Energy News Digest for February 24, 2011

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices: https://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Congressman Doc Hastings Says He’ll Nix All Snake Dam-Breaching Bills

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/02/24/1557532/rep-doc-hastings-says-snake-dam.html

Wind Power on BPA System Sets New Record - Renewable Resource Blows Past 3,000 Megawatts (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/1023559/

Judge Recommends Electricity Rate Hike to Pay for Klamath Dam Removal (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2011/02/judge_recommends_rate_hike_to_pay_for_klamath_dam_removal.html

Strong Fall Chinook Run Forecast for Columbia River (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/feb/24/strong-fall-chinook-run-forecast-columbia-river/

Editorial - New Rules for New Technology: The proposal from the FCC to stop subsidizing rural phone lines & start subsidizing rural broadband connections is long overdue (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/opinion/24thu3.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Congressman Doc Hastings Says He’ll Nix All Snake Dam-Breaching Bills

·         Wind Power on BPA System Sets New Record - Renewable Resource Blows Past 3,000 Megawatts

·         Judge Recommends Electricity Rate Hike to Pay for Klamath Dam Removal

·         Avista Reports Salary, Bonus Figures - CEO Made $3.25 Million Including Bigger Bonus

·         Cowlitz PUD Votes to Limit Pay Increases for 2011

·         Who Will Replace Hydropower’s Aging Work Force?

·         Battle over Nuclear Power Subsidies Heats Up

·         Gas Prices Jump in South Puget Sound

·         Strong Fall Chinook Run Forecast for Columbia River

·         Oregon Tribes Pursue First Bison Hunt in Century

·         Editorial - EPA Overhauls Boiler Rules, Seeks Additional Comment

·         Washington State Senate Moves Closer to Creating Puget Sound Conservation Group

·         Olympic Peninsula - Nature Conservancy Buys Clearwater River Frontage

·         Oregon’s Solar Industry Stumbles

·         Hoo, Boy! Solar Energy Faces Tests on Greenness

·         Avista Wants Bids for 35 Megawatts of Renewable Energy

·         University of Montana Shows Off Mobile Biomass Gasifier, Generator

·         Forests into Fuel: Promise & Limits of Biomass in the Northeast

·         Green Machine: Solar Street Lamp Feeds Energy to the Grid

·         Wind Energy Eminent Domain Bill Moves in Wyoming Senate

·         ‘Climategate’ Report Clears Scientists

·         To Invite Plug-In Cars, Cities Work on Permitting

·         Calling Rube Goldberg - Upgrading the Electric Grid with Flywheels & Air

·         A Start-Up Aims at Power Conversion to Save Electricity

·         Editorial - New Rules for New Technology: The proposal from the FCC to stop subsidizing rural phone lines & start subsidizing rural broadband connections is long overdue

·         FCC Notes Huge Interest in New Broadband Map

·         Oregon Democratic Congressman David Wu Pressured to Resign

·         Broke Park System Gives Workers Free Housing

·         Slick Morning Commute & Winter Weather Advisory

·         Mason County Population Up

·         Washington State’s Growth Centered in Pierce County, Elsewhere Along I-5 Corrido

·         Minorities Push Washington State’s Growth

·         US Census Bureau Interactive Map

·         Concerns for Boeing Grow as a Tanker Decision Nears

·         Particulates No! Land Owners’ Dust Can Lead to Hefty Fine

WORD OF THE DAY

Nix • \NICKS\ • VERB - Veto, reject

And now, one of Variety Magazine’s most famous (infamous) headlines:  “STICKS NIX HICK PIX”

The headline appeared on July 17, 1935, over an article about the reaction of rural audiences to movies about rural life. The headline was a use of “slanguage.” In parsing the headline, it means that people in rural areas (“the sticks”) reject (“nix”) motion pictures (“pix”) about rural life (“hicks”). The conventional wisdom of the movie industry was that themes of upper-class life would not be popular in the countryside; according to the article, this assumption was incorrect. (Wikipedia)

