Energy News Digest for February 22, 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.

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.

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THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

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http://twitter.com/energydigest

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD (JUST BECAUSE I CAN)

Energy News Digest word cloud for February 22, 2013

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2013/02/word-cloud-for-energy-news-digest_22.html

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

B-C Hydro Vows to Continue to Fight U-S Ruling on Power Sales to California (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/business/b-c-vows-to-continue-to-fight-u-s-ruling-on-power-sales-to-california-1.78110

Pacific Gas & Electric Suffers Fourth-Quarter Loss - Weighed down by natural gas & environmental expenses (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_22637273

Poulsbo Envy? - Port Orchard Market could be Helped by Free Wi-Fi, Better Foot Ferry Service (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2013/feb/21/year-round-market-in-port-orchard-could-be-by-wi/

Washington State Legislator Pushes for Lower Taxes for REC Silicon (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/politics/article_68690ec0-7b9b-11e2-bc85-0019bb2963f4.html

New Washington State Transportation Secretary Supports Gas Tax, Tolls (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/New-transportation-secretary-supports-gas-tax-tolls-192391741.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• B-C Hydro Vows to Continue to Fight U-S Ruling on Power Sales to California
• Pacific Gas & Electric Suffers Fourth-Quarter Loss
• Idaho Power Reaches Deal on Incentive Programs
• Utah Legislation Would Make PacifiCorp Customers Pay for Blue Castle Nuclear Plant
• Chelan County PUD - Hoisting a Tall One
• Credit Outlook is Stable for Public Power Sector This Year, Credit Rating Experts Say
• Déjà Vu - Kentucky Utility, Smelter Electricity Rate Dispute Getting More Attention
• Portable Generators Pose Safety Risk after Snowstorm
• Neighbors Left to Foot Community’s Swimming Pool Electricity Bill
• Alaska State Lawmaker Proposes Bounty on Sea Otters
• Gelatinous Sea Creatures Appear on Washington State Coast
• Flouride Debate: What Does Scientific Research Say?
• Washington State Legislator Pushes for Lower Taxes for REC Silicon
• Ecofys Study: Pacific Northwest Water Heaters Help Wind Turbines
• First Solar Hits Milestone at California Plant
• Wind Blows German Power Swings to Five-Year High
• How to Choose the Best Bulbs to Replace Incandescent
• To Save Energy Facebook Putting Older Photos in “Cold Storage”
• Poulsbo Envy? - Port Orchard Market could be Helped by Free Wi-Fi, Better Foot Ferry Service
• Nielsen to Begin Counting Broadband Viewing Homes
• Learning Social Media Tricks from the Big Boys
• New Washington State Transportation Secretary Supports Gas Tax, Tolls
• Automatic Federal Budget Cuts Could Affect 30,000 Washington State Workers
• The Sequester - Answers to Questions on Capital’s Top Topic
• $49 Million North Mason Bond Goes on April Ballot
• Remember What Storms Are Like? Nature to Provide Reminder
• National Parks on a Precipice
• Native American Tribes Venture Out of Casino Business
• Are We in the Coho Lot? Port Of Portland Adding Parking Guidance Tech to Long-Term Parking Lot
• Al-Qaeda’s High-Tech Drone-Dodging Tips Revealed

WORD OF THE DAY

Dowager • \dow (as in ouch)-uh-jurr\ • Noun - 1: A widow holding property or a title from her deceased husband 2: a dignified elderly woman

One of the lucky few, the dowager queen of Ruritania made it out of the vile political stew that was the Balkans in the early 1900’s with nearly all her finances intact.

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

B-C Hydro Vows to Continue to Fight U-S Ruling on Power Sales to California (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/business/b-c-vows-to-continue-to-fight-u-s-ruling-on-power-sales-to-california-1.78110

Pacific Gas & Electric Suffers Fourth-Quarter Loss - Weighed down by natural gas & environmental expenses (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_22637273

Idaho Power Reaches Deal on Incentive Programs (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/science/article/Idaho-Power-reaches-deal-on-incentive-programs-4297610.php

Utah Legislation Would Make PacifiCorp Customers Pay for Blue Castle Nuclear Plant (SNL Financial)

http://www.snl.com/Interactivex/article.aspx?CdId=A-17023933-14379

Chelan County PUD - Hoisting a Tall One (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2013/feb/21/hoisting-a-tall-one/

Credit Outlook is Stable for Public Power Sector This Year, Credit Rating Experts Say (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=207822&issueID=26959

