42 Comments
User's avatar
Michael Baker's avatar

Just think it's ironic that someone from Texas is complaining about this, as their power grid exploded every winter and needs Federal help.

Amy Allsopp's avatar

Mother f@ckin' LD

Sherry's avatar

I’ll agree that 78 is the perfect temp especially in the winter. And, when I go back home to visit in NC I always bring a sweater too for the restaurants OR sit outside. People think we’re crazy but it comfortable when compared to the inside.

Went home to take care of my mom when my sister went on vacation. She marveled at how little her Duke power bill was when she got back. I swear that she has her AC so low it’s like you’re stunned into submission.

Here in NorCal I’m always cold in the city. At the house in the sierras it gets cool at night so we let the air in and then close up the windows and curtains to maintain that throughout the day until the late afternoon when it starts to cool off. We have one AC unit for my office window.

Seventy-eight is pleasant.

otterbird's avatar

Oh my goodness, thank you for this. I live in NYC and the uproar on the Right has been infuriating. Yes, 78 IS reasonable, AND it's a f*ckton better than 100% without electricity because the grid went down. Good grief, whatever happened to looking out for your fellow humans? I think of visiting a friend in Florida in the 1980s and how her parents NEVER turned on the AC, because it was expensive. They were right-wingers, too. (I don't talk to them anymore, but not because of the AC; because of the right-winginess).

And also thank you for pointing out we over-air-condition rooms in the mid-Atlantic. I went to a guitar class last week, on one of the 100 degree days here, and dressed for it (tshirt and shorts). The room I was in, with only 4 other people, was set to, I can only guess, maybe 60 degrees, if not lower. It. Was. Awful. I was sitting on my hands for warmth (cold fingers are not conducive to agility on the guitar, by the way), and every time the AC kicked back on, I got anxious. I can't remember a thing from that class, other than I was cold.

SethTriggs's avatar

The American Way is to discard practicality for ideology. That is why we continue using supply side and all of the stupid bigotries we should know better than to follow. As Mamdani is a big boogeyman among the unreconstructed, there goes the good sense.

Ignorance is a virtue, and as we see, lots of Americans are excited to—performatively even—wreck themselves with bullshit.

Edith Prickly's avatar

I keep my home AC at 24C (around 75F) and it’s perfectly comfortable.

The basement turns into a chest freezer if we go lower than that.

Stephen Robinson's avatar

Yes, we have that challenge, as well. The “first floor suite,” as I call it, is well-insulated so it gets very cool quickly.

Bruce's avatar

Mamdani was simply repeating advice from the US Department of Energy, which large numbers of people promptly reported. The Administration responded by deleting 6000 web pages of such material from the site.

https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:o6seeqltpahrwunrk77pwz25/post/3mpqvnqh2w22m

SethTriggs's avatar

Epistemic closure is one hell of a drug!

Linda1961 aka Pollyanna's avatar

And the morons running the federal government forgot that the internet is forever, and that screen shots exist.

Old Man Shadow's avatar

Apparently Southern California Edison is communist because this is literally the advice they put out every heat wave every summer in SoCal.

Biff52 Lost Canadian's avatar

I'm with LADWP even though I'm 250 miles north of town in the Owens Valley and we get the same advice from them. They also offer rebates on energy efficient appliances, but of course they make it impossible for us to take advantage up here. Thankfully I have solar that covers most of my needs except for heating in the winter. For that, I have a wood stove. When I become too old and feeble to gather my own wood, though, I'll have to flip a switch and pay for the privilege of not freezing to death!

llamaspit's avatar

Just more nonsense from the perpetually ideologically aggrieved!

Linda1961 aka Pollyanna's avatar

Duke Energy has for years been encouraging its customers to keep the thermostat at 78 degrees during the day, and at 80 degrees at night, during the summer. I live in Greenville's neighbor of Spartanburg, and the outside temps have gotten into the 90s for the last several weeks. 78 feels fine, and at night, a fan going makes 80 fine enough that I can get to sleep. Doing this helps keep my power bill down, and doesn't put as much stress on the power grid. No doubt it will extend the life of my central AC. It makes good sense to do this! So why don't cons do it? Because everything that the left does or says inspires a knee jerk reaction from them. They don't care if they cut off their noses to spite their faces as long as they think that they own the libs. They are pathetic.

Sherry's avatar

I was about to point out Duke power. We always got that advice when I lived there. When winter came it was another recommended temp setting.

Sun's avatar

Yeah. And the expression ‘own the libs’ should be dissected and then buried. What does it even mean? What did it ever mean? Is it really a thing? I’m not owned and never will be. One thing’s for sure, I vote.

Linda1961 aka Pollyanna's avatar

Cons think that they have trolled liberals or made us cry or showed how stupid we are. None of that is true, but they think so, and it makes them feel good. Pathetic, as I've mentioned. While I did write "...they own the libs," I didn't mean that they actually did do so. I will correct it to "...they think that they owned the libs" for clarification.

Sun's avatar

Thanks, Linda!

Stephen Robinson's avatar

That is what makes this current time so challenging. It was one thing when people had genuine differences of opinion and unique perspectives. But now it seems as if way too many people base their views in deliberate contrast to the people they have determined to loathe.