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

Congressman Doc Hastings Says He’ll Nix All Snake Dam-Breaching Bills (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/02/24/1557532/rep-doc-hastings-says-snake-dam.html

Wind Power on BPA System Sets New Record - Renewable Resource Blows Past 3,000 Megawatts (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/1023559/

Judge Recommends Electricity Rate Hike to Pay for Klamath Dam Removal (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2011/02/judge_recommends_rate_hike_to_pay_for_klamath_dam_removal.html

Avista Reports Salary, Bonus Figures - CEO Made $3.25 Million Including Bigger Bonus (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/feb/24/avista-reports-salary-bonus-figures/

Cowlitz PUD Votes to Limit Pay Increases for 2011 (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/69d1f088-3fc5-11e0-a9b0-001cc4c002e0.html

Who Will Replace Hydropower’s Aging Work Force? (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2011/02/who-will-replace-hydropowers-aging-work-force?cmpid=rss

Battle over Nuclear Power Subsidies Heats Up (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2011/02/environmental_news_battle_over.html

Gas Prices Jump in South Puget Sound (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/02/24/1554882/gas-prices-jump-in-south-sound.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Strong Fall Chinook Run Forecast for Columbia River (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/feb/24/strong-fall-chinook-run-forecast-columbia-river/

Oregon Tribes Pursue First Bison Hunt in Century (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2014315289_apusbacktobison.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Editorial - EPA Overhauls Boiler Rules, Seeks Additional Comment (Michigan-Live)

http://www.mlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2011/02/post_50.html

Washington State Senate Moves Closer to Creating Puget Sound Conservation Group (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/02/23/1557323/senate-moves-closer-to-creating.html

Olympic Peninsula - Nature Conservancy Buys Clearwater River Frontage (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014314229_clearwater24m.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon’s Solar Industry Stumbles (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2011/02/oregons-solar-industry-stumbles.html

Hoo, Boy! Solar Energy Faces Tests on Greenness (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/business/energy-environment/24solar.html

Avista Wants Bids for 35 Megawatts of Renewable Energy (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/feb/23/avista-wants-bids-for-35-megawatts-of-renewable/

University of Montana Shows Off Mobile Biomass Gasifier, Generator at Paws Up (The Missoulian, MT)

http://missoulian.com/news/local/article_125cccf4-3fd6-11e0-b619-001cc4c03286.html

Forests into Fuel: Promise & Limits of Biomass in the Northeast (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/02/turning-forests-into-fuel-report-outlines-promise-and-limits-of-biomass-energy-in-the-northeast?cmpid=rss

Green Machine: Solar Street Lamp Feeds Energy to the Grid (New Scientist)

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2011/02/green-macine-solar-street-lamp.html

Wind Energy Eminent Domain Bill Moves in Wyoming Senate (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)

http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/article_c23fa6f4-0380-56bd-978d-44a85c250cd7.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

‘Climategate’ Report Clears Scientists (The Hill)

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/145913-report-on-climategate-clears-government-scientists-of-wrongdoing?utm_campaign=E2Wire

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

To Invite Plug-In Cars, Cities Work on Permitting (CNET News)

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20035367-54.html

Upgrading the Electric Grid with Flywheels & Air - With the high price of batteries, scientists look for simpler ways to store energy (National Geographic)

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/2/110223-electric-grid-flywheels-compressed-air/

A Start-Up Aims at Power Conversion to Save Electricity (NY Times)

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/a-start-up-aims-at-power-conversion-to-save-electricity/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Editorial - New Rules for New Technology: The proposal from the FCC to stop subsidizing rural phone lines & start subsidizing rural broadband connections is long overdue (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/opinion/24thu3.html

FCC Notes Huge Interest in New Broadband Map - Agency Says They’re Tripling Efforts to Improve Infrastructure (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Notes-Huge-Interest-In-New-Broadband-Map-112875

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Oregon Democratic Congressman David Wu Pressured to Resign (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/feb/24/oregon-democratic-congressman-david-wu-pressured/

