Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Energy News Digest for Setpember 10, 2008

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.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Seattle Times Editorial –PSE's labyrinth ownership deal
- Randy Hardy: Expert Analysis Shows Proposed New PUDs Competing for BPA Power Will Significantly Increase Electric Rates
- Puget Sound Energy Busy Cutting Contractor Checks
- Post-Intelligencery Columnist – Chasing nuclear energy windmills
- Chelan County PUD Energy Resources manager to receive year’s pay as severance
- Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative vs. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- Wyden Wants Alaskan Gas Exports Revoked
- Pa. governor may seek to extend electric rate caps
- Public Utilities Say States Such as Pennsylvania Must Begin Protecting Consumers
- To win the presidential race, it takes energy
- Legal Fees Set in Enron Case
- Kickapoo Nation Sets Sights On Energy Independence
- Washington tribes netting clues on salmon
- Cold water rings dinner bell for West Coast salmon
- Idaho Fish Tales – Salmon migration numbers raise hopes
- IDAHO – Is this salmon recovery?
- Supervisors briefed on Klamath River salmon plague
- 700 North American freshwater fish species at risk, survey says
- Project restores fish habitat on Entiat River
- OREGON – New fish intake is taking shape
- Salmon fish success centered at Bridgeport
- Willapa Bay oyster grower sues state over herbicides
- Creation Of Lake Management District Sent To Mason Lake Property Owners
- Portland Will Use More Well Water In The Future
- Eco-Friendly Burials Take ‘Green’ to the Grave
- Department of Energy installs solar system on DC headquarters
- The Clean Energy Act could mean lower carbon emissions – and lower electric bills
- PENNSYLVANIA – Energy conservation pushed
- Inflate This: Conservation and Efficiency Are Key to Our Energy Future
- To slow global warming, install white roofs
- Listen: The Methane Time Bomb is Ticking Very Loudly! Delaware Is A Broadband Beast – Washington State is Dead Last
- Earthlink Expands Presence In California
- Google-backed project aims to give 3 billion more people Net access
- Massachusetts – New Ashford could be wired this month
- Congress questions high cost of texting
- Pentagon's delay of Air Force tanker decision is victory for Boeing
- Kitsap and Mason Home Prices Rise
- Olympia’s Nuclear-free law loses 5-2 vote
- 120 Foot Wireless Tower Stolen
- Petition to Move Benton County Seat to Kennewick
- Massive particle collider passes first key tests
- Berkeley Tree Protesters Climb Down

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Gestalt • \guh-STALT\ • noun: a structure, configuration, or pattern of physical, biological, or psychological phenomena so integrated as to constitute a functional unit with properties not derivable by summation of its parts (think of the statement that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts).

A football team is a perfect example of gestalt; a quarterback, lineman, or running back alone cannot win a game. But as a unit, their varied talents enable the individual talents to overcome defenders and score.

WEATHER

Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944

(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Seattle Times Editorial –PSE's labyrinth ownership deal
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2008170013_pugeted10.html

Randy Hardy: Expert Analysis Shows Proposed New PUDs Competing for BPA Power Will Significantly Increase Electric Rates (MarketWatch)
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/expert-analysis-shows-proposed-new/story.aspx?guid=%7B88F779FB-4ED8-4E45-A5E3-19B98DA4E2F3%7D&dist=hppr

Puget Sound Energy Busy Cutting Contractor Checks (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews/?PSE-Busy-Cutting-Contractor-Checks=1&blockID=13598&feedID=410

Post-Intelligencery Columnist – Chasing nuclear energy windmills (Seattle, WA)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/378384_jacksononline10.html?source=rss

Chelan County PUD Energy Resources manager to receive year’s pay as severance – Lowe agrees to resign after receiving $178,000 deal (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20080909/NEWS04/709099929

Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative vs. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission “…license to construct, operate, and maintain a new hydroelectric power generating facility at Hebgen Dam on the Madison River in Gallatin County, Montana. (Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals – Links to PDF File)
http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf/DC442E6BCB77C45C882574BF008063BC/$file/0671944.pdf?openelement

Wyden Wants Alaskan Gas Exports Revoked (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/3015-wyden-wants-alaskan-gas-exports-revoked/

Pa. governor may seek to extend electric rate caps – Pennsylvania governor says he would seek to extend electric rate caps if lawmakers don't act (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwire/2a3ae451ff9c9b6c574c6275413a2bfc.htm

Public Utilities Say States Such as Pennsylvania Must Begin Protecting Consumers from Big Jumps in Their Electricity Bills by Getting Congress to Fix the System (MarketWatch)
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/states-such-pennsylvania-say-public/story.aspx?guid=%7BCABC5B59-6C55-4065-98DF-B7B5E0DD8C85%7D&dist=hppr

To win the presidential race, it takes energy (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2008-09-10-candidates-energy-policy_N.htm

Legal Fees Set in Enron Case – Lawyers for investors in Enron will get $688 million in fees (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/business/10enron.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

Kickapoo Nation Sets Sights On Energy Independence (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53533&src=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Washington tribes netting clues on salmon – Fish are being caught and tagged for a study, so expect to see fishing equipment out early (The Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080910/NEWS01/709109836/-1/rss02

Cold water rings dinner bell for West Coast salmon (The Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ibLVYcDJgJZFW5xdPsBEqYrhnSugD933IR800

