| Kuro-kuro Ko Lamang |
by: Rtn. Chuck Montecillo
It's amazing how dependent we are on technology. We have laptop computers,
palm top PDA's, cellular phones, cordless phones, cable television, VCR's and a whole
plethora of gadgets. To some of us, that's just a minimum to get by from day to day. Take
away one device and it wreaks havoc with our schedule and sometimes productivity. But,
what happens when all devices cease to function? Take away a resource that we all take for
granted, electricity, and the usefulness of our devices are severely affected. In some
cases, they are rendered totally useless.
This thought came to mind last Friday, during the Luzon wide power outage. At the time
when I work on my computer, the lights went out and not in the usual sudden power outage.
But rather a gradual dimming, before extinguishing completely. I tried to shut down my
desktop computer, but the power loss came to quickly. I only hope that my current model
computer hardware won't succumb easily to unusual shut down.
This was particularly worrisome to me, because my livelihood depends on the constant flow
of 220 volts to my bedroom outlet. That's where my computer is plugged in, and my work
lies solely on its ability to function. What happens if the power didn't come back? What
would my life be like?
A friend of mine came by to kind of celebrate the black out. He said it was our
pre-millenium party. He then proceeded to turn his phone off. I asked why and he replied
that "We don't know when the power will come on again. I need to conserve what charge
I have in the phone, since I might not be able to charge it." Good point.
Some people, on the other hand, have the technology to cope with such situations. Another
friend of mine uses a power inverter to convert the direct current of a car battery in to
alternating current needed to run his entertainment system. So, in the middle of the black
out, he was at home watching a movie on his large screen TV, with Dolby surround sound!
Talk about showing off to your neighbors.
Other homes in the village fired up their generators and enjoyed life as usual, minus
cable TV, of course.
Our world is so wired and dependent on the power generated by the Power companies. It's
hard to imagine what life would be like without electricity. Chances are, if it ever did
cease to exist, people will just figure a way to generate it once more.
Sometimes, I wonder if Snake had the right idea of shutting down the world (from the movie
Escape from L.A.)? Would the world be a better place afterward or just the same,
eventually?
Personally, I'm thinking of investing in a UPS (un-interuptible power supply) for my
computer and a small generator, just in case. That way, I can have lights and a way to
charge my cellphone, while I wail away at my keyboard.
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