Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Energy News Digest for November 21, 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

HAPPY THANKSGIVING – NEWS DIGEST NAPPING AFTER THURSDAY TURKEY; WON’T WAKE UP UNTIL NOVEMBER 26

During the Depression, when power lines first electrified rural America, a farmer in Tennessee rose in church one Sunday and said “The greatest thing on earth is to have the love of God in your heart, and the next greatest thing is to have electricity in your house.”

-- Happy Thanksgiving from the Energy News Digest.

THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Northwest Forecasters Promise Thanksgiving Break (Associated Press)

Federal Government Punishes another Power Trader for Manipulating California Market (Sacramento Bee, CA)

U-S to Fund Small, Modular Nuclear Reactors (USA Today)

U-S & Mexico Sign a Deal on Sharing the Colorado River “…Mexico…will be allowed to store some of its surplus water in Lake Mead…” (NY Times)

Broadband Saves a Family $ 8,870 a Year: No Wonder GDP Isn’t Rising (Forbes Magazine)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

  • Federal Government Punishes another Power Trader for Manipulating California Market
  • Line ‘Em Up - Entegra Fined for Manipulative California Energy Trades
  • Barclays’ Traders Show How Much Fun Wall Street Has Manipulating Markets
  • U-S to Fund Small, Modular Nuclear Reactors
  • Longview - Energy Assistance Program Draws Hundreds to CAP
  • Washington State Auditor Confirms Overpayment in Clallam PUD Case
  • Bonneville Power Administration’s Drummond Joins Murray, Cantwell & Others in Lighting up the Northwest’s Smart Grid Demo Project
  • US House Natural Resources Committee Chair Hastings’ Statement Latest Move to Implement Mandates on Power Marketing Administrations in Chu Memorandum
  • Public Power’s Business Model Contrasted with That of Private Utilities
  • U-S & Mexico Sign a Deal on Sharing the Colorado River
  • How Creating a Market for Juniper Could Help Oregon’s High Desert
  • Scatological Summation - Editorial: Mr. Floatie is a Mascot We Don’t Need
  • Wind Power: An Interview with President of Shell Wind
  • California Approves Program Eliminating Upfront Cost of Energy Upgrades - On-Bill Repayment
  • Don’t Let Energy Zombies Gobble Your Energy Usage this Thanksgiving
  • Why Greenhouse Gases Hit Record High in 2011
  • CIA Closes Its Climate Change Office
  • Editorial: California’s First Cap & Trade Foray Doesn’t Yet Answer Question: Will It Reduce Greenhouse Gas?
  • Broadband Saves a Family $ 8,870 a Year: No Wonder GDP Isn’t Rising
  • FCC Chairman Backs Dish Network Plan to Compete with Wireless Giants
  • Suit over Hughes Communications Internet Speed Nets $10 Million Settlement
  • FCC Seeks Ways to Secure Communications in Storms
  • Another Year, Another Doubling of Data Traffic - Blame Video!
  • Florida - Rodents Cause Problems for Tampa Verizon Customers
  • Washington State Legislature - Looks Like its Benton in the 17th: Now the Senate Shake-Up Can Begin
  • Clark County Public Health Employee Fired after Investigation Finds Inappropriate Use of Resources
  • Northwest Forecasters Promise Thanksgiving Break
  • Heavy Rain Brings Increased Risk of Slides
  • Shelton Woman Shot While Answering Her Door Wednesday Morning
  • Mason County Unemployment Rate Drops in October
  • Mason County Commissioner Steve Bloomfield Attends Last Commission Meeting
  • Hostess Says Talks to Stave Off Shutdown Fail
  • Complaint: Idaho Teacher Used Permanent Marker on Students’ Faces
  • Shoppers Already Lining Up to Snag Black Friday Deals

WORD OF THE DAY

Extemporize • \ick-STEMP-uh-ryze\ • Verb - 1: improvise 2: to get along in a makeshift manner

