The death of Princess Diana is reported on BBC World News 10
years ago tonight in the Pacific time zone. She died in the early
morning hours in Paris on August 31, 1997, occasioning an
enormous wave of grief around the world.
** CALIFORNIA ELECTRIC POWER CRISIS AVERTED. Peak electric power demand in California today was 47,843 megawatts, more than one thousand megawatts below the forecast peak of 49,105 megawatts. Which in turn is well over a thousand megawatts less than the record established during last summer’s unprecedented heat storm.
** NEW IOWA POLL SHOWS EDWARDS’ INTENSE FOCUS PAYING OFF. After Democrat John Edwards spent a week in Iowa on a bus tour, the three-way tie there in the traditional first-in-the-nation state accordioned back to him. The new numbers: Edwards 29%, Hillary Clinton 24%, Barack Obama 22%, with Bill Richardson a distant fourth.
** FRED THOMPSON ANNOUNCES FOR PRESIDENT ON SEPTEMBER 6TH. Former Senator and Law & Order star Fred Thompson will announce his long-awaited candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination in an Internet webcast on September 6th. He may appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Funny, I think I was at that movie premiere. He will follow that up with a five-day tour of early primary and caucus states.
** POSSIBLE CALIFORNIA POWER CUT-0FF TO BUSINESS THIS AFTERNOON. With the current heat wave greatly affecting some parts of the state, California’s grid manager may have to cut electric power to some voluntary business members of the state’s conservation corps. Perhaps some of our core enviro friends who think that energy efficiency alone will solve the power problems of a growing state — and have opposed all liquefied natural gas projects — will rethink their positions.
** MACHINISTS’ UNION BACKS HILLARY … AND HUCKABEE. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, once one of the most left-wing of all unions in the US, just issued an unusual dual endorsement for president of a frontrunning Democrat and a darkhorse Republican. The IAM endorsed New York Senator and former first lady Hillary Clinton on the Democratic side and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, the surprise second place finisher in this month’s Iowa Republican straw poll, on the Republican side.
The union did this after learning that one-third of their members are actually Republicans.
Clinton won the relatively small United Transportation Union endorsement earlier this week after losing the coveted International Association of Firefighters Association to Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd.
** EDWARDS WINS CARPENTERS’ UNION ENDORSEMENT. Former Senator and 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards, who has pitched his hopes to labor, won his first union endorsement of the season from the carpenters’ union.
** NO VOTE TODAY ON SCHWARZENEGGER HEALTH CARE PLAN. Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez’s strategist Steve Maviglio checks in with this: “The Assembly will NOT vote on the Governor’s health care plan today. We are talking with the Governor about health care reform and making progress.” This is called a movida.
** MILITARY SPLIT ON IRAQ. Further reflecting the fact that the nation’s military leadership is not at all sure about the latest course in Iraq, General David Petraeus’s long-awaited report in mid-September on the success, or lack of same, of the “surge” in Iraq will be accompanied by other reports, both public and private — though you can bet those will be leaked — by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of staff of the Army, and the head of US Central Command, of which Petraeus is a part. Those reports, by Marine General Peter Pace, Army General William Casey, and Navy Admiral William Fallon, are very likely to be less positive than whatever Petraeus comes up with.
In short, according to Pentagon sources, the military will make it clear that it is President George W. Bush’s strategy that is being pursued in Iraq.
** TEST VOTE ON CALIFORNIA HEALTH CARE. As first reported on NWN, last week, the state Assembly is scheduled to have a test vote today on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s preferred version of universal health care reform today. The vote, triggered by Speaker Fabian Nunez, is a drill intended to demonstrate to the governor that his plan, with its various mandates and fees on businesses and medical providers (which are, of course, also businesses) has no Republican support in the Assembly. Which would be consistent with what Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines told me months ago.
So far, the dynamics around the health care and redistricting reform and water policy issues are playing out as anticipated in a column here early in the week. Something major on health care, the stickiest of the issues, remains quite possible. And what precisely that is still remains to be worked out amongst the leaders.
