Energy News Digest for December 10, 2013

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Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Hearing in Tri-Cities Considers Future of Columbia River Treaty with Canada (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Tri Cities, WA)

http://www.nbcrightnow.com/story/24173556/hearing-in-tri-cities-considers-future-of-treaty-with-canada

Downtown Stretch Remains Dark as Portland General Electric Struggles to Get the Lights On (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/2013/12/downtown-stretch-remain-dark-as-pge.html

Biomass Cogeneration Plant at Nippon Paper Mill Undergoing Tests (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20131210/news/312109983/biomass-cogeneration-plant-at-nippon-paper-mill-undergoing-tests

Mayor: New Seattle High-Speed Internet Network Delayed, Possibly Dead (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=2411400

How Much Can One State Pollute Another’s Skies? Supreme Court to Hear Case (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2013/1210/How-much-can-one-state-pollute-another-s-skies-Supreme-Court-to-hear-case

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Hearing in Tri-Cities Considers Future of Columbia River Treaty with Canada
• Committee Field Hearing Stresses Importance of Power, Flood Control in Future Columbia River Treaty Negotiations
• Downtown Stretch Remains Dark as Portland General Electric Struggles to Get the Lights On
• Natural Gas Futures Jump as Cold Weather Rolls In
• First Nations Open BC Hydro’s Site C Dam Hearings with Drums, Singing
• First Nations Split over BC Hydro’s Site C Dam Megaproject
• Arkansas Grid Attack Suspect is Indicted
• Fighting Back Against Power Theft
• Op/Ed: Congressman Hastings - Salmon Recovery Plays a Vital Role
• How Much Can One State Pollute Another’s Skies? Supreme Court to Hear Case
• Biomass Cogeneration Plant at Nippon Paper Mill Undergoing Tests
• Vestas’ Nova Scotia Order Could Fortify Portland Operations
• Tips for Reducing Winter Heating Bills
• How Much Energy Does Your iPhone (And Other Devices) Really Use?
• California Cap & Trade Expanding in 2014 after Successful 2013
• New Palo Alto Homes to Come Electric Vehicle Charger Ready
• Mayor: New Seattle High-Speed Internet Network Delayed, Possibly Dead
• Google Scraps $300 Million Hong Kong Data Center
• FCC to Vote Thursday to Allow Voice Calls on Planes
• Google Fiber Shows How Not to Install a Telecom Cabinet
• Kobe & Messi: How Viral Marketing Sausage Is Made
• Kitzhaber Launches Fourth Run for Governor of Oregon
• Lost Power? Six Ways to Stay Safe during a Blackout
• Cold Dis-Comfort: Antarctica Set Record of -135.8
• Scam Artist Calls Wrong Number, Gets Caught

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Shelton Area Weather for December 10, 2013

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Hearing in Tri-Cities Considers Future of Columbia River Treaty with Canada (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Tri Cities, WA)

http://www.nbcrightnow.com/story/24173556/hearing-in-tri-cities-considers-future-of-treaty-with-canada

Committee Field Hearing Stresses Importance of Power, Flood Control in Future Columbia River Treaty Negotiations (U-S House of Representatives, Natural Resources Committee)

http://naturalresources.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363831

Downtown Stretch Remains Dark as Portland General Electric Struggles to Get the Lights On (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/2013/12/downtown-stretch-remain-dark-as-pge.html

Natural Gas Futures Jump as Cold Weather Rolls In (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Natural-gas-futures-jump-as-cold-weather-rolls-in-5048955.php

First Nations Open BC Hydro’s Site C Dam Hearings with Drums, Singing (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/b-c/first-nations-open-b-c-hydro-s-site-c-dam-hearings-with-drums-singing-1.751976

First Nations Split over BC Hydro’s Site C Dam Megaproject (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/b-c/first-nations-split-over-b-c-hydro-s-site-c-dam-megaproject-1.751989

Arkansas Grid Attack Suspect is Indicted (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/industry/crime/arkansas-grid-vandal-indicted-jason-woodring/64034

Fighting Back Against Power Theft (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/editors-pick/ways-electric-co-ops-prevent-power-theft/63989

FISH & WILDLIFE

Op/Ed: Congressman Hastings - Salmon Recovery Plays a Vital Role (Omak Chronicle, WA)

http://www.omakchronicle.com/news/2013/nov/20/salmon-recovery-plays-vital-role/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

How Much Can One State Pollute Another’s Skies? Supreme Court to Hear Case (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2013/1210/How-much-can-one-state-pollute-another-s-skies-Supreme-Court-to-hear-case

