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Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation on 02/18/21 in all areas

  1. It's an Igbo name. Christian Okoye (and other Okoyes), Nnamdi Asomugha, ND Kalu, and anyone named Okafor are also Igbo. Closer to home: Chris Ogbonnaya, the Acho brothers, and Orakpo. Away from sports: Fat Tony and Tyler the Creator Igbo-Americans whose ancestors came as slaves, ancestry discovered via DNA: Paul Robeson, TD Jakes, Forrest Whitaker, and Blair Cunningham Adoleye Adeoye was Yoruba. (Ado- and Ade- and Akin- names are Yoruba) There seems to be fewer Yoruba football players in general, not just with us. And maybe fewer Yoruba immigrants, period. Hakeem Olajuwon is Yoruba. So is Gbenga Akinnagbe, aka Chris Partlow This has been your Nigerian Naming Conventions Minute
    33 points
  2. I am beat. My friend Chris, that I get my oysters and crawfish from, came home to a flooded yard, and water coming out from around exterior doors. Two story house built in the late 80's. He put the word out on NextDoor, and so many showed up, we had to start turning them away. Really restored my faith in my community. I sucked out at least 100 gallons of water, and there were eight other shop vacs going as well. We tore the ceilings out, cleaned everything up, filled the garage with furniture, and put wooden blocks under the remaining furniture to dry it out. People dropped off so many groceries, and complete meals, that others were taking whole meals home. Another friend was in town, I asked him if he had a transfer pump, he didn't but bought two, brought them over, and started pumping out the yard into the drainage ditch. Several of those helping, are still without power at their own homes. We went to other houses, and they had all already been taken care of. CHIEF
    28 points
  3. I’m exhausted. I haven’t been on here in a while. My volunteer fire department has run well over 40 calls the last few days to include several working structure fires. Not having water is getting way too old. I smell like shit. Heads needs to roll. I just want a hot shower.
    26 points
  4. Carson made a generation laugh late at night. Stewart got a generation of people to laugh by pointing out the lunacy of elected officials through the use of humor. Limbaugh got millions of Americans to hate their fellow human beings because of skin color and country of origin. There is no humor here. Just a legacy of anger, bitterness and profiteering off of hatred of those deemed lesser than that no self-respecting individual would want to be the mark they left upon the world. He had an opportunity to spend the final year of his life trying to right the wrongs he committed, but he chose hate and stuck with it to the end.
    25 points
  5. I wish I was a Mexican in the Cancun airport when Ted Cruz was getting back on a plane to return to the greatest state in the greatest nation in the world. I would yell to him from across the airport, "Señor Cruz! Don't forget! When you get back to Tejas... Don't drink the agua! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
    23 points
  6. a NY Times op ed writer was directed to the Texags thread about Fled Cruz. hilarity ensues.
    19 points
  7. In what ways are Jon Stewart and Rush comparable? Jon Stewart is funny and is a comedian. Rush was neither. Jon Stewart overall is a good person who loves and cares about this country and the people in it. And it shows. Rush's show was full of hate and its sole purpose was driving a wedge between the American people and stoking anger in order to promote conservatism. Stewart can talk to people on the other side who don't share the same views with him and be civil and respectful while making his point or promoting his views. Rush was not capable of that. Jon Stewart called out the hypocrisy and liars and manipulators in media. Rush was a hypocrite, a liar, and a manipulator in the media. They're not comparable unless you're comparing how polar opposite they are.
    17 points
  8. You see, Ted Cruz. This is how you act like the opposite of a piece of shit. Thanks, Huff. 🤘
    17 points
  9. Whoa now, be careful with language like that. Keep it up and Ted might endorse you for President in 2024.
    16 points
  10. I mentioned in an earlier post about my future in-law (the dad of son's GF) is a big-time plant operations manager for some 15 power plants. He was going to give me the scoop on things, but as you can imagine, he was pulled to the phone and in his office for work. Guy slept ONE night since Friday. He's a great guy, hard-working, prefers hands-on fixit to management, but they kicked him up the ladder he's so good. Also, he has no stake in, nor any "ol boy" relationships with any of the playes (ERCOT, energy companies, etc.). He's a great, honest dude, so I trust him - he has NO agenda, just a hard worker and very competent engineer. Anyway, all he would say with the little time we had, mostly in the ride to/from his house (where he volunteered in the midst of his crises to pick me and the missus up and bring us back to his powered house) is that not all, but most of the blame is ERCOT's really screwing up preplanning and not cutting a lot further back over the past week gradually. He also said that although he couldn't confirm it, he did some simple math (to him) and told me that all through this ERCOT has been overstating on their graphs and PR stuff what their capacities are, by about 15K to 20K megawatts. Makes sense to me, perfectly explains if you do the numbers why despite these "increased capacities" which should have serviced almost all Texas households out of power, the reduction in those without power was slow, and even rose when it looked like demand was way below capacity. tl;dr: don't believe everything you're told. The other thing is that he has again, no agenda for or against any power companies, he just happens to live near Austin's. He said that many of these companies have done a bad job of management, that they rolled off people too fast in response to ERCOT to leave space for rolling blackouts (kind of like a sliding puzzle where you have little tiles you move up and across with one empty space. Well that empty space was supposed to be the place to roll people to/from. But they filled all the tiles in as they shed to meet the grid, so there was nowhere they could roll people without risking busting the grid. Apparently the DFW area did a much better job than especially Austin and Houston (not sure about other places) in doing it right, which is why I believe you've heard a lower percentage of huge straight-hour outages for the same people/sections. He was spending his days trying to get his engineers and operators maintaining plant operations in subfreezing temps - and some of those plants are open-air(!!) (i.e. no freaking buildings, just a roof essentially!). It's like he was given a shit sandwich of bad designs and was constantly getting trucks to deliver gas, oil, etc. to these plants to keep them going. I think he had like 11 of 15 or something of his plants maintaining operations - incredible. Again, these plants simply make electricity and supply the grid for ERCOT to divvy up - he has no say in who gets the power, he just sends it to the "pot" so to speak. This guy undoubtedly helped at least 2-3 million people stay on (or at least roll off and on decently) during all this. He should get a fucking medal. But no one will even know what he or some of these other plant operators have done - I believe they're the unsung heroes in all this. Anyway, that's what he said. Oh yeah, this is the guy who, in the middle of his own crises, insisted that he could come over and in 10 mins. hook up a generator to my breaker box, punch it on, and give me electricity. I mean, who the fuck does that? I had to practically repeat several times not to. Of course he loves doing that kind of hands-on stuff so I get it. But my god, this guy is something else. Fortunately we got power and I feel good about keeping him at his house so he could get some freaking sleep. There are some good eggs in the middle of this rotten omelette.
    16 points
  11. Finally after 113 hours we have power again. Thank you Tom Cruise.
    15 points
  12. February 2020: No toilet paper February 2021: No toilet water
    15 points
  13. You’re a fucking moron who espoused support someone that cheered for gays dying from aids. That espoused support Eric Garner being murdered by police. If you’d like to not be compared to Nazi’s then try not to act like them. Pretty amazing that y’all can’t just call a spade a spade and admit what is obviously true. Lay down with dogs...
    14 points
  14. Time to dust off one of my favorites: It's February 18 and Rush Limbaugh is still dead.
    14 points
  15. I started a list Monday that was full of little things like head lamps and a crank radio but now I’m onto AWD truck and possibly moving out of state.
    13 points
  16. The Texas grid is not subject to federal regulation. Intentionally. Why should FEMA cover the damages? Seems like Texas power generating entities and the state of Texas should start a fund to cover the damages they caused. We were told by Republicans that northeastern cities don't deserve bailouts for covid related budget shortfalls. Fine. I dont see why Texas deserves one here. Texas wanted their grid separate. It's Texas' problem. If the state doesn't have the budget for it, raise taxes. I do feel for the people affected, but collectively yall voted for this. There is plenty of money in Texas, especially in the energy sector. It should be their problem, not mine. Just like they wanted.
    13 points
  17. A significant portion of the population literally hates her yet AOC is doing more for the people of Texas than Flyin’ Ted.
    12 points
  18. My wife worked on one of the components that allowed for safe landing. Pretty impressive that something she worked on is sitting on the surface of Mars.
    12 points
  19. Optics are irrelevant when there is absolutely no accountability. And he knows that. You guys need to realize that the immortal13s, incredulitys, sacks, Kyle’s, tristones, sgt hulks, chickensandwiches, chiefs, etc... outnumber you people 2 to 1 in this state. Shamelessness is a virtue in this game...and a guy that was part of lighting the insurrection fuse boasting and joking about coordinating with the trump defense team in a trial he took an oath to be an impartial juror in order to run political interference for a guy that called his wife dog ugly will have little concern in letting a vacation during an emergency in his state slide off his back. The only way that opportunist piece of shit ever loses his seat is in a primary and the only way that happens is if some nut job that’s even shittier and more q’d up comes along to challenge him.
