The Chao Praya River: A Limerick Memory

The Chao Praya River is dreamy;
its color a coffee that's creamy.
A barge full of rice,
a whiff of allspice;
some splintering wharves that are seamy. 

Solar Power for Prudent People.

This month Hikingware.com will be looking at some of the alternative energy sources that are available to you -- from sun to wind to water. When disaster strikes, wouldn't it be great if you already had your own guaranteed supply of power -- so you wouldn't have to depend on an aging power grid that could go out at any time? 

More than 90 percent of Americans today favor the use of clean energy, according to recent surveys where respondents enthusiastically supported the goal of moving away from dependence on dwindling fossil fuels and expensive imported oil. Particularly tantalizing for homeowners is the thought of powering their households via the abundant — and exceedingly clean — golden rays of the sun. With new technology and financing options making solar electric systems more attainable than ever, now is the time to go solar at your house. Here are the key considerations.

Background

Photovoltaic systems (literally, photon + voltage) convert sunlight to electricity for the home and are typically made up of groups of solar panels that are installed on a roof. New technology has produced sleek black solar modules that aesthetically complement any architectural style, and there are even solar roofing shingles in development that will lay side by side with conventional roofing shingles.

Cost has been the biggest barrier keeping homeowners from installing solar photovoltaic systems, as the systems needed to power a home may cost $20,000 or more. But new financing options and plenty of federal and state incentive programs are bringing the price into the affordable range for many Americans. Indeed, for the past two years, the number of solar photovoltaic installations has risen steadily, and industry experts expect the trend to continue.

First Things First: Size Up Your Needs

To decide if a solar photovoltaic system makes sense for you, begin with some facts about your current household electricity. Look at last year's utility bills and see how many kilowatt-hours you used (the national average is 10,000 per year). Then decide if you want to invest in a system to meet all or part of your needs. Typical residential systems range from 3 kwh to 10 kwh in size. As a general rule, a 3-kwh system will generate approximately 3,600 to 4,800 kwh per year; a 5-kwh system will produce 6,000 to 8,000 kwh per year; and a 10-kwh system will produce 12,000 to 16,000 kwh per year.

Look at Your Site

The most important factors affecting a solar photovoltaic system's effectiveness are orientation toward the sun and unobstructed access to sunlight. PV systems work best on a south-facing roof, and they must receive sunlight with no obstruction from trees or other shading. In addition to your own observations, consult solar resource maps available on such websites as the U.S. government's National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Consider the Roof

One factor that may limit the size of your photovoltaic system is the available surface area of your south-facing roof. A solar installation company can supply a precise calculation, but ballpark figures suggest that a 4-kwh system requires 400 to 600 square feet of roof area, and a 10-kwh system requires 1,000 to 1,500 square feet.

Assess Your Home's Energy Efficiency

A photovoltaic system works best in an energy efficient structure, so think about the things you can do to reduce your home's electricity use. You may want to add insulation, replace old appliances with Energy Star versions, install more efficient lighting, and upgrade windows and doors.

Think About Cost

A 5-kwh system may run $35,000, but federal and state incentives can reduce that expense by more than half; recently introduced legislation called the "Ten Million Solar Roofs Act of 2011" proposes incentives that could lower the $35,000 cost to as little as $7,875. A clearinghouse for rebate information can be found online at the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE). Also, the government offices or websites of your state or town should provide information about rebates, fees and permits for solar photovoltaic installations. Some solar installation companies also offer leasing options where you pay a monthly fee for a 20-year lease rather than paying up-front.

Find a PV Professional

If word of mouth doesn't lead you to a solar photovoltaic installer in your area, try BestCompany.com’s solar listings. It automatically updates the listings based on your IP address, and provides the most comprehensive listing of reviewed solar companies ranked in a number of different ways based on your preferences.

Poetic Thoughts on the Utah County Commissioner's Meeting. April 19, 2016.

When meeting as commissioners of Utah County, they
justify no vain dispatch but seek out calm delay.  
Greg is very happy to continue for a while
any motion that does not contain a great big file.
Bill wants nuts and bolts explained, not presentations brief;
slow and steady wins the race -- such words are his motif. 
Larry, too, defers to those who want to clarify
ev'ry little thing until it starts to ossify.
But that is how we want our public servants to perform;
creep along so prudently to weather any storm.
Woe betide our County if we vote in hasty folk
who want to fix things up before they ever can be broke! 

Inviting a Terrorist to Dinner.

Here is what happened in High Priest's meeting yesterday.
I've been thinking about it, chewing it over, and I've decided I don't like the mindset. A bunch of old dribblers afraid of a bogeyman . . .
Oh well . . . you decide if I'm overreacting.

The meeting started on a pleasant note, as several of the the High Priests came up to me to thank me for putting some spirit into leading the opening hymn (at least nobody walked out, like they used to do in my old ward when I conducted).

Then we began to discuss Lesson #8 -- The Importance of Missionary Work.

Inevitably, the conversation veered off to the ongoing world-wide refugee crisis. That's when, to my way of thinking, things got a little unsettling.

Geezer #1 stuck up his hand and then said "We should definitely be giving them blankets and stuff, but what if one of them is a terrorist trying to sneak into the country and kill somebody?"
This met with general head-nodding approval, and several more comments followed about being gentle as doves but wise as serpents.

When I brought up the point that missionary work is all about treating people the way we want them to become, not the way they were in the past, I was met with stony silence -- you could hear the apricot blossoms falling from the trees outside.

Geezer #1 stuck to his guns, saying "We can't just let these killers come in with the rest of them; there has to be a way to separate the sheep from the tares."
Others chimed in to say that's why they'd never invite a refugee family to dinner; how would you know if one of them wouldn't turn around and murder you?
The hot button had been pushed -- protect the family above all else! Innocent children slaughtered in cold blood. Wives ravished by slavering terrorists bent on destroying Our Way of Life! You could almost see the spirits of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck hovering over their bald and shiny heads. They were regurgitating the hate speech of talk show hosts, without an original thought in the vicinity.
I finally managed to interrupt the flow of nonsense to ask if any of them had ever actually met a terrorist, someone who threatened them, who meant them harm?
Nope. Not a one.
I then asked if they knew anyone who had been harmed by terrorists. They were quick to say that they personally didn't, but they had a friend of a cousin who knew someone who was in the same Ward as one of those poor missionaries that was injured in the explosion in Belgium.
At this point the time was up and everyone wanted to get home for dinner (our ward meets late and doesn't get out until 3:30). So the teacher simply closed by saying we must love others with prudence.
Oddly enough, despite my seemingly stand-alone position during the lesson, I was asked to give the closing prayer.
I kept it short and sweet. I never preach when praying. I've heard way too much of that.
So . . . what am I going to do about this?
Nothing.
I'm too lazy and set in my ways to stop attending my meetings, plus I distinctly remember how often I was cozened and bamboozled by my own ill-informed opinions earlier in life (and probably still am!)
After all, I voted for Nixon.
I believed all the bs by George Bush about Weapons of Mass Destruction.
I have been a suspicious, crotchety Republican for many years.
If I start to look down at my brethren because of their prejudices and fancies, then what mercy can I expect when I'm brought before the Final Bar without the help of Perry Mason?
So, I guess this is all about me letting off steam. Besides, by next Sunday I'll have forgotten all about this episode.
Life is too short to do anything but write limericks . . .

I Love a Naughty Picture: Salute to Peter Arno

I love a naughty picture, when drawn with real panache;
it makes a telling statement without the use of trash.
A cunning use of language, wherein the dishabille
of the quaint old Adam slips on banana peel.