DEMING: Fluorescent bulb follies

Right now, unless the obtuse four hundred kill this goofy law, I plan to buy large numbers of the old bulbs in 2011, take out what I need and sell the rest at confiscatory prices. Easy street, here I come! (already got some money invested in a "grease easy" in NYC)

Absolutely correct! A few added points: "we will all be forced to purchase compact fluorescents for about $3 each" now virtually all MADE IN ENEMY CHINA, in contrast to the incandescents, often made in the US. The heat lost by switching to these new bulbs will have to be made up in winter - and with those of us who use heating oil, BY MORE FOREIGN OIL. So who are the biggest beneficiaries of this part of the energy bill? The communist chinese and the arabs. Well done, Congress. THEY ALSO DON'T WORK WITH DIMMERS. Specialized bulbs, such as, candelabras, three-way, and "rough service", are not banned initially, but the law orders them banned, too, in the not unlikely case that Americans start buying them in larger quantities. That provision to exert additional control over our choices is particularly offensive, more suitable to a totalitarian form of government than a democracy. The USS Senate – the world’s most prestigious insane asylum

These are the same guys that researched the biofuels legislation and felt that making energy out of food was a good idea. I guess a 20-30% increase in food prices was acceptable since gas prices only rose 100% or so. With more decisions like this we better pray for global warming cause we are not be able to afford energy to keep warm this winter.

When I started using CFLs I experienced the same problem - they burned out just as quickly as incandescent in some applications. What I do now is date the bulbs when I put them in service with a permanent marker. If they don’t last as long as I think they should, I return them to the manufacturer and I have received refunds! If congress cannot trust the people who put them there to make the right energry decisions then perhaps the next thing this congress should do is resign. The ban should be reversed - perhaps by a congress wise enough to trust the people who put them there.

I cannot repeat often enough that ANYONE who votes for an incumbent in the U S Congress is STUPID!

What do the 400 who voted for this non-sense say we should do with the toxic mercury that is in each one of these bulbs?

The CFL legislation is an example of political correctness colliding with physics. There probably will be no financial savings for citizens. There may be marginal energy savings. Lighting safety and convenience will degrade. What will city, state and county agencies do about incandescent replacement?