Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Well, it finally happened. U.N. Agenda 21 arrived in my mailbox yesterday in the form of a rosy letter from Dominion Virginia Power, inviting me to sign up for their Smart Cooling Rewards Program.

All I have to do is allow them to install a cutoff switch (for free) on my air conditioning unit or heat pump, and I will get $40 a year. During times of peak usage, Dominion will remotely cycle my A/C or heat pump off and on to "reduce the need to run peak generators or import electricity."

Sounds enticing—help save the planet and get $40 besides, but is there a fly in the ointment?

Hmmm… The first clue is the word "Smart," which usually translates as increased central control at the expense of the individual. More significantly, they provided no defined criteria for cycling your A/C, or to what extent it will be cycled. Nor did they provide the criteria to remain fixed over time.

Initially, the cycling is likely to be bar...