In the last four months the Lights On Oregon Blog has covered a lot of ground. Unfortunately, some good things must come to an end eventually. The 30th will be the last regular post for Lights On Oregon: the Blog. Yes, it’s sad—perhaps well start back up again sometime in the future. . . .

Today, I want to provide a quick summary of the areas our blog has covered.

• We’ve demonstrated the availability and importance of wind energy in numerous posts.
• We’ve kept you up to date on the progressing technology behind wave energy.
• We’ve  thoroughly demonstrated the obstruction and down right dangerousness of Radical Environmental Groups.
• We’ve shown why nuclear is important, and how it could benefit Oregon.
• We’ve extensively covered the LNG terminal and pipeline debates, and revealed why their opponents are misguided.
• We’ve kept track of the increased investment in renewable energy sources—as an indicator of where the market is on this subject.
• We’ve followed the current news regarding hydroelectric—and we’ve shown that it is one of the most important renewable energy sources available to mankind.
• We’ve explored the world of geothermal and we strongly maintain that it is the best energy option on the market.
• We’ve demonstrated the potential of biomass, and encouraged future investment in it.
• We’ve broken water in the world of politics—by breaking several important stories regarding Kulongoski’s new $2 billion tax package.

Energy. That’s what we’re all about.

1. The Oregonian reported this morning that

Portland city leaders have offered wind-power giant Vestas Wind Systems $12.5 million in cash incentives to build a $250 million North American headquarters here.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. We support the free market approach to renewable energy. Forcing the taxpayers to fork even more out of their pockets is not what we need.

2. More budget problems. According to the Statesman Journal:

The state’s Nov. 19 forecast projects $16.1 billion for the next two years in the general fund. The total is still 7 percent more than in the current two-year budget of $15.1 billion, which itself is up 21 percent from 2005-07. But it is less than the $17 billion projected back in June, and even the $16.8 billion on Aug. 28 — and it could go down still more before lawmakers adjourn next summer.

Kulongoski said last week that a troubling indicator was the statewide unemployment rate, which jumped nearly a full point in October to 7.3 percent - the largest one-month increase in Oregon since April 1980, and above the national average of 6.5 percent.

We think someone could use some better budgeting skills. Government spending is up some 30% from 2005. Here’s a thought: spend less—and we won’t have budget shortages.

Just a thought.

Fuel costs a lot. That’s a fact. However, why not try cutting your next gas bill down by a few dollars. Check out the Oregonians tool to get the best price on fuel….

According to the Oregonian:

The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Oregon has been on a constant climb. In July 2007, it averaged just more than $3 a gallon. As oil prices increase on world markets, the price for a gallon of gas is expected to keep climbing.

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