Idaho Fish Tales – Salmon migration numbers raise hopes (Boise Weekly, ID)
http://www.boiseweekly.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A317252

IDAHO – Is this salmon recovery? Officials hope thousands of Redfish Lake sockeye will return someday (Mountain Express, Sun Valley, ID)
http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005122538

Supervisors briefed on Klamath River salmon plague (Eureka Times-Standard, CA)
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_10425955?source=rss

700 North American freshwater fish species at risk, survey says (Miami Herald, FL)
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/679698.html

Project restores fish habitat on Entiat River (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080909/NEWS04/709099975

OREGON – New fish intake is taking shape – Goal is to be moving fish, improving water quality by April (The Bend Bulletin, OR)
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080909/NEWS0107/809090423/-1/rss

Salmon fish success centered at Bridgeport (Omak Chronicle, WA)
http://www.omakchronicle.com/spt/s080909k.shtml

Willapa Bay oyster grower sues state over herbicides (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/09/10//area_news/doc48c764a757828519351721.txt

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Mason County Commission To Send Creation Of Lake Management District To Mason Lake Property Owners (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/4991/reftab/1896/Default.aspx

Portland Will Use More Well Water In The Future (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/3007-portland-will-use-more-well-water-future/

Eco-Friendly Burials Take ‘Green’ to the Grave (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/Sept-Octo/Eco-Friendly-Burials-Take--Green--to-the-Grave.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Department of Energy installs solar system on DC headquarters (Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2008/09/08/daily37.html?ana=from_rss

Cleaner and cheaper – The Clean Energy Act could mean lower carbon emissions – and lower electric bills (San Francisco Bay Guardian)
http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=7067&volume_id=317&issue_id=395&volume_num=42&issue_num=50&l=1

CONSERVATION

PENNSYLVANIA – Energy conservation pushed (Delco Times, Primus, PA)
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20113489&BRD=1675&PAG=461&dept_id=18177&rfi=6

Inflate This: Conservation and Efficiency Are Key to Our Energy Future (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/recolumnists/story?id=53526

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

To slow global warming, install white roofs (Los Angeles Times, CA)
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-roofs10-2008sep10,0,2976609.story

Listen: The Methane Time Bomb is Ticking Very Loudly! (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/story?id=53529&src=rss

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Delaware Is A Broadband Beast – New Akamai study ranks fastest countries, States “…Slowest in the Nation: Washington State once again topped the list of U.S. states with the largest percentage of connections observed at
256 Kbps or below…” (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Delaware-Is-A-Broadband-Beast-97602

Earthlink Expands Presence In California – Will offer cable broadband via Time Warner Cable (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Earthlink-Expands-Presence-In-California-97611

Google-backed project aims to give 3 billion more people Net access (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10037036-94.html?tag=nl.e703

Massachusetts – New Ashford could be wired this month (North Adams Transcript, MA)
http://www.thetranscript.com/ci_10426823

Congress questions high cost of texting – The price of text messaging has doubled industry-wide in the last three years, and Congress wants to know why (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10037221-38.html?tag=nl.e703

GENERAL NEWS

Pentagon's delay of Air Force tanker decision is victory for Boeing (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008170299_webtanker10.html?syndication=rss

Kitsap and Mason Home Prices Rise (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/sep/09/kitsap-and-mason-home-prices-rise/?partner=RSS

Olympia’s Nuclear-free law loses 5-2 vote – Supporters of ordinance fail to sway council (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/579694.html

120 Foot Wireless Tower Stolen – Risk-Taking Thieves Steal Scrap Metal (WJAC-TV, Johnstown, PA)
http://www.wjactv.com/news/17432092/detail.html

Fred Staples Gets Ready to File Petition to Move Benton County Seat to Kennewick (KNDO-TV, Tri Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8981341

Massive particle collider passes first key tests (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008168681_apbigbang.html?syndication=rss

Berkeley Tree Protesters Climb Down (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/us/10tree.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

DIVERSIONS

Airline 'Loses' Corpse – Horrified Hubby Sues
http://www.nypost.com/seven/09092008/news/regionalnews/airline_loses_corpse_128154.htm?CMP=EMC-email_edition&DATE=09092008

Dublin High School lockers stuffed with dead animals
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_10420735?source=rss

Man Says He's Eaten 23K Big Macs Since 1972
http://www.kirotv.com/health/17438058/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_12pm&tmi=sea_12pm_1_02000209102008&ts=H

Postman hoards 20,000 letters in Germany
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL946086520080909?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Energy News Digest for September 9, 2008

