Thanks for the advice. I picked up an Acu-rite indoor/outdoor temp gauge and placed it atop the glass over the heating pad and under the newspaper substrate..and it reads 102 at the hot spot, 80 on the cool side, with 49% humidity. I will go buy a lamp dimmer to control the heating pad a little better, but my question now is--should it be 95 at the hottest part of the heating pad (right on the glass)?