Although the following assertion is going to rile certain portions of the readership, I'm putting it out there anyway:
Bellyaching about having to use energy-efficient light bulbs is pure candy-ass.
CODE ORANGE NEWS ALERT: Using your incandescent light bulbs to heat your house is dumb dumb dumb. You go to touch a light bulb that's been on a few minutes? You burn your candy-ass fingertips? You just proved my point.
Yes, I know the curly bulbs aren't the most aesthetically appealing. Yes, I'm pretty sure you can buy good-looking energy efficient bulbs. No, I haven't researched said topic. Yes, we still have some hotbulbs* in our house, including five above the kitchen table on a dimmer and four in my bathroom, also on a dimmer. Yes, my family eats in low light. No, I don't put my makeup on in low light (I'm 46 years old for chrissake). Yes, the heat from the bathroom bulbs makes me crazy in the summer (no AC) and guiltily indulgent in the winter (the thermostat is set to 64 [day] and 60 [night]). Yes, I have to find energy efficient replacements for these fixtures. Yes, I realize this yes/no format is cloying. No, that is not me featured in today's graphic.
Our electric bill averaged $73 over the past 12 months. Kiss my ass.
And it doesn't end there. We** used to replace the bulbs over kitchen sink about every three months. Now it's every three or four years. How beautiful is that you silly candy-ass righties?
That said, even I have my limits when it comes to conservation.
The Goat (from behind the newspaper last night): They've got a light bulb that costs forty bucks and supposed to last 25 years.
Me ( hovering over my jigsaw puzzle): Really? (long pause) Dunno, though, hon.
The Goat: What?
Me: We might not live that long.
The Goat (he's nine years older than me): We're pushing it, huh?
Me: Yup.
##
*Hotbulbs? Dear Lord, please tell me I've just coined a new word.
**The readership will note the Goat's objection to the authoress's pronoun selection in this sentence.
##
49 comments:
My son and daughter-in-law have been complaining about the powers-that-be telling us what type of light bulb we must use...I just grin at them...what good does it go to complain...use the d**n bulbs...we have them all over the house/barn/sheds, etc...
Definitely don't question those "powers-that-be". Any problems with the crappers that don't use enough water? Roto Rooter loves those.
Candy. Ass.
I'm with you on the pronoun selection. And now I await the slings and arrows that might bring my way.
That's not me in the graphic, either. I don't have those particular pasties.
Bill, it's not only polite, the Toto's functionality is brilliant. Thanks for asking.
Hola Judy. Leslie--you can borrow mine.
I hate fluorescent bulbs because the quality of the light makes me feel bad--really crappy--I have enough sleep and depression problems as is. I have replaced many bulbs where no one cares, but not in the kitchen or by my bedside. I've started to horde incandescents from the Target bulb shelves.
I'm waiting for full-spectrum efficiency and no mercury. What about the mercury?
I am for gov't regulation, but only the gov't regulation that I like (insert irony-face emoticon here).
Love the lamp but wouldn't want one in my house, not really.
Highest A/C bill ever received was this past month, as temps here consistently hit 103-115F heat index. Price? $101.33. Highest heating bill in winter: $88. I think we avg. basically what you list. Water bill? (sewage and garbage included) Highest monthly: $48. I'm Romanian so I don't complain when it's 80 in the summer in the house, or 62 in the winter. We have overhead fans, and a fireplace. They both are used accordingly. I would like to join you in saying: Kiss my arse.
Erin: I Have a couple of those. That toilet seat action is very polite. As I recall, the Toto brand, cost me a couple hundred $$ more than the rude ones.
I would like to use more energy efficient bulbs, but I don't like the idea of them ending up in trash bags. You KNOW there are gonna be tons of people who are either too lazy or too ignorant to dispose of them properly.
That being said though, Bachmann is a hysterical goddamn showboat who adds nothing of value to the debate.
And this? (from the first article Erin linked)
"House Republicans have already taken advantage of their newfound power to dial back some of Democrats' environmental initiatives. This week, foam plastic coffee cups reappeared in Congressional cafeterias after a four year absence, the result of new Republican Speaker John Boehner moving to reverse much of former Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi's "Greening the Capitol" initiative."
You mean there are still people using foam plastic cups? Didn't we start figuring those were a bad idea 20 YEARS AGO? WTF? I'm floored.
No A/C and you live in Cleveland? No, you may not be a candy ass, but that starts to cross over the line into masochistic. (So say the candy ass reader originally from California.)