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.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Person who shot down Mason County power line sought
- Award (sic) Offered for Power Line Shooting near Hoodsport
- Shooter severs BPA power line near Shelton causing fire and major damage
- Grays Harbor County PUD could face power shortage in five years
- Puget Sound Energy Investing Heavily in Electric and Natural Gas Infrastructure
- No to open record on Puget Energy sale testimony
- Clallam PUD candidates tout experience and leadership
- After Transformer Fire – Nuclear reactor restarted at Diablo Canyon
- Yucca Mountain license application accepted for review
- UNITED KINGDOM – Call for windfall tax on 'profiteering' energy industry
- Cold water rejuvenates Oregon ocean, salmon
- Canada’s Fraser River sockeye returns lowest in 50 years
- Any River Will Do for One Spawning Fish – The sea lamprey can’t go home again
- Oregon counties seek groundwater storage
- Massive pipe for Brightwater Sewer plant towed down Snohomish River
- Staying in a Tree, Delaying the Final Cuts
- Solar-power manufacturers outpacing buyers
- Report: ‘Green’ investment could add jobs in Oregon
- Wind: The other untapped offshore energy source
- CANADA – Sewage gas powers up Prince George treatment plant
- Michigan Energy plan, renewable source requirement decisions near
- Missouri renewable energy initiative to appear on ballot
- Wisconsin School Debuts Geothermal Energy
- "Fishing for Energy" Comes to Rhode Island
- Okanogan PUD conservation department seeks more funding
- Old Farmer’s Almanac: Global Cooling May Be Under Wa
- DSL Is The New Dial-Up – At least according to one analysis firm
- FCC Kills Telco Reporting Requirements
- Coming Soon: 1 GB Fiber Broadband. Just Not in the U.S.
- Broadband coverage won't help Southern Berkshire Technology Committee area
- Computer Makers See Profits in Retooling Clients' Data Centers
- Switch flipped: N.C. town first to have digital-only TV
- Prisons Concerned About Digital TV Switchover
- Mason County settles records lawsuit for $175,000
- California Man Dies After Being Hospitalized Following A Crash Last Month
- Olympian to cut newsroom staff, workers' hours
- The News Tribune of Tacoma offers buyouts to 189 of 350 staffers
- Oregon Sheriffs Office Warns Of Potentially Hazardous Hot Spring

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Superfetation • \soop-er-fee-TAY-shun\ • noun – A progressive accumulation or accretion reaching an extreme or excessive degree

Joel’s wife sighed deeply as she watched him furtively leave the music store and stalk towards her waiting car. Despite his best efforts, she saw that he was hiding behind his back yet another addition to his ukulele collection. It all started innocently enough with a purchase at Yenney’s Music. But according to his wife, the obsessive superfetation with the diminutive instrument has reached almost “crack-cocaine” like proportions.

WEATHER

Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944

(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Person who shot down Mason County power line sought – BPA is asking the public to help identify someone who shot down a major power line, causing a fire near Hoodsport, Mason County (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008167146_webpowerlines08m.html?syndication=rss

Award (sic) Offered For Power Line Shooting Near Hoodsport (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/4981/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
News Release – Shooter severs BPA power line near Shelton causing fire and major damage (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/224302/

Grays Harbor County PUD could face power shortage in five years (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/09/08/local_news/02news.txt

News Release – Puget Sound Energy Investing Heavily in Electric and Natural Gas System Infrastructure to Meet Customer Needs – Improvements underway throughout Western Washington (Puget Sound Energy)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=96570

No to open record on Puget Energy – State staff says a petition to unveil confidential testimony related to the sale of Puget Energy should be denied (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008167470_bizbriefs09.html?syndication=rss

Clallam PUD candidates tout experience and leadership (The Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080909/NEWS/809090306

After Transformer Fire – Nuclear reactor restarted at Diablo Canyon (Associated Press, CA)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1577732~Nuclear_reactor_restarted_at_Diablo_Canyon.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

Yucca Mountain license application accepted for review – Radioactive waste dump takes next step (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008165987_apyuccamountain.html?syndication=rss

UNITED KINGDOM – Call for windfall tax on 'profiteering' energy industry (Financial Times of London, UK)
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d6c1c8a2-7e08-11dd-bdbd-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1

FISH & WILDLIFE

Cold water rejuvenates Oregon ocean, salmon (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/cold_water_rejuvenates_oregon.html

Canada’s Fraser River sockeye returns lowest in 50 years – Summer run falls 60 per cent below the average, fisheries department says (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=6c316aad-d6ee-4441-a185-989adc7ce077

Any River Will Do for One Spawning Fish – The sea lamprey can’t go home again, and researchers think they know why (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/science/09oblamp.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Oregon counties seek groundwater storage (Associated Press, OR)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1576634~Oregon_counties_seek_groundwater_storage.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Massive pipe for Brightwater Sewer plant towed down Snohomish River (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080909/NEWS01/709099862/-1/RSS02

Staying in a Tree, Delaying the Final Cuts (NY Times, check out the lone redwood…which someone topped)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/us/09tree.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Solar-power manufacturers outpacing buyers (The Associated Press, OR)
http://www.dailytidings.com/2008/0908/stories/0908_solar.php

Report: ‘Green’ investment could add jobs in Oregon (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/09/08/daily7.html?ana=from_rss

Wind: The other untapped offshore energy source (Associated Press)
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/09/08/ap5400562.html

CANADA – Sewage gas powers up Prince George treatment plant – Residents of Prince George will have one more reason to feel good every time they flush their toilets (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/09/08/bc-080908-prince-george-sewage-power.html

Michigan Energy plan, renewable source requirement decisions near (Associated Press, MI)
http://www.mlive.com/business/index.ssf/2008/09/energy_plan_renewable_source_r.html

Missouri renewable energy initiative to appear on ballot (St. Louis Business Journal, MO)
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2008/09/08/daily31.html?ana=from_rss

Wisconsin School Debuts Geothermal Energy – District Saves Big On Utility Costs (WISC-TV, Madison, WI)
http://www.channel3000.com/news/17424713/detail.html?rss=c3k&psp=news