    12 points
  20. I appreciate this. But there is no way in our modern society that we should have to be prepared for 40+ hours without heat in sub freezing temperatures. We should be able to rely upon our society, government, and utilities functioning. Victim blaming and excusing the gross negligence that contributed to this problem is, in my view, fucking disgusting. The answer to this problem isn't to tell everyone to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. We were fairly well prepared. We had plenty of food, water, and blankets. The fact is that the vulnerable, the very old and very young, cannot survive that environment. They had advanced warning that our power grid needed to be winterized. They had advanced warning that this system was coming to get our grid ready for emergency operations. They did fucking nothing. That isnt my fault. That isn't my daughters' fault. That isn't the fault of any of the rest of us that were freezing and even dying.
    12 points
  21. I left the state for reasons not related to politics, but looking back I am okay with being where I am now. I am from Texas, but I will never live there again no matter what political party controls the state. I personally find the Texas exceptionalism attitude to be just as out of touch and divisive domestically as the American exceptionalism attitude comes across abroad to both friends and foes. We are all just people trying to make it in this world and differentiating what person or group of people is worth more based on where they are from is an attitude that needs to be retired permanently. Just way too much toxicity in thinking in such terms about our fellow human beings.
    12 points
  22. I think that it’s now safe to say that we Texans now live in a failed state. 30 years of GOP rule, setting our own standard, living the “Texas Dream,” which they’ve bragged about relentlessly…and let’s see where we are: A majority of the state in complete failure, unable to deliver the most BASIC of services (things that are called “utilities,” not “luxuries,” for a reason). No power. No water. No means of clearing roads (that one, I can’t fault the state so much….but it wouldn’t be as big a crisis if people weren’t stuck in their homes with no power and water). So citizens are stuck in their homes, some of them dying there. Water resource planning? After pretending for decades that a drought would never happen again, and not doing ANYTHING to develop resources in the state water plan (a document actually developed using science and mathematical projections), we had several locations, including actual cities, down to a few days of water supply. We’ve finally gotten on our horse a bit, but it may be too late if the next drought comes anytime soon. State rank in key categories: Education – 34 Health Care - 37 Infrastructure - 33 Opportunity - 39 Environment - 44 Infrastructure - 33 In overall quality of life ranking by US News, we are now #38, down from #36 just two years ago. At that rate, we’ll be in the bottom 3 within ten years. We are SUPER independent, and FUCK the feds….but we have requested federal disaster assistance more than any other state in the past decade or so. But hey, our economy is ranked #15! That’s right, we have a “roaring economy” and the “Texas Miracle!” But we can’t deliver the basics for our citizens. The economy is VERY efficient at funneling bazillions to the very few…..with little of it “trickling down” to most Texans. Yeah, the people on this board generally do fine, but face the facts – we’re the top 10% or so. We are educated, older, and fortunate. Our federal system allows for state-by-state experiments. Texas is the poster child for near anarcho-capitalism and zero regulation or oversight. We have tested that approach, for over a generation now (30 years of Republican rule). That approach is a failure. The evidence is undeniable, and overwhelming. It doesn’t matter how many River Oaks millionaires you produce if the rest of your people are dying in their homes. Shit, some of those River Oaks millionaires might be freezing to death today, too. The kids of a middle class family can hardly afford to go to a good state school. Their prospects for employment are mediocre. Their prospects of suffering crippling medical debt at some point are significant. Their chances of not having basic utilities needed for life safety at some point – all but certain. Their chances of becoming ill or dying from a pollution-caused illness are material. What’s the result? Our leaders have sold Texas as a paradise – move here! Bring your business here! And some businesses have done so, adding opportunity…..but providing little to no tax support for the infrastructure we all depend on. To the contrary, over the past few years, I know more and more people – educated people, people who can do their jobs elsewhere, who are looking to bail on this state. It’s people with young kids, who want them to grow up in a better place. It’s people in their working years, who simply want a better path. It’s retirees, who want a safe and secure place to live. We have consumed our seed stock. We have burned through our reserves. We are now consuming ourselves. The ability to pitch Texas as the land of opportunity is done. Seeing what we have become, the tentative thought/plan my wife and I had of wrapping up our careers here and then getting the hell out of Dodge is becoming much more concrete. My children are already unlikely to make their future in this state. Now we are, too. But the response from the Republican leadership and their sycophants – “how are you gonna pay for it? Taxes? That’s socialism! You want that stuff, you have to pay for it!” Fuck yes I do, and I’m okay with that. I want groceries…so I have to pay HEB. I want a car…so I have to pay Ford. I want clothes…..so I have to pay Dillards. I want my population educated….so I have to pay the school district. I want electricity, with enough capacity to keep us running when we need it…..so I have to pay my