Articles written by don brunel
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Business, drones helping to restore scorched forestlands
Replanting the millions of acres scorched by wildfires in our western woodlands will be herculean task priced in the hundreds of billions. Thankfully, many businesses, such as Bank... — Updated 9/16/2020
Time to revisit managing our forests
Not only is the world in the grasp of the COVID-19 pandemic, but America’s western wildlands are burning up as well. Gov. Gavin Newsom told reporters California has a dual c... — Updated 9/9/2020
Colder weather could further chill restaurant recovery
Sunny summer weather helped restaurant owners and workers recover after they were broadsided by the coronavirus pandemic last March. However, as fall morphs into winter and diners a... — Updated 8/26/2020
New nuclear needs solution inclusion
If Americans are to receive all of their electricity without coal and natural gas by 2035, they will need nuclear power. Even if Washingtonians, who already procure over 70 percent... — Updated 8/19/2020
Good news that undoubtedly would please Scoop Jackson
America desperately needed some positive news and a reprieve from the coronavirus pandemic and rioting which is ripping apart our country---most notably in Seattle, Olympia and... — Updated 7/30/2020
Like Poland, America needs change
On July 4, 1975, America proudly celebrated its Bicentennial as the world’s greatest nation while Poland was a suppressed Soviet satellite state. Poles had no right to free s... — Updated 7/1/2020
Washington needs to change to stay on top
In early June, the financial website WalletHub released its rankings of “Best and Worse State Economies” and Washington led the field of 51 as best by a healthy margin. Wal... — Updated 6/24/2020
China's push for high-tech dominance
While the coronavirus pandemic and civil unrest are front page news, China’s unrelenting push to leap over our country in critical technology and hoarding of strategic metals s... — Updated 6/17/2020
Brighter future for papermakers
In recent years, papermakers in the Pacific Northwest have been losing ground. However, today there is a ray of hope. Surprisingly, that optimism results from the COVID-19 pandemic.... — Updated 5/20/2020
Coronavirus, work must coexist
By now it is apparent that, barring a miracle, a cure for COVID-19 will not happen soon; however, to make it a condition of removing the economic lockdown would be a catastrophic... — Updated 5/13/2020
Thank the truckers
As we get deeper into the COVID-19 pandemic, we are finding more Americans to thank. Until recently, truckers have been behind the scenes just doing their jobs, but as shoppers... — Updated 4/22/2020 Full story
TP shortage is tip of iceberg
If you think the run on toilet paper is just an American thing, think again. On March 10, Business Insider (BI) reported: “The spread of the coronavirus has brought with it p... — Updated 3/18/2020
Coronavirus testing telecommuting effectiveness
Nobody knows how deep the impact of the coronavirus will be, but one thing that it is destined to test is how effectively people will work from home. Washington is at the point of... — Updated 3/11/2020
Legislators must find better ways to reduce CO2
Washington and Oregon lawmakers want to end their legislative sessions; however, accounting for the costs of carbon emissions is a major roadblock. In Salem, rural Republican senato... — Updated 3/4/2020
Colorado River water problems worsening
Last week, we visited the Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona. It is part of our National Parks “bucket list.” The trip was a real eye-opener. The Canyon is spe... — Updated 2/26/2020
Cheers for American Legion
The 2020 race for the White House is heating. It’s shaping up to be a referendum on America’s market-based economic system. The central question: is government or the private sec... — Updated 2/19/2020
Worn out wind blades plugging up landfills
While wind farms generate “greenhouse gas free” electricity, there is increasing concern over the rapidly growing number of worn out blades ending up in landfills. Those bla... — Updated 2/12/2020
Dams are the Northwest flood busters
A year ago, much of America’s heartland was inundated by Missouri River flood waters. At least 1 million acres of U.S. farmland in nine major grain-producing states were under w... — Updated 1/22/2020
Boeing needs strong tailwinds
As we launch into 2020 and the ensuing decade, Boeing faces very strong head winds which are major concerns for those of us living in the Pacific Northwest. Things are vastly... — Updated 12/31/2019
Caring local small businesses make ours 'A Wonderful Life'
At Christmas, millions watch the 1946 movie classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” While it is labeled “fantasy drama,” the show gives us a glimpse of reality and reminds us of the im... — Updated 12/24/2019
Hydrogen fuel cells gaining momentum
In the coming decade, investors are betting that hydrogen will become a prominent fuel that can eliminate CO2 discharges from the vehicles it energizes. According to the U.S.... — Updated 12/11/2019
Boeing's resiliency tested
The grounding of the 737MAX is testing Boeing’s resiliency. It has turned the company upside down in just six months. Boeing executives and engineers have been under duress since t... — Updated 11/20/2019
Greatest generation quickly slipping into history
Just before Veterans Day, the last known survivor of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor died at age 98. With the passing of George Hursey of Massachusetts, it closed that chapter o... — Updated 11/13/2019
The wildfire season that wasn't
The Oregonian characterized the 2019 wildfire season as the “season that wasn’t!” That’s good news for West Coast states; however, it doesn’t mean we are permanently “out of t... — Updated 10/16/2019
High costs drive people to move
Too often, elected officials overlook the cumulative costs of regulations, taxes and fees on taxpayers; however, it comes back to bite them hard when people move or take matters... — Updated 10/9/2019
