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iMahjong Infoweb
EasyPlay
IMJ® EasyPlay
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This EasyPlay introduces the mahjong game called International Mahjong that is developed based on the game play of Cantonese Mahjong. INTERNATIONAL MAHJONG® and its short form IMJ® are both registered trademarks and should therefore always be capitalized. Unlike most other variants, International Mahjong comes with a comprehensive set of game rules and the set is properly maintained and managed. All aspects of the game rules can be precisely described and players around the world can communicate and play with one another in mutual understanding. This EasyPlay will introduce, and is based on, the International Mahjong Rules ("IMJ Rules") only; therefore, all rule articles referred to in this EasyPlay are of the IMJ Rules. In addition, this EasyPlay should be used together with the IMJ Rules where most moves and steps of play are described in details. You can view and download the full version of the IMJ Rules via the IMJ Infoweb, located at iMahjong.com.
This EasyPlay is written with the new comers in mind. It will introduce the general, but essential, information you would need to know about the game. With this EasyPlay and the IMJ Rules, you should be able to achieve a thorough understanding of the game and be able to play with others with confidence! If you are new to mahjong, read through this EasyPlay several times and from time to time, and you'll be able to get yourself familiarized with the basic knowledge and will soon be a skillful player!
1. General introduction – This EasyPlay assumes you are new to the game of mahjong; or at least new to IMJ. Generally speaking, the "contents" of the game mahjong are quite simple and straight forward. It shouldn't be difficult to learn the contents of the game and to start playing it with confidence - It is the goal of this EasyPlay to teach you just that. However, playing with skill and high level of strategies would require lots of practice and, therefore, is not the scope of this EasyPlay.
a. Brief introduction to terminology: As deviated as the game itself, mahjong terminology is also different from books to books, variants to variants. This situation is not uncommon given the fact that mahjong has been evolved and developed without control for several hundreds of years! Some people insist that a "widely accepted" set of terminology in English already exists; but no one could ever locate such a set. In May 2006 the writer posted a proposed set of World Unified Mahjong Terminology ("WUMT") on the IMJ Infoweb and via the mahjong newsgroup (rec.games.mahjong) for discussions. This terminology set is the first of its kind and will certainly continue to develop. As a reference, this EasyPlay adopts terms and phrases recommended in the WUMT Table.
b. Brief introduction to game: Mahjong is a game played by four players. The playing pieces can be plastic tiles or paper cards - in IMJ they all are called PAIS. A game is a short playing process. Understandably, in an event or a gathering, many games will be played. To start a game, every player is dealt with a hand of pais: one player is dealt with fourteen pais while all other three players each gets thirteen. The purpose of the game is that each player shall, by means of certain allowed moves, arrange his hand of pais to reach certain predefined combinations, which will then be called a winning hand. The player who has a winning hand is then said to have won the game and is entitled to receiving scores from other players. And, as you read through this EasyPlay further, the "predefined combinations" mentioned above are more precisely called "structures" and "patterns", respectively. In this EasyPlay, section 5 contains introduction to the "winning hand structures" and sections 7 and 8 have more details about "patterns" that may contribute scores or values to a winning hand.
c. Brief introduction to rules: Mahjong is a game originated in China but no written rules of the origin of the game have ever been found. Over time mahjong has been evolved and developed into many variants. In the future you shall not be surprised to see that mahjong can be played by so many rule sets. However, most variants have similar details in the playing process. The major differences between variants are in the combinations of pais of winning hands and how the hands are scored. Among the variants, Cantonese Mahjong (also known as Hong Kong Style), Taiwanese Mahjong, Chinese Classical, American Mahjong, International Mahjong ("IMJ") and the Chinese Mahjong Competition Rules ("CMCR", published in 1998 by the Chinese government agency for sports), are among the most known game types.
d. Brief introduction to IMJ: International Mahjong is a mahjong game that is uniquely designed based on Cantonese Mahjong, but further developed from it. Cantonese Mahjong, also known as "Hong Kong Mahjong", is widely played by people in Hong Kong, China and in most parts of the world where the game mahjong is of interest. In addition to the traditional Cantonese Mahjong scoring patterns, IMJ increases the total number of valid patterns to 55 so as to add playability to the game. Score values to the patterns are also carefully adjusted so as to achieve a batter balance between the skill and luck factors of the game. More importantly, a comprehensive rule set is available in writing so that introduction of the game will no longer rely solely on physical practice with trained players, and that the rules of the game will not be deviated while being propagated. You can learn more information about International Mahjong at the IMJ Infoweb.
2. Instrument – A mahjong set shall comprise of 144 pais that are divided into several groups. Each pai can be distinguished by its unique symbolic designs as outlined in the following paragraphs. It is recommended that new comers should spend a little more time to recognize and understand these designs and characteristics that come with it.
a. Serials: Serials are categorized into three suits. Each suit has 9 titles and each title has 4 identical pais, thus making a total of 108 pieces.
(1) The Tans – Titled 1 through 9. See further introduction at "The Wans".
(2) The Soks – Titled 1 through 9. See further introduction at "The Wans".
(3) The Wans – Titled 1 through 9. We call this group of pais by the number plus the suit name (same for the Tans and the Soks), as in the following examples: 1 Tan, 3 Tan, 8 Sok, a pair of 7 Sok, 345 Wan (three pais of Wan in the sequence of 3, 4 and 5), 5678 Sok (a group of 5, 6, 7, and 8 Sok). Note that when used with the title number (i.e., 1 through 9) the name of the suit shall always be in singular form. The plural form is used only when you mean to refer to the suit generally (e.g., the Tans, the Soks and the Wans).
The Serials:
The Tans - Images are displayed in the sort order of 1 Tan through 9 Tan. Memorizing hints: The number of the "dots"; how those dots are arranged; 123 Tan are obvious; 4 Tan looks like 4 dots forming a small "square"; the 7 Tan looks like an open lid (formed by 3 green dots) of a small box (formed by 4 red dots); 8 Tan is in all blue; and lastly, the 9 Tan is bold and is occupying the surface fully. (Hover the cursor over an image to display the title of the pai.)
The Soks - Images are displayed in the sort order of 1 Sok through 9 Sok. Memorizing hints: The number of the "sticks"; how those sticks are arranged; 1 Sok looks like a bird; 234 Sok seem "roomy" while 6789 Sok are very "congested"; titles 23468 are all green; also each image of 6789 Sok is quite distinctive. (Hover the cursor over an image to display the title of the pai.)
The Wans - Images are displayed in the sort order of 1 Wan through 9 Wan. Memorizing hints: The bottom part of the symbols are all the same (the Chinese word for 10,000); upper part is the "number" in Chinese. The memorizing effort is to distinguish the difference in the shape of the numbers and, however, you have to memorize them one on one. (Hover the cursor over an image to display the title of the pai.)
b. Honours: Honours are categorized into two groups, a total of 28 pieces.
(1) The Winds: Titled East, South, West and North, each has 4 identical pais, thus making a total of 16 pieces. The Wind pais always have a relation with the sitting sequence of the four players and may affect the scoring of a winning hand. More information on this relation will be explained in section 7.f. There shall be no plural form for individual titles (e.g., A pair of South, three West, two North, four East).
(2) The Dragons: Titled Red Dragon, Green Dragon and White Dragon, each has 4 identical pais, thus making a total of 12 pieces. (These Dragons are also called Red Centre, Green Fortune and White Board, respectively.) Extra scores may be assigned if a winning hand contains Dragon pais – refer to section 7.g for more information. Again, plural form is not used for individual titles (e.g., A pair of Red, two Green Dragon, three White).
The Honours:
The Winds - Images are displayed in the order of East, South, West and North. Memorizing hints: The East (Chinese word) looks slim and tall; while the South looks fat and short (a little bit of your imagination is required). The West looks like a small box (square) and the North seems to have lots of horizontal and vertical lines. (Hover the cursor over an image to display the title of the pai.)
The Dragons - Images are displayed in the order of Red Dragon, Green Dragon and White Dragon. Memorizing hints: The names and the colours tell it all! (Hover the cursor over an image to display the title of the pai.
c. Flowers: Flowers are categorized into two groups, a total of 8 pieces.
(1) Blue Flowers: Titled 1 through 4, each has 1 pai, thus making a total of 4 pieces. These Flowers are normally called Blue 1, Blue 3, etc.
(2) Red Flowers: Titled 1 through 4, each has 1 pai, thus making a total of 4 pieces. These Flowers are normally called Red 2, Red 4, etc.
The Flowers:
Blue Flowers - Images are displayed in the order of Blue 1, Blue 2, Blue 3 and Blue 4. Memorizing hints: The Flowers are quite readily distinctive from pais of other groups. The title numbers (1 through 4) and its colour on the symbol will tell its name. (Hover the cursor over an image to display the title of the pai.)
Red Flowers - Images are displayed in the order of Red 1, Red 2, Red 3 and Red 4. Memorizing hints: See Blue Flowers above. (Hover the cursor over an image to display the title of the pai.)
