We were wrong about phone holsters
Maybe we were too quick to judge them boomers wearing their phones in a useful and convenient place . Phones nowadays are just getting larger and alot of pockets don’t satisfy the required dimensions.
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Embedded vs. Marginal Costs: Understanding the Definitions, Trade-Offs, and Risks in Utility Pricing
In utility regulation, few debates are as important—or as misunderstood—as the difference between embedded costs and marginal costs. The choice between these definitions is not just a technical matter. It shapes rate structures, customer charges, and long-term system decisions.
As Clark Kaml explains in Don’t Fear the Cost Study, confusion about cost definitions is one of the primary reasons cost studies produce conflicting interpretations and policy disputes.
What Are Embedded Costs?
Embedded costs represent the historical, book-based costs of providing utility service. These include investments already made in infrastructure such as generation plants, transmission lines, distribution systems, and operational expenses. Embedded cost studies allocate these total historical costs across customer classes based on usage patterns or system responsibility.
Regulators often rely on embedded costs because they align closely with revenue requirements. Utilities must recover the full cost of building, operating, and maintaining the system while earning a reasonable return. Embedded cost approaches provide a practical framework for allocating those total costs among residential, commercial, and industrial customers.
However, embedded costs reflect the past. They do not necessarily indicate what it costs to serve one additional unit of demand today or tomorrow.
What Are Marginal Costs?
Marginal costs measure the cost of providing the next increment of service. This could mean the cost of generating one more kilowatt-hour of electricity, supplying additional water, or expanding capacity to meet future demand.
From an economic perspective, marginal cost pricing promotes efficiency. When prices reflect the cost of incremental service, customers receive accurate signals about resource use. Higher marginal costs during peak periods, for example, encourage conservation or load shifting, reducing the need for costly system expansions.
Because of this efficiency benefit, marginal cost concepts often play a key role in rate design, time-of-use pricing, and long-term planning.
Why the Two Approaches Conflict
The tension between embedded and marginal costs arises because utilities operate as capital-intensive, regulated monopolies. These systems require large fixed investments that must be recovered over time. In many cases, marginal costs are significantly lower than average embedded costs, especially after infrastructure is already in place.
If rates were set strictly at marginal cost, total revenue might fall short of the utility’s overall financial requirement. Conversely, relying only on embedded costs can weaken economic signals, leading to inefficient consumption patterns and higher long-term system costs.
Regulators, therefore, face a structural challenge: balancing financial sufficiency with economic efficiency.
Common Pitfalls and Misinterpretations
One of the most significant risks in utility pricing is treating either cost concept as universally “correct.” Each serves a different purpose.
A common mistake is using embedded cost studies to make claims about economic efficiency or customer subsidies. Because embedded costs are based on historical averages, they do not reflect incremental system impacts. Drawing economic conclusions from them can be misleading.
Another pitfall occurs when marginal cost estimates are used without recognizing their limitations. Marginal costs depend heavily on assumptions about future demand, capacity needs, technology, and time horizons. Small changes in these assumptions can produce very different results.
There is also a policy risk. When stakeholders selectively cite the cost measure that supports their position, debates shift from analytical questions to strategic arguments, increasing conflict and reducing trust in the process.
The Practical Reality in Rate Design
In practice, most regulatory frameworks use a combination of both approaches. Embedded costs ensure that total system costs are recovered, while marginal cost principles guide rate structure, pricing signals, and demand management strategies.
This blended approach reflects the reality of regulated utility economics. No single cost definition can satisfy all objectives simultaneously.
Why Definitions Matter
The debate between embedded and marginal costs is not just technical terminology. It reflects deeper questions about fairness, efficiency, and long-term system planning. Confusion often arises when the purpose of a cost measure is not clearly defined or when results are applied outside their intended context.
Clear definitions, transparent assumptions, and alignment between analytical methods and policy goals are essential. Without them, even well-designed cost studies can produce misunderstanding and controversy.
In utility pricing, the challenge is not choosing one cost concept over the other. The real challenge is knowing when each should be used—and recognizing the risks when that distinction is ignored.
To clear more such concepts, read Don’t Fear the Cost Study by Clark Kaml.
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1 year with SD Maid — Freed space: 8.0 GB. Keeping your Android clean and tidy. #SDMaid
Try it: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.darken.sdmse
SD Maid 2/SE - System Cleaner - Apps on Google Play
I have SD Maid on both my Samsung devices, an S-25+, and a Tab S-6 Lite. The 8 gb of freed space is from the tablet, which also has a 128 gb SD card. I usually do my morning Tumblr reading and posting from the tablet. The tablet can get really junked up with from my research as I inprovise many post
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Mid-sized traditional enclosed game room with white walls, a wood surround for the fireplace, a dark wood floor, and a wall-mounted television.
