LOOK OVER THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FOLLOWING TWO HOUSES AND SEE IF YOU CAN TELL WHICH BELONGS TO AN ENVIRONMENTALIST.

HOUSE # 1:

A 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 ALONE this mansion consumes more energy than the average American household in an ENTIRE YEAR. The average bill for electricity and natural gas runs over $2,400.00 per month. In natural gas alone (which last time we checked was a fossil fuel), this property consumes more than 20 times the national average for an American home. This house is not in a northern or Midwestern "snow belt," either. It's in the South.

HOUSE # 2:

Designed by an architecture professor at a leading national university, this house incorporates every "green" feature current home construction can provide. The house contains only 4,000 square feet (4 bedrooms) and is nestled on arid 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 winter and cools it in summer. The system uses no fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas, and it consumes 25% of the 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. Flowers and shrubs native to the area blend the property into the surrounding rural landscape.

ANSWERS:

HOUSE # 1 (20 room energy guzzling mansion) is outside of Nashville,Tennessee. It is the abode of that renowned environmentalist (and filmmaker) Al Gore.

HOUSE # 2 (model eco-friendly house) is on a ranch near Crawford, Texas. Also known as "the Texas White House," it is the private residence of the President of the United States, George W Bush.

So whose house is gentler on the environment? Yet another story you WON'T hear on CNN, CBS,ABC, NBC, MSNBC or read in the New York Times or the Washington Post. Indeed for Mr. Gore is "an inconvenient truth".

OK, sure. I'm against the death penalty. Now I really am signing off :-)

For crying out loud! Can I not count on you for anything? There you go... taking an opposite side of the conservatives! You're going to lose your conversative discount doing that, ya know!?!

Oh, and like your kids are more important than we are!?!

Okay, so I agree with you. Wait a minute... does that make me a conservative? They're not gonna like me at their parties!

Oh, except that us fags are really good with flowers and party planning. Maybe they will! :biggrin:

LOL! I guess I should read all the way through before I start answering posts!

California is backing down, somewhat, in that the decision was vacated. The ultimate resolution remains to be seen. The teacher's unions in CA would LOVE to eliminate homeschooling, so the war isn't over yet.

The teacher's union would only love to eliminate homeschooling for those who want to 'limit' the student's exposure to other views. At least that's my current opinion on it. You seem to be the type of person who isn't afraid to expose her children to other opinions/views. Of course, being a parent, you have more influence on them... that is, of course, until they become teenagers. At that point, is there anyone who knows less than their parents? Probably not.

Anyway... you've pulled me over to the homeschooler's side... so you should get a financial bonus or something (at least). (I'm KIDDING!)

Edited April 13, 200818 yr by WestCoastFatGuy

Hey Green!!!!!!!!!!! just to tell you that I'm thinking of you! check in when you can, we miss you!

Hey Green!!!!!!!!!!! just to tell you that I'm thinking of you! check in when you can, we miss you!:biggrin:

Thanks, Elenation. I had my first session of chemo last Thursday and I had been doing pretty well up to that point. Since then I have been sick, sick, sick with nausea and I am finding it almost impossible to eat. Chemo works even better than the band. I have lost between 4-5 lbs in less than a week. I am not thrilled about this; I think a grrl can be too thin!! I am starting to look like a mangey old dog. Ugh!

I've managed to make my radiation appointments but today I requested and got an intravenous shot of anti-nauseant drug as well as a prescription for some fairly hi-tech and expensive meds. I am glad I retired with a drug plan.

Green, you have been in my thoughts and well wishes for you comes from my heart. {{{{hugs and smoochies}}}!!!!!!!

Thanks, Elenation. I had my first session of chemo last Thursday and I had been doing pretty well up to that point. Since then I have been sick, sick, sick with nausea and I am finding it almost impossible to eat. Chemo works even better than the band. I have lost between 4-5 lbs in less than a week. I am not thrilled about this; I think a grrl can be too thin!! I am starting to look like a mangey old dog. Ugh!

I've managed to make my radiation appointments but today I requested and got an intravenous shot of anti-nauseant drug as well as a prescription for some fairly hi-tech and expensive meds. I am glad I retired with a drug plan.

Ugh, that sucks. Hopefully, though, you will start feeling better.

Awww sorry it is already making you sick Green. They do have lots of options to help with it....I actually found a patch that worked for me better than anything else....wore it right behind my ear, and it helped---no idea why.....or what eventual side effects it, in and of itself may have caused!!!!

Hang in there---I am thinking of you!!!

Kat

Thanks, Elenation. I had my first session of chemo last Thursday and I had been doing pretty well up to that point. Since then I have been sick, sick, sick with nausea and I am finding it almost impossible to eat. Chemo works even better than the band. I have lost between 4-5 lbs in less than a week. I am not thrilled about this; I think a grrl can be too thin!! I am starting to look like a mangey old dog. Ugh!

I've managed to make my radiation appointments but today I requested and got an intravenous shot of anti-nauseant drug as well as a prescription for some fairly hi-tech and expensive meds. I am glad I retired with a drug plan.

Oh Green, I'm so sorry, I'm glad that you posted and thank you because we've been thinking about you, even having a little nausea makes me feel crappy so I can only imagine what you are going through, I hope that the anti-nausea med that they gave you helps you, I wonder if they can get the patches that Kat was talking about too.. you do have good health care and for that I'm very happy because you are getting the best care possible, hang in there Green, I will keep praying and I'm thinking of you every day and keep us posted everytime you can.

