This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

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	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Even in socialist countries, people are rebelling against excessive =
government control.  They aren't the only ones. =20

Over the last six months, we have purchased normal (non-government) =
light bulbs to last us twenty years, longer than we will live.

Bob-tx
07/27/2009=20

Germans Hoarding Traditional Light Bulbs

The staggered phase out of energy-wasting light bulbs begins on Sept. 1 =
in Germany. The unpopularity of the energy-saving compact fluorescent =
bulbs that will replace them is leading consumers and retailers to start =
hoarding the traditional bulbs.

As the Sept. 1 deadline for the implementation of the first phase of the =
EU's ban on incandescent light bulbs approaches, shoppers, retailers and =
even museums are hoarding the precious wares -- and helping the =
manufacturers make a bundle.

Germans are hoarding traditional incandescent light bulbs as their =
planned phase out -- in favor of energy-saving compact flourescent bulbs =
-- approaches.

The EU ban, adopted in March, calls for the gradual replacement of =
traditional light bulbs with supposedly more energy-efficient compact =
fluorescent bulbs (CFL). The first to go, on Sept. 1, will be 100-watt =
bulbs. Bulbs of other wattages will then gradually fall under the ban, =
which is expected to cover all such bulbs by Sept. 1, 2012.

Hardware stores and home-improvement chains in Germany are seeing =
massive increases in the sales of the traditional bulbs. Obi reports a =
27 percent growth in sales over the same period a year ago. Hornbach has =
seen its frosted-glass light bulb sales increase by 40-112 percent. When =
it comes to 100-watt bulbs, Max Bahr has seen an 80 percent jump in =
sales, while the figure has been 150 percent for its competitor =
Praktiker.

"It's unbelievable what is happening," says Werner Wiesner, the head of =
Megaman, a manufacturer of energy-saving bulbs. Wiesner recounts a story =
of how one of his field representatives recently saw a man in a hardware =
store with a shopping cart full of light bulbs of all types worth more =
than ?200 ($285). "That's enough for the next 20 years."

And hoarding doesn't seem to be just a customer phenomenon. The EU law =
only forbids producing and importing incandescent bulbs but does not =
outlaw their sale. "We've stocked up well," a spokesman for Praktiker =
told SPIEGEL.=20

And what's ironic -- in the short term, at least -- is that the =
companies that manufacture the climate-killing bulbs are seeing a big =
boost in sales. According to the GfK market research company, sales in =
Germany of incandescent light bulbs between January and April 20, 2009, =
saw a 20 percent jump over the same period a year earlier, while CFL =
sales shrank by 2 percent.

'Light Bulb Socialism'=20

The EU's ban was originally meant to help it reach its targets on energy =
efficiency and climate protection. Though much cheaper to buy, =
incandescent bulbs have long been seen as wasteful because only 5 =
percent of the energy they consume goes to light production, with the =
rest just becoming heat.

And consumers were also supposed to feel a positive effect in their =
pocketbooks as well. European Energy Commission Andris Piebalgs has =
estimated that the average European household will save ?50 per year on =
electricity bills and that annual CO2 emissions in Europe will be cut by =
15 millions tons.

 DER SPIEGEL
Schedule for the implementation of the EU ban on flourescent light =
bulbs.
But -- like laws on bent cucumbers -- many have mocked the light bulb =
legislation as just another example of an EU bureaucracy gone wild. =
Holger Krahmer, for example, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) =
from Germany's business-friendly FDP party has accused the EU of =
imposing 'light bulb socialism."

In fact, in creating this legislation, the EU failed to address consumer =
preferences and the reservations of a number of other groups. For =
example, many have complained that the light emitted by a CFL bulb is =
colder and weaker and that its high-frequency flickering can cause =
headaches. Then there are complaints about the mercury the CFL bulbs =
contain, how there is no system for disposing of them in a convenient =
and environmentally friendly way, and how they allegedly result in =
exposure to radiation levels higher than allowed under international =
guidelines.

For some, the issue is also one of broken promises. For example, =
manufacturers of CFL bulbs justify their higher prices by claiming that =
they last much longer than traditional bulbs. But a recent test by the =
environmentally-oriented consumer-protection magazine =D6ko Test found =
that 16 of the 32 bulb types tested gave up the ghost after 6,000 hours =
of use -- or much earlier than their manufacturers had promised.

And then, of course, there's the issue of the light the bulbs emit. Many =
complain that the lights are just not bright enough and that they =
falsify colors. The Hamburger Kunsthalle, for example, recently made a =
bulk order for 600 incandescent light bulbs to make sure that it can =
keep illuminating the works it displays in the time-honored way.

