Within minutes, the power was disconnected and Hawk’s home was without heat or water during one of the coldest weekends of the winter. Last night the temperature was in the mid-teens and the high temperatures for the weekend do not promise to get above 40 degrees.

As of Saturday afternoon, Hawk was trying to stay warm by a kerosene heater, but she worries about her horse, her chickens and the dog and cat that live with her. Without power, she is unable to draw water from her well, and her animals need water every day. She had a sleepless night because her breathing assistance equipment was useless without power. Her basement has also started filling with water, because her sump pump cannot work without electricity.

We tried to reach both Rep. Jordan’s office and the emergency offices of AEP for comment. Jordan’s D.C. office has no emergency contact number, just voice mail. And the AEP emergency operator referred us to the company’s main offices, which were closed for the weekend.

A call to Governor John Kasich’s office was returned and follow-up is expected soon. We will update this story as we get additional information.

Here is the video of Hawk telling her story to a member of the Ohio 9-12 Project.

This is not the first time that the subject of “smart meters” has appeared on The Blaze. Just last month, we brought you the story of Jennifer Stahl, a Naperville, Ill., woman who was arrested after refusing to allow a “smart meter” to be installed on her property.

Last summer, another pacemaker patient had problems with the “smart meter” emitting radio frequency that interfered with his implant. Since the meter was removed, the problem has disappeared.

(H/T: The 912 Project)

 

UPDATE:

Shortly after this story was posted, a representative from Governor John Kasich’s office called TheBlaze asking for any additional background and contact information for Brenda Hawk.

Less than an hour after the first call from the governor’s office, we were again contacted and told that “something should be done soon.”

We are pleased to report that less than three hours after we reported on this story, a utility crew returned to Ms. Hawk’s home and reestablished her electrical power. In a phone conversation with the very happy homeowner, we learned that many Blaze readers had also reached out and tried to help her by contacting various government agencies. Apparently, switchboards at the state Capitol and senior service agencies were flooded with calls on her behalf. Brenda very modestly asked that we thank everyone “who wasted their Saturday on me.”

 

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Comments (452)

1 2 3 … 11
  • shesellsshells
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 4:16pm

    Here in Florida you can call FPL and be put on the “temporary” Opt Out List for smart meters.

    We had a ton of protesting down here so people were really aware of their rights.

    There even is a web site… nosmartmeters.com… which lets you print out a notice to be placed on your meter saying you reject the new meters on your property.

    The problem arises when FPL Contractors change your meter when you are not home. If you want your old meter back, they charge you for the labor.

    I’m rural. They had to get past my Rottweiler first…. so no sneaky stuff happened to me. But I do pity the suburban people who came home to these devices that they did not want.

    BTW… you have to tell them “Why” when opting out. Just say “Medical” and mention the HIPPA Law.

    They have left me alone….so far.

    Report this comment

    shesellsshells  
    • John 1776
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 4:52pm

      SmatMeter collects a lot of information about you… Of course, with a little work, it can collect a lot of disinformation too! ;)
      As with all technologies, double edged sword. Just make sure the side facing away from you is the sharpest!

      Report this comment

      John 1776  
    • RANGER1965
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 4:57pm

      I have mixed feelings about this.

      The woman didn’t want a smart meter. It’s her right.

      The company does sell power to people who don’t have smart meters. It’s their right.

      She refused the meter. The company cut the power.

      This is fair.

      What happened about a month ago where the company invoked the State (police) to put someone in jail for refusing, that was both wrong and unconstitutional.

      Report this comment

      RANGER1965  
    • taxx
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:23pm

      The power company wants the new meters so they don’t have to hire someone to go check it every month. This will help keep their costs down in the future. Common sense would be to let the lady keep her old analog meter and charge her extra per kilowatt because someone will have to be hired to drive out to her house to check it. But the power company cannot do that because it’s pricing is regulated by the government.

      Report this comment

      taxx  
    • TaintedBlaKK
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:27pm

      RANGER1965: The only problem with the last one. Weren’t they denied access to their property that she had attached to her home? I agree as to having mixed feelings on this, but I also did with the last story for that reason. She was denying them access to their equipment. She should be able to request they remove their equipment all together.

      Report this comment

      TaintedBlaKK  
    • hypnos
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:31pm

      Before I was aware of the intrusions of smart meters ours was installed about a year later I got a nudge- shove bill from my utility with everyone in my neighborhood usage for gas and electricity(the addresses were not put on the corresponding usage, for now). Much to my chagrin mine was at the grand prize winner of highest usage.imwas fully expecting a thank you with a discount on my next bill. But instead I get this left handed chiding about my usage. I called them immediately to have this monthly comparison removed from my bill.they asked why I was not happy and I informed them their role is to provide gas and electricity and I would in kind pay them.my point is Saul Alinsky technique is not to my liking and they need to get out of bed with the idiot progressives.

      Report this comment

      hypnos  
    • termyt
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:44pm

      In principle, we get to choose who we do business with. It is not so easy with utilities, which often have monopolies in the areas it serves. She can choose AEP, produce electricity on her own (how many of us can do this?), or go without. It’s not like she can call another company to com out an supply her with electricity.

      The restriction on the buyer’s side should come with a matching restriction on the supplier’s side (although, the best answer is a competitive market for all).

      This is not her first tangle with AEP. A few years ago, she got into a scrape over AEP trimming trees on her property without permission. She lost that one.

      Report this comment

      termyt  
    • WarMunger_Al
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:52pm

      guess she should have thought of that before refusing. Where does she think the power comes from? Part of exercising your freedom is living with the consequences. She should have installed an alternate means of electricity before defying the power company.

      Report this comment

      WarMunger_Al  
    • wzanesdad
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:04pm

      I wonder what they’d do if everyone just shut thier power off in protest? SAy….first for an hour to show them we’re serious….then if nothing is done….for a day…..I bet a days worth of power is a hell of a lot of money.

      Report this comment

      wzanesdad  
    • RoDogg
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:08pm

      “All that Hawk wanted was a guarantee from the company that the new meter’s electrical signals would not interfere with her pacemaker. The company could not give her that assurance”

      IMO, this is the most important part of the article. If they can’t guarantee that her pacemaker wont be effected then they should not be allowed to do it OR deny her service.

      To me, stuff like that should have been tested and scientifically proven before they started this whole thing.

      Its like forcing you to change your transmission because they made a more efficient one and not being able to guarantee that it will go into reverse.

      Report this comment

      RoDogg  
    • 000degrees
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:11pm

      Freedom and liberty are taking a back seat…that’s the real issue here…

      Report this comment

      000degrees  
    • decendentof56
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:18pm

      I’ll have to check out about the customers who have “switched” from the local provider (Atlantic City Elec Co, in my case) to a competitor. This is the same situation like when people “switched” from Ma Bell to a CLEC (competitive local exchange carrier). I pay the competitor, but the electric comes from ACECo, of course.
      I don’t know if the competitor or ACE does the read. That may leave an out for me to avoid the SM, though I have not heard if ACE is even going to convert.