"Fishing for Energy" Comes to Rhode Island – Innovative partnership to recycle fishing equipment into energy (Centre Daily Times, State College, PA)
http://www.centredaily.com/business/story/825732.html

CONSERVATION

Okanogan PUD conservation department seeks more funding (The Omak Chronicle, WA)
http://www.omakchronicle.com/nws/n080908a.shtml

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Old Farmer’s Almanac: Global Cooling May Be Under Way – Almanac Draws Results From Solar Activity, Weather Records (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/weather/17426207/detail.html

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

DSL Is The New Dial-Up – At least according to one analysis firm (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/DSL-Is-The-New-DialUp-97562

FCC Kills Telco Reporting Requirements – Nation's five largest telcos get huge gift from Kevin Martin (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Kills-Telco-Reporting-Requirements-97566

Coming Soon: 1 GB Fiber Broadband. Just Not in the U.S. (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/09/08/coming-soon-1-gb-fiber-broadband-just-not-in-the-us/

MASSACHUSETTS – Broadband coverage won't help Southern Berkshire Technology Committee area (Berkshire Eagle, Pittsfield, MA)
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_10410915?source=most_emailed

Cutting Tech's Energy Bill – Computer Makers See Profits in Retooling Clients' Data Centers (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122090819257011743.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Switch flipped: N.C. town first to have digital-only TV (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008166252_webdigitaltv08.html?syndication=rss

Prisons Concerned About Digital TV Switchover – Prison officials are hustling to ensure that their inmates don’t lose access to broadcast television (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Americas/September-08/Prisons-Concerned-About-Digital-TV-Switchover.html

GENERAL NEWS

Mason County settles records lawsuit for $175,000 “…related to unsubstantiated complaint against him over disturbing salmon habitat…” (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/578454.html

California Man Dies After Being Hospitalized Following A Crash Last Month (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/4983/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
Olympian to cut newsroom staff, workers' hours – Includes buyout offers to 38 of the newsroom's 45 full- and part-time print and online employees (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/business/story/578357.html

The News Tribune of Tacoma offers buyouts to 189 of 350 staffers (The Associated Press, WA)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/28038299.html

Oregon Sheriffs Office Warns Of Potentially Hazardous Hot Spring (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/2997-sheriffs-office-warns-potentially-hazardous-hot-spring/

DIVERSIONS

South Park – Russia in a bid to ban "extremist" U.S. cartoon
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL869731820080908?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

Fish Flies Out Of Lake, Breaks Arkansas Teen's Jaw
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/17420483/detail.html

Man Steals Town of Bucoda's Only Ambulance, Crashes it
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17424584/detail.html

Oregon couple solves mystery deposit
http://www.examiner.com/a-1577257~Ore__couple_solves_mystery_deposit.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

KFC shoring up security for secret recipe
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008167896_apkfcsecret.html?syndication=rss

Monday, September 8, 2008

Energy News Digest for September 8, 2008

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.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Two Arrests Made in Connection With TransAlta Bomb
- PSE-financed Jefferson PUD power opposition surfaces
- PUD Study: PUD rates will be cheaper
- Utility study says PUD will be costly, risky
- The Whidbey Examiner Op/Ed – Public Power in Washington
- No rate hikes budgeted for Douglas PUD customers
- Minnesota Power to phase out electricity contract to buy coal-generated electricity
- Wild Salmon Center wants to direct money to healthy rivers
- Northwest sea lions teach humans the folly of fighting Mother Nature
- Salmon homecoming: Our urban nature
- Yakima selling surplus land to state: BPA Grant to help in purchase
- EPA erred in Spokane River pollution limits
- Lacey to submit its water plan to pump more drinking water
- Allocation of Wastewater Treatment Assistance: Formula and Other Changes
- Water Infrastructure Financing: History of EPA Appropriations
- Study: California farmers can profit by saving water
- Gregoire plans more active role in stalled Cosmopolis pulp mill talks
- Congress faces energy, funding in dash to finish
- MONTANA – Hot Springs man sees energy in all that water
- Energy Innovators: 4 creative solutions to energy problems
- Duke Energy wants solar to go through the roof
- Manure "Smells Like Money" As Energy Costs Rise
- Confusion led to homes mislabeled as 'green'
- Slow climate change not by eating less meat, but by feeding livestock on grass
- Australian Op/Ed – Climate case built on thin foundation
- Latest Enron Broadband Trials Rescheduled
- Google reigns as the world's most powerful 10-year-old
- Congress Still Needs to Deal With I.S.P. Snooping
- $40 Billion To Wire the UK With FTTH
- Wireless Technology and Spectrum Demand: Advanced Wireless Services
- Brush Fire under BPA Lines Closes Lake Cushman Road
- Boeing Machinists On Strike
- Copper Thieves Leave Landlord's House All Wet
- In Rescue to Stabilize Lending, U.S. Takes Over Mortgage Finance Titans
- Meanwhile…Washington Mutual ousts CEO Kerry Killinger
- Race for 35th district tops list of most costly for 2008
- Yakima Valley mosquitoes worst in decade
- Scooter Popularity Raises Questions About Pollution
- Cool Spring And Fall Could Jeopardize ’08 Wine Vintage
- UC Berkeley grove cleared of most trees

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Bumptious • \BUMP-shus\ • adjective – Presumptuously, obtusely, and often noisily self-assertive: obtrusive

“Will you just SHUT UP,” screamed Alice at the bumptious insect that had somehow snuck into her studio apartment. Every five minutes the cricket interrupted her slumber with its insistent song. Unknown to Alice, the insect was channeling the ghost of J.P. Morgan and sending secret investment advice. Alas, Alice, not understanding “cricket” ended the sure-fire wealth session by locating and squashing the bug before she headed for work cleaning up offal at the Eastside Rendering Plant.

