As energy prices continue to increase, I have searched for ways to reduce our cost of energy in our house — I am currently looking at solar power, wind energy and geothermal (although running a 300 foot deep pipe in the backyard doens’t seem feasible in the city) . If you like this stuff, check out Chicago company Aerotecture for their urban windmills! I came across an article that looked at two different approaches to home building and energy consumption. Look over the description of the following two houses and see if you can tell which one belongs to an environmentalist:
House Number One
So I find articles about the direction oA 20 room mansion (not including 8 bathrooms) heated by natural gas. Add on a pool (and a pool house) and a separate guest house, all heated by gas. In one month this residence consumes more energy than the average American household does in a year. The average monthly bill for electricity and natural gas runs over $2,400. In natural gas alone, this property consumes more than 20 times the national average for an American home. This house is not situated in a Northern or Midwestern “snow belt” area. It’s in the South.
House Number Two
Designed by an architecture professor at a leading national university. 
This house incorporates every “green” feature current home construction can provide. The house is 4,000 square feet ( 4 bedrooms ) and is nestled on a high prairie in the American southwest. A central closet in the house holds geothermal heat-pumps drawing ground water through pipes sunk 300 feet into the ground. The water (usually 67 degrees F. ) heats the house in the winter and cools it in the summer. The system uses no fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas and it consumes one-quarter electricity required for a conventional heating/cooling system. Rainwater from the roof is collected and funneled into a 25,000 gallon underground cistern. Wastewater from showers, sinks and toilets goes into underground purifying tanks and then into the cistern. The collected water then irrigates the land surrounding the house. Surrounding flowers and shrubs native to the area enable the property to blend into the surrounding rural landscape.
House number one is outside of Nashville , Tennessee; it is the abode of the “environmentalist” Al Gore. House number two is on a ranch near Crawford, Texas; it is the residence the of the President of the United States , George W. Bush.
Alas, this is an “inconvenient truth” for environmentalists who can’t walk the talk.
Background
According to the Associated Press, the Gore’s 10,000 square foot Belle Meade residence [Read more...]
So I find articles about the direction of mobile phone technology to be fascinating and this week, Information Week published an article discussing the smartphone of 2010, indicating that over the next two years a new generation of mobile processors and faster mobile networks will combine to put the power of a PC onto the smartphone in your pocket. In addition, 
Michigan’s class includes standouts such as Houston running back and YouTube sensation Sam McGuffie, offensive linemen Ricky Barnum of Florida and Grand Haven’s Dann O’Neill, defensive backs Boubacar Cissoko of Detroit and New Jersey’s Brandon Smith. Wide receiver Darryl Stonum of Texas, who is a part of the class, is already enrolled in classes and working out in Ann Arbor. While Rodriguez didn’t sign Pryor yet, he did add a quarterback — Justin Feagin — to a team lacking depth at the position because freshman Ryan Mallett transferred to Arkansas.
Tonight, more than 100 million people will watch the Super Bowl in the US, and most expect that the key player for the Patriots will be Tom Brady (a Michigan alum, I might add). 
This June, Teaching Pastor Randy Frazee will become the Senior Minister of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he will teach and lead in partnership with pastor and author, Max Lucado. “After 8 months of prayer and counsel, I believe God is calling our family to expand the reach of the neighborhood initiative to San Antonio,” Randy said. “However, my decision to leave is mostly about family and a simple desire to be around my kids, two of whom are currently living in Texas and a third who will head to Texas for college this fall. “It has been a complete privilege and joy to be a part of the Willow Creek team,” he said. “You can count on our fervent prayers and blessings as we move forward on this endeavor.”
Gene Appel, Lead Pastor-South Barrington, who came to Willow Creek as Associate Pastor in 2003 and moved into his current role two and a half years ago, also announced his resignation from staff. “I love this church,” Gene said. “It has been an enormous privilege for me to serve here, but after months of internal wrestling and seeking the counsel of wise people I trust, I have come to a place of peace and clarity, and sense the nudge to move toward being the senior pastor of a local church again. I’ll continue serving in my role through the Easter season, and then I’ll begin prayerfully pursuing God’s next adventure. I am honored to have been able to serve in partnership with everyone at Willow and I have been forever impacted by this place. I will be cheering you on for the rest of my life.”
On January 17, 2008 the Elders of Willow Creek and Bill Hybels agreed that Bill will assume the role of Lead Pastor-South Barrington in addition to his other senior pastor responsibilities, which include oversight of the Regional Campuses and the Willow Creek Association. “I am honored to assume the responsibility to lead the staff and congregation at South Barrington and I look to God expectantly for what He has planned for us in the future,” Bill said. The Elders fully support the decisions of Gene and Randy, and are grateful to them for their faithful leadership, high character, and inspired teaching.
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