      Report this comment

      decendentof56  
    • rickc34
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:22pm

      The Sheriff said he was not there to protect her rights but the power company’s. Sonds to me like the union (thugs) cops cannot be trusted o protect and serve the taxpayers any longer.

      Report this comment

      rickc34  
    • SansPeur
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:31pm

      @ Warmunger Al:

      What a jerk. This woman would obviously not have the means to install alterantive sources of power hereby giving the power company unmitigated monopolistic control of her options, giving the company too much power. Her only choice is receive the smart meter which does by the way have potential to disrupt a pace maker just like a microwave oven does or freeze. God will extend to you the mercy you extend to others, especially the elderly and the poor.

      Report this comment

      SansPeur  
    • Grey Eagle
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:33pm

      I protested when FPL came to switch meters and was told I did NOT have a choice whatsoever.

      Report this comment

      Grey Eagle  
    • realistic_01
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 7:34pm

      @RANGER1965

      The power company is a government regulated monopoly. They don’t have the right to deny service to someone who doesn’t have an alternative to their monopoly, and kerosene heaters isn’t a viable alternative. This is just another example of government control leading to government abuse of the weakest among us.

      Report this comment

      realistic_01  
    • CatB
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 7:36pm

      With regards to the UPDATE .. GLAD SHE WILL NOW HAVE POWER .. we did not “waste” a Saturday on you .. we are ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!

      Report this comment

      CatB  
    • roadwarriornc
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 8:00pm

      Ranger, I did my first reply ever to the Blaze on your comment, and improperly posted it.

      I basically said, the power company has a monopoly, which I believe is illegal in this country, and that she had no choice in the supplier of her power.

      Hence, she is right to refuse.

      Report this comment

      roadwarriornc  
    • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 8:04pm

      Typical bureaucrats. NOTHING was done until a story was published. Seems like no public official here, in Ohio, will return your call, letter, or email, until things escalate, or their name is mentioned along with a news story.

      Report this comment

      Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
    • sasquatch08
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 8:12pm

      @Ranger1965

      Rarely do I read one of your posts and disagree with it, but on this one I must.

      This woman has a medical condition (pacemaker), for which there seems to be evidence a “SmartMeter” interferes.

      Therefore, in my mind, this is akin to saying “We’re forcing you to take a drug that we know has a bad interaction with a drug you must take to stay alive”.

      I’m not saying the “SmartMeter” does or does not interfere with the pacemaker, but if it does it will kill this woman. Sure her estate can sue, but they will most likely lose when AEP (pretty good company when I lived in Ohio) claims “You can’t prove 100% that it was the “SmartMeter.” Even if they do win, what good does that do the lady who is dead?

      There should be a medical opt-out for this, until such time that it can be proven that the meter does NOT interfere with a pacemaker. Until then, AEP might be legally right, but they are morally wrong.

      Report this comment

      sasquatch08  
    • JQCitizen
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 8:35pm

      I DON’T have mixed feelings about ANY of this. Electric transmission is pretty much of a monopoly within each region; So the problem I have with these smart meters is they are nothing more than a company that has a monopoly on a region colluding with the government to INSIST that we accept such monitoring; This is a FIRST STEP to rationing, and we all know it.
      All of this happening when the current powers that be in Washington are putting the clamps on every type of energy generation they can? Don’t tell me this is a cooincidence! I DON’T BUY IT!!!

      Report this comment

      JQCitizen  
    • WarMunger_Al
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 9:04pm

      Sans-
      Choice is choice. She chose, and she is has to deal with it. Being elderly or disabled doesn’t relieve you of your responsibility for your own well being. I doubt this situation developed so rapidly that she couldn’t have made arrangements. I do not believe the smart meter would interfere anymore than the millions of other electronic transmitters surrounding us all the time. They told her what the deal was, she opted to test their resolve.

      Report this comment

      WarMunger_Al  
    • PATTY HENRY
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 9:11pm

      I PRAY THAT GOV. JOHN K. can fix this debacle. IDIOTS!! (Liberals) One-Note Ponies!! They couldn’t solve their way out of shifted sand! SHAME ON THEM…OKAY where is PETA on this one??? WHERE IS THE HEART ASSN??? WHERE IS N.O.W. ??!!!

      DAMN politicians have learned how to TAX US FOR THE VERY AIR WE BREATHE… YOU guys happy with your “NUDGING” OBAMA SLUGS yet?

      I’m going to Tweet Gov. John K. now. Join me. This is disgusting…who ever heard of taking away power like this. FRIGGIN’ BULLIES!!! SHAME ON ALL OF YOU!!!!

      Report this comment

      PATTY HENRY  
    • sillyfreshness
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 9:18pm

      Corruption at its finest.

      Report this comment

      sillyfreshness  
    • hoggle
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 9:52pm

      @RANGER1965 – I can understand what you’re saying. But there’s one other issue you forgot in your comment. The Electric company is a glorified monopoly. The home owner has no choice on who to get their power from, if the Electric companies opperated as any other private company and the owner had choices, then I would completly agree with your comment.

      Report this comment

      hoggle  
    • LogCabinRepublican
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 9:56pm

      I don’t get these people who are commenting and siding with the power company. There is nothing wrong with the analogs and if they are trying to save money and not have to send someone out to read the meter then the homeowner can. It is completely legal and possible for the homeowner to do that themselves and all the power company needs to do is to check it every 6 months to make sure they have been accurate. These meters are adding even more Dirty Electricity to the power grid which is what is making everyone sick. It has been making a lot of people in WI, MN and MI sick as well as effecting cattle. I’m beginning to wonder if this is what is causing my Chronic Pain since none of my local doctors and even going to Mayo Clinic can seem to figure out what is causing it. Something needs to be done. Google “Dirty Electricity” for yourself, there is plenty of information out there and the power company’s are well aware of this and are hiding the truth. It can be fixed but they don’t want to spend the money.

      Report this comment

      LogCabinRepublican  
    • endthemindlessspending
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 10:46pm

      This is why EVERY home owner should be prepared and have a generator on hand for times when it is needed. I don’t mean just this situation but with the condition she is in what if a big storm were to hit and the power go out for days. America ****** me off because rather than be prepared they would rather buy crap they don’t need and wait for a FEMA truck to show up when the shyt hits the fan.

      Report this comment

      endthemindlessspending  
    • Jacqueline Fields
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 11:20pm

      We live in a small town just outside of Houston, and when a utility worker came to our house, and asked to inter our back yard, because he had tried to come in through the gate, but it was locked, we told him no, we absolutely did NOT want the smart meter, and we refused to unlock the gate for him. Well, that didn’t deter him from his mission, he simply went to his truck, got a ladder, and climbed over our fence! When my husband, who’s 74, confronted him in the back yard, he refused to stop changing out the meters, and told my Husband that he was just following orders, and no, he was not trespassing, because he had the right to come into our yard, to read the meter, or change it, if his company told him to. Calls to the power company were futile. They told us that they had the legal right to do what they did, because the new smart meters were what everyone was going to get, whether or not they wanted them, because it was the law now, to have them. No smart meter, no electricity!

