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The End of the Light Bulb as We Know It
PJ Media ^ | November 13, 2011 | Belladonna Rogers

Posted on 11/13/2011 4:34:23 AM PST by Kaslin

Why Americans are hoarding incandescent bulbs before darkness envelops us all on January 1, 2012.

As the pale, weak sun rose beyond a charcoal gray cloud bank on Sunday, November 6th, the first day of the country’s dismal return to Standard Time, it was clear that the moment had come to lighten up.

Soon I was at Home Depot making a beeline for the light bulb aisle. Why? Because the end of days is drawing nigh. Not in the Biblical sense, but in the Environmental Protection Agency sense: there were only a scant eight weeks (now only seven) before the end of the light bulb as we know it. As of January 1, 2012, Americans will have their freedom of light bulb choice snuffed out by an omnibus 2007 law requiring that general-purpose bulbs be 25% more energy-efficient than the current, justly-beloved, incandescent bulb.

There are a few exceptions, but the next 49 days are the last for the sale of 100-watt incandescent bulbs.

An excellent summary of this disaster-in-the-making and the grim options that will follow in its wake is here.

In July, the House of Representatives voted to repeal the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. As the House debated the ultimately failed repeal, Republican Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, who had introduced the doomed measure, argued:

The 2010 elections demonstrated that Americans are fed up with government intrusion. The federal government has crept so deep into our lives that federal agencies now determine what kind of light bulbs the American people are allowed to purchase.

This vivid report from England in 2009 on the last days of the sale of incandescent bulbs there — ordained by a similar European Union ban on traditional bulbs — is a cautionary tale of what we can expect at lighting retailers in the United States on New Year’s Eve 2011. There could be more people at Manhattan’s two Home Depot stores than in Times Square.

As I’ve written here before, part of the meaning of freedom is freedom of choice. Every green American who wants to read by mercury-ignited compact fluorescent bulbs is free to do so. Every environmentally-motivated citizen who desires energy-efficient halogen bulbs should enjoy that choice, too. But many of us desire incandescent bulbs, just the way Thomas A. Edison invented them.

You know something nefarious is afoot when the Obama administration trundles out its own personal Nobel laureate (other than the incumbent himself), Energy Secretary Steven Chu, to lecture us — us, the pathetic, scientifically uneducated, financially ignorant, unwashed, energy-profligate, unable-to-balance-our-own-checkbooks fools he takes us to be — on light bulbs:

“Right now many families around the country are struggling to pay their energy bills, and leaders in the House want to roll back these standards that will save families money.…

“You’ll still be able to buy halogen incandescent bulbs. They’ll look and feel the same, but the only difference is that they’ll save consumers money.”

Of tea partiers’s philosophical argument that the law would deprive consumers of the choice of lighting products, Chu said, these standards are not taking choices away, they are “putting money back in the pockets of American families.”

Contrary to Secretary Chu’s disingenuous statement in July, viz., “They’ll look and feel the same,” they neither look nor feel the “same.” He may be able to fool some of the people some of the time, but I regret to inform Secretary Chu that he can’t fool me — or tens of millions like me– any of the time.

These ghastly light bulbs casting their ghoulish, glary light — all gussied up to appear to resemble the older, familiar bulbs — are the light bulb equivalent of a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

I, for one, did not elect President Obama, nor did I insist that he select Steven Chu to tell me how to “put money back in” my pockets. My pockets are my business, not his. You look out for your pockets, Secretary Chu, and I’ll look out for mine.

Where do you get off telling me and my fellow Americans, “these standards are not taking choices away”? It’s obvious you think we’re idiots, but idiots of that magnitude? These standards are unquestionably taking choices away: that’s why 100-watt incandescent bulbs are flying off the shelves at Home Depots nationwide. Here’s a photo of my purchases from last Sunday alone — not my last foray by a long shot:

All the bulbs I bought were incandescent. Secretary Chu’s vaunted halogen bulbs hurt my eyes. And the highest wattage compact fluorescents available at Home Depot last Sunday were the equivalent of 40 watts of incandescent bulbs. Maybe Secretary Chu can read by 40-watt bulbs but I can’t. If you’d like to read the Department of Energy’s guide to compact fluorescent bulbs, try reading it by daylight, here.

Contrary to this president’s view of his compatriots, many of us are adults. We were children once, but not recently. We can take care of our pocketbooks all by ourselves. My checkbook is balanced. Is the federal government’s?

