Hey Tyler,

A couple months ago, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-2 to deny a special use permit for a 12-megawatt Bitcoin mining data center at 1101-1105 West Erwin Street (downtown). Twenty-six residents spoke against it. Five spoke in favor. It felt like the community was heard.

But Barrio Resources LLC filed an appeal. And this Wednesday, September 3rd, the Zoning Board of Adjustment votes on whether they have jurisdiction to hear it. If they say yes, September 10th is when they decide the actual appeal.

I spent the weekend going through the appeal documents, the acoustic report, and a lot of research. Here are the three things I think everyone should know:

1. The Noise Report Is Measuring The Wrong Thing

The developer hired Hoover and Keith to do an acoustic study. It says noise at the nearest home would be about 35 decibels, well under the city's 63 dBA limit. Sounds great, right?

The problem is that dBA (A-weighted decibels) was literally designed to filter out low-frequency sound. The real threat from data centers running thousands of cooling fans 24/7 is infrasound, which is sound below 20 Hz. You don't hear it. You feel it. Chest pressure, ear pressure, vibrations that go through walls.

Researcher Benn Jordan documented this extensively. He calls these facilities "acoustic weapons" because the infrasound from industrial cooling fans travels for miles and penetrates structures. His research is on YouTube if you want to see the data yourself: search "Benn Jordan Datacenters Acoustic Weapons."

In Granbury, TX (about 3 hours from here), a Marathon Digital Bitcoin facility caused 40+ residents to report permanent hearing loss, vertigo, and chronic sleep issues. The facility was acquitted of noise violations because their dBA numbers were technically legal. The sound the test measures was fine. The sound it doesn't measure was destroying people's quality of life. Earthjustice has now filed a lawsuit on behalf of the residents.

The question we should be asking: does the acoustic report include unweighted measurements of frequencies below 20 Hz? From what I can tell, it doesn't appear to.

1. 12 Megawatts Is The Power Of 3,000 Homes

According to ERCOT, 1 megawatt powers about 200-250 Texas homes during peak demand. So 12 MW equals the electricity of 2,400 to 3,000 homes. For a facility with 3 to 10 employees.

These facilities also participate in demand response programs where they get paid to shut down when the grid is stressed. In August 2023, Riot Platforms received $31.7 million in curtailment credits. They made more money shutting off than mining Bitcoin. Who pays for those credits? Ratepayers.

A Wood Mackenzie study found crypto mining adds about $1.8 billion per year to Texas electric bills, roughly $69 per household annually.

We already know what happens when storms hit East Texas. Adding 3,000 homes worth of constant load to the Oncor grid doesn't make things better for the people already here.

1. What Does Tyler Actually Get?

2,400 to 3,000 homes worth of electricity. 3 to (maybe) 10 jobs. A noise profile the city doesn't have the right tools to measure. And a business model that gets paid to stop operating when we need the grid most.

I'm not telling anyone what to think. But I am asking: what does Tyler get in return?

What You Can Do

- September 3: ZBA jurisdiction vote

- September 10: Potential merits hearing (if jurisdiction is affirmed)

- Share this post

- Contact City Council: https://www.cityoftyler.org/City-Government/Mayor-and-Council/Contact-City-Council

- Attend the meetings if your schedule allows

I put together a video and a full blog post with every source and document linked at techeasetyler.com. If you want the deep dive, it's all there.

We have 3 days to make sure the community is informed before decisions are made. Please share this with anyone in Tyler who should see it.

Does anyone have recommendations for a venue to host a bridal shower for around 20-30 people?

I have looked into The Grove, The Potpourri House, and the Rose Complex and they are a little too expensive. I have looked at La Madeline but it's too small (only will hold 15-20 people).

Any other ideas?

We are new to Tyler, and new to Texas. We just moved from West Coast and looking for yalls recommendations of whats good and whats a miss!

We LOVE pizza, pasta, Mexican food, ramen, and sushi! Hit me with your favorite places!

My husband and I need help moving from near Best Buy, out to near Hill Creek Park on Lake Tyler. We really just need someone with a truck willing to transport us, our things, and our two dogs and a bird. My husband can load and unload everything into the truck himself. I have a little bit of cash to compensate you for your time. Today, or tomorrow would be best, but obviously whenever works for you! Thank you in advance!

I have a good friend who needs some computer help. He has a new laptop, and needs help getting it setup, the bloat-ware removed, and get his stuff on there and do it right.

I could do it myself, except I have job! And there are only so many hours in a day...

I have BS in CS and did programming/development for 10 years -- so I know what is needed, thought I start here first as my friend is in Bullard. It will likely take a good tech 3 to 4 hours at most.

Thank you all in advance!!

I know people post this a lot. It’s been almost 3 years since I moved here and I have made no friends. I have a hard time connecting with people here as I am not religious or conservative at all and might be fucked up but I do not really want to associate with people that fall into those categories.
I’m 30F, spiritual, Pilates instructor, getting my masters degree, married and a step mom. I don’t drink much - socially maybe. I’m pretty basic - I enjoy shopping, eating out, thrifting / antiquing, reading a bit (big historical fiction gal), and overall just chilling at home.
I feel incredibly lonely here and am really interested in making some friends or at least one good friend as all my friends live out of state and I only see them a few times a year.
If anyone finds themselves drawn to my post, feel free to message me and let’s grab some coffee or something!