      Report this comment

      Jacqueline Fields  
    • Maji
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 12:15am

      Ranger,
      Nomally I’d agree but utillities have a monopoly on service.
      Try to find another power carrier in your area.
      Local gov. decides who provides and you have no choice.

      Report this comment

      Maji  
    • Exiled
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 12:16am

      wzanesdad: “Boycotting” the electric company wouldn’t do any good at all. Since they are government regulated, the costs would just go up for everybody else. No matter how much electricity is used (or not used) the coffers of the utility company will be filled. The only way for your bill to go down is to get somebody else’s bill to go up.

      Report this comment

      Exiled  
    • Exiled
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 12:25am

      rickc34: What “right” of hers was being trampled? The utility box is not hers. She had no right to it. She does have a right to refuse their service.

      Report this comment

      Exiled  
    • dnewton
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 12:30am

      I suspect the next step is to condemn the house as unlivable since it is not heated.

      Report this comment

      dnewton  
    • Exiled
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 1:23am

      LogCabinRepublican:
      Yes, I’m sure your pain is caused by your power meter. And just look at all those deaths! What, since the introduction of mass-electricity, the average life span has dropped how far? Oh, wait, average life-span is UP over 20 years. Maybe your cronic pain comes from you being such a grump (?)

      Report this comment

      Exiled  
    • Exiled
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 1:25am

      Jacqueline Fields:
      So you failed to notice when you bought your house that there was an easement on the property? You missed it on the page that you signed? You missed it clearly labeled on the map that would have been included with the title information from the county? You missed it when you signed up for utility services?

      Report this comment

      Exiled  
    • Exiled
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 1:27am

      Maji:
      Yes, local government decides. Your local government is ELECTED. Most utility companies also have ELECTED boards. If you don’t like the rules, elect people that will change them. I have lived in MANY cities where electricity was not a “monopoly”.

      Report this comment

      Exiled  
    • booger71
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 3:32am

      They still have to pay someone to drive around and point their device to read meters, it really doesn’t take much time to get out of their vehicles to read an analog meter for the people that want one, the power company could charge a 3 or 4 dollar surcharge to read it. I am glad I have a whole house generator. if they ever try and control my usage.

      Report this comment

      booger71  
    • WarMunger_Al
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 8:09am

      people seem to forget that for the vast majority of human existence there was no electricity. Drop the addiction and you will be free.
      All homes should have kerosene or wood back-up heating source. Just ask the 650,000 people on the east coast who lost power due to this blizzard.

      Report this comment

      WarMunger_Al  
    • TEOTWASWKI
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 8:53am

      I live in a rural area and for years we had to read our own meters. Twice a year someone from the power company stop by to read the meter. There is no rational reason for power companies not to do this for people with medical concerns about a smart meter.

      Report this comment

      TEOTWASWKI  
    • RRFlyer
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 9:08am

      “WZANESDAD
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:04pm
      I wonder what they’d do if everyone just shut thier power off in protest? ”

      You First

      Report this comment

      RRFlyer  
    • smv803
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 10:18am

      These smart meters are no different than osamacare in that they don’t test first; they wait until money is wasted on defective solutions to liberal ideas.

      Report this comment

      smv803  
    • oneshiner
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 10:46am

      Unbelievable! Just because a sick woman is taking a stand, they want to freeze her out of house & home. Yet, our governmental agencies take care of all the able bodied people on welfare (whom many are capable of working) but prefer to be taken care of………and that power company couldn’t even make an exception for an ill woman……….Unbelievable what they’re doing in this Country.
      This is about as sick as a nation can get.

      Report this comment

      oneshiner  
    • James
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 10:47am

      We had a new meter installed about a year back.It is a digital and not a Smart Meter. It can be read from the road .

      Report this comment

      James  
    • James
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 11:00am

      The Smart Meter doesn’t control any appliance or usage. That would require a switch type system that would have control of your air condition etc through a means of off an on etc.Now the Smart Meter could be and probably will be a measure for a future device to come but not now. It could be and has been done through the use of phone lines ,a relay etc, analog etc.

      Report this comment

      James  
    • lwillis59
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 11:35am

      can you say AGENDA 21…

      Report this comment

      lwillis59  
    • RoBoTech
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 11:36am

      Most of you are missing the point.
      It is stated very plainly in the article that this person was NOT in arrears, that she could, and has been paying the costs, so that straw man is out.
      It’s about control and the Fds spying on it’s citizens.
      As was stated, this is the 1st step to rationing, a thing this Admin wholeheartedly agrees with.
      As Obama said before he was POTUS, “don’t think you can keep those thermostats to 72 in the summer, it’ aint going to happen” And same with 80 in the winter.
      You Liberals have asked for this, so just admit that you agree (until it’s YOUR heat or a/c) and stop lying about it, or throwing out straw men that have NOTHING to do with what is happening here.
      But, brain dead Liberal Hypocrites is the norm, so I won’t hold my breath.

      Report this comment

      RoBoTech  
    • StandingOnMyHead
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 11:59am

      Sounds like extortion to me, sue them all!

      Report this comment

      StandingOnMyHead  
    • LovinUSA
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 12:21pm

      just typed in that site and it said it was for sale…….

      Report this comment

      LovinUSA  
    • lowerclassrepublican
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 12:49pm

      They can make a medical exception, but you would have to maintain a phone land line. These smart meters can send the information over your existing phone line. For people who can not afford a land line the signal these use works without actually tying up the line. So for free the phone companies would be required to hook up the line. You wouldn’t be able to talk on it. It would be for data transfer only.

      Report this comment

      lowerclassrepublican  
    • Bluebonnet
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 1:22pm

      The meter isn’t the question here. It’s common decency to allow this woman to have heat and lights in her home during the cold winter regardless of who’s right and who’s wrong. This is sinful.

      Report this comment

      Bluebonnet  
    • 2012hey
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 1:26pm

      To Ranger – this is why having a power company be a monopoly is a bad thing for citizens and consumers. If this woman had a competing power company she could go to then this would have simply been a phone call to the competing utility company. Monopolies are what allow dictatorial “services”. You forget that the utility company is a SERVICE. Cutting someone’s power in the dead of winter is WRONG WRONG WRONG. I suggest that if this woman was a different color they would not have gone this far because they would have feared an Al Sharpton protest

      Report this comment

      2012hey  
    • Jim S
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 1:45pm

      I bet that if I don’t comply with the terms/standards of The Blaze..you will block me. You know those Consumer Rights people the right wing use to laugh at as being commies,nuts,trouble makers etc etc…perhaps we should re-evaluate our opinions of monopoly ? Or perhaps this is in fact a better more accurate method of measuring energy usage and the conspiracy folks have gone over the edge yet again. Wish there was a website that would look into consumer protection issues once in a while..not just a flash headline but a through investigation..like take a week and look into it, have the meter checked out by independent engineers..that sort of thing..OH never mind, I found a LOT of factual information about it..seems the whole world uses “smart meters”..with less than hoped for results…imagine that..tell the old lady to let them install it..it’s meaningless..
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_meter

      Report this comment

      Jim S  
    • SREGN
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 2:31pm

      Descendent – The local power company who own the lines to your house are the only ones who read your meter. They get a fee for using their lines no matter who provides the electricity. Switching providers doesn’t change who owns the infrastructure or reads the meter, that is the local power company.

