Palomar Says Life And Natural Gas Supply Will Go On Without LNG Speculation And Development On West Coast!

“The Palomar East pipeline would provide the NW Natural system [Oregon’s largest distributor of natural gas to homes, businesses, and industry] with benefits in terms of added capacity and options for North American gas, whether or not any of the LNG terminals [proposed for Oregon] were built,” the report states on Page 12.










Visit Website

Could You Pass The Current Citizenship Test

Could you pass the latest U.S. citizenship test?

As of October 2008 a new version of the U.S. citizenship test will be taken by all applicants. Could you pass it? The questions are usually selected from a list of 100 samples that prospective citizens can look at ahead of the interview. Some are easy, some are not. We have picked some of the more difficult ones.

Give it a try

Could Oregon's Trees Make Us an Energy Exporter?

The Switch: Could Oregon’s Trees Make Us Energy Exporter?
BY ETHAN LINDSEY - OPB News
Bend, OR June 22, 2009 10:48 a.m

GRP: What used to be considered merely fuel for a bonfire is now considered Biomass.

When you flip the switch, where does your power come from? And what will power Northwest homes and businesses in the future?We're asking these questions and more for our special series The Switch.
Just like last summer, gas prices have soared again and Oregon is near the national high – about $2.81 per gallon.

Which brings us to OPB’s energy series, The Switch.

Read Article

Obama Calls Wyden Health Plan Radical?

Obama Calls Wyden Health Plan Radical
By Charles Pope - The Oregonian
Wednesday July 01, 2009, 8:53 PM

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama praised Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden on Wednesday as a "real thought leader" and ally on health care reform but said he could not support Wyden's controversial plan for providing medical insurance to virtually every American.

Read Article

Public Employees Unions;The Fight For Control Of Oregon

The Fight for Control of Oregon
By Larry Huss - Oregon Catalyst

Wednesday, July 1. 2009

The 2009 legislative session has ended. The most notable accomplishment was to raise taxes by more than $1 Billion. With the Democrats having a super majority in both houses of the Oregon legislature, the fact that taxes would increase was a foregone conclusion. The general fund budget will increase by nearly $1 Billion while the all funds budget will increase by $5.4 Billion.

Read The Details

The LNG Front; Oregon House Bill 3058 Dies Along With HB977 And State Senator Walker Is Pissed!

Walker’s adjournment more bitter than sweet
Posted by David Steves - Register-Guard
06/29/099:50pm

While everyone else in the Legislature was getting into the “sign-my-year-book” school’s out vibe of adjournment Monday night, Sen. Vicki Walker was hopping mad.

Read The Details Here

From Peter Huhtala - Executive Director, Columbia River Business Alliance - "Congratulations to all who worked to educate our legislators about the insidious foolishness of these proposed LNG terminals. The session is now over and the Oregon Senate did not take up 3058, which as you know could have expedited LNG pipeline permits.
Unfortunately, Senate Bill 977, which would have recovered some of the state agency costs associated with LNG speculation, also failed to pass. Senator Vicki Walker (D-Eugene) let both houses of the legislature know how she felt before the end of the session. http://blogs.registerguard.com/cms/index.php/capitol-notebook/comments/walkers-adjournment-more-bitter-than-sweet/ I sent a thank you note.
In defeating 3058 we showed the strength and effectiveness of our coalition. I am confident that we can persist and ultimately reject the LNG terminal proposals. And we have certainly learned a bit about those who represent us in Salem."

Peter Huhtala
PO Box 682
Astoria, Oregon 97103
(503) 468-8038
peterhuhtala@gmail.com

AP: LNG Laden Rail Tank Car Explodes In Italy, Kills 10, Injures 50, Evacuates 1000, Extensive Damage

Freight Train Derails, Kills 10 In Italy

By MARTA FALCONI – 8 hours ago

VIAREGGIO, Italy (AP) — A rail car filled with liquefied natural gas exploded when a freight train derailed in the middle of a small Italian town, setting off an inferno that killed at least 10 people and injured 50 others, officials said Tuesday.

Go Here For Details
LNG? LPG? CNG? What's the difference?

Warrenton Fiber? Wants To Build A Road and Bridge On Port Land Across Harbor Drive From Costco?

With a proposal submitted by Nygard's Warrenton Fiber to 'Port' and signed off on by, what seems like, every local 'Double Dipping Attorney' somehow involved in mutli-aspects of our County Governments to build an access road through Port Property, which will later be deeded to The City of Warrenton, I ask, 'For what Reason' as it seems that part of it, in the report, was conveniently skirted.

State Senate Votes To Put Oregon In The Hemp Business

By Michelle Cole - The Oregonian
Friday June 19, 2009, 5:01 PM

SALEM -- When the history of the 2009 Legislature is written, it may record that this was the year lawmakers put Oregon in the industrial hemp business.
The Senate voted 27-2 Friday to approve a bill that clears the way for hemp to be grown and processed in Oregon if and when the federal government gives growers a green light.

Read Article

News Flash: Mother Spanks Child!!!!

GRP: What would drive a mother of twins and then a set of septuplets(6?) to do such a dastardly thing?

And of course, the Paparazzi is right there to catch it all.

Geeeeesh!

View The Tragic Photo Of This Episode

Those Poor, Underpaid Oregon State Employees!!!!