3. Accessories – Accessories include the following commonly used items: dice, start indicator, jong indicator and chips. Depending on your situations, the following items may also be included to help make your games more comfortable and enjoyable: game table, table lamp, tile rack, score record sheets, etc. You will easily get familiarized with these items once you've started playing.
a. Dice: Three dices are cast whenever there is a need to determine which player shall have the privilege for certain moves.
b. Start indicator: An instrument, usually a small plastic pad marked "START", that is used to identify the player who has started the four rounds of games. The start indicator shall remain in its place throughout the four rounds period.
c. Jong indicator: Usually a small plastic block, which is used to identify a player as the JONGA of the current game (jonga, similar to "dealer" found in most card games, is the player who has the duty to lead the process of a game). The jong indicator is placed on the left hand corner of the player so long as he remains as the jonga. If the jonga loses his hand, he'll pass the jong indicator together with the three dice to the player to his right (called his NEXTA), who shall become the jonga of the new game. The jong indicator shall usually have some small parts that can be switched from time to time to display a Wind name representing the current round of play (i.e., the round of East, South, West or North). When the jong indicator returns and meets the start indicator again, the player who originally started the four rounds of play shall advance the Wind of round on the jong indicator.
d. Chips: Chips are used to represent the scores, and may be in different colours or may bear various markings to represent different score values. During the game, score values are settled between players by exchanging chips among them. At the beginning of an event, each player shall be assigned 20,000 scores. IMJ recommends that a complete set of chips shall contain a total of 40 chips in green, 36 in red, 36 in yellow and 8 in purple. At the beginning of an event each player shall receive: 10 x green (10 scores each), 9 x red (100 scores each), 9 x yellow (1000 scores each) and 2 x purple (5000 scores each), for a total of 20,000 scores.
a. Dice - (no additional comment)
b. Start indicator - Picture shows start indicator and jong indicator placed side by side. It is recommended that the start indicator be in a square or rectangular shape, printed with the "score table" on its surface for handy reference.
c. Jong indicator - Picture shows two jong indicators - One has the dice removed to show how the Wind of the round is changed.
d. Chips - The actual colours and quantity of chips is not important, but each player shall have a total of 20,000 mados before the start of an event.
4. Combinations of pais – A hand of pais (or "a hand") means all pais in a player's possession. In the beginning of a game each player shall have thirteen pais while the jonga (the player who leads the game) shall have fourteen. Your original hand shall, naturally, comprise of pais that are randomly mixed. Your goal is to arrange all pais into certain recognized combinations (explained below) by means of exchanging your pais through certain "moves" of play. Details of all allowed moves are found at section 6 of this EasyPlay. With certain allowed moves you are also required to disclose the combination you have arranged and display it at your left hand corner. Pais of your hand that have not been disclosed is called your CONCEALED HAND (see also section 7.b(6) of this EasyPlay). Below are the brief descriptions of various forms of recognized combination of pais:
a. CHOW: A chow means three pais that are of the same Serial suit, and are in consecutive sequence. Examples: 123 Sok, 678 Tan, 789 Wan. Note that the following combinations are not chows: 891 Wan, 912 Tan.
b. PUNG: A pung means three pais that are identical: 777 Sok, 3 Red Dragon, 3 South.
c. KONG: A kong means four pais that are identical: 9999 Wan, 4 Green Dragon, 4 North.
d. EYE: Eyes (a set of) are defined as two identical pais of any kind in a winning hand that are independent of other combination of pais in the hand.
e. PAIR: A pair means two identical pais of any kind, unless specified otherwise.
Combinations Of Pais:
a. CHOWS - Images above are samples of four chows: chow of 123 Sok, chow of 678 Tan, chow of 789 Wan and chow of 987 Wan. Note, however, that you don't normally call a chow in a reverse sequence (e.g., "987 Wan"). By nature you can only make chows from the Serials.
These are NOT chows - Note that NONE of the samples above are chows, because chows, by definition, must be pais (a) of the same suite, and (b) in consecutive sequence.
b. PUNGS - Samples of pungs: 7 Sok, Red Dragon and South.
c. KONGS - Samples of kongs: kong of 9 Wan, kong of Green Dragon and kong of North. You can make pungs and kongs from any pais other than Flowers.
d. EYES - Assuming the above is a WINNING HAND (containing typically 14 pais in total), the pair of East is called the EYES (one eye, a pair of eyes, a set of eyes, etc.). The eyes can be made of any pais.
e. PAIRS - The above is a sample of winning hand in the structures of SEVEN PAIRS. It is made up of seven pairs - totaling 14 pais in the hand. (Can you tell the names of these pais in the pairs?)
5. Winning hand – A winning hand is a hand of pais having been arranged in a predefined "structure" recognized as a winning hand. Having a good understanding of the recognized structures (detailed in the following paragraphs) could help you plan to build a winning hand more effectively and efficiently. In International Mahjong, winning hands can be in any of the following structures:
a. Basic structures: All basic structures of winning hand may comprise of either four sets and a pair; or seven pairs only. For the purposes herein, a "set" can be a chow, a pung or a kong, but not a pair. The required "four sets" can be in any combination of chow, pung and kong. There are four basic structures of winning hand as described below (refer also to article 19.1 of the IMJ Rules):
(1) ALL CHOWS: A basic structure that contains a pair of eyes and four sets of chows only. Note the emphasis of "chows ONLY". Among the four basic winning hand structures, All Chows will give you the MEDIUM grade of value.
Basic Structure - All Chows:
Sample 1 - A sample hand in the basic structure of All Chows: comprising of four chows and a set of eyes.
Sample 2 - This All Chows has White Dragon as the eyes.
Sample 3 - Another sample hand of All Chows. Note the differences between the three sample hands: Sample 2 contains only one Serial suite and the Honours while Sample 3 contains one Serial suite only!
(2) ALL PUNGS: A basic structure that contains a pair of eyes and four sets of pungs only. Note the emphasis of "pungs ONLY". Among the four basic winning hand structures, All Pungs will give you the HIGHEST grade of value. (Note: Generally, if a rule covers pung, it is also valid with kong, but not vice versa - See art. 24.2 of the IMJ Rules. Therefore, in the "pungs only" stipulation above, a kong is also valid.)
Basic Structure - All Pungs:
Sample 1 - A sample hand in the structure of All Pungs. Note that there is a kong in the hand and it is still called the All Pungs hand.
Sample 2 - This hand has four kongs in the hand. Since "kong" is also valid in a definition involving "pung", this hand is still qualified for All Pungs.
(3) THE COWARD: A basic structure that contains a pair of eyes, and four sets of chows and pungs in random combination. Note the emphasis of "chow AND pung". Among the four basic winning hand structures, The Coward will give you the LOWEST grade of value but it is a structure considered the easiest to achieve. (Note: The "kong is also valid" rule also applies here.)
Basic Structure - The Coward:
Sample 1 - A sample hand of The Coward, which contains both chow(s) and pung(s) ("kong" is valid as a "pung").
Sample 2 - Another Coward hand, but contains only one Serial suite.
(4) SEVEN PAIRS: A basic structure that contains seven pairs only. Note the emphasis is on "the form of SEVEN PAIRS ONLY". Among the four basic winning hand structures, Seven Pairs will give you the MEDIUM grade of value.
Basic Structure - Seven Pairs:
Sample 1 - A sample hand of Seven Pairs. Note that in a Seven Pairs hand, four identical pais cannot be called a "kong", because the Seven Pairs structure defines that all sets are in pair.
Sample 2 - This sample hand of Seven Pairs contains only one Searial suite and the Honours.
Sample 3 - This Seven Pairs hand also contains a special feature: All pais are Unios (the mix of 1s and 9s of the Terminals and the Honours).
b. Special winning hands: Winning hands that meet certain predefined criteria. A special winning hand can be in a form of any of the four basic structures, or in any of the forms specified by the rules (refer to article 25 of the IMJ Rules).
6. Actual play, moves and basic rules
a. How to start an event: When four players are in front of the game table and are ready to start, there are several steps to follow in order that a game can actual start. To many new comers these steps could seem complicated. However, these steps are well laid in Chapter Three and Chapter Four of the IMJ Rules - Please refer to these chapters as details will not be repeated here. In summary these chapters cover the following topics in details (article numbers quoted are those of the IMJ Rules):
(1) determination of the "prerequisite settings" that should remain valid throughout the whole event of play (art. 7);
(2) the "choosing seats" procedures that determine the sitting positions of players for a four-round period (art. 8);
(3) how pais are being stacked up as "walls" (art. 10.2);
(4) how the first jonga is determined (art. 10.3(1)); and
(5) how players are actually dealt with their first hands of pais (art. 10.4).
b. How the play should proceed: At the beginning of a game the jonga is dealt with a hand of fourteen pais while each of the other three players shall have thirteen pais in hand. The purpose of the game is that each player shall arrange his hand of pais to become a winning hand. When the winning status is reached a hand shall normally have fourteen pais. Basically, when you have fourteen pais in hand (like the jonga does in the beginning of a game), you must present a winning hand, or you must discard a pai from your concealed hand (any pai of your choice), so that your hand reduces to thirteen pais. On the other hand, if you have thirteen pais in hand you will need to get the 14th pai to your hand in order to arrange the hand into a winning hand. You can obtain the 14th pai through various moves which include: WIN, PUNG, KONG, CHOW or DRAW. Only one move can be executed at a time and each move has a specified level of priority for execution. Once a player has discarded a pai, all other three players shall compete to exercise the only one move allowed. To exercise a move, other than to draw, one must declare it verbally and only the player whose move carries the higher priority is allowed to execute the move. The following sections list those moves in the order of its priority. More details about exercising these moves may be found in article 21 of the IMJ Rules.
(1) DISCARD: "Discard" may be considered as the "signal" for the qualified players to compete for a turn to perform a move or a series of moves, as well as the "end" of a previous player's turn. In a new game it all starts with the jonga. That is, in the beginning of a game the jonga is dealt with a hand of fourteen pais. If he does not declare win he must end his turn of move(s) by making the first discard of the game. In other part of the game, discard must be exercised by a player who has fourteen pais on hand but does not declare a winning hand status.
(2) WIN: If a player finds all pais, disclosed or concealed, of his hand together with the pai already discarded can meet the requirements of a winning hand, he can declare WIN. To win, a player must declare "WIN" verbally and disclose all pais of his hand for examination by other players and for determination of rank, and to receive scores from other player(s), and the game is then completed. Win has the highest priority of all moves.
