Al Gore is such a moron

[Ishbar]

Cause Bush was all the better?

Well, yes...

It was in the context as a President, not as an eco-savvy house owner. But..if you want to look at it that way.
Something to take into account is that Crawford is a small isolated town, it's population is about 3/4 of 1,000. Water isn't the most abundant of things in the middle of nowhere and I'm sure even if you are the President of the United States and involved with the multi-billion dollar oil industry you still like saving money. Secondly you must think about how Nashville is an awkward climate. It's temperatures dip bellow freezing in winter to the low 90's in summer. Crawford doesn't even touch 0°C in winter. (Also it's not entirely impossible that Bush's advisor's might have had something to do with his energy saving and environmentally friendly household wonders. Just for protection on environmentalist attacks. (not literal) ) I'm not even going to doubt that some of the energy costs can also be from expensive electronics and other sorts of electric glutons in Gore's household. So Bush is better for being more rustic in his interests? Hmm..

[Barabajagal]

Moreover, Gore "pays almost a 50 percent premium to buy the 'green power' offered from his electrical company," which generates its voltage from hydroelectric and nuclear power rather than coal, he said.

Also, getting AIDS is sort of a choice sometimes, in that people don't really NEED to have sex, and those that do should know well enough that they should take precautions. However, there are always exceptions to such things, such as being raped, being born to a parent with HIV, etc...

[Stealth]

Something to take into account is that Crawford is a small isolated town, it's population is about 3/4 of 1,000. Water isn't the most abundant of things in the middle of nowhere

It's not a problem for millions of Americans who live in rural areas, much less Bush who has the financial ability to have wells drilled and such. This was clearly a choice of Bush's, and not a necessary change.

Secondly you must think about how Nashville is an awkward climate. It's temperatures dip bellow freezing in winter to the low 90's in summer. Crawford doesn't even touch 0°C in winter.

I fail to see how this is excuses Gore's hypocritically excessive utility use.

(Also it's not entirely impossible that Bush's advisor's might have had something to do with his energy saving and environmentally friendly household wonders. Just for protection on environmentalist attacks. (not literal) )

I highly doubt that any of Bush's advisors were part of his decision of where and how to build his summer home. That's ridiculous -- they don't run the man's personal life, as much as you would like to believe they do.

The key difference here is that Gore is supposed to be a champion of energy-saving technology and the like. Bush doesn't talk so much as he does. You seem to be letting your hatred of George Bush blind you to the blatant hypocrisy at hand.

Moreover, Gore "pays almost a 50 percent premium to buy the 'green power' offered from his electrical company," which generates its voltage from hydroelectric and nuclear power rather than coal, he said.

Were that the case, it seems like his energy bills would reflect that, and there would be much less of an issue. My understanding was that Gore purchased "carbon offsets" to make up for his excessive energy use, but apparently is on the board of the company he makes these purchases from -- more in James Taranto's March 1 blog posting.

Also, getting AIDS is sort of a choice sometimes, in that people don't really NEED to have sex, and those that do should know well enough that they should take precautions. However, there are always exceptions to such things, such as being raped, being born to a parent with HIV, etc...

Or having sex with someone who has AIDS but doesn't tell you. Frankly, does anyone choose to get AIDS? Do they wake up in the morning and say to themselves, "Hey, I should get AIDS today" ?

[Ishbar]

AIDS is generally speaking not a choice..

Again, this is not a good parallel. Gore can very easily (especially with his kind of money) reverse his decision to consume ridiculous amounts of energy at his personal home, pregnant mothers cannot somehow reverse their pregnancy.

Of course it isn't a choice, but people are unaware of aids. Just as teens are unaware of the risks of sex without a condom, sure they know what can happen but they are ignorant of the consequences. I'm not arguing the issues of those situations, I'm arguing the lack of preemptive to them; education and knowledge of.

The point being attacked is the hypocrisy. He could have at least made an effort to reduce energy use at his home, perhaps put some of his energy savings suggestions into practice, but it would appear that he didn't even try to do so, and that undermines his credibility as a person-telling-everyone-else-how-to-live.

"The vice president has done that, Kreider argues, and the family tries to offset that carbon footprint by purchasing their power through the local Green Power Switch program — electricity generated through renewable resources such as solar, wind, and methane gas, which create less waste and pollution. "In addition, they are in the midst of installing solar panels on their home, which will enable them to use less power,"

Quoted from the ABC news article.
While Gore may consume nearly 20x's the standard 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year most (allegedly) are not incorporated with the production of carbon emissions whereas it can be assumed that the 10,656 KWh annually consumed are linked to carbon emissions.