GRP - I would hope this is Tongue-In-Cheek but then again, this is The State of Oregon and obviously, those State Employees Unions are getting the job done or, just maybe, I've lost touch with what is a reasonable salary these days.

Oregon State Employees Underpaid
by Jerry Dawson
Friday, June 19. 2009

A quick look at the salaries posted on the State of Oregon Jobs page demonstrates clearly that our state workers are grossly underpaid.

Here are some examples:

Administrator – Office of Safety & Permanency for Children - $116,000 per year

Corrections Physician Specialist - $208,056 per year

ODOT Project Manager - $82,600 per year

Elections Director - $127,884 per year

Natural Gas Program Manager - $91,020 per year

Senior Policy Analyst – Department of Energy - $71,832 per year

Pharmacist – Oregon State Hospital - $110,592 per year

With wages this low I am not certain these needed positions will even be filled.

I call on the governor and the legislature to bump these salaries up to what is more in line with the private sector so we can get quality people in our state positions.

Parking In Your Own Driveway Will Get You A Ticket In Toledo, Ohio

MSNBC/Associated Press
June 16, 2009

TOLEDO, Ohio - Residents of Toledo, Ohio, are complaining that they received $25 tickets for parking their vehicles in their own driveways.

You Gotta Read This

KGW News Straight Talk: LNG - Unions(Ed Finklea - Energy Action N.W.) Versus "The Lack Of Need"(Brett Vandenheuvel - Columbia Riverkeepers)

Watch The KGW Video From "Straight Talk" Of The Debate Between Ed Finklea And Brett Vandenheuvel

Peter Huhtala Announces Challenge For Brad Witt's Oregon House Seat

Huhtala announces candidacy for Oregon House
August 9, 2009
Contact Peter Huhtala (503) 468-8038

(Astoria, Oregon) Peter Huhtala announced today his
intention to seek the Democratic nomination for Oregon
House of Representatives District 31. Another Democrat –
Brad Witt, now holds this seat.

“I believe that I’m in touch with the values of the great
majority of the people of our district,” said Huhtala. “We
want and deserve good jobs, affordable health care, high
quality education, and a healthy environment.

“I have a vision for the future of this state. Oregon can
become a leader in renewable energy, green technology and
energy efficiency. We have the unprecedented opportunity
to create hundreds of thousands of solid jobs that build
our energy independence and confront global warming. Many
Oregonians share this vision.

“Unfortunately, Mr. Witt has been aiding and abetting LNG
speculators with their plans to bring foreign fossil fuels
to Oregon for shipment through massive pipelines to
California. This is intolerable.”

Huhtala cited Witt’s sponsorship of HR-3058 as catering to
the LNG industry. HR-3058 would streamline the permitting
process for pipelines that serve LNG terminals. “Mr. Witt
is serving those who would cause harm to our rivers and
forests, and damage our fishing, tourism and farming
industries. He’s lost connection with the people of his
this region.”

“If Mr. Witt decides to try for another term I’ll be ready
with a choice,” said Huhtala. “My choice is to reject
exploitation and to embrace healthy appropriate economic
growth. My choice is to listen to my constituents. Now is
the time when we earn the praise of future generations for
the quality of life that they inherit.”

Peter Huhtala is Executive Director of Columbia River
Business Alliance and owner of Ocean Rose Music. Formerly
he was the director of governmental relations for Pacific
Marine Conservation Council. He is a native of Astoria.

Oregon LNG Supporters Tap Into Oregon Legislature

Supporters of LNG build a pipeline to Oregon lawmakers

By Ted Sickinger - The Oregonian
Sunday June 07, 2009, 9:48 PM

Of all the energy issues circulating through the Oregon Legislature, none is more acrimonious than proposals to build new terminals and pipelines to import liquefied natural gas.

Read Article

Unions: Oregon State Workers March For Money?

KOIN Local6.com

State employees marched through Portland Sunday, trying to raise awareness and support in their fight against budget cuts.

Read Article

Obama's Cairo Speech

From:NPR.org, June 4, 2009 ·

President Obama addresses Muslims around the world in a speech at Cairo University in Cairo, Egypt, on Thursday. Here, his remarks as provided by the Office of the White House press secretary.

Read Full Transcript

"Crunchberries" Is Not A Real Fruit!: The World Has Gone Insane!

Crunchberries Buyer Should Have Known Cereal had No Real Fruit, Court Says
By Ray Stern in Laugh Track, News
Tuesday, Jun. 2 2009 @ 3:52PM

A California woman sued Pepsi after finding out that Crunchberries contained no real fruit, but a judge ruled any reasonable person could have figured that out.

You Gotta Read This

GM Bankruptcy; Now, Let Me Get This Straight

Okay, so GM is bankrupt and now the US Guhment's going to fork over $30 Billion to the same mangement that broke it to fix it?

Hope?

Change?

Those were the catchwords during the last election brought these people to power?

I just don't get it.

And this is what my grandchildren have in store for their future and life quality

Tax Code Changes To The Benefit Of Small Businesses

From Statesman Journal
Kurt Schrader • May 31, 2009

Small businesses are the backbone of Oregon's economy as they provide jobs for 57 percent of employed Oregonians. They are also the first to suffer when the economy turns sour.

Read Full Article