Friday, November 8, 2013

Energy News Digest for November 8, 2013

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THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for November 8, 2013

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Pacific Northwest Congressional Delegation to Feds: Fix Bonneville Power Administration's Hiring Problems, Then Hands Off (Oregonian, Portland)

U-S Columbia River Users Seek ‘Better Bargain’ with Canada (Northwest Public Radio)

Phone, Data Outage at San Juan Islands Causes Island Fever (Northwest Cable News Network)

Napa on the Sound: Climate Change Turning Puget Sound Area into Prime Terrain to Grow Valuable Vines (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

Sake, Food, Speeches Celebrate Nippon Paper Mill’s New Biomass Cogeneration Plant (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Pacific Northwest Congressional Delegation to Feds: Fix Bonneville Power Administration's Hiring Problems, Then Hands Off
  • U-S Columbia River Users Seek ‘Better Bargain’ with Canada
  • Alaska Utility Owner Plans to Donate Millions after Sale to Avista
  • British Columbia Weighs in on Columbia River Treaty’s Future
  • Bonneville Power Administration Invests In Energy Literacy for Students across Pacific Northwest
  • Realistic Look at Small Modular Reactors in Idaho
  • ‘Pandora’s Promise’: Why Greens Are Warming to Nuclear Power
  • Six Nuclear Plants That Could Be Next to Shut Down
  • New Mexico:  Forest Service Sends Electric Co-Op $38 Million Bill for Fire
  • Reuters Summit: Executive says U-S Power Companies Struggle to Profit
  • Senators Raise Alarm over Asian Carp Invasion in Great Lakes
  • Raleigh Flushes Toilet Rebate Program
  • How Many Toilet Flushes, Showers, Leaks to Use 1 Million Gallons of Water?
  • Sake, Food, Speeches Celebrate Nippon Paper Mill’s New Biomass Cogeneration Plant
  • California Seen Exceeding Renewable Energy Generation Target
  • Clean Energy in Big Business: How to Make It Happen
  • What the U-S Can Learn from Germany’s Green Energy Debacle
  • Solar Power Sings ‘I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll,’ Study Finds
  • Block That Draft, Save Some Cash
  • Ten Ways to Save on Energy Costs This Winter
  • Is Your Starbucks Latte Sour? Don’t Blame the Barista - Blame the Internet
  • Napa on the Sound: Climate Change Turning Puget Sound Area into Prime Terrain to Grow Valuable Vines
  • Scientists Update Report on How Pacific Northwest Will Fare under Climate Change
  • Bay Area Company among DOE Awards for Carbon-Capture Projects
  • Moses Lake Plant Key to Hopes for BMW Electric Car
  • Car vs. Pole: Pacific Gas & Electric Says Electric Cars Have Little Impact on Grid
  • Tesla Shares Hit By a Fire Involving the Model S
  • Energy Department’s Gas Guzzlers
  • Phone, Data Outage at San Juan Islands Causes Island Fever
  • Tacoma a Top Ten ‘Digital City’
  • Democrats Call for E-Rate Reforms to Expand Broadband Internet Access
  • Charter CEO ‘Surprised’ More Users Want Broadband with No TV
  • Google Barge Mystery Unfurled
  • Tech Tips: Getting Started with Twitter
  • The Beginner’s Guide to TweetDeck
  • Mason County Election Update: Moore Overtakes McDowell
  • Hired Guns Cost Seattle Taxpayers Hundreds of Millions of Dollars
  • Boeing Warns Seattle Could Lose 777X If Deal Rejected
  • One of World’s Strongest Storms Blasts Philippines
  • What Will Oregon’s Winter Be Like? It’s a La Nada Year, Forecasters Say
  • Calling Port Townsend: The Best Small Towns for Retirement

WORD OF THE DAY

Dendrology • \den-DRAWL-uh-jee\ • Noun - The study of trees.

