On Sep 26, 2:24 pm, bo peep wrote:
On Sep 26, 9:09 am, "TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher"
Now, assume this community is South
Beach. We install some windmills

in South Pointe, backed up by solar panels, and we are off the grid!

Not quite - the "grid" also includes water coming in, and sewage going
out. In many areas (but probably not Florida) either natural gas or
oil for heat. Many places charge for garbage pickup and recycling
activities.

I know but not nearly as much. Electric monopoly is the next Hungry
Lion after Big Oil. But not even big oil has a monopoly in this sense.

Is there a monopoly? This investigation, done in 1928, found the
answer to be YES:

(I QUOTE)

The sum total of these investigations and studies is the positive and
well-supported conclusion that a Nation-wide, organized, persistent,
increasing
movement to monopolize the electric power of these United States
actually does exist.
There is an electric power monopoly.
Moreover, there is an electric power monopoly organized and financed,
not for fair and efficient public service, but for ruthless
exploitation, uninterrupted
and unrestrained by anything approaching effctive Government
intervention or control.

http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xm...pdf?sequence=1

***

What has changed? I don't know.