Energy News Digest for October 31, 2012

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

Snohomish County Red Cross, PUD Head East to Help after Sandy (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20121031/NEWS01/710319905

Two Killed in Mason County Crash Identified (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/10/31/2303741/2-killed-in-mason-county-crash.html

Chelan PUD Settles With Fired Managers for $1 Million (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019567868_apwachelanpudsettlement.html

BPA Wraps Up ‘Demand Response’ Pilot Projects, Including Mason County PUD 3 (Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal, WA)

http://kpbj.com/special_report/energy/2012-10-31/bpa_wraps_up_demand_response_pilot_projects

Barclays Says It Will Fight FERC Penalty on Energy Trades (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-31/barclays-says-ferc-probing-western-u-s-power-trading-business.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Snohomish County Red Cross, PUD Head East to Help after Sandy
• Report: 6 Million without Power Due to Sandy, 3 Nuclear Power Plants Disabled
• Will Hurricane Sandy Raise Your Utility Bill?
• FCC: 25% of Cell Towers, Broadband Down in Ten States
• Red Cross Has Web Tools to Connect with Superstorm Victims
• Pacific Northwest Has Seen Its Share of Dangerous Storms
• Barclays Says It Will Fight FERC Penalty on Energy Trades
• Mason County PUD 3 Update - Outage on North Shore Road: Restoration Complete
• Grays Harbor PUD Scrutinizes Capital Budget
• State Auditor: Clallam PUD Should Pursue $24,000 in Pay from Former Employee
• California - Pacific Gas & Electric Profits Jump Despite Pipeline Costs
• Nuclear Vs. Renewable Energy Sources Debated by NPR’s Ira Flatow Panel
• Guards at Breached Tennessee Nuclear Site Cheated on Exam, Energy Dept. Says
• Study: Water Takes More Energy than Lighting
• Minnesota - Demand Dropping? Time to Raise Prices, Xcel Says
• Sandy River Hatchery Salmon Releases Challenged in Lawsuit by Wild Fish Advocates
• Oregon - Environmental Groups Sue Forest Service over Suction-Dredge Gold Mining
• British Columbia Salmon Inquiry Final Report Will Be Made Public Today
• Op/Ed – Oregon’s Measure 81 Would Take Salmon off the Kitchen Table
• New Reservoir Planned in Yakima River Canyon
• Puget Sound Ports Tout Air Pollution Progress
• More Tsunami Debris Expected on Washington State Beaches
• Ikea Uses Sun, Wind to Become Energy Independent
• Building Wind Turbine Towers from Wood
• BPA Wraps Up ‘Demand Response’ Pilot Projects, Including Mason County PUD 3
• Are ‘Smart Bulbs’ the Next Bright Idea in Energy Efficiency?
• Vampire Electronics Cause Higher Electric Bills
• Editorial – Ohio: Keep Energy Efficiency First
• Have You Been ‘ICE’d’? Drivers Promote Electric Car Parking Etiquette
• Chelan PUD Settles With Fired Managers for $1 Million
• Wi-Fi’s Annoying Little Secret: Not All Wi-Fi is Created Equal
• Rackspace - Revitalizing a Dead Mall…Don’t Expect Shoppers
• Washington State Sends Out Thousands of Defective Voter Pamphlets
• Two Killed in Mason County Crash Identified
• Flood Warning Continues for Skokomish River in Mason County
• FEMA: Here Comes the Rain
• Teen Arrested for Murder of Transient Man in Olympia
• Washington State Woman Arrested after Leaving Sons, Ages 6 & 3, Along Interstate 90 in Idaho
• Semiahmoo Hotel in Washington State Will Close; 200 People Will Lose Jobs

WORD OF THE DAY

Phantasm • \FAN-tazz-um\ • Noun - 1a: a product of fantasy: as b: delusive appearance: illusion c: ghost, specter d: a figment of the imagination 2: a mental representation of a real object

