Comments on: Dim Bulb http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/ Keeping a jaundiced eye on the corporate media. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:15:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: alphabitch http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-135055 alphabitch Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:15:18 +0000 http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-135055 I switched to CFLs a long time ago and have them in every lamp and fixture they fit into. My biggest complaint is that they are <em>too</em> bright. Maybe it's just me, but I got the lowest-wattage ones I could find for most of the upstairs lights and they are still a little brighter than I necessarily like. I am, like you, extremely fussy about how much light there is, and the color/other qualities of the light around me. But I get migraines if the light is too bright or too vivid. They do, as mentioned above, take a fraction of a second to light up, and get brighter after they've been on for a while, which can be disconcerting. But I like the color and quality of the light just fine, and they don't flicker or hum like regular fluorescent bulbs. And they really don't burn out very often in fact I've only had one burn out in quite a long time (after a weird power surge-flicker thing) and I used to go through quite a lot of incandescent bulbs for some reason. Plus I like to have lights on everywhere or I feel claustrophobic, and these really do burn a lot less fuel so I don't feel quite as guilty about it when I notice that there are lights on in rooms I'm not even in. You might find you don't like them, but it might be worth it to try a few different wattages and experiment a little with lampshade colors & (especially) lamp placement. I switched to CFLs a long time ago and have them in every lamp and fixture they fit into. My biggest complaint is that they are too bright. Maybe it’s just me, but I got the lowest-wattage ones I could find for most of the upstairs lights and they are still a little brighter than I necessarily like. I am, like you, extremely fussy about how much light there is, and the color/other qualities of the light around me. But I get migraines if the light is too bright or too vivid.

They do, as mentioned above, take a fraction of a second to light up, and get brighter after they’ve been on for a while, which can be disconcerting. But I like the color and quality of the light just fine, and they don’t flicker or hum like regular fluorescent bulbs. And they really don’t burn out very often in fact I’ve only had one burn out in quite a long time (after a weird power surge-flicker thing) and I used to go through quite a lot of incandescent bulbs for some reason. Plus I like to have lights on everywhere or I feel claustrophobic, and these really do burn a lot less fuel so I don’t feel quite as guilty about it when I notice that there are lights on in rooms I’m not even in.

You might find you don’t like them, but it might be worth it to try a few different wattages and experiment a little with lampshade colors & (especially) lamp placement.

]]> By: KeithOK http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-135013 KeithOK Mon, 21 Jan 2008 05:48:39 +0000 http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-135013 While it could just be spin, I've heard that the amount of mercury entering the environment throught the disposal of the bulbs is much less than the resulting reduction in mercury entering the enviroment from limiting the amount of electricity needed from mercury emitting power plants. In other word, use of these bulbs reduces mercury pollution. Any truth to this? While it could just be spin, I’ve heard that the amount of mercury entering the environment throught the disposal of the bulbs is much less than the resulting reduction in mercury entering the enviroment from limiting the amount of electricity needed from mercury emitting power plants. In other word, use of these bulbs reduces mercury pollution.

Any truth to this?

]]> By: Susie http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134988 Susie Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:20:04 +0000 http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134988 Because that's how the right wing always referred to it. It's meant to be ironic. Because that’s how the right wing always referred to it. It’s meant to be ironic.

]]> By: Raoul Paste http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134986 Raoul Paste Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:04:49 +0000 http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134986 If you've got money, you might as well hold off and wait for the next generation LED lights, which will use about half the energy of the best compact fluorescents. They'll initially be expensive, but they'll last forever. And what's with this category 'Imaginary Global Warming'? If you’ve got money, you might as well hold off and wait for the next generation LED lights, which will use about half the energy of the best compact fluorescents. They’ll initially be expensive, but they’ll last forever.

And what’s with this category ‘Imaginary Global Warming’?

]]> By: Phillybits http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134971 Phillybits Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:52:01 +0000 http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134971 One thing I've also heard about CFL's is that a common argument is that they don't give off as much heat as an incandescent. However, they do give off heat mainly from the base itself, as opposed to the bulb itself. However, I use them and have them in almost every socket in my apartment. One thing I’ve also heard about CFL’s is that a common argument is that they don’t give off as much heat as an incandescent. However, they do give off heat mainly from the base itself, as opposed to the bulb itself.

