4 ms·

Exactly. Air conditioning is probably a top 3-5 all time human invention.

bonzini 4y ago
If air conditioning is top 3, blinds (the kind that actually keeps heat out, which you find in Mediterranean countries, not the shitty ones you put inside the room) are worth a Nobel prize.
- helmholtz 4y ago
  And stepwells, and latticework false walls, and high ceilings, and ventilators at the top of the house, and having a false-basement thing in houses where it's a bit cooler in the afternoons, and siestas and walking slowly from place to place, and loose-fitting linen clothing, and lemonade. But no. My shitty white plastic Carrier A/C is all I care about. Housing in the US is depressingly shite.
  - somewhereoutth 4y ago
    I think the idea is that Americans want to live like northern Europeans regardless of the actual climate of where they are.
  - Turing_Machine 4y ago
    Stepwells are picturesque, but they are also a public health nightmare.
- LightG 4y ago
  Agreed. We're just learning now, in the current heatwave, how effective blackout blinds are in keep the heat out (white coloured backing facing the sun). It's great.
  - bonzini 4y ago
    Look at Spain, Italy or Greece on Google Maps (or southern France too). You'll see that they put blinds outside the building.
throw0101a 4y ago
> Air conditioning is probably a top 3-5 all time human invention. No such much AC specifically, but rather the refrigerant loop generally, IMHO. Being able to keep humans cool, but also food chilled (to limit bacteria growth), food frozen (for long term storage and transport), as well as medication, vaccines, blood, tissue samples, etc. The cold chain (in logistics) is a marvel of human accomplishment: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_chain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_chain
- FollowingTheDao 4y ago
  >The cold chain (in logistics) is a marvel of human accomplishment... ...until we all realize it was short sighted because it killed of billions because of starvation and the inability to cool ourselves.

If air conditioning is top 3, blinds (the kind that actually keeps heat out, which you find in Mediterranean countries, not the shitty ones you put inside the room) are worth a Nobel prize.

helmholtz 4y ago
And stepwells, and latticework false walls, and high ceilings, and ventilators at the top of the house, and having a false-basement thing in houses where it's a bit cooler in the afternoons, and siestas and walking slowly from place to place, and loose-fitting linen clothing, and lemonade. But no. My shitty white plastic Carrier A/C is all I care about. Housing in the US is depressingly shite.
- somewhereoutth 4y ago
  I think the idea is that Americans want to live like northern Europeans regardless of the actual climate of where they are.
- Turing_Machine 4y ago
  Stepwells are picturesque, but they are also a public health nightmare.
LightG 4y ago
Agreed. We're just learning now, in the current heatwave, how effective blackout blinds are in keep the heat out (white coloured backing facing the sun). It's great.
- bonzini 4y ago
  Look at Spain, Italy or Greece on Google Maps (or southern France too). You'll see that they put blinds outside the building.

throw0101a 4y ago

> Air conditioning is probably a top 3-5 all time human invention. No such much AC specifically, but rather the refrigerant loop generally, IMHO. Being able to keep humans cool, but also food chilled (to limit bacteria growth), food frozen (for long term storage and transport), as well as medication, vaccines, blood, tissue samples, etc. The cold chain (in logistics) is a marvel of human accomplishment: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_chain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_chain

FollowingTheDao 4y ago
>The cold chain (in logistics) is a marvel of human accomplishment... ...until we all realize it was short sighted because it killed of billions because of starvation and the inability to cool ourselves.