The most tragic part of this tale is that it didn’t have to come to this. No sooner had the Republican Congress announced it would vote to repeal the 2007 law this past July, than the light bulb lobby swooped in to protect the manufacturers’ interests — not, of course, those of the incandescent bulb-loving public:

[The] manufacturers … had begun producing the new bulbs, and feared the rollback of the standards would undermine their investments in developing energy-efficient bulbs. Bulb-maker Philips began an aggressive lobbying campaign, meeting with lawmakers and staffers on Capitol Hill, urging them not to roll back the light bulb law. They brought along samples of the new bulbs, similar in appearance to the old bulb.

No member of Congress should have been fooled.

The Senate voted against the repeal, and Obama would have vetoed a repeal, but the manufacturers’ heated lobbying was not in the public interest — of course.

Soon, if the Obama administration has its way, we’ll move seamlessly from the diminished light bulb to the energy-efficient vacuum that will take 90 minutes to clean a carpet that now takes five, and an energy-efficient hair-dryer that will require an hour to dry a head of hair now dried in three — in order to “put more dollars in your pocket” as Secretary Chu likes to say. Of course, vacuuming carpets and drying hair may not be high on his to-do list on any given day.

Which leads us back to Home Depot. After checking prices on Amazon.com, eBay and a wide variety of online lighting specialty firms, the lowest prices I found were at Home Depot. They charge $3.97 for an eight-pack of 100-watt incandescent bulbs, with each bulb enjoying a double-life of 1,500 hours.

A word to the wise is sufficient.

—Belladonna Rogers


TOPICS: Government; Politics; Society
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1 posted on 11/13/2011 4:34:23 AM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Years ago I worked in sales for a lamp manufacturing company. When the fluroscents manufactured to replace the cheap incandenscents came out...we TRIED to sell them to distributors...almost no luck in consumer acceptence. Distributors would not stock them.

We were told after a couple years to no longer waste our time trying to sell something on one wanted...we were told that some time in the future the government would mandate these...then we’d clean up.

Now is that time.


2 posted on 11/13/2011 4:40:27 AM PST by kjo
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To: Kaslin

Go buy a lifetime supply.


3 posted on 11/13/2011 4:43:08 AM PST by CGalen
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To: Kaslin

Odd that the author is blaming Obama. This act was passed under Dubya’s watch yet nary of word of criticism for the “Decider.” Partisan hack.


4 posted on 11/13/2011 4:46:27 AM PST by KantianBurke (Where was the Tea Party when Dubya was spending like a drunken sailor?)
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To: KantianBurke
Odd that the author is blaming Obama. This act was passed under Dubya’s watch yet nary of word of criticism for the “Decider.” Partisan hack.

Ditto...

It seems that on FR we've forgotten all the policies and damage that Bush did that led this nation to Obama. Instead of strengthening conservatism Bush's policies nudged us to socialism.

5 posted on 11/13/2011 4:50:47 AM PST by raybbr (People who still support Obama are either a Marxist or a moron.)
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To: CGalen
Isn't there a one year extension? Thought I heard that somewhere.

Also, there was some buzz awhile back about some outfit manufacturing light bulbs in Texas for in-state consumption only. I wonder what's happened to this notion. Being that I live in Texas I would certainly take advantage of this should it happen. Naturally, the surrounding states would take advantage of this too. well, except Ok'ies, we couldn't allow Ok’ies any bulbs. Just kidding Oklahoma, just kidding :)

6 posted on 11/13/2011 4:51:28 AM PST by snoringbear (Government is the Pimp,)
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To: KantianBurke

‘07, U.S. House of Representatives(D), U.S. Senate (D).


7 posted on 11/13/2011 4:52:32 AM PST by gusopol3
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To: Kaslin

Incandescents will continue to be made in South Carolina. People will be permitted to buy them in South Carolina so long as they use them in South Carolina. (You can insert the visual where I nod and wink really slowly after I say that ‘use in SC’ part)


8 posted on 11/13/2011 4:57:35 AM PST by GreenAccord (Bacon Akbar)
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To: CGalen

I did, but I plan to buy some more


9 posted on 11/13/2011 4:58:59 AM PST by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: GreenAccord
Here's a link so it doesn't appear as if I am making this up. Probably should have included this in my first post.
10 posted on 11/13/2011 4:59:37 AM PST by GreenAccord (Bacon Akbar)
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To: CGalen

I wonder if this new law includes specialty lights, like chandelier lights. Anyone know?


11 posted on 11/13/2011 5:00:59 AM PST by flaglady47 (When the gov't fears the people, liberty; When the people fear the gov't, tyranny.)
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To: gusopol3

"Its a good thing freepers forgot about my veto power on legislation. If they didn't, heck they'd have to hold me accountable!"

