Hot Enough to Boil an Entire Monkey

As a follow-up to yesterday's post, I'm happy to report that as of 10am today, our air conditioning is finally working again.

But going two days and nights without air conditioning hasn't been fun, especially given that temperatures have risen above 100 degrees this week.

I have to agree with Shelley Powers - I can't imagine living without air conditioning, and I feel for those who do. I admit it: I am spoiled yuppie scum when it comes to staying cool. As critical as Internet access is to a techie like myself, I could live without connectivity longer than I could live without air conditioning.

Air conditioning is more important than Internet access - imagine that!

Comments

[Peter Tilbrook]

Being an American - I am sure you know what "boxer shorts" are.

For the last five years I have been reduced to wearing BS, and only BS, for most of the day - and into the night too - not a pretty sight! You say 100? For Aussies 35-40+c and no humidity to speak of.

For us at the moment it is Winter and about 0c to 11c maximum.

God bless Dad for buying me a Fujitsu inverter to be fitted on Monday - especially come summer now the worst of winter seems to be over (minus 9 on a warm day).

And god bless the Internet for keeping us out of that nasty thing they call the "Sun".

[Randy Peterman]

When I moved to Texas at 21, having just gotten married 9 months earlier, I was moving into the unknown. I had lived in the Nevada high desert. As in relatively cool compared to anything that would happen in Texas during the summers.

We moved down on July 26th 1999 and I got heat stroke moving my furniture into the apartment. We were glad we had air conditioning. One night, during the 45 day streak of 100+ degrees (F), the air conditioner stopped. It was like we were sleeping in a warm bath. Ewww. I'm glad that you got your AC fixed, but if you moved to Colorado, it would be a lot cooler ;) [and I don't even work at NewsGator].

[Mark Woodman]

Here's to getting one step closer to becoming temperature-controlled Eloi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eloi). I plan my vacations around heat and humidity for exactly that reason. Congrats on coolness restored... musta sucked.

[Fiat Lux]

The vast majority of homes built in warmer climates since the invention of air conditioning are wholly unsuitable for living in without A/C. It's a good argument for rethinking architecture and/or buying older homes in those climates.

[Rijk]

Have to agree with Fiat Lux here. We are working hard about limiting our energy use over here in our more modarate climate, making sure houses are properly insulated. Works pretty well for newer houses. It also helps for the few really warm days we have here, in keeping the heat out. Some long term thinking in warmer areas would also be useful.

[Rob Wilkerson]

I had the same problem last summer during a similarly oppressive heat episode on the east coast. I've been proudly affirming my fondness for conditioned air ever since.

[Zufoo]

Without air conditioning there may not even be a Internet, what with data centres needing to be cooled etc.

[Wataru Tenga]

Tokyo is hot and humid right now -- 35degC (around 90F) by day and 27 (80F) at night. But our family of 5 is toughing it out. We have air conditioners in most rooms, but have yet to turn any of them on. That (along with our car-less and meat-less life style) is the best we can do for the earth as the permafrost melts and the oceans rise.

[Charles Roper]

Air conditioning is an unsustainable, major greenhouse gas causing, way to cool our buildings. The more we use aircon, the worse our climate will get. We're gonna HAVE to learn to live without air conditioning if our children and their children are going to have a world worth living in. It is a deep worry for us Europeans:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/weather/Story/0,,1830298,00.html

But there is some hope though (in terms of building cooling):

http://www.arup.com/europe/feature.cfm?pageid=3806