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Biomass Cogeneration Plant at Nippon Paper Mill Undergoing Tests (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20131210/news/312109983/biomass-cogeneration-plant-at-nippon-paper-mill-undergoing-tests

Vestas’ Nova Scotia Order Could Fortify Portland Operations (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2013/12/vestas-nova-scotia-order-could-fortify.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Tips for Reducing Winter Heating Bills (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.kgw.com/news/Tips-for-reducing-winter-heating-bills-235121611.html

How Much Energy Does Your iPhone (And Other Devices) Really Use? (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mef45mkmf/ipad-1-50-per-year-5/?ss=business:energy

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

California Cap & Trade Expanding in 2014 after Successful 2013 (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/silviomarcacci/312251/california-cap-and-trade-expanding-2014-after-successful-2013

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

New Palo Alto Homes to Come Electric Vehicle Charger Ready (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_24691549

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Mayor: New Seattle High-Speed Internet Network Delayed, Possibly Dead (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=2411400

Google Scraps $300 Million Hong Kong Data Center (Silicon Valley Business Journal, CA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2013/12/10/google-scraps-300-million-hong-kong.html

FCC to Vote Thursday to Allow Voice Calls on Planes (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-to-Vote-Thursday-to-Allow-Voice-Calls-on-Planes-126947

Google Fiber Shows How Not to Install a Telecom Cabinet (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Google-Fiber-Shows-How-Not-to-Install-a-Telecom-Cabinet-126883

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Kobe & Messi: How Viral Marketing Sausage Is Made (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2013/12/09/kobe-messi-ad-seeding/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Kitzhaber Launches Fourth Run for Governor of Oregon (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/article/kitzhaber-launches-fourth-run-for-governor/

GENERAL NEWS

Lost Power? Six Ways to Stay Safe during a Blackout (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2013/12/09/power-outage-blackout-snow-ice-storm/3915447/

Cold Dis-Comfort: Antarctica Set Record of -135.8 (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/science/article/Cold-dis-comfort-Antarctica-set-record-of-135-8-5049200.php

Scam Artist Calls Wrong Number, Gets Caught (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.katu.com/news/problemsolver/Scam-artist-calls-wrong-number-gets-caught-235173251.html

DIVERSIONS

49ers Ask Neighboring Businesses to Change Work Hours So Team Can Play Monday Night Football

http://consumerist.com/2013/12/09/49ers-ask-neighboring-businesses-to-change-work-hours-so-team-can-play-monday-night-football/

The Fascinating Story of Why U-S Parks Are Full of Squirrels

http://gizmodo.com/the-fascinating-story-of-why-u-s-parks-are-full-of-squ-1478182563

Passenger Wakes Up In Locked United Jet

http://www.kgw.com/news/Passenger-wakes-up-in-locked-United-jet-235073811.html

Eleanor Parker Dies at 91; Played Baroness in ‘The Sound Of Music’

http://www.latimes.com/obituaries/la-me-eleanor-parker-20131210,0,454195.story#axzz2n5hE7aMn

SONG OF THE DAY

Elenore - The Turtles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yokOHou3fs

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

Note that as some newspapers migrate to a “paywall” system of access, some articles may not be available without forking over some cold hard credit card cash. However, some sites will allow a certain number of story accesses per month before holding out their hand. Sorry if this is an inconvenience.

Energy News Digest for December 4, 2013

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Bonneville Power Administration: Whistle-Blower Alleges Senior Manager Sanctioned Discrimination against Veterans (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/12/bpa_document_says_senior_manag.html

Green Energy Could Crash the U-S Power Grid (Business Insider, Australia)

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/green-energy-isnt-compatible-with-us-power-grid-2013-12

Hold Onto Your Hats: Congress Wants to Tackle the Telecommunications Laws Again (GigaOm)

http://gigaom.com/2013/12/03/hold-onto-your-hats-congress-wants-to-tackle-the-telecommunications-laws-again/

Fall Freeze Is Coming, Are You Prepared? (KOMO TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Fall-Freeze-Forces--234108981.html

