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Hot weekend tip: turning off your A/C might actually cost you

This weekend’s forecast: scorching temps, strong feelings, and local beauty standards. We’ve got A/C hacks that actually save you money, a sad-song showdown backed by science, and one photo turned into 18 versions of “perfect.”

Author

Greg Sullivan
September 05, 2025

In partnership with

“What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.”
 ― Jane Austen

Wait… that can’t be right.

Erik Barnes is a good writer, but when I saw this story come across my desk, I had to go fact-check him. Turns out Erik got it right (as usual). Experts say it’s better for your wallet and the planet to leave the A/C on. But “on” doesn’t mean “set to Arctic blast.”

Angel, an HVAC tech and unlikely TikTok sage, explains that shutting your A/C off lets your home heat up. When you come back, your system has to work overtime to cool it down again. That energy spike? It could end up costing more than just leaving it humming at a higher temp.

The U.S. Department of Energy agrees. A few degrees warmer while you're gone = real savings. Especially if you live somewhere humid (hi, mold), or you want your A/C to last longer than your last situationship.

Want to cool smarter, not harder this weekend? From high-tech thermostats to low-budget hacks (yes, closing your blinds actually makes a difference), the story breaks down how to beat the heat without burning cash or the planet.

What’s your go-to survival move in a heatwave?

Because sweating through your jeans is not a personality.

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

And what did we learn?

Yesterday’s poll asked “Which elder superpower are you most looking forward to?” “Saying exactly what I think” took the win with 35% of the vote, but I get the impression an All Of The Above option would have dominated.

  • Saying exactly what I think, always (35.0%)

  • Dressing for comfort, not comments (32.5%)

  • Becoming invisible in public (and loving it) (15.0%)

  • Canceling plans with zero guilt (17.5%)

Reader Collawn chose “Saying exactly what I think” and added “And immediately discarding gossip, rumors, conspiracy theories, unfounded claims, etc. Science and data are key.” We think that’s a GOOD answer.

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From Nirvana to Clapton, these tunes didn’t just break hearts, they triggered biometric responses.

Scientists and listeners have tried to settle an impossible debate: what’s the saddest song ever recorded? In this story by Ryan Reed, we learn that the answer depends on whether you ask Rolling Stone readers, a Durham University researcher with a sadness algorithm, or a Nokia study that literally measured people’s skin temperature while they listened to Britpop ballads.

Some picks are predictable, Eric Clapton’s grief-stricken “Tears in Heaven.” Others are more surprising, like Nirvana’s bleak “Something in the Way” or The Verve’s “The Drugs Don’t Work,” with its infamous lyric, “Like a cat in a bag, waiting to drown.”

Think you’ve got the emotional stamina to face the full list? Grab a tissue and take your best shot...

Artists use Photoshop to share their local ideas of ideal.

What happens when you hand the same photo of one woman to 18 designers around the world and ask them to make her “beautiful”? A project called Perceptions of Perfection did just that, and the results are equal parts fascinating and surreal.

Some edits slimmed her down dramatically. Others added curves, softened features, or completely remixed her hair and makeup. A few even changed her clothes, which wasn’t technically part of the brief, but… points for creativity.

It’s worth noting that the starting photo is of a white woman, which makes the gallery feel a little narrow. At the same time, it’s refreshing that no one tried to Photoshop her into a different race. While the project has its limits, it offers a playful glimpse into how other cultures lean into their own ideals of beauty.

So no, this isn’t the final word on “perfection.” But it is a quirky, tech-powered way to see how body image shifts from country to country, and maybe a reminder that there’s no single answer to what makes someone beautiful.

💬 From the group text…

Arizona Humane Society posted a montage of doggos before and after being told “GOOD girl”/“GOOD boy,” and, honestly, isn’t this how we’d all react?

Until tomorrow, may you stay cool as you gently weep to a sad song of your choosing.