The stars at night are real bright when there's no light deep in the heart of Texas.

[XsjadoBlayde]

This is just completely reprehensible.

“No one owes you or your family anything; nor is it the local governments responsibility to support you during trying times like this! Sink or swim, it’s your choice!”
''The city and county, along with other providers owe you NOTHING''
''Only the strong will survive and the weak will perish ''
''But I'll be damned if I'll provide for anyone that can provide for himself''

This is why America's whole ''lol government help BAD!'' approach is silly. If the government shouldn't even be helping its citizens during disasters then when should it help? What else is the duty of the government if not protecting its citizens? This mayor refused to even consider the idea that he had any duty towards the people he is leading and thus his immediate termination as mayor is the only acceptable outcome. Leaders have a duty to their citizens and going ''lol you just freeze and die you dirty pleb'' is not an acceptable position to hold.

Toxic masculinity prescribed and enforced by the state, only for the poor of course.

 

[ObsidianJones]

The government:

"No one owes you or your family anything; nor is it the local governments responsibility to support you during trying times like this! Sink or swim, it’s your choice! The City and County, along with power providers or any other service owes you NOTHING! I’m sick and tired of people looking for a damn hand out! If you don’t have electricity you step up and come up with a game plan to keep your family warm and safe. If you have no water you deal with out and think outside of the box to survive and supply water to your family. If you were sitting at home in the cold because you have no power and are sitting there waiting for someone to come rescue you because your lazy is direct result of your raising! Only the strong will survive and the week will perish. Folks, God Has given us the tools to support ourselves in times like this. This is sadly a product of a socialist government where they feed people to believe that the FEW work and others will become dependent for handouts. Am I sorry that you have been dealing without electricity and water; yes! But I’ll be damned if I’m going to provide for anyone that is capable of doing it themselves! We have lost sight of those in need and those that take advantage of the system and mesh them into one group!! Bottom line, quit crying and looking for a handout! Get off your ass and take care of your own family! "

Also the government:

"Pay us our fucking tax money!"

I'm sadly going to do you one better.

Bipartisan bill proposes taxpayers pay for lawmakers' meals

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Bipartisan legislation proposes that North Dakota taxpayers pick up the tab for lawmakers’ meals since dinners paid for by lobbyists and interest groups are now banned under voter-approved ethics rules. Republican GOP Rep. Keith Kempenich is sponsoring HB1424 that would...

apnews.com

Bipartisan legislation proposes that North Dakota taxpayers pick up the tab for lawmakers’ meals since dinners paid for by lobbyists and interest groups are now banned under voter-approved ethics rules.

Republican GOP Rep. Keith Kempenich is sponsoring HB1424 that would allow lawmakers who live outside Bismarck to claim reimbursement for meals. The bill has an estimated two-year cost of more than $424,000, or about $3,340 for each of the 127 qualified lawmakers during the maximum 80-day session.

Kempenich said Wednesday that the bill was inspired by the measure that voters approved in 2018 that amended the North Dakota Constitution to include a sweeping government ethics overhaul. Most Republicans opposed the measure that was aimed at adding transparency and accountability to government.

The Bowman rancher pushed a similar bill two years ago, while the ethics rules were being crafted and some meals were still being provided. No hearing has been scheduled for the new bill.

Kempenich, who has been in the House since 1993, said dinners funded by lobbyists and other groups had gone from “steak and lobster to finger food” during that time. Lawmakers used to joke about the weight they packed on during a session, but this session, he said, the freebie food is nonexistent.

Now, forgive me, as I'm apparently not as bright as Republicans... but that sounds to me like a Republican proposed a state-wide hand out literally paid for by the citizens because the Poor Representatives can't get their free steak any more!

And don't think that it's bipartisan isn't lost on me. I get that ND Joint House and State Members which total 141 have only 21 Democrats. But for any one of you ND Democrats that signed onto this bill? That's why people like me left your damn Party.

 

[MrCalavera]

''Only the strong will survive and the weak will perish ''

Who made Vergil a mayor?

 

[Satinavian]

Not that he could actually spell "weak" if the source is correct.