Heating Companies Say Emergency Calls Have Skyrocketed (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Heating-companies-say-emergency-calls-have-skyrocketed--234333661.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Bonneville Power Administration: Whistle-Blower Alleges Senior Manager Sanctioned Discrimination against Veterans
• Chelan PUD Budget Approved
• Eugene Water & Electric Board Approves Rate Increases
• United Kingdom: Councils Generate Own Power to Take on the Big Six Energy Firms
• Still Waters of Mirror Pond's Future Moving Again
• Green Energy Could Crash the U-S Power Grid
• Mason PUD 3 Conservation on KMAS Radio - Daybreak December 3
• New Evidence that More Efficient Houses are More Valuable Houses
• Shari's Restaurant Chain Wins Sustainability Award
• New LEED Standards Mean Reduced Project Times
• PSEG Partners with the NFL Environmental Program to Provide Green Energy for Super Bowl XLVIII 
• Hold Onto Your Hats: Congress Wants to Tackle the Telecommunications Laws
• Email Scam Costs Three Washington Companies $1.65 Million, FBI
• Pacific County Now Has Verizon 4G
• Gary Locke for President?
• Fall Freeze Is Coming, Are You Prepared?
• Heating Companies Say Emergency Calls Have Skyrocketed
• New Effort Forms over Olympic National Forest
• Root Rot Threatens Christmas Trees in Oregon, U-S

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bonneville Power Administration: Whistle-Blower Alleges Senior Manager Sanctioned Discrimination against Veterans (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/12/bpa_document_says_senior_manag.html

Chelan PUD Budget Approved (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2013/dec/03/chelan-pud-budget-approved/

Eugene Water & Electric Board Approves Rate Increases (Eugene Register Guard, OR)

http://www.registerguard.com/rg/news/local/30822300-75/eweb-percent-rate-increase-electric.html.csp

United Kingdom: Councils Generate Own Power to Take on the Big Six Energy Firms (The Guardian, UK)

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/dec/04/councils-generate-own-power-big-six-energy-fuel-poverty

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Still Waters of Mirror Pond's Future Moving Again (Oregon Public Radio)

http://www.opb.org/news/article/still-waters-of-mirror-ponds-future-moving-again/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Green Energy Could Crash the U-S Power Grid (Business Insider, Australia)

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/green-energy-isnt-compatible-with-us-power-grid-2013-12

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Mason PUD 3 Conservation on KMAS Radio - Daybreak December 3 (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://kmasnewsradio.com/news/local-state-news/8736-daybreak-december-3

New Evidence that More Efficient Houses are More Valuable Houses (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/nrdcswitchboard/308571/new-evidence-more-efficient-houses-are-more-valuable-houses

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Shari's Restaurant Chain Wins Sustainability Award (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.nbcrightnow.com/story/24128435/sharis-restaurant-chain-wins-sustainability-award

New LEED Standards Mean Reduced Project Times (Triangle Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2013/12/03/leed-certification-will-see-these.html

PSEG Partners with the NFL Environmental Program to Provide Green Energy for Super Bowl XLVIII (PR Newswire)

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/pseg-partners-nfl-environmental-program-130000642.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Hold Onto Your Hats: Congress Wants to Tackle the Telecommunications Laws Again (GigaOm)

http://gigaom.com/2013/12/03/hold-onto-your-hats-congress-wants-to-tackle-the-telecommunications-laws-again/

Email Scam Costs Three Washington Companies $1.65 Million, FBI Says (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2013/12/03/three-wa-companies-trapped-in-email-scam.html

Pacific County Now Has Verizon 4G (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kxro.wordpress.com/2013/12/04/pacific-county-now-has-verizon-4g/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Gary Locke for President? (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=2406190

GENERAL NEWS

Fall Freeze Is Coming, Are You Prepared? (KOMO TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Fall-Freeze-Forces--234108981.html

Heating Companies Say Emergency Calls Have Skyrocketed (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Heating-companies-say-emergency-calls-have-skyrocketed--234333661.html

New Effort Forms over Olympic National Forest (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/New-effort-forms-over-Olympic-National-Forest-234325221.html

Root Rot Threatens Christmas Trees in Oregon, U-S (Associated Press)

http://www.kgw.com/news/Root-rot-threatens-Christmas--trees-in-Ore-US--234099201.html

DIVERSIONS

We Want to Go to There: Travel Posters Feature Destinations From Game of Thrones, Star Wars

http://consumerist.com/2013/12/03/we-want-to-go-to-there-travel-posters-feature-destinations-from-game-of-thrones-star-wars/

Target Sells Demo iPad Pre-Loaded With Imaginary Lady’s Pictures & Contacts

http://consumerist.com/2013/12/03/target-sells-ipad-pre-loaded-with-some-other-ladys-pictures-and-contacts/

