California to Set Thermostats via Remote Control
January 6th, 2008What could possibly go wrong?
For example, hackers will never figure out how to take control of these systems.
Oh no. That won’t happen. * chuckle *
Via: American Thinker:
In the proposed revisions to Title 24 is the requirement for what is called a “programmable communicating thermostat” or PCT. Every new home and every change to existing homes’ central heating and air conditioning systems will required to be fitted with a PCT beginning next year following the issuance of the revision. Each PCT will be fitted with a “non-removable ” FM receiver that will allow the power authorities to increase your air conditioning temperature setpoint or decrease your heater temperature setpoint to any value they chose. During “price events” those changes are limited to +/- four degrees F and you would be able to manually override the changes. During “emergency events” the new setpoints can be whatever the power authority desires and you would not be able to alter them.
In other words, the temperature of your home will no longer be yours to control. Your desires and needs can and will be overridden by the state of California through its public and private utility organizations. All this is for the common good, of course.
For example, hackers will never figure out how to take control of these systems.
Much like hackers weren’t supposed to be able to hack “secure” websites.
Har-har-har.
why not just raise prices to discourage consumption? works in every other area of the economy
Automated ease-of-use. Fraud prevention. These will be the selling points of the new system. This will be where the capital will be invested, and what America will become. One vast minimum security facility dotted with higher and maximum security zones, only available to those sporting the proper access codes on their chip.
Coming soon to a state near you!
[cue low symphonic music, deep strings and horns with substantial vibrato]
Scene: Fade in to a triumphal over-the-shoulder wide angle view of the Rose Bowl, seats and field filled to capacity with a vast sea of green-shirted revellers, approximating a sports audience in their current behavior…
…as the camera pans slowly around in a wide 180-degree arc to reveal a triumphant and beaming Arnold, shoulder to shoulder with the victorious populist Huckabee at the podium, the crowd’s cheering rising to a thundering crescendo each time they raise their joined hands between them before the vast green curtain behind the stage their successful campaign slogans:
“Conservation is the future”.
“Order is Progress”.
“LOVE is the Answer”.
(what the scene doesn’t reveal but the viewer should by now already realize is that ‘LOVE™’ is a recent over-the-counter “nutritional supplement” approved by the Codex and heavily marketed to “people who’ve outgrown Prozac™”)
…as the camera pulls back and up in a great sweeping movement above the teeming mass, the pair on stage disappear into the swelling sea of green surrounding them, still pumping their fists, and we can just discern outlines of the infamous Cryptogon™ blimp circling high above the stadium, Kevin’s evil cloned twin Alastair gazing down at the great rally and ready to pull the red lever just to his right…
Hold it, call locations. Scratch the Rose Bowl. Make that the L.A. Coliseum. The Roman angle is so much more appropriate. What was I thinking…?