 The aesthetic issue is a powerful one. For Munich-based lighting =
designer Ingo Maurer, the CFL bulbs are ushering in a decrease in the =
quality of life. "We recommend protests against the ban, civil =
disobedience and the timely hoarding of lighting implements," Maurer =
told SPIEGEL. He also adds that he believes the ban might drive more =
people to use more candles, which are about as bad as you can get in =
terms of energy efficiency.

As Wiesner sees it, Brussels did it all wrong. Rather than banning =
incandescent bulbs, Wiesner argues, it should have slapped a ?5 =
surcharge on every incandescent bulb, arguing that it would have made =
people think a bit more before buying them. "That move alone would have =
been enough to allow the EU to achieve its goal," Wiesner says.

Reported by Alexander Jung

------=_NextPart_000_0147_01CA104C.F74DF240
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	charset="iso-8859-1"
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Even in socialist countries, people are =
rebelling=20
against excessive government control.  They aren't the only=20
ones.  
 
Over the last six months, we have purchased =
normal=20
(non-government) light bulbs to last us twenty years, longer than we =
will=20
live.
 
Bob-tx
07/27/2009 
 
Germans Hoarding Traditional Light Bulbs
 
The staggered phase out of energy-wasting light bulbs begins on =
Sept. 1 in=20
Germany. The unpopularity of the energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs =
that=20
will replace them is leading consumers and retailers to start hoarding =
the=20
traditional bulbs.
 
As the Sept. 1 deadline for the implementation of the first phase =
of the=20
EU's ban on incandescent light bulbs approaches, shoppers, retailers and =
even=20
museums are hoarding the precious wares -- and helping the manufacturers =
make a=20
bundle.
 
Germans are hoarding traditional incandescent light bulbs as their =
planned=20
phase out -- in favor of energy-saving compact flourescent bulbs --=20
approaches.
 
The EU ban, adopted in March, calls for the gradual replacement of=20
traditional light bulbs with supposedly more energy-efficient compact=20
fluorescent bulbs (CFL). The first to go, on Sept. 1, will be 100-watt =
bulbs.=20
Bulbs of other wattages will then gradually fall under the ban, which is =

expected to cover all such bulbs by Sept. 1, 2012.
 
Hardware stores and home-improvement chains in Germany are seeing =
massive=20
increases in the sales of the traditional bulbs. Obi reports a 27 =
percent growth=20
in sales over the same period a year ago. Hornbach has seen its =
frosted-glass=20
light bulb sales increase by 40-112 percent. When it comes to 100-watt =
bulbs,=20
Max Bahr has seen an 80 percent jump in sales, while the figure has been =
150=20
percent for its competitor Praktiker.
 
"It's unbelievable what is happening," says Werner Wiesner, the =
head of=20
Megaman, a manufacturer of energy-saving bulbs. Wiesner recounts a story =
of how=20
one of his field representatives recently saw a man in a hardware store =
with a=20
shopping cart full of light bulbs of all types worth more than =80200 =
($285).=20
"That's enough for the next 20 years."
 
And hoarding doesn't seem to be just a customer phenomenon. The EU =
law only=20
forbids producing and importing incandescent bulbs but does not outlaw =
their=20
sale. "We've stocked up well," a spokesman for Praktiker told SPIEGEL. =

 
And what's ironic -- in the short term, at least -- is that the =
companies=20
that manufacture the climate-killing bulbs are seeing a big boost in =
sales.=20
According to the GfK market research company, sales in Germany of =
incandescent=20
light bulbs between January and April 20, 2009, saw a 20 percent jump =
over the=20
same period a year earlier, while CFL sales shrank by 2 percent.
 
'Light Bulb Socialism' 
 
The EU's ban was originally meant to help it reach its targets on =
energy=20
efficiency and climate protection. Though much cheaper to buy, =
incandescent=20
bulbs have long been seen as wasteful because only 5 percent of the =
energy they=20
consume goes to light production, with the rest just becoming =
heat.
 
And consumers were also supposed to feel a positive effect in their =

pocketbooks as well. European Energy Commission Andris Piebalgs has =
estimated=20
that the average European household will save =8050 per year on =
electricity bills=20
and that annual CO2 emissions in Europe will be cut by 15 millions =
tons.
 