12th Man Flag to Fly High Above San Francisco Sunday

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=2407294

Cat Lost for 16 Months Reunited with Owners

http://www.kgw.com/news/Cat-missing-for-16-months-reunited-with-family-234168631.html

SONG OF THE DAY

‪Star Wars - Imperial March

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPK3IJBiTDs

Energy News Digest for December 3, 2013

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

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THE NEWS DIGEST TWITTER FEED

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for December 3, 2013

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2013/12/energy-news-digest-word-cloud-for_3.html

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP STORIES

Klamath Tribes & Ranchers Strike Water Sharing Deal (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/klamath-tribes-and-ranchers-strike-water-sharing-deal

Frigid Air Moves In to Western Washington State for an Extended Stay (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Frigid-air-moves-in-to-Western-Wash-for-an-extended-stay-234230351.html

Klamath Tribes & Ranchers Strike Water Sharing Deal (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/klamath-tribes-and-ranchers-strike-water-sharing-deal

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Bonneville Power Administration’s Ground-Shaking Research Could Better Protect Power Transformers in Quake
• Montana: Kerr Dam - Planning for the Future
• Rocky Barker: Idaho Power Decision Is About When the End Begins
• Wes Gray Leaving Grays Harbor PUD
• WAPA Initiates New Transmission Line Proposal in Central California
• Colorado: Boulder Asks State Regulators to Reconsider Ruling on Acquisition Process for Possible Local Electric Utility
• Why the Utility Death Spiral Myth Needs to Die
• Can Electricity Grids Withstand the Next Superstorm?
• United Kingdom: A Hair Shirt in Every Pot - Use Electric Blankets to Reduce Cost of Energy Bills, Conservative Peer Says
• Klamath Tribes & Ranchers Strike Water Sharing Deal
• Op/Ed: A Healthy Klamath River Benefits California Fisheries & Farms
• Op/Ed: The Yakima Water Plan is a Taxpayer Subsidy for Irrigators
• For Minnesota Utility, Wind Backed by Hydro is ‘Holy Grail’
• Going Solar? Panels Aren’t the Biggest Cost of the Systems, NREL Says
• How Effective are U-S Renewable Energy Policies?
• Ontario Swaps Coal for Advanced Biomass
• What Thermostat Temperature Settings and Heating Degree Days Can Teach You about Your Heating Bills
• Obama Administration Expands Better Buildings Challenge to Multifamily Housing
• Google Soars Into the Cloud
• Emails, Texting Replacing Phone Calls? Don't Believe It
• Ohio: When’s the Power Coming Back On? AEP Has Your Answer Online
• Frigid Air Moves In to Western Washington State for an Extended Stay
• Special Weather Statement: Unusually Cold Weather across Western Washington for the Next Week
• McCleary Mayor Threatens Mass Layoffs of Police Force, Citywide Closures
• Seahawks Fans Set Off Seismometers, Break Noise Record

WORD OF THE DAY

Lacuna • \luck-KOON-nuh\ • Noun - 1: a blank space or a missing part: gap; also: deficiency, inadequacy 2: a small cavity, pit, or discontinuity in an anatomical structure

Despite his inflated self-opinion (and an amazing ability to churn out turgid prose at the drop of a hat) Deandre was a terrible novelist. His mystery novels had so many holes in their convoluted plots that his editors took to calling the tenth anniversary compilation of his sixteen novels as the “Lacuna Diaries.”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bonneville Power Administration’s Ground-Shaking Research Could Better Protect Power Transformers in Quake (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/BPAs-ground-shaking-research-could-better-protect-power-transformers-in-quake.aspx

Montana: Kerr Dam - Planning for the Future (Char-Koosta News, Pablo, MT)

http://www.charkoosta.com/2013/2013_11_28/Kerr_Dam-Planning_for_the_future.html

Rocky Barker: Idaho Power Decision Is About When the End Begins (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/12/02/2903822/idaho-power-decision-is-about.html

Wes Gray Leaving Grays Harbor PUD (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kxro.wordpress.com/2013/12/03/wes-gray-leaving-grays-harbor-pud/

WAPA Initiates New Transmission Line Proposal in Central California (Electric Light & Power)

http://www.elp.com/news/2013/12/02/wapa-initiates-new-transmission-line-proposal-in-central-california.html

Colorado: Boulder Asks State Regulators to Reconsider Ruling on Acquisition Process for Possible Local Electric Utility (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=244362&issueID=27160