Broke Park System Gives Workers Free Housing (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Broke-park-system-gives-workers-free-housing--116675199.html

GENERAL NEWS

Slick Morning Commute & Winter Weather Advisory (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1433:slick-morning-commute-a-winter-weather-advisory&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=106

Mason County Population Up (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1475:mason-county-population-up&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=106

Washington State’s Growth Centered in Pierce County, Elsewhere Along I-5 Corridor, Census Data Show (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/02/23/1556567/washingtons-census-data-just-released.html

Minorities Push Washington State’s Growth (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2011-02-23-washington-census_N.htm?csp=34news

US Census Bureau Interactive Map (US Census)

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/

Concerns for Boeing Grow as a Tanker Decision Nears (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/business/24tanker.html

Particulates No! Land Owners’ Dust Can Lead to Hefty Fine (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndu.com/Global/story.asp?S=14080303

DIVERSIONS

Puget Sound Business Journal Poll: You Think You Drive Well on Snow?

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2011/02/poll-you-think-you-drive-well-on-snow.html

Irony Alert - Seattle Mayor’s Wife Has Bike Stolen After He Rode It to Work

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/436016_mcginn24.html

Hey, You Smell! Portland Council OKs Fragrance-Free Policy

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/116832883.html

From Hitchcock to Watchmen: See the 50 Greatest Movie Opening Sequences

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/02/24/from-hitchcock-to-watchmen-see-the-50-greatest-movie-opening-sequences/

SONG OF THE DAY

Simon & Garfunkel - A Hazy Shade of Winter

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

Energy News Digest for February 23, 2011

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices: http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Snow Wednesday, Freeze Thursday Across Washington (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/02/23/1553694/snow-wednesday-freeze-thursday.html

Starving Bald Eagles So Weak They Fall from Sky - Poor Chum Salmon Runs Leave Birds without Any Food (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/Starving+bald+eagles+weak+they+fall+from/4329392/story.html

Idaho - Wind Farm Denied in Bingham County (KIDK-TV, Idaho Falls, ID)

http://www.localnews8.com/news/26960884/detail.html

Portland General Electric Worker Burned in Parking-Garage Explosion in Downtown Portland (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/02/pge_worker_burned_in_parking-g.html

Coal Plans Raise Questions for Bellingham (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2011/02/23/bellingham/20662/Coal-plans-raise-questions-for-Bellingham--/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Coal Plans Raise Questions for Bellingham

·         Coal Exports & Carbon Consequences

·         ‘Dirty’ Energy Dwarfs Clean in China & India

·         Fracking for Gas - in Europe, the Promise & Fears of a New Fuel

·         Portland General Electric Worker Burned in Parking-Garage Explosion in Downtown Portland

·         Montana - Bills Address Great Falls’ Electric City Power’s Future

·         Smart Grid + Bill Prepay Explored as Home Energy Efficiency Strategy

·         Alcoa Chief’s Compensation Rose 10 Percent in 2010

·         Starving Bald Eagles So Weak They Fall from Sky

·         Upper Columbia River - Salmon in the Similkameen

·         West Coast Salmon-Catch System ‘Broken,’ Commercial Fisherman Say

·         Jefferson County Mulls Net Pen Aquaculture Rules

·         Shellfish Patron Justin Taylor Dies - Modest Shellfish Mogul, Environmental Pioneer

·         Audubon Scientist to Head People for Puget Sound

·         EPA Says It Cuts Cost of Pollution Controls for Industrial Boilers

·         Idaho - Wind Farm Denied in Bingham County

·         Big Massachusetts Utility Signs Deals, Bypasses Cape Wind

·         Washington State House OKs Testing of Forest Biomass as Jet Fuel

·         Editorial - California: Renewable Energy ‘On’ Switch

·         Hydro’s Untapped Potential

·         ‘Windfall’ Film Examines Effect of Wind Turbines on Rural, Residential Areas

·         Tacoma Challenges Installation of Vinyl Windows on Historic North Slope Home