WEATHER

Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944

(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Anticlimactic – Two Arrests Made in Connection With TransAlta Bomb (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.chronline.com/rss/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1220685182&archive=

PSE-financed Jefferson PUD power opposition surfaces (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080906/NEWS/809060303

PUD Study: PUD rates will be cheaper (The Whidbey Examiner, Coupeville, WA)
http://www.stpns.net/view_article.html?articleId=109510854521354310525

Utility study says PUD will be costly, risky (The Whidbey Examiner, Coupeville, WA)
http://www.whidbeyexaminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=1691&TM=57079.14

The Whidbey Examiner Op/Ed – Public Power in Washington (Coupeville, WA)
http://www.whidbeyexaminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=1692&TM=57079.14

No rate hikes budgeted for Douglas PUD customers (The Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080906/NEWS04/709069870

Minnesota Power to phase out electricity contract to buy coal-generated electricity as it develops wind energy to meet state requirements for renewable energy (Associated Press)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080908/minnesota_power_wind_energy.html?.v=1

FISH & WILDLIFE

Wild Salmon Center wants to direct money to healthy rivers (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/wild_salmon_center_wants_to_di.html

Northwest sea lions teach humans the folly of fighting Mother Nature (Seattle Times – Check out the pictures!)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2008162539_pacificplions07.html?syndication=rss

Post-Intelligencer Editorial – Salmon homecoming: Our urban nature (Seattle, WA)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/378138_salmoned.html?source=rss

Yakima selling out-of-town surplus land to state Department of Fish and Wildlife – Price is $1.3 million, including grant funds from the Bonneville Power Administration (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/7353

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

EPA erred in Spokane River pollution limits (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1572289~EPA_erred_in_Spokane_River_pollution_limits.html?cid=rss-Idaho_Headlines

Lacey to submit its water plan – Crucial to its effort to receive state approval to pump more drinking water (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/577294.html

Congressional Research Service – Allocation of Wastewater Treatment Assistance: Formula and Other Changes
http://opencrs.com/document/RS20993

Congressional Research Service – Water Infrastructure Financing: History of EPA Appropriations
http://opencrs.com/document/96-647

Study: California farmers can profit by saving water (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1575767~Study__Calif__farmers_can_profit_by_saving_water.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Gregoire plans more active role in stalled Cosmopolis pulp mill talks – Grays Harbor PUD would benefit in co-generation plant (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/09/07/local_news/03news.txt

Congress faces energy, funding in dash to finish (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/475394.html

MONTANA – Hot Springs man sees energy in all that water (The Missoulian, MT)
http://missoulian.com/articles/2008/09/08/news/local/news03.txt

Energy Innovators: 4 creative solutions to energy problems (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/environment/2008-09-08-energy-innovations-environment_N.htm

Duke Energy wants solar to go through the roof: It's taking bids to build a network based on power from roof top solar panels (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5ClmjjrupUSig%27%40%3E%20bfen%5Fv

Manure "Smells Like Money" As Energy Costs Rise (Cattle Network)
http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Content.asp?ContentID=250619

CONSERVATION

Confusion led to homes mislabeled as 'green' (The Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080908/BIZ/709089976/-1/rss03

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Steaks are high – We can slow climate change not by eating less meat, but by feeding our livestock on grass, not grain (The Guardian, United Kingdom)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/sep/08/food.unitednations?gusrc=rss&feed=uknews

Australian Op/Ed – Climate case built on thin foundation
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24315169-7583,00.html

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Latest Enron Broadband Trials Rescheduled – Appeals continue for three Enron execs (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Latest-Enron-Broadband-Trials-Rescheduled-97522

Google reigns as the world's most powerful 10-year-old (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/378032_google06.html?source=rss

Congress Still Needs to Deal With I.S.P. Snooping (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/08/congress-still-needs-to-deal-with-isp-snooping/?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

$40 Billion To Wire the UK With FTTH (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/40-Billion-To-Wire-the-UK-With-FTTH-97556

Congressional Research Service – Wireless Technology and Spectrum Demand: Advanced Wireless Services
http://opencrs.com/document/RS20993

GENERAL NEWS

Brush Fire under BPA Lines Closes Lake Cushman Road (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/4973/reftab/1896/Default.aspx

Boeing Machinists On Strike (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17403231/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_7am&tmi=sea_7am_1_09000209082008&ts=H

Copper Thieves Leave Landlord's House All Wet (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/sep/07/copper-thieves-leave-landlords-house-all-wet/?partner=RSS

In Rescue to Stabilize Lending, U.S. Takes Over Mortgage Finance Titans (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/08/business/08fannie.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Meanwhile…Washington Mutual ousts CEO Kerry Killinger (The Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/577527.html

Race for 35th district tops list of most costly for 2008 (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/576147.html

Yakima Valley mosquitoes worst in decade (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1575395~Yakima_Valley_mosquitoes_worst_in_decade.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

What’s an environmentalist to do? Scooter Popularity Raises Questions About Pollution (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2991-scooter-popularity-raises-questions-about-pollution/

