Articles written by Don C. Brunell
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Seattle could repeat 1972's 'Lights Out' in 2022
Far too few people remember the 1972 Seattle billboard: “Would the last person who leaves Seattle please turn out the lights?” The reference was to the massive job losses at... — Updated 7/16/2020
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.... — Updated 6/25/2020
China's push for high tech dominance centers on metals
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... — Updated 6/18/2020
Closed landfills may eventually house solar farms
Solar power is getting a lot of attention these days as our country strives to reduce greenhouse gases. Sunny cities like Honolulu, Los Angeles and San Antonio have ramped-up solar... — Updated 6/4/2020
There's a very bright future for papermakers
In recent years, papermakers in Pacific Northwest have been losing ground. However, today there is a ray of hope. Surprisingly, that optimism results from the COVID-19 pandemic. In... — Updated 5/28/2020
When it comes to COVID crisis, don't forget to 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 4/16/2020
Coronavirus is 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 3/12/2020
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 road block. In Salem, rural Republican... — Updated 3/5/2020
The Colorado River water problems are 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... — Updated 2/27/2020
Keeping health workers healthy is key to fighting deadly diseases
Keeping hospitals and health workers healthy is key to fighting diseases. With new and more deadly viruses, the job is more challenging. Although the coronavirus has captured the... — Updated 2/6/2020
Copper making comeback as major disease fighter
Government leaders, doctors, and medical researchers worldwide are working feverishly to stop the spread of the coronavirus and keep it from becoming a global pandemic. Wuhan, one... — Updated 1/30/2020
Dams are the Pacific Northwest's 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... — Updated 1/23/2020
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... — Updated 12/28/2019
Bridges shouldn't have to sink to be replaced
Bridges shouldn’t have to sink to be replaced. However, at times that’s what it takes. Too often new projects succumb to years of fighting among interest groups and endless... — Updated 12/19/2019
Americans are blessed in so many ways
In America, our Thanksgivings range from large family-gatherings to Good Samaritans volunteering in soup kitchens serving turkey dinners to the hungry. Now think about what it is li... — Updated 11/27/2019
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 11/14/2019
Mitsubishi is now launching into regional jet space
Traditionally, media coverage of the Paris Air Show focuses on the battle between Boeing and Airbus over market share for newer large commercial jets. However, this year Mitsubishi... — Updated 9/26/2019
It is time to talk about our national debt
Our nation is on an unsustainable borrowing trajectory and it could get much worse unless voters start asking politicians: “How are taxpayers going to pay for what they... — Updated 9/12/2019
Tacoma LNG project needs to happen
Hopefully Puget Sound Energy (PSE) will receive final permit approval so it can complete its Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plant currently under construction on Tacoma’s Tide... — Updated 9/5/2019
Battery-operated locomotives are coming to a track near you
More battery operated cars and trucks are making their way on to streets and highways, so why not trains? That may not be too far off if Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) tests... — Updated 8/15/2019
There is no green cheese, drill sergeant
Shortly, after Apollo 11 landed on the moon and astronaut Neil Armstrong took his famous first steps on the dusty lunar surface, some comedian in our army unit at Ft. Knox, Ken.,... — Updated 7/18/2019
Not everything stays at home with China's migrating mandate
What happens in China doesn’t always stay in China. In fact, when it comes to tough new garbage and recycling restrictions, they may migrate elsewhere sooner than you might... — Updated 7/11/2019
Removing Snake River dams is unwise for a multitude of reasons
There are dams that should come down and those that shouldn’t. Hopefully, as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducts its review of the 14 federal dams on the Columbia and Snake... — Updated 5/23/2019
E-Waste reduction requires innovative approaches
“One of the biggest challenges of the 21st Century is dealing with the progress of the 20th Century — especially old computers, monitors, cellular phones and televisions. These... — Updated 5/2/2019
The darker side to renewable energy includes water pollution
Before our country, in haste, dives totally into renewable energy, we must carefully evaluate its impacts. By just focusing on eliminating natural gas, liquid fuels (gasoline and... — Updated 3/28/2019