 

[Worgen]

Wind Turbines don't work well in snow and have to be stopped normally to try and prevent issues.
Solar isn't going to do much under a blanked of snow.
Water isn't going to do much when it's frozen in a number of places.

Its a stupid tweet, but part of the reason we have our own separate grid is because we didn't want to follow federal regulations that would have done things like added winterization tech to wind turbines and gas so they wouldn't freeze so easy.

 

[crimson5pheonix]

And we have a boil water notice, because we third world now

 

[crimson5pheonix]

So AOC is blaming it on a lack of Green Energy........


Not to be too pedantic but the only Green Energy that would have kept going with the level of snow would be the non renewable glowy green rod kind.

Wind Turbines don't work well in snow and have to be stopped normally to try and prevent issues.
Solar isn't going to do much under a blanked of snow.
Water isn't going to do much when it's frozen in a number of places.

As a point of fact, after the deicing (which wouldn't have needed to happen if they were winterized) the wind turbines were over performing while fossil fuels are still in a lurch because of fuel.

If we were 100% renewable, we'd at least be better off if not back to normal now. Instead we still don't have power and our electric bills are going to spike because the price of natural gas has gone up literally over 1000%

 

[Dalisclock]

As a point of fact, after the deicing (which wouldn't have needed to happen if they were winterized) the wind turbines were over performing while fossil fuels are still in a lurch because of fuel.

If we were 100% renewable, we'd at least be better off if not back to normal now. Instead we still don't have power and our electric bills are going to spike because the price of natural gas has gone up literally over 1000%

GOP: Something Something Keystone XL pipeline Something Something.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

If the government shouldn't even be helping its citizens during disasters then when should it help? What else is the duty of the government if not protecting its citizens?

According to Republicans, the duty of the government is to comfort the comfortable and afflict the afflicted. Because there must be "winners" and "losers", and the losers must lose everything so that the winners feel good about winning.

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

So AOC is blaming it on a lack of Green Energy........


Not to be too pedantic but the only Green Energy that would have kept going with the level of snow would be the non renewable glowy green rod kind.

Wind Turbines don't work well in snow and have to be stopped normally to try and prevent issues.
Solar isn't going to do much under a blanked of snow.
Water isn't going to do much when it's frozen in a number of places.

Hi. Montana generates huge amount of hydro power, has a growing amount of wind power, and hasn't had to shut any of that down despite over a week of sub zero temperatures. And you just...brush off the solar panels.
Hell, wind power in Texas is overperforming winter estimates right now, despite the freeze.

 

[ObsidianJones]

So AOC is blaming it on a lack of Green Energy........


Not to be too pedantic but the only Green Energy that would have kept going with the level of snow would be the non renewable glowy green rod kind.

Wind Turbines don't work well in snow and have to be stopped normally to try and prevent issues.
Solar isn't going to do much under a blanked of snow.
Water isn't going to do much when it's frozen in a number of places.

Geothermal is also a good bet.

Is Texas’ Energy Future Geothermal? | The Light Lab

Geothermal energy sources might start helping produce electricity in the Lone Star State.

blog.firstchoicepower.com

.

Texas Geothermal Fun Facts - SMU

www.smu.edu

The stars at night are real bright when there's no light deep in the heart of Texas.

To those Texans who think Climate Change is a hoax and/or routinely vote for shits who do everything they can to impede actually address the problem(you know who you are), think warm thoughts. Those cold temperatures are just the Chinese trying to destroy your freedum. To those Texans who are...

forums.escapistmagazine.com

And with Green energy, maintenance has to be done. But some of it is now self sufficient. Like Solar panels that heat up to melt snow.

Heating solar panels to clear snow

A Norwegian company has developed a way to melt snow on modules to avoid excess weight on roofs and panels, especially on large commercial and industrial arrays. A control system measuring snow density is linked to DC power supply units to warm the panels.

www.pv-magazine.com

But with alternatives, you should always have back ups.

If you want to dip your toe in minimal human energy production, get a K-tor 50 pedal generator. You can only produce 50 watts via it, but that's enough to keep cell phones charged and able to talk to loved ones. If you have a energy production unit like a Jackery or Goal Zero, do it through out the day and have something at night.

