Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa

[Alan Klein]

Sort of, sort of not.  There are definitely points that can be made about how deregulation has exacerbated the problem, but it goes much deeper than that, up to and including the simple fact that this is a very rare event that probably couldn't have been preplanned effectively for without an investment that would have *seemed* to have been massively cost-inefficient.

SO.. now the righties started by screaming about how "green" energy (i.e. windpower) was the cause of all this, then when it was pointed out that a larger percentage of the current loss is coming form fossil fuel outages they started making excuses, and the lefties started harping on deregulation, when in reality, it's some of both.

Like Covid, you can't fight nature.  Sometimes things just work against you. It's part of life. Reminds me of the contest where they rated which dog breed has the best bark. 

[Alan Klein]

I had that suspicion. 

FICA bites me in the ass every year.  Federal income tax, not so much. 

Well, you will get it back if you live long enough.  Of course, it won't be worth anything by then because of inlfation.

[jeremyrh]

I think that the free market does pretty well overall, although some things clearly need to be more heavily regulated. But: this current catastrophe was last replicated (at this level) and (as far as I've been able to tell) in 1899. So, even if you were a regulator, how much tax money would you be willing to spend to protect against a 110-year event that lasts for a week?

The current conditions may not have occurred for a long time but domestic water pipes freeze and burst in Texas on an annual basis and still they build houses without adequate insulation so I'm not optimistic about the "free market" reacting to events large or small.

[jeremyrh]

Like Covid, you can't fight nature.  Sometimes things just work against you. It's part of life. Reminds me of the contest where they rated which dog breed has the best bark.

Im not sure that insulating pipes counts as "fighting nature".

[faberryman]

The articles I read said the building was falling apart. Blocks were falling off the side of the building. No wonder Trump didn't want to pay his contractors. Did he sue them?

No, Trump ran the casino into bankruptcy well before the building started falling apart.

[Alan Klein]

It should not be confusing. Texas is hot in the summer, so they need to have a robust electricity grid to power all those air conditioners running full blast all the time. In the face of global warming, Texas will need to upgrade its grid to handle more and bigger air conditioners running more days in the year.

Idiots like Tucker Carlson say the current problem is that the windmills are frozen. That is because the windmill operators did not invest in windmill heaters like they do in places like Denmark. So they saved some money on windmill heaters, and are screwed when it gets really cold. Fortunately, it doesn't get really cold that often. A bigger problem is that they can't generate electricity from natural gas, which supplies 40% of the electricity, because the natural gas is frozen at the rig and in the pipelines. Maybe to save money they didn't install heaters or insulation or whatever. What about nuclear? Well, I read somewhere in the past day or two that they can't run nuclear power plants because they need water for cooling and it is all frozen. Seems they elected to skimp on the heaters there too. Not paying for all these heaters and insulation and whatever has the benefit of lower electricity prices most of the time. The trade off is that when it gets really cold nothing works and you are going to freeze your ass off. This is no different than you and your backup generator. You don't want to spend the money for something you are going to rarely use. Unfortunately, there are not enough chalets in the Poconos to accommodate all the residents of Texas without electricity. Besides, unlike Texas, they would probably have to wear masks, and that's a non-starter.

My electricity goes off practically every time there is a storm. The branches fall off the trees and take down the power lines. The tree trimmer guys have quite a racket going on. They go around all the time trimming off the branches so they won't take down the power lines. They figured out that the branches grow back so it is lifetime employment. I don't have a backup generator. My neighbor does. So when the electricity goes out, we go over to our neighbors to drink coffee and watch TV and stuff. You might want to tell your wife that if you install a backup generator then all the neighbors are going to come over to your house every time the power goes out. I may have just saved you $10,000 with that little piece of advice.

My neighbors on both sides of me have generators.  One of them just put theirs in. They've offered to run an extension cord so I could plug it into my refrigerator until I get my generator.  That sounds like a cheaper option, but it would be embarrassing to have to ask. 

Actually, I'm thinking ahead.  The generator I want comes with the circuits and computing to handle backup batteries.  I'm thinking of combining that with solar so I can be completely off-grid and even have the power to keep the AC's running at night.  The problem is the batteries available today are not sufficient to handle 4 tons of AC.  But if I get the generator now, they probably will have better batteries in the future.  Of course, solar and batteries add huge costs to the already high cost of the generator.  So I'm not sure it's worth the Return on Investment.  Of course, my wife thinks the returns are fine. 

[kers]

I read 500.000 deaths due to covid in the US on https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/
3 months ago it was 250.000...

[digitaldog]

My neighbors on both sides of me have generators.  One of them just put theirs in. They've offered to run an extension cord so I could plug it into my refrigerator until I get my generator.  That sounds like a cheaper option, but it would be embarrassing to have to ask. 

But no embarrassment posting fiction. 
And since he's got me on the ignore list, I find it pointless to post about years of actual experiences with generators (the big fellows like my Generac Power System), installed here because we're on a well. No power, no water too; that sucks. Or how one can have such a generator hooked up to essential circuits like a refrigerator, all heating and cooling infrastructure in the home, plus a few extra in the hose to run if necessary, the Microwave. 

