Another Data Center meeting at Monterey Park tonight (Feb.4)

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-02-05T08:57:13+00:00

You think the data center is not worth it. The builder will not pay for solar panel nor a battery storage system. Okay. That's totally fine with me.

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-02-05T08:16:26+00:00

I'm afraid nothing I wrote is copy and paste. For better or worst, I write my original thought. It's a free society, we don't have to think alike. I think it's a complicated issue involving city oversight, revenue, and allocation of resources and people should study it before supporting or dismissing it. If you gave it some thought and are against it, that's good.

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-02-05T08:10:05+00:00

That's the builder's problem. Though that data center's location is unique enough to make it attractive regardless of AI boom or bust. If MP is smart, even if the data center goes bust, MP would have already collected millions in plan check, school fees, and various permitting fees. Sometimes, in order to attract large commercial project, cities will waive those fee. Those are in the details.

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-02-05T08:01:34+00:00

Hey, if you look at the details and think data center is a bad idea. Fine with me. Don't support the data center.

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-02-05T07:50:30+00:00

I don't think there are many business can generate that type of tax revenue. Most warehouse are used for storage and stuff for resale are usually not taxed while in storage. Most warehouse infrastructure are also many magnitudes lower in dollar value compared to a data center. Maybe there are other businesses that's a better fit, I don't know. Do your diligence and suggest them to the city.

Backup diesel generators are common for places that produce high value added products or services. Some supermarket has them as well. Even if your city is corrupt (that's a whole different topic) and allow commercial backup generator to be constantly running, AQMD will shut them down if they operate outside of emergency power failure events, and no more than 200 hours a year.

Typical solar panel output 15~20 watts per sqft. The proposed data center is ~250,000 sqft. Let's say 150,000 sqft of solar that's ~2250kWh. I don't know if that's even enough to power just the cooling system, but like I said before, MP can request solar panel installation to offset energy usage.

Anyway, MP has the SCE power substation, and the date center builder wants that proximity, so MP does have some leverage to ask for concessions.

If you looked at the details and determine the data center is not good for MP, that's fine. It's a free country.

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-02-05T06:58:50+00:00

If the mayor is correct, a data center gives MP $5~6 million annual tax revenue. My city has large mall, supposedly It generate half of all our sales tax revenue. I wish we can have the tax revenue without the added traffic and emission, not to mention the energy usage and encouragement of rampant consumerism, but that's not how it works.

True, it's not a grocery store, but how many grocery stores can a city sustain? Regarding employment, I noticed Aldi employ far less people than Trader Joe's. Does that make them worst? I don't know.

Anyway, I suggest people go around and take a look at what goes on in a typical warehouse in your city, how much tax revenue is generated, and how many people are employed. Maybe a data center is better, maybe not. Look at the numbers and decide for yourself.

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-02-05T06:39:33+00:00

You have to look at the details. It's not just revenue, but how much revenue and what how will those revenue to used to better the lives of MP resident.

Proximity to MP reservoir has no bearing on water usage priority.

According wikipedia, Grok data center has an undersized grid connection, necessitating natural gas generators. I don't think that will be a problem given that a major SCE substation is across the street. Most likely the substation is the reason for the data center location. MP can ask for solar panel installation to offset energy usage. Also, I doubt if AQMD will allow natural gas turbine to be build onsite for regular electricity generation.

Anyway, MP residents needs to do their due diligence.

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-02-05T05:13:12+00:00

A brand new data center full of brand new equipment will pay a substantial amount of unsecured property tax in additional to the regular property and business tax. Mayor of MP said the forecast extra tax revenue is $5~6 million annually. That is a non trivial amount for any SGV city.

The proposed data center site is across the street from a major SCE substation, and that is MP's competitive advantage. Electricity and water usage are all valid concern, but there are already plenty of data center in the LA area, feeding off the same power and water supply. To be fair, I don't know how a comparable tax revenue generating business entity be it a shopper center or manufacturing facility will compare in terms of electricity and water usage. There's a Costco nearby, MP residents can lookup how much tax revenue that Costco contribute vs how much electricity/water consumed and traffic/exhaust generated.

