News Digest for August 29, 2007

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.

WORD OF THE DAY

Crambo • \KRAM-boh\ • noun – A game in which one player gives a word or line of verse to be matched in rhyme by other players

I love the movie “Princess Bride”. Especially the game of crambo between Fezzik and Inigo. Let’s review it now! (Thanks to the Internet Movie Database)

Inigo Montoya: That Vizzini, he can *fuss*.
Fezzik: Fuss, fuss... I think he like to scream at *us*.
Inigo Montoya: Probably he means no *harm*.
Fezzik: He's really very short on *charm*.
Inigo Montoya: You have a great gift for rhyme.
Fezzik: Yes, yes, some of the time.
Vizzini: Enough of that.
Inigo Montoya: Fezzik, are there rocks ahead?
Fezzik: If there are, we all be dead.
Vizzini: No more rhymes now, I mean it.
Fezzik: Anybody want a peanut?
Vizzini: DYEEAAHHHHHH.

WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/index.php?minlon=-124.8&maxlon=-120.57&minlat=46.2&maxlat=49.33&mapwidth=354&map.x=144&map.y=269

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Oregon – Siemens looks at excessive blade speed in tower fall. Preliminary findings seem to move suspicion away from a structural problem (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1188354306162160.xml&coll=7

Okanogan County PUD moves forward with transmission line design – The PUD is going forward with design plans for the Pateros-to-Twisp 115-kilovolt transmission line. (The Omak Chronicle)
http://www.omakchronicle.com/nws/n070828b.shtml

The Grant County Public Utilities District offers workshop to study service costs – The PUD holds a public workshop next week to study electrical costs and determine the utility's future revenue requirements. (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2007/08/28/news/news03.txt

Montana – Missoula Drops Proposal to Buy Power From Electric City Power. The Missoula City Council Monday approved Mayor John Engen’s motion to officially withdraw a proposal for purchasing energy from a Great Falls public power company with plans to build a coal-fired power plant. (New West)
http://www.newwest.net/index.php/topic/article/missoula_drops_proposal_to_buy_power_from_electric_city_power/C38/L38/

Seattle Times Columnist – Coal comes cheap, but it's still costly
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2003857660_harrop29.html

British Columbia border towns balk at Alberta nuclear plan – Mayors of towns in B.C.'s Peace River region said Tuesday they want a voice in discussions about a proposal to build the first nuclear power plant in western Canada (The Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=318784a6-af2d-4366-aae8-4c3d877a245e

California – As temperatures rise, state officials urge power conservation (San Jose Mercury-News)
http://origin.mercurynews.com/healthandscience/ci_6748849?nclick_check=1

Maryland – Power rival of BGE falters: PSC suspends Ohms' license – Sheirmiar White launched Ohms Energy Co. in spring 2006 with a promise to beat Baltimore Gas and Electric's rates, hoping to show that deregulation could deliver lower electricity prices. (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CffgltvqSUnjt%3EEvbfem%5Ev

Massachusetts - Compact: Don’t Expect Good News On Electric Bills. Take an antiquated infrastructure and outdated government energy policy, and add to it the region’s heavy dependence on fossil fuels and a lack of competition, and you’ve got the recipe for Cape Cod’s sky-high residential electrical rates. (Cape Cod Chronicle)
http://www.capecodchronicle.com/chatnews/chat083007_6.htm

Canadians seek better information, service from electric utilities – survey (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/business/070828/b082873A.html

New Hampshire – Town Says Lights Out To Cut Costs. Official Says Move Saves Nearly $50,000 A Year
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/13982639/detail.html

WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT

Endangered-species suit planned – An environmental organization served notice Tuesday that it intends to sue a federal agency over 55 endangered species in 28 states and seek restoration of 8.7 million acres of protected habitat. (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003858059_envirosuit29m.html?syndication=rss

Washington State Governor Gregoire offers to negotiate over fixing culverts for salmon (The Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP08292007news190146.cfm

Chelan County PUD adjusts Lake Chelan water levels – The level of Lake Chelan will be a little lower this fall to help salmon and a little higher next June to help recreation. (The Wenatchee World)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070828/NEWS04/708280344/1001/rss1001

Tearing down dams helps build up fish – Marmot Dam on the Sandy River and Brownsville Canal Company Dam on the Calapooia River (The Eugene Register-Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/news/2007/08/28/b1.od.stahlberg.0828.p1.php?section=outdoors

Log airlift helps fish return to their roots – The logs added to the Stillaguamish River delta will help restore lost habitat. (The Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20070829/NEWS01/108290010&news01ad=1

