[jonnathanson]

This isn't a "thing that sucks" so much as a thing that will suck, but California needs to gets its act together with water supply and use. Smarter use is one thing, but it's abundantly clear that we'll also need more of it.

Desalinization technology exists, but is considered to be prohibitively expensive relative to the benefits -- or at least that's the received wisdom we always hear whenever the subject comes up. Would love to know more about this, and whether anyone is working on a more cost-effective and sustainable solution.

On a more day-to-day note, to no one's great surprise, ISPs suck. So do power grids, especially in CA.

[jrudin]

Thats a great point about California's water supply.

Just wondering, why do you think power grids are so challenged?

[jonnathanson]

Exactly why the power grids are so challenged is a bit above my intellectual or educational pay grade. (I'm neither an electrical engineer nor a city planner.) But I do know that the system is aging and is stretched to capacity. SoCal, in particular, is riddled with more issues than NorCal -- probably because of greater population, more A/C usage during the hot summer months, etc.