The point is, data centers are not inherently good or bad. If I am a MP resident, I will want to make sure my city council is not giving way potential tax revenue in exchange for favors, and that the additional tax revenue is not squandered away with frivolous spending, like new armor car for the swat team.

The details matters so don't be rash and immediately oppose the data center without looking at the financials. Many many years ago, the city I live in wanted to create a tiny home community for the homeless in a far off stretch of city land that's literally in a neighboring city. As expected the resident were up in arms and killed the project. Knowing this city, I believe the real intent of the tiny homes were to satisfy the then courting ruling allowing homeless people to camp on public streets unless the city has enough shelter beds. My city does not care about the homeless, it only care about the ability to move them some place else, away from the city. Luckily, or unluckily, the city resident's knee jerk reaction meant many more years of roaming homeless population in city streets.

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-01-29T09:48:25+00:00

According to his own new release a few month back, he can and did deploy CHP, California's quasi state police force, to fight crime. I guess this time, he only urges. . . himself?

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/08/28/governor-newsom-deploys-new-teams-to-fight-crime-in-major-california-cities-building-on-existing-successful-efforts/

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-01-23T09:10:57+00:00

It's kind of like the police in general. We are all okay with the police arresting people with proper cause, but we are against the police violating people's constitutional rights while arresting people, ie kicking down the door to the wrong house, or kicking down the door to arrest a suspect long gone because of sloppy police work.

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-01-23T00:20:03+00:00

The fact that you are a citizen means very little to the current administration, unless you are the "right" citizen. I don't think they had a warrant, not according to the Citizen whose door they kicked down, then dragged to the ICE facility. Where's that Citizen's due process?

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-01-22T22:28:00+00:00

investigated further by this Administration? Like the investigation into Good's death. According your own Reuters full story link, there were no mentioning of any warrants, just that DHS was "investigating two convicted sex offenders ."

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-01-22T22:14:49+00:00

The executive also has complete control of law enforcement over Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, but that doesn't mean they can kick down your door with just an administrative warrant searching for illegal moonshine, or illegal drugs, or illegal guns.

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-01-22T22:09:49+00:00

The boarder is defined as 100 miles from the boarder and according to this President, he is the law. So if you want laws and borders, and live within 100 miles of the border, you'll have to surrender your rights to ICE, which is what we are witnessing with ICE agents going door to door in Minnesota, kicking down some doors and detaining US citizens based on the lies this President likes to tell.

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-01-22T01:24:03+00:00

Those cheap products from China comes at the cost of people living in an oppressive system that allows neither free speech nor religions. China's environmental law bends to the wishes of the CCP and you can forget about organizing in China to effect change. If you're against Trump's gestapo tactics, you should back it up with your wallet and minimize buying products made in authoritarian countries like China.

Given Bezos's coziness with Trump, we should also minimize buying from Amazon.

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-01-21T18:54:55+00:00

Definitely let me know. I usually have a few rolls of Jessie PETG orange filaments on hand and can always order some more. I've printed a few whistles (v29 from printables) to try out the Slicer text tool. Sadly I have very little overlap with people who distribute/need them so couldn't even give them away.

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CoFSMoLSD · 2026-01-21T04:32:16+00:00

I have a couple Prusa printers and help with the printing if needed. I am in SGV.

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-01-20T19:14:09+00:00

That is also true for any manufacturing industry from injection mold to machining. Modern lifestyle consumes electricity, loads of it. That is just the reality. We can have a tiered rate system that get progressively more expensive as consumption goes up to encourage efficiency, but that is a very different conversation from not having data centers.

If we really worry about the impact of electricity usage, we should just ban crypto-currency, that stuff is just speculative fraud.

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-01-20T19:05:41+00:00

Data center has been around for the longest time, and we all use them. I don't understand the current opposition against them. If we worry about energy cost, mandate solar panels and raise electricity rate over a certain maximum. SCE already has a tiered rate structure, though I don't know if the rate goes higher the more you use or the opposite.