 DER SPIEGEL
Schedule for the implementation of the EU ban =
on=20
flourescent light bulbs.
But -- like laws on bent cucumbers -- many =
have=20
mocked the light bulb legislation as just another example of an EU =
bureaucracy=20
gone wild. Holger Krahmer, for example, a Member of the European =
Parliament=20
(MEP) from Germany's business-friendly FDP party has accused the EU of =
imposing=20
'light bulb socialism."
 
In fact, in creating this legislation, the EU failed to address =
consumer=20
preferences and the reservations of a number of other groups. For =
example, many=20
have complained that the light emitted by a CFL bulb is colder and =
weaker and=20
that its high-frequency flickering can cause headaches. Then there are=20
complaints about the mercury the CFL bulbs contain, how there is no =
system for=20
disposing of them in a convenient and environmentally friendly way, and =
how they=20
allegedly result in exposure to radiation levels higher than allowed =
under=20
international guidelines.
 
For some, the issue is also one of broken promises. For example,=20
manufacturers of CFL bulbs justify their higher prices by claiming that =
they=20
last much longer than traditional bulbs. But a recent test by the=20
environmentally-oriented consumer-protection magazine =D6ko Test found =
that 16 of=20
the 32 bulb types tested gave up the ghost after 6,000 hours of use -- =
or much=20
earlier than their manufacturers had promised.
 
And then, of course, there's the issue of the light the bulbs emit. =
Many=20
complain that the lights are just not bright enough and that they =
falsify=20
colors. The Hamburger Kunsthalle, for example, recently made a bulk =
order for=20
600 incandescent light bulbs to make sure that it can keep illuminating =
the=20
works it displays in the time-honored way.
 
 The aesthetic issue is a powerful one. For Munich-based =
lighting=20
designer Ingo Maurer, the CFL bulbs are ushering in a decrease in the =
quality of=20
life. "We recommend protests against the ban, civil disobedience and the =
timely=20
hoarding of lighting implements," Maurer told SPIEGEL. He also adds that =
he=20
believes the ban might drive more people to use more candles, which are =
about as=20
bad as you can get in terms of energy efficiency.
 
As Wiesner sees it, Brussels did it all wrong. Rather than banning=20
incandescent bulbs, Wiesner argues, it should have slapped a =805 =
surcharge on=20
every incandescent bulb, arguing that it would have made people think a =
bit more=20
before buying them. "That move alone would have been enough to allow the =
EU to=20
achieve its goal," Wiesner says.
 
Reported by Alexander Jung


------=_NextPart_000_0147_01CA104C.F74DF240--

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_01AA_01CA1061.CDBDCA80
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Don't see rich text posts very often.=20

--=20
Christopher A. Young=20
Learn more about Jesus=20
  www.lds.org=20
.


"Bob-tx" <b...@suddenlink.net> wrote in message =
news:4a709d00$0$23772$b...@news.suddenlink.net...
Even in socialist countries, people are rebelling against excessive =
government control.  They aren't the only ones. =20

Over the last six months, we have purchased normal (non-government) =
light bulbs to last us twenty years, longer than we will live.

Bob-tx
07/27/2009=20

Germans Hoarding Traditional Light Bulbs

The staggered phase out of energy-wasting light bulbs begins on Sept. 1 =
in Germany. The unpopularity of the energy-saving compact fluorescent =
bulbs that will replace them is leading consumers and retailers to start =
hoarding the traditional bulbs.

As the Sept. 1 deadline for the implementation of the first phase of the =
EU's ban on incandescent light bulbs approaches, shoppers, retailers and =
even museums are hoarding the precious wares -- and helping the =
manufacturers make a bundle.

Germans are hoarding traditional incandescent light bulbs as their =
planned phase out -- in favor of energy-saving compact flourescent bulbs =
-- approaches.

The EU ban, adopted in March, calls for the gradual replacement of =
traditional light bulbs with supposedly more energy-efficient compact =
fluorescent bulbs (CFL). The first to go, on Sept. 1, will be 100-watt =
bulbs. Bulbs of other wattages will then gradually fall under the ban, =
which is expected to cover all such bulbs by Sept. 1, 2012.

Hardware stores and home-improvement chains in Germany are seeing =
massive increases in the sales of the traditional bulbs. Obi reports a =
27 percent growth in sales over the same period a year ago. Hornbach has =
seen its frosted-glass light bulb sales increase by 40-112 percent. When =
it comes to 100-watt bulbs, Max Bahr has seen an 80 percent jump in =
sales, while the figure has been 150 percent for its competitor =
Praktiker.