Late Blooming's avatar

That was even a problem for the Biden administration.

Bruce's avatar

As I've said for years, Obama could have stopped this nonsense cold, by reminding everyone that it is vitally important that everyone should never wrap their heads tightly in plastic bags, because of the risk of suffocation.

Stephen Robinson's avatar

This was a clever Key & Peele sketch, where Obama “forced” Republicans to embrace liberal positions because he pretended to promote classical conservative ones.

Frank Talk, Action Pundit!'s avatar

No honest Southerner is freeking out, as we've got these requests every summer for years, thanks to America's aging infrastructure (thanks, Republicans!).

This is purely MAGAtdom trying to gin up yet another fake "crisis" to distract from the Dem's gains in the polls and elections, the GOP's treasonous crimes, and from the Epstein Files.

Biff52 Lost Canadian's avatar

reagan convinced people that deferred maintenance was saving money and they've never let it go.

Frank Talk, Action Pundit!'s avatar

Try that on your house and see how well it works.

Biff52 Lost Canadian's avatar

I’m dealing with about 80 years worth of deferred maintenance! I bought the least expensive house in the valley, and I pay for my frugality every day.

Cateck's avatar

Every once in a while I'll kick it down to 76, but 78 really is where my ac is set most of the time. I can't imagine going under 75.

On another topic, who saw the Platner meltdown coming? Sorry, Maine!

Edith Prickly's avatar

The alarm bells started ringing for me after the sexting scandal broke. People who cheat are abusers, full stop.

Cateck's avatar

I’m not in Maine but the nazi tattoo and blackwater past would have been the end of my support.

Linda1961 aka Pollyanna's avatar

Regarding Platner, I was hoping for the best (stupid, because I engaged in that magical thinking that so many Americans engage in, rather than the critical thinking that we should engage in), but am not surprised. If he gets out ASAP, like many are urging, Maine Dems can pick someone to take his place on the ballot. Sure, it will be an uphill battle to beat Collins, but it would be better than no candidate, or Platner.

Late Blooming's avatar

I’m in Maine, and he still has a lot of people urging him to stay in as well.

Cateck's avatar

Polls say otherwise:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/poll-majority-maine-voters-want-030326032.html

Most people who endorsed him have rescinded their endorsement.

Late Blooming's avatar

Well, gee, thanks for telling me how much I don’t know about my own state.

I have no idea what he’ll do, tbh-I can tell you, yahoo aside,he still has a great deal of support at the grassroots level even if endorsers are backing away. Time will tell. But my guess is that he is negotiating an exit from the race that gives the nomination to Troy Jackson, the Bernie-endorsed gubernatorial candidate.

Cateck's avatar

In what world should a guy dropping out because, among many things, he's been accused of rape, be allowed to negotiate anything? He should shut the fuck up and get out. Are you still supporting him? And being one of 50 senators affects all of us, so yeah, I have a stake in this even if it's not my state.

Late Blooming's avatar

😆 you badly need to chill and maybe focus on something that's in your control. Honestly, Susan Collins is likely to win no matter who challenges her so relax. I don't need to be lectured about who I support or why, and I *certainly* don't need to explain myself to anyone. So back off, please, before I need to mute you.

In fact, I will anyway. Bye. Too bad, too.

BrandoG's avatar

Please talk to my wife who finds my setting it at 78 unbearable (we compromised by my giving in and it’s now 76). I get why offices and public places are colder though—people tend to dress more formally and while they don’t mind people being a bit colder than they’d like, they absolutely don’t want anyone sweating at work.

And for the fools jacking down their AC during a heat wave, you’re supposed to raise the temperature because if it’s running nonstop for too long it can break down. Also, Mamdani may be too young to remember but he’s surely aware of what happens during a summer heat wave blackout in NYC. In 1977, this led to riots and indirectly contributed to the Bronx hip hop scene because DJs now had access to turntables pilfered from electronics stores. But this time, who knows what sort of musical forms this could lead to?

Linda1961 aka Pollyanna's avatar

Even if you are lacking empathy, as the cons do, and don't care about the power grid (which is stupid, because if it breaks down, you lose your AC), or care about others, you should at least show some sense and care about yourself, and for the reason that you state - your AC will breakdown from running non-stop too long. Aside from that, lower thermostat temps for the AC means higher power bills. If these idiots are telling the truth, they are probably wearing sweaters at home, but it must be worth it to them to own the libs.

BrandoG's avatar

Same idiots who think they’re owning us when they roll coal on their 10 mpg trucks, wasting gas that they have to pay for. Total idiots and it’d be nice to not have to live around them.

Frankly though I think our thoughtful leaders should appeal to our selfishness—save money, keep your system operational! That is what motivates most people.

Bruce's avatar

The list of shit they paid for to destroy in protest is endless:coffeemakers, Bud Lite, Yeti Coolers, Nike shoes, etc etc. (and I will guarantee, they went right out and bought the stuff again...)

Deirdre Mooney's avatar

The republicans are only complaining about the 78 F setting because it came from Mamdani!

Hypocrite all!

Sherry's avatar

This!

Late Blooming's avatar

78 degrees is fine, but we all know it’s not about the temperature.