Articles written by Don C. Brunell
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 42
By 
Time to replace state's longterm care legislation
The first order of business when Washington state’s Legislature convenes in Olympia is replacing the state’s new long-term care law. It is fatally flawed. Gov. Jay Inslee and... — Updated 1/19/2022
Hydroelectric storage yields benefits
Increasing river flows to wash young salmon to sea works; however, once water goes down stream, it is gone. What if we could recycle it in key parts of the Columbia River system... — Updated 1/13/2022
Americans must return to work
In a U.S. Chamber of Commerce poll released in early December, the findings spell trouble for America’s employers – both private and public. It found that more than 60% of the... — Updated 12/16/2021
Ignoring debt is not an option
Remember the television ad where the auto mechanic looks viewers straight in the eye and says: “You can pay me now or pay me later!” The message: if you change your car’s oil... — Updated 12/2/2021
By George, McGovern was right
Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota was never a darling of conservatives; however, in his later years he shocked fellow Democrats by his outspoken backing for streamlining... — Updated 11/24/2021
Oil and water really can mix
There’s an old saying that oil and water don’t mix. That may be true, but apparently they coexist quite well. Traveling through Sweetwater in west Texas, you see an interesting... — Updated 11/17/2021
Honoring our fallen heroes goes beyond lowering flags to half-staff
Lowering our flags to half-staff seems to be an all too familiar sight these days. It is a solemn act that recognizes our fallen heroes, whether they be men and women in our armed... — Updated 11/11/2021
Japanese hydrogen model could work in-state
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were billed as the “Hydrogen Olympics” Then along came COVID and sporting events worldwide were put on hold. The summer games were delayed until 2021.... — Updated 9/2/2021
Clearing fuels from forests needed
Massive forest fires in western parts of our country are not only choking us with layers of thick smoke but are leaving behind millions of acres of scorched hillsides, ridges, and... — Updated 8/12/2021
Massive reforestation effort needed
Massive forest fires in the western parts of our country are not only choking us with layers of thick smoke, but are leaving behind millions of acres of scorched hillsides, ridges... — Updated 8/5/2021
Water has a greenhouse gas problem
In our zest to quickly switch from gas-powered to battery-operated vehicles and to convert our power grid to wind and solar generated electricity, the impacts of CO2 released from... — Updated 6/15/2021
Land is the wild card in Biden's green gamble
Shortly after President Biden took office, he issued the sweeping executive order to transition America to TOTAL—-100 percent—-renewable electricity by 2035—-15 short years... — Updated 6/10/2021
Unemployment insurance (FUTA) intended as a bridge between jobs
When Congress established the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) in 1935, it was intended to provide temporary and partial income replacement for workers who lost their jobs... — Updated 5/13/2021
Rethinking legislative natural gas bans
Sometimes being first isn’t good. Such is the case with legislation making Washington the only state to ban natural gas in new homes and commercial buildings. Thankfully, the legi... — Updated 4/29/2021
Good news from Hanford scientists
It isn’t often we hear good news from Hanford, but the Deptartment of Energy recently announced nation’s first commercial advanced nuclear power reactor would be developed on... — Updated 4/22/2021
Keeping America's semiconductor edge is paramount
Surprisingly, there is something U.S. Presidents agree upon — America’s economic and national security hinge upon maintaining our technology edge in semiconductors. Those tiny... — Updated 3/25/2021
TVW, an antidote for dwindling trust in media
America’s media is suffering from a truth deficit leaving many to wonder where to go for honest, reliable and accurate information. Unfortunately, it is not the mainstream or... — Updated 3/18/2021
Austin's tax incentives, friendliness is working
These days the mere mention of tax incentives for factories touches off a major firestorm in Seattle and you’d better be looking for an expeditious way out of town. Not so in... — Updated 3/11/2021
Removing Snake River dams is unwise
Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson’s $33 billion plan to remove the lower Snake River dams is unwise. However, if he pushes it, he needs include the impact of breaching dams in his... — Updated 2/25/2021
'Work from home' to continue post-pandemic
With COVID-19 vaccines being widely dispensed, will an end to this pandemic halt “work from home?” Will workers return to downtown offices at pre-pandemic levels? Not likely!... — Updated 1/21/2021
Wildfires were the 'big polluters' of 2020
While the coronavirus and its devastating effects on people and economies worldwide were unfortunately the top 2020 stories, the massive impact of western wildfires can’t be... — Updated 1/20/2021
Bracing for bigger changes
Now that vaccines are available, we hope our lives will return to the way they were before the coronavirus pandemic blanketed the globe. That is not likely to occur. Last March our... — Updated 1/14/2021
Wildfires were the 'big polluters' of 2020
While the coronavirus and its devastating effects on people and economies worldwide were unfortunately the top 2020 stories, the massive impact of western wildfires can’t be... — Updated 12/31/2020
Despite COVID, wreaths placed across America
Christmas is an especially difficult time for anyone grieving for lost loved ones. Try adding a crippling killer virus into that mix. That is the tragic reality of 2020. Even... — Updated 12/23/2020
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 12/10/2020
