In 2014, the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) released the an assessment of innovation opportunities in the water sector, including this clarion call to: Develop and implement an integrated water information management system for water supplies, uses, and quality including precipitation, runoff, and storage; for surface water, groundwater, and water use… Near-Term Actions: The Governor and key agencies should immediately take the lead to form a consortium of parties, includ...

In 2014, the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) released the an assessment of innovation opportunities in the water sector, including this clarion call to: Develop and implement an integrated water information management system for water supplies, uses, and quality including precipitation, runoff, and storage; for surface water, groundwater, and water use… Near-Term Actions: The Governor and key agencies should immediately take the lead to form a consortium of parties, includ...

I recently had the opportunity to hear the new President of Art Center, the world leading design training institute in Pasadena, speak. Her fireside chat was great and one piece in particular jumped out at me. She emphasized the criticality of Art Center's connectivity with industry - through alumni engagement, industry sponsored projects and also encouraging professors to either consult or work four days and teach on the fifth. That model reminded me of the founding MIT model, well documente...

I recently had the opportunity to hear the new President of Art Center, the world leading design training institute in Pasadena, speak. Her fireside chat was great and one piece in particular jumped out at me. She emphasized the criticality of Art Center's connectivity with industry - through alumni engagement, industry sponsored projects and also encouraging professors to either consult or work four days and teach on the fifth. That model reminded me of the founding MIT model, well documente...

This procedural burden weighs especially heavily on new players and novel technologies that haven’t had time to work the system. Oil and gas drilling companies, for instance, have been granted several NEPA exceptions that reduce the requirements for things such as drilling exploratory wells. Geothermal energy, on the other hand, does not receive such exceptions, even though it involves drilling wells like those for oil and gas. Procedural requirements, like most regulations, heavily favor the...

This procedural burden weighs especially heavily on new players and novel technologies that haven’t had time to work the system. Oil and gas drilling companies, for instance, have been granted several NEPA exceptions that reduce the requirements for things such as drilling exploratory wells. Geothermal energy, on the other hand, does not receive such exceptions, even though it involves drilling wells like those for oil and gas. Procedural requirements, like most regulations, heavily favor the...

~1.5 decades ago data science became a hot term. The title was originally created because Facebook wanted a talented scientist to work for them but the prospect didn’t want to have a lowly “analyst” title. Thus the term data scientist was born. A few O’Reilly articles and copycat companies and the title quickly grew in popularity.The title rode a big wave. Tech companies were creating more and more data from all the actions people took online, creating a big need to make sense of all that inf...

~1.5 decades ago data science became a hot term. The title was originally created because Facebook wanted a talented scientist to work for them but the prospect didn’t want to have a lowly “analyst” title. Thus the term data scientist was born. A few O’Reilly articles and copycat companies and the title quickly grew in popularity.The title rode a big wave. Tech companies were creating more and more data from all the actions people took online, creating a big need to make sense of all that inf...

A decade ago, in a city far, far away, my co-founder insisted that I watch A Ted Talk. Not just any pop idea monger mind you, but a bonafied Chief Belief Officer, Devdutt Pattanaik, sharing about the mythological differences between East and West. Devdutt's story begins with a race between two brothers three times around the world. One went around the globe, the other waited until the first brother had completed two very long laps and then calmly walked around their parents. That brother then...

A decade ago, in a city far, far away, my co-founder insisted that I watch A Ted Talk. Not just any pop idea monger mind you, but a bonafied Chief Belief Officer, Devdutt Pattanaik, sharing about the mythological differences between East and West. Devdutt's story begins with a race between two brothers three times around the world. One went around the globe, the other waited until the first brother had completed two very long laps and then calmly walked around their parents. That brother then...

Why did the Trojans fall for such a seemingly obvious ruse as a wooden horse housing an invading army? Why did the Renaissance popes persist in corrupt behavior — ranging from rampantly promiscuous parties to using the papacy as a tool for self enrichment — that ignored growing resentment amongst the people? Why did the British act to turn their colonists into rebels and instigate a war which could never achieve Parliaments initial financial objectives? Why did America back a decrepit regime ...

Why did the Trojans fall for such a seemingly obvious ruse as a wooden horse housing an invading army? Why did the Renaissance popes persist in corrupt behavior — ranging from rampantly promiscuous parties to using the papacy as a tool for self enrichment — that ignored growing resentment amongst the people? Why did the British act to turn their colonists into rebels and instigate a war which could never achieve Parliaments initial financial objectives? Why did America back a decrepit regime ...

California spending on city workers has grown 76% since 2010. Inflation over that period was 42%, meaning that real wage growth increased 185%. Much of that cost comes from exponentially increasing pension costs. Meanwhile, California population has declined slightingly over that period. Are city services 185% than 2010?Anyone know the core factors affecting the wide disbursement of city employee costs per resident? Are the sub-thousand dollar cities having services largely provided by the Co...

California spending on city workers has grown 76% since 2010. Inflation over that period was 42%, meaning that real wage growth increased 185%. Much of that cost comes from exponentially increasing pension costs. Meanwhile, California population has declined slightingly over that period. Are city services 185% than 2010?Anyone know the core factors affecting the wide disbursement of city employee costs per resident? Are the sub-thousand dollar cities having services largely provided by the Co...