** CALIFORNIA POWER ALERT CONTINUES. With a heat wave striking much of the state, as discussed yesterday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is calling for more sparing use of electric power by consumers. You can track peak electric power demand in near real time via Cal ISO (California Independent System Operator).
** AL QAEDA’S AMERICAN PRISONERS STILL NOT LOCATED. American troops are now in the midst of a 108th day of searching for the remaining two US soldiers captured by Al Qaeda in an ambush south of Baghdad. They have had no luck so far. A video put out by Al Qaeda forces in Iraq claims that all three men were executed after being captured. But, with the exception of the Californian found floating in the Euphrates River, that claim can’t be confirmed. The US high command in Baghdad has revealed that ID cards for the other two American prisoners were found in an Al Qaeda safehouse on June 9th.
** Track global and national energy prices in near real time via Bloomberg. After going up earlier, crude oil prices have slipped back to the $70 to $73 per barrel range on word that Iran is slowing its nuclear enrichment process.
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Yeah, I hear Taft was a regular Caligula…
But, ya know, who cares?
No lights out in California. Boring.
Quite.
I was kidding. I thought Taft was a total nerd. I’m sure Roosevelt gave him wedgies all day long. Then Taft had his revenge (revenge of the nerds that is).
Just heard thunder outside. At least I feel safe going home in my baby-seal-powered SUV.
Please run all your dishwashers, dryers and washers tonight instead of tomorrow if you can.
Goodnight all.
The forecast peak electric power demand for California tomorrowis significantly lower than today.
Sorry, partisan Dems — who are against most new power production — doesn’t look like the system is going down.
74 was the overnight low in Sacramento. We had one day last month when 74 was our daytime high! Strange summer in the city that sits at the confluence of two rivers.
74 was the overnight low in Sacramento. We had one day last month when 74 was our daytime high! Strange summer in the city that sits at the confluence of two rivers.
Yay! No blackouts.
Yep.
I see the wire services have finally gotten around to reporting this …
… Although they got the numbers wrong.
Outing David Dreier is so 2003.
Hey, it’s your opposite number “netroots.”
I remember a certain blog referring to me (not necessarily in these words) as crazy for thinking Huckabee had a chance to win the nomination. Jeez, I said this like six months ago it seems…now, the Post is on it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/30/AR2007083002103.html?hpid=topnews
Believe me, having worked on Capitol Hill for a few years and experienced it firsthand, I am convinced David Drier is about as straight as George Michael in a London nightclub restroom.
Buy …hey youse guys, I ain’t one to spread rumors or nothin…
And we care what the guy does or does not do in his private life because …
We have nothing better to do?
We believe we are vastly superior people?
We hate people we disagree with?
What?
Let me remind everyone of a line from my favorite political novel.
“From the stench of the didie to the shroud of the grave, there is always something.”
And the original movie version of that book was probably the best movie on American politics. And if not the best, very close.
Pardon my Irish, but are you f(*&)(&*()ing kidding me??????
I never saw that movie.How was the new one with Sean Penn?
“crazy for thinking Huckabee had a chance to win the nomination”
CADTS – You’re crazy.
Brasky,
Where did you hear thunder last evening?
Brasky,
Where did you hear thunder last evening?
Not so good.
>Jonas Blane :
I never saw that movie.How was the new one with Sean Penn?
Aug 31, 2007 06:25 AM
Who’s that directed to?
>CADTS :
Pardon my Irish, but are you f(*&)(&*()ing kidding me??????
Aug 30, 2007 10:44 PM
Solon – last night in Sacto. Must have been some dry lightning strikes somewhere.
Funny, I didn’t hear. Did hear some fireworks go off right before the River Cats game, but no thunder.
“You called down the thunder, and now you’ve got it.”
What movie is that from?
I believe it’s from “Andy Hardy Joins the Army” circa 1943 staring Mickey Rooney or Tombstone.
“Perhaps some of our core enviro friends who think that energy efficiency alone will solve the power problems of a growing state — and have opposed all liquefied natural gas projects — will rethink their positions.”