(3) PUNG or KONG: If a player can form a pung or a kong by combining the discarded pai and corresponding pais in his concealed hand, he can declare PUNG (or KONG). The priority of pung (or kong) is just below win. He must then display the set of pung (or kong) so formed at his left hand corner. If he forms a kong, he can subsequently draw a supplement pai from the tail of the wall. After the pung (or kong) and if he does not declare a winning hand status, he must discard a pai from his concealed hand.
(4) CHOW: Only the nexta of the player who has just discarded a pai can exercise this move, which carries the lowest priority of all moves. If a player wishing to form a chow of the discarded pai and corresponding pais in his concealed hand, he can display the set of chow so formed at his left hand corner. He performs this move only if he so wishes and no verbal declaration is required. After the chow and if he does not declare a winning hand status, he must discard a pai from his concealed hand.
(5) DRAW: If none of the moves of win, pung (or kong) and chow is exercised, the nexta of the player who has just discarded a pai must draw a pai from the wall. After having drawn a pai from the wall, he may arrange the pai so drawn together with other pais inside his concealed hand to make sets of chow, pung or kong without disclosing them, or set up a "special kong" (refer to article 22 of the IMJ Rules), or declare win if situation allows. If, however, he eventually does not declare win he must discard a pai, and the pai so discarded may not necessarily be the one just drawn in.
c. Move at will or move that is mandatory: If you review the previous section carefully you'll see that some moves are mandatory (e.g., discard and draw where applicable) while other moves can be exercised at will. In other word, if you can win, pung, kong or chow, you can either declare it (so as to trigger the competing process), or do nothing by keeping silent. With this freedom, you'll have the opportunity to selectively exercise a move only when it is in your favour, so as to build the better "contents" to your hand (see also section 7.a of this EasyPlay). On the other hand, moves may be restricted by other stipulations, for more details please refer to article 23 and Chapter Eight of the IMJ Rules.
d. Arranging the pais of a hand: Through the execution of the moves mentioned above a player can arrange his hand of pais into various recognized combinations and therefore advance his hand towards the winning hand status. The competing process among players for a move continues every time a pai is discarded until a winning hand is achieved or until there is no more pai on the wall to be drawn. You are encouraged to go through Chapter Five of the IMJ Rules to learn more details about the moves and about certain restrictions governing the moves.
e. The winning of a hand and receiving of scores: When your hand reaches a winning hand status you must declare it verbally in order to actually win. There are rules and restrictions governing how a hand can be declared as a winning hand and how scores are to be paid and received among players. Articles 19, 21.1, 29, 30 of the IMJ Rules cover details that apply to all winning hands and winning situations. For new players it could be difficult to assess the correct scores of a winning hand. At the early stage of a learning process players could apply an easy way to bypass this difficulty by assigning a fixed score for every winning hand (regardless of its contents) - players just play for practising purposes. Section 8 of this EasyPlay has more details about scoring of a winning hand.
f. To remain as jonga or jonga retirement: The jonga status of a player will change if the jonga loses his hand in a game or if the game is ended involving paying and receiving of scores. Have a brief review of articles 12, 13 and 23.10 of the IMJ Rules regarding changing of the jonga status. If you are the jonga in the current game, it is always beneficial if you keep your jonga status for as many games as possible. You can plan this strategy at the beginning of your hand - If you think you could achieve a quick win (probably not of high value), then win quick, and become jonga again in the next game! In contrast, if you are not the jonga of the current game, you could also apply this "win quick" strategy to force the current jonga retire fast!
g. End of a game and end of an event: If a game is ended because no more pai is left to be drawn and there is no winning hand, a new game shall start all over again without the change of jonga. This rule can be used as another strategy to last a jonga status; in fact it is used very often by experienced players! If a game is ended with a winning hand, score shall be awarded and paid according to stipulations of Chapter Seven of the IMJ Rules. When the whole event is ended, players shall compare their scores on hand and determine the winning players of the event.
7. Patterns, scoring and related characteristics – "Patterns" are various forms of combination of pais, which may contribute scores or values to a winning hand. The size of a pattern could be as small as just one pai (e.g., a Flower) or no pai at all (e.g., drawing from the wall and win), or a set of pung or kong, or as large as the whole hand. You build up various patterns gradually during play while you are also advancing the hand towards the winning hand status. One of the objectives of the game is to win a game and, obviously, to achieve the highest possible scores. A winning hand may be ranked differently (hence the total scores of the hand may vary) based on the patterns the hand could demonstrate. The following paragraphs introduce some general features and characters that come with various patterns. A good understanding of these features and characters could help you plan better in building the patterns of your hand during play, thus could help you achieve the highest possible score of your hand.
a. Building up patterns and planning ahead: As you obtain new pais to your hand by claiming discards of other players and by drawing pais from the wall, you are gradually building up sets of chow, pung or kong to your hand. This is how patterns are built. You can, and should, always plan ahead what patterns should be built. For instant, if your original hand contains many pairs, you might wish to build up patterns of or related to pungs or kongs. As your skill and experience improves, you'll find planning ahead is getting easier. However, skills and strategies require lots of practice to reach its higher levels. So, play often and over time you could become an expert in mahjong!
b. Various conditions of pais: During play pais can be in various conditions that may restrict your ability to access them or make changes to or about them. Below is a summary explaining various such conditions:
(1) The wall, the head and the tail: The "wall" is where you can draw a new pai to your hand in your turn of move, and only in your turn of move. You normally draw the pai from the HEAD of the wall. However, when you set up a kong or replace a Flower, you shall draw a pai from the TAIL instead. Refer to articles 10 and 16 (including sub-articles) of the IMJ Rules for more descriptions about the wall, the head and the tail.
(2) Discarded: When your hand has 14 pais but you do not present a winning hand, you must get rid of a pai by "discarding" it to the centre of the game table (where it is called the FLOOR). Your turn of move ends immediately when you discard a pai. That means, you are not allowed to make any change or do anything, but to let go the discarded pai. You are even not allowed to make correction if you've displayed a set in error - see section (4) below. So, discard wisely and carefully! Your "discarded pai" may then be claimed by other players for the purposes of "winning a hand", "setting up a pung or a kong", or "setting up a chow". Discarded pai that is not claimed immediately by other players shall remain on the floor, and cannot be claimed any more throughout the game.
(3) Concealed: Pais in a player's hand shall be kept "concealed" at all times unless they are to form a set of chow, pung or kong by claiming a discarded pai. You can set up chow, pung or kong with pai you draw from the wall without disclosing the set - That is, you keep the sets in your concealed hand. You have the greater flexibility with the pais in your concealed hand as you can make sets of or make changes to them anytime you want.
(4) Displayed: Sets (chows, pungs and kongs) that are formed by claiming a discarded pai must be disclosed and "displayed" on the left hand corner of a player. Displayed pais are part of a player's hand but players are not allowed to make change to the displayed sets. This includes where a set is displayed in error. For example, you've claimed a discarded 3 Sok to form a chow. Instead of disclosing a 4 Sok and a 5 Sok from your concealed hand, you have picked a 6 Sok and a 5 Sok to display a set of 365 Sok without knowing the mistake. After you have discarded a pai, you will not be allowed to correct the mistake any more. However, if such error happens to you, you have no obligation to tell other players about the error. Keep silent as some players may not discover the error and may continue to play defensively which will be to your benefit. (Note: you can always correct the mistake if you find out immediately, but only BEFORE you have discarded a pai.)
(5) Exposed: When you disclose one pai from your concealed hand to set up a "melded kong", or disclose four pais at the same time to set up a "concealed kong", you are disclosing a pai that is fresh to other players. It is similar to, although not the same as, discarding a pai. Other players can claim your disclosed pai to win (this is called "robbing a kong" - refer to article 23.7 of the IMJ Rules). In IMJ Rules, disclosing a pai for the purpose of setting up a melded kong or concealed kong, and discarding a pai to the floor, are summarized as "exposing" a pai. In both scenarios, you are exposing a pai from your concealed hand and the exposed pai can be claimed by other players for the purpose of winning a hand (article 23.6 of the IMJ Rules). So, expose cautiously!
(6) A hand: A hand of pais of a player is defined as all pais in the possession of the player, including pais disclosed but kept in his display line and pais kept in his concealed hand, as well as pai obtainable in his turn of move. "Obtainable in his turn of move" includes claiming a discarded pai to set up a pung, a kong or a chow, or to win. If you do not declare win while you have fourteen pais in hand, you must discard a pai (any pai in your concealed hand) so that your hand reduces to thirteen pais. For the purpose of calculation under this rule, disclosed Flowers are not counted, any disclosed kong (four pais) is to be counted three pais only and all other pais are counted in unit of pai. This rule may be found in article 18 of the IMJ Rules.
(7) Counting of pais: Remember that each title of pai, other than Flowers, has four identical pieces only (see section 2). If you are waiting for a particular pai to win a hand, be sure to look up how many of this particular pai have been disclosed (on the floor or on the display lines of all players). If you see that all four pieces of this particular pai are disclosed, you will have to change to wait for another pai for your winning hand.
c. Pure or Mixed: "Pure" (or "All") and "Mixed" refer to the overall contents of a hand. If a hand is so described, it is worth some extra value. For instant, if the hand contains only one suit of the Serials (the Tans, the Soks, or the Wans), or only the Honours, the hand may be described as "Pure". If the hand contains Honours, plus any one suite of the Serials, it may be described as "Mixed". "Pure" carries more value than "Mixed". If a hand contains Honours and more than one suite of the Serials, it is not worth any extra value.