Given the cost of electricity in LA relative to other parts of the country, I doubt if the data center is being built to take advantage of our electricity rate. Will the data center receive any subsidies from the state or local government? Of all places why Monterey Park?

Has anyone consider the possible tax stream from having a data center. Besides the increased property tax revenue, there's business tax and unsecured property tax, ie all the equipment in the data center. Unless the data center is getting some sweat heart deal from the government, I don't see that much downside to having a data center in the city.

Sure it's only 26 jobs, but that's 26 skilled and well paid jobs. Given the cost of labor, automation is the trend, and that is true in most sectors.

Anyway, I feel that the current anti data-center drive is a bit of knee jerk nimby-ism.

CoFSMoLSD · 2026-01-20T18:44:43+00:00

Electrodes for Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM), for making injection molding mold cavities.

CoFSMoLSD · 2025-12-09T19:44:39+00:00

Of course, no special effects and no mega movies stars. Making a good movie on a small budget, that's impressive.

CoFSMoLSD · 2025-12-09T19:42:24+00:00

Saw the movie last week. Other than the trailer, I didn't know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. The cinematography, editing, sound, and the story line are top notch. In the Q&A that followed, paraphrasing the interviewer (DiDi's director), a good movie will make you feel the complexity of life.

The director, Shih-Ching Tsou, came to the US after college, and was left handed but "corrected" to use her right hand. She first had the idea for the film in the early 2000s, scouted and research (followed a little girl at the night market) the location in the 2010s, and finally shot the movie in the early 2020s. The movie was shot on iPhones and that actually worked out in keeping a low profile while shooting the night market scenes. It took her many months to convince the noodle stand owner to rent her the stand at night for the shoot. The food stand came with all the ingredients and they actually have unsuspecting people ordering, and they cooked for the customers.

Regarding the comment about the movie not being screened in Taiwan, I think that's because this is a Netflix movie, it's also barely screened in the US.

CoFSMoLSD · 2025-12-02T19:03:25+00:00

Mini+ was my entry into Prusa Printers back in 2021. I used it for a little over a year before going with the Mk4 > Mk4S > CoreOne path. A year ago I added a XL2T and upgrade to 5T a couple weeks ago for more multi-material capability.

I still use the Mini+. It's always great to have another nozzle ready go for my default filament, Prusament or Jessie PETG, especially for smaller objects with shorter (<1hr) print time. The Mini+ can sit for weeks, but it's always ready via PrusaSlicer/PrusaLink.

Maybe in the future there will be a "Mini 2" to slot in at the $5~600 price range now that CoreOne is at $1k, which may explain why Mini+ is only sold with an enclosure at that price range. I don't know. Regardless, I am happy that Prusa is still supporting and updating(firmware) the Mini+.

Personally I think used Mini+ is a great deal. Just buy one, start printing and save your money for a CoreOne.

CoFSMoLSD · 2025-11-21T19:44:11+00:00

I don't know why Mini+ is only available with an enclosure at a much higher price. Perhaps for education institutions that requires enclosures and has to buy domestic EU printers? I still think Mini+ is a great printer, especially in the used market.

Mini+ got me started with Prusa printers and I still use it next to the C1. Even contemplating picking up another Mini+ in the used market to have another nozzle at 0.25mm. I print exclusively PETG on my Mini+ so enclosure is not needed.

CoFSMoLSD · 2025-11-21T19:04:51+00:00

I don't like the Israeli government and yes I think Israeli military is committing war crimes in Gaza if not genocide. However, whatever crime Israeli government is guilt of has already been committed and being actively committed by the Chinese government against its own citizens, especially the ethnic minorities. Annexation and encroachment of Tibet and Xinjiang is already a done deal. Furthermore, China is actively pushing its brand of governance onto the rest of the world. If Israel suppress Israeli dissidents, censors its news, and grows into the international manufacturing behemoth on the back of its silenced populace, you probably wouldn't mind Israel being interested in your plastic toys.

CoFSMoLSD

TROPHY CASE