How did we Live before Electricity

[Alan Mater]

... Speaking of LCD TV's, has anyone ever walked past the wall lined with LCD TV's at a retail store such as Walmart, K-Mart, Sears, etc.? The heat you feel coming off of all of those TV's is insane.

Yes I have, Alan.

On the one hand, I (and my wife) are like Michelle; we prefer the heat and we are attracted to heat sources like moths to light.

On the other hand, I avoid getting close to those wall displays because when I feel the concentrated heat emanating from so many electronic devices, I start getting a prickly sense like I'm being microwaved! I don't like that sensation.

(Not to open a can of worms here, but that is one reason I don't have a cell phone. I don't like the thought of wearing an electronic device on my hip or holding it on my head.)

GT

LOL... I know what you mean, GT.

Remember when there was the myth going around that cell phones emitted radiation? Or maybe it's not a myth?

I've noticed that when I talk on my cell for any length of time, my phone is quite warm. I read that you shouldn't have a cell phone close to your body for any consistent amount of time. I'm not sure why, but it has yet to affect me any.

[janeaires]

If our ancestors has survived even without elevtricity, what about us? We have grown up with the modern world so electricity is very useful. I, myself don't think what I can do without electricity. Almost all of our activities today were powered by electricity. Yet if there would be no electricity in the future, we would all learn to live a simple and ancient life.

Let's preserve energy and electricity for we may never know what the future brings.

[MichelleJ]

If our ancestors has survived even without elevtricity, what about us? We have grown up with the modern world so electricity is very useful. I, myself don't think what I can do without electricity. Almost all of our activities today were powered by electricity. Yet if there would be no electricity in the future, we would all learn to live a simple and ancient life.

Let's preserve energy and electricity for we may never know what the future brings.

I think that what will probably happen is that something will be found to replace electricity, but until then we will continue to find ways of using it. It is very difficult to go
backwards in life.

MichelleJ

[Tim Stokes]

Hey, Tim:

My Dad talks of the shack he lived in for a few years, too, I think around the 30s. It was actually made of logs and the "insulation" consisted of mud or mortar in the cracks between the logs. He tells of a spot by his bed where he chiselled out the mortar so he could peek at what was happening outside.

He likes to tell how his Mom couldn't afford a tree at Christmastime, so she cut down a caragana bush and decorated it with bits of things she had around the house.

The story I tell my kids is how, when I was a kid growing up in the big city, there were only TWO television channels! And a lot of stores were closed two days a week and evenings!

GT

GT, that is too funny!! You need to play it up a bit like our Dads probably both did. You know how they used to walk to school, up hill both ways, in 6 ft. of snow without any shoes. Then they would go stack hay for 12 hrs. for only 25 cents for the day. And they liked it!! Tim.

[GT Bulmer]

... ... like our Dads probably both did. You know how they used to walk to school, up hill both ways, in 6 ft. of snow without any shoes. Then they would go stack hay for 12 hrs. for only 25 cents for the day. And they liked it!! Tim.

So. You've been talking to MY Dad too, I see. lol

Ah, the stories we could tell. And the even better stories we could make up!

My oldest grandkid is almost six and I like to occasionally tell her a story that borders on being a tale just to see the look her mother gives me. That's the best part of being a parent!

GT

[GT Bulmer]

Hello:

I'm going to be experiencing "energy withdrawal" Sunday morning - about 12 hours from now, as the power company shuts down the power for three hours! while installing new power lines down our road.

Tons of construction going on around us and it may bring some benefits, but time will tell.

Don't know HOW I'll survive without power for my computer tomorrow morning! It's a laptop with it's own battery, but I do not like using it on battery power alone.

Alas. I will survive.

GT

[David Hurley]

No worries, GT - the PPG competition is over now so you can relax!!

[MichelleJ]

It is winter in South Africa now ( although spring is just around the corner) but in the meantime because of the extra electricity being used for heaters etc there are continuous power cuts sometimes for an hour or two at a time, so I know exactly how you feel GT.
There is nothing more frustrating than just starting to work and the power goes off.

MichelleJ

[GT Bulmer]

No worries, GT - the PPG competition is over now so you can relax!!

Hi, David:

When they warned us earlier in the week about the impending outage, the PPG contest was the first thing that came to mind! Then I checked the calendar and realized the outage was scheduled for the morning after the contest closed. Gee. Those PPG mentors think of everything!

GT

[GT Bulmer]

... There is nothing more frustrating than just starting to work and the power goes off.

MichelleJ

That is so true. And the worst thing is not knowing how long the outage will last.

Fortunately, we have great service and seldom experience outages. The scheduled one this past Sunday was church day, so we were only home for about an hour and half of it anyway. I used the time to do some things that have been neglected over the past month and a half.

GT

[MichelleJ]

Well at least something positive came of it. You could do some tasks that didn't require a computer (the ones that normally get ignored)

MichelleJ

[GT Bulmer]

Hello, everyone:

My wife and I experienced another new thrill today (this should give you an idea of how exciting our lives are )

We had a major rain storm last night - the first rain in more than a month - and as soon as we hopped out of bed this morning we ran outside to check the level in the new rain barrel we set up a week or two ago. (See? Isn't that exciting?)

I have no idea why we didn't get a rain barrel years ago. I scratch my head. But the thing is, we currently have a well system with good water, but it fills in slow, so we can't use too much water too quickly. As a result, we have always been reluctant to "waste" water in the garden. Therefore, a poor yield every year.

Finally, we got a rain barrel for the flowers and the garden ... and it rained last night! Filled the barrel. We did a happy dance.

Rain barrels are one thing that were very common in the days before electricity and tap water. I think they have gained in popularity again over the past number of years. When I was growing up, my parents always had a rain barrel. Just don't know why it took ME so long to get the idea!

GT

[MichelleJ]

Thanks for that GT you gave my day a great kick start with a good laugh.
Actually I think that a rain barrel is a fantastic idea. Water is a commodity that we tend to take for granted and just assume that it will always be there when we need it.

Africa is a continent that in some regions suffers very badly from extreme droughts. I know that there have been years here where we have had to conserve water and have been penalized for overuse. In these times forget about having a garden we cannot waste any water on plants.

MichelleJ

[hellotracy]

people will get used to it if there's no electricity

[MichelleJ]

people will get used to it if there's no electricity

I suppose we would have no option but to get used to it, but it would certainly change life as we know it.

MichelleJ