MG_NL_0807

August 2007

Middle Georgia EMC Newsletter

Member Newsletter

Middle Georgia

The Official Newsletter of Middle Georgia Electric Membership Corporation

P.O. Box 190, Vienna, GA 31092

August 2007

MANAGER'S

Comments

By Hugh Richardson

Electricity--the best discovery ever

ear the end of the

last decade, sever-

al publications
reviewed the history of
the past century and
provided a list of the
top 10 greatest discov-
eries and inventions as
voted by scientists, pro-
fessionals and doctors.
Here's the list in ran-
dom order:

Aspirin

--discovered around 1897 and marketed

by Bayer starting in 1899.

CAT scan

--now more commonly known as the

CT Scan, computed axial tomography allowed
scanning of sections of the body. A prototype
was made in 1971 and publicly announced in
1972.

Cathode-ray tube

--the beginning of televi-

sion and computer monitors when it was invent-
ed in 1897.

Internal-combustion engine

--before it was

invented and developed during the late 1800s,
transportation was powered by external combus-
tion engines or steam engines.

Microchip

--also known as integrated circuitry,

a patent was first granted in 1959 and began
showing up in our calculators and computers in
the early `70s.

Penicillin

--discov-

ered in 1928 by Sir
Alexander Fleming
and very effective in
fighting bacteria, it
saved many lives from its derivatives during World
War II and since.

Polio vaccine

--developed by Jonas Salk in 1952

and announced to the world in 1955 to combat the
crippling polio virus.

Transistor

--announced publicly by Bell Labs in

1948, it helped replace the bulky and energy-con-
suming vacuum tubes in radios and televisions.

X-ray

--discovered and developed in the late

1800s, this technology helped the medical field
tremendously.

Electricity

--without electricity, six of the other top

10 items would not be possible. So, what does that
tell you?

One publication also noted

that the top invention and dis-
covery of the previous centu-
ry, ending in 1900, was the
friction match.

Today, a list could be

expanded to a top 20 or
even a top 50, but the
above should probably
remain the top 10. Think what the
world would be without them--especially electricity.

GEORGIA MAGAZINE

Middle Georgia EMC Newsletter

Middle Georgia EMC delegates and

chaperones in Washington, D.C.

Did you

KNOW

Did you

any cooperatives help their mem-

ber-consumers avoid expensive

peak-demand power use through load
control (at a member's request a co-op
can shut off energy-intensive appli-
ances, equipment or processes for short
periods of time):

37 percent of all co-ops have
direct control over some member
appliances such as air conditioners
or water heaters.

40 percent of all co-ops offer
contracts that provide incen-
tives in exchange for the right
to turn off energy-intensive
appliances or equipment.

Co-ops actively work with
their member-consumers to
control or temporarily inter-
rupt electrical service during
periods of high demand.

Middle Georgia EMC delegates and

chaperones in Washington, D.C.

Tonya Jones, Lauren Cravey,

Chester Jackson, Logan Wright and Chipper
Jones stand in front of the Potomac River with
the Washington Monument in the background.

From left to right:Tonya Jones, chaperone; Logan Wright, delegate;
Chester Jackson, delegate; Lauren Cravey, delegate; and Chipper Jones,
chaperone.

Logan Wright, Chester Jackson and Lauren Cravey pose in
front of the White House.

Logan Wright, Chester Jackson
and Lauren Cravey pose on the
Georgia Monument.

August 2007

Middle Georgia EMC Newsletter

In summer heat, keep an eye on neighbors

ot summer days put peo-

ple at risk for heat-relat-

ed illnesses and can exacer-
bate existing medical condi-
tions. Doctors recommend
you spend the hottest part of
the day indoors enjoying the
air conditioning.

But for those whose

homes don't have air condi-
tioning or who can't afford to
turn it on, there is greater
potential for health complica-
tions. That's especially true
for the elderly or ill, who
could be at risk for heat
stroke or even death.

If you know someone whose house might

get too hot this summer, call or stop by to
check on them every day. Use a neighborhood
association directory or your own personal con-
tacts to arrange phone calls during the summer
months to elderly neighbors or those who live
alone. Encourage neighbors or family members

to use air condition-
ers during the
hottest part of the
day or spend this
time in an air-condi-
tioned public place,
like a mall or
library. If you find
someone in medical
distress because of
the heat, call 911.

Some states and

counties encourage
residents to help
keep their neigh-
bors safe through
campaigns like

Check on Your Neighbor. Your local Salvation
Army or hospital can tell you about programs
already in your area. Or you can start one in your
own neighborhood.

Enlist the support of your local politicians or

nonprofit organizations to arrange a countywide
system. One phone call could save a life.

In summer heat, keep an eye on neighbors

Recipe showcase

o you have any recipes you would

like to share with our readers?

Middle Georgia EMC is beginning a

recipe showcase column in the

newsletter, but we need your help.

Please submit your favorite recipes for

a chance to be featured. Send your

recipes to Lisa Laney, Middle Georgia

EMC, P.O. Box 190,Vienna, GA 31092.

Middle Georgia EMC Newsletter

GEORGIA MAGAZINE

Board of Directors

Don Wood

President

Johnny Noble

Vice President

Kay West

Secretary

Ronnie Youngblood

Treasurer

John David McCall

Director

Jerry F. Rhodes

Director

Royce Conner

Director

Ronnie Fleeman

Director

David Dunaway

Director

Davis and Forehand

Attorneys

Staff

Hugh Richardson

General Manager

Lisa Laney

Executive Secretary,

Newsletter Editor

Randy Kent

Office Manager

Mike McGee

Manager of Operations

and Engineering

Vienna Area (229) 268-2671

Rochelle

(Day) (229) 365-2263
(Night) 1-800-342-0144

Hawkinsville

(Day) (478) 892-3436
(Night) 1-800-342-0144

Office Hours

Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

(Branch offices closed from

12-1 p.m. daily)

Closed Saturday, Sunday and holidays.

There is a dispatcher on call 24 hours

a day for your convenience.

Easy summer cooling tips

BY CHRIS DORSI

f your home is too hot in the

summer, there are many ways

you can help keep heat out of
your house. Planting trees, for
instance, is one of the best ways
to diffuse the hot summer sun
before it enters your house. But
a surprising amount of heat
comes from inside your home.

The biggest sources of

internal heat gain are lights and
appliances. Reducing their use
will save electricity and keep
your home cooler. In humid cli-
mates, moisture released by
cooking, bathing and other activ-
ities will also make it harder for
air conditioners to cool your
home. A drier home feels more
comfortable.

Here are some easy ways to keep your home cool during the summer:

Replace standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent
light bulbs (CFLs). The electricity used by standard light bulbs pro-
duces 10 percent light and 90 percent heat. Also, CFLs are cheaper
to operate.

Schedule heat-producing chores like bak-
ing or doing the laundry after the hottest
part of the day.

Install an insulating jacket on your water
heater.

Use kitchen and bathroom fans to remove
heat and moisture during and after cook-
ing and bathing.

When replacing appliances, buy those
with the Energy Star

label. These appli-

ances conserve energy and release less
unwanted heat.

If you are home during the day, use a
room fan to create a cooling breeze.

If you live in an area where evenings are
cool, don't forget about the cheapest cool-
ing method of all. Open your doors and
windows, or run window fans. This will move cool evening air
through your home for almost no cost.

Chris Dorsi is a nationally recognized expert on energy efficiency.

For more free energy-saving tips, visit the Saturn Resource Management
Web site at www.srmi.biz.