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

Worgen

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Whatever, just wash your hands.

 

crimson5pheonix

It took 6 months to read my title.
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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

None of what we built is meant for the cold, which is the problem we're running into. All the instruments froze in every kind of generation, so even nuclear plants went offline. All the pipelines that carry natural gas froze so now no gas is getting pumped to the gas plants. The turbines at gas plants froze because they're just outside in the open air. It's why wind is back and gas is still failing us, we only had to deice the windmills, not half the fucking state.
 

ObsidianJones

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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.
Quick answer is not really.

Long Answer is this.


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.
I don't mind helping people. I don't mind helping people I elect.

I do take exception of someone getting appalled that he's used to Steak and Lobster and now he's regulated to finger food.

From the same article

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.
This strikes me of "We were promised Arugula!!"

1613598340139.png
 

Trunkage

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None of what we built is meant for the cold, which is the problem we're running into. All the instruments froze in every kind of generation, so even nuclear plants went offline. All the pipelines that carry natural gas froze so now no gas is getting pumped to the gas plants. The turbines at gas plants froze because they're just outside in the open air. It's why wind is back and gas is still failing us, we only had to deice the windmills, not half the fucking state.
Antartica: We use wind turbines to power our stations
Space: We use solar panels to our power our stations
Abbot: we can’t use solar and wind. It’s too cold
 

crimson5pheonix

It took 6 months to read my title.
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Antartica: We use wind turbines to power our stations
Space: We use solar panels to our power our stations
Abbot: we can’t use solar and wind. It’s too cold
Abbot: We still need fossil fuels, they're more reliable in the cold.
Renewables: Overproducing
Fossil fuels: Still offline, price spiking 100x for customers when it is online.
 

Dwarvenhobble

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Quick answer is not really.

Long Answer is this.

I dunno if it can shut down the fossil fuel plans (as pointed out it was likely other stuff freezing) then it could likely easily shut down a Geothermal plant not designed round preventing the pipes etc freezing.
 

ObsidianJones

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I dunno if it can shut down the fossil fuel plans (as pointed out it was likely other stuff freezing) then it could likely easily shut down a Geothermal plant not designed round preventing the pipes etc freezing.
Well, As one of the articles I posted said, there were 17000 wells that were prime for creating Geothermals.

Halfway measures until better solutions come.

Fun fact: photovoltaic panels are actually more efficient at cold temperatures. Tho getting covered in snow will of course stop them from generating power.
To add on this, if you notice a drop in solar wattage production on a hot, clear day, try throwing some water on your panels if they are certified water resistant. You should see a boost in wattage almost right away.
 

The Rogue Wolf

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Antartica: We use wind turbines to power our stations
Space: We use solar panels to our power our stations
Abbot: we can’t use solar and wind. It’s too cold
But... but renewable energy sources aren't manly! You need to tear precious resources from the Earth and burn them in great smoky flames to prove your domination over nature!
 

Worgen

Follower of the Glorious Sun Butt.
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Whatever, just wash your hands.
But... but renewable energy sources aren't manly! You need to tear precious resources from the Earth and burn them in great smoky flames to prove your domination over nature!
Ehh, its probably more about already having something that works and being afraid of new things. Like, I'll bet these people would have rallied against lightbulbs when they first appeared.
 

Trunkage

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But... but renewable energy sources aren't manly! You need to tear precious resources from the Earth and burn them in great smoky flames to prove your domination over nature!
I mean, there is still plenty of digging and burning just to make renewables albeit not as much. It’s just not advertised that way
 

Thaluikhain

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I mean, there is still plenty of digging and burning just to make renewables albeit not as much. It’s just not advertised that way
Sometimes there's just as much, and they make sure never to advertise that.
 

Chimpzy

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To add on this, if you notice a drop in solar wattage production on a hot, clear day, try throwing some water on your panels if they are certified water resistant. You should see a boost in wattage almost right away.
True. Photovoltaic cells convert light into power, not heat, and like most all electronics don't actually do well at high temps. Anything over 25°C generally starts reducing efficiency. Which is why slapping solar panels all over the Sahara and other deserts is not as obvious a solution to the energy problem as it may seem at first glance (also, dust/sand and electronics don't mix well either).
 
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crimson5pheonix

It took 6 months to read my title.
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Woke up with power, first time in several days that's happened. But there are people I'm talking to who haven't had power in four days, and now don't have water at all, dirty or otherwise.
 
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tippy2k2

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And Ted Cruz fled to Cancun to get away from the unfolding crisis.
I saw on The Twitter Dot Com that he is evidently coming back today but I figure at this point bruh, you might as well have stayed down there. People who are going to be pissed off at you for abandoning them in the middle of a "Once in a Century" clusterfuck are going to be mad at you no matter what you do at this point. You might as well stick to your vacation at this point cause those guillotines aren't going to be built any slower after that giant middle finger to your people...
 
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happyninja42

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I saw on The Twitter Dot Com that he is evidently coming back today but I figure at this point bruh, you might as well have stayed down there. People who are going to be pissed off at you for abandoning them in the middle of a "Once in a Century" clusterfuck are going to be mad at you no matter what you do at this point. You might as well stick to your vacation at this point cause those guillotines aren't going to be built any slower after that giant middle finger to your people...
I mean they've already got the hanging platforms built from the capitol attack. And I'm confident a lot of those shitbags were from texas. So they've probably already got it set up outside his house. Right next to a cross, and some sign saying something like "Trump is god's chosen, blah blah"
 

crimson5pheonix

It took 6 months to read my title.
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I saw on The Twitter Dot Com that he is evidently coming back today but I figure at this point bruh, you might as well have stayed down there. People who are going to be pissed off at you for abandoning them in the middle of a "Once in a Century" clusterfuck are going to be mad at you no matter what you do at this point. You might as well stick to your vacation at this point cause those guillotines aren't going to be built any slower after that giant middle finger to your people...
We got all the dirtbags showing up. Cruz, that mayor who told his constituents that the government doesn't owe them anything, Rick Perry, Abbott.

As always, the only person worth anything is a bed monger.