PURE or MIXED:
Sample 1 - A structure of The Coward (comprised of the mix of chows and pungs/kongs), with the feature of containing one Serial suite only - PURE.
Sample 2 - A structure of All Chows (comprised of sets of chows alone), containing the Soks only - PURE.
Sample 3 - This sample is in the structure of All Pungs (comprised of sets of pungs or kongs only), and containing just the Tans - PURE.
Sample 4 - This hand is in the structure of Seven Pairs, and containing Honours only - PURE. From the illustrations of samples 1 through 4 above, you can see that the feature of PURE: (a) can be associated to any of the four basic structures, and (b) can be formed by any of the three Serial suites or by the Honours.
Sample 5 - A hand in the structure of The Coward, containing both Honours and the Tans - MIXED.
Sample 6 - An All Pungs hand, containing one Serial suite and the Honours - MIXED. Note this hand has more unique features to mention: containing Unios only, all of the three Dragons are present! You'll learn more about grade elements in section 8 of this EasyPlay.
d. Big or Little: "Big" and "Little" refer to the completeness of a specific group of pais named in a statement. For example, pattern "Big Four Winds" means all four titles of the Winds are present and in the form of "pung" or "kong" - Obviously you must have four complete sets (each being pung or kong) to be qualified as "Big". "Little Four Winds" refers to the scenario where one of the Winds is in the form of the "eyes". This description applies also to the Dragons (comprising Red, Green and White Dragon). A pattern called "Big" or "Little" carries a substantially high value and "Big" has more value than "Little".
BIG or LITTLE:
Sample 1 - In the above winning hand, all four titles of the Winds are present and in the form of either "pung" or "kong". The grade element covering the Winds is considered BIG (this element is actually called "Big Four Winds").
Sample 2 - In the above winning hand, three out of the four titles of the Winds are in the form of either "pung" or "kong" while one title forms the eyes. The grade element covering the Winds is considered LITTLE (this element is actually called "Little Four Winds").
Sample 3 - The above winning hand contains all three titles of the Dragons in the form of either "pung" or "kong". The grade element covering the Dragons is considered BIG (this element is actually called "Big Three Dragons").
Sample 4 - In the above winning hand one of the three Dragons is in the form of "eyes". The grade element covering the Dragons is call LITTLE (this element is actually called "Little Three Dragons").
e. Jumping and Stepping: "Jumping" is used to describe pungs that are in consecutive order and "Stepping" is to describe chows that are in consecutive order. Of the sets in sequence, they could be either "PURE" (all sets are in one Serial suit) or "MIXED" (all three Serial suits are present). The "Jumping" or "Stepping" combinations may add small to medium amount of value to a winning hand.
Jumping & Stepping sets:
a. Jumping Pungs Sample 1 - Illustrated are four jumping pungs in one Serial suite (also qualified for "PURE")
b. Jumping Pungs Sample 2 - Illustrated are three jumping pungs in one Serial suite (also qualified for "PURE").
c. Jumping Pungs Sample 3 - Illustrated are three jumping pungs in three Serial suites (also qualified for "MIXED").
d. Stepping Chows Sample 1- Displayed are four stepping chows in one Serial suite (also qualified for "PURE").
e. Stepping Chows Sample 2- Displayed are four stepping chows in one Serial suite (also qualified for "PURE").
f. Stepping Chows Sample 3- Displayed are three stepping chows in three Serial suites (also qualified for "MIXED").
f. Sitting sequence (related to the Winds and the Flowers): A player's "sitting sequence" (also called "seat number") refers to his sitting position with respect to the jonga of the game in progress. The "sitting sequence" starts from the jonga as 1, and counts anti-clockwise. On the other hand, each of the Winds (East, South, West and North) and the Flowers (title numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4) is assigned a "sequential number" of 1, 2, 3 or 4, respectively. If a player's seat number coincides with the sequential number of a Wind or a Flower in a winning hand, extra value will be added to the hand if it contains pais of the specific Wind and/or Flower. Example: If you sit on the right of the jonga, your seat number is 2 in that particular game. If you win the game and if you have a pung of South and a Blue 2 (Flower), you'll get extra value because of the pung of South and the Blue 2. Learn more details in IMJ Rules by referring to articles 15, 27.3(6) and (7), and 28.5(2). As you study a little bit further, you'll see that one out of the four Winds and two out of the eight Flowers would get you extra value if you win a hand - With this knowledge in mind it will help you better plan your hand during play.
Sitting Sequence - The Winds and Flowers:
Sitting sequence - The sitting sequences of the four players shall start with the jonga as 1. The sequence of the Winds shall start with the East as 1. The sequence of the Flowers are as numbered.
g. The Dragons: A pung (or kong) of any of the Dragons will bring you extra value. Refer to articles 27.3(3), (4) and (5) of the IMJ Rules for more details. Again, keep this knowledge in mind and plan a better hand during play!
Pungs of Dragon:
Pung Of Dragon - Illustrated is a winning hand containing two sets of pung or kong of Dragons. Since not all of the Dragons are present the element is not qualified for "BIG" or "LITTLE" - See section 7(d) above.
8. Grade elements – A winning hand will earn scores for the winning player based on the "patterns" the hand could demonstrate. These patterns are called GRADE ELEMENTS. Chapter Six of the IMJ Rules contains detailed scoring definitions of a total of 55 valid grade elements. In addition, there is a "Grade Elements Table" posted on the IMJ Infoweb. The table provides detailed illustrations of grade elements in various sample winning hands. You don't need to memorize all elements right away but going through Chapter Six and the Grade Elements Table every now and then will definitely help you memorize the details and improve your skills in achieving higher scores.
a. Elements are grouped by categories. In most cases only one element out of a group can be added to the scoring of a winning hand (e.g., a winning hand may qualify to claim three grade elements but they might need to be from three different groups). Understanding the general characteristics of each group would help you better manage memorizing the elements and making use of them during play. The following is a brief summary of the groups of grade elements:
(1) Groups 25.1 and 25.2 cover all special winning hands. Note that each element in these groups is considered complete on its own and the grade value awarded is final. Have a clear understanding of the definitions and you'll have better advantages over other players who don't.
(2) Group 26 covers grade elements that are also the "basic structures" of a winning hand. Note that in the scoring process, you must identify a basic pattern of your hand and shall not change the pattern while you assess other grade elements of the hand.
(3) Groups 27.1 through 27.5 cover grade elements that are based on the "combination of pais". Group 27.1 covers the pure or mixed series; Group 27.2 involves the Honours series. Group 27.3 involves the pung series of the Serials while Group 27.4 involves the chow series. Finally, Group 27.5 contains grade elements that are of the miscellaneous combinations series.
(4) Groups 28.1 through 28.5 cover grade elements related to "how" - How the winning pai is obtained (groups 28.1 through 28.3) and how the general status of other pais is at the time of winning (groups 28.4 and 28.5). Although the values of these elements are relatively small, most circumstances in which these elements are about to form are all under your control, or may be taken advantages of at your own discretion! For example, if your win is only one pai away, and if your chance of getting that pai by self draw is high, you can pass any discard and wait for your self draw to win (winning by self draw gives you 1 fan more, plus you receive scores from ALL players instead of just one) - This is something you can control on your own to potentially increase the value of your hand. Another example: If you have two Chance Flowers on hand you have already secured 2 fans, and if other players seem to be very close to a win, you might wish to win on any pai available to you (discard or self draw) and get rid of the danger - Again, this is something you can decide on your own. So make best use of these elements!
b. Counting the elements of a winning hand: You would need to have a good memory of all valid grade elements in order for you to effectively build good contents of your hand during play, and to correctly identify all elements a winning hand could produce. On the other hand, whether you have reached this high level of experience, it is always a good practice to assess, i.e., to count the elements of, a winning hand by applying the following steps:
(1) Identify the basic winning hand structure of the hand (The Coward, All Chows, All Pungs, or Seven Pairs - see art. 26 of the IMJ Rules). Where applicable, the hand might fall within the "special winning hands" category.
(2) Check if elements related to "Pure" or "Mixed" exist - see art. 27.1 of the IMJ Rules.
(3) Check if there are elements involving "Honours only", the "Pung Series", the "Chow Series" or other combinations - refer to articles 27.2 through 27.5 of the IMJ Rules.
(4) Add all other elements with smaller value as you could find in groups 28.1 through 28.5 (art. 28 of the IMJ Rules).
9. Settlement of a winning hand – In International Mahjong, a winning hand is first assessed its grade ranking by counting the total grade elements achieved of the hand. The ranking is represented by the total number of FANS those grade elements could produce. We then refer to the Standard Scoring Chart of the Rules and convert the total number of fans into SCORES. Other players (or could be just one other player) then pay the appropriate scores to the winning player. Details of the scoring of winning hands and settlement between players may be found at Chapter Seven of the IMJ Rules. Below is a brief summary of Chapter Seven:
a. Only one player can win in each game. Article 29 has detailed stipulations in case more than one player have declared win because of an exposed pai.
b. The winning player may receive scores from just one player or from all three players, depending on how the pai enabling the win is obtained. Refer to article 30.3 for the detailed stipulations.
c. After settlement of scores, a new game may start if the event is not at an end.
