[dbarberic]

Get some Gila Heat Control Platinum home window film from Lowes. It is Energy Star certified and blacks 99% UV and 70% of summer heat. Once applied it is not very visable and it will keep your house looking like a trailer park dump with foil on the windows.

http://www.gilafilms.com/Residential/wi ... atinum.htm

http://www.gilafilms.com/energy/energy.htm

[Loki]

Giving up the Simpsons was the among the toughest parts of eliminating television from my life a few years ago.

Not knowing much about the Simpsons is one of the greatest things of not having had television in my life, ever.

[hijack]
What is it with people who don't own a television that makes them so smug? Most everyone I know who doesn't own a TV has to smugly proclaim it at every opportunity, even though they know damn well that I'm aware they don't own a TV. Big deal, you don't have a TV, it's not like you're saving AIDS orphans in Africa. I didn't own a vacuum cleaner for years--does that make me morally superior, too?
[/hijack]

[elocs]

Giving up the Simpsons was the among the toughest parts of eliminating television from my life a few years ago.

Not knowing much about the Simpsons is one of the greatest things of not having had television in my life, ever.

[hijack]
What is it with people who don't own a television that makes them so smug? Most everyone I know who doesn't own a TV has to smugly proclaim it at every opportunity, even though they know damn well that I'm aware they don't own a TV. Big deal, you don't have a TV, it's not like you're saving AIDS orphans in Africa. I didn't own a vacuum cleaner for years--does that make me morally superior, too?
[/hijack]

[hijack commentary]
I know what you mean. Twenty years ago I belonged ot a strict Pentecostal church and the members did not have television and they thought they were so much better than everybody because they did not watch tv. They did eat and eat a lot so they were overweight.

Of course, as opposed to not watching tv is not reading books. We do have a president who does not read books and is proud of it. The last book he probably looked at was the one about a pet goat while he sat like a deer in the headlights in the grade school classroom after the planes crashed into the twin towers. [end of hijack commentary]

[elocs]

I am a recovering TV addict. I click the button and spin the dial like a dumb lab animal in front of a feeding machine. I am hopeless, ashamed, and I deserve your pity.

Is that smugness christian or liberal?

Maybe it is Chriberal or maybe listian. If it is listian, then move to the center.

[Oily_Bill]

Just fyi, one Kwh of electricity is enough to smelt 63g of Aluminium from ore.

So the energy content of the foil is pretty much neglible...

Oily

[ThePostman]

When I rented, I'd tape the foil to a piece of cardboard and put that in the windows. The cardboard acts as an insulator, and allows the foil to easily be removed or reinstalled at will. It also allows you to use thinner foil and still have some durability.

Good call, when I was working mids, I took the screen off my window, bought a black shower curtain and taped it around both sides. No light came in and it stayed cool, not bad for a $3 solution.

As far as the MLB issue, I met a guy in New York who attached little mirrors on the inside of his trench coat to reflect the alien transmissions away from him. No idea where he escaped from...

[elocs]

I still contend that simple black-out cloth that can be bought at any fabric store is a simple solution and it will block out the sunlight. I buy it off the roll and have each piece cut for the size window I need. I then just tack it just above the window and behind the curtains. When I want to let the light in I simply flip the black-out cloth over the curtain rod. The black-out cloth is white and does not look bad when it is covering the windows. It's great for blocking sunlight that heats a room in warm weather or for making the room completely dark for sleeping during the day.

[Loki]

Is that smugness christian or liberal?

Both. Christian liberals must be utterly insufferable.

Of course, as opposed to not watching tv is not reading books. We do have a president who does not read books and is proud of it. The last book he probably looked at was the one about a pet goat while he sat like a deer in the headlights in the grade school classroom after the planes crashed into the twin towers. [end of hijack commentary]

Actually, I heard recently that he read Camus' The Stranger (probably a book on tape, but still). Kind of a strange choice for a dimwit like him, but I guess he needed to read something vaguely intellectual, but short enough to actually be able to plow through. Plus it's about killing an Arab, so what's not to like? I tried reading it in French years ago and couldn't get through it, but my French sucked.

