July 2016

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The Internet of You

Cutting-edge technology brings sensors into every aspect of our daily lives, making them safer, more convenient — and a little scarier

Imagine a piece of technology the size of an aspirin. It can go anywhere, be embedded in anything and keep track of any action, movement or sound — imparting huge amounts of data, like tiny puzzle pieces that can be correctly fitted to form the picture of your life. It sounds Orwellian, the ability to monitor your habits at all times.

Jul 19, 2016 Robin Epley

Smart Cities Hinge on Open Data

A technologically-savvy city is no longer fodder for fantasy film; it’s an expectation. We live in a time where technology can and should make our urban environments more efficient in terms of energy consumption, transportation, land use, citizen participation and government processes.

Jul 5, 2016 Allison Joy
Inside the control room of California ISO, headquartered in Folsom.

Will the Mega-Grid Get Built?

Cal-ISO maps out the prospects for a single power grid for the West — but skeptics want to know who will run it.

Cal-ISO is one of 38 system operators for the geographic area that covers everything west of the eastern boundaries of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. That compares with six system operators responsible for most of the rest of the country. “The divided operation of the western grid is not unlike having a bus with 38 drivers.”

Jul 12, 2016 Steven Yoder

After the Fact

Six years after his long-time accountant was sent to prison for fraud, one client looks for answers

Bill Murray (not that one) was at the top of his game, so to speak, until an epic fall from grace. In December 2009, the 54-year-old tax accountant was charged with defrauding more than 50 clients of his Sacramento firm, Murray & Young Accountancy, out of more than $13.3 million. He subsequently pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 19.5 years in federal prison. The saga played out like a reality TV crime drama, from beginning to end.

Jul 26, 2016 Stuart Greenbaum

The Ice Man

Building up from the ashes

After plans for a massive upgrade to the historic Crystal Ice and Cold Storage building went up in smoke, Mike Heller and his team were forced back to the drawing board — here’s how they forged ahead.

Jul 5, 2016 Russell Nichols

Infographic: More and More Renewables Coming Online

When it comes to our country’s shift to renewable energy, there’s no turning back. Improved technology has made renewables more reliable and less expensive, and government policies have encouraged or required their use. But there’s always change happening in the industry sector, as you’ll read in one of our July features, “Will the Mega-Grid Get Built?” 

Jul 12, 2016 Sara Bogovich