Cool Spring And Fall Could Jeopardize ’08 Wine Vintage (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2990-cool-spring-and-fall-could-jeopardize-08-wine-vintage/

UC Berkeley grove cleared of most trees – Arborists nearly finished clearing an embattled UC Berkeley grove Saturday, leaving a stripped, lone redwood occupied by four protesters (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/06/BAJH12PDUE.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

DIVERSIONS-ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER

With homeowner in doghouse, bobcats move in
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bobcats5-2008sep05,0,2286826.story

Smelly, destructive elk move in on Longview
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/27974899.html

Vet Removes 13 Golf Balls from Dog’s Stomach
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/health/September-October-08/Vet-Removes-13-Golf-Balls-from-Dog-s-Stomach.html

6-foot lizard captured in Oregon
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/378217_lizard09.html?source=rss

Ramtha versus “WhiteWind Weaver” lawsuit beginning in Olympia
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/378218_ramtha09.html?source=rss

Friday, September 5, 2008

Energy News Digest for September 5, 2008

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.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- LaGrande Observer Editorial – Keep a lid on natural gas hikes
- Chief Joseph Dam workers deployed to Atlanta for Ike, Hanna relief
- Environmental Compatibility Clean Coal Technology
- Wild-Oyster Reefs In Trouble
- Sockeye Salmon Returns – Photo-Op Journalism
- Waning Eastern Washington water source subject of meetings
- Dredging Capitol Lake more expensive than estuary
- Bonney Lake Water fees could be refunded
- CALIFORNIA – State gets serious about deepening drought
- EPA limits lawnmower emissions to stem pollution
- Renewable energy's biggest wish – tax breaks
- Al Gore's impossible plan for 100% renewable energy
- ALASKA – Wind turbines are popping up in Valley
- Weather puts German offshore wind farm on hold
- Ethanol: energy's golden child dodges more darts
- PENNSYLVANIA – Churches feel the heat over energy costs
- CANADA – Price a key factor in energy conservation
- Asian soot, smog may boost global warming in US
- Carbon cap and trade could backfire on the environment
- Ashland, Oregon Fiber Network chief resigns
- Comcast appeals FCC traffic-blocking ruling
- Qwest Stops Offering Support Via E-mail
- Was EarthLink's failed citywide Wi-Fi a blessing in disguise?
- Boeing's 'chances of dodging a strike look bleak'
- $4.8 million Hanford verdict award upheld
- Cosmopolis Police get a raise — when local pulp mill sells

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Haptic • \HAP-tick\ • adjective – 1: relating to or based on the sense of touch 2: characterized by a predilection for the sense of touch

Joe returned from his date determined to wear barbed wire clothing the next time, if there was another outing. His close-talking, haptic date had to be warned several times to sit on her own side of the table at dinner. Even after an “accidental” jab with his salad fork, the clueless dinner partner was unable or unwilling to get the message.

WEATHER

Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944

(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

LaGrande Observer Editorial – Keep a lid on natural gas hikes (Oregon)
http://www.lagrandeobserver.com/Opinion/Editorials/Keep-a-lid-on-natural-gas-hikes

Chief Joseph Dam workers deployed to Atlanta for Ike, Hanna relief (The Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080904/NEWS04/709059992

Energy Pulse Commentary – Environmental Compatibility Clean Coal Technology
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1818

FISH & WILDLIFE

Wild-Oyster Reefs In Trouble (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94290434&ft=1&f=2

Mountain Express Editorial – Sockeye Salmon Returns – Photo-Op Journalism (Sun Valley, ID)
http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005122525

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Waning Eastern Washington water source subject of meetings (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/09/04/news/news05.txt

Dredging Capitol Lake more expensive than estuary (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/572981.html

Bonney Lake Water fees could be refunded – The city improperly charged developer for hookups, court says (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/472324.html

CALIFORNIA – State gets serious about deepening drought (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/05/BAJT12OAMA.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

EPA limits lawnmower emissions to stem pollution (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008158370_apmowerssmog.html?syndication=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Renewable energy's biggest wish – Despite promises of massive investment projects and fancy prizes, lawmakers are skimping on the one thing the renewable energy industry says it needs most - tax breaks (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/05/news/economy/renewable_tax_credit/index.htm?section=money_latest

Statesman Journal Op/Ed – Al Gore's impossible plan for 100% renewable energy (Salem, OR)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080905/OPINION/80831010/1049/OPINION

ALASKA – Wind turbines are popping up in Valley – Residents try to cope with high costs even though a 2005 study panned wind power (Anchorage Daily News)
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/516710.html

Weather puts German offshore wind farm on hold (International Herald Tribune)
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/09/04/europe/EU-Germany-Windfarm-Delayed.php

Ethanol: energy's golden child dodges more darts (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008158610_apethanolsluster.html?syndication=rss

CONSERVATION

PENNSYLVANIA – Churches feel the heat over energy costs (The Observer-Reporter, Washington, PA)
http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Story/09-05-church-energy-workshop

CANADA – Price a key factor in energy conservation (Edmonton Journal, AB)
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=9072c178-efdd-4f23-aabc-9e9e357426c9

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Asian soot, smog may boost global warming in US (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008158926_apscioverlookedwarming.html?syndication=rss

Register Guard Op/Ed – Carbon cap and trade could backfire on the environment (Eugene, OR)
http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005122525