You might want to talk that over with CPUC, and especially Arnold’s appointees thereto. They seem to think energy efficiency is a pretty good solution.
Now, LNG so that gas can replace coal — that makes sense. But we really don’t need much more generation capacity. (We may need more transmission capacity, and at the very least we need to improve the reliability of the transmission capacity we have.) But as far as generation capacity, as I’ve said before, and as Dian Gruenich quite enthusiastically stated at the energy panel in SF the other day, reducing consumption through efficiency is, watt for watt, cheaper than generation. And will be for a long time.
“Can we have a photo of Newsom in his Tesla?”
Your wish is my command:
http://tinyurl.com/2rhqas
“Sorry, partisan Dems — who are against most new power production — doesn’t look like the system is going down.”
Why would those who argue that new generation should be a lower priority be happy that the system isn’t going down? We just had a perfect demonstration of why new generation isn’t so important — the crisis was averted, as stated by the authorities, through conservation and efficiency.
Thank you Auros;)
I think I need a Tesla.
“You call down the thunder…”
Movie “Tombstone”
Actor “Kurt Russell”
Great movie, wonderful actor
Carole W,
Nice answer. Did you copy it from my response of 7.5 hours ago???
Sacto,
LOL…I have that movie on DVD because all of my favorites are in it….Paxton, Russell , Kilmer etc.
I am having a get together, and my guests went next store to a better party!
..I am going to sleep. The picture of the Tesla is going to give me sweet dreams;)Good Night:)
It was a very enjoyable movie.
Sleep well!
Yep, it’s Tombstone.
>carole w :
“You call down the thunder…”
Movie “Tombstone”
Actor “Kurt Russell”
Great movie, wonderful actor
Aug 31, 2007 08:21 PM
Yep, it’s Tombstone.
>carole w :
“You call down the thunder…”
Movie “Tombstone”
Actor “Kurt Russell”
Great movie, wonderful actor
Aug 31, 2007 08:21 PM
Auros, it is simply false to claim that California can get by with only energy efficiency improvements.
>Auros :
“Perhaps some of our core enviro friends who think that energy efficiency alone will solve the power problems of a growing state — and have opposed all liquefied natural gas projects — will rethink their positions.”
You might want to talk that over with CPUC, and especially Arnold’s appointees thereto. They seem to think energy efficiency is a pretty good solution.
Now, LNG so that gas can replace coal — that makes sense. But we really don’t need much more generation capacity. (We may need more transmission capacity, and at the very least we need to improve the reliability of the transmission capacity we have.) But as far as generation capacity, as I’ve said before, and as Dian Gruenich quite enthusiastically stated at the energy panel in SF the other day, reducing consumption through efficiency is, watt for watt, cheaper than generation. And will be for a long time.
Aug 31, 2007 01:49 PM
We don’t REALLY think that Californians are for setting their thermostats to 80 on a regular basis, do we??!!
My comment, incidentally, was not aimed at you, Auros, it was aimed at big-name Dems who were not so quietly rooting for blackouts while still catering to the enviro lobby against new generation.
>Auros :
“Sorry, partisan Dems — who are against most new power production — doesn’t look like the system is going down.”
Why would those who argue that new generation should be a lower priority be happy that the system isn’t going down? We just had a perfect demonstration of why new generation isn’t so important — the crisis was averted, as stated by the authorities, through conservation and efficiency.
Aug 31, 2007 01:59 PM
Oh, I agree that we’ll have some new generation. I just think most of it should be (and according to CPUC’s priorities, will be) distributed renewables, which would improve the resilience of the grid, followed by centralized renewables (wind farms, solar-thermal stations, etc). I’m skeptical that we “need” major new centralized fossil fuel burning plants, for any reason other than to replace existing plants that are dirtier.
Well, obviously a number of plants are in need of retirement and will need to be replaced.
So the need for new generation capacity is actually quite high.
Both to replace plants that need to be retired and to accommodate what projections show to be a high-growth state.
This is why I keep reminding you that the notion that energy efficiency alone will do is simply a pipe dream.