ERCOT was shit during the 2021 snowpocalypse when my refrigerator and indoor air temperature both equalized to 47 F (8 C).
Fast forward to 2024, they've improved considerably with enormous wind and solar deployments.
Although near ATX downtown: my UPSes cycled on and off 5x today during heavy rain for no apparent reason other than inadequate protection of power lines or switchgear.
What hasn't improved is the absurd level of deregulation that can result in surprise bills when local spot power prices go insane.
As someone alive 30 years ago, it isn't as clear cut as the biased graph.
Gasoline was roughly 1/3rd the price, but 4 years of state college was 20k, not 100k.
A house I grew up in, while 30 years newer, cost 80k compared to 300k now, even though it needs a lot more work.
Minimum wage there went from 4.25 an hour 30 years ago to 7.5.
Health care costs have gone up way more than double.
So maybe people make twice as much cash, but their costs for the things they actually need, without bullshit fake adjustments, cost 3 to 4 times more than they used to.
One could argue for better, lik how react is "better" than html forms. But it isn't really worth the cost to me.
Excite was about as good at getting me search results for what I am looking for as google has enshittified itself to now.
There is only one more thing I am afraid of more than duplicate code.
Shared code that someone changes to make their code work better that breaks yours.
My Sony smart tv was great for 3 years because I never connected it to the internet, but ever since I did, it hangs, takes 2 minutes to allow switching inputs, and in general just sucks.
I will not make the mistake of ever connecting one of these to the internet again, and if I have to buy a Giant monitor for 2k, so be it.
I'm 90% sure that the flash drive on the TV wore out and they want me to replace what is otherwise great working hardware for features I don't even want anymore.
