Thursday, January 27, 2011

On This Day...

... Thomas Edison was granted a patent for his incandescent light, in 1880.  Just slightly less than 130 years later the state of California implemented a virtual ban on his invention, forcing its citizens to buy "eco-friendly" (oh, how it pains me to use that term) substitutes in the form of those damned CFLs or LED lights, both of which are horrendously expensive, and in the case of CFLs... an environmental hazard due to their mercury content.  Or Californians can choose to live with less light from a "standard" 100 watt bulb.

Well, it sucks to live in the Once-Golden State and light bulb stupidity is just one small example.  But the rest of America shouldn't laugh coz we'll all be in the same boat next year... California just got a head-start on the insanity.  Unless the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act or BULB Act (H.R. 91) is passed into law.  The BULB act repeals Subtitle B of Title III of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the de facto ban on the incandescent light bulb.  The act just might pass and it would be one small step in correcting the PC madness on the federal level.  California residents would still have to deal with their dumb-ass state legislature, though.  Good luck with THAT, Californians.

Apropos of the above... don't you just HATE this new-found compulsion to assign cutesy and meaningless names to every goddamned bill introduced in Congress?  Just STOP it, already.  We are NOT amused.  (insert the UCR lawn exclamation here)

Image from here.  Scroll down and read the "How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb" joke.

12 comments:

  1. The best part of compact fluorescent lamps? You purchase the same wattage that you used with incandescents and the lumens (light level) is much lower (which really makes for a challenge while putting your make-up on or shaving). The Eco-friendly part? Most of them are manufactured in China where they don't give a rat's ass about the enviroment. ('course that's prob'ly in the link that I never checked out!)

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  2. I think this goes along with the fireplace thing, and the eco nuts desire to ensure that we are all just as miserable as they are.

    I tried a few of them on the outdoor lights. Guess what? They all burned out within 6 months.

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  3. Yeah, I have been stockpiling the 100, 75 and 60 watt incandescent while I can still get them. Most Lowes stores around these parts (South Eastern PA) don't carry the 100 watt if they have incandescent bulbs at all. I have maybe 20 4-packs of each right now.

    As an aside but related, GE closed all of its incandescent production facilities here in the US and started making those CFL's in Mexico and China. The guy running that company Jeffery Emmelt, PresBO put in charge of "Jobs and Competitiveness", bringing good things to life.

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  4. Re: outdoor use

    Yes, the CFL's cannot be used outdoors if it gets cold. Poof.

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  5. Time to stock up on bulbs. Frickin' LED and CFL things are UNFRIENDLY light. I can't think of a better way to put it. Regular bulbs are warm and friendly light. The others make me feel less-than-happy.

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  6. I think it was Powerline (though I could be mistaken) that gave the procedure on how to clean up for when the "eco-friendly" bulbs break.

    It is almost like having to have some hazmat team come in and clean it up, as they contain mercury. Breaking a bulb on a carpet is even worse.

    But what would you expect from eco-turds, when they are now saying Genghis Khan was probably the greenist conqueror?

    You would think that Stalin and Hitler would get more of a nod from them for their green contributions in helping to eliminate so many foul CO2 emitting entities from the earth, thereby helping to reduce the carbon foot prints.

    *la sigh*

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  7. ('course that's prob'ly in the link that I never checked out!)

    Yup. Complete with horror stories about poor exploited Chinese workers.

    ...the eco nuts desire to ensure that we are all just as miserable as they are.

    Good point, BR. Those sorta ARE miserable people.

    Jimmy (and Sharon): I'm hoarding, too.

    Jim: "Unfriendly" is an apt description of the quality of the light from CFLs.

    But what would you expect from eco-turds, when they are now saying Genghis Khan was probably the greenist conqueror?

    Heh. I read about that in a couple o' places, complete with suggestions that Hitler's rehabilitation can't be far away.

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  8. Hey, just thought of something...

    Maybe this green movement is really just about them being confused about the color of the sky. Sure seems like you have to convolute your thinking to "get" the green stuff lately.

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  9. Will they make that Fire-Station in Ca that has one of Edison's ORIGINAL bulbs STILL burning over it's entrance change out the bulb? What maroons...and it took one HELLUVA lot of unmitigated gall for Obama to invoke Edison in his State-of-the-Union speech even as his lefty govt is outlawing Edison's bulbs..

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  10. Sure seems like you have to convolute your thinking to "get" the green stuff lately.

    Agreed. Brings new meaning to that ol' "What color is the sky in YOUR world?" sayin'.

    Virgil: A CFL hangin' in the fire station just WON'T be the same.

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  11. Thanks for the reminder to contact my brand spankin' new congressman about the BULB Act (e-freakin'gad!!!)

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Just be polite... that's all I ask.