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Ashland, Oregon Fiber Network chief resigns (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1571893~Ashland__Ore___Fiber_Network_chief_resigns.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Comcast appeals FCC traffic-blocking ruling (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10033376-38.html?tag=nl.e703

Qwest Stops Offering Support Via E-mail (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Qwest-Stops-Offering-Support-Via-Email-97495

Was EarthLink's failed citywide Wi-Fi a blessing in disguise? (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10033386-94.html?tag=nl.e703

GENERAL NEWS

Boeing's 'chances of dodging a strike look bleak' (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=55178724.blog

$4.8 million Hanford verdict award upheld – High court backs pipefitters fired for raising safety issue (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/377853_hanford05.html?source=rss

Cosmopolis Police get a raise — when local pulp mill sells (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/09/04/local_news/07news.txt

DIVERSIONS-ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER

Spokane man's suit claims popcorn led to lung disease – 'I would eat four to six bags a day'
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/377905_diacetyl05.html?source=rss

Family Racks Up $19,370 Cell Phone Bill
http://www.kirotv.com/money/17390103/detail.html

Texas UPS driver goes 1 million miles, no crashes
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080905/ap_on_fe_st/odd_million_miler_driver;_ylt=Ah9WuX_RMpI96UWym8rifDbtiBIF

Musical taste "defines personality"
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080905/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_britain_music;_ylt=AgFyx2dtZfxofnt_FlFtZUbtiBIF

Boy doles out hundreds of fake $20 bills at school
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080905/ap_on_fe_st/odd_fake_money_school;_ylt=Agy8AIRCeiU1iW761NjjbEztiBIF

Black bear busts secret Utah pot farm
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/odd_bear_pot_farm;_ylt=AomrPjZ8jGB_K5CtVUTFUsvtiBIF

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Energy News Digest for September 4, 2008

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.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Whidbey Island – Road crews remove illegal anti-PUD signs
- Chelan County PUD to reorganize after two top executives resign
- OREGON – Sisters To Go Dark For Six Hours To Convert to 115,000 Volt Transmission
- UTAH – Rocky Mountain Power warns of service cuts if rates aren't boosted
- Jury says San Diego Gas & Electric negligent in helicopter crash
- US Department of Energy says natural gas supplies rose last week
- NEW YORK – Spain’s Iberdrola will be allowed to acquire Energy East
- No heating funds available yet
- It takes a big rake to keep Rock Island Dam clean
- The faster side of Grays Harbor PUD Commissioner Tom Casey
- Plans to shoot sea lions get judge's approval
- CANADA – Fraser River in decline – We're killing too many salmon, and it's time to take the blame
- The end of Snoqualmie steelhead?
- Fishing -- Stocking feat – Keeping fish in high lakes requires plenty of leg work
- Facing Deadly Fish Virus, Chile Introduces Salmon Farm Reforms
- Area rivers show solid numbers of Coho, Chinook catches
- MONTANA – Bulkhead to plug 2 broken head gates at Hebgen Dam
- NEW HAMPSHIRE – Merrimack Village Dam’s removal opens up waters
- WISCONSIN – Lake Delton Disaster Victims Target Village For Possible Legal Action
- Assessing the Value of Small Wind Turbines
- CONNECTICUT – Added State Aid Reinstates 600 Energy-Efficiency Projects
- San Francisco Chronicle Editorial – Legislature needs to ease CFL disposal
- 19-Square-Mile Ice Sheet Breaks Loose in Canada
- Seattle Post Intelligencer Columnist – Hot air over global warming
- CANADA – Power producers out to show they are part of the solution to greenhouse gas emissions
- Play-Based Education Used to Teach Conservation
- Are mechanical pencils better for the environment than the regular wooden kind?
- Verizon will finally start offering its fiber-optic "FiOS" TV service next week in the Puget Sound
- MONTANA – Fiber optics project covers 20-mile stretch between Libby, Troy
- More Carriers Upgrading Long-Haul Networks
- Will Qwest Come Clean About Usage Cap Like Comcast?
- FCC To Stop Collecting Phone Reliability Data
- Contract rejected, but no strike at Boeing for now
- Investigation Continues Into Human Remains Found Near Collins Lake

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Consonant • \ CONN-suh-nunt\ • adjective – 1: being in agreement or harmony: free from elements making for discord 2: marked by musical consonances 3: having similar sounds 4: relating to or exhibiting consonance: resonant.

Bertrand was known as the reluctant lemming. As his fellow, furry rodents rushed along towards a long drop off a nearby cliff into the sea, Bert decided he would not act in consonant with his brethren. Instead he lazed in the sun, snacking on bulbs and sedges as the high-pitched cries of the other lemmings faded in the distance.

WICKIPEDIA: On occasion, and particularly in the case of the Norway lemmings in Scandinavia, large migrating groups will reach a cliff overlooking the ocean. They will stop until the urge to press on causes them to jump off the cliff and start swimming, sometimes to exhaustion and death. Lemmings are also often pushed into the sea as more and more lemmings arrive at the shore.