"It's unbelievable what is happening," says Werner Wiesner, the head of =
Megaman, a manufacturer of energy-saving bulbs. Wiesner recounts a story =
of how one of his field representatives recently saw a man in a hardware =
store with a shopping cart full of light bulbs of all types worth more =
than ?200 ($285). "That's enough for the next 20 years."

And hoarding doesn't seem to be just a customer phenomenon. The EU law =
only forbids producing and importing incandescent bulbs but does not =
outlaw their sale. "We've stocked up well," a spokesman for Praktiker =
told SPIEGEL.=20

And what's ironic -- in the short term, at least -- is that the =
companies that manufacture the climate-killing bulbs are seeing a big =
boost in sales. According to the GfK market research company, sales in =
Germany of incandescent light bulbs between January and April 20, 2009, =
saw a 20 percent jump over the same period a year earlier, while CFL =
sales shrank by 2 percent.

'Light Bulb Socialism'=20

The EU's ban was originally meant to help it reach its targets on energy =
efficiency and climate protection. Though much cheaper to buy, =
incandescent bulbs have long been seen as wasteful because only 5 =
percent of the energy they consume goes to light production, with the =
rest just becoming heat.

And consumers were also supposed to feel a positive effect in their =
pocketbooks as well. European Energy Commission Andris Piebalgs has =
estimated that the average European household will save ?50 per year on =
electricity bills and that annual CO2 emissions in Europe will be cut by =
15 millions tons.

 DER SPIEGEL
Schedule for the implementation of the EU ban on flourescent light =
bulbs.
But -- like laws on bent cucumbers -- many have mocked the light bulb =
legislation as just another example of an EU bureaucracy gone wild. =
Holger Krahmer, for example, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) =
from Germany's business-friendly FDP party has accused the EU of =
imposing 'light bulb socialism."

In fact, in creating this legislation, the EU failed to address consumer =
preferences and the reservations of a number of other groups. For =
example, many have complained that the light emitted by a CFL bulb is =
colder and weaker and that its high-frequency flickering can cause =
headaches. Then there are complaints about the mercury the CFL bulbs =
contain, how there is no system for disposing of them in a convenient =
and environmentally friendly way, and how they allegedly result in =
exposure to radiation levels higher than allowed under international =
guidelines.

For some, the issue is also one of broken promises. For example, =
manufacturers of CFL bulbs justify their higher prices by claiming that =
they last much longer than traditional bulbs. But a recent test by the =
environmentally-oriented consumer-protection magazine =D6ko Test found =
that 16 of the 32 bulb types tested gave up the ghost after 6,000 hours =
of use -- or much earlier than their manufacturers had promised.

And then, of course, there's the issue of the light the bulbs emit. Many =
complain that the lights are just not bright enough and that they =
falsify colors. The Hamburger Kunsthalle, for example, recently made a =
bulk order for 600 incandescent light bulbs to make sure that it can =
keep illuminating the works it displays in the time-honored way.

 The aesthetic issue is a powerful one. For Munich-based lighting =
designer Ingo Maurer, the CFL bulbs are ushering in a decrease in the =
quality of life. "We recommend protests against the ban, civil =
disobedience and the timely hoarding of lighting implements," Maurer =
told SPIEGEL. He also adds that he believes the ban might drive more =
people to use more candles, which are about as bad as you can get in =
terms of energy efficiency.

As Wiesner sees it, Brussels did it all wrong. Rather than banning =
incandescent bulbs, Wiesner argues, it should have slapped a ?5 =
surcharge on every incandescent bulb, arguing that it would have made =
people think a bit more before buying them. "That move alone would have =
been enough to allow the EU to achieve its goal," Wiesner says.

Reported by Alexander Jung

------=_NextPart_000_01AA_01CA1061.CDBDCA80
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable








Don't see rich text =
posts very often.=20


--=20

Christopher A. Young 
Learn more about Jesus 
  http://www.lds.org">www.lds.org=20

.
 
 
"Bob-tx" <b...@suddenlink.net">b...@suddenlink.net> wrote=20
in message b...@news.suddenlink.net">news:4a709d00$0$23772$b...@news.suddenlink.net...
Even =
in socialist=20
countries, people are rebelling against excessive government =
control.  They=20
aren't the only ones.  

Over the last six months, we have =
purchased=20
normal (non-government) light bulbs to last us twenty years, longer than =
we will=20
live.

Bob-tx
07/27/2009 

Germans Hoarding Traditional =
Light=20
Bulbs

The staggered phase out of energy-wasting light bulbs =
begins on=20
Sept. 1 in Germany. The unpopularity of the energy-saving compact =
fluorescent=20
bulbs that will replace them is leading consumers and retailers to start =

hoarding the traditional bulbs.

