House

February 22, 2010 - Every ten years, the Constitution mandates a federal Census. The data collected in the Census is used by the federal government to allocate resources to the states and to change the make-up of Congress. States that gain a lot of new residents will gain congressional seats and those that lose a lot of residents will lose seats. But what would happen if conservatives in liberal leaning states said that they didn't want to be counted in the Census? Could a targeted effort shift the House of Representatives to the right and actually reduce the size of the US Government?

This month, the US Census Bureau kicked off a massive - some would say stupid - advertising campaign with a Super Bowl Commercial. The campaign continues with advertising in print and even during the Olympic Games with nonsensical commercials that make a rather lame attempt at being comedic as they spend millions of tax dollars for air time and production. They are also running a bevy of radio ads. The goal is to have everyone fill out a Census form; something that we are all required to do by law.

There are a lot of exciting developments in new tech for the rooftop of your home.  In July, I talked about a new solar panel roofing tile that mimics the Spanish tile styling and generates electricity as a photovoltaic panel.   Turns out, those tiles from SRS are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to cool new technology you can put on top of your house.

Low-Tech and Cheap - The cheapest, low-tech way is to paint the roof a lighter or darker color, depending on your area on the planet.  Most rooftops are dark in color and this absorbs heat.  In hot areas, that is obviously not the way to go as you want to reflect and dissipate heat.  Many homes in states like Georgia, Arizona, etc. can save up to 40% of their A/C bills just by painting the rooftop white.

A simple, illustrated cartoon at WorldChanging.com explains the idea fairly well, though it is focused mainly on hot parts of the planet.  Like Florida and LA.  It doesn't talk about places that are heated from below the rooftop by hot air, like Washington D.C. nor does it mention cooler climates like where I live.

I love soccer, I really do, I play as much as I can, normally about 3 times a week. On Saturday I was playing and managed to completely mangle my foot (I would post a picture but I don't want to scare away what loyal readers we have). So I hobbled into work the other day [after a full 3 days of not pitching up might I just add - Kate] with my pimp cane [it is not cool, sorry to burst your bubble... - Kate] and was quickly dubbed House. It could be the designer stubble, the arrogance, the complete and utter narcissism or the fact that I call people numbers but it's probably the cane and the limp. It got me thinking, if House was an SEO, what would he be like?

Photo by LiGado em Série's via Creative Commons

Soon to be extinct...

House Resolution 2749 passed on July 29, as reported here.  The bill has entered the Senate and is, as of this writing, in the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.  Despite the controversy surrounding the bill in the House of Representatives, and its original failure to pass a vote, the bill was brought up again under a suspension of rules, allowing for it's passage.

If you don't find that questionable enough, you should see what some farmers are saying about the bill.

Pascal Destandau of Pugs Leap Farm in Sonoma County, California, wrote an article for Hartke is Online.  In that article, Pascal shows how his artisan goat and cheese farm will be shut down by regulatory red tape, excessive compliance fees, and the virtual ending of most of his organic, natural farming methods.

Not only will his farm be required to register for multiple permits and give detailed "plans" for the production of goods.  Having retired from the peronal care industry and having dealt with the Food and Drug Administration on issues like these in the past, Pascal understands the immense amount of manpower and money required to meet the requirements that will be set.

In recent years, it seems like there is a huge push to be green. It's not a bad thing, though. I'm not one of those people who turns his nose up at someone who drives a gas guzzler and I use up my fair share of electricity, but I applaud the growing segment of today's society who pitch in where they can to help protect our Earth's future. Be it the purchase of a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid or just shutting it all off for 60 minutes when Earth Hour comes around, every little effort to reduce your footprint on the planet is a step in the right direction.

Enter The Smart Home : Green, powered by ComEd exhibit at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry is a fully-functioning, three-story modular and sustainable “green,” structure designed to showcase the many ways people can make eco-friendly living a daily part of their lives. Designed by Michelle Kaufmann Designs and built by All-American Homes, MSI put together this smart home with WIRED Magazine serving as the technology and automation advisor.