Maureen Homan is a “sleeping mamma” who’s just woken up to the “smart” meter invasion where she and her family live, in Orange County CA. But she’s got herself and others organized the way only a mamma can do! She’s just started up a website: www.StopOCSmartMeters.com. And she’s found out what many of us know—you have to get out and talk to your neighbors and friends.
“I’ve never did any of this sort of thing before. But when you tick off the sleeping mamma…. We have a core group of a few people who are spreading the word quickly. SCE is deploying (am I in a war?) at a rate of 3000 per day. I think everyone senses the urgency to get the word out.
“My mother put a book about “smart” meters on my desk about 6 months ago and I thought it was just another one of her crazy causes. Then I got the notice in the mail from SCE saying that they were coming here in the next few weeks. Concern turned to panic when I started reading what you folks were going through and realizing the validity behind the protests.
“Monday morning I drafted a flyer and grabbed the Do Not Install sign from Turn.org‘s website and blasted out an email to everyone in my address book, and neighbors, too. I printed a few out flyers and signs, walked up and down my street, talking to a few folks. Only a few people responded to the email, but I think it started to resonate with them when trucks rolled into the neighborhood.
“On Tuesday, the Corix truck arrived in my mother’s neighborhood. She courageously used that sign that I had emailed her from Turn.org and walked around talking to her neighbors on arthritic 77-year-old feet. That evening she decided to speak about the dangers of “smart” meters in front of Tustin City Council and I begrudgingly went along. And I spoke too…note to self, plan and write out what you want to say before speaking in front of a televised City Council (!). Behind me I heard the tapping of laptop computer which happened to belong to an Orange County Reporter.
“Wednesday I am back on my street after dropping off the kids—and there is the installer, talking to my neighbor. “Tom?” I asked him, “You didn’t install the Smart Meter, did you?” Too late, it’s on his house. Corix man doesn’t look happy and asks me, “Are you the one passing out these flyers?”. “Sure am.” “Well, you’re making my job very difficult today.” “Great!” I reply.
“The rest of the day we played cat and mouse as I would print off flyers from my home computer, drive to where the Corix truck was parked and start knocking on doors. I hit every house in my neighborhood that day; all 170 of them. About half of them were home and I talked to them all. I met just the nicest folks. Most were not only receptive to my information, but also VERY thankful for the information and that I took the time to tell them about it. That night I slept well knowing that I did all I could for those that I care about.
“On the other side of town, a woman named Cindy H. was also outraged by what she had discovered about “smart” meters. She was passing out flyers and trying to figure out how to inform the public. She called a reporter. Well, the reporter asks, “Are you the lady who spoke in front of City Council last night?” By this she found out she wasn’t alone in the fight here. The reporter connected us up, and Stop OC Smart Meters was born! Watch out for mammas!
“Friday morning we had started our group, prepped for a newspaper interview that afternoon and had collected nearly a dozen folks that were ready to do some business. Hopefully, the OC Register won’t put tin foil hats on us, but will kindly present both sides of this story. However, I realize it’s more fun to laugh at the loonies than it is to hurt the pocketbook of an advertiser.
“By Saturday afternoon we had 1,500 flyers/signs ready to go. One of our volunteers generously printed them out in color in two-sided form—people get a sign for their meter and all the info on how to “defer” installation on the back. I used 1-and-1 Software for web hosting and domain name and spent the weekend getting it up and running. Luckily, I have a little experience running the website for my son’s Boy Scout Troop.
“With the website mostly up, flyers printed, and research solid enough, we hope to present a “reasonable doubt” to folks who may perhaps choose to do as we did, and err on the side of caution (perhaps our government should have done that as well).
“Next steps: try to get on the agenda at City Council, organize a forum for people to ask questions and hear our side, write letters, walk neighborhoods, call television stations maybe? We are not much for protesting down here. However, people do want this information. They don’t even know their meter is getting changed out, for crying out loud.”
Maureen, THANK YOU for getting the word out in S.California. I have many family members in your area. Please, please remind people that this is a national rollout. The word is not getting out fast enough in many parts of the nation.
We must spread the word immediately to thoses who have friends and family in other states. It is always said “as California goes, so goes the nation”!!!! This issue will not go away!! THANK YOU AGAIN!
I have been doing just what you are doing, but in Yorba Linda. I have been in contact with my city council for a few months now. You have accomplished what I have not been able to. I would like to join you.
Refer Southern Californians to our website http://www.StopOCSmartMeters.com
We are compiling a database of names and towns to get folks connected to get the word out in their area.
I’ve been posting articles on Facebook as well.
Anybody going solar on this?
Put the power company on written notice!
Sample text is at the link here to the upper right:
https://stopsmartmeters.org/sample-letter-to-utility/
Demand with those letters that they fully inform the public. You shouldn’t have to be the one going door to door when the power companies have suppressed all the downsides of this technology and they put out a flyer every month about how wonderful they are. They could easily put out the downside information and let the consumer decide. Looks like the PUC will have to force them, as usual.