Oregon fish project is conservation award-winner “…The money came from Bonneville Power Administration, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, the Conservation Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife…” (Salem Statesman Journal)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070828/OUTDOORS/70828005/1034

Irrigation district shuts off taps early in SW Idaho – Come this weekend, a southwestern Idaho irrigation district is turning off water to hundreds of farmers in Nampa and Meridian. (The Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/202656.html

CONSERVATION & RENEWABLE ENERGY

California Looks to Neighbors for Green Energy – California is looking to tap green energy projects in bordering states to meet its ambitious renewable energy targets. “…developers can avoid the state's intensive regulatory process while reaping the benefits of selling it green power…” (Green Wombat)
http://blogs.business2.com/greenwombat/2007/08/california-look.html?section=magazines_business2

Long Island, NY – Wind farm debate split environmentalists (Newsday)
http://www.newsday.com/business/ny-bzwind0829,0,7975620.story

Light Bulbs and Lost Opportunities - Part I A Case Study (Energy Pulse Commentary)
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1548

Light Bulbs and Lost Opportunities - Part II The Big Picture (Energy Pulse Commentary)
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1549

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Hot year blamed on greenhouse gases (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/globalwarming/2007-08-28-hot-2006_N.htm?csp=34

Trying to Connect the Dinner Plate to Climate Change – The biggest animal rights groups do not always overlap in their missions, but now they have coalesced around a message that eating meat is worse for the environment than driving. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/29/business/media/29adco.html?ex=1346040000&en=600ab00df97a692e&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

City of Chicago disconnecting from Wi-Fi vision – Chicago is curtailing its digital dreams, deciding to back away from municipal Wi-Fi service after failing to reach agreement with either of two companies that sought to build a wireless Internet network in the city. (Chicago Tribune, tip from Baller/Herbst)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-tue_nowifi0828aug28,1,5694863.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

Illinois – AT&T cancels citywide Wi-Fi plan. AT&T has scuttled plans it had to deploy wireless Internet with some free access throughout Springfield, according to Mayor Tim Davlin’s top aide. (Springfield Journal-Register)
http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/15186.asp

EarthLink's Wi-Fi dreams may be fading – EarthLink's dreams of competing against the big telephone and cable companies are fading as it slashes nearly half its total work force in an effort to cut costs. (CNET News.com)
http://news.com.com/EarthLinks+Wi-Fi+dreams+may+be+fading/2100-7351-6204984.html?part=dht&tag=nl.e703

Report: Wi-Fi to supersede wired Ethernet – Wi-Fi will start replacing wired Ethernet within the next two to three years, as users and applications go mobile, an IT analyst group has claimed. (CNET News.com)
http://news.com.com/Report%3A+Wi-Fi+to+supersede+wired+Ethernet/2100-7351_3-6205010.html?tag=fd_nbs_ent&tag=nl.e703

Japan's Warp-Speed Ride to Internet Future – Americans invented the Internet, but the Japanese are running away with it. Broadband service here is eight to 30 times as fast as in the United States -- and considerably cheaper. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/28/AR2007082801990.html?nav=rss_world

Congressional Research Service – Broadband Internet Regulation and Access: Background and Issues
http://opencrs.cdt.org/document/RL33542

Oregon – Telecom bust survivor bulking up. Portland-based Integra will buy a Minnesota phone company and is looking at an IPO within two years (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1188267933219450.xml&coll=7

GENERAL NEWS

Hoodsport – Neighbors Angry Over 13-Year-Old Rapist Living Nearby (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/13992507/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

Seattle Times Editorial – Gorton could be just what the nation needs: Slade Gorton could be the answer to President Bush's latest challenge — replacing his embattled attorney general, Alberto Gonzales.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2003857655_sladed29.html

Copper thieves cost farmers millions in losses – Metal used widely in agricultural operations sells for about $3.50 a pound (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_6748373?source=rss&nclick_check=1

DIVERSIONS

Portland Water Bureau posts mug of soaper on Web site – Portland hopes to humble vandals, like the 19-year-old who put dish soap in a popular fountain
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1188267907219450.xml&coll=7

Artist Arrested in Burning Man Torching (OK, maybe we can’t all related to the event, but I just HAD to post this story for the mug shot alone…priceless!)
http://www.examiner.com/a-905480~Artist_Arrested_in_Burning_Man_Torching.html

Drivers warned: Don't trust your Sat Navs
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSHER94602320070829?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

In Italy – Roadside window-washers threatened with jail
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSHER94576020070829?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews