Saturday, March 18, 2006

Stupid Fan Thing

I don't know if I've ever written specifically about anything local before, but hey, there's a first time for everything. And this stupid thing just bugged me that much.

Ever since the middle of December 2002, we've had this so-called 'windmill' scarring our city's skyline for some dumb reason or another. Apparently a few tree-huggers got together and figured they could power up at least one house with this monstrosity... but I don't buy it.

I've been quite suspicious of the efficacy of this terrible turbine for some time now. I think that with the amount of wind we get and the size of the fan, we'd be lucky if the fan managed to power the little red blinking light on the top of it.

I can't think of how many times I've driven by this piece of awful architecture and thought, 'What's making it run... it's not even windy today!' I'm convinced that it's a scam. The government put up the money to fund the ugly thing thinking it would win the votes of a few 'enviro-friendlies' and only once it was up did someone realize, 'Hey, this thing won't be able to power anything!'

Not wanting to look like bad decision-makers or anything, the government-types figured they should cover their tracks so they reversed the power flow... they hooked the fan up to a power source. Now they can make the fan look all pretty as it spins and spins, easing the consciences of all our trash-producing, global-warming (paranoid) minds.

Anyway, today was the final straw. Today (a very windy day) I drove by it only to see it standing still. Someone forgot to flip the switch! That's the only explanation I can think of.

I say take the darn thing down. Stupid fan thing.

11 comments:

Son of Man said...

very suspicious indeed. I agree it is an eyesore. But then again, so is that giant junkie needle that was erected beside the sky dome...i mean Rogers Centre...

Chris Hillcoat said...

Talk about not seeing the wood for the trees...

DErifter said...

My wife LOVES those stupid fan things! Well, the windmill kind anyway, that are powered by the wind and not the grid. I think she might have married one if I hadn't found her first. For your safety, I won't tell her you were talking bad about them.

Julian Freeman said...

lol, Josh...

derifter... For your safety I won't tell your wife you're telling people that she would marry a windmill if given the chance :)

Paul said...

According to the official Toronto Hydro website, the "terrible turbine":

"produces up to 1000 megawatt hours of electricity annually (enough to light 250 homes)"

Please note:

1. The 30 storey eyesore produces UP TO 1000 megawatt hours - I suppose if it was really windy 365 days a year!

2. 1000 megawatt hours is enough to LIGHT 250 homes - which I assume means you had better not run your dishwasher, use your freezer, turn on your air conditioner, or browse the internet at night... if you want to have light and do those things too!

I am all for the creation of a new lobby group... you can be president Julian. We could call it something like S.H.O.C.K. - Surly Humans Opposed to Cockamamie Kilowatts!

A feel a groundswell starting....

Anonymous said...

Does this mean you're not going to join with the 86 evangelical leaders on their global warming thing?
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0208-07.htm

I think you've misunderstood the windmill, it's a Purpose Driven Power Source.

Julian Freeman said...

kerux: Consider me SHOCKed.

odious: My first thought was, "hey, that's impressive that someone from outside the GTA knows about the fan thing," but then I thought, "Oh, he can probably see it all the way from his backyard anyway"

TwinsK&D said...

I think this video is Julians favorite :-)

http://www.powerwise.ca/media_worktogether.shtml

David

Julian Freeman said...

Now where in the world did you dig that up?

If kerux's numbers are indeed factual, then that one family with one child and 5 energy saver lightbulbs in the house is probably the only place benefitting from the monstrosity.

Nathan said...

I think that putting a giant wind generator in the middle of a city is a STUPID idea. No, not because I am opposed to wind generators, but rather because 1. it is indeed an eyesore, and does not conform to the architecturual style of the area and 2. the city seems like a place where wind currents would be least consistent. Wouldn't it be better to put it in some narrow valley, on an open plain, or near a large body of water? Indeed this is happening. Farmers are sometimes adopting this type of power if they can afford the capital to build one, which may mean that wind power is not totally useless.
I personally favour solar as a decent alternative power source, again it is only applicable in certain locations but it seems more predictable than wind. The sun comes up every day, even if there are clouds.
Why isn't anyone complaining about nuclear power?

Ian Hugh Clary said...

Did you know that Jack Layton was one of the key guys in getting that thing up?