Craig Rettig.com

Why does everyone keep talking about Wendy's new Baconator burger? Sure, it's heavy on the fat and calories, but it's no match for the long-standing king of fast food burgers, the Hardee's Monster Thickburger. Don't believe me? Check it out:

Sorry, Wendy's. Nice try, but not even close. This is why Hardee's will always have my love. Two Monster Burgers (sans buns) makes for a near-perfect meal, in my opinion.

Besides, Wendy's ruins the whole burger by putting ketchup on it... Bleah!

Recommended reading: Eat Your Cholesterol

The last few nights I've had problems sleeping. I've had problems with insomnia in the past, but following the tips in SleepWiz has made it a non-issue.

Unlike a lot of people, if my bedroom isn't much over 80°F, I can open the windows and turn on the ceiling fan to sleep quite comfortably. The nights have been dipping into the high 60s/low 70s, so temperature isn't the issue. I haven't changed my wake/rise times, exercise, or hydration patterns lately, so those shouldn't be the issue. The only thing I can figure is the humidity.

Here in Louisville, KY, we've been very dry since mid-May. I don't think I mowed the yard yet this month. However, since Saturday night, we've had either rain or a chance of rain, and this looks to continue the rest of the week.

So I broke down and turned the air conditioner (A/C) on this morning. Yep, days in the 90s, and I am just now turning on the air conditioner. Why haven't I turned it on sooner? Several reasons, actually:

Temperature shock: The prevalant cause of summer colds is similar to what happens in the winter. The temperature inside is twenty or more degrees different from the outdoor temperature. You step outside, and the temperature difference puts your body in a state of flux while it adapts to the sudden change. It's the cumulative effect of these fluxes that weaken your system and allow infections to take over. This is also the reason I keep my thermostat set at 80°F or more, so the effect is minimized.

Fresh air: Besides the cold, the worst thing about winter is the way the air "tastes" inside the house. Even with a good filter on my intake vent, after about two to three months, the air gets very stale. Fortunately, we usually have a week or two in January where the outside temperature gets into the 60s, and I can crack a window for a few hours in the afternoon. Likewise, the air begins to stale in the summertime with the A/C on.

Cost: Even with modern improvements, cooling is still a terribly inefficient technology, and you use a lot of electricity cooling a house down ten or more degrees. This becomes evident when you get your electric bill for the month. I'm comfortable, financially, but there's no sense spending money if it's not directly improving your life.

That's my take on air conditioning. If I fall asleep easier tonight, I'll know for sure it's the humidity that's causing the problem.