If there were any movie moment that Cling Eastwood probably would want to take back, I would assume it would be his dendrological ode to the forest in the film “Paint Your Wagon.” Eek! (I will admit, its tons better than the “singing” of Lee Marvin in the same musical)

Clint Eastwood - I Talk to the Trees

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Pacific Northwest Congressional Delegation to Feds: Fix Bonneville Power Administration's Hiring Problems, Then Hands Off (Oregonian, Portland)

U-S Columbia River Users Seek ‘Better Bargain’ with Canada (Northwest Public Radio)

British Columbia Weighs in on Columbia River Treaty’s Future (Rocky Mountain Goat, Valemount, BC)

Alaska Utility Owner Plans to Donate Millions after Sale to Avista (Associated Press)

Bonneville Power Administration Invests In Energy Literacy for Students across Pacific Northwest (Bonneville Power Administration)

Realistic Look at Small Modular Reactors in Idaho (The Energy Collective)

‘Pandora’s Promise’: Why Greens Are Warming to Nuclear Power (Christian Science Monitor)

Six Nuclear Plants That Could Be Next to Shut Down (Forbes Magazine)

New Mexico:  Forest Service Sends Electric Co-Op $38 Million Bill for Fire (Santa Fe New Nexican)

Reuters Summit: Executive says U-S Power Companies Struggle to Profit (Reuters)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Senators Raise Alarm over Asian Carp Invasion in Great Lakes (Christian Science Monitor)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Raleigh Flushes Toilet Rebate Program (Triangle Business Journal, NC)

How Many Toilet Flushes, Showers, Leaks to Use 1 Million Gallons of Water? (USA Today)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Sake, Food, Speeches Celebrate Nippon Paper Mill’s New Biomass Cogeneration Plant (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

California Seen Exceeding Renewable Energy Generation Target (Bloomberg News)

Clean Energy in Big Business: How to Make It Happen (Christian Science Monitor)

What the U-S Can Learn from Germany’s Green Energy Debacle (Forbes Magazine)

Solar Power Sings ‘I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll,’ Study Finds (Christian Science Monitor)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Block That Draft, Save Some Cash (Monroe Monitor, WA)

Ten Ways to Save on Energy Costs This Winter (U-S News & World Report)

Is Your Starbucks Latte Sour? Don’t Blame the Barista - Blame the Internet (Refrigerators Reviewed)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Napa on the Sound: Climate Change Turning Puget Sound Area into Prime Terrain to Grow Valuable Vines (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

Scientists Update Report on How Pacific Northwest Will Fare under Climate Change (Portland Tribune, OR)

Bay Area Company among DOE Awards for Carbon-Capture Projects (Associated Press)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Moses Lake Plant Key to Hopes for BMW Electric Car (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Car vs. Pole: Pacific Gas & Electric Says Electric Cars Have Little Impact on Grid (San Francisco Business Times, CA)

Tesla Shares Hit By a Fire Involving the Model S (British Broadcasting Corporation)

Energy Department’s Gas Guzzlers (Washington Post)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Phone, Data Outage at San Juan Islands Causes Island Fever (Northwest Cable News Network)

Tacoma a Top Ten ‘Digital City’ (South Sound Business Examiner, WA)

Democrats Call for E-Rate Reforms to Expand Broadband Internet Access (Bloomberg News)

Charter CEO ‘Surprised’ More Users Want Broadband with No TV (Broadband Reports)

Google Barge Mystery Unfurled (SF Chronicle, CA)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Tech Tips: Getting Started with Twitter (Associated Press)

The Beginner’s Guide to TweetDeck (Mashable)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Mason County Election Update: Moore Overtakes McDowell (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Hired Guns Cost Seattle Taxpayers Hundreds of Millions of Dollars (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

GENERAL NEWS

Boeing Warns Seattle Could Lose 777X If Deal Rejected (Reuters)

One of World’s Strongest Storms Blasts Philippines (Associated Press)

What Will Oregon’s Winter Be Like? It’s a La Nada Year, Forecasters Say (Oregonian, Portland)

Calling Port Townsend: The Best Small Towns for Retirement (USA Today)

DIVERSIONS

Everybody Panic: Corgis Are on Their Way to Becoming Endangered

We Approve of the Rubber Duck’s Induction into Toy Hall of Fame That We Just Learned Exists

Hermann Rorschach: Why His Inkblot Tests Still Endure

Thief Squirrels Away 140,000 Pounds of Nuts

SONG OF THE DAY

Dave Grusin - It Takes a Thief (TV Show Theme Song)

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Energy News Digest for November 7, 2013

