We all know about the War on White Christmas, but little attention is given to the equally sacrilegious war on the Jewish Festival of efficiency and renewables Lights.
Hanukkah commemorates the “rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem” twenty-two centuries ago. The miracle being celebrated is that they only had enough “consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days.”
From my perspective, the miracle was a sign from on high to use renewable fuels and/or put them in a lamp that burns very, very efficiently. The spirit of Hanukkah is violated whenever efforts to promote efficiency and renewables are blocked. Needless to say, the Bush Administration has gutted many efficiency and renewable programs, following in the footsteps of conservatives like Reagan and Gingrich.
Now, during the actually Hanukkah holiday, which just ended, conservatives once again forced progressives and moderates to cut out key provisions of the energy bill that boosted renewable power and energy conservation. Shame on all you meshuganehs!
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Yeah, the one-day-of-oil miracle is possible. However, another one associated with Hanukkah, more likely IMHO, is that Judah was able to lead a group of Jewish farmers into guerilla fighters against the Greeks and win. Also possible is that Hanukkah lasts eight nights because it is also a rededication of the fall harvest holiday, Sukkot, which would have been missed during the war.
Joe — this is brilliant! Hanukkah 2008 we need a full-out campaign to make energy go further!
Great post! I agree. Hannukah was obviously a sign from God that we should put compact fluorescents in every lamp in our homes.
Thanks for alerting me to GWB’s nefarious plans to stifle efficiency and renewables. I’m gonna get some of those new light bulbs before he orders Wal-mart to pull ‘em off the shelf. Very timely information.