However, I use them and have them in almost every socket in my apartment.

]]> By: Strudel & Shotguns http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134967 Strudel & Shotguns Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:46:48 +0000 http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134967 I thought you knew that the only time you should be reading is during daylight hours; the only book you should be reading is your King James bible; you should be in bed when the sun goes down, not poking around in the shadows up to no good, reading BOOKS. Who do you think you are anyway, to criticize the decisions of your corporate overlords? Handmaid's Tale, here we come. .. OK. that was snark, but not really. I was just channeling Mike Huckabee for a moment. Besides, how will you have the strength to read when you can't afford food because it's all going to happy motoring? Perhaps we could all just read by the light of our car headlights? The Oil Age version of civilization is beginning to fall into chaos, get used to it. I thought you knew that the only time you should be reading is during daylight hours; the only book you should be reading is your King James bible; you should be in bed when the sun goes down, not poking around in the shadows up to no good, reading BOOKS. Who do you think you are anyway, to criticize the decisions of your corporate overlords? Handmaid’s Tale, here we come.
..
OK. that was snark, but not really. I was just channeling Mike Huckabee for a moment. Besides, how will you have the strength to read when you can’t afford food because it’s all going to happy motoring? Perhaps we could all just read by the light of our car headlights? The Oil Age version of civilization is beginning to fall into chaos, get used to it.

]]> By: John http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134966 John Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:40:22 +0000 http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134966 There are a couple of other problems I've come across with the CFL's. First is that they don't turn on right away like a regular old bulb. But instead take a minute or so to build up to normal light. The second problem is you can't use them in a fixture with a dimmer switch. There are a couple of other problems I’ve come across with the CFL’s. First is that they don’t turn on right away like a regular old bulb. But instead take a minute or so to build up to normal light. The second problem is you can’t use them in a fixture with a dimmer switch.

]]> By: Sgt. Slaughter http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134965 Sgt. Slaughter Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:25:41 +0000 http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134965 Also, these new bulbs are going to send all our jobs to China: http://news.clevescene.com/2008-01-09/news/screwed-by-the-bulb/ Also, these new bulbs are going to send all our jobs to China:
http://news.clevescene.com/2008-01-09/news/screwed-by-the-bulb/

]]> By: Thomas Smith http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134963 Thomas Smith Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:20:17 +0000 http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134963 Energy efficient light bulbs are simply flourescent bulbs repackaged to fit in the same sockets as incandescent bulbs. They are available in power ratings that will supply equivalent lumens to what an incandescent bulb provides. Try http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls for more information. Energy efficient light bulbs are simply flourescent bulbs repackaged to fit in the same sockets as incandescent bulbs. They are available in power ratings that will supply equivalent lumens to what an incandescent bulb provides.

Try http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls for more information.

]]> By: somegirl http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134962 somegirl Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:11:49 +0000 http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134962 aw c'mon susy - i use them, and they're bright enough! if it's not enough, use a halogen bulb, or get one of the full spectrum lights. be more careful when you handle bulbs. and i never in my life have used a vacuum for picking up glass - the wet paper towel method my mother showed me when i was a kid works great. i guess that only works on hard floors, but i've never broken one on the rug. that's pretty hard to do. i think this is a great thing. aw c’mon susy - i use them, and they’re bright enough! if it’s not enough, use a halogen bulb, or get one of the full spectrum lights. be more careful when you handle bulbs. and i never in my life have used a vacuum for picking up glass - the wet paper towel method my mother showed me when i was a kid works great. i guess that only works on hard floors, but i’ve never broken one on the rug. that’s pretty hard to do.

i think this is a great thing.

]]> By: Thomas Smith http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134961 Thomas Smith Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:09:25 +0000 http://susiemadrak.com/2008/01/20/08/54/dim-bulb/#comment-134961 I use a damp paper towel for picking up broken glass including light bulbs. I use a damp paper towel for picking up broken glass including light bulbs.

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