10. Notes beyond just playing – We hope this EasyPlay, together with the International Mahjong Rules ("IMJ Rules"), will bring you to the full understanding of International Mahjong! To help you explore further about International Mahjong, we have established a website called iMahjong Infoweb (iMahjong.com) where you can find lots of information about International Mahjong and other related topics. Feel free to tell friends about this online resource and refer the documentation to your readers in any of your discussions or communications about mahjong.
a. IMJ Online Resources: On the IMJ Infoweb there is an Online Resources section where you can find useful information related to International Mahjong. In particular, you'll find full set of the IMJ Rules, IMJ Grade Elements Table and information related to the World Unified Mahjong Terminology that are available for online viewing and download.
b. You have the questions, we have the answers: As mentioned earlier in this EasyPlay, the IMJ Rules is properly maintained and managed, and is comprehensive in coverage of all steps of play. If you have any questions about IMJ Rules we are ready to answer them! Please refer to the online copy of the IMJ Rules for answers to your questions; or send us your questions via our "Contact Info" section on this site.
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The 2018 National Safety Council Congress & Expo is just around the corner. Will it be your first time attending? To help make the most of your time in Houston, Oct. 20-26, the Young Professionals Division at NSC is proud to present a free webinar on Sept. 26 entitled, "Making the Most out of Your First NSC Congress & Expo Experience," presented by Heidi Mitchell, senior trade show manager at NSC. Register today.
Attending the 2016 NSC Congress & Expo is the 'safest' business decision you can make.


Ncbs - Site Review: National Centre for Biological Sciences - Carries out basic research in the frontier areas of biology and trains at Ph.D. level. National Centre for Biological Sciences - Part of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and located in Bangalore. Carries out basic research in the frontier areas of biology and trains to Ph.D. level.
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Spiritual growth groups at St. Thomas are self-organizing. They come about when a few people are passionate about an idea, a way of serving others, a path to insight, a certain book of poems and prayers, or something else that seems like it should be shared. Groups change in response to people's interests. We've had a Men's Group, an Artists' Group, a Young Woman's group – and we could have those groups again, if anyone wanted to start one. New ideas are welcome too!
As of November 2018, these spiritual growth groups that are currently meeting or getting started. Contact information for each group is in the November Newsletter.
The Locavores meet about once a month between services and have offered programs to the whole church on topics around faithful and prudent farming and food preparation.
The Iona Prayer Group: The Iona Prayer Group meets together to pray using the Iona Community method of prayer. The Iona Community is an ecumenical Christian community of women and men who seek to live out the Gospel in a way that is radical, inclusive and relevant to life in the 21st century (https://iona.org.uk/). Meeting dates and times TBD.
Lively Older Lutherans: If you are a retired member of our congregation, join us for fellowship, lunch, and conversation. Enjoy a Wednesday soup and bread (and dessert, of course) lunch at church. Volunteers can provide soup, bread, dessert, or all three! Coffee will be provided. We'll discuss future meetings andideas for activities. We will be meeting Wednesdays, 12 noon, STLC Room 16/17, starting November 7th.
Intergenerational Fiber Arts Group: Bring a craft to work on, learn a new craft, enjoy fellowship a conversation, and munch on some snacks! Create your own project, collaborate on a project, or work on a service project. This group is open to all ages, all crafts, and all skill levels.
Men's Fellowship Group: Get together with other STLC guys to enjoy conversation, fellowship, and laughter! Get to know one another at a deeper level and discuss issues that are important to you. Join in on a Bible study or just enjoy our time together! First meeting date TBD.
Parents' Café: Did you know that as a parent you are your child's most influential spiritual model and teacher? Parents' Café Spiritual Growth Group will meet every Sunday morning during the Education Hour for coffee and conversation. Our focus will be strengthening one another for fostering faith at home. We will share tips and tools. We will study scripture. We will pray. And, in the process, we'll get to know one another a little (or a lot!) better.
Women's Bible Study: Join us for every second Sunday of the month for a women's Bible study based on the monthly Bible study from Women of the ELCA's Gather Magazine. Let's journey together eachmonth! This Bible study will not conflict with the dates that Living the Questions meets. If you subscribe to Gather Magazine, feel free to bring your copy. Copies of the Bible study will also be provided. Feel free to attend when you can! We will meet in Rooms 16/17.
Collage-Making: Learn to make a collage for loved ones that is sure to become a treasured heirloom! Collages are great gifts for Christmas, birthdays, confirmations, graduations, weddings, and to celebrate a new member of the family. A sample collage will be shown as a way to generate ideas and inspiration. Meeting date: TBD.
STLC Euchre-ists: Get together with other euchre enthusiasts for fun and all things euchre. Don't know how to play? Join us and we'll teach you! It's been scientifically proven that playing euchre adds positively to the quality of one's life (😉). Meeting dates and times TBD.
Women's Book Club: This group provides an opportunity for STLC women to get together to discuss a book (read by group members beforehand), as well as to get to know each another more deeply and enjoy fellowship with one another!
Young Adults Group: Joins us 20-through-30-somethings for conversation and fellowship specific to this time in our lives! Meeting dates and times TBD. Contact: Megan White(megan.white.1994@gmail.com).
Intercessory Prayer Group: Join with others in praying for those in need, our world, and for each other! Meeting dates and times TBD.
Games & Gab: Get together for games and fellowship. Get to know one another better and find out who has a competitive streak in their personality! Beginner, intermediate, and advanced game players are welcome. Bring a game of your own or play one brought by others. Families are welcome! Meeting dates and times TBD.
Sister Parish Prayer Partners: The Sister Parish Committee is starting a prayer partnership with our Sister Parish friends in Chichipate! We will each send a photo of ourselves with our names, ages, basic familyinformation, profession, and anything for which we'd like to receive prayers. We will receive similarinformation from Sister Parish. We are committing to pray for our prayer partner once a day. No specific meeting dates or times are necessary.
Dinners for Eight: Groups of eight people will get together to plan meals and take turns hosting in their homes. Games and other activities may also be planned. Choose a meal theme (e.g., Italian, German,Swedish, Eritrean, etc.) if you'd like! This is a meaningful way to get to know others in the church.Please feel free to sign up even if you can't host a dinner! Dinners will start in January.


text:
COMPANION ANIMAL CONVENIENCE CENTER
A companion animal convenience system for a motor vehicle has a moveable partition, said partition comprising a frame and netting attached said frame and said partition pivotally attached to a headliner of the vehicle; a removable bedding apparatus comprising at least one mattress, a plurality of compartments and a rubberized surface between said at least one mattress and the vehicle; and a collar operably sizeable to a companion animal and said collar in communication with the vehicle.
Adams, Robert (Bloomfield Hills, MI, US)
Jones-adams, Carol (Bloomfield Hills, MI, US)
Other Classes:
119/721, 340/539.13, 119/28.5
A01K1/02; A01K15/02
20090025652 Deer repelling apparatus for small gardens January, 2009 Jong
20040194715 Bird feeder guard October, 2004 Zieff et al.
20090120374 METHOD FOR PREVENTING INJURY ON WILDLIFE May, 2009 Hansen
20060021586 Device for Handling Snakes February, 2006 Jezl
20060196447 Pet diaper system September, 2006 Poh-beyerlein et al.
20060283400 Domestic pet collar and leash December, 2006 Liconti
20070169705 Cover for bird feeder July, 2007 Cote
20100018466 CAR DOG SEAT January, 2010 Austin
20050268860 Pet toy including flexible teaser removably attached to wand December, 2005 Ritchey
20050268421 Coralline And Tough Algae Remover For Fish, Corals And Invertebrates Aquariums December, 2005 Ho
20050241590 Metamorphosizing gift item and method of gift-giving which utilizes the life-cycle of a living being November, 2005 Koznarek et al.
HUSON, JOSHUA DANIEL
Overby Farm LLC (Bloomfield, MI, US)
What is claimed is:
1. A companion animal convenience system for a motor vehicle, the system comprising: a moveable partition, said partition comprising a frame and netting attached said frame and said partition pivotally attached to a headliner of the vehicle; a removable bedding apparatus comprising at least one mattress, a plurality of compartments and a rubberized surface between said at least one mattress and the vehicle; and a collar operably sizeable to a companion animal and said collar in communication with the vehicle.
2. The companion animal convenience system according to claim 1 further comprising a GPS operable to identify a location of said vehicle.
3. The companion animal convenience system according to claim 1 further comprising a locking system operably locking said partition in at least one of an open and a closed position.
4. The companion animal convenience system according to claim 1 further comprising a call center operably in communication with the vehicle.
5. The companion animal convenience system according to claim 1 further comprising a GPS operably identifying the location of the collar.
6. The companion animal convenience system according to claim 1 further comprising an antenna on the vehicle operably communicating with a receiver on said collar.
7. The companion animal convenience system according to claim 1 further comprising an antenna on said collar operably communicating with a receiver on the vehicle.
8. The companion animal convenience system according to claim 1 further comprising a RFID located in said collar, said RFID operably in communication with the vehicle.
9. The companion animal convenience system according to claim 1 further comprising a handheld device operably in communication with said collar.
10. The companion animal convenience system according to claim 1 further comprising a single button operable to communicate with a call center to locate said companion animal.
11. The companion animal convenience system according to claim 1 further comprising an alarm operably alerting an occupant of the vehicle that said companion animal is outside of an established distance of the vehicle.
12. The companion animal convenience system according to claim 1 further comprising an alarm on said collar operably deterring said companion animal from wandering beyond an established distance from the vehicle.
13. The companion animal convenience system according to claim 1 further comprising an insulated bowl.
14. A companion animal locating system comprising: a vehicle having an antenna operable to receive a signal; and a collar sizable to a companion animal, said collar broadcasting said signal to said vehicle.
15. The system according to claim 14 further comprising a GPS in said vehicle and said signal is described by said GPS.
16. The system according to claim 14 wherein said antenna is operable to broadcast a signal and said collar is operable to receive said signal.
17. The system according to claim 16 wherein said antenna broadcasts a directional signal which is a boundary that contains said collar.