Deregulation

Phantasm has failed the test

Power rates go up

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

HURRICANE SANDY NEWS SHELTER

Snohomish County Red Cross, PUD Head East to Help after Sandy (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20121031/NEWS01/710319905

Report: 6 Million without Power Due to Sandy, 3 Nuclear Power Plants Disabled (U-S News & World Report)

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/10/31/report-6-million-without-power-due-to-sandy-3-nuclear-power-plants-disabled

Will Hurricane Sandy Raise Your Utility Bill? (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2012/1031/Will-hurricane-Sandy-raise-your-utility-bill

FCC: 25% of Cell Towers, Broadband Down in Ten States (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/10/30/hurricane-sandy-wireless-cellphone-outage/1669921/

Red Cross Has Web Tools to Connect with Superstorm Victims (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/oct/31/red-cross-has-web-tools-to-connect-with/

Pacific Northwest Has Seen Its Share of Dangerous Storms - ‘Frankenstorm’ not likely here, pros say (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/oct/30/northwest-has-seen-its-share-of-dangerous-storms/

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Barclays Says It Will Fight FERC Penalty on Energy Trades (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-31/barclays-says-ferc-probing-western-u-s-power-trading-business.html

Mason County PUD 3 Update - Outage on North Shore Road: Restoration Complete (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=1102

Grays Harbor PUD Scrutinizes Capital Budget (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

http://thedailyworld.com/sections/news/local/pud-scrutinizes-capital-budget.html

State Auditor: Clallam PUD Should Pursue $24,000 in Pay from Former Employee (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.konp.com/local/8248

California - Pacific Gas & Electric Profits Jump Despite Pipeline Costs (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_21880553

Nuclear Vs. Renewable Energy Sources Debated by NPR’s Ira Flatow Panel (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019559839_nuclearrenew31m.html

Guards at Breached Tennessee Nuclear Site Cheated on Exam, Energy Dept. Says (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/01/us/guards-at-breached-nuclear-site-in-tennessee-cheated-on-exam-report-says.html

Study: Water Takes More Energy than Lighting (San Antonio Express-News, TX)

http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/article/Study-Water-takes-more-energy-than-lighting-3994111.php

Minnesota - Demand Dropping? Time to Raise Prices, Xcel Says (Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal, MN)

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/morning_roundup/2012/10/demand-dropping-time-to-raise-prices.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Sandy River Hatchery Salmon Releases Challenged in Lawsuit by Wild Fish Advocates (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/gresham/index.ssf/2012/10/sandy_river_hatchery_salmon_re.html

Oregon - Environmental Groups Sue Forest Service over Suction-Dredge Gold Mining (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/10/environmental_groups_sue_fores.html

British Columbia Salmon Inquiry Final Report Will Be Made Public Today (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Salmon+inquiry+final+report+will+made+public+Wednesday+Ottawa/7477066/story.html

Op/Ed – Oregon’s Measure 81 Would Take Salmon off the Kitchen Table (Salem Statesman Journal, OR)

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20121031/OPINION/310310095/Measure-81-would-take-salmon-off-kitchen-table

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

New Reservoir Planned in Yakima River Canyon (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/10/30/2302621/new-reservoir-planned-in-yakima.html

Puget Sound Ports Tout Air Pollution Progress (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Ports-tout-air-pollution-progress-176516411.html

More Tsunami Debris Expected on Washington State Beaches (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019568000_apwatsunamidebris.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Ikea Uses Sun, Wind to Become Energy Independent (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/10/22/ikea-energy-independence-solar-wind/1649777/

Building Wind Turbine Towers from Wood (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2012/1022/Building-wind-turbine-towers-from-wood

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

BPA Wraps Up ‘Demand Response’ Pilot Projects, Including Mason County PUD 3 (Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal, WA)

http://kpbj.com/special_report/energy/2012-10-31/bpa_wraps_up_demand_response_pilot_projects

Are ‘Smart Bulbs’ the Next Bright Idea in Energy Efficiency? (The Energy Collective)

http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2012/10/31/are-smart-bulbs-the-next-bright-idea-in-energy-efficiency/