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Easy Audio Sync ~ Syncing & Conversion Utility
Audio library syncing and conversion utility
Easy Audio Sync is an audio library syncing and conversion utility. The intended use is syncing an audio library with many lossless files to a mobile device with limited storage.
The program’s design is inspired by the rsync utility. It supports folder-based source to destination syncing, with added audio transcoding capability, and is GUI-based…
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I’m laughing about this because if I think about it too hard it makes me wanna crawl under my desk and hyperventilate.
I made an error at work today that could have, maybe, killed some idiot man determined to take care of it himself than let a professional handle it (for free!).
For context, I work for a power utility.
This very bright, cocksure man called because his meter base had come off his house and he wanted to know if he could open it and bolt it back. The meter is on/live. I told him we really should cut the power at the transformer before he does anything (because one wrong move with a power drill and you’re fried).
This very confident man then asked well “If I did it anyway would you have any way of knowing?”
And I promptly replied, “Only if your name is in the obituaries tomorrow.”
And he seemed happy with that and hung up.
My manager heard the call and I was -extremely- pissed about this and now we can’t get a hold of the customer who called in.
Hope you’re okay out there dude and not in chicken-fried heaven.
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mobile navigation
OKAY I’VE BEEN FORCED TO USE MOBILE AND NOW UNDERSTAND THE POINT OF THESE NAVIGATION POSTS
SIDEBAR STUFF:
this is the SIMBLR for @Lodane
(i will follow you/back from that acct)
MY PERSONAL SITE:
https://lodane.neocities.org
(mostly ts2 atm but more soon)
ASKS ARE OPEN, SOMETIMES SLOW REPLIES.
WCIF FRIENDLY BUT I HAVE A BAD MEMORY.
https://lodane-sims.tumblr.com/ask
ARCHIVE LINK
https://lodane-sims.tumblr.com/archive
MY DOWNLOADS TAG(s)
https://lodane-sims.tumblr.com/tagged/TheLodaneFiles
https://lodane.neocities.org/tag/sims-2-download/ this the download tag on my site. i might “main post” my stuff there, and just link it on tumblr… so it’s always a safe bet to check.
MY DOWNLOADS (OTHER LINKS)
SimFileShare folder https://simfileshare.net/folder/190741/
Google Drive folder https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1eqBqsJuPO_tGSENhC-8aJ_xdDLqNvApf?usp=sharing
TERMS OF USE
(spoiler: that shit ain’t real lol)
https://lodane-sims.tumblr.com/tou
GAMEPLAY STYLE & RULES - OUTDATED
i wrote this a couple-few years ago and have barely gotten to play since then.
it’s largely outdated bc i’ve got a literal notebook of ideas since then.
also i didn’t know how to make anything when i wrote this, and that’s changed.
i promise this (and the next page) will eventually be updated!
https://lodane-sims.tumblr.com/gameplay
THE M.U.M.U.M.A.S.H. [mega-uber-maxi-ultra-multi-astro-super-hood] - OUTDATED
this is the old idea for a megahood with all my favorite custom hoods (and a few of my own)
a version of this will eventually happen, but it probably won’t look like this…
i promise this (and the prev page) will eventually be updated!
https://lodane-sims.tumblr.com/megahood
POLITICAL AXIS TEST MEME:
but for maxis match vs alpha
& simlish vs earthling
(no actual test, just the image)
https://lodane-sims.tumblr.com/post/748230136172871680/lol-i-made-a-thing
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Guida completa ai servizi online della Tessera Sanitaria 2026: impara ad accedere con SPID o CIE, consultare le spese sanitarie per il 730, scaricare ricette elettroniche, richiedere duplicati e gestire l'opposizione dati. Tutti i servizi del portale STS spiegati passo dopo passo. #TesseraSanitaria
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MicToggle ~ Microphone Control Tool
MicToggle is a lightweight microphone control tool designed for focus and clarity. Instantly mute or unmute your mic using a custom hotkey — no matter what you’re doing. Stay aware of your mic status with a movable on-screen overlay, system tray icon, and optional audio cues. Choose your preferred microphone, set startup behavior, and enjoy a clean, unobtrusive interface. Whether you’re gaming,…
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Inspiration for a large, classic walk-in closet renovation with open cabinets and medium-toned carpeting.
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PORTLAND: DO NOT OPEN YOUR DOORS FOR UTILITY WORKERS
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Fluent Bit classic to YAML
Many of the most potent features being added to Fluent Bit are only available in the newer YAML format. At the same time Fluent Bit is celebrating its 10th anniversary, so we can be sure that are some established deployments that are being maintained with the classic format.
The transition between the two Fluebnt Bit formats can be a bit fiddly. We built a tool as described in my Fluent Bit…
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North American L-17A “Navion”, a single-engine, four-seat utility aircraft on a vintage postcard
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Single-engine utility aircraft Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter on a vintage postcard