·         Duct Cleaning Comes with High Pressure Sales Pitch

·         How Climate Change Models Could Get Better, Thanks to NASA

·         A Climate Skeptic with a Bully Pulpit in Virginia Finds an Ear in Congress

·         Climate Emails Spurred TV Meteorologist’s Global Warming Doubts

·         Climate Change Affecting Owl Color in Finland

·         Electric Car Charging Study with Local Volunteers

·         North Carolina Votes Today to Cripple Community Broadband Broad

·         West Africa Rising: Google Sees ‘Ocean of Possibilities’ South of the Sahara

·         $1.8 Million Financial Scandal Hits Seattle Public Schools

·         Washington State Bill Would End State’s ‘Retire-Rehire’ Policy

·         What Might Happen if Federal Government Shuts Down Again

·         Snow Wednesday, Freeze Thursday Across Washington

·         Congressional Sources: Tanker Decision Coming Thursday

·         New Zealand Earthquake Has Parallels with Seattle

·         Former Washington State Ferries Skagit, Kalama Get New Lives in Tanzania

·         Cellphone Use Affects Brain Activity

WORD OF THE DAY

Cartographer• \car-TAH-gruh-fer \ • Noun - One that makes maps

The 14^th century artist backed away from his world map…pleased with the colors, shapes of the continents, & the symmetrical arrangement of the land masses. “It’s a good thing we won’t be using this for navigation,” mused the Genoan sailor to his first mate. “That big land mass painted by this ‘so-called’ cartographer between us & Indies would keep our hands off the spice trade for years.”

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

Coal Plans Raise Questions for Bellingham (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2011/02/23/bellingham/20662/Coal-plans-raise-questions-for-Bellingham--/

Coal Exports & Carbon Consequences (Sightline)

http://daily.sightline.org/daily_score/archive/2011/02/22/coal-exports-and-carbon-consequences

‘Dirty’ Energy Dwarfs Clean in China & India (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/dirty-energy-dwarfs-clean-in-china-and-india/

Fracking for Gas - in Europe, the Promise & Fears of a New Fuel (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/business/energy-environment/21iht-renoshale21.html

Portland General Electric Worker Burned in Parking-Garage Explosion in Downtown Portland (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/02/pge_worker_burned_in_parking-g.html

Montana - Bills Address Great Falls’ Electric City Power’s Future (Grand Falls Tribune, MT)

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20110222/NEWS01/102220309/1002/NEWS01/Bills-address-Electric-City-Power-s-future

Smart Grid + Bill Prepay Explored as Home Energy Efficiency Strategy (ZD Net News)

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/green/smart-grid-bill-prepay-explored-as-home-energy-efficiency-strategy/16149

Alcoa Chief’s Compensation Rose 10 Percent in 2010 (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/02/22/financial/f155922S12.DTL

FISH & WILDLIFE

Starving Bald Eagles So Weak They Fall from Sky - Poor Chum Salmon Runs Leave Birds without Any Food (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/Starving+bald+eagles+weak+they+fall+from/4329392/story.html

Upper Columbia River - Salmon in the Similkameen (Similkameen Spotlight, BC)

http://www.bclocalnews.com/lifestyles/116669574.html

West Coast Salmon-Catch System ‘Broken,’ Commercial Fisherman Say (Globe & Mail, Canada)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/salmon-catch-system-broken-commercial-fisherman-say/article1916659/

Jefferson County Mulls Net Pen Aquaculture Rules (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20110223/NEWS/302239994/jefferson-county-mulls-net-pen-aquaculture-rules

Shellfish Patron Justin Taylor Dies - Modest Shellfish Mogul, Environmental Pioneer (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014303050_taylor24m.html?syndication=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Audubon Scientist to Head People for Puget Sound (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/02/22/1552767/audubon-scientist-to-head-people.html

EPA Says It Cuts Cost of Pollution Controls for Industrial Boilers (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/environment/2011-02-23-epa-industrial-boilers-pollution_N.htm?csp=34money

