The part at the beginning where the branches interchange being lit up is probably the coolest effect ever.  Man I don’t even wanna know how much this costs including electric bill…

Yeah, that was cool.
I like the show at the other house (it is another house, isn’t it?    ) too.

“The Gaffer at ILM suddenly realised that the Best Boy was having a mid life crisis”

“When electricians go bad”

“Dulles control couldnt understand why planes kept going off course”

Does the music play outside? Can you imagine being this guy’s neighbour? “SHUT THE FUCK UP- I’M TRYING TO SLEEP”

I doubt they have speakers setup outside to play the music.  Most of these that I’ve read about in previous years have setup a small transmitter and have signs posted to tell people what radio station to tune into to hear the music.

I believe the youtube video in the post, and the one LJ linked to actually have speakers that play music outside the house.

In which case I am sure they only play the music when they want to show off.

Otherwise yes it amounts to SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY!!!

Am I the only one who thinks this is a waste of time and resources?

Am I the only one who thinks this is a waste of time and resources?

Sure it is, but it beats invading foreign countries.

Am I the only one who thinks this is a waste of time and resources?

This display is an artistic expression, which means that it probably isn’t time wasted. The resources, well—it only happens for a few weeks out of the year.  I would submit that the christmas lights on this house are much more tasteful than many other large xmas light displays.  I am not real sure how much electricity he is using because during the show, each light is not burning for much of the time.  There are office park office buildings that probably use more electricity to light up their signs.

This display is an artistic expression, which means that it probably isn’t time wasted

I would call art itself a pointless waste of resources because it’s not essential for life but hell I enjoy some of it, at least in some forms, global warming through power usage aside within reason. Bahumbug.

Elwedriddsche:Sure it is, but it beats invading foreign countries.

Amen.

itdontmatter: This display is an artistic expression

I think it is more a case of mine is bigger/better then yours. And even if it is not a waste of time, it is a waste of resources in any case. These displays of wastefulness are getting more common here in Holland as well.  If all those millions of displays worldwide are made a little less energy consuming.......

These displays of wastefulness are getting more common here in Holland as well.  If all those millions of displays worldwide are made a little less energy consuming.......

This actually is not the issue at all.  How much energy the light displays consume is not the issue.  The issue is where does the energy they use come from?

If these light displays used alternative energy it wouldn’t matter how much energy they use.

Sure it is, but it beats invading foreign countries.

How true!

Reminds me of those lazer lightshows back at the Pier. My cats liked watching it. I liked it too but I sure as hell wouldn’t want to live next to it.

webs:If these light displays used alternative energy it wouldn’t matter how much energy they use.

This is a moot point since alternative sources are not being used. Most electricity used at this moment is generated with fossil fuels or nuclear powerplants.

This is a moot point since alternative sources are not being used.

Hmmm. I thought “alternate energy sources” referred to Iraqi oil?

elwedriddsche:Hmmm. I thought “alternate energy sources” referred to Iraqi oil?

renewable energy: bush finds out that there is a tie between al Qaida and the Saudis?

This is a moot point since alternative sources are not being used. Most electricity used at this moment is generated with fossil fuels or nuclear powerplants.

Right, so why not help the fight to get alternative energy to be used (This doesn’t include going to Iraq).  We both know Christmas Lights are going up regardless.  That was my point

Hmmm. I thought “alternate energy sources” referred to Iraqi oil?

  So did Bush!

I read somewhere that 5% of all US power consumption was Business needlessly leaving computers on overnight. Given the US uses 20-25% of all global energy, then 1% of the worlds energy is used because its inconvenient to US Business to be energy efficient.  1% may not sound a lot, but to put it into context
UK as a nation 2% of global energy use
US population 5% of world population

Cool light show though- wouldn’t to live near it, you’d need blackout curtains.

Webs: Right, so why not help the fight to get alternative energy to be used...We both know Christmas Lights are going up regardless

Why not fight both sides. More alternative energy AND less unnecessary waste of energy. Espacially in the US it must be possible to save a lot of energy.

Greebo, it’s definitely a waste of time and resources and somewhat of a Big Dick contest, but I can think of worse ways to waste time and resources let alone have a Big Dick contest than this.

it’s definitely a waste of time and resources and somewhat of a Big Dick contest

That’s the first thing I thought of when I heard about this-’Man he must have a small pecker’ but hey, that’s how my mind works. Anyway, I love this 50 degree weather we’re having so shine on Wizards of Winter, Shine On!

GB; part of the problem in the US is that during the 1960’s and up to the oil crisis in the 1970s, Americans had been encouraged to use horrendous amounts of energy.  Cars were supersized and super powered, highways were being built and the oil companies were hard SELLING gasoline to consumers.  Electric companies were encouraging the consumption of electricity; all-electric houses were provided with door knockers boasting that the house was all-electric.  At that time, heat pumps were pretty much unheard of and heat was provided by electric heating elements. 

After the oil crisis, people went nuts insulating and installing double pane windows.  After the initial frenzy, some of the energy conservation methods; such as insulation, double pane windows, and heat pumps became standard.  In the 1980’s the US government encouraged solar heating by providing tax credits, and that mostly became a boondogle.  Few of the solar heating installations from the 1980’s ever worked.  This solar energy boondogle has soured many Americans on the use of solar energy. 

The government has instituted some appliance energy consumption laws and also requires that appliances be uniformly labeled with how much energy they consume—and those labels are largely ignored.  There has been some deregulation of the electric utilities, and has been interesting.  I seem to remember that California almost went bankrupt because of electrical generation deregulation.

The reason Americans still use large amounts of electricity is habit and the fact that in most places electricity is still relatively inexpensive.  The expectation of inexpensive and reliable electricity was formed in the all-electric house period of the 1960’s and old habits die very hard.  If politicians want to stay in office they damn well better make sure that electric rates STAY low.  America’s consumption of natural gas is even more alarming than its consumption of electricity.

Link is dead.

Well it is from a year ago. Links go dead after awhile.