The Grid

Our Christmas was fairly mellow. It was cold and overcast and I read one of my gifts, An Incomplete Education. Also I watched the marathon of A Christmas Story.

As it was snowing on the mainland, so was a storm brewing over Hawaii. About ten, we heard loud thunder and rain. Yesterday, the storm continued. Honolulu had a blackout, which really underscored how much people depend on electricity. Obama already had a generator in place, but HECO brought another one to supplement it.

That brings me to mention the book I bought as a gift for my father: Just in Case: How to be Self-Sufficient When the Unexpected Happens, by Kathy Harrison. The power grid is not as reliable as we think, even as demand for electricity increases. I recommend the book very much.