RIP Decent Light Bulbs

Well, today marks the last day we in the UK can have legally buy 100w light bulbs

We've now got to put up with the crappy Compact Fluorescents, which give a much poorer quality of light.

Nice to know the BBC's wheeled out the Energy Saving Trust to robustly defend the CF's - although since the EST is over 90% funded by the Government the phrase 'conflict of interest' trots forth.

So yeah, so sum up, the governments banned decent bulbs so we all have to use the energy saving variety, which are shit and handily come with mercury in them, just in case you feel like some long-term heavy metal poisoning!

Have one my room, where once I needed one light, since using the CF I now have to have another two on - way to go with that energy saving!

Energy efficient, yet full of mercury.........interesting trade off.

I notice that whenever government takes away some choice from the public, it's always the choice most people would've selected.

Something to consider as we have an ongoing health care debate.

What choice would the gov't take away in the health care debate?

Your "choice" to become seriously ill or injured while uninsured, thereby forcing yourself into bankruptcy and forcing everyone else to pay for your emergency care.

It might also do with where they're made...

Clue, this law - an EU one - will benefit directly light manufacturers in the EU...

Order proper bulbs over the internet.

My choice to keep government out of my health care.

Not very surprising.

Compact fluorescent manufacturers have no motivation to make their product cheaper if their cheaper competitors are banned...

Government's already in your health care.

I didn't choose that, either.

You chose your elected officials. Democracy!

Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what's for dinner.

On the bright side, pardon the pun, it's time to stock up on incandescents for the upcoming light bulb black market.

Another opportunity created by the gummit.

If you smashed every CFL, the amount of mercury released into the air would be less than that emitted by coal burning power plants needed to supply juice for incandescent bulbs. Of course, ordinary incandescent bulbs can be made to operate almost as efficiently as CFLs.

This will be a problem for me in the winter. The only way I can heat my basement workshop is by having a 4-bulb 100 watt fixture in the ceiling, plus a 3-light trackbar over the workbench, plus two 60-watt desk lamps. That keeps the temp just about tolerable in the dead of winter. Space heater tend to blow the circuit breaker.

So I'm fucked.

Have you considered a kerosene heater?

^In a basement? Won't you get carbon monoxide poisoning?

I hope Ossama bin laden shoves 10 light bulbs up Al Gores asshole then kicks him in the ass.

Seems dangerous to me.

Life with no risk is not life. We know you're in New Jersey but live a little why don't you.

No risk? My workshop is an Easy Bake Oven fer cryin out loud!

A couple of hookers doing jumping jacks should take care of that.

And your point is?

They still have to have some incandscent bulbs available to go inside of ovens and clothes dryers and things that the electronics inside the CF bulbs can't take that heat.

Very very little CO from a Kerosene heater, the only danger from them is lack of oxygen in a very tightly enclosed space.

Murdering people for no reason?

Owning slaves?

Raping family members?

Selliing poisoned apples to schoolchildren?

Shitting on the sidewalk?

Pet shops should still carry regular bulbs, as they're necessary for keeping reptiles warm and healthy in colder climates. They might even work out better for you, as they're usually shaped in a way that focuses the heat in one direction.

If they don't have those, they also make ceramic heaters that screw into a regular lightbulb fixture.

Damn Yankees!