As for the aluminum, I concede that the energy use in covering a few windows in foil is minimal. I just had visions of everyone covering the windows in the stuff. One person doing something doesn't matter, 300 million people doing it does. I worked in an office where someone covered an entire room's walls in aluminum foil. I'm sure it was torn off and thrown away in a month or two. People see aluminum as a disposable product, not realizing what kind of resources it requires to produce. [/treehugger harangue]

[jbrown]

Code: Select all

Actually, I heard recently that he read Camus' The Stranger

PR stunt..... Looks like it's working

[Loki]

Code: Select all

Actually, I heard recently that he read Camus' The Stranger

PR stunt..... Looks like it's working

I seriously doubt it. Who are they trying to appeal to? Liberals who absolutely loath the man and are already convinced that he's a moron? Conservatives who would be appalled that he's reading a novel by a pointy headed atheistic Frog? Moderates who've never heard of Camus and couldn't care less anyways? Sorry, but your explanation makes no sense. Not everything is a conspiracy.

[jbrown]

I seriously doubt it. Who are they trying to appeal to? Liberals who absolutely loath the man and are already convinced that he's a moron? Conservatives who would be appalled that he's reading a novel by a pointy headed atheistic Frog? Moderates who've never heard of Camus and couldn't care less anyways? Sorry, but your explanation makes no sense. Not everything is a conspiracy.

For the effect. It leaves people wondering. Look how you've rationalized it out. So it must be true. I listened to a 10 minute spot on NPR explaining the basic story line of the book and why he would read it. It's working very well.

[Loki]

I seriously doubt it. Who are they trying to appeal to? Liberals who absolutely loath the man and are already convinced that he's a moron? Conservatives who would be appalled that he's reading a novel by a pointy headed atheistic Frog? Moderates who've never heard of Camus and couldn't care less anyways? Sorry, but your explanation makes no sense. Not everything is a conspiracy.

For the effect. It leaves people wondering. Look how you've rationalized it out. So it must be true.

All righty. Makes perfect sense now.

[oowolf]

Books make pretty good insulation and can be obtained cheaply at yard sales--intellectual content apparently does not alter R value. Just stack them around your house and visitors will think you're really smart. I just wrapped my copy of "The Stranger" in aluminum foil.

[BrownDog]

I just wrapped my copy of "The Stranger" in aluminum foil.

Nice.

[codesuidae]

While foiling your windows to, er, 'foil' heat loss can be effective, taking it to the extreme probably is not cost-effective.

[NEOPO]

Just wanted to note that the dull side not the shiny is the most reflective

and...whats an MLB?
<plays stupid on tv but is stupid as far as MLB goes in reality>
Dont force me to use google!!

at this point I only wish I had a book or video to "plug"

[ChicknLittle]

This may have already been mentioned somewhere, but bubble wrap may make more sense as an insulator... Apparently it increases the R value of the window by 1, while allowing light in.

http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Co ... lewrap.htm

[markam]

Aluminum foil works pretty well in deflecting the mind-control transmissions MLB beams down from their satellites.

Why is Major League Baseball trying to control our minds?

If you take your Focusyn for a couple of weeks, you would understand the entire evil plot.

[codesuidae]

Just wanted to note that the dull side not the shiny is the most reflective

Googling around a bit I found:

The official word from the Reynolds aluminum people is as follows: "It makes little difference which side of the Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil you use--both sides do the same fine job of cooking, freezing, and storing food. There is a slight difference in the reflectivity of the two sides, but it is so slight that laboratory instruments are required to measure it." -StraightDope.com

I liked this answer too:

The shiny side is slightly better reflector of heat. Face that side of the foil in the appropriate direction. To keep things cold, put the shiny side on the outside -- that will reflect incoming heat. To keep things warm, face the shiny side inward toward the hot food -- to reflect the heat that is trying to escape back into the food.

Note that people often bake potatoes with the shiny side out -- that is because it makes for a better (prettier) presentation. In reality, baking them that way reflects the incoming heat on the outside, slightly slowing the cooking process.

Of course, in reality, which side of the foil faces where makes little difference. It does make for lively conversation, though.