Funding cuts leave many without home heating assistance in Macon (Georgia)

[Celtic Rose]

Sorry, but my claim that the average yearly low in Macon is not a fabrication.  I live here.  It's the truth.  And I never claimed that Macon is as cold as Buffalo.  Buffalo appears to be in zone 6a (and that means an average yearly low of between -5 and -10 degrees).

http://mgonline.com/media/Images/z/zm_ny.jpg

-Laelth

First of all, you are looking at gardening zones.  What that means is that the average lowest temperature it will ever reach is 15 degrees, not that it reaches it on a typical basis.  Basically, you should plant plants that could withstand a short freeze.  

Weather.com, or wunderground.com would give you an actual average cold temperature.  http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/fitness/wxclimatology/daily/USGA0346

Average lows in December are in the mid to high 30's.  

[The Hollywood NeoCon]

Laelth, I'm not disputing that it gets cold in Macon. Hell, I live in Los Angeles, and any morning below 50 moves me to crank up the thermostat to 75.

If you want to insist that Macon is brutally cold, so be it.

If you want to blame the Republican party for Raymeica Kelly's inability to either make appropriate choices in her life or her inability to score a handout, then that's something else altogether.

But since you lamented the fact that we were all talking about the weather when you opened the door, counselor, my advice to you would be to not offer up any anecdotes unless you're prepared for any response.

[NHSparky]

First of all, you are looking at gardening zones.  What that means is that the average lowest temperature it will ever reach is 15 degrees, not that it reaches it on a typical basis.  Basically, you should plant plants that could withstand a short freeze.  

Weather.com, or wunderground.com would give you an actual average cold temperature.  http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/fitness/wxclimatology/daily/USGA0346

Average lows in December are in the mid to high 30's.  

Which is what I posted in my intellicast.com links.  Average lows in Macon in December and January are mid-30's.  Extreme cases they'll get into the teens or single digits.  Only on ONE occasion have they ever gone below zero.

[Laelth]

Laelth, I'm not disputing that it gets cold in Macon. Hell, I live in Los Angeles, and any morning below 50 moves me to crank up the thermostat to 75.

If you want to insist that Macon is brutally cold, so be it.

If you want to blame the Republican party for Raymeica Kelly's inability to either make appropriate choices in her life or her inability to score a handout, then that's something else altogether.

But since you lamented the fact that we were all talking about the weather when you opened the door, counselor, my advice to you would be to not offer up any anecdotes unless you're prepared for any response.

Well, I didn't argue that it's brutally cold, per se, but it is cold enough to require heat.  And the Summers are another matter altogether.  It is definitely hot enough to require electricity for air conditioning.

I blame the Republican party only for giving the power company whatever it wants.  I should add that the Democratic party, such as it is in this State, would probably do the same thing.

I make no judgment about whether Raymeica Kelly made good decisions in her life.  I have no way of knowing that, one way or the other.  I merely responded to a poster here who suggested that it's not cold enough in Macon to require heat.  I beg to differ.  Heating is essential here.

-Laelth

[The Hollywood NeoCon]

I make no judgment about whether Raymeica Kelly made good decisions in her life.  I have no way of knowing that, one way or the other.

Well, aside from the flat-screen HDTV and X-Box gaming system, I suppose you're right.

I merely responded to a poster here who suggested that it's not cold enugh in Macon to require heat.  I beg to differ.  Heating is essential here.

Untrue, Laelth. Neither the OP nor Sparky ever claimed heat wasn't a necessity. Sparky merely wondered aloud how much heating oil a citizen of Macon would require.

[NHSparky]

Well, aside from the flat-screen HDTV and X-Box gaming system, I suppose you're right.

Untrue, Laelth. Neither the OP nor Sparky ever claimed heat wasn't a necessity.

Thank you--as a clarification, it's the RELATIVE amounts of energy required during the winter months.  Again, I've lived in Atlanta when I was in college.  I know it gets cold there during the winter.  Shit, I think I even saw snow a few times.

But please don't tell me that there aren't alternatives for her need besides standing there with her hand out when she has more/nicer shit than I do, and I'm working 50-60 hours a week to put a roof over my head, food on my table, and clothes on my back.

[JohnnyReb]

Why....I say WHY? are the damn gummit tit suckers living better than me ?

I don't have cable TV, high speed internet, big screen TV, X-box and no cell phone......that's so I can pay my bills and that includs the heat bill....so dammit she can too.

Most people are poor because they simply can't manage money. They buy stuff they don't need, can't afford and waste the rest.

Just another bleeding heart liberal sob story to ruin my day....

[Laelth]

Well, aside from the flat-screen HDTV and X-Box gaming system, I suppose you're right.

Untrue, Laelth. Neither the OP nor Sparky ever claimed heat wasn't a necessity. Sparky merely wondered aloud how much heating oil a citizen of Macon would require.