Big hug,

Elenation

Oh great, I'm glad to see you've posted, green! Although I am very sorry to hear that you're having such a rough time. But we knew it wouldn't be a walk in the park, dang it.

My mom became very sick when she got radiation, so I'm glad you're taking preemtive action!!

I hope you know how much we all think of you and that we're thinking of you and wishing you well every, every day!!!

Btw, have you tried milkshakes? They are very high in calorie and they can be soothing. Especially the handmade ones. I'm pretty much an expert in this area. It was about the only thing my mom would let me make for her when she was feeling especially crappy. Just a thought...

Generally speaking I really don't like sweet, fruity drinks which is why when I was first banded I never got into those protein drinks that most of you were into. But with nausea my tastes - which were always for strong, spicy, garlicy, salty, vinegary foods - have changed radically and this grrl actually wants bland and sweet. The first food that I managed to eat a couple of days after the hideous chemo was fruit-flavoured yogurt. I went through 6 little tubs of the stuff in one afternoon. Now the idea of milkshakes and fruit shakes is sounding awful good to me.

Up here in Canada the women's magazines have a special insert for cancer patients every April. April is cancer month up here, by the way. The insert has tips for women on how to look good and feel better while fighting cancer. The food info recommends milkshakes made with whole milk and icecream and bananas, etc. In fact the food recommendations are pretty much counter to good band diet rules! Now I did buy a blender (which I never used) when I first got banded so if BJean will PM those milkshake recipes I will get my mate on the case.

And Kat, I am gonna ask about those anti-puke patches. They sound verrry interesting. Thanks for the suggestion.

And thanks to everyone for the concern and the affection. This means a great deal to me, especially at this time.

I cannot say I have/had a recipe for my milkshakes--which I did use A LOT!!!

I would have DH call from the grocery store and read me ice cream flavors!!! I would pick one--he would bring it home, toss some in the blender, and add some milk---and whirl!!!!

I probably should have had some protein powder on hand back then and added some--but that was pre band learning!

Sometimes I would add some extra vanilla, or chocolate or caramel---just ice cream toppings---and blend it!

I got some sores in my mouth at times, so would have to thin the milkshakes down with more milk----to make it easier to drink----but they helped A LOT!!!

I was the same way, and am again, sweets were never my weakness, I was much more addicted to savory, salty crunchy foods. But the milkshakes made a huge difference. Now----if given a choice--------I am back to the savory things!!

Hang in there green-----thinking of you.

Kat

Yep ask about the patches.

Generally speaking I really don't like sweet, fruity drinks which is why when I was first banded I never got into those protein drinks that most of you were into. But with nausea my tastes - which were always for strong, spicy, garlicy, salty, vinegary foods - have changed radically and this grrl actually wants bland and sweet. The first food that I managed to eat a couple of days after the hideous chemo was fruit-flavoured yogurt. I went through 6 little tubs of the stuff in one afternoon. Now the idea of milkshakes and fruit shakes is sounding awful good to me.

Up here in Canada the women's magazines have a special insert for cancer patients every April. April is cancer month up here, by the way. The insert has tips for women on how to look good and feel better while fighting cancer. The food info recommends milkshakes made with whole milk and icecream and bananas, etc. In fact the food recommendations are pretty much counter to good band diet rules! Now I did buy a blender (which I never used) when I first got banded so if BJean will PM those milkshake recipes I will get my mate on the case.

And Kat, I am gonna ask about those anti-puke patches. They sound verrry interesting. Thanks for the suggestion.

And thanks to everyone for the concern and the affection. This means a great deal to me, especially at this time.

Aw Green, we are here for you! and it means a lot to us that you keep us updated too, please take good care of yourself! Now I'm in the mood for a milkshake with whole milk, ice cream and bananas..... dang it..:crying:

kat you're right on with the shakes.

I like them really thick, eaten with a spoon. But if you need to use a straw or if you have those damn sores, adding more milk is better.

A couple of big spoonsful of very rich (the best you can buy, why waste yourself on the cheap stuff?) ice cream and then fill the glass or blender with whole milk halfway up to where the ice cream stops. Bananas are a little too rich for me, but they're a great source of potassium and a banana shake does taste good. If you need some roughage, you can add any of those over-the-counter things like Metamucil (which I find hard to use without the milkshake). Whey protein mixes in very well and sure helps beef up the protein intake without little effort.

If you have a hankerin' for chocolate, you can make it double chocolate (good zinc source, doncha know - or is it magnesium?) by adding Hershey's syrup to chocolate ice cream. I never waste my calories on low-cal ice cream or anything that isn't natural. Too many additives. Adele's makes a really nice organic ice cream and I really like Horizon organically produced milk.

As I said, I'm not exactly a gourmet - I just know what's good! And unfortunately (or in your case fortunately) what can pack on the pounds quickly!

Did I mention fresh fruit shakes? Just about any fruit (fresh or frozen) mixed into a shake is delightful. If it were me, I'd go for those totally nutritious blueberries! :crying:

Forget the whole milk. If I'm really going whole hog I go straight for the heavy whipping cream.

Throw a few tablespoons of whipping cream in the blender and whip until starting to creat peaks. Then add & blend well:

1 bottle Mighty Mango Juice (labeled as Naked Juices)

1 container of peach or plain yogurt

1 frozen banana

1/2 cup of mango (or peach or orange) sherbert

and if your meds allow it, a bit of peach schnapps is a really good adder to the above.

Or if you want to give it some semblance of being "healthy" about the whole thing you could add some vanilla or unflavored protein powder to the mix.

We're thinking of you.

Ooooh, good job, Gh0st!