Déjà Vu - Kentucky Utility, Smelter Electricity Rate Dispute Getting More Attention (Associated Press)

http://www.kentucky.com/2013/02/21/2525495/utility-smelter-dispute-getting.html

Portable Generators Pose Safety Risk after Snowstorm (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/02/21/portable-generators-pose-safety-risk-after-snowstorm/1937001/

Neighbors Left to Foot Community’s Swimming Pool Electricity Bill (The Olive Press, Spain)

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2013/02/22/neighbours-left-to-foot-swimming-pool-electricity-bill/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Alaska State Lawmaker Proposes Bounty on Sea Otters (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/02/alaska_state_lawmaker_proposes.html

Gelatinous Sea Creatures Appear on Washington State Coast (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/02/gelatinous_sea_creatures_appea.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Flouride Debate: What Does Scientific Research Say? (Portland Tribune, OR)

http://portlandtribune.com/sl/128422-flouride-debate-what-does-scientific-research-say

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Washington State Legislator Pushes for Lower Taxes for REC Silicon (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/politics/article_68690ec0-7b9b-11e2-bc85-0019bb2963f4.html

Ecofys Study: Pacific Northwest Water Heaters Help Wind Turbines (Green Energy News)

http://www.green-energy-news.com/nwslnks/clips213/feb13021.html

First Solar Hits Milestone at California Plant (Phoenix Business Journal, AZ)

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/blog/business/2013/02/first-solar-hits-milestone-at.html

Wind Blows German Power Swings to Five-Year High (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2013/02/wind-blows-german-power-swings-to-five-year-high?cmpid=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

How to Choose the Best Bulbs to Replace Incandescent (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/02/22/2484777/how-to-choose-the-best-bulbs-to.html

To Save Energy Facebook Putting Older Photos in “Cold Storage” (Triangle Business Journal, NC)

http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2013/02/22/facebook-putting-older-photos-in-cold.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Poulsbo Envy? - Port Orchard Market could be Helped by Free Wi-Fi, Better Foot Ferry Service (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2013/feb/21/year-round-market-in-port-orchard-could-be-by-wi/

Nielsen to Begin Counting Broadband Viewing Homes (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2020402652_apustvnewviewers.html

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Learning Social Media Tricks from the Big Boys (NY Times)

http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/22/learning-social-media-tricks-from-the-big-boys/?partner=rss&emc=rss

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

New Washington State Transportation Secretary Supports Gas Tax, Tolls (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/New-transportation-secretary-supports-gas-tax-tolls-192391741.html

Automatic Federal Budget Cuts Could Affect 30,000 Washington State Workers (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=2208472

The Sequester - Answers to Questions on Capital’s Top Topic (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/22/us/politics/questions-and-answers-about-the-sequester.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

GENERAL NEWS

$49 Million North Mason Bond Goes on April Ballot (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2013/feb/21/49-million-north-mason-bond-to-go-on-april/

Remember What Storms Are Like? Nature to Provide Reminder (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Hey-remember-what-storms-are-like-Mother-Nature-to-provide-reminder-192322821.html

National Parks on a Precipice (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/22/national-parks-on-a-precipice/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Native American Tribes Venture Out of Casino Business (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2013/02/21/172630938/native-american-tribes-venture-out-of-casino-business?ft=1&f=2

Are We in the Coho Lot? Port Of Portland Adding Parking Guidance Tech to Long-Term Parking Lot (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2013/02/21/port-of-portland-adding-parking.html

Al-Qaeda’s High-Tech Drone-Dodging Tips Revealed (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2013/02/22/al-qaeda-drone-dodging/

DIVERSIONS

Monster Goldfish Found In Lake Tahoe Probably Dumped from Aquarium

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2013/0221/Monster-goldfish-found-in-Lake-Tahoe-probably-dumped-from-aquarium

The Shark Whisperer: Watch the Heart-Stopping Video of Fearless Female Diver Who Can Swim with Killer Great Whites & Live

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2279607/Ocean-Ramsey-The-chilling-moment-fearless-diver-swims-directly-path-great-white-shark.html

Cops Follow Juice Box Trail to Dali Art Thief

http://www.courthousenews.com/2013/02/20/55027.htm

Oregon Lawmakers Make Dull & Boring Tourism Move

http://seattletimes.com/html/politics/2020395949_apusxgrdullandboring.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Robbie Williams - Mack the Knife

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2P2Ev_0BRM&NR=1

George Shearing - Mack the Knife

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB-XryJRBo0

Liberace - Mack the Knife

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD7dw_BW_UI

OK, and here’s Bobby Darin - Mack the Knife

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQbyAFj7t2I