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

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THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for November 7, 2013

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Wet & Windy Day Ahead (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration: Feds Hire New HR Director for BPA, Appoint Acting Deputy Administrator (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
Turbine Topples at Stateline Wind Farm in Eastern Washington State (Oregonian, Portland)

REC Silicon to Reduce Employees (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Special Washington State Legislative Session Beginning for Boeing Incentives (Associated Press)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Bonneville Power Administration: Feds Hire New HR Director for BPA, Appoint Acting Deputy Administrator
  • Public Utility Districts Warn of Phone Scammers
  • Utility Bill Scam Extends to Snohomish County
  • Grant County PUD Lowers Final New Turbine into Wanapum Dam
  • Oregon: Eugene Water & Electric Board Proposes Raising Utility Rates
  • Avista Reports Higher Third Quarter Earnings
  • Idaho Power Still Making Its Case for Coal
  • Bad news for Big Coal in Whatcom County
  • Eleven Utilities Are Winners in APPA Annual Report Contest
  • Columbia River Treaty Negotiations Will Impact Libby Dam Operations, Reservoir Drafting/Refill
  • Pacific Gas & Electric’s CEO Calls for Probe of Utility's Management
  • Colorado: Boulder Utility Measure - Municipal Facility Gets a Boost
  • Editorial: Post Election Is Good Time to Count Our Blessings
  • Op/Ed: Nuclear - A Surprisingly Progressive Solution to Climate Change
  • Thrifty Thurston – A Rare Glimpse of Nature at the Kennedy Creek Salmon Trail
  • Turbine Topples at Stateline Wind Farm in Eastern Washington State
  • REC Silicon to Reduce Employees
  • Four States Lead U-S in Freeing the Grid for Distributed Solar Energy
  • Microsoft Commits to Wind Power
  • Europe's Renewable Energy Push Has Completely Backfired, & Electricity Bills Are Skyrocketing
  • Washington State Department of Commerce names lenders for $14.5 million Clean Energy Loan Fund
  • Traditional Light Bulbs Are Dead, Long Live LEDs
  • 'Pedal Power' Your Laptop with a Cycling Generator
  • Tri-Cities Charter Outage Cuts Sales for Businesses
  • Google Employees Lash Out at NSA Over Reports of Cable Tapping
  • Google Who? Los Angeles Planning Citywide Gigabit Fiber Network
  • Dish to Close Rest of Its Blockbuster Stores in U-S
  • Cable Industry Uses Election Money to Smother Municipal Broadband Efforts
  • Internet Archive Burns Down, Data Survives
  • User Burnout Could Threaten Twitter's Prosperity
  • With A New Generation of Public Power Customers, Communication Is Key, Crisson Tells Customer Connections Conference
  • The Utility as a Brand: Is It Worth It?
  • Special Legislative Session Beginning for Boeing Incentives
  • Key Players Debate Need for Gas Tax in Washington Special Session
  • Unofficial Mason County Election Results
  • Court Finds Washington State’s Public Records Act Applies to Personal Email Accounts of Elected Officials
  • Wet & Windy Day Ahead
  • Wind Advisory in Effect for Mason County
  • Wenatchee Agency is First Fined by SEC for Deceiving Public
  • Pot's Tax Potential Creating Strange Bongfellows

WORD OF THE DAY

Cadre • \COD-ray\ • Noun - 1: frame, framework 2: a nucleus or core group especially of trained personnel able to assume control and to train others; broadly: a group of people having some unifying relationship 3: a cell of indoctrinated leaders active in promoting the interests of a revolutionary party 4: a member of a cadre.

It was the most formidable tiger team ever assembled. The cadre of engineers had the unenviable task of designing with the first “Ohio-Arts” ten-foot capable tiddlywink chip.