12 posted on 11/13/2011 5:02:25 AM PST by KantianBurke (Where was the Tea Party when Dubya was spending like a drunken sailor?)
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To: Kaslin

We should protest by “accidently” knocking the curly ones off the shelf. oops!

It would become an environmental hazard so bad, stores would have to be evacuated for clean-up.

This is such nonsence.


13 posted on 11/13/2011 5:02:39 AM PST by Reagan69 (I supported Sarah Palin and all I got was a lousy DVD !)
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To: Kaslin

As much as I’m against the government involvement in lightbulbs (for crying out loud, we have way too much government), LED lightbulbs will render all this moot.

They’re not yet competitive enough to change the market by supply and demand, but they’re rapidly getting close.

Currently using three led light bulbs. One over my stove. One in a desk lamp, and another in a ceiling spot. The less expensive models are now inching up to 150 lumens. Equivalent to a 25 watt bulb. In the five bucks price range. Currently it’s dark outside, and I’ve got just the led lamps on - I’d call the brightness “subdued”.

Certainly not bright.

But the operating cost of each bulb is rated at 25c per year.

I’m guessing by the time you actually need to replace your next 100 watt bulb, there will be an LED equivalent on the market, for less than 10 bucks.

Forget those polluting, oddball curly compact fluorescent bulbs.

Wait for the LEDs.


14 posted on 11/13/2011 5:11:18 AM PST by Cringing Negativism Network (America First)
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To: Kaslin

I always see these empty government offices with energy efficient bulbs and motion sensor switches but the hater or AC is on and blasting. This is government waste hypocrisy.

Anyways, any excuse to criminalize and control America works to their advantage.


15 posted on 11/13/2011 5:12:27 AM PST by JudgemAll (Democrats Fed. job-security Whorocracy & hate:hypocrites must be gay like us or be tested/crucified)
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To: Kaslin
I believe I read here on FR that in Europe (where incandescents were banned long ago) they now sell ‘glowing heat orbs’ that people can use to ‘supplement’ their heat. An odd benefit is that you can actually use these same glass ‘heat orbs’ to read and work by . . .

In my latitude, I'll gladly take heat given off by incandescents nine months of the year. Now, according to the imbeciles in DC, it'd be alright if I also used electric heat in conjunction with the environmentalist choice of CFL’s. Go figure. Well you can always drive your electric car to the Home Depot and buy more CFL’s; that is, if you don't explode and burn from defective batteries on the way.

In the end, though, CFL’s will create a lot of pollution since most people will just continue to toss them in the trash and break them releasing the nutritious mercury vapor. This will be especially so in certain areas where the gub’mint is father and mother. As an added benefit, in many fires stations, there are alerts warning of CFL’ being a possible cause of fires from overheating. Then there are the bonuses of degraded light, the weird color spectrum, fragility and the lovely and useful eternally delayed lighting process.

I'm going back to candles and kerosene lamps.

16 posted on 11/13/2011 5:18:27 AM PST by WorkingClassFilth (Expiate your inner liberal racist guilt, but use your brain: Vote CAIN in 2012!)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

I use incandescents for heating and lighting at the same time. It’s not just about light and atomizing alleged “illegal uses” of lighting. What the flip do they know in DC? They are hired to facilitate business, not to steal it by micromanaging it and destroying priorities.

It’s all about molestation rights and deresponsibilizing.


17 posted on 11/13/2011 5:18:48 AM PST by JudgemAll (Democrats Fed. job-security Whorocracy & hate:hypocrites must be gay like us or be tested/crucified)
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To: Kaslin
No mention of LED light bulbs. We have all LED bulbs in and outside the house and I really like them. They are also dim-able, which fluorescent bulbs are not.
18 posted on 11/13/2011 5:19:26 AM PST by Excellence ( CTRL-GALT-DELETE)
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To: flaglady47

Assume yes. And good luck buying non l.e.d. Christmas lights ever again. By the way, the Italian presidential palace (Quirinal Palace) has beautiful chandeliers and they have those ridiculous compact florescent lights.


19 posted on 11/13/2011 5:19:40 AM PST by KingLudd
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

I use incandescents for heating and lighting at the same time. It’s not just about light and atomizing alleged “illegal uses” of lighting. What the flip do they know in DC? They are hired to facilitate business, not to steal it by micromanaging it and destroying priorities.

It’s all about molestation rights and deresponsibilizing.


20 posted on 11/13/2011 5:19:50 AM PST by JudgemAll (Democrats Fed. job-security Whorocracy & hate:hypocrites must be gay like us or be tested/crucified)
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