The Expat Files - 04/11/11

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Understanding Electric Utilities, Part 1:    

- 3rd World utility bills,…  And you thought nothing was more confusing than your 1st World utility bill!

- The secret cult of Kilowatt hours explained (almost) in 30 seconds… Hey! Watt the hecks’s a watt anyway?

- How big power subsidies for the poor distort an already terrifically screwed up energy market… And why energy’s practically the only thing that ain’t cheap down here.

- Why its no use fighting it out with a 3rd World utility company. If you think your bill’s wrong, its best to take a few deep breaths and just pay it(and then have a couple of margaritas).

- You know those little yellow “Energy Consumption” appliance stickers? They have them down here all right, but they’re all in English (duh!).   

- The age old Latin custom of tapping into a power pole and stealing juice.. not recommended (but done all the time).

- Clandestine cable TV hookups, and other lessons learned while living in the land of the pirates.