|
|
Post by mhbruin on Sept 11, 2023 8:18:18 GMT -8
I'll be ill if you remove the apostrophe.
Bitcoin and Texas. You Can Be Sure Something is Rotten.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) paid a bitcoin miner $31.7 million in energy credits in August to not mine bitcoin.
During the August heat wave, ERCOT issued eight calls for voluntary energy conservation.
People were asked to adjust home thermostats or delay doing laundry during the energy call.
But for the bitcoin miner Riot — located in Rockdale —it was an opportunity to cash in.
According to the company’s monthly report, it curtailed its power usage by more than 95% during peak demand by powering down its computers that were grinding out bitcoins.
"Texas experienced another month of extreme heat in August 2023, causing demand for electricity to spike, in some cases approaching total available supply,"the company said in a statement.
"Riot continued to execute its power strategy by curtailing its power usage by more than 95% during periods of peak demand, forgoing revenue from its Bitcoin mining operations to instead provide energy resources to ERCOT. The company’s curtailment of operations meaningfully contributed to reducing overall power demand in ERCOT, helping to ensure that consumers did not experience interruptions in service.
Riot received an estimated $24.2 million in power curtailment credits under its contract with ERCOT and $7.4 million from ERCOT’s demand response program.
Riot made more from energy credits in August than it did from actual bitcoin mining.
The company has plans to build another facility in Corsicana, with 1GW of capacity approved by ERCOT.
The credits Texas offers to the bitcoin mining industry has made it a sought-after state for these companies to do business.
A bill that would have done away with those credits passed the State Senate earlier this year, but it failed to advance past committee in the House. The Texas Legislature ended up passing two bills that expand the credits. They took effect Sept. 1.
How Much Are Bitcoin Miners Donating to Texas Legislators?
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Sept 11, 2023 8:19:03 GMT -8
Are Tex-Ass and Flori-Dumb Competing to Be the Worst States in the Union?
The political climate in Texas is the leading contributor to professors' desire to leave the state, a new survey of more than 1,900 Texas faculty members found. More than a quarter of those professors said they planned to look for positions elsewhere in the country this year as a result of political interference and widespread dissatisfaction with the state of higher education in Texas.
The survey conducted by the American Association of University Professors and the Texas Faculty Association follows warnings from faculty and students that bills targeting tenure and closing diversity, equity and inclusion offices — prioritized by state leaders during this most recent legislative session — would negatively impact universities’ ability to recruit and retain professors.
“These findings serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, administrators, employers, and other concerned citizens, emphasizing the urgent need to address the concerns raised by faculty members. Failure to do so may result in a significant exodus of faculty, challenges attracting academic talent, and an overall decline in the quality of higher education,” read a statement from the groups published with the survey’s findings.
About two-thirds of Texas respondents said they would not recommend out-of-state colleagues take positions in Texas. Of the professors surveyed, 57% cited the state’s political climate as their top reason for wanting to leave Texas. The second and third most cited reasons for a desire to leave were anxieties about salary and concerns over academic freedom, respectively.
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Sept 11, 2023 8:31:05 GMT -8
Rudy is So Broke. How Broke Is He?Rudy Giuliani's longtime girlfriend Maria Ryan seen flaunting huge $60,000 diamond ring on left hand in New York City days after his humiliating mugshot As Rudy Giuliani rounded off a week that saw him endure the most humiliating moment of his career, his longtime girlfriend Maria Ryan was beaming as she flashed a massive new ring on her wedding finger in New York City. And it seems the 57-year-old nurse practitioner indeed still has something to smile about despite her partner's legal troubles, as DailyMail.com photos show the new rock's impressive size. The hospital administrator, who has been romantically linked to the former NYC mayor since 2018, was spotted last Friday heading into an office building on 800 3rd Ave, a business address Giuliani has been seen at many times. Rudy Giuliani's longtime girlfriend Maria Ryan was spotted flashing a massive rock on her wedding finger as she stepped out in New York City last week Despite her partner's mounting legal troubles, Ryan, 57, appeared to be all smiles with her new diamond ring on full display The flashy new ring suggests Giuliani may have popped the question ahead of his looming criminal trial Ryan was seen smiling from ear to ear with her ring on full display, as she appeared to take a phone call on the street. 
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Sept 11, 2023 8:33:15 GMT -8
The QOP Sees Homosexuals Everywhere
A children's book about a lion raised by two men has been banned in Florida because right-wing activists suspect the men might be gay – despite nothing in the book suggesting they have any romantic relationship, according to a report.
The Florida Department of Education released new information about books that were banned or temporarily removed pending investigation in various county school systems as part of the state's new laws making it easier to challenge material in a school library, reported the Tallahassee Democrat. One of the books was "Christian, the Hugging Lion."
According to the report, schools in Manatee County, a conservative community just south of Tampa, withdrew the book that's based on the true story about a pair of men who raise a lion in their London apartment, then are lovingly remembered by the animal when they go to Africa to see him years later.
