America 'leads' the way in Air Conditioning?

In thinking about the things that America 'leads' in, I wouldn't think that Air Conditioning would be at the top of the list. On the contrary, most air conditioning producers are multi-national corporations with parts produced across the world. So, in coming across this article, I was a big confused, and intrigued enough to read on. Source: Evans, Stephen. (BBC North America business correspondent) "How air-conditioning keeps changing the US" Last Updated: Tuesday, 19 July, 2005, 22:15 GMT 23:15 UK http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4697519.stm Mr. Evans attributes the shift of the US population to the South as a function of air conditioning, which also attracted businesses and makes the south more politically powerful. Interesting argument, I don't know that many political scientists would sign off on that one, but interesting. More interesting (to me - a history major) was his inclusion of when congress added air conditioning and some other historical numbers.

"In the end, the air-conditioners won the day. In 1925, the Rivoli cinema in New York installed a new system at an astronomical cost of $100,000 - it paid for itself in three months. Congress debated the matter in 1928 and decided for coolness rather than fortitude. In 1942, Washington became the fist city where electricity consumption was higher in summer than winter."

So, in summary? Make sure your air conditioner is running at the best it possibly can be, with check-ups and fill-ups, because it's important to have cool air.