But if you really want to get into energy production, I'm going to share my next purchase for myself... which will be my personal birthday, Christmas and Kwanzaa gift until 2026.

G886 Verso Cross Trainer - SportsArt

Verso offers a truly customizable, approachable, and engaging cross-training experience.

www.gosportsart.com

Generating up to 250 watts per hour. If you have a few people in your house hold, you got energy for the entire night.

I don't trust anyone any more, is what I'm saying.

 

[happyninja42]

James Patterson books do too. And anything by Ayn Rand.

 

[Agema]

I'm sadly going to do you one better.
...
And don't think that it's bipartisan isn't lost on me. I get that ND Joint House and State Members which total 141 have only 21 Democrats. But for any one of you ND Democrats that signed onto this bill? That's why people like me left your damn Party.

I'm not opposed to expenses for politicians, including the understanding that these might be extensive as their work may require them to be away from home a lot. It should be fine for an employer to reimburse for meals out incurred as part of doing one's job. Taxpayers should not be paying for politicians fine dining every night, but $3,300 for 80 days is $40 a day: this seems to me pretty reasonable daily food expenses. Really, it's the sort of price the people can suck up if they want to reduce lobbying.

What I would say is that the bill should either set a clear expenses regime: maybe a lump sum at a modest level with no need for receipts (and if canny politicians want to scrimp on their dinners and de facto add the expenses to their salary, so be it) or should have receipts and proper accounting and oversight.

 

[happyninja42]

Gas stations are closed on the iced over roads because the second largest state in the country has fewer than 800 plows/salt trucks TOTAL for this “unlikely’ eventuality we’ve found ourselves in.

Eh, as someone who also lives in a southern state known for being "hot as satan's ass crack" most of the year, I can't really fault them not spending money on an infrastructure that just didn't have a high likelihood of happening, especially considering decades, if not over a century of meteorological data. I live in Alabama, and if someone presented a proposal to spend a ton of our state budget on like, earthquake stuff, I'd probably say that's not a very good investment. We are equally just as fucked if there is major snow here, as we don't have snow trucks with salt/plows/etc, but we get that type of weather so rarely, it's really just not something to assume would happen. I see it as the reverse of say, a place like...I dunno, *does a quick google search* one of the most northwestern states in the US, lobbying to establish massive tornado infrastructure. It's just not something likely to happen.

So I'm kind of mixed on the whole "mock them for their idiocy" angle, at least on the point of "you guys didn't spend millions of dollars, probably annually, to plan for an eventuality that historically has never happened in your state before"

All the other stupid shit they did, that's up for mockery.

 

[Dwarvenhobble]

Geothermal is also a good bet.

Is Texas’ Energy Future Geothermal? | The Light Lab

Geothermal energy sources might start helping produce electricity in the Lone Star State.

blog.firstchoicepower.com

.

Texas Geothermal Fun Facts - SMU

www.smu.edu

The stars at night are real bright when there's no light deep in the heart of Texas.

To those Texans who think Climate Change is a hoax and/or routinely vote for shits who do everything they can to impede actually address the problem(you know who you are), think warm thoughts. Those cold temperatures are just the Chinese trying to destroy your freedum. To those Texans who are...

forums.escapistmagazine.com

And with Green energy, maintenance has to be done. But some of it is now self sufficient. Like Solar panels that heat up to melt snow.

Heating solar panels to clear snow

A Norwegian company has developed a way to melt snow on modules to avoid excess weight on roofs and panels, especially on large commercial and industrial arrays. A control system measuring snow density is linked to DC power supply units to warm the panels.

www.pv-magazine.com

But with alternatives, you should always have back ups.

If you want to dip your toe in minimal human energy production, get a K-tor 50 pedal generator. You can only produce 50 watts via it, but that's enough to keep cell phones charged and able to talk to loved ones. If you have a energy production unit like a Jackery or Goal Zero, do it through out the day and have something at night.

But if you really want to get into energy production, I'm going to share my next purchase for myself... which will be my personal birthday, Christmas and Kwanzaa gift until 2026.

