Electric Bills

Well, I usually don't get too political with my blogs, but sometimes the truth is just too much to let pass... Al Gore won an Oscar the other day for his movie An Inconvenient Truth. If you have seen the movie then you know all about the global warming issue and how everyone is running around like a bunch of idiots, mostly because no one listened ten years ago and now they think they can do something... Well, I won't get into the global warming theory, but I will say that one thing Gore points out in his movie is to be more conservative when it comes to energy issues. Well, I guess he didn't take much heed to his message because the Tennessee Center for Policy Research released information yesterday about Gore's mansion in Nashville, TN. His 20 room, 8 bathroom mansion uses more electricity in one month than most people use in one year. Here's the report:

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.

Well, with that wonderful information I have a 6 minute video to share. I watched this last night and laughed for quite awhile. It is Ellen calling an 88 year old woman in Texas and she is 'honest' with Ellen about her life and doesn't hold anything back. Probably one of the funniest videos I have seen in quite some time.

Yesterday I went for a 2 mile run. I stepped on the scale Sunday morning and my eyes about popped out of my head when I saw the scale flirt with the 200 pound mark again! Uh oh! So, yesterday during a snow shower I laced up my running shoes and went two miles. Ultimate Frisbee starts up in a little over a month so it's time to get in shape anyway. I am feeling it today though, all I did was 2 miles at 8:25 pace - that is slower than I ran in high school. I guess I have to start slow to get fast again, and it's a good thing I am starting now, I need to get back in shape. I just get tired, literally, of running up and down the mountain, I want to run where it is flat and I can run for mile after mile and breath some clean air.

It's quiz night at the pub and we have been looking forward to it once again! We are gonna break the top five one of these days! It's only a matter of time. Until again

-=Nolan=-