[Alan Klein]

Precisely illustrating a key failure point of the "free market" - it's ultimately reactionary, and completely sucks at preparing for unusual events (especially when it's squeezing every last penny out on "just in time"models of efficiency).  It's why we can't let the "free market" wholly guide forward thinking energy policy.  The "free market" has now "successfully" identified a weakness in the Texas energy grid. Thanks - that was useful!!

However, the government is worse.  First, they support the industries that contribute to their re-election campaigns.  Where's the science in that? Example, in order to reduce pollution, the government mandated that 10% of gasoline contain ethanol which is made from corn.  They did that to make the corn producers in the farm states happy under the guise they were reducing pollution.. But that not only increased the cost of gasoline.  It increased the cost of food people eat as well because the cornfields were growing corn for gasoline rather than as feedstocks for food production. 

The whole process becomes perverse when the government picks winners and losers.  Free markets are more efficient and actually produce better products in the end.  Just look at the TV, computer, cellphone, internet, and other technology markets.  It's amazing what has happened due to free markets and competition.  How about cameras?  Even the rocket industry is making NASA obsolete. 

Would you really want to fly in a plane built and maintained by Congress?

[Alan Klein]

Well of course you like Puerto Ricans. You wouldn't dislike an entire group of people based on their ethnicity. So, that goes without saying.

No I like Puerto Ricans and other Latinos, especially women.  I find them sexy and attractive. They're very friendly and personable.  I think it's an ethnic as well as a cultural thing.  Who do you like more?

[jeremyrh]

No I like Puerto Ricans and other Latinos, especially women.  I find them sexy and attractive. They're very friendly and personable.  I think it's an ethnic as well as a cultural thing.  Who do you like more?

So statehood is merited on the condition of Alan's underpants?

[Alan Klein]

However, if you move there, you give up your right to vote in federal elections. You may also need to occasionally duck rolls of paper towels being thrown by a sociopath.

Well, I wouldn't move now because the Democrats are going to ruin it all when they make it a state. 

[TechTalk]

No I like Puerto Ricans and other Latinos, especially women.  I find them sexy and attractive. They're very friendly and personable.  I think it's an ethnic as well as a cultural thing.  Who do you like more?

I view people as individuals. To do otherwise is pure unadulterated foolishness.

[Alan Klein]

Alan lives in New Jersey so his votes for Republicans don't really count anyway. If he moved to Puerto Rico, he wouldn't waste time going to the polls to waste his vote, and he could still complain about the Democrats being a bunch of socialists and worse. Sounds like the best of both worlds.

I don't recall the last Republican I voted for who won in my state (NY and now NJ).  I should have just stayed home rather than vote. 

[faberryman]

Actually, I'm thinking ahead.  The generator I want comes with the circuits and computing to handle backup batteries.  I'm thinking of combining that with solar so I can be completely off-grid and even have the power to keep the AC's running at night.  The problem is the batteries available today are not sufficient to handle 4 tons of AC.  But if I get the generator now, they probably will have better batteries in the future.  Of course, solar and batteries add huge costs to the already high cost of the generator.  So I'm not sure it's worth the Return on Investment.  Of course, my wife thinks the returns are fine. 

You have probably run the numbers, and maybe even visited with your doctor, but don't you think you'll be dead before you break even on the deal?

[Alan Klein]

I hear if you really want to live somewhere with no taxes and a warm climate, Somalia is worthy of consideration. Also, virtually no government interference in your affairs!

That's because everyone is a pirate.

[faberryman]

No I like Puerto Ricans and other Latinos, especially women.  I find them sexy and attractive. They're very friendly and personable.  I think it's an ethnic as well as a cultural thing.  Who do you like more?

I am not going anywhere near responding to this post.

[TechTalk]

Well, I wouldn't move now because the Democrats are going to ruin it all when they make it a state.

Colonialism isn't a good look or a good system of government for a nation that embraces democracy. Knee-jerk reactions based on ideological labels isn't a good look or a good system of reasoning for someone that embraces rational thinking.

[Alan Klein]

I think that the free market does pretty well overall, although some things clearly need to be more heavily regulated. But: this current catastrophe was last replicated (at this level) and (as far as I've been able to tell) in 1899. So, even if you were a regulator, how much tax money would you be willing to spend to protect against a 110-year event that lasts for a week?

Well we all balance risk against cost.  I use to be in the fire alarm maintenance business in high-rise office buildings in NYC.  No one installed sprinklers until there were some really bad fires.  The cost was too prohibitive. Now all new buildings have sprinklers.  Even in your home people make this decision.  After all, how many people install sprinklers?  It would protect your house from getting burned down.  Smoke detectors only alert you so you can get out.  But they don't stop the fire. 

Have you paid to install fire extinguishers? Why not?

[faberryman]

Well, I wouldn't move now because the Democrats are going to ruin it all when they make it a state.

Yet you chose to retire to New Jersey. There appears to be a disconnect between your words and deeds.