Nothing in the book indicates the two men are in a same-sex relationship — but activists speculated that they might be, which was enough for a complaint about the book.
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Sept 11, 2023 8:34:57 GMT -8
The Will Be Wars Over Food and Water
Egypt has voiced anger after Ethiopia announced it had filled the reservoir at a highly controversial hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile river.
Ethiopia has been in dispute with Egypt and Sudan over the megaproject since its launch in 2011. Egypt relies on the Nile for nearly all its water needs.
Egypt's foreign ministry said Ethiopia was disregarding the interests of the downstream countries.
Ethiopia says the $4.2bn (£3.4bn) dam will not cut their share of Nile water.
"It is with great pleasure that I announce the successful completion of the fourth and final filling of the Renaissance Dam," Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on X, formerly Twitter.
He admitted the project had faced "internal and external obstacles" but "we endured all that". The dam began generating electricity in February 2022.
Ethiopia believes the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (Gerd) will double the country's electricity output, providing a vital development boost, as currently half the 127-million population lacks electricity.
The plan is to generate more than 6,000 MW at the dam, which is about 30km (19 miles) from Ethiopia's border with Sudan.
Egypt and Sudan argue that common rules for the operation of Gerd must be agreed, fearing that energy-hungry Ethiopia may exacerbate their existing water shortages.
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Sept 11, 2023 8:37:21 GMT -8
What's So Special About These Elections?
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Sept 11, 2023 8:38:55 GMT -8
It's the Turnout, Stupid
|
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Sept 11, 2023 8:45:54 GMT -8
|
|
|
|
Post by sagobob on Sept 11, 2023 11:48:29 GMT -8
Are Tex-Ass and Flori-Dumb Competing to Be the Worst States in the Union?The political climate in Texas is the leading contributor to professors' desire to leave the state, a new survey of more than 1,900 Texas faculty members found. More than a quarter of those professors said they planned to look for positions elsewhere in the country this year as a result of political interference and widespread dissatisfaction with the state of higher education in Texas. The survey conducted by the American Association of University Professors and the Texas Faculty Association follows warnings from faculty and students that bills targeting tenure and closing diversity, equity and inclusion offices — prioritized by state leaders during this most recent legislative session — would negatively impact universities’ ability to recruit and retain professors. “These findings serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, administrators, employers, and other concerned citizens, emphasizing the urgent need to address the concerns raised by faculty members. Failure to do so may result in a significant exodus of faculty, challenges attracting academic talent, and an overall decline in the quality of higher education,” read a statement from the groups published with the survey’s findings. About two-thirds of Texas respondents said they would not recommend out-of-state colleagues take positions in Texas. Of the professors surveyed, 57% cited the state’s political climate as their top reason for wanting to leave Texas. The second and third most cited reasons for a desire to leave were anxieties about salary and concerns over academic freedom, respectively. As long as it doesn't screw up college football in Texas, they're fine with that. |
|
|
|
Post by sagobob on Sept 11, 2023 18:42:37 GMT -8
I'll be ill if you remove the apostrophe. Bitcoin and Texas. You Can Be Sure Something is Rotten.The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) paid a bitcoin miner $31.7 million in energy credits in August to not mine bitcoin. During the August heat wave, ERCOT issued eight calls for voluntary energy conservation. People were asked to adjust home thermostats or delay doing laundry during the energy call. But for the bitcoin miner Riot — located in Rockdale —it was an opportunity to cash in. According to the company’s monthly report, it curtailed its power usage by more than 95% during peak demand by powering down its computers that were grinding out bitcoins. "Texas experienced another month of extreme heat in August 2023, causing demand for electricity to spike, in some cases approaching total available supply,"the company said in a statement. "Riot continued to execute its power strategy by curtailing its power usage by more than 95% during periods of peak demand, forgoing revenue from its Bitcoin mining operations to instead provide energy resources to ERCOT. The company’s curtailment of operations meaningfully contributed to reducing overall power demand in ERCOT, helping to ensure that consumers did not experience interruptions in service. Riot received an estimated $24.2 million in power curtailment credits under its contract with ERCOT and $7.4 million from ERCOT’s demand response program. Riot made more from energy credits in August than it did from actual bitcoin mining. The company has plans to build another facility in Corsicana, with 1GW of capacity approved by ERCOT. The credits Texas offers to the bitcoin mining industry has made it a sought-after state for these companies to do business. A bill that would have done away with those credits passed the State Senate earlier this year, but it failed to advance past committee in the House. The Texas Legislature ended up passing two bills that expand the credits. They took effect Sept. 1. How Much Are Bitcoin Miners Donating to Texas Legislators?I guess bitcoins ain't the only thing being mined in TX. When the bitcoin miners ain't mining the suckers, they're mining the politicians. |
|
|
|
Post by mhbruin on Sept 12, 2023 8:02:12 GMT -8
I guess bitcoins ain't the only thing being mined in TX. When the bitcoin miners ain't mining the suckers, they're mining the politicians. Texas: Home of the worst politicians money can buy. |
|