Vampire Electronics Cause Higher Electric Bills (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/komando/2012/10/26/komando-electric-bills/1649195/

Editorial – Ohio: Keep Energy Efficiency First (Toledo Blade, OH)

http://www.toledoblade.com/Editorials/2012/10/31/Keep-energy-efficiency-first.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Have You Been ‘ICE’d’? Drivers Promote Electric Car Parking Etiquette (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2012/1026/Have-you-been-ICE-d-Drivers-promote-electric-car-parking-etiquette

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Chelan PUD Settles With Fired Managers for $1 Million (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019567868_apwachelanpudsettlement.html

Wi-Fi’s Annoying Little Secret: Not All Wi-Fi is Created Equal (Gigaom)

http://gigaom.com/2012/10/26/wi-fis-annoying-little-secret-not-all-wi-fi-is-created-equal/

Rackspace - Revitalizing a Dead Mall…Don’t Expect Shoppers (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/31/realestate/commercial/rackspace-revitalizes-a-defunct-mall-into-an-unorthodox-tech-campus.html?_r=0

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Sends Out Thousands of Defective Voter Pamphlets (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/State-sends-out-thousands-of-wrong-voter-pamphlets-176495211.html

GENERAL NEWS

Two Killed in Mason County Crash Identified (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/10/31/2303741/2-killed-in-mason-county-crash.html

Flood Warning Continues for Skokomish River in Mason County (National Weather Service, Seattle)

http://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WA124CCAE99868.FloodWarning.124CCAEAF7F8WA.SEWFLSSEW.7e89578f8c8e00ea43f83eb3cd8e36d4

FEMA: Here Comes the Rain (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4758

Teen Arrested for Murder of Transient Man in Olympia (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Teen-arrested-for-murder-of-transient-man-murdered-in-Olympia-176589251.html

Washington State Woman Arrested after Leaving Sons, Ages 6 & 3, Along Interstate 90 in Idaho (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/10/washington_woman_arrested_afte.html

Semiahmoo Hotel in Washington State Will Close; 200 People Will Lose Jobs (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2012/10/semiahmoo_hotel_in_washington.html

DIVERSIONS

Disney Buying Lucasfilm, Will Continue ‘Star Wars’ Movie Series

http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2019559978_apusdisneylucasfilm.html

Foul-Mouthed Parrot Seeks New Home in UK

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/oct/31/foul-mouthed-parrot-seeks-new-home-in-uk/

Curiosity Mars Rover Finds Soil Similar To Hawaii’s

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20151789

PETA Seeks Memorial Where 1,600 Pounds of Fish Died in Crash

http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-peta-seeks-memorial-where-1600-pounds-of-fish-that-died-in-crash-20121030,0,5852532.story

SONG OF THE DAY

The Fortunes – Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I60upp_xZk

Energy News Digest of October 30, 2012

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

Sandy Leaves Millions without Power; 16 Dead (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2012/10/29/hurricane-sandy-east-coast-frankenstorm/1666105/

Rains Raise Flood Watch in Parts of Washington State (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019556918_apwafloodwatch.html

2012 Juvenile Salmon Migration: Spring Chinook Survival Second Best Since 1999 (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/423531.aspx

Corps of Engineers Sets Meetings for Columbia River Cormorant Plan (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/corps-of-engineers-sets-meetings-for-columbia-river-cormorant-plan/article_58a1b40e-222e-11e2-aa08-001a4bcf887a.html