18. The system according to claim 16 wherein said antenna broadcasts when a vehicle door is unlocked.
19. The system according to claim 14 further comprising a moveable partition, said partition comprising a frame and netting attached said frame and said partition pivotally attached to a headliner of said vehicle.
20. The system according to claim 14 further comprising a removable bedding apparatus comprising at least one mattress, a plurality of compartments and a rubberized surface between said at least one mattress and the vehicle.
21. A method of finding an animal, the method comprising: providing a vehicle having an antenna that is operable for at least one of broadcasting and receiving a signal to a call center fitting the animal with a collar, said collar in communication with said vehicle; communicating said call center for a location of the animal; identifying the location of the animal wearing said collar; and driving said vehicle to the location of the animal
21. The method according to claim 21 wherein said having an antenna is integral to a GPS in said vehicle and tracking a signal from said collar on said GPS.
22. The method according to claim 21 further comprising putting in said vehicle, said vehicle comprising a moveable partition, said partition comprising a frame and netting attached said frame and said partition pivotally attached to a headliner of said vehicle and a removable bedding apparatus comprising at least one mattress, a plurality of compartments and a rubberized surface between said at least one mattress and said vehicle.
This patent application claims the benefit of and priority to PCT Application No. PCT/US2007/02371 filed Jan. 30, 2007, which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/763,741, filed on Jan. 30, 2006. The disclosure of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference.
As people travel in a motor vehicle, it has become common to bring along a companion animal such as, for instance, a family dog, a cat, a ferret, a lizard, or some other companion animal. Since motor vehicles are designed for human use, most animals do not have an area for their own use. In addition, when traveling with a companion animal, the companion animal may get separated from its owners due to a new and unfamiliar environment. What is needed is a convenience center for a motor vehicle which includes an area for the companion animal and a locating system for tracking the companion animal from the motor vehicle.
Accordingly, in some embodiments, a companion animal convenience system for a motor vehicle has a moveable partition, the partition attached to a headliner of the vehicle; a removable bedding apparatus comprising at least one mattress, a plurality of compartments and a rubberized surface between the at least one mattress and the vehicle; and a collar operably sizeable to a companion animal and the collar in communication with the vehicle.
In some embodiments, a companion animal locating system includes a vehicle having an antenna operable to receive a signal; and a collar sizable to a companion animal, the collar in communication with the vehicle. The system can include GPS in the vehicle and the signal can be described by the GPS. In some embodiments, the antenna can be operable to broadcast a signal and the collar is operable to receive the signal. In some embodiments, the antenna broadcasts a directional signal which is a boundary that contains the collar. In some embodiments, the antenna broadcasts when a vehicle door is unlocked. The system may include a moveable partition, the partition comprising a frame and netting attached the frame and the partition pivotally attached to a headliner of the vehicle. The system may include a removable bedding apparatus having at least one mattress, a plurality of compartments and a rubberized surface between the mattress and the vehicle.
The present teachings provide methods of locating a companion animal. In some embodiments, a method of finding an animal includes providing a vehicle having an antenna that is operable for at least one of broadcasting and receiving a signal to a call center; fitting the animal with a collar that is in communication with the vehicle; communicating the call center for a location of the animal wearing the collar; identifying the location of the animal wearing the collar; and driving the vehicle to the location of the animal wearing the collar. Methods may include the use of a GPS system in determining a location of an animal wearing the collar. Method are disclosed for containing an animal in an area by broadcasting a signal from a vehicle and creating a boundary that contains the animal wearing a collar that is communication with the vehicle.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present teachings.
The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the Companion Animal Convenience Center.
FIG. 2 is a rear-perspective view of the Companion Animal Convenience Center.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of some embodiments of the present teachings.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram of some embodiments of the present teachings.
The following description of technology is merely exemplary in nature of the subject matter, manufacture and use of one or more embodiments, and is not intended to limit the scope, application, or uses of any specific embodiments of the some embodiments claimed in this application or in such other applications as may be filed claiming priority to this application, or patents issuing therefrom. The following definitions and non-limiting guidelines must be considered in reviewing the description of the technology set forth herein. In particular, although the present disclosure will be discussed in some embodiments to locating a companion animal wearing a collar that is communication with a motor vehicle, such discussion should not be regarded as limiting the present disclosure to only such applications.
The headings (such as "Introduction" and "Summary") and sub-headings used herein are intended only for general organization of topics within the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the disclosure of the technology or any aspect thereof. In particular, subject matter disclosed in the "Introduction" may include novel technology and may not constitute a recitation of prior art. Subject matter disclosed in the "Summary" is not an exhaustive or complete disclosure of the entire scope of the technology or any embodiments thereof. Classification or discussion of a material within a section of this specification as having a particular utility is made for convenience, and no inference should be drawn that the material must necessarily or solely function in accordance with its classification herein when it is used in any given composition.
The citation of references herein does not constitute an admission that those references are prior art or have any relevance to the patentability of the technology disclosed herein. All references cited in the "Detailed Description" section of this specification are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety, for all purposes. In the event that one or more of the incorporated references, literature, and similar materials differs from or contradicts this application, including but not limited to defined terms, term usage, described techniques, or the like, this application controls.
The description and specific examples, while indicating some embodiments of the technology, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the technology. Moreover, recitation of multiple embodiments having stated features is not intended to exclude other embodiments having additional features, or other embodiments incorporating different combinations of the stated features. Specific examples are provided for illustrative purposes of how to make and use the compositions and methods of this technology and, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are not intended to be a representation that given some embodiments of this technology have, or have not, been made or tested.
The present technology provides a companion animal convenience system for a motor vehicle, the system comprising a moveable partition, the partition comprising a frame and netting attached the frame and the partition pivotally attached to a headliner of the vehicle; a removable bedding apparatus comprising at least one mattress, a plurality of compartments and a rubberized surface between the at least one mattress and the vehicle; and a collar operably sizeable to a companion animal and the collar in communication with the vehicle.
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, in some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a bed system 30 designed for a companion animal 3. The bed system 30 can be designed for the rear of the motor vehicle 12. In some embodiments, the motor vehicle 12 can be an SUV, a van, a station wagon or a hatch back. In some embodiments, the bed system 30 can include at least one mattress 31 and, in some embodiments, a second mattress 32. The bed system 30 can include a plurality of compartments 33, 40. The plurality of compartments 33, 40 can rest against a rear passenger seat 14 of motor vehicle 12. In some embodiments, one of the plurality of compartments 33 can contain one or more access points 34, 35. In some embodiments, an access point 34 can include a door and can be an insulated bowl for liquids such as water for companion animal 3. In some embodiments, another access point 35 can include a door and a bowl for holding food such as dog food for companion animal 3. In some embodiments, another of the plurality of compartments 33, 40 can include an access point 38 which can be storage area for a companion animal's toys, clothing, collars, leashes or other such items. The bed system 30 can include rubberized surface 39 which is below the at least one mattress 31. In some embodiments, the rubberized surface 39 is permanently held to motor vehicle 12 and such can be accomplished by spraying the rubberized surface 39 or by using adhesive to hold the rubberized surface 39 to motor vehicle 12. In some embodiments, the rubberized surface 39 can be on a bottom surface of the at least one mattress 31 or on an entire bottom surface of the bed system 30. In some embodiments, bed system 30 can be removable as shown in FIG. 2, and partition 20 can pivot at fasteners 22 and lock on headliner roof being essentially parallel to the wheelbase of motor vehicle 12. In some embodiments, companion animal convenience system 10 includes bed system 30.
In some embodiments, companion animal convenience system 10 includes a partition 20 between an area for companion animal 3 and an area for humans (for example, the area where a human can sit on seat 14). Partition 20 includes frame 23, netting 24 and fasteners 22 which can be fastened to an interior headliner or roof of motor vehicle 12. In some embodiments, frame 23 can pivot within fasteners 22. In some embodiments, partition 20 can include the handle 25. In some embodiments, the fasteners 22 can have a locking mechanism included such that partition 20 locks within the fasteners 22 so that partition 20 is locked in a substantially perpendicular manner as referenced to the wheelbase of motor vehicle 12. In some embodiments, partition 20 can have locking straps, Velcro, tabs, fasteners or the like that are located on the backside of seat 14 and such can be used to hold partition 20 securely against the back of seat 14 such that partition 20 is in a substantially perpendicular manner as referenced to the wheelbase of motor vehicle 12. In some embodiments, the companion animal convenience system 10 comprises bed system 30 and partition 20.
In some embodiments, companion animal convenience system 10 comprises bed system 30, partition 20, and collar 5. In some embodiments, collar 5 can include some type of electronic device that allows for tracking of companion animal 3 by use of collar 5 and motor vehicle 12. With reference to FIG. 3, in some embodiments, motor vehicle 12 can be in communication 51 with Global Positioning Satellites such that a global position system 50 can identify the exact location of a motor vehicle 12. Such systems are well-known in the art and can be purchased from vendors such as Garmen and Magellan. Other such systems are know in the art for vehicles and can be found, for example, US Patent Publication Nos. 2005/0038598 and 2005/0256615; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,580,390, as well as commercially available on GM vehicles with an OnStar™ System. Such GPS technology is well-known to those in the art and can be easily implemented to a motor vehicle 12. Other examples of such GPS technology exists in military applications with the satellite systems. An example of a GPS satellite system is maintained by the US Government.
Motor vehicle 12 of FIG. 3 can be in communication 55 with companion animal collar 5 that is on companion animal 3 and such companion animal 3 can be a dog, a cat, a ferret, a lizard, a bird, a horse or any other domestic or wild animal. In any embodiments, companion animal 3 can be replaced with a human, such as a child or an elderly relative and the collar 5 can be worn as an arm or ankle bracelet. In reference to FIG. 3, motor vehicle 12 communication 55 with collar 5 can be two-way communication and such communication can be by a two-way radio, infrared tracking, microwave tracking, RFID tracking, or the like. The collar 5 can have a receiver to receive a signal from vehicle 12 and an antenna to broadcast a return signal to motor vehicle 12 which has a receiver to catch the return signal. An example of the technology of a collar 5 can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,502,060 and 6,721,681. Examples of GPS on collars 5 include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,172,640, 6,236,358, 6,421,001, 6,441,778, 6,480,147, 6,518,919, 6,771,213 and 6,859,171. Other examples have been shown throughout the art for a collar 5 that can be in communication with a receiver or for a collar 5 that can receive a communication. Some embodiments as shown in FIG. 3 of communication 55 is between motor vehicle 12 and collar 5. In some embodiments, motor vehicle 12 can have a tracking device so that an occupant in motor vehicle 12 can track companion animal 3. Using such a tracking device can be in the vehicle navigation system such that the occupant can track the companion animal 3 wearing collar 5 in communication 55 with motor vehicle 12 on roads or off roads by having the navigation system calculate quickest route to companion animal 3. In some embodiments, motor vehicle 12 has an alarm system that is adjustable by occupant such that when collar 5 is out of a preset range of motor vehicle 12, the alarm sounds. In some embodiments, the motor vehicle 12 can have a settable range that allows collar 5 to send a shock to companion animal 3 when companion animal 3 is on the border of the preset range.
In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 4, GPS 50 is in communication 52 with collar 5 and collar 5 broadcasts a signal to motor vehicle 12 which is received. In some embodiments, such signal can be tracked on a screen of a navigation system in motor vehicle 12. With reference to FIG. 5, the system as illustrated in FIG. 3 has additional components of communication 61 from motor vehicle 12 to cellular network 60. Cellular network 60 communicates 60 to a landline 63 which is in connection 65 to a call center 66. Examples of such telematics can be found in motor vehicle 12 that has OnStar™. Examples of such systems include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,032,054, 6,728,612, 6,775,613, 6,853,907, 6,853,910 and 6,947,732. In some embodiments, call center 66 can alert occupant of motor vehicle 12 that companion animal 3 is out-of-range of motor vehicle 12. In some embodiments, when motor vehicle 12 has stopped and companion animal 3 has been allowed to exit motor vehicle 12, when motor vehicle 12 is later in motion and companion animal 3 is left behind, call center 66 can alert motor vehicle 12 that occupant has left companion animal 3 behind. Call center 66 can assist occupant of motor vehicle 12 in locating companion animal 3 by use of GPS 50 and communication 55 between collar 5 and motor vehicle 12.
With reference to FIG. 6, some embodiments have an additional communication 52 of GPS 50 and collar 5. In some embodiments, the range between motor vehicle 12 and companion animal 3 can be increased due to the location of collar 5 being identified by GPS 50. As referenced in FIG. 3, in some embodiments, the call center 66 can identify the exact location of companion animal 3 through use of GPS 50. In some embodiments, the call center 66 can contact the occupant of motor vehicle 12, determine where companion animal 3 is, and assist occupant in locating and recovering companion animal 3.
With reference to FIG. 7, a system similar to FIG. 6 is shown without the interface to a call center 66. In some embodiments, GPS 50 communication 52 to collar 5 can be tracked by motor vehicle 12 on a navigation system (not shown). In some embodiments, motor vehicle 12 can broadcast a tunable area or range such that companion animal 3 wearing collar 5 will not move out of electronic containment area 70. Such an invisible fence can be used to keep companion animal 3 near motor vehicle 12 during a short stop. In some embodiments, motor vehicle 12 can be at a rest stop, motor vehicle 12 broadcasts electronic containment area 70, companion animal 3 wearing collar 5 is released from motor vehicle 12 and is contained within area 70. In some embodiments, when companion animal 3 wearing collar 5 goes to edge of area 70, an alarm which can be a noise, a voice command, a light, electrical shock, or other type deterrent will keep companion animal 3 from wandering outside containment area 70.
In some embodiments, the GPS 50 can be a GPS logger which logs the position of the collar 5 at regular intervals in an internal memory and data may be downloaded, in real time, in intervals, or at a later time, to the vehicle 12, to a memory card, a computer, a network, the internet, or to the call center 66. In some embodiments, the GPS 50 can be a GPS data pusher that pushes the position of the collar 5 at regular interval to the vehicle 12, a computer, a network, or to the call center 66. In some embodiments, the GPS 50 can use SMS services. In some embodiments, the collar 5 can comprise a GPS receiver and a mobile phone both powered by a battery. At regular intervals, the phone sends a text message via SMS containing the data from the GPS receiver. The text message can be received by the vehicle 12, the call center 66, a network, the internet, a email address, a communication device 85 such as for example another cell phone, or a PDA, and the like, as described herein. In some embodiments, the GPS 50 can be a data puller that send the position of the collar 5 at regular intervals. In some embodiments, the GPS 50 can be available at all times for a queries by the vehicle 12, the call center 66, a network, the internet, a communication device 85 such as for example another cell phone, or a PDA, and the like, as described herein.
In some embodiments, initializing and ending communication between the vehicle 12 and the collar 5 can be controlled by an automated door locking system in the vehicle 12. For example while the vehicle 12 containing companion animal 3 is traveling, the vehicle is not in communication with the collar 5. When the vehicle stops and an occupant 80 opens the door, the vehicle 12 starts communication with collar 5. This can allow tracking of the companion animal 3 if it escapes when the door is opened. The vehicle 12 can track the collar 5 using methods described herein and/or the vehicle 12 can establish a containment area 70 for the companion animal 3 using methods described herein. When the vehicle starts to move and the doors automatically lock, the vehicle 12 identifies the location of collar 5. If the collar is in the vehicle 12, the communication of the vehicle 12 with the collar 5 end. If the collar is not in the vehicle 12, then the vehicle 12 or call center provides a warning to the occupant 80 of the vehicle 12 alerting the occupant 80 that the companion animal 3 has been left behind.
In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the system as illustrated in FIG. 6, can have additional means to communicate with collar 5. Occupant 80 can leave motor vehicle 12 and use a communication device 85 which can be a PDA, cell phone, radio keypad, or other type of hand-held device which has the ability to communicate 82 with collar 5. Occupant 80 can be able to track companion animal 3 in areas where motor vehicle 12 can not be able to enter. In addition, hand-held device 85 can be able to broadcast a containment area 70 such that occupant 80 can walk companion animal 3 and keep companion animal 3 within the safety of containment area 70. With reference to FIG. 10, motor vehicle 12 communication 55 with collar 5 on companion animal 3. Occupant 80 can leave motor vehicle 12 and have hand-held device 85 as means to communicate 82 with collar 5. In some embodiments, communication 55 and communication 82 can be by means of RFID, examples of RFID technology in an animal collar can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,502,060 and 6,721,681. Examples of such telematics are known in the art and can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,144,938 and 6,960,990 and US Patent Publication Nos. 2004/0023647, 2004/0203461 and 2004/0203692. Examples of telematics that are well-known in the art and available to consumers include OnStar™ which can be equipped on GM or BMW vehicles.
Some embodiments and the examples described herein are exemplary and not intended to be limiting in describing the full scope of compositions and methods of these teachings. Equivalent changes, modifications and variations of some embodiments, materials, compositions and methods can be made within the scope of the present teachings, with substantially similar results.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Grids and Greed: An Expert Breaks Down Where PG&E Went Wrong and What It—and California—Needs to Do Now
"The problem is much more ingrained in the way this company has developed and continues to operate than it is something as simple as just trying to make more money."
Marisa Endicott
A PG&E truck drives past a hot spot in Paradise, CA, during the 2018 Camp Fire.Hector Amezcua/Sacramento Bee via Zuma Wire
In the wake of PG&E's decision to cut power to over one million people in California last week, there has been a torrent of frustration, outrage, and suspicion—about who should be held accountable, what their motivations are, and whether there is a way to keep blackouts from becoming the new normal. California Gov. Gavin Newsom notably took an already damaged PG&E to task on Thursday, saying the utility company's "greed and mismanagement over the course of decades" was to blame for the state's aging and poorly maintained electric grid, not simply climate change. (Last year's Camp Fire in Northern California, sparked by a PG&E power line, was the state's deadliest on record, claiming 86 lives and the town of Paradise; the company has since filed for bankruptcy.) Then this week, state officials called for the company to issue customer rebates, which would cost it millions, and demanded PG&E executives report to an emergency regulatory meeting planned for Friday.
Beyond blame, the dark days have also set Californians searching for new solutions—from a heavier reliance on renewable energy sources to municipal power distribution to microgrids, or local community-operated energy grids that can operate and be controlled autonomously. Still, even these alternatives come with questions about feasibility, equity, and who can afford to benefit from them.
Clean energy and utility policy expert Steven Weissman, for one, thinks these blackouts are bound to continue no matter what we do in the short term—though he argues not all is lost. In a New York Times op-ed Monday, he called the experience of utilities purposefully shutting off power "the new reliability" rather than "the new normal," but says that if that "means less certainty from traditional grid-based power sources, then it also provides an opportunity beyond the old approach." Weissman previously served as an administrative law judge at the California Public Utilities Commission, which regulates privately-owned public utilities in the state, before he started the Energy Law program at the University of California, Berkeley.
Is the fact that they had to shut down so much of their system an indication of a failure? I think the answer is yes—clearly, yes.
I recently spoke with Weissman, now a public policy lecturer at the university, about the internal workings of PG&E that led us here, what's a fair or unfair critique of the utility, and what actually needs to happen to get everyone out of this mess. Below is an edited and condensed version of our conversation.
Was PG&E's power shutdown really the only option?
Well, when are you asking that question? Because if Tuesday morning you look at the weather forecast, and it looks like there are going to be red flag conditions, and you might have the potential for catastrophic fire, is the shut off the only solution? The answer, then, is probably yes. But if you're asking more of a long-term question: Did we have to get to this point where we're having these massive shut offs? I think the answer is mostly no. Is the fact that they had to shut down so much of their system an indication of a failure? I think the answer is yes—clearly, yes. This is a company that has a very challenging system. It covers a tremendous territory. There's 16 different climate zones. The system has a tremendous amount of complexity that's kind of grown organically over more than a century. And all of those things are challenges for the company to be able to maintain its system safely.
You would have liked to have seen this company step back decades ago and recognize that all the things I just mentioned were the circumstances it was facing. Imagine how the story would be different if PG&E was now saying, "We've been worried about what's going on now for the last 20 years, and we've been addressing the problem in the following comprehensive way. We created this new office, which was designed to look at these problems. We've hired the best experts from around the world to come in and work with us. We've used state-of-the-art technology." First of all, maybe we wouldn't have had all these cut offs. But if we did, at least we could say that this is a company that has done everything it can to wrap its arms around the challenges it faces. But we can't tell this story.
What do you think of the talking point that's emerged from PG&E's critics, including Gov. Gavin Newson, that the company has put profits above people with this shutdown and the decisions leading to it?
It's an easy thing to say, but it's really too simplistic. There are two ways that a utility can make money: First is by continuing to invest in new capital projects. The other way is by spending less money than it's given. What that means is that the regulatory structure gives the utility an incentive to over-invest in facilities and to underspend on operation and maintenance. With hindsight, it's very easy to look and say the tower that sparked the Camp Fire, if you had put a little more money in operation and maintenance, you could have either strengthened that tower or you could have replaced it, and you didn't do that. And so therefore, you're putting profits ahead of safety.
But I think that the problem is much more ingrained in the way this company has developed and continues to operate than it is something as simple as just trying to make more money. Certainly, that incentive is there, and it probably has had an impact over time and resulted in less money being spent on keeping the system in good shape than it should have—maybe a lot less money than it should have. But focusing on that alone does not get to the fundamental underlying problem, which is a company that has not recognized the growing complexity of its system and hasn't put processes in place to overcome that.
What should PG&E do now to deal with those issues?
I want to see the company openly acknowledge that it doesn't have the right systems in place. I don't see that yet. What it seems to be doing is saying, "We have to get a lot better in terms of maintaining our system, and so we're trimming more trees and we're doing more inspections." That's all great, but those are really fixes that don't create assurance that operations will continue to be safe in the future. Because if you don't change the way questions are asked, if you don't change the accountability of people in different departments, if you don't add in the right kind of experts, then you're much more likely in the future to slip back into the same pattern, which is overspending on infrastructure, maybe building more transmission lines than you need, and not spending as much money on maintaining those lines as you should.
Is there a good possibility that we'll see more of these kinds of extended power shut offs?
Clearly, PG&E is going to try to find ways to fine tune its strategy for invoking these power shut offs, but there's no reason at this point to believe that they won't continue to happen. We're going to continue to see these shut offs into the indefinite future.
Short-term, PG&E can take steps like hardening and maintaining its infrastructure, but what other steps does it need to take to reduce long-term wildfire risk?
Well, I don't think that's a short-term fix. It's going to take many years to take a system of that size and be able to improve the nature of all the equipment—many years and lots of billions of dollars.
But there are other elements here. One is they need to be more aggressive about placing lines in vulnerable areas underground. And part of that involves taking the underground budgets that they have—because they do have some money to spend every year on putting overhead lines underground—and prioritize that money only for safety issues. Traditionally, the money would be spent on putting lines underground at places where there may be some sort of view or it's a pretty neighborhood or it's a commercial district that's trying to attract customers. That's really not the priority now. The priority has to be safety. And so the question is where are the most vulnerable places? Spend the money there.
Another thing is a much more enthusiastic embrace of microgrids. If microgrids are installed well and involve underground circuits connecting people, then you have a system that can operate more safely year-round. They can help provide power when these outages do occur because you can isolate those microgrids and use the power there. More battery storage strategically located through communities at both the utility side of the meter and the customer side of the meter can be an important part of this. More self-generation can be a good thing as well as long as it's managed properly.
These are all things that make it less burdensome when these outages do occur, but also might enable more power to be delivered safely. I think there's going to be a natural response now on the part of a lot of commercial industrial customers and some communities that say, "If we're going to have these shut offs, then we're going to have our own backup power."
That's fine, but this is an opportunity to make sure that whatever backup power provided is renewable and relies on battery storage rather than using diesel generators. I've been in conversations with people at the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD). When PG&E announced the shut off program, EBMUD went out and acquired a large number of diesel backup generators to put in its pumping stations. That's a rational short-term response, but now the question is, will EBMUD undertake a program designed to rely on renewables and batteries and eliminate its reliance on diesel generators that are contributing in the long run to the overall problem?
I think there's going to be a natural response now on the part of a lot of commercial industrial customers and some communities that say, "If we're going to have these shut offs, then we're going to have our own backup power."
Microgrids and local distribution seem to make a lot of sense, so what's stopped them from being used more broadly?
The single biggest obstacle is that the utilities are not enthusiastic supporters of microgrids. The way that plays out is that state law gives the utilities exclusive monopoly service territories for being the distribution and transmission companies. There are some exceptions to that, and one exception is something in the law which people call the "over-the-fence rule." What that says is if I'm generating, let's say, solar power at my house, I can share it with my next door neighbors on either side of me, but I can't, for instance, share it with a neighbor across the street, and I can't share it with more than two other people. Until that provision in the law is changed to say that microgrids are always allowed, I think the utilities are going to continue to be able to basically put the brakes on any microgrid they're not enthusiastic about.
The city of Berkeley wanted to put a microgrid in when it built this enormous new civic garage downtown. It wanted to put solar on the roof and batteries in the basement and then interconnect all the government buildings in the area so they could have reliable power even when there are other outages or other emergencies, and PG&E wouldn't get behind it, and it didn't happen. It's sort of a schizophrenia here because the legislature has passed some bills that seem to be supportive of having a greater reliance on microgrids. But there's a lot of resistance, and that resistance is coming from the utilities and probably on top of that the utility workers. Microgrids are supposed to operate in a way where people that are on a microgrid continue to get power off the greater grid unless there's an outage, but I am suspecting some of the utilities are worried that if communities start out by being able to give themselves their own backup power, maybe eventually they'll be given the permission to totally disconnect from the greater grid, and utilities do not want to lose customers.
One of the arguments against microgrids is that they are expensive, but with the economic burden brought on by wildfires, power shut downs, and the potential increase in energy costs as a result, do microgrids end up making more financial sense?
It's hard to make a broad statement about every microgrid, but I'll say this: I think what is happening now is we're realizing that there's a lot more cost involved in having distribution and transmission systems than we thought, both in terms of the losses when you don't have reliable service, but also the liabilities from the wildfires. If building a line costs you a billion dollars, but eventually could expose you to a $15-billion liability if you cause a wildfire on that line, then maybe that line is more expensive than we thought it was. And if that's the case, if we really built in the true cost of these things before deciding to have the utilities go build them, maybe other things would start looking better. Maybe rooftop solar, which some economists criticize as being a bad investment because it's more expensive on a per-watt basis starts looking more cost effective. And maybe batteries don't seem like such an expensive investment anymore. The whole formula and the whole set of expectations may change.
The community-level values that are placed on something like safety and reliability can become much higher priorities for people running the system because of that local accountability.
If cities took control of local power distribution—as San Francisco has been exploring—would that change things at all? [Ed note: PG&E rejected San Francisco's $2.5 billion offer to buy the company's local power lines last week.]
It provides an opportunity to change things because when you bring the control down to a local level, then you have a much more direct line of accountability. So if you've got San Francisco Public Utilities Commission as an elected board, and they screw up, then you answer to the voters. And because you're a local official, and you live locally, you run into constituents in the street, and you go to meetings and you talk to people. The community-level values that are placed on something like safety and reliability can become much higher priorities for people running the system because of that local accountability.
Speculation has been popping up—even from some public officials—that basically PG&E could be extending shut offs unnecessarily in order to pressure the legislature into changing the inverse condemnation law, which holds California utilities responsible for wildfire damage caused by their equipment, regardless of negligence. Thoughts?
That's an interesting one. I want to start this by saying that I think that the utilities have more urgent issues to deal with because regardless of how we want to demonize this company, no one wants to destroy communities, and no one wants to kill people. This is not an evil enterprise. It's made up of lots of really good decent people. But as a whole the company just doesn't seem to be as good as the people working there. But nonetheless, here you're a utility and you're going to the legislature and saying, "inverse condemnation is a terrible thing, and it shouldn't apply to us, and if we're not going to have a guarantee that the customers will reimburse us for any liabilities, then you need to eliminate it, and not have it applied to us." One of the less-than-top priority, but nonetheless existing messages that comes out of these shut offs is, "Okay, fine. You don't want to give us that kind of protection. Well, see how you feel about not having power." And you do wonder about that.
California Governor Blames Greed, Not Climate Change, for Bay Area Blackouts
PG&E Was Once Part of the Climate-Denial Machine That Helped Fuel California's Blackout Crisis
Rebecca Leber
If Power Shutoffs Are the New Normal in California, PG&E Needs to Do More than Provide Charging Stations
Over One Million People Are Currently Without Power in California Due to PG&E Shutdowns