Feel free to take the text and post it everywhere! Edit it and add your own concerns. Every site involved in this fight needs to have this sample letter posted!
Copies to the PUC too and use certified mail.
Keep up the good work!
@ Jim We have had several reports of people getting installed DESPITE having written one of these letters. I’m sorry to say, but nothing will replace securing your meter against tampering or trespass. See these pages:
https://stopsmartmeters.org/2011/03/01/defend-your-analog-meter/ https://stopsmartmeters.org/2011/04/28/defend-your-analog-meter-part-ii/ https://stopsmartmeters.org/2011/05/11/defend-your-analog-meter-part-iii/
https://stopsmartmeters.org/2011/05/11/defend-your-analog-meter-part-iv/
Heads up: The power company may want to charge you for not having a good “Power Factor”, meaning you have inefficient appliances!
These smart meters also send your Power Factor rating to the power company, and you know they will charge for anything they can justify to the PUC!
And I agree, protect your meter AND also send in the letter, do everything you can to stop this!
A letter will set up any lawsuits that may come later, and not all power companies are stupid enough to simply ignore them and trespass on your property without your consent. And even worse, trespass AFTER you put them on notice in a certified letter!
Try explaining that to the judge!
Hi Jim,
I was wondering if you have ever read any of this literature from the power companies about the new meters ?
Or are you just regurgitating false information from know nothings who make paranoid videos about spy meters.
I suggest that you carefully read the material put out by the power companies, you will see that they are very careful not to make statements that would invite a lawsuit for false advertising.
I am not sticking up for the power corporations or their job killing meter project either, I have been strongly opposed to the meter project for 2 years now.
I am in the electrical business and have done extensive research on the power grid and the radio meter project, and every professionally written article in trade publications that I have read has been carefully written to say that the radio revenue meters and the power grid are 2 completely separate projects. Also that our aging power grids in this country are not updated to being “smart” yet like they have already done in Europe. I have read that they do the “power factor” thing in Europe, but we all know that that have no way to do it here in the U.S.
I totally agree about protecting your analog meters. I still have mine, and have no intention of letting anyone onto my property to install a job-killing automated revenue collection system that also includes a radio network broadcasting their monthly billing data.
> but we all know that that have no way to do it here in the U.S. (Power Factor billing)
Please, tell me how they can’t.
They will whine and complain that people who have low overall power factors in their homes are affecting their generating plants and that costs them more money, bla, bla, bla…
And the PUC will agree because some bean counter shows it on some accounting spreadsheet and away they go!
What’s stopping them?
Huh, this is a big project! Apparently in the works for a while…
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/oct/27/obama-spend-34b-smart-power-grid/
Yeh, I read that link, but out here in California, supposedly PG&E did not get any stimulus money for the meter project or the thermostat project, it is all paid for by the ratepayers, and has nothing at all to do with updating the power grids at all.
I think the worst case of taxpayer fraud has been exposed now with this article.
The aging power grids will require at least $300 billion to upgrade according to industry experts, and will take at least 10 years to complete. The sad fact that Obama thinks that replacing the meters will upgrade the grid is very disturbing, but what does he know about the energy industry ? Obviously, absolutely nothing !
Thank You!! I have had enough of big gov coming into our lives. They will soon be in our bank accounts.
I will protest this with you! I am forwarding your information to all of my friends in OC.
It’s been nearly exactly a years since SoCal Edison invaded my property and installed the two “smart” meters upon my apartment, a duplex obviously, and I have NOT had one night of complete sleep ever since!!! It’s driven me absolutely NUTS and I’m wondering what in hell these new smart meters are doing to me and my attemps at sleep! Anyone know of the effects on the Thyroid gland, and I have lost an appreciable amount of weight during this time, as well, immediately starting out as soon as the meters were installed. Wondering what type of white noise these meters emit, that cause a ringing/hissing in my ears!! Do these create electromagnetic fields? Does anyone out there know? If so, please e-mail me at ladunmire@aol.com and thank you very much … Larry Dunmire
Larry D: Highly recommend seeing http://www.createhealthyhomes.com plus recent comments on the stopocsmartmeters.com page…..there are some simple low cost things one can do that many find to make a dramatic improvement.
Also heard from an expert last week that in late Sept. PG &E was directed by the PUC to give a man a stupid meter opt-out solution, he has had health issues post meter install at his location.
If you can put locks on your gates to help keep SCE from installing a Smart Meter. Even though I was on the SM delay list tech still tried to go through my gates to install the SM. The only thing that stopped him was the locks on the gates.
Beware of SCE & keep calling for confirmation of being on the SM delay. SCE did not put me on the SM delay list until the End of Sept. They had no record of my certified letter I sent them the first week of Sept. nor all the calls I made to them all during the month of Sept.
SCE continues to circumvent the CPUC rulings. If you have a problem with SCE call CPUC or file a compliant at their site. CPUC has authority over SCE, PGE etc.
Have you folks gotten rid of the other RF devices in your homes? Garage door openers? Wireless phones? Wireless routers? Wireless printers? Wireless computer mice? Wireless keyboards? Oh! I know that’s different! I asked for those. Try asking for the smart meters.