Getting Beyond the Magic Broadband Bullet Theory (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2012/10/27/getting-beyond-the-magic-broadband-bullet-theory/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Sandy Leaves Millions without Power; 16 Dead
• Superstorm Sandy: A State-By-State Look
• Google Provides Hurricane Sandy Alerts Via Search, Maps
• Sandy's Power Outages Could Be Epic
• Line Workers at the Ready
• Hurricane Sandy Cuts Power for Millions. Why Aren't Utility Lines Underground?
• Northeast U-S Power Outages Black Out Popular Websites
• Tree Knocks Out Power for 3,500 PSE Customers in North Kitsap
• Storm Warning in Edmonds: Utilities Urge Tree Trimming Efforts before Windy Season Hits
• Grant County PUD Selects 3 Finalists for Commission Seat
• Bonneville Power Administration Turns 75 - Part Three: Voices Heard
• California - San Bruno Natural Gas Blast Ruling Goes Against Pacific Gas & Electric
• Texas - Public Utility Commission Doubles Market Cap on Electricity Price: Now $9,000 per Megawatt Hour
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Says Solar Flares Can't Trounce Grids
• If Half of U-S Consumers Don’t Know What a 'Smart Meter' Is, How Are They Supposed to Engage?
• Russian Hydroelectric Project Strengthens Bond with Kyrgyzstan
• 2012 Juvenile Salmon Migration: Spring Chinook Survival Second Best Since 1999
• Corps of Engineers Sets Meetings for Columbia River Cormorant Plan
• It May Look Yucky, But It's Alive with Salmon
• Salmon the Focus of Northwest Rivers Initiative
• Vancouver Island - Goldstream Coho Return Best in a Decade
• "She's All River Now": No More Reservoirs on the Elwha
• Skagit County PUD to Vote on Water Lawsuit Comments
• Oakland Bay Tidelands Ceremony Held
• Catching Some Rays - A Eugene Manufacturer is Ready to Begin Producing Solar Water Heaters for Homes
• British Columbia - Independent Power Producers of Clean Energy B-C Search for Opportunity
• BP: Renewables Growing Fast But Can't Compete Without Help
• Denmark Won't Help Vestas if Wind Turbine Maker Needs Rescue
• Five Scary Solar PR No-No's for Halloween. Boo!
• Avista’s Efficiency Programs Strive to Conserve Cheap Energy Now to Avoid Having Expensive Energy Later
• Winter is Coming - Eight Ways to Prepare Your Home
• Has Saving Energy Become the New Normal in Tokyo?
• Editorial - Geoengineering: Testing the Waters
• City of Olympia’s Budget could shrink “Procession of the Species”
• Getting Beyond the Magic Broadband Bullet Theory
• 52% Think Broadband Most Important Utility - Though East Coast Likely Believes Power More Important
• Once Again, Netflix Shows How to Avoid a Cloud Meltdown
• Greenpeace Summons Clippy to Diss Microsoft's Data Centers
• Ninth Circuit Judge Betty Binns Fletcher, 89
• Rains Raise Flood Watch in Parts of Washington State
• Areal Flood Watch Is In Effect until 5:00 PM Wednesday, October 31
• Bomb Destroys White River Flood Gauge on Eve of Storm
• What If Sandy Hit the West Coast?
• 6.2 Magnitude Quake Recorded Off British Columbia Coast
• Reason to Celebrate as Paper Mill Reopens in Grays Harbor
• Staffing Struggles Lead to More Washington State Ferry Cancellations

WORD OF THE DAY

Mawkish • \MOCK-ish\ • Adjective - 1: having a weak often unpleasant taste 2: marked by sickly sentimentality: sad or romantic in a foolish or exaggerated way

Bertie knew he was a sentimental sap, an easy mark for anyone looking for a contribution for a wacky charity or fund-raiser. He was totally unprepared for the company’s sustainability director’s newest endeavor: a mawkish moment of silence each afternoon at 3:00 to honor the fruit flies that had died that day in the entomological research at the pesticide company.