As the Sept. 1 deadline for the=20
implementation of the first phase of the EU's ban on incandescent light =
bulbs=20
approaches, shoppers, retailers and even museums are hoarding the =
precious wares=20
-- and helping the manufacturers make a bundle.

Germans are =
hoarding=20
traditional incandescent light bulbs as their planned phase out -- in =
favor of=20
energy-saving compact flourescent bulbs -- approaches.

The EU =
ban,=20
adopted in March, calls for the gradual replacement of traditional light =
bulbs=20
with supposedly more energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL). =
The first=20
to go, on Sept. 1, will be 100-watt bulbs. Bulbs of other wattages will =
then=20
gradually fall under the ban, which is expected to cover all such bulbs =
by Sept.=20
1, 2012.

Hardware stores and home-improvement chains in Germany =
are=20
seeing massive increases in the sales of the traditional bulbs. Obi =
reports a 27=20
percent growth in sales over the same period a year ago. Hornbach has =
seen its=20
frosted-glass light bulb sales increase by 40-112 percent. When it comes =
to=20
100-watt bulbs, Max Bahr has seen an 80 percent jump in sales, while the =
figure=20
has been 150 percent for its competitor Praktiker.

"It's =
unbelievable=20
what is happening," says Werner Wiesner, the head of Megaman, a =
manufacturer of=20
energy-saving bulbs. Wiesner recounts a story of how one of his field=20
representatives recently saw a man in a hardware store with a shopping =
cart full=20
of light bulbs of all types worth more than ?200 ($285). "That's enough =
for the=20
next 20 years."

And hoarding doesn't seem to be just a customer=20
phenomenon. The EU law only forbids producing and importing incandescent =
bulbs=20
but does not outlaw their sale. "We've stocked up well," a spokesman for =

Praktiker told SPIEGEL. 

And what's ironic -- in the short term, =
at least=20
-- is that the companies that manufacture the climate-killing bulbs are =
seeing a=20
big boost in sales. According to the GfK market research company, sales =
in=20
Germany of incandescent light bulbs between January and April 20, 2009, =
saw a 20=20
percent jump over the same period a year earlier, while CFL sales shrank =
by 2=20
percent.

'Light Bulb Socialism' 

The EU's ban was =
originally meant=20
to help it reach its targets on energy efficiency and climate =
protection. Though=20
much cheaper to buy, incandescent bulbs have long been seen as wasteful =
because=20
only 5 percent of the energy they consume goes to light production, with =
the=20
rest just becoming heat.

And consumers were also supposed to feel =
a=20
positive effect in their pocketbooks as well. European Energy Commission =
Andris=20
Piebalgs has estimated that the average European household will save ?50 =
per=20
year on electricity bills and that annual CO2 emissions in Europe will =
be cut by=20
15 millions tons.

 DER SPIEGEL
Schedule for the =
implementation of=20
the EU ban on flourescent light bulbs.
But -- like laws on bent =
cucumbers --=20
many have mocked the light bulb legislation as just another example of =
an EU=20
bureaucracy gone wild. Holger Krahmer, for example, a Member of the =
European=20
Parliament (MEP) from Germany's business-friendly FDP party has accused =
the EU=20
of imposing 'light bulb socialism."

In fact, in creating this=20
legislation, the EU failed to address consumer preferences and the =
reservations=20
of a number of other groups. For example, many have complained that the =
light=20
emitted by a CFL bulb is colder and weaker and that its high-frequency=20
flickering can cause headaches. Then there are complaints about the =
mercury the=20
CFL bulbs contain, how there is no system for disposing of them in a =
convenient=20
and environmentally friendly way, and how they allegedly result in =
exposure to=20
radiation levels higher than allowed under international =
guidelines.

For=20
some, the issue is also one of broken promises. For example, =
manufacturers of=20
CFL bulbs justify their higher prices by claiming that they last much =
longer=20
than traditional bulbs. But a recent test by the =
environmentally-oriented=20
consumer-protection magazine =D6ko Test found that 16 of the 32 bulb =
types tested=20
gave up the ghost after 6,000 hours of use -- or much earlier than their =

manufacturers had promised.

And then, of course, there's the =
issue of the=20
light the bulbs emit. Many complain that the lights are just not bright =
enough=20
and that they falsify colors. The Hamburger Kunsthalle, for example, =
recently=20
made a bulk order for 600 incandescent light bulbs to make sure that it =
can keep=20
illuminating the works it displays in the time-honored =
way.

