My 2017 Syllabus
My reading guide to getting through the year.
Read MoreThink Like A Campaigner With Lexie (or: Sure, but what can *I* do?)
I have bad news, everyone. There's still 101 days left of wall-to-wall politics and election coverage. Here to help you sort through the mess is me! your friend Lexie, here to try to give you a guide to all this madness.
This post serves a few purposes. One is to help you figure out what exactly is going on. The second is to help you take all the thoughts and feelings you have pent up inside of you and channel them into taking action. And finally, I'm going to try to encourage everyone engage in reasonable and effective political debates, which is really difficult.
I've seen this come up a few times on social media and around the things: people making impassioned posts about how we CANNOT, we MUST NOT etc. etc. but they just don't know HOW. I'm here to talk to you about what you can actually do! It's very exciting.
Read MoreLexie Tries to Explain the Primaries (circa 2008)
So the primaries. Yeah, they're pretty screwy. I've spent probably more time than is healthy following them religiously over the past several months, so here I present you with a one-stop guide to what the fuck is going on. Enjoy!
[Disclaimer: I'm only dealing with the Democratic primaries here, because I don't know as much about the Republican ones. I think they're winner-take-all or something... and McCain is winning right now. And that's about it. So yes, donkey power.]
Once upon a time, about every four years or so, several members from the Democratic party decide that they want to be the next president. "Hell," they say to themselves, "whoever that last bozo was has really screwed things up. I'm clearly the best person to make it all better!" And then everybody looks at them strangely, because they clearly have taken crazy pills to want to take on this sort of responsibility. But what the hell, it's worth a shot, right?
Read MoreNot Your Grandpa’s Utility Business Model (But Maybe Mine)
Take it from industry executives and my grandpa: the utility business model is changing.
Read MoreTesla and Chevy Battle It Out for 30somethings ($thousands); Solar Super Bowl Sunday
No matter who wins, Super Bowl 50 (no roman numerals, per NFL) will be played in the most advanced energy–powered stadium yet. Prepare to be dazzled – no matter what happens on the field.
Read MoreMegawatts or Negawatts? A Tale of Two Electricities
Amid Snowzilla’s winter of discontent, on Monday the Supreme Court ruled on EPSA v. FERC, a case that had the power to define the future of the demand response market. In a big win for advanced energy, the court ruled that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC’s) Order 745, which gives FERC rulemaking authority over both traditional electricity generators and demand response providers in wholesale power markets, would stay in place. Call it a tale of two electricities.
Read MoreSome sinister thoughts on the true nature of New Barbie
By now you may have heard Mattel’s announcement* of the largest change to its biggest toy in the history of the brand, and it is this: Barbie now has many faces. These are not Barbie’s friends/neighbors/little sisters, they are the original Barbie 100%, just with more skin tones and heights and hair styles and body shapes. But they’re all still Barbie, the real Barbie, the true Barbie.
Read MoreCollected Internet Ephemera: Lion King Cast Flashmobs
Big on the internet today, happy-making every day: Lion King flashmobs.
Read MoreGE Tackles Fuel Cells, Google Issues “Little Box” Challenge, and Smart Grid Drones Prepare for Takeoff
Some hardcore technology in this week’s advanced energy news. Energy giant and AEE member General Electric is expanding its advanced energy product line to include fuel cells. Google is looking to shrink inverters. And utility San Diego Gas & Electric is getting ready to launch drones to check on transmission lines.
Read MoreFour Steps to Weight Room Dominance for Women, or I’m a girl and I want to lift! Wat do?
So you’ve decided you want to get stronger. Rock on! This is going to be awesome, and I’m so happy for you. “But wait!” you may be saying, “The weight room is super intimidating! I’m not sure I’m ready!”
You’re ready. And Auntie Lexie is here to make sure you’re as confident as possible walking in there.
Read MoreBattle Hymn of the Grassy Knoll
Once a week, several devoted members of the Gaming Society congregate on the grassy knoll and boff. Or, to put it in layman’s terms, hit each other with weapons made mainly of duct tape.
One boffer, shirtless, iPod in hand, carefully slashed at a rival with a short sword. The music he was listening to? Opera, of course.
Read MoreNot Your Grandpa’s Utility Business Model
Although it’s been a while since the term “utility death spiral” has been trotted out in the media, there’s no doubt that utilities are under pressure to modernize and innovate their business models. This week we saw several significant moves from utilities that may move us toward to a 21st Century electricity system, from an Arizona utility looking to install residential solar panels — for free — to a report that embraces electric vehicles for future utility growth. Plus, a New York utility has filed a rate case that includes distribution automation, microgrids-as-a-service, and community solar.
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