It doesn't matter how much one consumes it's how much is being subject to influencing Global Warming. A household can drain 400,000 KWh annually but if it is all (or mostly) Green then there is no issue, is there? (just people who don't know how to turn the lights off every once in a while.)

[Barabajagal]

If they're suicidal, maybe. But if you, you know, go get TESTED together before having sex, or refusing to have sex with someone who won't get tested with you, you can be fairly certain you'll be okay.

[Ishbar]

Climates which are colder call for more use of some fuel source and energy to generate heat, also for cooling(in the summer). Crawford Texas is a summer home, what about his other homes? I'm sure they aren't as cozy and eco-friendly as his one story house is. It's unfair they compare that one level home (for summer time use) and use it against Gore's Mansion (permanent residence).

I don't hate Bush. I don't like him either, the same goes for Gore. I find the comparisons being argued and the point of hypocrisy aren't proportionate nor justified evenly without bias.

[DarkMinion]

I'm not a huge fan of Bush, but at least he has some idea of what's going on in the world, while Al Gore simply travels around spouting drooling nonsense off the top of his head and making idiotic films like this.

[cefx-]

..this isn't even taking into account that his movie is utter nonsense, and that it uses exaggeration to scare the ignorant american audience.
I'm not saying I'm any better, but I'm aware that there is not a "majority of the world scientists" suggesting that GHG is the cause of global warming.

[Ishbar]

Oh yeah?

[Invert]

The Earth had about 6 ice ages, too bad we did not have Big Al millions of years ago to stop the dinosaurs from farting and causing global warming that melted the ice away. 

[Ishbar]

It's not a debate of whether or not there is going to be one. Of course there will be one..but the time in between each ice age and glaciation is what scientists are buzzing about. It's kinda like that movie JACK.

If to age normally would be our average ice age cycle and Jacks case being the end result of negligence to sustaining a healthy environment.

[MyndFyre]

Secondly you must think about how Nashville is an awkward climate. It's temperatures dip bellow freezing in winter to the low 90's in summer. Crawford doesn't even touch 0°C in winter.

Oh PLEASE.  That's not even the point.

I used to live in Chicago.  Our house was ~2600 square feet, or with the basement and sub-basement included, ~4200.  Chicago occasionally drops below 0 F in the winter, and regularly gets above 100 F in the summer, not to mention the excessive humidity.  The summer before I moved from there, they had a record number of heat-related deaths because of inadequate air conditioning.

Our bill was in the mid $100's per month for electricity during the summer.  Gas was cheap in the winter, too.

I've lived in the Phoenix, AZ area for roughly 9 years.  I live in a 1600 square foot house - the most my electric bill has ever been during the summer (when it's typically between 110 and 120) was $127.  My parents' house, 2400 square feet and two air conditioners for separate sides of the house?  $170.

HOWEVER, even that isn't the point.

If Al Gore was REALLY so utterly worried about the energy waste and the environment, the choice is a simple one to make: he wouldn't have a gigantic mansion.  He would have a modest house in a temperate climate.  Guess what?  It would cost him less per month, and hey - he could even put that savings to *even more* carbon credits!  What an idea!!!  If he's going to champion this cause and truly mean it, then that means that he needs to lead the charge and make sacrifices.  People who can't afford to buy "carbon credits" aren't going to be motivated to opt for a Prius when Al Gore is still driving around in his SUVs.

Ishbar: it severely discredits your argument when you utilize movies or corporate advertising campaigns as "sources."  I'm not saying that you're wrong, but I'm certainly not inclined to believe you're correct.

[CrAz3D]

Global warming is awesome!  I want a beach party in Denver with REAL beaches!
<flamesuit on>


ANYHOW, what is so bad about global warming other than change?  So it'll change the climate creating more tropical areas, no?  Won't those tropical areas be able to better sustain plant life so those plants will begin to decrease the CO2 and then get the earth cooler again, maybe?

[Barabajagal]

Erm... it'll also kill off a lot of plants that aren't used to the higher temperature, and if the sea level rises too much, lots of people who live on the shores of places like India, Florida, and Louisiana (AGAIN) are gonna get screwed big time. The problem is it's not just CO2 that's causing the problems.