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Al's Inconvenient Truth

Al Gore’s Personal Energy Use Is His Own “Inconvenient Truth” Gore’s home uses more than 20 times the national average Last night, Al Gore’s global-warming documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, collected an Oscar for best documentary feature, but the Tennessee Center for Policy Research has found that Gore deserves a gold statue for hypocrisy. Gore’s mansion, located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES). In his documentary, the former Vice President calls on Americans to conserve energy by reducing electricity consumption at home. The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh—more than 20 times the national average. Last August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh—guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month than an average American family uses in an entire year. As a result of his energy consumption, Gore’s average monthly electric bill topped $1,359. Since the release of An Inconvenient Truth, Gore’s energy consumption has increased from an average of 16,200 kWh per month in 2005, to 18,400 kWh per month in 2006. Gore’s extravagant energy use does not stop at his electric bill. Natural gas bills for Gore’s mansion and guest house averaged $1,080 per month last year. “As the spokesman of choice for the global warming movement, Al Gore has to be willing to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, when it comes to home energy use,” said Tennessee Center for Policy Research President Drew Johnson. In total, Gore paid nearly $30,000 in combined electricity and natural gas bills for his Nashville estate in 2006.

what a jackass...

http://www.tennesseepolicy.org/main/article.php?article_id=367

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2006-08-09-gore-green_x.htm

So is there a Jedi Frat or something?

This is so bizarre, yet so awesome....

Jedi Trash

my favorite part is when the cops show up...

I need to join one of these....

Nap Club a hit at university

By Associated Press

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The idea of a nap club at Indiana University South Bend started out as a joke. Then some people slept on it.

Students Michael Duttlinger and Joe Spencer, president and vice president, respectively, point to studies that say napping can heighten creativity, boost memory and increase alertness.

The Nap Club consists of a quiet room with the shades drawn, a few desks and chairs, and six air mattresses, purchased through a small sum allotted to campus clubs.

Up to 15 people can come in to doze. A moderator wakes them up at the appropriate time and "makes sure no one messes with you or your stuff," Duttlinger says.

The room is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

So far, the club has attracted a steady stream of nappers, and there are 30 to 35 people on its e-mail list.

The club started simply enough.

"We were being funny and talking about starting a club, and I'm, like, 'What should we do?'" recalls Duttlinger.

Spencer suggested Duttlinger do something he liked, and napping came to mind.

So are all family trees genetic hybrids of an elm and ash?

Just like the real news...

why the hell...

So I've been trying to watch Medium tonight, but it's taking everything I've got to get through it. Not because the story is bad, but they keep playing some damn song over and over and over and over in it! What the hell is up with that? Really annoying. The song really sucks too. I remember one other time they did it (it was some horrible dixie chicks song then) on an episode a couple of years ago. They only play about one 30 second segment of a song and play it about 25 times over the course of the hour long show.

just annoys the living crap out of me....

New Motto

Tonight I came up with my motto (at least to get me through finals week):

I put the "try" in optometry.

That is all.

Eye Allergy Study

If you weren't already aware, I have been participating in an eye allergy study. The official title of the study is: "A Multi-Center Randomized, Double-Masked, Placebo-Controlled Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of K-Lens as Compared to Placebo Lens in the Prevention of Allergic Conjunctivitis in a Population of Allergic Contact Lens Wearers in the Conjunctival Allergen Challenge (CAC) Model"

Yesterday I had my fourth of five office visits. This was the one that actually tested the lens. Up until this point I was only given regular 1-Day Acuvue lenses to wear daily. Yesterday I was randomly assigned one of three combinations: 1) two placebo lenses, 2) two investigational K-lenses, or 3) one of each. I wore them for 12 hours and then the allergen testing process began, as before. Pretty much what they do is use a micropipette of a measured dosage (depending on the individual's sensitivity) of a specific allergen and dispense it into each eye. Over 20 minutes of increasing itchiness/redness, we are asked to rate our itching, swelling of lids, tearing, etc. Then they examine the eyes (inside and out) for changes from the baseline (pre-allergen). Well, I think that there is convincing evidence that I had one of each lens yesterday. What was my first indication? How about my right eye being dilated for several hours. Later evidence was that there was absolutely zero itching, swelling, etc. with the allergen in the right eye, but typical (from previous test dates) results in the left eye. Possible side effects listed "enlarged pupil and light sensitivity", but they all seemed surprised when I reported it (damn those side effects that could prevent FDA approval!) Surprisingly, I was the first one to notice it - about 2 hours after the lens was inserted - despite spending that full time with Danny and his parents. It was almost fully resolved (barely noticeable) by the time of my 10:00 pm follow-up exam.

In two weeks I have my final appointment. Approximately 3 weeks after, I should receive a check in the amount of $550... All in the name of science.

We watched this is class today...

Laugh of the Day -- Why Alec won the Golden Globe

I love this show!

That's What She Said!

Simpsons Grad Student Clip

Grad Students

Snow Day!

Keep Dreaming!

No, I did not get the White Thursday I was dreaming of. But I did have snow today (flurries) on the way home from school. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?