Note: A tiger team is a group of experts assigned to investigate and/or solve technical or systemic problems. A 1964 paper defined the term as "a team of undomesticated and uninhibited technical specialists, selected for their experience, energy, and imagination, and assigned to track down relentlessly every possible source of failure in a spacecraft subsystem." (Wikipedia)

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS



ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bonneville Power Administration: Feds Hire New HR Director for BPA, Appoint Acting Deputy Administrator (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Public Utility Districts Warn of Phone Scammers (Wenatchee World, WA)

Utility Bill Scam Extends to Snohomish County (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Grant County PUD Lowers Final New Turbine into Wanapum Dam (iFiberone News, Ephrata, WA)

Oregon: Eugene Water & Electric Board Proposes Raising Utility Rates (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

Avista Reports Higher Third Quarter Earnings (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Idaho Power Still Making Its Case for Coal (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

Bad news for Big Coal in Whatcom County (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Eleven Utilities Are Winners in APPA Annual Report Contest (American Public Power Association – Woo-Hoo, Mason PUD 3 is in here!)

Columbia River Treaty Negotiations Will Impact Libby Dam Operations, Reservoir Drafting/Refill (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Pacific Gas & Electric’s CEO Calls for Probe of Utility's Management (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Colorado: Boulder Utility Measure - Municipal Facility Gets a Boost (Denver Post, CO)

Editorial: Post Election Is Good Time to Count Our Blessings (Everett Herald, WA)

Op/Ed: Nuclear - A Surprisingly Progressive Solution to Climate Change (Cable News Network)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Thrifty Thurston – A Rare Glimpse of Nature at the Kennedy Creek Salmon Trail (Thurston Talks, Olympia, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Turbine Topples at Stateline Wind Farm in Eastern Washington State (Oregonian, Portland)

REC Silicon to Reduce Employees (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Four States Lead U-S in Freeing the Grid for Distributed Solar Energy (The Energy Collective)

Microsoft Commits to Wind Power (Associated Press)

Europe's Renewable Energy Push Has Completely Backfired, & Electricity Bills Are Skyrocketing (Business Insider)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Washington State Department of Commerce names lenders for $14.5 million Clean Energy Loan Fund (Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal, WA)

Traditional Light Bulbs Are Dead, Long Live LEDs (USA Today)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

'Pedal Power' Your Laptop with a Cycling Generator (Mashable)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Tri-Cities Charter Outage Cuts Sales for Businesses (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Google Employees Lash Out at NSA Over Reports of Cable Tapping (Reuters)

Google Who? Los Angeles Planning Citywide Gigabit Fiber Network (Consumerist)
http://consumerist.com/2013/11/06/google-who-l-a-planning-citywide-gigabit-fiber-network/

Dish to Close Rest of Its Blockbuster Stores In U-S (Associated Press)

Cable Industry Uses Election Money to Smother Municipal Broadband Efforts (GigaOM)

Internet Archive Burns Down, Data Survives (Mashable)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

User Burnout Could Threaten Twitter's Prosperity (Associated Press)

With A New Generation of Public Power Customers, Communication Is Key, Crisson Tells Customer Connections Conference (American Public Power Association)

The Utility as a Brand: Is It Worth It? (The Energy Collective)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Special Legislative Session Beginning for Boeing Incentives (Associated Press)

Key Players Debate Need for Gas Tax in Washington Special Session (Northwest Public Radio)

Unofficial Mason County Election Results (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Court Finds Washington State’s Public Records Act Applies to Personal Email Accounts of Elected Officials (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

GENERAL NEWS

Wet & Windy Day Ahead (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Wind Advisory in Effect for Mason County (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Wenatchee Agency is First Fined by SEC for Deceiving Public (Bloomberg News)

Pot's Tax Potential Creating Strange Bongfellows (Associated Press)

DIVERSIONS

‘Pregnant Teen’ Good Samaritan Let Live With Him Turns Out to Be Non-Pregnant Adult Man

'Jetman' Tours Mt. Fuji with a Jetpack

Walmart Glitch: $33 Treadmills, $9 LCD Monitors

Police Arrest Woman Who Called 9-1-1 Six Times to Complain About Bar Full of Drunk People

SONG OF THE DAY

Charlie Daniels - Drinking My Baby Goodbye

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

BPA selects HR Officer from 502nd Airbase Wing as new HR Director Senior VP of Power Services Greg Delwiche is now Acting Deputy Administrator (Bonneville Power Administration)

Portland, Ore. – The Bonneville Power Administration took two major steps in its efforts to rebuild and improve its human capital management function and ensure it has high performing compliance and governance functions.