Hmmm, very tempting offer. One size fits all?
My place is almost completely outfitted in these bulbs, but I have to say it's a pain when they do go out (and they all will eventually) because I have to make special trips to the recycling center. I know, I know, my life is SO HARD. But like Loopsy up there, I imagine many/most people are not going to go through the trouble and just throw them away.
Also, I broke one by accident and had to go through the whole process of sealing the pieces in a glass jar and trying not to breathe too much. I also don't like the look of fluorescent light and it can be annoying that the bulbs take a while to fully turn on.
Don't get me wrong -- I use energy-efficient, non-hotbulbs almost exclusively. I just like to bitch sometimes.
The Law of Unintended Consequences:
a) it is not inexpensive to properly dispose of fluorescents-my recycler at work charges like $8 bucks for an eight-foot bulb.
b) the low-flow terlet* tanks that you have to stand over and flush 3 times for a really healthy dump? Aerosol spray from a toilet flush can travel 20 feet. Got E. coli?
c) the (seemingly) right-leaning push-back against CFLs? It is untrue that incandescents will be 'outlawed'-there just has to be a mix of less and more efficient bulbs.
*-in loving memory of Archie Bunker
Mike R
ps-genius, using a 'Boehner' for a pastie-but who's that other dude?
Yes comrade. We don't like it but it is best for the masses and we should not complain. Does anyone know where I can get some 2 ply toilet paper?
Ms Bachmann's Lightbulb Freedom of Choice Act (I'm guessing her signature legislative achievement) seeks to repeal one small section of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which deals more with transportation, fuel, and appliances. Apparently she is fine with the government telling us what kinds of autos to drive, what kinds of fuel to purchase, and what kinds of fridges, air conditioners, and ovens to run, but by god, telling us what kind of lightbulbs to use really crosses the line.
When you go to the polls next year, remember: a vote for Michele Bachmann is a vote for preserving your right to start a fire inside a glass bulb.
In the past decade, hundreds of Chinese factory workers who manufacture CFLs for export to first world countries were being poisoned and hospitalized because of mercury exposure. Examples include workers at the Nanhai Feiyang lighting factory in Foshan, where 68 out of 72 were so badly poisoned that they required hospitalization. At another CFL factory in Jinzhou, 121 out of 123 employees were found to have excessive mercury levels, with one employee's mercury level 150 times the accepted standard.
SMILE BE HAPPY YOUR GOVERNMENT KNOWS BEST AND LOVES YOU.
James Old Guy
Use 'em in good health. I have some in non-reading lights.
I just object to the Gov't TELLING me I have to use them.
the corporation I work for dictates a certain look to the nail tec table that includes the curly q's. my 59 nine year old eyes rebel:( it's like doing a manicure by braille...
The 2007 law does not eliminate all incandescent bulbs (I think the 100-watt is a goner, but there will still be lots of others). It does not mandate the use of compact fluorescent bulbs.
No way am I going to try to keep up with these comments.
RE: the 25 year $40 bulbs:
But the LED technology is so superior and durable that it will change how people think about light bulbs, she said. The durability includes handling.
These bulbs won't break or fail if you drop them. They are not made of glass, contain no mercury and can be dimmed.
source
Looks like my city will recycle CFLs for free. Here's a recycle center search tool. I typed CFL in the search box.
@ Barbara...I can empathise...I've been compelled to do pedicures under low-light conditions and the consequences...
@ Harry-Ironic, isn't it, that Mrs. Bachman's siqnature legislation might involve light bulbs, and the one intermittently flickering on and off over her one-track mind is only an 11-watt? The CFL issue does make a nice air-time filler for Faux news and other outlets too lazy to get any background information.
@ all-speaking of Faux News, anyone who missed Jon Stewart's takedown of new-mother-anchor Megyn Kelly re: HYPOCRISY-I know, shocking-over maternal leave, juxtaposed with her past foaming-at-her-artificially-shaped-mouth over the abuses of entitlements...watch it. I spit up a chunk of my pancreas.
@ all-re our previous discussion of Governor K-Sick...yeah, I thought we (Ohio Owner's Manual denizens), along with our fellows in Wisconsin had pretty much the worst of Gubernatorial gaseousness. But check out Florida Governor Rick Scott's CNN conversation July 27 over the debt ceiling vote. Seriously, K-sick could play George Bailey to Scott's Mr. Potter. And the thing is, dude DOESN'T understand the economics of it. It's like listening to Governor Gump.
Save us lord, watch over us...
