A Conversation for The Great Blackout of 2003
Fumbling about in Ontario
John the gardener says, "Free Tibet!" Started conversation Aug 21, 2003
The worst thing about blackouts is that they leave you feeling so powerless. Ahem.
Apart from missing the h2g2 fun, the most annoying part of the blackout was listening to newscasters say that the area affected included several Northeastern states and Canada, whereas, of course, only a part of Ontario lost it's power; Canada's a big place folks!
We were luckier here than many of our neighbours to the south, some of whom ran short of drinking water. As far as I know, nothing of the sort happened here. The power went off on Thursday afternoon in Brantford, On, which is 100km southwest of Toronto, just the same as it did everywhere else. The power stayed off until about 9.00 in the evening. Friday was a bit odd. Many people spent the entire day without electricity (we did); but many others had power for at least a part of the day. Some homes within a mile or so of our house had electicity all day.
The political reaction to the blackout was sometimes hard to stomach: On Monday, Premier Eves called for anyone who could take the day off work to do so, in order to conserve as much generating capacity as possible... fair enough. Where this noble act of sacrifice got a bit ridiculous, though, was when people like my charming, talented, and diligent summer students were sent home without pay. Let me explain: We work outside with garden tools, none of which draw any power from the grid. So, instead of leaving us alone to putter about in our customary fashion, my hard-working and underpaid students were cheated of an honest day's pay and sent home to watch TV in their airconditioned homes!
Despite the dire warnings of our political leaders, it's beginning to look as though life will carry on after all in the way that we have come to think of as normal, thanks, no doubt to the exhortation of Toronto's gnome-like Mayor, Mel Lastman, to "conserve like hell!"
Electricity: shocking how you miss it!
JTG
Fumbling about in Ontario
Gordon, Ringer of Bells, Keeper of Postal Codes and Maps No One Can Re-fold Properly Posted Aug 22, 2003
I actually think Mel did quite a good job. I gather he just about exploded when he heard about a Toronto resident who when asked my their air conditioner was on said "pfft... I don't care about that."
Me? I'd have sent someone over there with a large set of cutters and terminated their service. 
Fumbling about in Ontario
John the gardener says, "Free Tibet!" Posted Aug 22, 2003
Politicians like Mel and Ernie are wonderful when it comes to indignation and the sacrifices that other people are called upon to make.
Fumbling about in Ontario
Gordon, Ringer of Bells, Keeper of Postal Codes and Maps No One Can Re-fold Properly Posted Aug 23, 2003
Key: Complain about this post
Fumbling about in Ontario
- 1: John the gardener says, "Free Tibet!" (Aug 21, 2003)
- 2: John the gardener says, "Free Tibet!" (Aug 22, 2003)
- 3: Gordon, Ringer of Bells, Keeper of Postal Codes and Maps No One Can Re-fold Properly (Aug 22, 2003)
- 4: John the gardener says, "Free Tibet!" (Aug 22, 2003)
- 5: Gordon, Ringer of Bells, Keeper of Postal Codes and Maps No One Can Re-fold Properly (Aug 23, 2003)
- 6: John the gardener says, "Free Tibet!" (Aug 23, 2003)
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