 The=20
aesthetic issue is a powerful one. For Munich-based lighting designer =
Ingo=20
Maurer, the CFL bulbs are ushering in a decrease in the quality of life. =
"We=20
recommend protests against the ban, civil disobedience and the timely =
hoarding=20
of lighting implements," Maurer told SPIEGEL. He also adds that he =
believes the=20
ban might drive more people to use more candles, which are about as bad =
as you=20
can get in terms of energy efficiency.

As Wiesner sees it, =
Brussels did=20
it all wrong. Rather than banning incandescent bulbs, Wiesner argues, it =
should=20
have slapped a ?5 surcharge on every incandescent bulb, arguing that it =
would=20
have made people think a bit more before buying them. "That move alone =
would=20
have been enough to allow the EU to achieve its goal," Wiesner=20
says.

Reported by Alexander Jung


------=_NextPart_000_01AA_01CA1061.CDBDCA80--

Stormin Mormon wrote:
> Don't see rich text posts very often. 
> 
Or top posting in a group where almost everyone bottom posts...

On Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:03:28 -0600, "Bob-tx" <b...@suddenlink.net>
wrote:

>Even in socialist countries, people are rebelling against excessive government control.  They aren't the only ones.  
>
>Over the last six months, we have purchased normal (non-government) light bulbs to last us twenty years, longer than we
will live.
>
>Bob-tx
>07/27/2009 
>
>Germans Hoarding Traditional Light Bulbs

Thanks. Had you not posted, I would've never knew the EU repealed the
Straight Banana, Curvy Cucumber Laws. I had to look at the "bent
cucumber" law.

In December they removed the laws.

"(Newser Summary) – The EU took a U-turn on curved cucumbers and bent
bananas and voted to repeal strict laws that ban the sale of imperfect
produce, the Washington Post reports. Shops are barred from selling
cauliflower less than 4.33 inches in diameter and not-green-enough
asparagus until July, when such laws&mdashlong mocked by the British
tabloids&mdashwill be wiped for 26 fruits and vegetables."

How many bulbs did you buy?