Mike R
Sorry so long. Get worked up. Need more paxil...
It's good that you believe in prayer, Mike. I'm assuming you'll be doing lots of in in 2012 when WI, OH, and, FL are all red for new Pres.
BREAKING NEWS: A SUBTLE PATTERN HAS REVEALED ITSELF IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL: An innocuous post about a terrific farmer's market in California...but then...inside stories about the alleged aphrodisiacal qualities of artichokes...and consuming 'organic goat'...and then...ANOTHER SoCal post with a BIG_ASS phallic symbol...message received, Erin...
Mike R
WV: wessle: Ensign Chekov served upon the Federation 'wessle' Enterprise
@Bill-I believe strongly in the power of prayer-I've seen it work so many times that to not believe in it would defy common sense.
We hold the elections for the same reason sports teams play the games.
Let's see who really wins.
I would pray for whomever might be elected in 2012 if the President were not to be re-elected, for the stance of the congressional Republican party will make the country completely ungovernable. And I'm quite fond of my country. There is an excellent chance, based upon recent electoral cycles, that a Republican president might again be dealing with a Democrat House of Representatives and a Senate
if not Democrat, able to block cloture. In that case, the country would be fortunate, because the congressional Democrats have proven that they are not so beholden to ideology that they would harm the country as the House Republicans were willing to do in the debt-ceiling hostage crisis. Don't believe it? Look at who in the House voted for the recent deal. Nancy Pelosi rescued Boehner's arse. You can look it up.
MikeR...must....geeetttt..more...paxil.....
It's funny how a simple conversation about silly old light bulbs can quickly turn on you. Wow.
The stores around here are now selling 58 watt bulbs instead of 60's, 38 watts instead of 40, and so on. I heard that this is some kind of loophole that the companies have figured out so that they can keep making the bulbs. Not sure if this is just a California thing or not.
I actually got suckered in and bought one of those super expensive, "last a lifetime" bulbs. It died.
I don't really care too much one way or the other about these bulbs. There are pro's and con's for both kinds. But I do have one Very Important concern: you see, I have quite a few, really fabulous, vintage lamps that employ clip-on shades. They need a real old fashioned bulb to clip on. They won't clip on the new twirly bulbs. This, people, is the kind of thing to lose sleep over!
wv: domed. We're all domed!
I really believe DDP's shape troubles, the mercury issue, and Twink's light/color objections will go away as the brilliant American entrepreneurial spirit kicks in.
As for ye conservatives*, got leaded gas?
*make no mistake, your humble hostess does indeed appreciate your readership, comments and polite nature on these here pages.
oh yeah.
The pasties are Boehner and Bachmann.
In fact, I invite y'all to click on the pic to enlarge. I completed this impressive Photoshop effort a couple of weeks ago--long before the Bachmann Newsweek cover controversy erupted.
She has that crazy look in the pasty-pic. I've seen her have it in interviews. She has that wild-eye look a lot. Frankly, I don't think the Newsweek picture misrepresents her.
Oh damn Erin, I gave you more credit than that. I thought sure it was Pelosi and Boehner giving us boob left and boob right.
And so I thank the members of Congress. I appreciate the fact that we've worked together, that we can show what's possible in addressing the big issues facing our nation. This is a good bill and I'm pleased to sign it.--George W. Bush upon signing the 2007 law that put the high-efficiency light bulb rule in place.
source
Rather than worry about energy efficiency in this age of limited resources, or fret over government intervention in our personal lighting choices, I recommend that everyone make a tall, strong drink, and crank up some Iggy Pop.
Harry Finch HAS it, and I am enjoying pondering Alph's boob left and boob right notion. I'm a proud left boober.
Late doubletake: Erin, if my math is correct and that Goat is anything like 55, I'm feeling very withered and hopeless. What, he was kept on ice for a decade or two? I want his secrets.
I'm looking at the naked babe and singing cuando caliente el foco.
@Erin-Ms Bachman has that crazy look...because...well, she's ape-shit, swing-from-the-chandelier, give-the-dog-a-beer CRAZY.
She has compared educational reform to Auschwitz.
Her former (she resigned her membership months before declaring for President) church is a branch of Lutheranism (and I am Lutheran-I never heard of them) believes that the Pope is the embodiment of the Antichrist.
She is firmly convinced, despite Standard & Poor's own statement, that advocating default on the Federal debt had nothing to do with the downgrade.
She firmly believes, despite an overwhelming preponerance of evidence, that to be or to not to be gay is a choice.