      Report this comment

      SREGN  
    • Publius Libertarius
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 4:00pm

      website DOWN

      Report this comment

      Publius Libertarius  
    • stonemike
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 6:25pm

      PLAIN and SIMPLE GOVT OPPRESSION , these meters are intended to be able to control your power usage, this is against all TENETS OF FREEDOM! Every homeowner in America should fight this “tooth and nail”, we are being enslaved and should threaten civil war aghainst our UNAMERICAN FEDERA;L GOVT evrytime the overstep the US Constitution in ANY way!

      Report this comment

      stonemike  
    • InUrFace1
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 7:04pm

      Thanks for the website………did I learn alot, and passing it on!! Printed out my sign.
      Good work!

      Report this comment

      InUrFace1  
    • johnrhodes101875
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 10:43pm

      that web site nosmartmeters.com is Buy this domain or no longer there :o(

      Report this comment

      johnrhodes101875  
    • Silvertruth
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 11:30pm

      Ranger has the right of it on this one.

      If she has natural gas, she can install a natural gas generator. The generator manufacturers usually give good discounts if she claims it’s for backup of her life support equipment, plus she probably qualifies for new stuff under Medicare and Obamacare (hey, we’re paying for it, use it!)

      Then she can shut off her power and run on natural gas. A solar company can donate some slightly used gear to her and hook her up so it doesn’t have to run much.

      Take it off grid folks. If enough people do it, they’ll change the laws to support those that don’t want smart meters.

      Report this comment

      Silvertruth  
    • termyt
      Posted on February 11, 2013 at 9:21am

      Exiled – you spout facts with no truth. You equate “legal” with “moral.” You are nothing more than a shill for tyrants.

      This woman does not live in a city. She lives in a very rural area. Without power, she not only has no heat, she has no water. She lives alone without even a close neighbor. If the meter interferes with her pace maker, she dies.

      The law may allow the power company to force compliance, but where is her right to have the government address her grievances? Following the law without mercy is tyranny and amoral. It is also against Ohio law to disconnect electricity during the winter months unless the homeowner is not paying or is stealing from the power company. There is no evidence this woman did either.

      Report this comment

      termyt  
    • oneshiner
      Posted on February 11, 2013 at 9:54am

      WOW! What is it? The normal mumbo-jumbo with Nancy or is Liberalism really a mental disorder?

      Report this comment

      oneshiner  
    • Stratoghost
      Posted on February 11, 2013 at 12:36pm

      -James
      Using power line communication, a utility could simply shut off ones power remotely for going above prescribed limits by using smart meters. It has happened in other countries. It is possible to use a smart meter to monitor individual electrical use of appliances that have smart technology. It may be possible to regulate the use of such smart appliances. It is also possible, though I don’t know of any instances of it, that information such as what channels you are watching, what time you wake up in the morning via a smart alarm clock, etc., could be collected by the electric company.

      Report this comment

      Stratoghost  
    • poohbare
      Posted on February 11, 2013 at 2:40pm

      Utilities are considered “natural monopolies.” In any case, having a monopoly is not illegal. Doing illegal things to get a monopoly or abusing monopoly power is. To prevent abuse, most states have a Public Service Commission which regulates rates and rules to permit a small profit for stockholders in the company and keeping the cost to consumers as low as possible. There is a PSC regulation limiting profits to 3 or 4%, of which 1-2% has to be plowed back into the community through community service. This limited profit also explains why it is so difficult to have money for improvements. Most cost increases involve increases in the cost of natural gas or coal to fuel the plants that create electricity.
      Imagine if there were six electric companies, each with their own power lines running down your street! It’s more or less a necessary situation. Utility companies use infrastructure that is integral to a municipality. If competing water companies were to be allowed to run pipes wherever their customers needed them to be, there’d be nothing but constant excavation and construction going on. Similarly with phone and electric lines, gas pipelines and sewage systems. You really CAN’T have multiple instances of these networks without disrupting daily life and optimum use of space. By the way, PSC works for you.

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      poohbare  
    • jhrusky
      Posted on February 11, 2013 at 5:31pm

      “Apparently, switchboards at the state Capitol and senior service agencies were flooded with calls on her behalf. Brenda very modestly asked that we thank everyone “who wasted their Saturday on me.””

      Exactly! This is what works! The progressives have been doing this successfully for years and years so we need to up this even more … we need literally tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands” of calls to people and agencies that attempt to take the rights away from WE THE PEOPLE. Call, Write, Fax … do all three… and do NOT let off the pressure, ever. We can win this war one battle at a time if we all work together and voice our concerns when these sort of things happen.

      Additionally, if we would do the same with rogue school boards and ridiculously progressive television networks and their advertisers, we would begin to see that pendulum swinging back towards center.

      Report this comment

      jhrusky  
  • Pergolesi
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 4:15pm

    Most of what I’m reading in the comments section is paranoid nonsense. The meter belongs to the electric company and there is very little likelihood that it will interfere with the lady’s pacemaker.
    http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Arrhythmia/PreventionTreatmentofArrhythmia/Devices-that-may-Interfere-with-Pacemakers_UCM_302013_Article.jsp

    Report this comment

    Pergolesi  
    • txannie
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 4:22pm

      Can you guarantee that?

      Report this comment

      txannie  
    • 00100111
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:39pm

      Annie, you’re asking a commenter to gaurantee that? Really?

      The meters operate on a 900MHz bandwidth to connect to the mesh network. Same range as your wifi or a cordless phone. Far less power. So, no, it will not interfere.

      Report this comment

      00100111  
    • myrwo6
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:40pm

      Pergolesi: Here we go again with someone smarter than the usual dummies that comment in here. Unless your a cardiac MD, or have a pacemaker, you shouldn’t make such flippant comments. Radio waves and pacemakers is and accident waiting to happen. The right frequency, just enough to cause the pacemaker to hit a speedbump, so to speak, is enough to send patient to cardiac arrest. So please, stop being paranoid about being paranoid you liberal sap!

      Report this comment

      myrwo6  
    • Pergolesi
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:34pm

      I must say that I don’t think the electric company should turn off the lady’s power FOR ANY REASON in the middle of winter. That said, I have to say that all the research I’ve done as a layman I can’t see that the lady’s pacemaker is threatened by the smart meter. No more than going about in any relatively urban or suburban area anywhere in the US, or, just staying at home having ambient wireless signals from passing cars and neighbors’ cell phones, iPads and computers. Which would more than equal any radiation from her smart meter. Not to mention radiation left over from the Big Bang which is constant everywhere.

      Report this comment

      Pergolesi  
    • Bonnieblue2A
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:48pm

      It is pretty easy to accuse others of paranoid nonesense when it is not your life, heart, or pacemaker at risk isn’t it?

      Fact is that both the power company and the sheriff’s dept. broke the Ohio law by cutting off her power in the winter. Hopefully a court will settle it soon. Until then perhaps the press will be so bad for the power company that they will back-off and turn her power back on for the remainder of the winter.