G886 Verso Cross Trainer - SportsArt

Verso offers a truly customizable, approachable, and engaging cross-training experience.

www.gosportsart.com

Generating up to 250 watts per hour. If you have a few people in your house hold, you got energy for the entire night.

I don't trust anyone any more, is what I'm saying.

Could still be possible for the water used to freeze unfortunately with Geothermal. I mean the gas at some of the fossil fuel plants was freezing in the pipes allegedly coupled with a spike in demand it pushed the grid over the edge.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Eh, as someone who also lives in a southern state known for being "hot as satan's ass crack" most of the year, I can't really fault them not spending money on an infrastructure that just didn't have a high likelihood of happening, especially considering decades, if not over a century of meteorological data. I live in Alabama, and if someone presented a proposal to spend a ton of our state budget on like, earthquake stuff, I'd probably say that's not a very good investment. We are equally just as fucked if there is major snow here, as we don't have snow trucks with salt/plows/etc, but we get that type of weather so rarely, it's really just not something to assume would happen. I see it as the reverse of say, a place like...I dunno, *does a quick google search* one of the most northwestern states in the US, lobbying to establish massive tornado infrastructure. It's just not something likely to happen.

So I'm kind of mixed on the whole "mock them for their idiocy" angle, at least on the point of "you guys didn't spend millions of dollars, probably annually, to plan for an eventuality that historically has never happened in your state before"

All the other stupid shit they did, that's up for mockery.

The issue is the independent, privately-managed grid, no federal support. Basically, "we'll take care of our own cuz we don't need big guh'ment interfering in our business"... until we need the guh'ment to ASSIST in our inability to handle our business.

I entirely understand not spending to mitigate EVERY potentiality; what I won't accept is not doing so AND puffing your chest out over how independent you can be when your citizens are suffering because you clearly AREN'T that independent.

Unrealistic belief in self-sustainability mixed with hubris, and my house is 45-degrees because of it.

 

[happyninja42]

The issue is the independent, privately-managed grid, no federal support. Basically, "we'll take care of our own cuz we don't need big guh'ment interfering in our business"... until we need the guh'ment to ASSIST in our inability to handle our business.

I entirely understand not spending to mitigate EVERY potentiality; what I won't accept is doing so AND puffing your chest out over how independent you can be when your citizens are suggesting because you clearly AREN'T that independent.

Unrealistic belief in self-sustainability mixed with hubris, and my house is 45-degrees because of it.

I agree, like I said, there are a LOT of things that went wrong with Texas and this situation. I just personally can't really criticize the "we decided not to spend a lot of money on resources we might not ever need (specifically the road deicing stuff), and statistically haven't needed in living memory" All the other shit they dropped the ball on, yeah totally valid criticism.

 

[Dwarvenhobble]

The issue is the independent, privately-managed grid, no federal support. Basically, "we'll take care of our own cuz we don't need big guh'ment interfering in our business"... until we need the guh'ment to ASSIST in our inability to handle our business.

I entirely understand not spending to mitigate EVERY potentiality; what I won't accept is doing so AND puffing your chest out over how independent you can be when your citizens are suggesting because you clearly AREN'T that independent.

Unrealistic belief in self-sustainability mixed with hubris, and my house is 45-degrees because of it.

All I can say is good luck.

Stuff clothes with newspaper to try and help keep warm.

Do arctic survival stuff like eating chocolate for the calories to keep body temperature up and making sure you have calories in your system to produce warmth.

 

[Chimpzy]

the gas at some of the fossil fuel plants was freezing in the pipes

That seems ... rather highly unlikely. Natural gas is mostly methane which has a melting point of -182°C (-296°F for you yanks). What can happen is water in and around the pipes and machinery freezing, causing blockages and rendering stuff like valves and hydraulics inoperable.

 

[Trunkage]

As a point of fact, after the deicing (which wouldn't have needed to happen if they were winterized) the wind turbines were over performing while fossil fuels are still in a lurch because of fuel.

If we were 100% renewable, we'd at least be better off if not back to normal now. Instead we still don't have power and our electric bills are going to spike because the price of natural gas has gone up literally over 1000%

Seems like Texas built windfarms not designed to work in the cold.... which, to be fair, is not a problem you usually have in Texas