EDIT : looking for gal pals!!

If anyone has been impacted by the recent 7-OH restriction, I have a gem for you in Tyler, Texas and Longview. This is literally a life saver for me, and I would love to share. Let me know if you’re interested, and I can provide you with the business name.

For anyone that’s been recently impacted by the restrictions on 70H, I highly recommend you try leaf kratom from Kratom King in Tyler and Longview. They have literally the best products I’ve ever used, and they have saved my life literally. If you have anxiety, depression, addictions, inflammation, or just need energy to socialize or do things, then Kratom is the product for you!

I’m not sponsored by anyone, and this is just my opinion along with many others. I want to see this business succeed as it has been a life-saver for me and I wanted to share my experience with you all.

https://kratomkingtx.com

I was reading in another post about the inefficient nature and higher cost of farmers markets. The top comment mentions systems called csa or farm share where people buy in and get weekly baskets that they either pickup or are delivered. Each weeks basket is based on what is available thst week, so sometimes you may get more of something than you’d usually buy, but it minimizes waste and spoilage. Do we have anything like that in Tyler or the surrounding area? I’d like to try that out if we do.

Here’s the original post

https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/s/UyYrmqDs84

This is why I have a dash cam. Stay safe out there!

Hi I'm currently trying to find someone I can move in with in the Tyler area, I work remote and I'm a huge gamer and anime fan. Ideally I would want to room with someone with similar interests and who is LGBT friendly. I'm M25, have two small pets, a car, and can afford up to $800 a month for a room but I'm ideally trying to fit into $600-$700 if possible.

Which restaurant has the best beef fajitas?

Hi everyone, I’m looking for a place to go horseback riding. I’ve always had an interest in doing it again after I came here for vacation in 2014. Anyone know where I can go to try horseback riding again?

Hello fine people of Reddit, could you help me by providing names of nail (fingernail) places that have technicians that do detailed nail art?

Where in Tyler can I get good ass chicharrones like this 🤨

Anyone have suggestions on affordable kids karate classes? If so, ball park numbers would be really helpful too. Thanks!

Qua qua da diddley qua qua da diddley

What’s with everyone parking on their lawns in Tyler

Hi! Looking for sober living in the Tyler area for young females. And possibly of some activities in the sober community

$5 FILM Plan 9 from Outer Space Tues, Sept 8 at 7:00 PM. Kooky Tuesdays at Liberty Hall!

Ed Wood's 1957 Plan 9 from Outer Space showing Tuesday, Sept 8th at Liberty Hall, 103 E. Erwin St., Tyler, TX. $5 admission; free when you show your East Texas Film Society membership card. A so-bad-it's-good midnight movie classic for fans of B-movies, goth girls, and other space cadets.

Film synopsis from Richard Brody for *The New Yorker*:

"Like the philosopher who was so busy gazing at the stars that he tripped into a well, the oft-ridiculed director Ed Wood stared so fixedly at his own grandiose designs that he stumbled upon the stuff of filmmaking. This extravagant example of his sublime absurdity, from 1956, links a trio of zombies—played by Bela Lugosi, Vampira, and the muscle-bound hulk Tor Johnson—to an alien invasion intended to prevent nuclear war and other man-made disasters. The flimsy sets, flagrant acting, perfunctory staging, and hectic montage of stock footage convey a frenzied vision of cosmic catastrophe that comes to life only in the awesomely silly special effect of a flying saucer aflame in the night sky. Wood lacked both the dramatic sense to unfold his speculations in action and the technique (as well as the money) to embody, in any plausible way, his spectacular fancies, but their crude approximations vibrate with his stifled exaltation. He had the imaginative intensity of an artist with none of the craft, the dreams without the taste; he’s an auteur despite himself."

Image description: A handmade collage poster featuring a zombie, a space traveler, and Vampira in her signature low-cut black dress and very long fingernails. The poster is printed in tones of hot pink, acid green, and mustard yellow. The images and movie title are in cut-and-paste zine style. The tagline reads, "Unspeakable horrors from outer space paralyze the living and resurrect the dead!" "With Bela Lugosi, Vampira, Lyle Talbot.. produced and directed by Edward D. Wood, Jr."

Hello! I'm a zoo enthusiast, and I was planning on visiting the Caldwell Zoo since several of their animals came from the SDZ Safari Park, such as Emanti and Mac (African Elephants) and Ayotunde (Lion)

I was wondering if any zoo regulars, volunteers or even care specialists could inform me on how Ayotunde is doing in terms of health since he's getting up their in age, and if I should visit him sooner

Hello Tyler! I am posting for a friend who is having a first date in Tyler this upcoming weekend! Her and her date are meeting in a central location and we are looking for a few great recommendations to non locals. We are looking for well lit and possibly near other dining or coffee options! Thanks in advance!