[kcam213]

Originally Posted by janetvj

You're right - from everything I read he did have the money. A lot of the people posting here seem to be disregarding that fact. From what I understand, he had been a responsible bill-paying person for his whole adult life. That, in connection with his age, is why I'm making the assumption that he was suffering from dementia or alzheimers or something like that. People in that condition don't even realize they need help. And unfortunately not everyone has a strong support system. If he had no family, no church or other social connection, no close friends, there was no one who could ask for help on his behalf. If nothing else maybe this will result in changes being made to require that someone else be contacted in the future before utilities are cut off or restricted.

AGREED.

We kind of "society" are we, if we (USA) have this "too-bad-you-didn't-pay-your-bill-so-just-die-already" mentality. There are some people who try to freeload, but that is not the case with everyone. Some people just need a little help (like this man who obviously meant to pay the bill, just forgot or was unable to).

There should at least be some sort of safeguards so that people in need (elderly, handicapped etc) do not fall in the cracks.

[virginia farm girl]

Originally Posted by Driller1

Can you post a link showing he was indigent?? All of our newspapers and TV stations must be wrong. BTW, our electricity has been out for six days due to weather from time to time. We did not die.

I give up...

[michiganmom48]

I heard some details of this story on one of the News channels. They said he did have the money but they are looking into if he had some mental issues. They said they put this box on his house that I guess cuts the power when you use too much. I guess you can turn the switch back on yourself but the company said they failed to tell him that. I also heard that they removed all those boxes from other homes and I guess aren't cutting people off. Why there rear ends are not looking good. THe person on TV said that what happened to face to face and help put into people to not do this. His words the man was 93 served his country during Hitler and freezes to death in his home . Makes me sick I lived about 20 mins from Bay City and feel really sad

[malamute]

Originally Posted by janetvj

Are you serious?? My friend's elderly mother lives in a frame 2 story older single family home in Baltimore County. Her utility bill for one month is over $1,100. I'm in a much smaller, newer townhouse, but even so my last bill was over $400. Are Michigan utilities that much lower than here?

I think the utility company should have to make personal contact with the occupants of the house before limiting or shutting off electricity just for this reason. If they find an elderly person, or a family with children, or someone with health issues that needs the use of electricity for medical equipment, they should have to report it to local authorities before taking any action.

I would consider $1,100 utility bill for one month extremely high. My electric bill for a 2100 sq foot house with lights on because of kids is $60 a month. Propane costs me $250 or less for the whole winter.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Driller1

Can you post a link showing he was indigent?? All of our newspapers and TV stations must be wrong. BTW, our electricity has been out for six days due to weather from time to time. We did not die.

There are people right now in Ohio, Missouri for example who are without electricity due to thick ice bringing down electric lines and poles.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

Here here. It will be a good day when we learn a fundamental fact of the universe: the more you give, the more you get.

Imagine if we voluntarily built a society in which everybody - no matter how lazy or selfish or old or young - were provided the basic necessities to survive. From there, it is up to them to thrive or fail. But they would have the basics. That, to me, would be the mark of a truly great nation and a people who see beyond the primitive survival-of-the-fittest dogma that has infected our psyches.



Say he may have lived another 8 years - that's reasonable. Imagine the last 8 years of your life, all that happened. This is a brutal line of reasoning that has no end worthy of humanity. I guess we should all just pick an age where "it doesn't matter anymore".

I don't believe that is any law of the universe. That sounds a lot like Christianity or some other kind of religion to me. The laws of the universe are precise and harsh. The weak don't survive and nature has no compassion. The law of the universe says those who take the most get the most.

[janetvj]

Originally Posted by malamute

I would consider $1,100 utility bill for one month extremely high. My electric bill for a 2100 sq foot house with lights on because of kids is $60 a month. Propane costs me $250 or less for the whole winter.

Be grateful. The cost of gas and electricity in Maryland is outrageous. I just talked to my friend, and he said his mother's current bill just arrived, and it's over $1,200. She lives alone, and heats with gas, and her normal summertime bill is under $200 a month. The house was built in 1931 and is 2,300 square feet. But even so, energy bills have skyrocketed in this area.

[Driller1]

Don't compare apples to oranges on this. The man's bill was for electricity, water and sewer.

[ergohead]

There are tonnes of suppressed energy technology.


http://www.city-data.com/forum/polit...nergy-now.html

[Driller1]

Originally Posted by ergohead

There are tonnes of suppressed energy technology.


http://www.city-data.com/forum/polit...nergy-now.html

If you would like to order one, write to:

Paul Panton
Salt Lake County Jail
3415 S. 500
South Salt Lake City, Utah. 84119