      Report this comment

      Bonnieblue2A  
    • MDECKER
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:54pm

      No one has ever hacked into a computer system before.

      Report this comment

      MDECKER  
    • termyt
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 7:11pm

      Oh, right. The radiation from the big bang. That’s probably what it was for the man in the video as well. Just a weird coincidence the radiation hist after the meter was installed and stopped after it was removed.

      Report this comment

      termyt  
    • edotddot
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 8:00pm

      None of the items listed in the article that you provided the link to, are wireless rf. I have 3 wireless remote controlled ceiling fans with lights. My wireless router will cause the fan motor and or lights to come off and on sporadically.
      One other poster mentioned that when they received their usage comparison from their utility company, they had the highest usage. I find it odd that my usage is also the highest in my neighborhood when there are just 2 people in the household (Several households have multiple children) and we don’t have the largest house.

      Report this comment

      edotddot  
    • SmartMeter
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 8:09pm

      txannie can you show any evidence that shows it causes problems? not from some anti ‘smart meter’ site? are you spouting your misinformation, taken from someone with an axe to grind? did you get the information from al gore, it sounds like the junk science of the left/manmade gobal warming.

      Report this comment

      SmartMeter  
    • AverageWhiteMale
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 8:43pm

      For all of you claiming this won’t interfere with her pacemaker, why do airlines insist on cell phones and electronic devices when taking off and landing? Do you follow that rule?

      When you have a pace maker or are a qualified doctor, you can test this theory.

      Until then STFU

      Report this comment

      AverageWhiteMale  
    • PATTY HENRY
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 9:21pm

      YOU TELL ‘EM WHITE MALE !!! besides, who the hell cares if she is 100% correct or not…the point is that SHE FEELS that it would cause her problems and that pace maker is all that is keeping her alive.

      WHERE THE HELL IS THE HUMANITY??? YOU slugs…you stiff lipped hot-shots?? YOU disgusting Bureaucrats. GIVE THE WOMAN BACK HER METER that she’s paid with all this time and move on down the road. AND IF PETA or someone doesn’t step up to help her pronto… WE should all file a Harrassment Class Action against these bullies…THIS IS JUST THE BEGINING folks. THAT FOOL who embezzled $ from FANNIE MAE, got fired (with MILLIONS in a GOLDEN PARACUTE) owns the Patent to some of this BS now coming at us from the Power Co’s..and Jarrett and guess who else is going to profit from this too. WE have been so had.

      Report this comment

      PATTY HENRY  
    • toto
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 10:21pm

      Refused the Smart Meter and 2months later had a bill that was twice the normal for the period. Did not accept it and they adjusted the bill without explanation, it may have happened again, but to a much less degree, not quite so obvious, so will be watching our bills like a hawk. I am much more concerned about their interference with my usage and potential control that I am the health issues. This is a freedom issue. Do not intend to become subject to their dictates. They serve me, I do not serve them or owe them anything but a paid bill for the fair value of the energy I use, when and where I choose to use it. They have no right to know anything more than my total kilowatts used per period.

      Report this comment

      toto  
    • txannie
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 11:16pm

      @averagewhitemale….what the heck crawled up your craw for you to attack me like that? All I ask was could it be guaranteed this thing wouldn’t mess with the pacemaker. Sheesh, I don’t know, just asking. I, as a matter of fact, do have a pacemaker and a defibrilator and do not use a microwave or wi-fi or anything that has a fluctuating signal, as recommended by my cardiologist saying it is best to be safe than sorry since they don’t really know for sure what could set it off. But I can guaratee, you nor anyone else can make me “stfu” just because you don’t like what I’m saying or asking. You don’t like it, lump it on your own time.

      Report this comment

      txannie  
    • txannie
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 11:24pm

      @whitemale….p.s….I live way the heck out in the middle of nowhere so I don’t have neighbors I have to worry about having any fluctuating frequencies either, so the neighborhood arguement won’t work. Take a deep breath and relax before you stroke out.

      Report this comment

      txannie  
    • masimo
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 12:09am

      Hey Pergolosi, it is about control, once they have their “smart meters” in place they can control how much ANYONE uses. If you think the government and companies should be able to dictate how much power you can use than what the heck, dictate everything we need like food, water, etc

      Report this comment

      masimo  
    • zman173rd
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 10:21am

      I saw a comment/question suggesting everyone retaliate by shutting off power for an hour then increasing the down time until the power company yells uncle. I don’t think that’ll work. I remember years ago when the “power shortages” were hitting in the 70′s in Colorado We all cut back to “save”. The PUC increased the cost to the user becase they weren’t making enough profit to stay in business. If you cut back now they’ll just increase it to you ater. They’ll always get their piece of the pie.
      Now I have a question: Not knowing much about “smart Phones” and such, I’ve seen on TV they have smart phones that you can use to “adjust” your power while you are away from home. Anyone read the fine print? Can the power company use that app to overide you? Just asking.

      Report this comment

      zman173rd  
    • BlazingBlaze
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 10:23am

      Pergolesi, Let me explain why you should not bother to try to convince people this is a bogus story, even though there are tens of thousands of these meters across the country and only one guy has ever supposedly had a problem. The people following this story closely:

      Believe “aliens” traveled billions of miles to come here and leave crop circles, even though the humans who actually did them have not only admitted it, but shown how it can be done in one night with a little planning and some elbow grease;

      Believe the “Bigfoot” film is real, even though the human who did it has admitted it and explained how and why he did it;

      Believe the “Loch Ness Monster” is real, even though the guy who did it long ago admitted he did it and how he did it;

      I could continue, but you get the idea. Nothing you say will convince these people that a simple WiFi signal, found everywhere including your local McDonald’s restaurant, is NOT killing people who have pacemakers. They want to believe, and the evidence be damned.

      To the kindly people who believe the above crap, I apologize for upsetting you. You can now pretend you never saw this post and go back to your suspension of disbelief.

      Oh, and wrestling is fake, too.

      Report this comment

      BlazingBlaze  
    • lamarlamar
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 10:40am

      What is down the road is controlled rolling blackouts! Wake up folks, the government is LIMITING any new power plants, they want bird killing wind mills and solar panels (from china)! We need more energy in a time when it is restricted! Do the math! There will not be enough to go around! Remember “we all have to have skin in the game!” bho, We all must suffer deprivation together, unless you are a policy maker and then it does not apply! Start buying candles and hurricane lamps, and start to learn to live with less! Except of course you can afford to do otherwise but, most will not be able to!

      Report this comment

      lamarlamar  
    • InUrFace1
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 7:19pm

      Ur part of the problem> BOTTOM LINE.

      Report this comment

      InUrFace1  
    • termyt
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 10:37pm

      So let me get this straight, SmartMeter. If someone is against smart meters, no evidence they present counts? We have to find some Smart Meter champion that champions them in spite of knowing they can cause problems in stead of learning that making them take pause?

      You would have to be heartless and brainless to meet your criteria for acceptable evidence. Where would we find some one like that? Can you look into the issue for us, SMARTMETER?