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Idaho - Wind Farm Denied in Bingham County (KIDK-TV, Idaho Falls, ID)

http://www.localnews8.com/news/26960884/detail.html

Big Massachusetts Utility Signs Deals, Bypasses Cape Wind (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2014301255_apuscapewind.html

Washington State House OKs Testing of Forest Biomass as Jet Fuel (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/02/22/1552981/house-oks-testing-of-forest-biomass.html

Editorial - California: Renewable Energy ‘On’ Switch…California still doesn’t have a renewable energy standard even though a sensible bill to establish one has been taken up annually since 2007 (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-renewable-20110223,0,7081433.story

Hydro’s Untapped Potential - Ambitions for a better economy & a need for more clean energy in the U.S. are driving Canada’s efforts to monetize its hydro resources (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/02/hydro-untapped-potential?cmpid=rss

‘Windfall’ Film Examines Effect of Wind Turbines on Rural, Residential Areas (Penasee Globe, MI)

http://www.mlive.com/penaseeglobe/index.ssf/2011/02/windfall_film_examines_affect.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Tacoma Challenges Installation of Vinyl Windows on Historic North Slope Home (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/02/23/1555714/city-challenges-vinyl-windows.html

Duct Cleaning Comes with High Pressure Sales Pitch (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/money/26943711/detail.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

How Climate Change Models Could Get Better, Thanks to NASA (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2011/0222/How-climate-change-models-could-get-better-thanks-to-NASA

A Climate Skeptic with a Bully Pulpit in Virginia Finds an Ear in Congress (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/science/earth/23virginia.html

Climate Emails Spurred TV Meteorologist’s Global Warming Doubts (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2011/02/poll-climate-emails-spurred-weathermen-warming-doubts/1

Climate Change Affecting Owl Color in Finland (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2011/02/cimate-change-affecting-owl-color-in-finland/1?csp=34tech

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Electric Car Charging Study with Local Volunteers Starting (Northwest Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=8409

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

North Carolina Votes Today to Cripple Community Broadband Broad (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/North-Carolina-Votes-Today-To-Cripple-Community-Broadband-112860

West Africa Rising: Google Sees ‘Ocean of Possibilities’ South of the Sahara (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/Africa-Monitor/2011/0222/West-Africa-Rising-Google-sees-ocean-of-possibilities-south-of-the-Sahara

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

$1.8 Million Financial Scandal Hits Seattle Public Schools (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014303247_audit23m.html

Washington State Bill Would End State’s ‘Retire-Rehire’ Policy (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/02/22/1553183/wa-bill-would-end-states-retire.html

What Might Happen if Federal Government Shuts Down Again (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/20/AR2011022003176.html

GENERAL NEWS

Snow Wednesday, Freeze Thursday Across Washington (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/02/23/1553694/snow-wednesday-freeze-thursday.html

Congressional Sources: Tanker Decision Coming Thursday (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/26959062/detail.html

New Zealand Earthquake Has Parallels with Seattle (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Christchurch-quake-has-parallels-with-Seattle-116701839.html

Former Washington State Ferries Skagit, Kalama Get New Lives in Tanzania (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/feb/18/former-washington-state-ferries-skagit-kalama-in/

Cellphone Use Affects Brain Activity (USA Today)

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/medical/story/2011/02/Talking-on-a-cell-phone-changes-brain-activity/44037020/1?csp=34tech

DIVERSIONS

Couple Shoplifted $5 Million from Portland Safeway Stores, Police Say

http://www.nwcn.com/home/Couple-shoplifted-5-million-from-Portland-Safeway-stores-police-say.html

Incandescent Light Bulb Law Forces Change to Easy-Bake Oven

http://consumerist.com/2011/02/incandescent-light-bulb-law-forces-change-to-easy-bake-oven.html

Introducing the World’s Biggest Family: 39 Wives, 94 Children & 33 Grandchildren

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/02/23/39-wives-94-children-and-33-grandchildren-introducing-the-worlds-biggest-family/

SONG OF THE DAY

Sly & The Family Stone - Family Affair

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YZpbYqOw4o