Why the Utility Death Spiral Myth Needs to Die (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampentland/2013/12/02/why-the-utility-death-spiral-myth-needs-to-die/

Can Electricity Grids Withstand the Next Superstorm? (Clean Technica)

http://cleantechnica.com/2013/12/02/can-electricity-grids-withstand-next-superstorm/

United Kingdom: A Hair Shirt in Every Pot - Use Electric Blankets to Reduce Cost of Energy Bills, Conservative Peer Says (The Telegraph, UK)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/10490380/Use-electric-blankets-to-reduce-cost-of-energy-bills-Conservative-peer-says.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Klamath Tribes & Ranchers Strike Water Sharing Deal (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/klamath-tribes-and-ranchers-strike-water-sharing-deal

Op/Ed: A Healthy Klamath River Benefits California Fisheries & Farms (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/12/03/5964912/viewpoints-a-healthy-klamath-river.html

Op/Ed: The Yakima Water Plan is a Taxpayer Subsidy for Irrigators (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2022382029_brockevansestellaleopoldopedyakimawaterplanxxxml.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

For Minnesota Utility, Wind Backed by Hydro is ‘Holy Grail’ (Midwest Energy News)

http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2013/12/03/for-minnesota-utility-wind-backed-by-hydro-is-holy-grail/

Going Solar? Panels Aren’t the Biggest Cost of the Systems, NREL Says (Denver Business Journal, CO)
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/earth_to_power/2013/12/going-solar-panels-arent-the-biggest.html

How Effective are U-S Renewable Energy Policies? (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/jemillerep/311406/how-effective-are-us-renewable-power-policies

Ontario Swaps Coal for Advanced Biomass (Fierce Energy)

http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/ontario-swaps-coal-advanced-biomass/2013-11-22

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

What Thermostat Temperature Settings and Heating Degree Days Can Teach You about Your Heating Bills (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/lindsay-wilson/307476/what-thermostat-temperature-settings-and-heating-degree-days-can-teach-you-abo

Obama Administration Expands Better Buildings Challenge to Multifamily Housing - Launches New Programs to Boost U-S Energy Efficiency (Multi-Housing News Online)

http://www.multihousingnews.com/news/obama-administration-expands-better-buildings-challenge-to-multifamily-housing-launches-new-programs-to-boost-u-s-energy-efficiency/1004094380.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Google Soars Into the Cloud (Portland Business Journal, OR)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/morning_call/2013/12/google-soars-into-the-cloud.html

Emails, Texting Replacing Phone Calls? Don't Believe It (The Business Journals)

http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/how-to/marketing/2013/12/texting-email-phones-not-going-away.html

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Ohio: When’s the Power Coming Back On? AEP Has Your Answer Online (Columbus Business First, OH)

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2013/11/26/whens-the-power-coming-back-on-aep.html

GENERAL NEWS

Frigid Air Moves In to Western Washington State for an Extended Stay (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Frigid-air-moves-in-to-Western-Wash-for-an-extended-stay-234230351.html

Special Weather Statement: Unusually Cold Weather across Western Washington for the Next Week (National Weather Service, Seattle)

http://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WA124F2935DFC4.SpecialWeatherStatement.124F29436900WA.SEWSPSSEW.6adb09b0402b678a713c05d8a792a62a

McCleary Mayor Threatens Mass Layoffs of Police Force, Citywide Closures (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

http://thedailyworld.com/sections/news/local/mccleary-mayor-threatens-mass-layoffs-police-force-citywide-closures.html

Seahawks Fans Set Off Seismometers, Break Noise Record (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Seahawks-fans-noise-seismometers-234182601.html

DIVERSIONS

Manners and Cursing, Mapped

http://gizmodo.com/manners-and-cursing-mapped-1475459054

Mistletoe Sale Gets 11-Year-Old Girl Booted from Portland Saturday Market

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/12/mistletoe_sale_gets_11-year-ol.html

'World's Ugliest Dog' Elwood Dies in New Jersey

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/02/us-usa-newjersey-uglydog-idUSBRE9AT0CP20131202

Russian Torchbearer's Jacket Catches Fire

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/28/us-olympics-sochi-torch-idUSBRE9AR0G920131128

SONG OF THE DAY

Vangelis - Chariots of Fire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI9wiygIrrU

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

Note that as some newspapers migrate to a “paywall” system of access, some articles may not be available without forking over some cold hard credit card cash. However, some sites will allow a certain number of story accesses per month before holding out their hand. Sorry if this is an inconvenience.