You're right, and I apologize to Sparky for mis-representing what he said.  I suppose I was responding, mainly, to say that we don't use heating oil down here--or, at least, nobody I know does.

Thanks for the correction.

-Laelth

[Laelth]

But please don't tell me that there aren't alternatives for her need besides standing there with her hand out when she has more/nicer shit than I do, and I'm working 50-60 hours a week to put a roof over my head, food on my table, and clothes on my back.

I don't recall ever saying she didn't have alternatives.  I think I said three things, basically:  1) we don't really use heating oil here, 2) it gets cold enough here that people need heat, and 3) Georgia Power gives out some free (or subsidized) electricity to needy people on a first come, first served basis, and that once they meet their quota they shut the doors and deny electricty assistance to all the rest of those who want to apply for it, regardless of their need.  That's what happened to the woman in the story cited above.

-Laelth

[NHSparky]

You're right, and I apologize to Sparky for mis-representing what he said.  I suppose I was responding, mainly, to say that we don't use heating oil down here--or, at least, nobody I know does.

Thanks for the correction.

-Laelth

Not everyone here does, either.  While it is one of the "big 3", a lot of people around here do propane because they can then use gas appliances, or heat using wood or pellet stoves--which, BTW, still have tax incentives on them.  Gee, what a concept!

[USA4ME]

Utility companies generally receive any rate increases they request based upon the costs they present to the Public Service Commission.  To blame this on any political party is silly, at best.

My in-laws live in Milledgeville which is about 30 miles East of Macon.  There are plenty of agencies (both public and private) in the Macon area with which to apply for assistance in these matters.  Sounds like someone wanted to create a news story where one really didn't exist.

.

[The Hollywood NeoCon]

  Sounds like someone wanted to create a news story where one really didn't exist.

Heh. Sounds like this entire friggin thread!!! 

[IassaFTots]

Why....I say WHY? are the damn gummit tit suckers living better than me ?

I don't have cable TV, high speed internet, big screen TV, X-box and no cell phone......that's so I can pay my bills and that includs the heat bill....so dammit she can too.

Most people are poor because they simply can't manage money. They buy stuff they don't need, can't afford and waste the rest.

Just another bleeding heart liberal sob story to ruin my day....

Daggum JR, I am going to be repeating that first sentence in my head all day ala Foghorn Leghorn.   

[IassaFTots]

Laelth, I'm not disputing that it gets cold in Macon. Hell, I live in Los Angeles, and any morning below 50 moves me to crank up the thermostat to 75.

Dude.  My thermostat has never even seen 75.  One way or the other.  Whoa.

[Ptarmigan]

Lowest temperature ever recorded in Macon, GA, was -6 degrees, on January 21st, 1985.  It has NEVER been below zero there on any other day since records were kept.

EVER.

Again, I'm not that bad off where I'm at, and I still hit that at least 5 times last winter, and a dozen more the year prior when we had a nice little "cold snap", where we "only" hit -20 F.  Parts of the North Country around Berlin were at -40 F.  A weather station in Maine recorded its coldest temperature EVER at -50 F last winter.

As a kid living in Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado, I often saw temperatures hit -25 to -30 F.  Funny how we all managed to survive.

Those record lows or highs are outliers. Those rarely happen and the chance of it happening is probably every +30 years.

[whiffleball]

Why....I say WHY? are the damn gummit tit suckers living better than me ?

I don't have cable TV, high speed internet, big screen TV, X-box and no cell phone......that's so I can pay my bills and that includs the heat bill....so dammit she can too.

Most people are poor because they simply can't manage money. They buy stuff they don't need, can't afford and waste the rest.

Just another bleeding heart liberal sob story to ruin my day....

I just got back from the volunteer job I do at a local ministry here in NE GA.  I can write checks for utilities up to a certain amount. If a client has reached his/her limit for the year I can give them no more.  I had to tell a few people I couldn't help them today just as I have to do every time I'm there.  I didn't notice any stories about it in the paper.  This is yet another non-story printed for nefarious purposes.

[thundley4]

I just got back from the volunteer job I do at a local ministry here in NE GA.  I can write checks for utilities up to a certain amount. If a client has reached his/her limit for the year I can give them no more.  I had to tell a few people I couldn't help them today just as I have to do every time I'm there.  I didn't notice any stories about it in the paper.  This is yet another non-story printed for nefarious purposes.

What's the nefarious purpose?  I can only think of possibly two. 1. Funding has been cut for assistance. 2. The woman pictured fits into the stereotype.

[Eupher]

That woman standing there with her electric bills in her hand with the big-assed TV behind her and the X-box underneath it is reminiscent of this dumbass:



Both forgot to flush the evidence before the pic was snapped.