House of Jorob

Jamming With Edward!

2012-02-05T22:46:38-05:00

When I was younger--I was something like 12 or 13--I had a cassette copy of "Jamming With Edward!", an album featuring Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman, Ry Cooder, Charlie Watts, and Nicky Hopkins.

That cassette had some of the kickingest piano jams on it, and there was one piece at the end of the second half called Highland Fling that just ripped.

I realize now it sounded like the rest of the guys were tossing back a few between songs, and from the few reviews of the album that I can find these days, not many people cared for the resulting tracks.

But to me, and to my young mind just beginning to fight against having to listen to AM radio chosen by my parents (WIP, anybody?), that sloppy album with the Smiling Guy on the cover represented something far more.

It was freedom.

Tebow, Prayer, and Who Is Listening?

2012-01-15T17:37:51-05:00

"We should set aside the notion that if we pray, we'll get what we want. That is a false notion of religion."

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2012/01/09/did-praying-to-john-316-really-help-tim-tebow-win/

Phillies Wreckage

2011-10-07T23:26:30-04:00

Ryan Howard crumpled in the base path, 10 feet up the line.

That image will represent the entire season, in my mind.

Cliff Lee blows 4-0 lead in game 2, and the Cardinals never looked back.

For this, I'm also a hockey fan.

There's always the Flyers.

Opportunity Extended

2011-09-02T21:58:54-04:00

"Mars," said Wallace.

I set my scotch on the endtable. I used a coaster.

"They put a Roomba up there. Named Opportunity..."

I waited.

"...Designed for a three-month look at the rocks."

I eyed my neat scotch. Why the hell did I use a coaster?

"That was in 2004. The thing's still talking."

Wallace crunched a cheese puff.

"Wonder if any of the team ever went, 'Come on, just die already. I have another gig lined up.' "

Electricity Choice: I Left PECO For Another

2011-08-31T23:10:41-04:00

"Hey, have you picked an energy supplier yet?"

"Nope."

After going 11 for 11 with that question this month, it was clear I wasn't going to find a quick answer, one that would solve the problem created not by energy deregulation January 1 of this year, but by PECO's announcement of a rate hike this coming October 1.

For all the noise in the media about the damage deregulation would do to my bill back in January, it didn't happen. My PECO price never went above 9 cents per kilowatt hour. Every other energy supplier was either at that rate, or higher. Why change?

Summer wasn't much worse. The PECO over-500 kilowatts rate wasn't that bad: .10 cents. An extra-hot July produced a brutal bill for that month.....but the difference between it and the bill I would have paid had it been calculated at last year's rates was $6.

But then PECO filed for a new rate hike, one that jacked my lovely 9 cent rate up to 11.14 cents.

And suddenly I was shopping my friends and colleagues for ideas on suppliers.

I thought, given my streak of nobody's-changing-anything-yet mentioned earlier, that I might help out by posting my research....and my final choice.

My choice?

DirectEnergy.

I'm married to a senior citizen, so we grabbed the senior rate for a year. Next March, we'll see what the market is doing and decide whether to stay or move on.

Second choice is Energetix. The rebate, delivered after two months, covered 70% of the early termination fee if I decided to leave, and the rate is still below 9 cents. A microscopic amount below 9 cents, yes. But still.

The Research

Streamenergy.net -- 877-369-8150