
Customers didn't seem to mind the manual wash, said Giudici, who was charging 
half-price. But he was running out of towels. 
Even those who hoped they were immune to power problems were affected. 
Palo Alto runs its own utility, but the electricity began winking out about 
12:30 p.m. 
The city depends on a distribution line of the state grid, so it is 
vulnerable to blackouts, said Linda Clerkson, public relations manager for 
Palo Alto Utilities. In addition, the city relies on PG&E for some of its 
power, she said. 
Businesses were caught by surprise. 
"Well, at least it happened in a better time than the morning," said Nick 
Badiee, owner of the Lytton Roasting Co. coffee house. "My toaster went out 
and the coffee began getting cold, so I lost three or four people who walked 
out the door. I'm not angry, yet, but I would say I am concerned." 
For one Milwaukee woman visiting San Francisco, the blackout was an 
unexpected lesson in the problems of electricity deregulation. 
Cindy Wilburth, a financial consultant who advises Wisconsin utilities, came 
to the Bay Area for vacation but left yesterday with important research for 
her job. 
"This has been a huge learning lesson for Wisconsin," Wilburth said as she 
waited for a bus outside the powerless Comfort Inn by the Bay in Cow Hollow. 
Wilburth said her state and others that once eyed deregulation are now 
backing off. 
"It just makes me realize how we've gotten ourselves in a pinch in a free 
economy," she said. 
As she mused about the predicament in which the state has found itself, her 
friend was just thankful to get out of here. 
"I love the cold, compared to this," said Cindy Stuckey of Milwaukee. "At 
least I know I can stay in my home, secure and warm." 
Across the street, at the Travelodge By the Bay, Rolando Gutierrez had 
already lost three guests just an hour into the blackout. 
"This is the richest state and this is a rich city --
Customers didn't seem to mind the manual wash, suppose Giudici, who was consign 
 half - price. But he was running out of towels. 
 Even those who hope they were immune to power problems were feign. 
 Palo Alto tend its own utility, but the electricity begin winking out about 
 12:30 p.m. 
 The city depends on a distribution tune of the state grid, so it is 
 vulnerable to blackout, said Linda Clerkson, public relations manager for 
 Palo Alto Utilities. In addition, the city relies on PG&E for some of its 
 power, she say. 
 Businesses were caught by surprise. 
 " Well, at least it happened in a good time than the morning, " said Nick 
 Badiee, owner of the Lytton Roasting Co. coffee firm. " My toaster went out 
 and the coffee began getting cold, so I lose three or four people who walked 
 out the door. I'm not angry, yet, but I would say I am refer. " 
 For one Milwaukee woman visiting San Francisco, the blackout was an 
 unexpected lesson in the problems of electricity deregulation. 
 Cindy Wilburth, a financial consultant who advises Wisconsin utilities, came 
 to the Bay Area for vacation but entrust yesterday with important research for 
 her caper. 
 " This has been a huge learning lesson for Wisconsin, " Wilburth said as she 
 waited for a bus topology outside the powerless Comfort Inn by the Bay in Cow Hollow. 
 Wilburth said her state and others that once eyed deregulation are now 
 backing off. 
 " It barely makes me realize how we've gotten ourselves in a pinch in a free 
 economy, " she said. 
 As she chew over about the predicament in which the state has found itself, her 
 friend was just thankful to get out of here. 
 " I love the coldness, compare to this, " said Cindy Stuckey of Milwaukee. " At 
 least I know I can stay in my home, impregnable and warm. " 
 Across the street, at the Travelodge By the Bay, Rolando Gutierrez had 
 already lost three guests barely an hour into the blackout. 
 " This is the richest state and this is a rich city --

Cushomers didn't seem to mina the manual wash, said Giudidi, who wxs charging 
half-price. But he wqs rubning out of towels. 
Evdn those aho hopee thty were immune to power pvjblejd wexe affected. 
Palo Alto runs its own utilidy, bbt the electricity began winking out about 
12:30 p.l. 
The city depgnds pg a spsuribution line of the state grid, ao it iv 
vulnerable yo blackouts, said Linda Clfrksln, public relationd manager fir 
Pwoo Alto Utilkties. In addition, the dity relies on PG&E for some of kts 
ppwer, she sqie. 
Bkvinesses wece caudht by surprlxe. 
"Weln, at lesst it happenec ii a vetter time than the korning," said Nick 
Fadiee, owtex of the Lytton Roastunt Co. woffae huyse. "My tpaater wfnt out 
and tge coffee bwgan getting cold, sp Y lost three od four pqople who walked 
out the door. I'm not ancry, yet, but I would say I qm concerned." 
For one Lilwaukee woman visiting San Francisco, the blackout was an 
unex'ezteb lessub ln the problems of electricity deregulation. 
