Matt Simerson
@matt.simerson.net
Avid hiker, backpacker, backcountry skier, alpine tourer, nordic/XC skier, software engineering background, clean energy enthusiast
Reposted by Matt Simerson
This week’s main story details what Medicare Advantage is, why it basically has all the pitfalls of private insurance, and what a Mountain Chicken is. And if you don’t already know what a Mountain Chicken is, go ahead and visualize a “Mountain Chicken” in your head now. Great. It’s not that.
October 27, 2025 at 5:33 PM
This week’s main story details what Medicare Advantage is, why it basically has all the pitfalls of private insurance, and what a Mountain Chicken is. And if you don’t already know what a Mountain Chicken is, go ahead and visualize a “Mountain Chicken” in your head now. Great. It’s not that.
Fall foliage and early morning mist on the Manistee River
October 18, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Fall foliage and early morning mist on the Manistee River
Doubtful Lake, above Cascade Pass on the Sahale Arm. The cloud cover lifted momentarily to show off the autumn colors.
October 8, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Doubtful Lake, above Cascade Pass on the Sahale Arm. The cloud cover lifted momentarily to show off the autumn colors.
The cattle fencing ladder-and-trellis is working splendidly. While off hiking Section H of the PCT, the green beans grew into over drive.
September 6, 2025 at 12:32 AM
The cattle fencing ladder-and-trellis is working splendidly. While off hiking Section H of the PCT, the green beans grew into over drive.
The Pyrocumulus cloud over the Wildcat fire, which filled the area with smoke and knocked us off the PCT this week. Taken from Goat Rocks, a handful of miles South on the PCT from White Pass.
September 6, 2025 at 12:11 AM
The Pyrocumulus cloud over the Wildcat fire, which filled the area with smoke and knocked us off the PCT this week. Taken from Goat Rocks, a handful of miles South on the PCT from White Pass.
I'm a recalcitrant user and my long-adopted hot take is, "the best and worst intern I've ever had." As a programmer and OSS maintainer, I'm used to reviewing code. Debugging code from AI is little different than from humans. Experts can identify and fix the errors easily enough.
The error rates on neural-network-generated text are far too high for production usage in *anything* right now. The main use case that actually works properly is generating silly comedy, as seen on aiweirdness.com . Neural nets in law, science, or programming? That's a straight NOPE.
July 12, 2025 at 3:51 PM
I'm a recalcitrant user and my long-adopted hot take is, "the best and worst intern I've ever had." As a programmer and OSS maintainer, I'm used to reviewing code. Debugging code from AI is little different than from humans. Experts can identify and fix the errors easily enough.
We hiked past someone's prized spot for green therapy.
July 12, 2025 at 7:18 AM
We hiked past someone's prized spot for green therapy.
A couple day ago I climbed onto the roof and cleaned my solar panels. Today was the first mostly sunny day since and I produced 3 kWh extra, or about $0.45.
July 12, 2025 at 7:14 AM
A couple day ago I climbed onto the roof and cleaned my solar panels. Today was the first mostly sunny day since and I produced 3 kWh extra, or about $0.45.
"According to a 2023 report from the Energy Transitions Commission, all the materials needed to reach net zero by 2050 will be less than the amount of coal consumed in a year." www.newyorker.com/news/annals-...
4.6 Billion Years On, the Sun Is Having a Moment
In the past two years, without much notice, solar power has begun to truly transform the world’s energy system.
www.newyorker.com
July 12, 2025 at 7:12 AM
"According to a 2023 report from the Energy Transitions Commission, all the materials needed to reach net zero by 2050 will be less than the amount of coal consumed in a year." www.newyorker.com/news/annals-...
Hello high and mighty one, you look lovely blanketed in white.
July 11, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Hello high and mighty one, you look lovely blanketed in white.
The UK is slowly reconciling with their cognitive dissonance. It makes me hopeful that eventually American First will be recognized a Really Dumb Idea.
June 23, 2025 at 10:35 PM
The UK is slowly reconciling with their cognitive dissonance. It makes me hopeful that eventually American First will be recognized a Really Dumb Idea.
Could you think of better budget priorities than tax breaks for the richest 10%?