Bob-tx wrote:
> Even in socialist countries, people are rebelling against 
> excessive government control.  They aren't the only ones. 
>  
> Over the last six months, we have purchased normal (non-government) 
> light bulbs to last us twenty years, longer than we will live.
>  
> Bob-tx
> 07/27/2009
>  
> Germans Hoarding Traditional Light Bulbs
>  
> The staggered phase out of energy-wasting light bulbs begins on Sept. 1 
> in Germany. The unpopularity of the energy-saving compact fluorescent 
> bulbs that will replace them is leading consumers and retailers to start 
> hoarding the traditional bulbs.
>  
> As the Sept. 1 deadline for the implementation of the first phase of the 
> EU's ban on incandescent light bulbs approaches, shoppers, retailers and 
> even museums are hoarding the precious wares -- and helping the 
> manufacturers make a bundle.
>  
> Germans are hoarding traditional incandescent light bulbs as their 
> planned phase out -- in favor of energy-saving compact flourescent bulbs 
> -- approaches.
>  
> The EU ban, adopted in March, calls for the gradual replacement of 
> traditional light bulbs with supposedly more energy-efficient compact 
> fluorescent bulbs (CFL). The first to go, on Sept. 1, will be 100-watt 
> bulbs. Bulbs of other wattages will then gradually fall under the ban, 
> which is expected to cover all such bulbs by Sept. 1, 2012.
>  
> Hardware stores and home-improvement chains in Germany are seeing 
> massive increases in the sales of the traditional bulbs. Obi reports a 
> 27 percent growth in sales over the same period a year ago. Hornbach has 
> seen its frosted-glass light bulb sales increase by 40-112 percent. When 
> it comes to 100-watt bulbs, Max Bahr has seen an 80 percent jump in 
> sales, while the figure has been 150 percent for its competitor Praktiker.
>  
> "It's unbelievable what is happening," says Werner Wiesner, the head of 
> Megaman, a manufacturer of energy-saving bulbs. Wiesner recounts a story 
> of how one of his field representatives recently saw a man in a hardware 
> store with a shopping cart full of light bulbs of all types worth more 
> than €200 ($285). "That's enough for the next 20 years."
>  
> And hoarding doesn't seem to be just a customer phenomenon. The EU law 
> only forbids producing and importing incandescent bulbs but does not 
> outlaw their sale. "We've stocked up well," a spokesman for Praktiker 
> told SPIEGEL.
>  
> And what's ironic -- in the short term, at least -- is that the 
> companies that manufacture the climate-killing bulbs are seeing a big 
> boost in sales. According to the GfK market research company, sales in 
> Germany of incandescent light bulbs between January and April 20, 2009, 
> saw a 20 percent jump over the same period a year earlier, while CFL 
> sales shrank by 2 percent.
>  
> 'Light Bulb Socialism'
>  
> The EU's ban was originally meant to help it reach its targets on energy 
> efficiency and climate protection. Though much cheaper to buy, 
> incandescent bulbs have long been seen as wasteful because only 5 
> percent of the energy they consume goes to light production, with the 
> rest just becoming heat.
>  
> And consumers were also supposed to feel a positive effect in their 
> pocketbooks as well. European Energy Commission Andris Piebalgs has 
> estimated that the average European household will save €50 per year on 
> electricity bills and that annual CO2 emissions in Europe will be cut by 
> 15 millions tons.
>  
>  DER SPIEGEL
> Schedule for the implementation of the EU ban on flourescent light bulbs.
> But -- like laws on bent cucumbers -- many have mocked the light bulb 
> legislation as just another example of an EU bureaucracy gone wild. 
> Holger Krahmer, for example, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) 
> from Germany's business-friendly FDP party has accused the EU of 
> imposing 'light bulb socialism."
>  
> In fact, in creating this legislation, the EU failed to address consumer 
> preferences and the reservations of a number of other groups. For 
> example, many have complained that the light emitted by a CFL bulb is 
> colder and weaker and that its high-frequency flickering can cause 
> headaches. Then there are complaints about the mercury the CFL bulbs 
> contain, how there is no system for disposing of them in a convenient 
> and environmentally friendly way, and how they allegedly result in 
> exposure to radiation levels higher than allowed under international 
> guidelines.
>  
> For some, the issue is also one of broken promises. For example, 
> manufacturers of CFL bulbs justify their higher prices by claiming that 
> they last much longer than traditional bulbs. But a recent test by the 
> environmentally-oriented consumer-protection magazine Öko Test found 
> that 16 of the 32 bulb types tested gave up the ghost after 6,000 hours 
> of use -- or much earlier than their manufacturers had promised.
>  
> And then, of course, there's the issue of the light the bulbs emit. Many 
> complain that the lights are just not bright enough and that they 
> falsify colors. The Hamburger Kunsthalle, for example, recently made a 
> bulk order for 600 incandescent light bulbs to make sure that it can 
> keep illuminating the works it displays in the time-honored way.
>  
>  The aesthetic issue is a powerful one. For Munich-based lighting 
> designer Ingo Maurer, the CFL bulbs are ushering in a decrease in the 
> quality of life. "We recommend protests against the ban, civil 
> disobedience and the timely hoarding of lighting implements," Maurer 
> told SPIEGEL. He also adds that he believes the ban might drive more 
> people to use more candles, which are about as bad as you can get in 
> terms of energy efficiency.
>  
> As Wiesner sees it, Brussels did it all wrong. Rather than banning 
> incandescent bulbs, Wiesner argues, it should have slapped a €5 
> surcharge on every incandescent bulb, arguing that it would have made 
> people think a bit more before buying them. "That move alone would have 
> been enough to allow the EU to achieve its goal," Wiesner says.
>  
> Reported by Alexander Jung

They are all retarded. I have been using CFLs for over a decade.
I'm waiting for the next generation white LED's which are much more 
efficient than CFLs. Some LED are available but the price is still high.

"Oren" <O...@127.0.0.1> wrote in message 
news:n...@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:03:28 -0600, "Bob-tx" 
> <b...@suddenlink.net>
> wrote:
>
>>Even in socialist countries, people are rebelling against 
>>excessive government control.  They aren't the only ones.
>>
>>Over the last six months, we have purchased normal 
>>(non-government) light bulbs to last us twenty years, longer than 
>>we will live.
>>
>>Bob-tx
>>07/27/2009
>>
>>Germans Hoarding Traditional Light Bulbs
>
> Thanks. Had you not posted, I would've never knew the EU repealed 
> the
> Straight Banana, Curvy Cucumber Laws. I had to look at the "bent
> cucumber" law.
>
> In December they removed the laws.
>
> "(Newser Summary) - The EU took a U-turn on curved cucumbers and 
> bent
> bananas and voted to repeal strict laws that ban the sale of 
> imperfect
> produce, the Washington Post reports. Shops are barred from 
> selling
> cauliflower less than 4.33 inches in diameter and not-green-enough
> asparagus until July, when such laws-long mocked by the British
> tabloids-will be wiped for 26 fruits and vegetables."
>
> How many bulbs did you buy?
>
I don't know the number, but we built our house 13 years ago, and 
have had very few bulb failures.  We bought 40, 76, 100, 3-way, 
flood, and candelabra bulbs, based on the number of each type 
fixture we have, and then bought enough for two refills of each 
socket.

