I like to distinguish between "little broadband" (i.e. DSL and cable modem) and "big broadband." What's the difference? "Little broadband" is typically able to consistently deliver only a few megabits per second down. In Blacksburg, as one example, DSL download speed is advertised as 1 megabit. The cable company here sells 20 meg and 30 meg packages, which work pretty well if there are not too many of your neighbors online at the same time. Performance degrades noticeably after 3 PM, when schools let out and kids come home and hit the computer, their tablets, and their smartphones.
An ugly, smelly weed called jatropha may be another piece of the energy puzzle. According to a Slashdot article, the weed produces a seed that can have up to 40% oil content, which can be easily converted to a biofuel for diesel engines. Jatropha apparently grows easily, requires little water or fertilizer, and can be grown on marginal lands that would not support energy intensive crops like corn and soybeans.
I've added a new category called the "Agriculture Economy" to the Technology News section. For several years, I have encouraged rural regions to look closely at new models of agriculture that are entrepreneur-focused, rather than relying on traditional agriculture models where the farmer is basically just the factory floor--food products are "produced" and then put on trucks, hauled away, and sold by others, who also make most of the profit.
