I once again say, that people who chose to buy these things are not the enemy, congress critters are. So you are better off going after them and not alienating us.

cozmo on October 7, 2009 at 3:38 PM

I will completely agree that we should go after the Congress idiots on this and other BS legislation. However, that does not mean we shouldn’t hold each other accountable.

But why contribute to them? Why not stick to incandescents and regular cars, regardless of what people say?

Because that is the same logic that the left is using to push the incandescent ban and tiny cars. Just from the other side.

I use CFL’s because I like them. I like the light, I like the lack of heat they put out and I like the savings. I haven’t had any of the horror stories others have noted anecdotally, except I once had a cheap one heat up and burn. It never caught fire and near as I can figure, it was the transformer that heated up, shorted, and then quit. I changed it and never had another problem. This is in a house full of them and I burn the lights a lot.

My dad cannot ever remember voting for a democrat yet has a Smart car…because he likes it and it is a lot easier to take to the store than his F-250 dualie.

We don’t insist all people use CFL’s or eco-cars, or even care. But don’t tell us, or any other person who likes the freedom of choice, we cannot.

I once again say, that people who chose to buy these things are not the enemy, congress critters are. So you are better off going after them and not alienating us.

Not a red herring, I went back and reread your post to make sure. You blamed free choice for a bad government regulation.

Nobody bought enough of the cars to allow the CAFE standards to be raised last time.

Same thing will happen with incandescent bulbs.

People who prefer a Prius or CFL are not the enemy and attacking them will not help your cause.

cozmo on October 7, 2009 at 12:27 PM

Actually, I was blaming the people who by the very fact that they bought those items legitimized them. It’s not an attack, it’s the truth. And after reading some of the other posters here, they also have bought them, further feeding GE and the environmentalists who propagate the false premise that those items will reduce costs and save ze planet.

You’re right in that Congress and liberals in business and government would probably push these items and initiate the ban anyway. But why contribute to them? Why not stick to incandescents and regular cars, regardless of what people say?

I hope it’s not because these people want to “keep up with the Joneses” or to keep up with current trends. I’m afraid that’s why several here have made these decisions. I hope I’m wrong.

Do you think if maybe only 10 people bought CFLs that Congress would still consider banning incandescents?

ICBMMan on October 7, 2009 at 11:29 AM

Yes, most definitely.

So the marketplace is socialist now?

cozmo on October 6, 2009 at 4:59 PM

Nice red herring, but no cigar.

The marketplace can enable stupid products that the environmentalists love to be made mandatory. Do you think if maybe only 10 people bought CFLs that Congress would still consider banning incandescents?

ICBMMan on October 7, 2009 at 11:29 AM

Not a red herring, I went back and reread your post to make sure. You blamed free choice for a bad government regulation.

Nobody bought enough of the cars to allow the CAFE standards to be raised last time.

Same thing will happen with incandescent bulbs.

People who prefer a Prius or CFL are not the enemy and attacking them will not help your cause.

It’s being forced to use them that’s the problem.

So the marketplace is socialist now?

cozmo on October 6, 2009 at 4:59 PM

Nice red herring, but no cigar.

The marketplace can enable stupid products that the environmentalists love to be made mandatory. Do you think if maybe only 10 people bought CFLs that Congress would still consider banning incandescents?

The Age of Stupid, indeed.

Perhaps this confederation of small minds needs a name. How about “Duncekins”?

SG1_Conservative on October 6, 2009 at 11:22 PM

You’re a lighting designer? I’m an electrical design engineer. We should talk.

I’ve bought a supply of good ol’ incandescents at Big Lots, but must admit that I like CFLs in a couple of places: We have a flood light that’s very high on the outside of the house, and we haven’t had to change the CFL for more than three years now. And I like one in the overhead fixture in my bathroom, because it’s a bit dimmer when it first comes on. That’s nice in the middle of the night, when my eyes don’t want to be zapped by bright light.

To think we used to play with this stuff as kids — my favorite was coating an old dime and making it appear shiny new. Between that and biting lead fishing sinkers on and off the line for over sixty odd years, it explains my odd deterioration. Throw in a few questionable wild mushrooms,and eating a zillion pounds of mercury and PCB laden fish, I’m beginning to feel the results. In winter I’m colder, in summer I’m warmer, my 74 year old hands shake a bit when I tie a fly or sight in on a nice buck. I just finished writing my fifth book-length story, and I put in a good active 15 – 18 hour day. Anecdotal evidence to be sure, but I do suspect we are carrying this entire thing too far.

Come on. Embrace the mercury.
faraway on October 6, 2009 at 5:08 PM

Growing up in the 50’s we played with mercury. All houses had lead paint. We had BB gun battles. No bike helmets. Never had a bike stolen. Exposed bolts on school yard swings mounted on hard asphalt. Lots of skinned knees. Had my own army surplus .45 Auto Pistol at 14 and never shot anyone. No car seat belts.
Most stores closed on Sunday. With such “horrid” conditions, how the hell did I live to be 63 years old? Common sense, personal responsibility and a unified culture. . . that’s how! All gone now. . . thanks, Socialist Democrats.

scullymj on October 6, 2009 at 8:36 PM

I long for those daystoo.
You can thank low down scum sucking, evil, rotten, I hate them so much, disgusting lawyers for most of those changes. You can thank atheists for the Sunday change.

Until the likes of Vegas and every big city’s downtown districts cut out the excess lighting for commercial attraction sake, tell the “Gangreen” Global Warmingers where to screw their CFLs.

I noticed a month ago a Drudge headline story regarding Germans hording the incandescents. This week the German headline story regards a huge fine assessed against those still using incandescents vs. CFLs.

There’s a market for American quality made incandescent bulbs; the cheap ones from China don’t measure up in durability.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6211261.ece

Switched about 90% of my house to cheap CFLs about four years ago. Not one failure. Good light. WAAAY less energy used on lighting. I must be a Commie.

INFDL on October 6, 2009 at 11:42 PM

Wrong assumption. You switched of your own free will, not because some government hack mandated you do so.

I maintain that the cost calculations for the CFLs is flawed. They are more complex to manufacture. I don’t believe that the total impact of manufacturing the additional parts along with the transportation and assembly of those parts has been taken into effect.

Also, when they break during the winter and you open your windows, you are still circulating poisonous mercury vapors throught the return air ducts of your forced air system. Just the treat for the newborn baby in the next room and the preteen kids in the other adjoining room.