Duct tape a wonder
Extemporize anything
Better than blue tarp

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Federal Government Punishes another Power Trader for Manipulating California Market (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Line ‘Em Up - Entegra Fined for Manipulative California Energy Trades (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Barclays’ Traders Show How Much Fun Wall Street Has Manipulating Markets (Forbes Magazine)

U-S to Fund Small, Modular Nuclear Reactors (USA Today)

Longview - Energy Assistance Program Draws Hundreds to CAP (Longview Daily News, WA)

Washington State Auditor Confirms Overpayment in Clallam PUD Case (Sequim Gazette, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration’s Drummond Joins Murray, Cantwell & Others in Lighting up the Northwest’s Smart Grid Demo Project (Bonneville Power Administration)

US House Natural Resources Committee Chair Hastings’ Statement Latest Move to Implement Mandates on Power Marketing Administrations in Chu Memorandum (U-S House Natural Resources Committee, Washington, DC)

Public Power’s Business Model Contrasted with That of Private Utilities (American Public Power Association)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

U-S & Mexico Sign a Deal on Sharing the Colorado River “…Mexico…will be allowed to store some of its surplus water in Lake Mead…” (NY Times)

How Creating a Market for Juniper Could Help Oregon’s High Desert (Northwest Public Radio)

Scatological Summation - Editorial: Mr. Floatie is a Mascot We Don’t Need (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Wind Power: An Interview with President of Shell Wind (Christian Science Monitor)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

California Approves Program Eliminating Upfront Cost of Energy Upgrades - On-Bill Repayment (Forbes Magazine)

Don’t Let Energy Zombies Gobble Your Energy Usage this Thanksgiving (Sacramento Bee, CA)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Why Greenhouse Gases Hit Record High in 2011 (Christian Science Monitor)

CIA Closes Its Climate Change Office (NY Times)

Editorial: California’s First Cap & Trade Foray Doesn’t Yet Answer Question: Will It Reduce Greenhouse Gas? (Sacramento Bee, CA)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Broadband Saves a Family $ 8,870 a Year: No Wonder GDP Isn’t Rising (Forbes Magazine)

FCC Chairman Backs Dish Network Plan to Compete with Wireless Giants (Washington Post)

Suit over Hughes Communications Internet Speed Nets $10 Million Settlement (Courthouse News Service)

FCC Seeks Ways to Secure Communications in Storms (Associated Press)

Another Year, Another Doubling of Data Traffic - Blame Video! (GigaOM)

Florida - Rodents Cause Problems for Tampa Verizon Customers (Tampa Business Journal, FL)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Legislature - Looks Like its Benton in the 17th: Now the Senate Shake-Up Can Begin (Washington Wire)

Clark County Public Health Employee Fired after Investigation Finds Inappropriate Use of Resources (Oregonian, Portland)

GENERAL NEWS

Northwest Forecasters Promise Thanksgiving Break (Associated Press)

Heavy Rain Brings Increased Risk of Slides (KING-TV, Seattle)

Shelton Woman Shot While Answering Her Door Wednesday Morning (Olympian, WA)

Mason County Unemployment Rate Drops in October (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Mason County Commissioner Steve Bloomfield Attends Last Commission Meeting (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Hostess Says Talks to Stave Off Shutdown Fail (Associated Press)

Complaint: Idaho Teacher Used Permanent Marker on Students’ Faces - Punishment for not meeting reading goals (Associated Press)

Shoppers Already Lining Up to Snag Black Friday Deals (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Not Your Grandma’s Bird: Turkeys Have Doubled in Size over Past 70 Years

Portland Smoothie Cart Uses Bicycle as a Blender

Two Golfers Hit Consecutive Holes-In-One

Worst Metaphor of 2012: ‘Fiscal Cliff’

SONG OF THE DAY

ZZ Top - I Thank You

Sam & Dave - I Thank You