I know that these technological advances will result in the displacement of workers. Some of them will get other jobs in the company, some will not. In the long run, advances in technology and its accompanying increase in productivity has lead to higher earnings for the workers as a whole. It was much more labor intensive to shovel garbage into a wagon and haul the mess to the dump, but isn’t the curbside pickup much better…
Do some research please.
Smart meters transmit at 1 watt. Wifi devices don’t even approach that. Neither do cell phones.
The frequency matters.
The intermixing of frequencies matters.
The repetition rate and possibly it’s varying rate matters.
Charles, I never had any of that wifi stuff in my house. Wired keyboard, mouse.router, open garage door with hands, wired printers. Everything works great without wifi, it is faster, safer, more secure , easier to use and is much more reliable.
And most importantly, I still have my 30 year old analog meter, it is safer, more secure and much more reliable. PG&E has never had any problem billing me, they have never even missed one monthly billing in 30 years, and I have never missed making one payment either. Perhaps that is why I am allowed to keep my analog meter, because I am a good customer who feeds them money faithfully.
Yes old brain, many of us are getting rid of all the sources of potential hazards to our health, as we weren’t aware of their influence before now.
But I can’t help but wonder what your stake in this is and why it matters to you if some of us don’t want to subject our bodies to the constant barrage of emf?
Is it that you have a financial stake in the project? Or have you nothing better to do than be an advocate for invasion of privacy and the energy funds you’re gambling on or your pension is invested in?
It always makes me laugh at the single focus agenda, namely money, when people promote untested but lucrative new technology without concern of risk, like they’re some kind of prophet teaching the minions about progress and his brand of a brave new world. Trusting souls… the jury is in on cell phones, why would it be less with higher readings all day and night inside your home via the SM? We should just be willing canaries in the coal mine for the benefits to wall street and pension funds? Please.
Oh brilliant visionary of the future, tell us, we who are fighting for our right to not be made ill through the use of forced technology, seeking proven safety reporting, protecting our health and that of our families, and standing up for our privacy rights… please tell us why its not possible with this wonderful newfangled invention to make health and safety of key importance and that it be incorporated into the SM. Why is it not possible to shield our privacy as an option to joining your future world? Maybe we should let them attach a nuclear power plant directly to the house? Its safe too, right?
Take you brand of ‘sanity and reason’ somewhere else, some things are more important than money.
I want to know the REASONS these new meters will be BAD for the people and their homes. Someone of all these people ought to have the explanatioin for WHY it is to be rejected. I don’t trust any “Official” in my government, anymore then all the other Americans do, after what we have seen going on in our government for over 30 years, I fully agree it is time for the REAL AMERICANS to wake up and smell the roses. I only hope it is not too late to save this country from the ouvious TAKEOVER that has been going on for over 35 years. These meters we are talking about are a small problem but I don’t want anyone or any company telling me this is HOW it is going to be — like it or not. So lets put out all the things that could happen if they are installed. Then we all can tell the California Electric Company whether WE WILL ALLOW IT.
I have a reasonable solution that will befit both parties
SCE and others could easily setup a website & hotline for residents to voluntarily report their meter readings.
They already have websites and automated phone systems for usage. A customer could easily go to a website or call into an automated system and input their account number and meter reading. This system would automatically record the time of the reported meter reading and echo back a confirmation number for reference.
Customers could be expected to report their meter reading “..on or about..” the recording date that is already on their statement. A penalty could be imposed for people that are excessively late on reporting meter reading, and SCE is already comfortable with making-up meter readings when they don’t have one. I have already seen SCE make up meter readings based on previous usage when they don’t have one in the past.
If voluntary meter readings are suspiciously low they could simply send out an inspector to verify the reading. They already do this as part of their billing dispute process.
This solution is relatively inexpensive as almost all the resources to do so are already in place. SCE gets their automatic meter reading and we can keep our analog meters!
It’s a win win solution.
Please tell everyone about this solution.
Is this what my dad ment when he use to say “We will not know when this country is taken over and destroyed by the EVIL (devils) Ones!!! Except my dad refered to EVIL ones as the communists.
God be with us this never happens.
I am having trouble finding anyone with a website or standing up and against this in the Philadelphia PA area. The company here is PECO.
Someone was here today and he took the old one off, put the new one one and then I caught him out there and told him to take it off and put the old one back on.
He did it but I also called the electric company a couple times because I had a problem with the anolog meter speeding up, and I mean really speeding up.
Anyway, I got into a discussion with a supervisor and was told I have no choice…well I have the right to refuse the smart meter but they have the right to cut the power. When I used the trespassing argument he told me it wasn’t trespassing and that the meters are the company’s property and they have the right to take the old and change it out.
I was out of argument. In PA it’s a mandate. But I also have been told by someone (an activist against smart meters) that mandates don’t hold any water. But that doesn’t mean this company doesn’t hold the power…in more ways than one.
I don’t have the option here to say no and keep electricity. They WILL shut it off.