First, Brian E. Carter, currently the Civilian/Human Resources Officer for the 502d Air Base Wing at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, will soon join BPA as its Human Resources Director. Second, long-time BPA executive Greg Delwiche will temporarily leave his spot as BPA’s senior vice president of Power Services to fill in as acting deputy administrator.

“These moves are very positive developments for BPA,” said Acting Administrator Elliot Mainzer. “Mr. Carter brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in federal hiring practices, which are vital to our efforts to establish a world class human capital management function. Greg brings many years of BPA knowledge and executive experience to the BPA front office, which also allows him continue to conduct a thorough review of our broader governance and compliance program that is already underway under his leadership.”

Carter, who will join BPA early next month, currently leads a civilian human resources program that serves more than 12,000 federal employees at the Department of Defense’s largest joint air base. He has served in numerous Human Resources leadership positions that include supervisory roles in staffing, benefits, job classification and employee relations at small and large military installations.

“I am excited about joining BPA and working with the Department of Energy and BPA teams to work through the challenges and opportunities during this critical rebuilding period for BPA’s human capital program,” said Carter.

Carter’s career spans more than 20 years and includes the stints in the Air Force Reserves and the Arkansas National Guard. He is a licensed attorney, holds a Masters in Military Operational Arts and Sciences as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.

Delwiche has served as BPA’s senior vice president of Power Services since June 2010. Prior to that, he served approximately six years as BPA’s vice president for Environment, Fish and Wildlife.

“I come to the deputy position with the hope that my perspective and knowledge can help BPA move forward in successfully facing its challenges and getting healthy,” said Delwiche.

Delwiche came to BPA in 1992 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a first-line manager in power and river operations planning. He became vice president of Generation Asset Management in 1999.

Delwiche holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in civil engineering from the University of Florida and Oregon State University respectively.


Friday, November 1, 2013

Energy News Digest for November 1, 2013

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST TWITTER FEED

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for November 1, 2013

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Electric Jolt Causes Minor Damage at Grand Coulee Dam Powerhouse (Wenatchee World, WA)

Blustery Weekend in Store - Special Statement from National Weather Service in Seattle (Mason PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

Wind Power Installations Down 96 Percent in the Third Quarter from 2012, But Orders Looking Up (Denver Business Journal, CO)
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/earth_to_power/2013/10/wind-industry-installations-down-96.html

Puget Sound Still in “Critical Condition” (Northwest Public Radio)

Editorial: Keep Bonneville Power Administration Independent despite Hiring Problems (Tri-City Herald, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Electric Jolt Causes Minor Damage at Grand Coulee Dam Powerhouse
  • Editorial: Keep Bonneville Power Administration Independent despite Hiring Problems
  • Op/Ed: Hydropower Plays an Important Role in the Pacific Northwest
  • Car Strikes Pole; Knocks Out Power to 800 in Montesano
  • Substations Require More Attention for Optimal Safety, Experts Say
  • Uncertain Future for Nuclear Energy in Japan as Last Nuclear Reactor is Switched Off
  • West Coast Sea Stars Mysteriously Dying Off
  • Puget Sound Orcas Circle State Ferry Carrying Tribal Artifacts
  • Major Oyster Reef Rebuilding Begins on Texas Coast
  • Puget Sound Still in “Critical Condition”
  • Wind Power Installations Down 96 Percent in the Third Quarter from 2012, But Orders Looking Up
  • Federal Bill Would Boost Renewables to 25 Percent by 2025, Has No Chance in Hell of Passing
  • Local Power Project & Learning Tool Underway
  • Ford Recalls 2,600 Focus Electric Cars for Potential Power Loss
  • It’s Time to Do The Right Things “Not Because They Are Easy But Because They Are Hard”
  • Comcast, CenturyLink Try to Derail Seattle’s 1 Gbps Mayor
  • Local Internet Expert Says Obamacare Sites Ignored the Basics
  • Angry Over U-S Surveillance, Tech Giants Bolster Defenses
  • Energy-Efficient Data Centers: Tap Local, Sustainable Resources
  • Those Floating Barges? They’re Luxurious Modular Google Showrooms
  • Marketers Are Putting Their Money & Confidence in Social Media
  • Dell Laptop Buyers Make a Stink over Cat Smell
  • Wind & Rain Coming
  • Blustery Weekend in Store - Special Statement from National Weather Service in Seattle
  • Update: Trooper Uninjured in Three-Vehicle Crash on 101 near Shelton
  • Puget Sound Grocery Workers Approve Contract, Avoid Strike
  • Food Stamp Cuts to Hurt Over a Million People in Washington State
  • Homeless Got One-Way Bus Tickets to Portland
  • This Is the Successor to the SR-71 Blackbird, & It Is Gorgeous