June 23, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Could you think of better budget priorities than tax breaks for the richest 10%?
Mt St Helens at sunrise.
April 8, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Mt St Helens at sunrise.
Ivanpah falls victim to Swanson’s Law. Ivanpah, the largest US CSP plant is closing in early 2026. That followed PG&Es plan to terminate their contract. The PPA price from Ivanpah is estimated at $0.135/kWh. The PPA price on a new solar PV plant is about $0.05.
matt.simerson.net/2025/04/08/i...
matt.simerson.net/2025/04/08/i...
Ivanpah falls victim to Swanson’s Law – Matt Simerson
matt.simerson.net
April 8, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Ivanpah falls victim to Swanson’s Law. Ivanpah, the largest US CSP plant is closing in early 2026. That followed PG&Es plan to terminate their contract. The PPA price from Ivanpah is estimated at $0.135/kWh. The PPA price on a new solar PV plant is about $0.05.
matt.simerson.net/2025/04/08/i...
matt.simerson.net/2025/04/08/i...
Reposted by Matt Simerson
The team's all here! We created a Starter Pack to help you connect with our regional, mountain passes, Ferries, Amtrak Cascades and tolling accounts here on Bluesky. Give them a follow!
go.bsky.app/QQo1z13
go.bsky.app/QQo1z13
February 24, 2025 at 4:19 PM
The team's all here! We created a Starter Pack to help you connect with our regional, mountain passes, Ferries, Amtrak Cascades and tolling accounts here on Bluesky. Give them a follow!
go.bsky.app/QQo1z13
go.bsky.app/QQo1z13
Reposted by Matt Simerson
WA’s natural gas initiative unconstitutional, King County judge rules
WA’s natural gas initiative unconstitutional, King County judge rules
Washington voters in November narrowly approved I-2066 to protect access to natural gas. Here's what to know about a judge's ruling on its constitutionality.
www.seattletimes.com
March 22, 2025 at 3:52 AM
WA’s natural gas initiative unconstitutional, King County judge rules
The calculated (estimate) of solar panel degradation over 8 years almost exactly matches my empirical data. #solar #nerddom matt.simerson.net/2025/02/18/e...
Empirical data meets theoretical – Matt Simerson
matt.simerson.net
March 3, 2025 at 9:05 PM
The calculated (estimate) of solar panel degradation over 8 years almost exactly matches my empirical data. #solar #nerddom matt.simerson.net/2025/02/18/e...
Investor owned utilities have increased residential electricity rates over the past three years at a rate 49% higher than inflation. Publicly owned utilities have increased their rates 44% less than inflation. prospect.org/environment/...
The Secret Society Raising Your Electricity Bills
A breakthrough report details how utility companies use bogus models to earn excess profits.
prospect.org
March 3, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Investor owned utilities have increased residential electricity rates over the past three years at a rate 49% higher than inflation. Publicly owned utilities have increased their rates 44% less than inflation. prospect.org/environment/...
Reposted by Matt Simerson
Jon Stewart Reworks Trump & Elon’s Sweeping DOGE Budget Cuts
youtu.be/utl2uLh1wVI
youtu.be/utl2uLh1wVI
Jon Stewart Reworks Trump & Elon’s Sweeping DOGE Budget Cuts | The Daily Show
YouTube video by The Daily Show
youtu.be
February 25, 2025 at 4:02 AM
Jon Stewart Reworks Trump & Elon’s Sweeping DOGE Budget Cuts
youtu.be/utl2uLh1wVI
youtu.be/utl2uLh1wVI
I just found 6 new bifacial 405W solar panels for $140/ea. They'll pair nicely with the $60/ea IQ7 micro inverters sitting in my garage. They'll add 2.4 kW more to my array, which should perfectly match my annual consumption.
February 12, 2025 at 8:51 PM
I just found 6 new bifacial 405W solar panels for $140/ea. They'll pair nicely with the $60/ea IQ7 micro inverters sitting in my garage. They'll add 2.4 kW more to my array, which should perfectly match my annual consumption.
Amsterdam has some magnificent old-world architecture
November 29, 2024 at 10:21 AM
Amsterdam has some magnificent old-world architecture