What the heck is ENERGY STAR anyway?

EPA offers free webinars to answer this question.

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=bldrs_lenders_raters.nh_events_webinars

Put it on your calendar. Be informed.

ENERGY STAR Market Share on the Rise

Both home builders and home buyers are continuing to invest in high performing homes that save consumers money on their utility bills, while helping to protect the environment. Nearly 17% of all single-family homes built nationally in 2008 earned EPA's ENERGY STAR label, up from 12% in 2007. In addition, market share for ENERGY STAR qualified homes was 20% or greater in 15 states in 2008, including Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Vermont. Noticably, Southeastern states are absent from this list. This is why we have you all on the energy efficiency team out there promoting ENERGY STAR, EarthCraft, and other green building programs. Hopefully, through all of our efforts, we'll see the "Sweet Tea States" on this list come 2010. To see how all of the states performed in 2008, click here.

Reprinted from Southface Energy Rated Homes Newsletter

If it were 2008, Congressman Joe Wilson would be a patriot

Wasn't it just early last year (and for the 8 previous years) that opposition to the administration and its initiatives was patriotic? We were told citizens and politicians who disagreed with the administration were patriots, perhaps more patriotic than those who agree with the administration.... now the opposition is racist?

Juilie & Julia: typical Hollywood politics & treatment of McCarthy

Went to see Julie & Julia over the weekend. The overall quality of the film is well done with a thoughtful and engaging story. The dual layer story works okay, but the two stories don't really highlight or compliment each other and could just as easily have been told separately....

There were a few items which brought the overall story down.

1. The use of the f-bomb - not in keeping for the era (late 50s) and unnecessary. It used to be this was a R rating for sure. Beyond that it was completely gratuitous and if left out would not have changed the impact of the scene (and film).

2. A few lame jabs are tossed out at U.S. Republicans. Those who see many films may be used to the typical Hollywood left slant - in this case the 'jokes' were not only non-nonsensical but actually detract from the film.

A.) Julie works for the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation a government sponsored not unlike your local Housing Authority. Julie admits that she is a government employee and is shown to be honestly, actively engaged in her work even going 'above and beyond' on at least one occasion. Who has ever called a government employee a 'capitalist'?

B.) Seriously calling sick as plot device? What she needs a doctor's note; is this real life or Jr. High? What gov't employee does not have sick time or personal time? Was this chronic? If so the reprimand was justified. If not it doesn't make sense in light of effort to show her as the good worker. So why would her boss call attention to his idiocy? (I am not a Republican, I am not a schmuck. But don't do that again.) Is that funny? In any case they are elements that if left out would make the film better, kind of like the nudity in Schindler's List, self-indulgent and unnecessary.

3. But beyond all that is one of the underlying elements of the Julia segments - McCarthy. Absurdly, Paul is called all the way back to the states from France for 3 days of questioning; where he is exonerated. The significant question highlighted was "Are you a homosexual?" Was Joe McCarthy investigating homosexuality? Of course not. So what was it that Paul did that left him with a cloud of suspicion as a communist - taking 3 days to clear up? Lived in China as an embassy appointee, was involved with..... The only hint in the film is that he liked to check books out from the embassy library, which recently had it's collection reduced because of Joe. While I know nothing about Paul and Julia Child history has shown that Joe McCarthy was more often right than wrong. But this does not fit the conventional wisdom that McCarthyism = unjustified witch-hunt. And this in a story supposedly about 2 true stories.

A bit fuller critique here:

http://www.pluggedinonline.com/movies/movies/a0004766.cfm

Would I watch it again? No.

2 star of 5

Would I recommend it? Possibly for adults.

Better off to watch Shadowlands, or Howards's End or Up!.

Welcome

Welcome,

You will get a smattering of insightful insights when I think a topic has been lost or mis-played by the media, local and national as well as the punditry.  I might throw in a few thoughts on Christianity, Jesus, theology, family, kids, LEGO brand building bricks, residential energy efficiency and other topics as the pass by the brain.