Silly cone valley

I didn't catch anyone else in the room chuckling. But it struck me today as funny that Michael Peevey, President of the California Public Utilities Commission, the guy at the reigns of power (literally) for the sixth largest economy in the world, thinks his very own Silicon Valley is pronounced "silicone valley".

Am I the only one who finds glorious serendipity in the name of Michael Peevey, who's a big proponent of solar power?!

Once or twice could be forgiven. We all make mistakes.

But after several misstated references in his keynote today at the Solar Power 2006 conference in San Jose, (the "capital of silicone valley"), and consistently through our subsequent closed-door press conference, it seemed Peevey had never been properly corrected by his handlers. Ever.

Silicon, Mr. President, is the stuff they use in solar panels and computer chips.

Silicone is used for other things (check out this great set.)