WEATHER

Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944

(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Whidbey Island – Road crews remove illegal anti-PUD signs (The Whidbey Examiner, Coupeville)
http://www.stpns.net/view_article.html?articleId=109510843665075710467

Chelan County PUD to reorganize after two top executives resign (The Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080903/NEWS04/709039866

OREGON – Sisters To Go Dark For Six Hours To Convert to 115,000 Volt Transmission - Switch Requires Outage (KOHD-TV, Bend)
http://kohd.com/news/local/41570

UTAH – Rocky Mountain Power warns of service cuts if rates aren't boosted – The ultimatum: Give us the money we want or we won't give you the electricity you need (The Salt Lake Tribune, UT)
http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_10366780?source=rss

Jury says San Diego Gas & Electric negligent in helicopter crash (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1568835~Jury_says_SDG_E_negligent_in_helicopter_crash.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

US Department of Energy says natural gas supplies rose last week (The Associated Press)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080904/natural_gas_storage.html?.v=2

NEW YORK – Spain’s Iberdrola will be allowed to acquire Energy East – Deal to Double Wind Power in the State (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/nyregion/04power.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

No heating funds available yet (Yakima Herald-Republic)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/7300

It takes a big rake to keep Rock Island Dam clean (The Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080903/NEWS04/709039896

The faster side of Grays Harbor PUD Commissioner Tom Casey (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/08/23/profile/profile.txt

FISH & WILDLIFE

Plans to shoot sea lions get judge's approval (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/27854199.html

CANADA – Fraser River in decline – We're killing too many salmon, and it's time to take the blame (Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080903.BCHUME03/TPStory/Sports

The end of Snoqualmie steelhead? (The Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080904/SPORTS/709049948/1008/SPORTS02

Fishing -- Stocking feat – Keeping fish in high lakes requires plenty of leg work (Yakima Herald-Republic)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/7305

Facing Deadly Fish Virus, Chile Introduces Salmon Farm Reforms (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/world/americas/04chile.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Area rivers show solid numbers of Coho, Chinook catches (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/story/572445.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

MONTANA – Bulkhead to plug 2 broken head gates at Hebgen Dam (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwire/538849ba3d8369caadaf11ad04876a4e.htm

NEW HAMPSHIRE – Merrimack Village Dam’s removal opens up waters (Merrimack Journal, NH)
http://www.cabinet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080904/MERRIMACK01/809049995/-1/merrimack01

WISCONSIN – Lake Delton Disaster Victims Target Village For Possible Legal Action – Property Owners Had Homes, Land Damage When Lake Emptied (WISC-TV, Madison, WI)
http://www.channel3000.com/news/17391253/detail.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Assessing the Value of Small Wind Turbines (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/business/04wind.html?adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1220547965-gyIeMrDyEBlLMfeMV4dlFQ

CONSERVATION

CONNECTICUT – Added State Aid Reinstates 600 Energy-Efficiency Projects (The Hartford Courant, CT)
http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-energyfund0904.artsep04,0,3152849.story?track=rss

San Francisco Chronicle Editorial – Legislature needs to ease CFL disposal
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/04/EDAR12MQGP.DTL&feed=rss.opinion

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

19-Square-Mile Ice Sheet Breaks Loose in Canada (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Arctic-Ice-Shelf.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Seattle Post Intelligencer Columnist – Hot air over global warming
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/377622_hotair04.html?source=rss

CANADA – Power producers out to show they are part of the solution to greenhouse gas emissions (The Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=8eb98a17-e5fb-43f5-9199-d7df599407d2&k=89884

Play-Based Education Used to Teach Conservation (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/international/Sept-08/Play-Based-Education-Used-to-Teach-Conservation.html

Are mechanical pencils better for the environment than the regular wooden kind? (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2199138/?from=rss

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Verizon will finally start offering its fiber-optic "FiOS" TV service next week in the Puget Sound region (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008157366_brier04.html

MONTANA – Fiber optics project covers 20-mile stretch between Libby, Troy (The Western News, Libby MT)
http://www.thewesternnews.com/articles/2008/09/03/news/news03.txt

More Carriers Upgrading Long-Haul Networks “…and Alaska Communications Systems is beefing up the potential bandwidth between Alaska and Oregon…” (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/09/04/more-carriers-upgrading-long-haul-networks/

Will Qwest Come Clean About Usage Cap Like Comcast?
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Will-Qwest-Come-Clean-About-Usage-Cap-Like-Comcast-97450

FCC To Stop Collecting Phone Reliability Data (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-To-Stop-Collecting-Phone-Reliability-Data-97466

GENERAL NEWS

Contract rejected, but no strike at Boeing for now – Machinists union agrees to continue talks for 48 hours (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/377581_boeinglabor04.html

Investigation Continues Into Human Remains Found Near Collins Lake (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/4947/reftab/1896/Default.aspx

DIVERSIONS-ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER

Woman eyes skydive record over Everest
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080902/od_nm/everest_dc;_ylt=AtZ5nClWtroOclaw9SELc7jtiBIF

"Cremated" father reunited with family
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080904/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_britain_cremation;_ylt=AqKE8iyJ0eiVrb3Iq0JQWbztiBIF

Americans pick pet over partner for desert island
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080904/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_usa_pets;_ylt=At2lEvgYlqRmCaV_28jYQTHtiBIF

Angry Argentine commuters torch train in rush hour
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080904/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_argentina_train;_ylt=AkYqMfVxVCDdaP6aRT2hO1btiBIF

Elephant beats heroin habit with detox
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080904/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_china_elephant;_ylt=AnDKjcvD8LZ9.iqzj667ChLtiBIF