I drive WAY too much!

On NPR last night during the news I heard that there is a proposal in IL to charge strip club patrons an additional tax which would be used to fund rape-crisis centers. A great idea to be sure - not that the money will probably end up there...

But as one who grew up on the 'East side' and have driven by many of these establishments daily - my concern has shifted a bit from - 'why do these exist?' to 'How much electricity do they use to power all of that neon and the nightly search lights?!'

One example would be the new pink and blue neon dream off of Interstate 64... Almost every surface is covered in some sort of neon and the parking lot is lit up like daylight (so, yes, I can see your car in the parking lot)

Maybe I shouldn't judge - perhaps they are purchasing renewable energy from Ameren! That would have to be a moral good, right? Let's do the math:

(Strip club + excessive energy usage) - (purchasing renewable energy + bringing income to blighted areas) = still morally dubious

I was never any good at math.