      Report this comment

      termyt  
    • ozchambers
      Posted on February 11, 2013 at 9:45am

      @TXANNIE: AverageWhiteMale was actually siding with YOU. His “stfu” comment was aimed at those who argue that the meter is not going to interfere with the frequency of pacemakers or other electronic medical devices and was comparing it to electronic device use restrictions on airlines.

      Report this comment

      ozchambers  
    • Linda2955
      Posted on February 11, 2013 at 3:24pm

      yes pleease prove that point

      Report this comment

      Linda2955  
  • oldsoldier10
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 4:10pm

    the reason her power was cut, is because she is white! bet they do not cut Shanaynay’s power!

    Report this comment

    oldsoldier10  
  • HOOT_OWL
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 4:00pm

    Being they usually do the whole neighborhood ,wouldn’t NOT having it installed be futile ..?

    Report this comment

    HOOT_OWL  
    • CatB
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 4:05pm

      Why ??? Just because others are uninformed about the DANGER these meters pose?

      http://emfsafetynetwork.org/?page_id=1280

      Report this comment

      CatB  
    • CatB
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 4:13pm

      I think more people are standing up against these than we are being told .. btw ..

      They were supposed to notify us when they would be in our neighborhood for installation .. we were NEVER notified .. a guy just showed up in a truck on our street .. not even marked with the co name .. and started going to houses and installing … if I hadn’t been home that day and saw the truck on the street and asked what was going on .. they would have just put it on my home .. NO NOTICE.

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      CatB  
    • HOOT_OWL
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 4:30pm

      You misunderstood my comment Catb , I’m saying that the radio waves are all over the place due to everyone in the neighborhood has them too. Even if a person doesn’t have one installed ..Isn’t the danger still ever present..?

      Report this comment

      HOOT_OWL  
    • Small World
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:05pm

      Hum, made by GE.

      Report this comment

      Small World  
    • CatB
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:11pm

      @HOOT .. I don’t know how far out they permeate but then again .. doesn’t that make them able to be “broken” into .. hacked if you will … that, the health concerns, the fires … if it weren’t the government pushing them .. if they were PRIVATE sector .. do you think they would find a problem with them .. I DO.

      Report this comment

      CatB  
    • pragmaticpatriot
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 10:42pm

      it would reduce the RF signal strength, 900MHZ is more of a line of sight frequency, the higher the frequency the higher the attenuation- low frequencies are more likely to pass thru an object, high frequencies will bounce off or dissipate. As in your Hotpocket is still frozen in the very middle while the crust is molten lava after being in your microwave… With RF when you double the distance you lose half the power. An RF based meter seems to me unreliable in reporting and liable to interfere in more than just pacemakers- wifi, cell and cable Internet service will suffer

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      pragmaticpatriot  
  • GoodCook
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:38pm

    Kinder genteler Democrats at work here. Freezing her to death is so much more humane then Obamacare…… It ain’t cool to call yourself a Democrat anymore……

    Report this comment

    GoodCook  
    • OlefromMN
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:47pm

      I don’t think this can be blamed on Democrats alone. This technology and the energy “crisis” that inspired it’s implementation have been going on for decades. Thank the unelected mental midgets in the EPA and DOE for programs like this.

      Report this comment

      OlefromMN  
    • CatB
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:54pm

      Or burning of smart meters . provides warmth ….. read these reports …

      http://emfsafetynetwork.org/?page_id=1280

      Report this comment

      CatB  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 4:52pm

      Enron started creating power shortages and rolling blackouts to increase electricity prices. That act alone gave a lot of other companies more ideas, and the progressives have simply latched on to that idea and see it as a way to control.

      Report this comment

      Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
  • neverending
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:36pm

    She needs to find the best lawyer around and just sue the ruthless thugs – thank you oh dear bastard in chief – oh now things are just getting better each day since so many ignorant people just had to make sure he was handed four more years on a golden platter – pat yourselves on the back, as I know so many are doing, for your great accomplishment. May you guys be the next to experience such a wonderful event.

    Report this comment

    neverending  
    • Gini61
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 7:11pm

      The ones that elected him won’t won’t have to worry because their electricity is free.

      Report this comment

      Gini61  
  • fingerprintguy
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:28pm

    Just let them put the smart reader in. Then, when they are gone, wrap the entire meter box in aluminum foil, making sure to slide some between the box and the house (it’s a tight fit but can be done) Then, they will STILL have to get out of the truck and walk to the back of your house to read the meter since the signal won’t go out.

    They may try to charge you with tampering, but since the equipment is unharmed and the reading unaltered, the law does not apply.

    Report this comment

    fingerprintguy  
    • ADNIL
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:25pm

      when they installed them in our neighborhood, it was a choice. Take the meter OR another $40 would be added to our monthly bill to “pay” the meter reader. (Really??? not bad for less than 5 minutes’ time) That would have doubled our bill. (We are very conservative electricity users). And ya know what? The meter reader still comes around. Smart meter’s not so smart after all.

      Report this comment

      ADNIL  
    • 00100111
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:42pm

      As someone who works for a meter manufacturer, I can tell you what you typed will have absolutely no effect whatsoever. And yes, that does qualify as tampering.

      Report this comment

      00100111  
    • Flashydave
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 7:38pm

      Yes that will keep all the radio waves in the box and prevent Rf leakage both ways. And After the utility has to spend even more time ‘ unwrapping ‘ everyone’s box all the time maybe some other safety issues would come up. Like if the aluminum wrappd meter caught fire you ,ight be held liable for ‘insulating the box” and causing the fire. Just saying…
      I think it was around 15 years ago when they laid off most of the meter readers at the local company. They did this thru a program of ‘ equalized monthly billing ‘ Now every fool can undertand that your demand is going to fluctuate with weather. They just always got by with averaging your last years bills and reading the meters semi annually instead of monthly. But the local utility isn’t a local entity anymore. Its a power company thats bought and sold like any commodity. It’s owners only want to make money not serve the people who originally designed, built and owned it.

      Report this comment

      Flashydave  
    • Exiled
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 1:34am

      So you don’t want somebody on your property to install the meter, but you’re okay with somebody tromping through your yard EVERY month read it, instead? I don’t get it.

      Report this comment

      Exiled  
  • RJJinGadsden
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:26pm

    I seem to recall back during the Clinton Administration’s influence that a number of laws came about to stop the evil power companies and other utilities from shutting off services especially during harsh winter months to the elderly with fixed and limited incomes, indigent, and handicapped. So, did the evil utility companies regain their power under the influence of the 0bama Administration?

    Report this comment

    RJJinGadsden  
    • civilwarcometh
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:33pm

      @RJJ: You have to see this. Everyone please watch this video. People are waking up and speaking out..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrdmjBAX0E0

      Report this comment

      civilwarcometh  
    • Spitfire1938
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:36pm

      You are correct sir… it’s just that under the reign of “The Anointed One” the rule of Law is dead!

      Report this comment

      Spitfire1938  
    • neverending
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:40pm

      @SPITFIRE1938 – So true.

