It's possible this might change some minds about government data collection of financial activity.

It would be great if we all someday learned that PITT data analysis was actually based on de-anonymized CFPB data, which constitutes the singular largest and most granular financial surveillance program the US government operates, and perhaps put a large moral panic sized dent in the "consumer protection" narrative.

Sure. Why not? The grifters bumming around the UN live in paradise; all the soluble problems they might otherwise suffer in life have been solved. So they pick at these scabs, having little or nothing better to do: once you've finished doling out the annual climate bucks budget to the official climate narrative writers, what relevance does the UN have on this Earth, aside from the periodic condemnations of Israel?

10/10
Well trained. Carry on!

So Trigger
much words
Wow

Clinical TDS. Living in your head, rent free.

A few too many bong hits? Bet it took ten minutes to write that.

FirstEnergy stole >$500 million by applying a surcharge to rate payers for smart meters, dumped the money into a general fund and spent it on other stuff, including some bribes of Ohio politicians, and colluded with the PUC to alter audit records to cover it all up. The former Ohio house speaker is in prison over it right now. Another politician died before trial; supposedly a suicide...

And no, we're not talking about different hardware. The same rampant corruption is endemic throughout the entire industry for all such procurement. The contractors, utilities, PUCs and politicians are all feeding at this trough.

You can provide an anecdote of your personal experience in one case. I, however, can tell you about the half billion dollar scam of FirstEnergy (Ohio), or what's gone on in Oregon, California, Michigan and others. The cases PUC scams around "smart grid" equipment are legion. Some of them are exposed. Many are entirely suppressed when the more competent criminals ensure the auditors are (willingly) prevented from noticing.

You are exhibiting insufficient cynicism. The people responsible are highly competent.

Their competence is discreetly handling the acquisition of COTS hardware at DOD prices from politically connected contractors. The contractors pocket the massive margins and fund the designated campaigns. These are the real priorities. Not whatever silly security concerns plebs like you have.

Any given tech nerd could do better at a fraction of the cost. But that wouldn't fund the mcmansions and range rovers and boats.

Don't forget the Terafab in Grimes TX.

Looking at the decision, it really makes a lot of sense. The coast of Louisiana has been a nexus of transport in the US since before it became the US. Obviously, there is the Gulf of America (hehe) plus the Mississippi river. That led to a convergence of several interstate roads. Plus, there is ample barely drained low value land with sparse population, and no risk that it will see a bunch of sub/exburbs sprout up in the foreseeable future. The state government, similar to the other gulf states, isn't bat-shit crazy commie adjacent, so that's another plus.

If they can get it built before POTUS is (D) again, they can pencil whip all the federal endangered species pressure group bullshit.

Hurricanes are a thing though. Obviously that will interfere with operations from time to time.

Angry inch Californian watching the cool shit not happen in California anymore.

An RTX 3090 24GB is about $2150 new.

I've spent more on gaming rigs a couple times: it's not some unfathomable amount of money.

You're on the right track with this. Except one thing; they didn't pull his bubble card. His fund was rapidly recapitalized before the headline even appeared. There is a lot at stake, the music is still playing, and they can't afford to have reality asserting itself on behalf of this chucklehead. His sandbox is a good deal smaller now, but they're letting him stay in the yard.

Correct. I used the term "pattern." SCOTUS has a number of mechanisms for temporary rulings, often made by a single justice, or by the full court. That is not officially a "panel," but it has the same outcome, and so fits the pattern. Stays, injunctions pending appeal, emergency/summary court orders, etc. SCOTUS has done this many times and whether any given matter ever subsequently appears before the full court is not a given.

So while not termed a "panel," this is a distinction without a difference.

I think that's likely wrong given a serious financial collapse: much of the hardware in play here is booked sales a year or more out. If the bottom falls out, those orders will get cancelled. Further on (speculation upon speculation...,) recovery would be more circumspect, and the demand for hardware less absurd.