WORD OF THE DAY

Pugnacious • \pug-NAY-shuss\ • Adjective - Showing a readiness or desire to fight or argue: having a quarrelsome or combative nature.

The small, white ball of fluff looked like nothing less than a bundle of Angora scarves piled on the front seat of the voluminous SUV wedged into the compact spot in the ‘Target” parking lot. That is, until a pedestrian walked past the looming passenger side panel, when the Pomeranian pup erupted against the vehicle’s window; a pugnacious, pint-sized whirling sphere of teeth, claws and high pitched barking. The elderly Newfoundland canine lounging on the back seat only yawned, carefully circled three times and dropped back into his doggy dreams…chasing large rabbits across luxurious, green pastures.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Electric Jolt Causes Minor Damage at Grand Coulee Dam Powerhouse (Wenatchee World, WA)

Editorial: Keep Bonneville Power Administration Independent despite Hiring Problems (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Op/Ed: Hydropower Plays an Important Role in the Pacific Northwest (Noodls)

Car Strikes Pole; Knocks Out Power to 800 in Montesano (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Substations Require More Attention for Optimal Safety, Experts Say (American Public Power Association)

Uncertain Future for Nuclear Energy in Japan as Last Nuclear Reactor is Switched Off (The Energy Collective)

FISH & WILDLIFE

West Coast Sea Stars Mysteriously Dying Off (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Puget Sound Orcas Circle State Ferry Carrying Tribal Artifacts (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Major Oyster Reef Rebuilding Begins on Texas Coast (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Puget Sound Still in “Critical Condition” (Northwest Public Radio)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Wind Power Installations Down 96 Percent in the Third Quarter from 2012, But Orders Looking Up (Denver Business Journal, CO)
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/earth_to_power/2013/10/wind-industry-installations-down-96.html

Federal Bill Would Boost Renewables to 25 Percent by 2025, Has No Chance in Hell of Passing (Grist Online)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Local Power Project & Learning Tool Underway (Key Peninsula News, Vaughn, WA)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Ford Recalls 2,600 Focus Electric Cars for Potential Power Loss (Reuters)

It’s Time to Do The Right Things “Not Because They Are Easy But Because They Are Hard” (Penn Energy)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Comcast, CenturyLink Try to Derail Seattle’s 1 Gbps Mayor (Broadband Reports)

Local Internet Expert Says Obamacare Sites Ignored the Basics (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Angry Over U-S Surveillance, Tech Giants Bolster Defenses (NY Times)

Energy-Efficient Data Centers: Tap Local, Sustainable Resources (Search Cloud Provider)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Those Floating Barges? They’re Luxurious Modular Google Showrooms (GigaOM)

Marketers Are Putting Their Money & Confidence in Social Media (Mashable)

Dell Laptop Buyers Make a Stink over Cat Smell (USA Today)

GENERAL NEWS

Wind & Rain Coming (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Blustery Weekend in Store - Special Statement from National Weather Service in Seattle (Mason PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

Update: Trooper Uninjured in Three-Vehicle Crash on 101 near Shelton (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Puget Sound Grocery Workers Approve Contract, Avoid Strike (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Food Stamp Cuts to Hurt Over a Million People in Washington State (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Homeless Got One-Way Bus Tickets to Portland (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

This Is the Successor to the SR-71 Blackbird, & It Is Gorgeous (Washington Post)

DIVERSIONS

We’ve Finally Figured Out Why Hot Water Freezes Faster Than Cold

Sports Illustrated Photoshops Dawgs to Look Like Ducks

Hallmark Ornament Stirs Controversy “…Now We Don Our FUN Apparel…”

12 Reasons You Need to Stop Raiding the Employee Fridge

SONG OF THE DAY

Pat Benatar - Fire & Ice

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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.