      Report this comment

      neverending  
    • civilwarcometh
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:41pm

      Even better news! Check this out. Their going to try and remove Obama!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-TEdX0NS9I

      Report this comment

      civilwarcometh  
    • catty
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 4:38pm

      Yes, this one woman’s power meter installation went all the way to the Prez……

      Report this comment

      catty  
    • Spitfire1938
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 4:44pm

      Wow… @CWC, you are my hero… Excellent sources!

      Report this comment

      Spitfire1938  
    • civilwarcometh
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:04pm

      Spitfire i see you have your a$$ hat on again…

      Report this comment

      civilwarcometh  
    • Small World
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:07pm

      @CIVILWARCOMETH….Bless you for that web sight….Let it be,let it be.

      Report this comment

      Small World  
    • civilwarcometh
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:57pm

      SPIT i got them links from other people posting on the https://www.teapartycommunity.com/ You can take it for what it’s worth…

      Report this comment

      civilwarcometh  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 1:23am

      CATSH/T, You just did not read the complete yet short post, now did you? Nothing went directly to the president, nor did I suggest any such thing. But, just as in the Clinton Administration as I suggested, there was influence from the top. Why is it reversing now? Do you seem to like the power granted to shut off power to the handicapped in the middle of a harsh winter? Sounds like you as black hearted as those utilities were back in the ’90s when such laws were created to stop them from such activities. Mean, mean spirited person you must be.

      Report this comment

      RJJinGadsden  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 1:31am

      CIVILWARCOMETH, Thanks for posting that link. I actually tripped over that video very recently myself. It is certainly some scary information, and our trolls have swallowed everything that she is addressing hook, line, and sinker.

      Report this comment

      RJJinGadsden  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:24pm

    One more nudge, one more shove, one more push coming from the progressives and Big Brother on the way to ultimate control. How long until the utility companies have armed security to enforce their will at gunpoint?

    Report this comment

    Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:31pm

      Snow:

      This is more like a “Hold your head in a toilet and kick you in the ribs” move. They are through Nudging.

      Report this comment

      Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • Pergolesi
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:32pm

      The electric company wants to change the meters to ones that are easier to read and you think it’s the Gestapo kicking you in the ribs. Isn’t this a rather extreme reaction? And what does it have to do with progressives and the liberal nanny-state? The people I know who are against the smart meters are all progressives and voted for Obama.

      Report this comment

      Pergolesi  
    • Zipit
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:04pm

      Yes Pergo! The electorally uninformed or , voting through emotion, rather than using your brain!

      Report this comment

      Zipit  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:09pm

      Pergosi:
      The smart meters are the first step in what the Smart Grid will turn into. The ultimate goal of the smart grid it to control how much energy you are allowed to use, the smart meters will be able to regulate how many Amps you draw, which will create a brown out in your house. You will have to make choices such as, can I cook and run the AC, or can I watch TV and run the Heater during peak hours.

      If you have read some of the material the progressives put out for their vision of our energy future, they want to reduce how much we use, and the only way to do that is regulate everyone can only use so much, that of course, they determine.

      Report this comment

      Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • Diego Roswell
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 2:31am

      Snow – the utility companies will be nationalized far before it comes to that. The statist agenda calls for it out of “fairness”. The smart meters monitor usage and will be used to ration energy as they are 2 way devices. The less coal that is mined, the less power generated, therefore, the less power available for consumption. Period.

      Report this comment

      Diego Roswell  
  • gyro
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:24pm

    Ok the liberals seem to be afraid to post on this topic so I will set forward and do it for them
    ———–
    The women is just having problems because she didnt vote two times for obama
    Easy fix next election

    Report this comment

    gyro  
  • RedeyeBlind
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:12pm

    Welcome to the New World Order,,,,,,How do you like it so far? much more to come and it’s going to be messy get ready for it.

    I normally sign my posts Love and Peace but they time has passed…

    Report this comment

    RedeyeBlind  
  • Spitfire1938
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:12pm

    It’s obvious this is just an obstinate old person who clearly ‘loves’ being a nuisance. She has no excuse and is by her non-cooperation simply proving how undesirable most of her neighbors believe she is because they do not want their tax money wasted on the endless cost of treatment for her handicap and health problems. She is useless to the community since she can no longer contribute to their wellbeing. Without a way to support her own infirmities she is an endless drain on already scarce taxpayer dollars. Government Authorities have obviously bent over backwards and done everything they can to gain her confidence and cooperation without success. The only effective way to deal with her under Agenda 21 and Universal Health Care is to kill her.

    Spitfire1938  
  • BODYBAG
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:09pm

    “That phone call ended with the AEP representative announcing that the new meter would be installed next week or the power would be cut.”

    She or one of her relatives SHOULD have been waiting in the yard for that rep
    with a loaded weapon pointed right at their head. She should have warned them
    of such on the phone.

    Leaving this handicapped woman in winter with no power is endangering her life.
    You have a right, an obligation to protect your life and your property.

    Report this comment

    BODYBAG  
    • TheGrtDcptn
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:33pm

      As stated in the article, neither LE, nor the power company give a rat’s a$$…

      “No,” said the sheriff, “I’m here to protect AEP – You’ll either have the meter or we’ll turn your power off.”

      About 2 years ago, I sadly found out too late that a local man’s power had been shut off (behind in payment) in the middle of winter, he was found froze to death in his bed. It certainly proves God’s word about the love of money = GREED…!! The behavior of such companies is appalling, and they will receive their just due.

      Report this comment

      TheGrtDcptn  
    • circleDwagons
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:50pm

      I am surprised that a neighbor did not step up with a generator. The sheriff needs to loose his job.

      Report this comment

      circleDwagons  
    • BODYBAG
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 4:15pm

      @THEGRTDCPTN
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:33pm
      As stated in the article, neither LE, nor the power company give a rat’s a$$…
      The behavior of such companies is appalling, and they will receive their just due.
      ——————————————————–
      Agreed. Here’s the deal though. Apparently the woman above wasnt behind on payment.
      She was paying her bill. This was only about the meter itself.

      Report this comment

      BODYBAG  
    • TheGrtDcptn
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:25pm

      ‘This was only about the meter itself.’

      Yes, I understand that she was not behind on her payments, the article jostled my memory of the local man who died from the actions of such a company. I don’t hesitate for one second to realize the same fate could happen to any one of us, there is no mercy from those who worship greed…

      Report this comment

      TheGrtDcptn  
  • bama54m
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:04pm

    The nasty little seret that all the power companies don’t want you to know,,is thta “smart” meters were designed to charge for power,,that you weren’t heretofore being charged for,Quick explanation,,the CFLs and other “inductive” devices,,don’t show up as “watts” on the old meters with the rotating disk,,they now charge for “VA” =volt amperes which will make everones bille go up a minimum of 6%,,depending on on many inductive devices,,that you have,,,This is why the power companies,,spent millions telling us to remove our cell phone chargers from the wall,,when not in use
    It’s jhard to explain,,but its a thing called “phase angle” that the power comapnies werent heretofore able to charge for,,,its “all about the money”

    “

    Report this comment

    bama54m  
    • CatherineAnn
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:51pm

      Good to know. So will anyone be able to pay their energy bill after Obama and the power companies are done with price increases?

