So this afternoon the roommate was up on a chair, changing out the two burned-out bulbs in the big light fixture on the kitchen ceiling. After he handed down the globe, I went to fetch a couple of new bulbs. Uh-oh. Only one bulb left in the electric drawer. Which was just as well because come to find out, one of the sockets in that fixture has gone bad, and we need to replace the whole outfit.Well, he put the one good bulb up there, reattached the globe, muttering about how dark that would make the kitchen. You have to understand, the roommate is chef de cuisine around here, and he takes his job very seriously - with fabulous results I have to say. (On tonight's menu: meatballs stroganoff in wine sauce.)
Well can you believe it - no sooner had we put the chair back under the dining table than he went to turn on the other light over the sink - and by sheer coincidence, that bulb blew out.
Upon which turn of events, the Chef informed me that if I wanted any goddamned dinner at all tonight, I'd better get my ass to the goddamned store and get him some goddamned light bulbs, pronto.
I can take a hint. So off to wally world I trucked, and there made a sad, sad discovery. There are no more 60-watt bulbs. At all. Oh no - 52 is the new 60. 67 is the new 75. 90 is the new 100. Just freaking wonderful. But I bought a 4-pack of 52's - what else can you do?
No doubt some of you, or all of you, knew this tomfoolery was coming down the pike, but we hadn't gotten nary a word about it out here on the prairie. When it gets to wal-mart, that's when we find out. And we are not pleased: as the roommate said, Could they have picked any more obscure numbers to change to? Shit.
If it was good enough for Edison, it's good enough for us. What is this world coming to, I ask you. This ain't the Change I thought I was voting for.
Okay, insert lightbulb joke here ______ please, I know you're all dying to.
7 comments:
I'm slowly switching the lights I usr the most to compact florencents. I always fooled around with me ex's crotch when I could get him on a ladder at face level, if you get my drift....
Hahaha, nice play on words with the title, Russ. I was about to bore into you about 52 not being anywhere close to the new 60... at least until I read the post and the light bulb turned on above my head.
I did not know this was happening. I'd heard incandescent bulbs were going the way of the 8-track, but lowering the watts? Why?
I not only have 60 watt bulbs in most things around here, but I have 60 watt clear Reveal bulbs, which are already hard to find. Time to start hoarding I guess.
Wal-Mart launched a huge campaign to convince folks to change their inefficient incandescent bulbs to the wally-world sponsored florescents about a year ago, actually giving them away to anyone who exchanged a regular bulb for one of these.
The change in wattage is a last ditch effort by GE and Sylvania to keep some of their market alive before the inevitable happens. They offer no significant savings over florescent bulbs.
The new florescent technology makes them more like regular bulbs, warmer and without that blue-white glow and many can even be used in fixtures connected to dimmers - if you're into that kind of thing.
Where I live electric rates have more than doubled in the past year, so every little bit helps. If I can buy a 7 watt bulb that give off light equal to a 40 watt incandescent and will last 5 times longer, it's a win - win situation.
Just sayin'
Newspapers. 8 tracks. Pay phones. Videotapes. LP's. Bellbottoms. Surfer bangs. But still no flying cars?
You can't get them here either. They're being phased out in favour of energy efficient bulbs.
i want a flying car...
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