Comments for Home Energy Analysis

Comment on Melbourne Marathon Spartans and Legends by Wayne Thompson

Wayne Thompson — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:21:35 +0000

I thank you for bothering to record your “trail” to the dreaded Marathon.
I hope the 13 of us lunatics who continue to destroy ourselves one day in October all go on to 50 and then we can all agree that will be enough!!
I do it because I simply turn pudding without running and I need the BIG annual target or I find an excuse per day not to run.
I encourage NO ONE to run marathons. I encourage all people to walk 5 to 10 minutes twice per week!! (15 million Aussies do not I guarantee).
I hope that some other good comes from my selfish indulgence in the marathon. That some body just sees that we can have energy and day by day good feeling if we keep fit year by year especially thru the thriving thirties, fortunate forties and first sign if ageing fifties.
I commenced running at age 14 and a half, in March 1967. I saw a poster on a tree at Aberfeldie Athletics field in October 1977, advertising the South Melbourne Harriers Olympic Tyres Late Geoff Watt (Kathy’s dad)Marathon. so I ran my first Marathon in Nov 77 (3.13) then of course the BIG M in 1978 onwards. (2.40 in 81/82). (best 2.36 at Canberra 82/84) So now I struggle between 3.40 and 3.55 (I hope) but who cares, I feel fantastic every day. Men 18 to 30 can not do the work I do and live the “life” I live.
But, the reason I have all this more than any other reason is because my wife Patti has been “there” for me every day in every way. She supports my running beyond any intelligent level! (Yep when water stops were scarce she drove the course by detours from Nepean down to the Beach road and back to give me personal drinks, with two little boys cheering their idiot selfish father onwards in glycogen self destruction.

I dont even feel that I deserve to sit in the same room as Shirley and Jack as they are much older and it is so much more arduous for them.

The rest of the crew of 13 are all the nicest people you will ever meet and totally make my 16 yr old son feel welcome at the 3 month interval Tan runs. His life is changed forever by this and though he is a tennis player (thankyou God) he reveres the 13 not just for the running but for their lovely natures.

So I thankyou again for sharing your life with me and hope I have given you some moment worth losing reading my nonsense.
Wayne.

Comment on Desalination Plant for Victoria by Terry Stackpole

Terry Stackpole — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 01:53:50 +0000

Alas, no 90 Mw of wind power for the desal plant. Mr Brumby has decided to build a 400 Mw brown coal, fired power plant instead. Why 400 Mw instead of 90 Mw? As usual, no explanation is provided. So much for the promised green power to drive this monster. I suppose he can always buy carbon credits instead, equivalent to some 300,000 extra cars.

Also according to Brumby, notwithstanding the possible unfavourable outcome of the EIS, he will build his coal powered, desal plant. This translates into, he knows the results of the EIS already, one year before it’s finished. Hmmmmmmm.

We have a Government that has lied to us, one that disregards it’s own planning laws and one that expects us to just roll over and go along with these dictatorial tactics. It seems that Brumbystan has been taken over by a deceitfull, unelected dictator.

Comment on Solar Panels and 2008 Australian Budget by How To Reduce Gas

How To Reduce Gas — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:06:05 +0000

How To Reduce Gas

Please keep these excellent posts coming.

Comment on Desalination Plant for Victoria by Dennis Anderton

Dennis Anderton — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 03:59:36 +0000

Something big to look forward to. Wind turbines will hopefully solve the cost-inefficient problems for desalination systems.

Comment on Piping Water from Tasmania to Victoria by Yvonne

Yvonne — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:48:19 +0000

Greagt information, & interesting snippets to read. Perhaps its time to consider politics & take your enthusiasm further imagine the fun you could have on the way, move over midnight oil, PS can you sing.

Comment on Piping Water from Tasmania to Victoria by Nina Moric

Nina Moric — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:53:27 +0000

Hey!…Man i love reading your blog, interesting posts ! it was a great Thursday .

Comment on American Election and Fuel Tax Rebate by unrexiasledins

unrexiasledins — Thu, 08 May 2008 05:29:16 +0000

thank you, guy

Comment on Desalination Plant for Victoria by Seadog

Seadog — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 04:21:09 +0000

Desalination is a technology that can be used to increase the water supply, especially if a rainfall independant source of water is required. It is very energy intensive at approx 4 watt-hours per litre, however it is approximately as energy intensive as recycling. Depending on the circumstances recycling can be more energy intensive than desalination, or less, but not by bmuch either way.

The Melbourne proposal will supply something like 20% of Melbourne’s current water needs.

I think the real question is this: Should we continue to think of utilities in terms of large centrally planned socialist style plants, where citizens have a “right” to energy, water and waste. It is possible to be self sufficient in energy and water, even in a a suburban context. Maybe as a society we need to think about how we get these services. For instance the same question could be applied to nuclear power. Should we, as citizens, invest in nuclear power, or would the money be better spent installing solar panels on suitable roofs. They need not be individually managed by the householder, but could be managed in groups of a few house at a time for the battery storage, inverting equipment and connection to the grid.

Comment on Melbourne Marathon Spartans and Legends by David

David — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 12:50:02 +0000

Thanks Spartan20 for your comments. I guess I’ll just take it one year at a time.

John, there is no chance of me being the last to stop running consecutive marathons (the Brownlow) but I’ve had the feeling this year of being part of a premiership team.

Comment on Desalination Plant for Victoria by David

David — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 12:36:54 +0000

Doug, I’m no expert on this subject but am reasonably sure that further treatment of water at Carrum would be cheaper than desalination. It has proven difficult to convince Australians to drink recycled water and I suspect that this has scared the politicians away.

You forced me to do a little research on dioxin and I’ve discovered that it covers a range of chemicals. One thing they share is that they are insoluble in water so I imagine they would not be a contaminant of recycled water. They are contained in sludge so that is a minor source, especially where the sludge is used as fertiliser.

It was a surprise to learn that wood fired heating is a source. Less surprising is that cigarette smoke contains dioxins. Pulp mills are also a source as we have all recently learned.