      Report this comment

      CatherineAnn  
    • Pergolesi
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:46pm

      At last, a rational argument. Though probably futile because all those utilities, phone & cellular companies, cable TV and internet, as well as everybody else in business, try to sneak in all kinds of charges to maximize profits. They’re selling you power and you have the choice to use less and unplug your wall-warts when you’re not using them. This is a long way from the hyperventilation I’m seeing in the other comments about totalitarian thugs kicking down your door and turning your appliances on and off by remote control.

      Report this comment

      Pergolesi  
    • 24bit
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:49pm

      Some links for everyone
      http://www.energyfederation.org/consumer/default.php/cPath/388_254
      http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_2/chpt_11/2.html

      Report this comment

      24bit  
  • TheGrtDcptn
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:00pm

    …ah, the smell of tyranny…

    Ms. Hawk…look into the possibility of putting a wood stove in your home…An excellent way to cut into a large % of the tyrants profits…

    Report this comment

    TheGrtDcptn  
    • emh1701
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 7:20pm

      How will the wood stove help with her breathing apparatus that requires electricity?

      Report this comment

      emh1701  
    • XCitizen
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 12:09pm

      O yeah.tell me how I can make mine
      generate electrical power? and i’ll
      work on it! We neeed some Smarter
      engineers or Radical designers, of whom are
      on the side of the public, not J.P. Morgan! nor the Gov.

      Report this comment

      XCitizen  
  • OlefromMN
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 2:54pm

    They don’t give us the right to generate our own power by whatever means we feel best, they don’t allow us to retrieve our own water (well) or get rid of it (septic). This is forced servitude.

    Report this comment

    OlefromMN  
  • tonypro
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 2:54pm

    More gestapo tactics, and it will not stop here.

    The do as we say, or else mentality is expanding at a very high rate.
    Wait until they are full blown on attacking the food system, which is already quietly happening.

    The people on gov handouts will comply, or they want get their foodstamps. Just like this lady, and what they did to her, comply or we will cut your power.

    Wake up folks…..it’s coming.

    Report this comment

     
    • tonypro
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:25pm

      “” they won’t get their foodstamps”"

      not “want”

      Shame I had to post to myself to make a correction since this forum doesn’t have an edit feature.

      Report this comment

       
  • 4dogsandagun
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 2:51pm

    You have got to be kidding! This is the United States of America.Where is the help from her representatives, the governor? Where is the ACLU?Where is the OUTRAGE! These may seem like isolated incidences but the taking of our liberties starts with baby steps, one person at a time and because it does not personally effect us at the moment when it comes our time who will stand with and for us?Oh and I am sure this is done in the name of progress and benefits to all. Sound familiar.

    Report this comment

    4dogsandagun  
    • Mapache
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:14pm

      Where is Jesse Jackson and AL Sharpton? Where is the community organizer in chief…oh wait….she’s white? Nevermind….at least she can still get and abortion and birth control.

      Report this comment

      Mapache  
  • Sharon Rose
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 2:51pm

    Why are we Americans putting up with this kind of mistreatment, where are our rights? I guess we don;t have any left!

    Report this comment

    Sharon Rose  
    • Outlaw_Josey_Wales
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:38pm

      Rights and freedom come out of a barrel of a gun!

      Thomas Jefferson
      When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.”

      SHTF if big government keeps pushing the people!

      OBTW record crowd at the gun show in Lansing Michigan on friday. People buying the tools for freedom.

      Report this comment

      Outlaw_Josey_Wales  
  • skippy6
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 2:45pm

    Power companies are the same as big government.I despise them both…

    Report this comment

    skippy6  
    • CatB
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 3:51pm

      These “smart meters” .. came out of Obama STIMULUS .. a PAYOFF to GE .. now we are being FORCED to put something on our house that have been PROVEN to be at the very least a fire hazard. I have refused it .. the first time they tried to install it in my neighborhood .. our TEA Party is trying to fight them .. and I was told that when they have finished the installation in the rest of the area .. they WILL be back with mine. Hopefully we can get the word out and more and more people fighting this TYRANNY!

      http://emfsafetynetwork.org/?page_id=1280

      READ ABOUT SMART METERS BEING UNSAFE!

      Report this comment

      CatB  
    • Outlaw_Josey_Wales
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 7:19pm

      @CATB The day they want to install the smart meter, invite the local militia group over for a barbecue.

      Report this comment

      Outlaw_Josey_Wales  
  • CatherineAnn
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 2:44pm

    I am not one to support lawsuits but in this case I say sue baby sue. Find a lawyer who will bring it for all the others who don’t want it. May I add something that could be included in the suit….my meter reader told me that the smart meters can not be monitored by the home owner and you can be charged whatever the company wants. Everyone can be over charged everyday and you can’t prove it with these meters.Not right and everyone should be upset.

    Report this comment

    CatherineAnn  
    • Winedude
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 2:56pm

      I don’t know where you live or who is providing your power but here in PG&E’s service area I can easily go online and look at the “Smart Meters” for both my electrical and gas service. Not only that, it’s very easy to read one of these devices looking at it. One has the option with PG&E to keep an analog meter but there is a one-time charge to install it ( $75.00 even if it’s still in place) plus a monthly fee of $10.00 to have someone come out and read the thing. I think your meter reader is not telling you the truth, wanting to keep their job. Don’t need meter readers with smart meters…

      Report this comment

      Winedude  
  • Lando
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 2:43pm

    lawyer up, hit em in their pockets, money is the only thing they understand

    Report this comment

    Lando  
    • Flashydave
      Posted on February 9, 2013 at 7:12pm

      That and leaving a note after you ruin a chain saw blade cutting down one or more of their ceresote soaked poles.

      Report this comment

      Flashydave  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 2:43pm

    As a handicapped person, she may have a good lawsuit against the power company.
    Her rights as a handicapped person, were violated.

    Report this comment

    LeadNotFollow  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 2:41pm

    Where I live, it’s illegal to cut power to the handicapped, if they’ve sign up with the power company to never have their power disrupted, due to being handicapped.

    Report this comment

    LeadNotFollow  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on February 9, 2013 at 2:38pm

    This poor handicapped woman probably didn’t realize that ObamaCare wants handicapped people eliminated. She’s considered a burden upon society.

    She just made the Government’s job much easier, by refusing the meter.
    If she had died, the Government would have blamed the woman for her own demise.

    Report this comment

    LeadNotFollow  
    • Publius Libertarius
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 3:57pm

      Good point. It is about POWER and control. The tools are being put in place. The “Death Panels” were in the stimulus bill. The drones. Disarming Americans started with Obamacare and will be complete in less than 90 days. (The 23 executive gun orders go on the Federal Registry as law then if Congress fails to act) The link to disarm former military is PTSD and the killing of Chris Kyle. Obama will NOT be at that funeral! In less than three months it will be as the French would say a fait accompli, or OVERWITH! Throw away your calendars, pick up your bibles, and forgive the Mayans for missing it by -that much….

      Report this comment

      Publius Libertarius  
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