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

HURRICANE SANDY NEWS SHELTER

Sandy Leaves Millions without Power; 16 Dead (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2012/10/29/hurricane-sandy-east-coast-frankenstorm/1666105/

Superstorm Sandy: A State-By-State Look (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2012/10/superstorm_sandy_a_state-by-st.html

Google Provides Hurricane Sandy Alerts Via Search, Maps (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2012/10/30/hurricane-sandy-google/1668549/

Sandy's Power Outages Could Be Epic (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/10/29/hurricane-sandy-power-utilities/1666519/

Line Workers at the Ready (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/29/in-a-mess-tent-line-workers-at-the-ready/

Hurricane Sandy Cuts Power for Millions. Why Aren't Utility Lines Underground? (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2012/1030/Hurricane-Sandy-cuts-power-for-millions.-Why-aren-t-utility-lines-underground

Northeast U-S Power Outages Black Out Popular Websites (Associated Press)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/10/29/2152724/viewers-get-mixed-messages-on.html

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Tree Knocks Out Power for 3,500 PSE Customers in North Kitsap (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/oct/29/tree-knocks-out-power-for-3500-pse-customers-in/

Storm Warning in Edmonds: Utilities Urge Tree Trimming Efforts before Windy Season Hits (My Edmonds News, WA)

http://myedmondsnews.com/2012/10/storm-warning-in-edmonds-utilities-urge-tree-trimming-efforts-before-windy-season-hits/

Grant County PUD Selects 3 Finalists for Commission Seat (Crescent Bar Chronicle, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/crescent_bar_chronicle/politics/article_4df72f64-21ef-11e2-8edf-0019bb2963f4.html

Bonneville Power Administration Turns 75 - Part Three: Voices Heard (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/BPA-Turns-75-Part-Three-Voices-Heard-.aspx

California - San Bruno Natural Gas Blast Ruling Goes Against Pacific Gas & Electric (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/San-Bruno-blast-ruling-goes-against-PG-amp-E-3991614.php

Texas - Public Utility Commission Doubles Market Cap on Electricity Price: Now $9,000 per Megawatt Hour (Austin Business Journal, TX)

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2012/10/26/public-utility-commission-doubles.html

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Says Solar Flares Can't Trounce Grids (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/10/30/51788.htm

If Half of U-S Consumers Don’t Know What a 'Smart Meter' Is, How Are They Supposed to Engage? (The Energy Collective)

http://theenergycollective.com/jimpierobon/137011/if-half-us-consumers-don-t-know-what-smart-meter-how-are-they-supposed-engage

Russian Hydroelectric Project Strengthens Bond with Kyrgyzstan (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2012/1027/Russian-hydroelectric-project-strengthens-bond-with-Kyrgyzstan

FISH & WILDLIFE

2012 Juvenile Salmon Migration: Spring Chinook Survival Second Best Since 1999 (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/423531.aspx

Corps of Engineers Sets Meetings for Columbia River Cormorant Plan (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/corps-of-engineers-sets-meetings-for-columbia-river-cormorant-plan/article_58a1b40e-222e-11e2-aa08-001a4bcf887a.html

It May Look Yucky, But It's Alive with Salmon (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/oct/27/it-may-look-yucky-but-its-alive-with-salmon/

Salmon the Focus of Northwest Rivers Initiative (Northwest Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/post/salmon-focus-northwest-rivers-initiative

Vancouver Island - Goldstream Coho Return Best in a Decade (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Goldstream+coho+return+best+decade/7468472/story.html

"She's All River Now": No More Reservoirs on the Elwha (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.com/html/fieldnotes/2019555725_shes_all_river_now_elwha_river_running_free_after_100_years.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Skagit County PUD to Vote on Water Lawsuit Comments (Skagit Valley Herald, Mount Vernon, WA)

http://www.goskagit.com/all_access/pud-to-vote-on-water-lawsuit-comments/article_89608351-a870-5720-b8d1-04bb99c08d8d.html

Oakland Bay Tidelands Ceremony Held (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/42387-oakland-bay-ceremony

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Catching Some Rays - A Eugene Manufacturer is Ready to Begin Producing Solar Water Heaters for Homes (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

http://www.registerguard.com/web/business/28936273-41/solar-energy-greenberg-hot-systems.html.csp