bill, maybe with a capacity surcharge. I want water to come out of the taps….so I have to pay for development of resources and maintenance of infrastructure. I want roads….so I pay taxes to build and maintain them. YES, I have to pay for all of those things, and “nothing is free” – no fucking shit. So, let’s pay for it. We have the #15 economy….we HAVE the funds in this state. An economy with the flow of funds that ours has can produce and maintain all of those results. But we have chosen a different path; funnel all the dollars to the top, and spend next to nothing for the public good. We have privatized profit….we have socialized the costs. And we are dying because of it. My fellow Texans are dying in their homes….and there’s nothing I can do about it today. And I am enraged. I love Texas. I am 6th generation here. My ancestors have Texas historical markers on their graves. We helped make this state, and this state helped make us. It educated us (back when college was affordable). But it’s time to face the fact – this state is a failure, and on its current path, with its current leadership and philosophy, it will only get worse. This state has a terrible future, unless we dramatically change our path. Chances of that happening? 0.0% -- because we’ll continue to vote for the guys who make our leadership priorities bathroom bills, and transgender sports, and requiring the national anthem be played at certain events. Any bill that has been proposed to improve emergency preparedness of gov’t entities has been crushed by the Republicans controlling the lege….but we will definitely stick with those guys. No taxes. No government functionality. What we are seeing happening right now is our system working EXACTLY AS IT WAS DESIGNED AND INTENDED TO WORK. And we will, I guarantee it, collectively decide to stick with that. This state is in free-fall, and anyone with eyes can see it. And anyone with a brain is starting to think of ways to make their life elsewhere. It breaks my goddamned heart to see us commit collective suicide, but here we are.
    11 points
  23. Republicans- “Biden was a senator for 40 yrs and did nothing about the National Debt, COVID, loss of jobs in the rust belt, or the rise of China” Also Republicans- “What is Ted Cruz supposed to do about a humanitarian crisis is Texas? He is just a senator!!”
    11 points
  24. Something that I have yet to see mentioned in these articles - and don't get me wrong, I don't disagree with the conclusions that ERCOT fucked up and the competitive system isn't far enough forward-looking to incentivize grid improvements- is that this happened on the back half of a four day gas trading weekend. So not only was it a five or six sigma weather event, it was also really bad timing on the trading calendar. Had this happened on a non-holiday weekday, a lot of the power supply issues would have been avoided or minimized. (Some other poster way upthread alluded to this when he was talking about buying gas for his power plant) For the most part, these resources are traded and managed "day ahead", meaning that gas is purchased and power sold and plants brought up or down the immediate day before. (There is something else called "real time" but that is more like fine tuning what is already up and running, you don't usually startup cold power plants in RT) It's hard enough to schedule and manage supply for normal weekends, which cover Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Saturday and Sunday have lower demand than Monday, but you have to trade the same amount of product for each day and then you manage it during the day after the schedule is set. Saturday and Sunday positions will sometimes get closed out at a loss with the expectation that Monday's profit will make up for it. For Monday holidays, they add Tuesday to the weekend package, so now you are trading four days of equal volumes and price but you have a different load profile on each of those days. Last Friday, when the cold was on its way here, it was already in Oklahoma and points north, and that caused gas prices to spike in those areas. Where gas is normally $2 or $3 per MMBTU it was $100 or more. And it was so cold up north that a lot of their wells were frozen off and unable to supply, so they were buying gas in South Texas and shipping it north, which made the price of South Texas gas - "Houston Ship Channel", "Waha", "NGPL STX" - spike as well, FOR THE WHOLE FOUR DAY WEEKEND. Instead of the usual $3, it was trading $200. 10-20x higher than it has ever traded. Well, ERCOT underestimated the demand on Monday and a lot of Texas generators woke up on Friday and looked at the Ship Channel price for the four day package and said, "Fuck that. That's too expensive." and they shut their plants down for the 4 day weekend. Then when the shit hit the fan on Monday, those plants were all cold and there wasn't any gas to run them anyway because it had all been exported north AND the wells in Texas were frozen off too AND one of the STP nuclear units got shut down because the water intake was freezing. And that's how you end up with no power supply when demand is going through the roof. As I said at the beginning, had this happened on a normal weekday, a lot of those resources would have been online and available. The bad forecast for the back end of a four day weekend with record gas prices is a big part of why the power grid went down. Also, as mentioned above, Houston generators got socked the hardest because there is a very large amount of gas generation here AND it is a gas trading hub AND it typically doesn't get as cold here so the plants are more susceptible.
    11 points
  25. I hope that one day I can find someone that looks at me the way phd looks at his son’s girlfriends father.
    11 points
  26. I just pissed on snow to melt it so I could flush my shit. We are texas.
    10 points
  27. Siap. Devon actually liked this tweet so this might actually be happening.
    10 points
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