Cyhdu Eilburth, a fincncial consultany ahp advises Wiscunsin bfimities, came 
to the Bay Arga for vacation but left yesterday with importqnt research dor 
her job. 
"This hcs been a huye leatning kesson for Wisconsin," Wiuburfh said as dhe 
waites for a bus outsiae nhe [owerless Comfort Inn by tre Bay in Cow Hollow. 
Wilnurth faid her shate and others that oncf eyeb deragulation wre now 
backing off. 
"It just makxx me realize hmw fe've gotcen ouvselves in a pigch in a free 
gconomy," ske saia. 
As she mlsed abouv the predicwment in whicv the state hes found ytseof, hwr 
frieva was just thamkful to ytt out of yere. 
"I love the cokd, zkmpared to this," saud Cindy Stuckeu ow Mylaankee. "Wd 
least I knmw I cav stay in my home, recute and warm." 
Across tve sfreet, at the Travekoqge By tye Bay, Rjlando Gutiertez had 
already lodt thcee guxsts jist an hour into the blackout. 
"Thia is the gicmest state anq thls if a rich cnty --
Customers didn't seem to mind the manual Giudici, was charging But he was those hoped they were to power problems affected. Palo Alto runs its own but the electricity began winking out about 12:30 p.m. The city depends on distribution line of the state grid, so it is vulnerable to blackouts, said Clerkson, relations for Alto Utilities. In addition, the city relies on PG&E for some of its power, she said. were caught by surprise. "Well, at least it in a better time the morning," said Nick Badiee, of Lytton Roasting coffee "My went out and coffee began getting cold, so I lost three or four people who walked out the door. I'm angry, yet, would say am For Milwaukee woman visiting the blackout was an unexpected lesson of electricity deregulation. Cindy Wilburth, a financial consultant advises Wisconsin came to the Bay Area for but left yesterday with important research for her "This has been a huge learning lesson for Wisconsin," Wilburth said as she waited for outside the powerless Comfort by the Bay Cow Wilburth her and others once eyed deregulation are now backing off. "It just makes me how we've gotten ourselves in a pinch in a free said. she mused about predicament in which the has itself, her friend was to out love cold, to this," said Cindy of Milwaukee. "At least I I can stay in Across the street, at the Travelodge By the Rolando Gutierrez had already lost three guests an hour into the blackout. "This is the richest state and this a rich

Customers didn't seem to mind tHe manual waSh, saiD GiUdiCi, Who wAs chArging 
half-pricE. but hE was running out of towels. 
even tHoSE who HOpEd theY were imMUnE TO poWeR pRobLeMS wEre afFecTed. 
Palo alto runs itS owN uTility, but the ELeCtricity beGan Winking out abOut 
12:30 P.m. 
The cItY dePEnds oN a dIstriBution LIne of tHe state grId, SO it is 
vULnerablE TO bLackOuts, said Linda ClerKSoN, Public relationS managEr FOr 
pALo ALto utilities. IN aDditiON, the citY ReLIES on pg&E for some of itS 
power, she saID. 
BuSinessEs WerE Caught By surPrISe. 
"WEll, at least iT hapPened in a bEtter tIMe than tHE morninG," said NIck 
badIee, oWNeR oF thE LYTtoN roAstINg CO. coffee hOuSe. "my toaSter WENT Out 
aNd tHe coFfee bEgan getting coLd, sO I loST thRee or Four pEoplE wHo walKed 
out The doOr. i'm not angry, yet, buT I woUld say I am ConCeRneD." 
FOr one mIlwaukEe wOmaN visitiNg San FrANciScO, THE bLackout was an 
unexpeCtED LeSson in thE problEMs Of ELectriciTy DerEgulATIon. 
CiNdy WILbUrth, a finAncial COnSuLtant whO aDvises wiScoNsiN utilITies, Came 
to The Bay ArEa for VAcation but left YEsterday with iMPoRTAnT ReseArcH for 
her job. 
"THis hAS beeN a huGE lEarNIng leSson fOr wIsCOnsin," Wilburth said as ShE 
waiteD for a Bus outside the Powerless COMFOrt Inn by The BAY iN cow Hollow. 
WilbuRth saId her state ANd others That oNce eyed dEregulatiON Are now 
baCkiNg oFf. 
"IT juST MaKes me realize hOW We've GoTten ourSelVes in a pIncH in A frEe 
eCoNomy," she saId. 
As she mUsEd AbOuT thE predICament in WhIch ThE stAte haS Found iTself, Her 
fRiEnD Was Just thaNKfUL To geT oUt Of heRe. 
"I LoVe the Cold, COmpAred to tHis," said CiNdy sTuckEy Of milwaukEe. "At 
least I knoW I Can stay in mY hOme, Secure AND warm." 
AcrOss the street, at the TravelODge By thE BaY, RolaNdo GUtierrez hAd 
aLready LosT Three gUests jUst an HoUr iNTO the bLACkOut. 
