• EmmaGoldman [she/her, comrade/them]
    ·
    edit-2
    3 years ago

    I once visited a friend in Texas who lived in a subdivision where the power went out nearly every day at some point during the middle of the day, like 350 or so days per year. Like 1 PM, bam, power goes out and flickers on a couple of times over a 20 minute period before it's back. And everyone I spoke with thought it was an entirely normal thing that they just plan their life around and simply have everything they own aside from lights and 240v major appliances either on a UPS or power strip, even things like their toaster. Nobody bothers resetting the clock on the oven or microwave or anything because it's just gonna get messed up again tomorrow.

    • bananon [he/him]
      ·
      3 years ago

      Bruh this is like the one thing Americans pride themselves on not having to deal with

      • EmmaGoldman [she/her, comrade/them]
        ·
        3 years ago

        And this is considered a pretty high end community. The average house price is around 375k, and surrounding areas outside of the gated community are like 110k or so.

        • bananon [he/him]
          ·
          3 years ago

          My parents live in a house they honestly hate because it has so much yard work, but they chose it because it was built by an architect for himself. In Texas, that’s basically the only way to guarantee that corners weren’t cut. Across the highway there are new cookie cutter developments in corn fields that are 1/3 the price but are going to fall apart in 10 years. We often think about getting stuck holding the bag when the bubble pops, but what about when the house literally falls apart?

          • EmmaGoldman [she/her, comrade/them]
            ·
            3 years ago

            Leave Texas Challenge (impossible for Texans for some reason)

            Why is it that even after they spend like 20 minutes ranting about how Texas is the worst state, whenever you suggest that any Texan perhaps leave Texas for another state, they look at you like you just ate seven babies in two seconds?

            • bananon [he/him]
              ·
              3 years ago

              Man my parents moved TO Texas. Went there for college and never left. They’re liberals though so at least they’re not chuds

                • LoudMuffin [he/him]
                  ·
                  3 years ago

                  Is Texas REALLY that bad? I'm from California and am frequently told I do not know how great America is because "I'm from the worst state in the union which taxed itself into irrelevance"

                  • bananon [he/him]
                    ·
                    3 years ago

                    Beautiful skies, great Mexican food. The worst thing is the people

                  • EmmaGoldman [she/her, comrade/them]
                    ·
                    3 years ago

                    I'm Canadian. Of the handful states I've been to, I think California and Colorado are the most tolerable ones I've been to, and the worst ones I've been to are Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas.

              • EmmaGoldman [she/her, comrade/them]
                ·
                3 years ago

                I mean, yeah, it is an absolute hell of a thing, that's true. I just think it's funny that when someone has a conversation with you that ends in them saying "There is absolutely nothing here for me and I want to go postal rather than continuing on like this" and the concept of moving is still off the table. I have never seen any group of people from anywhere more resistant to the concept of moving, even in the face of their own impending death than Texans.

                How dare you suggest they simply give up Tacos and Whataburger?

            • OfficialBenGarrison [he/him]
              ·
              3 years ago

              I had a cousin that left Texas for Seattle.

              As much as he loved it, he kinda needed to head back because houses there are quite pricey. As much as it pains me to say something positive about liberals, it's hilarious how stuck-up fash are when liberals are probably better capitalists than they are. California's major problem is that it is TOO desirable, and everyone wants to live there. So, in a way "Not Texas" is a huge selling point, regardless of what Twitter or iFunny tries to tell you.

          • activated [he/him]
            ·
            3 years ago

            Across the highway there are new cookie cutter developments in corn fields that are 1/3 the price but are going to fall apart in 10 years

            Sardine packed cookie cutter homes in corn/sorghum fields with a brand new Super Target within a 15 mins drive is just the Texas way now

            Every developer wants to make yet another bedroom community for Austin/Plano/etc.

        • Ho_Chi_Chungus [she/her]
          ·
          3 years ago

          :agony-consuming: Not even a third of a million dollars can afford you decent housing in this country I am done :amerikkka:

      • effervescent [they/them]
        ·
        3 years ago

        Not anymore we don’t lol. The blackouts are now happening in my area about half a dozen times per year

        • bananon [he/him]
          ·
          3 years ago

          Wow really? The last we had blackouts was the February storm, but nothing since then.

    • medium_adult_son [he/him]
      ·
      3 years ago

      In Texas they have the freedom to get their power from private power plants that sell their energy to the grid in an unregulated market.

      I saw something on how crypto mining companies would get money for not running their rigs during peak hours. Not a discount, not a penalty, they'd get paid for not consuming power.