British Columbia - Independent Power Producers of Clean Energy-B-C Search for Opportunity (Vancouver Sun, B-C)
http://www.vancouversun.com/Independent+power+producers+Clean+Energy+search+opportunity/7455840/story.html

BP: Renewables Growing Fast But Can't Compete Without Help (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2012/10/28/renewables-growing-fastest-but-cant-compete-without-help-bp/

Denmark Won't Help Vestas if Wind Turbine Maker Needs Rescue (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/10/denmark-wont-help-vestas-if-wind-turbine-maker-needs-rescue?cmpid=rss

Five Scary Solar PR No-No's for Halloween. Boo! (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2012/10/five-scary-solar-pr-no-nos-for-halloween-boo?cmpid=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Avista’s Efficiency Programs Strive to Conserve Cheap Energy Now to Avoid Having Expensive Energy Later (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/energy/2012/10/25/avistas-efficiency-programs-strive-to-conserve-cheap-energy-now-to-avoid-having-expensive-energy-later/

Winter is Coming - Eight Ways to Prepare Your Home (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Saving-Money/2012/1028/Winter-is-coming.-Eight-ways-to-prepare-your-home

Has Saving Energy Become the New Normal in Tokyo? (NY Times)

http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/29/has-saving-energy-become-the-new-normal-in-tokyo/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Editorial - Geoengineering: Testing the Waters (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/opinion/sunday/geoengineering-testing-the-waters.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

City of Olympia’s Budget could shrink “Procession of the Species” - There might not be money for art studio (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/10/30/2302181/budget-could-shrink-procession.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Getting Beyond the Magic Broadband Bullet Theory (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2012/10/27/getting-beyond-the-magic-broadband-bullet-theory/

52% Think Broadband Most Important Utility - Though East Coast Likely Believes Power More Important (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/52-Think-Broadband-Most-Important-Utility-121830

Once Again, Netflix Shows How to Avoid a Cloud Meltdown (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/cloud/once-again-netflix-shows-how-to-avoid-a-cloud-meltdown/

Greenpeace Summons Clippy to Diss Microsoft's Data Centers (PC Advisor)

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/green-computing/3407532/greenpeace-summons-clippy-diss-microsofts-data-centers/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Ninth Circuit Judge Betty Binns Fletcher, 89 (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/10/29/51780.htm

GENERAL NEWS

Rains Raise Flood Watch in Parts of Washington State (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019556918_apwafloodwatch.html

Areal Flood Watch Is In Effect until 5:00 PM Wednesday, October 31 (National Weather Service, Seattle)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2012/10/areal-flood-watch-is-in-effect-until.html

Bomb Destroys White River Flood Gauge on Eve of Storm (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Bomb-destroys-flood-gauge-on-eve-of-storm-176356601.html

What If Sandy Hit the West Coast? (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/What-if-Sandy-hit-the-West-Coast-176299751.html

6.2 Magnitude Quake Recorded Off British Columbia Coast (Associated Press)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2012/10/30/6-2-magnitude-quake-recorded-off-british-columbia-coast

Reason to Celebrate as Paper Mill Reopens in Grays Harbor (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/reason-celebrate-paper-mill-reopens-grays-harbor

Staffing Struggles Lead to More Washington State Ferry Cancellations (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Staffing-struggles-lead-to-more-ferry-cancellations-176366361.html

DIVERSIONS

A Donated Library Book Hides a Surprise

http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/chapter-and-verse/2012/1030/A-donated-library-book-hides-a-surprise

Woman Arrested for Speaking Too Long at City Council Meeting

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/woman-arrested-speaking-too-long-city-council-meeting-210606069.html

Ronald McDonald Violates Restraining Order after Entering McDonald’s Restaurant

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/ronald-mcdonald-violates-restraining-order-entering-mcdonald-restaurant-213654994.html

South African in Toenail Campaign to Clip Rhino Deaths

http://news.yahoo.com/south-african-toenail-campaign-clip-rhino-deaths-155952459.html

SONG OF THE DAY

No Doubt - Don't Speak

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2y2koFVJoI