I love the Texan bitcoin mines in particular because they hold the power grid hostage and turn off their mining when paid to. Texas' power grid is famously disconnected from the national one and run in the most batshit libertarian way possible.
I worked for a real RTO and ERCOT was a routine butt of jokes. Usually because real rates for generator time were lower on the more regulated grid, because the capacity planning algorithms were so much more reliable etc. Even before their failures in the cold, everyone knew they were jokers.
I feel in a very literal sense I cannot empathize with the person quoted last in this article, I could not fathom bringing up "well everyones got a right to run a business" type shit for what is without hyperbole a grotesque technological parasite that is constantly harming your health and safety to create fake money for gamblers.
Truly a creature of ideology, very concerning.
This story is both sad (crypto delenda est) and funny (right wing dipshits voting against zoning laws that would give them a way to prevent this)