She firmly believes that any federal expenditure outside of defense and law enforcement is wrong except the following:a) her career as a tax collector for the IRS b)her maternal leave as a tax collector for the IRS c) the hundreds of thousands in farm subsidies her family has collected d) the thousands that her 'husband' has collected in Medicare/Medicaid fees for treatments unrecognized by most, if not all, professional bodies regulating said treatments.
The only good thing that can be said about her at this moment is that she's NOT Rick Perry, who moments ago gave an announcement speech so full of intellectual dishonesty re his record and the record of the Presidents' that it defied even current cynicism about the culture and state of discourse in the country.
I urge readers to read everything they can find about Mr. Perry. In my humble opinion, he's a dangerous person to be running for President. Look first at his current polling numbers in Texas, where they know him best.
Yeah, need more Paxil...Mike R
Mike R is the DUDE.
The dude abides...
MR
@ Mike R ~ "I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos. "
@Leslie...ever MET anyone named 'Lebowski'- that movie had to make life tough for 'em, 'specially in any non-bowling-related business...
@Harry-1969...
Erin@6:25-
It's astonishing, isn't it, that the current Republicash establishment can play the mental game of TOTALLY dis-assosociating themselves from every piece-of-shit policy they slobbered all over when Dubya presented it? Paul Ryan? The 'courageous, serious' legislator who was willing to tackle the 'third rail' of American politics-ie social security? Social security, which is fully funded through 2037, and beyond that if the Republican c-suckers in congress face facts and re-pay the IOUs we've been placing in the trust fund since Reagan?
He voted for both of the Bush tax cuts, Medicare Part D, and both wars...WITHOUT PAYING FOR THEM...how serious is it to vote for war and tax cuts at the same fucking time? Mr. Ryan is the height of hypocrisy because of this record...
The worst kicker about Ryan's so-called 'Path to Prosperity' is that it doesn't balance the federal budget FOR TWENTY FUCKING YEARS.
Details are a bitch, especially when you are fucking with working people's money, but Ryan uses cuts to social programs to finance cuts to the uber-rich FOR TWENTY FUCKING YEARS.
The numbers are out there. Draw your own conclusions.
Mike R
Mike, I get the impression you're kind of torqued over this.
But it is fascinating to watch someone just go OFF! Flaming passion is a beautiful thing. You just do it, Mike. And "shut the f**k up, Donnie." [Or enter name of preference.]
Thank you, ladies, but I certainly hope the content doesn't get over(under)whelmed by the passion...
Erin, you have the wherewithal to confirm my numbers...
But the kicker is the 'truthiness' (thanks to Stephen Colbert for the phrase)-The nihilistic, reckless and dangerous route currently being taken by the congressional Republican party-it defies reason or belief...MR
the domination of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc. = obsession
43 comments and no mention of a low-energy option to replace the bulb in my oven. I'm still waiting for that one.
Aside from that my place is at least 80% fluorescent. There's a fixture that uses 3 little 'chandelier' bulbs, the bathroom light that is only on when I'm in the shower. And the oven. I don't think the curly bulb gestapo will be showing up at my door for those.
My mom's place, on the other hand, is kind of a battleground. Her bill is huge, but that's because she's in FL and needs AC all the time. So I've put in as many low-energy bulbs as I can before she starts complaining. Work in progress. Doesn't trump the AC bill tho.
I'd like to check out the LED lights but would need to see the price drop. And I wonder about those huge heat sinks on them; if they're that efficient, why the big iron on them?
@ Contrary-Hmmm...high temeratures plus mercury...oh hell, the salmon was probably loaded with the stuff already...MR
Evergreen Solar turns red. Government subsidies aren't the answer.
http://www.bostonherald.com/business/technology/general/view.bg?articleid=1358998&pos=breaking
"*Hotbulbs? Dear Lord, please tell me I've just coined a new word."
Close, but I'm afraid not. Check the link, read and follow the link.
http://www.improvedclinch.com/index.php/weblog/its_not_an_incandescent_lightbulb_officer_its_a_heatball/
Duly noted, Wiz. Thanks for dropping in and commenting.
In all fairness, a "heatball" does not a "hotbulb" make and a hotbulb is a few letters away from **hotballs**
Oddly enough, it's the 8-year-old contingent that stands to lose the most, as Hasbro's Easy-Bake oven has been (ahem) baking those ghastly little cakes courtesy of the heat emitted from a 100-watt bulb for some 40 years.
Oh wait. looks like the little tykes have nothing to worry about.
Post a Comment