Early in the month, American Airlines Flight 1420 crashed near Little Rock, AK. This crash, along with a few others that took place soon before and after, inspired research into the deleterious effects of sleep deprivation on pilot safety.

3) A Whole, Whole Lot of Drug Money

In June 1999, George Bush announced his candidacy for the office of President of the United States of America. So much was about to change in our culture during the next 8 years.

5) Lord Stanley’s Cup

via www.moviesonline.ca6

In June 1999, Stephen King got hit by a car and was flung 14 feet while walking on the shoulder of a road in Maine. What’s the name of that Stephen King book about the car? Oh yeah, Christine. Any connection? You never know. But I’m sure King was thankful Kathy Bates didn’t find him after the accident.

7) The Weird Looking Predecessor of the MacBook Is Born

That mildly annoying yet overall charming goofball Austin Powers (Mike Myers’s colorful character) graced the cover of Rolling Stone in June 1999, exuberantly celebrating the sequel to the original Austin Powers blockbuster smash hit. Smashing, baby!

9) Adam Sandler Tones It Down a Little

The universe’s hippest couple, who, of course played in a rock band together, hit the popular scene with their debut album in June 1999. Then, they became insanely famous. And then, thirteen thousand two-piece rock bands, featuring only guitar and drums, were born. I think now, 15 years later, we are finally beginning to see the decline in that questionable trend. Bass matters, people.

11) That Kid from Walking Dead Was Born

Venus and Serena Williams, two twin females from a socioeconomically disadvantaged place, won the Grand Slam female doubles event for the first time. They were the second sister team to win a Grand Slam event since 1890. This is the kind of thing that just makes you smile. These are some of the best ever to play the sport.

13) MORE TENNIS!

How much electricity is your household using? Chances are, you skim over your electric bill each month and if the price doesn’t seem out of the ordinary, you move on. This is what most of us do. It’s become the norm. But have you ever thought about what electrical usage and energy bills are like in other states and countries?

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that the national average is 909 kilowatt hours (kWh)/month, with monthly electric costs of $110.20. The EIA also breaks down the average electric usage by state. You can download the full spreadsheet with all state data here.

Keep in mind that the number of kilowatt hours (kWh) doesn’t necessarily dictate the costs, so the state paying the most may not be the state actually using the most electricity. Electric costs vary state-by-state. The average monthly price tag that emerges from your electrical usage depends on how hot/cold and urban/rural your home state is, as well as what the area costs are. For instance, even though Louisiana has the highest monthly consumption (1,273 kWh), Hawaii, (the state that uses the second-least amount of electricity) pays the most at $203 per month. Furthermore, Maine, the state that uses the least amount of electricity each month (531 kWh), still pays more on average for electric than New Mexico ($75 per month). However, Maine does pay a similar average price ($77.77), so their low energy conservation plays to their benefit.

Wondering where our home state of Texas fits in? Well, we are the 5th highest electric consumers in the country, using 1,174 kWh/month and paying around $133.33 on our monthly electric bills. Nationally, that puts Texas just above average in our electric use.

In terms of our country’s impact globally, overall the United States has the second highest household energy consumption in the world, with homes using over 11,698 kWh per year. This is two to three times more than European households and about twenty times more than Nigerian homes. Moreover, each American individually uses about 4,500 kWh each year, which is about five times the average for all people who have electricity in their homes around the world. But of course, these disparities are affected by differences in physical house size, local electricity prices, appliances, the amount of sunshine, and access to alternative fuels for heating and cooking.

This month, it could be an interesting experiment to compare your energy bill to the averages to see how you stack up! If you’re paying way above the average for your state/country, it might be a good idea to see how you can save more energy throughout the year. Luckily, our site is filled with blogs with tips and tricks for spending less on electric!

Sources:

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Shrink That Footprint

Every year, dozens of people are injured as a result of unsafe conditions created by faulty electrical panels. With winter fast approaching and more people plugging in space heaters and turning on heating systems, this is a perfect time to go over a few ways to make sure your electrical panel is working properly. Be on the lookout for the following signs that your panel is overloaded:

By this, we mean both full-on outages and things like tripped breakers and flickering lights. Your electrical panel is designed to handle only so much, and if your breakers trip frequently, this could be a sign that you’re overloaded. Storms with heavy rains, wind, and lightning can also cause panels to temporarily overload.

Sparks when you go to plug something in or coming directly from the panel are a sure sign that something is seriously wrong with your panel. As soon as you see one, turn on the power and examine your panel for burning smells or indications of smoke. Even if you don’t see any, call an electrician just to be on the safe side.

It’s natural for things like switch plates, wall outlet covers, cords, even plugs to get a little warm when current is flowing through them. If they get too hot to touch, however, this is a definite sign that something is wrong. Cut the power and contact an electrician as soon as possible.

If you can hear buzzing sounds coming from your electrical panel, there may be an overload or you may have worn parts in need of replacement. The buzzing can be a sign of mechanical vibration or electrical contacts arcing. It could also be coming from the bimetallic strip that trips the breaker.

If the insulation material on any of your wiring is cut, damaged, or cracked, this can be an indication of an electrical current overload. As soon as you notice this, replace the wiring—it can be a major fire hazard.

Electrical fires increase significantly during the winter, so now is a perfect time to take a look at your electrical panel and make sure it’s operating safely. And if you need electrical maintenance in Maryland, DC, or Virginia, call Kolb Electric today!