Bob-tx 

On Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:03:28 -0600, "Bob-tx" <b...@suddenlink.net>
wrote:

>Even in socialist countries, people are rebelling against excessive government control.  They aren't the only ones.  
>
>Over the last six months, we have purchased normal (non-government) light bulbs to last us twenty years, longer than we
will live.
>
>Bob-tx


Depends on your power company.  Our nearly 125 volts is really hard on
regular lightbulbs.  I would have to have a shed to hold a lifetime
supply.  Switching to cf has saved me that trouble.

On Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:44:52 -0500, Chris Hill <h...@earthlink.net>
wrote:

>On Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:03:28 -0600, "Bob-tx" <b...@suddenlink.net>
>wrote:
>
>>Even in socialist countries, people are rebelling against excessive government control.  They aren't the only ones.  
>>
>>Over the last six months, we have purchased normal (non-government) light bulbs to last us twenty years, longer than
we will live.
>>
>>Bob-tx
>
>
>Depends on your power company.  Our nearly 125 volts is really hard on
>regular lightbulbs.  I would have to have a shed to hold a lifetime
>supply.  Switching to cf has saved me that trouble.


I have to buy 130v bulbs but they hold up well.

g...@aol.com wrote:
>  Chris Hill wrote:
>
>> Depends on your power company.  Our nearly 125 volts is really hard
>> on regular lightbulbs.  I would have to have a shed to hold a
>> lifetime supply.  Switching to cf has saved me that trouble.
>
>
> I have to buy 130v bulbs but they hold up well.

I tried some of those (they called them extended life bulbs at the time), 
but the light they produced was too warm/yellow for my tastes.  I've also 
got 125VAC at the wall, so I just change them more often.

Jon 

Hardly surprising about the German (and other European) hoarding Bob...

Europeans and Americans choose to buy ordinary light bulbs around 9 times
out of 10.
Banning what people want gives the supposed savings - no point in
banning an impopular product!

If new LED lights -or improved CFLs- are good,
people will buy them - no need to ban ordinary light bulbs (little point).
If they are not good, people will not buy them - no need to ban ordinary
light bulbs (no point).
The arrival of the transistor didn't mean that more energy using radio
tubes had to be banned... they were bought less anyway.

All lights have advantages
The ordinary simple light bulb has for many people a pleasing appearance,
it responds quickly with bright broad spectrum light, is easy to use with
dimmers and other equipment, can come in small sizes, and has safely been
used for over 100 years.

100 W+ equivalent brightness is a particular issue - difficult and
expensive with both fluorescents and LEDS - yet such incandescent bulbs are 
first in line for banning in both America and the EU

Energy?
Since when does Europe or America need to save on electricity?
There is no energy shortage.
Note that if there was an energy shortage, the price rise would make
people buy more efficient products anyway - no need to legislate for it.

Energy security?
There are usually plenty of local energy sources,
Middle East oil is not used for electricity generation, 1/2 world uranium
exports are from Canada and Australia.

Consumers - not politicians - pay for the energy used.
Certainly it is good to let people know how they can save energy and money
- but why force them to do it?


Emissions?
Most cars have emissions.
But does a light bulb give out any gases?
Power stations might not either:
In Sweden and France, as in Washington state practically all electricity
is emission-free, while around half of it is in many European countries
and in states like New York and California.
Why should emission-free households be denied the use of lighting they
obviously want to use?
Low emission households will increase everywhere, since emissions will be
reduced anyway through the planned use of coal/gas processing technology
or energy substitution.

Also, the savings amounts  can be questioned for many reasons:
For a referenced list of reasons against light bulb bans, see
 http://www.ceolas.net/#li1x    onwards


Even if a reduction in use was needed, then taxation to
reduce consumption would make more sense since government can use the
income to reduce emissions (home insulation schemes, renewable projects
etc) more than any remaining product use causes such problems. 
People can still buy what they want, unlike with bans. 
However taxation on electrical appliances is hardly needed either, and is
in principle wrong for similar reasons to bans (for example, emission-free
households are hit too).