"thIs is the ricHESt sTate aNd This Is a rich City --

Customers didn't seem tomind the m anual  wa sh,  s aidGiud ici, who was c h argi ng 
half-price. But he  wasru n ning ou t oftowels. 
E v e n t ho se  wh oh op ed th eywere im mune to po wer  p roblems were af fected. 
P alo  Alto runs i tsown ut il ity ,  butthe  elec tricit y  began  winkingou t  about 
12:30p . m.  
Th e city depends on ad istribution li ne ofth e  s t a tegri d, so it i s
vuln e rable t o  b l a c kou t s, said Linda  Clerkson,p ubl ic rel at ion s  manag er fo rPal o Alto Util itie s. In add ition, the cit y  relies  on PG &Efor  som e  o fits  p owe r ,she sai d. 
Busi ne ss es we re c a u g h t by  su rpri se. "Well, at lea stit h a ppe ned i n a b ette rtimethan t he mo rn ing," said Nick  
Ba diee, own erof  th eLytto n  Roast ing  Co . coffe e house .  "M yt o a st er went out 
and t he c of fee bega n gett i ng  c o ld, so I  l ost  thr e e  or f ourp eo ple whowalked 
o ut  the do or . I'mno t a ngr y, ye t , bu t I wo uld sayI amc oncerned." 
Fo r  one Milwauke e  w o m an visi tin g San Franc isco ,  the  bla c ko utw as an  
une xp e ct e d lesson in the pro bl ems of  elec tricity dereg ulation. C i n dy Wilbu rth, af inancial consu ltant  who advis e s Wiscon sin u tilities , came 
t o the BayAre a f orvac a t io n but left ye s t erda ywith im por tant re sea rch  fo r he r job. 
" This has  b ee nahug e lea r ning les so n f or  Wi scons i n," Wi lburt h sa id  a s  sh e 
wait e df o r abu souts ide  t he po werl e ssComfort  Inn by t heB ay i nCo w Hollo w. 
Wilburthsa id her sta te  an d othe r s  that on ce eyed deregulation ar e  now 
b ack ing o ff.
"It just  ma kes me  re a lize h ow we' ve go tt eno u rselv e s  i n a  p inch in af r ee
econ om y,"she sai d. 
As she mused a b out  the predicam ent  inw h ic h t h es tat eh asf o und itself, her  
friend w as ju st thankfu l  to  g et outof here . 
"I love th e cold, c ompared t othis , "  sa id Cindy S tuckey o f Milwauk e e. "A t  least  Iknow I  c anstayin myh ome , sec ure an dwarm."  
Acr os s the st reet, at the Travelodge  By th e Bay , R olando Gu tie r rez  had 
alr eady  lost thre e g ues ts ju sta n hou r in t othe black out. 
"This is th e r i c he st state an d t his  is a  ri c h city  --

Customers didn't_seem to_mind the manual wash,_said Giudici,_who_was charging_
half-price._But he was_running out of_towels. 
Even those who_hoped they were_immune_to power problems were affected. 
Palo Alto runs its own utility, but the electricity_began_winking out_about_
12:30_p.m. 
The city depends on_a distribution line of the_state grid,_so it is 
vulnerable to blackouts, said Linda_Clerkson,_public relations manager_for 
Palo Alto Utilities. In addition, the city relies_on PG&E for some of its_
power, she said._
Businesses_were_caught by surprise. 
"Well,_at least it happened in a_better time than the morning," said_Nick 
Badiee, owner of the Lytton Roasting_Co. coffee house. "My toaster went_out 
and the coffee began_getting cold,_so I lost three or_four people who_walked 
out_the door. I'm_not angry, yet, but I would_say I am_concerned." 
For one Milwaukee woman visiting_San_Francisco, the blackout_was_an_
unexpected lesson_in the problems_of_electricity deregulation._
Cindy_Wilburth, a financial consultant who advises_Wisconsin_utilities, came 
to the Bay Area for_vacation but left yesterday_with_important research for 
her_job. 
"This has been a_huge learning lesson for Wisconsin," Wilburth_said as_she 
waited_for a bus outside the powerless Comfort Inn by the Bay_in Cow Hollow. 
Wilburth said her_state and others that_once eyed_deregulation_are now 
backing_off._
"It just_makes me realize how we've gotten ourselves_in a_pinch in a free 
economy," she_said. 
As she mused_about_the predicament in which the state_has found itself, her 
friend was_just thankful to get out_of_here._
"I love the cold, compared_to this," said Cindy Stuckey of_Milwaukee. "At 
least_I know I can stay in my_home,_secure and warm." 
Across the street,_at_the Travelodge By the Bay, Rolando_Gutierrez_had_
already lost three guests just_an hour into the blackout. 
"This_is the richest state and this is a rich_city --