Who is they, and why are they always trying to control us?
That’s the sort of question that has no answer, but we know that it must be asked. It’s the “if it ever gets this bad” preface that we cling to, before finally throwing our insecurities to the wind and putting our foot down.
And so I won’t bore you with some dissertation about the deeper meaning to all of this, or the invisible food-chain that really control everything. Instead, we can simply assume that they want to control us and that we should do everything in our power not to let that happen.
This is why a series of events in Denver was startling this week.
Signing up for a rewards program that lets the utility take control of your thermostat settings, in exchange for credits toward bills, probably sounds like a better idea when the weather is mild. But when temperatures reached into the 90s Tuesday in Denver, and thousands of customers read a message on the device saying it was locked because of an “energy emergency,” there was regret, KMGH reports.
That’s right: Let us control your bill and you can save a few bucks.
And just how many homes did the company you pay to keep you comfortable take over?
The utility said 22,000 members of the Colorado AC Rewards program could not control their thermostats for hours on Tuesday. Talarico said his was set at 78 or 79. Other customers posted on social media that indoor temperatures reached as high as 88 degrees during the lockout. “Let’s remember that this is something that customers choose to be a part of based on the incentives,” said Emmett Romine of Xcel.
And what sort of deal are they getting?
The incentives include a $100 credit for enrolling and another $25 a year. The tradeoff is a loss of control at times to save energy and help make the Xcel system more reliable.
Now just imagine what they are going to with your high-tech vehicle if you don’t pay your parking tickets?
