Sunday, March 8, 2009

Oh dear...I feel a rant coming on

I feel a rant coming on and it's been a while since I have had one of those but I fear I have now become...... A GRUMPY OLD WOMAN......and I think this may be a comfy sofa and cuppa kind of rant....so make yourselves comfy folks....this is a classic .....believe me.......what is the world coming to.....the whole place is going mad ......you will remember I returned my lamps to M&S because they were too big for the room and NO...I am not having a rant at my fave store....everything from M&S has been brilliant...from the delivery of the sofas to the pre-paid label to return any of the goods I ordered online...... my rant is with the silly little men who bring out stupid rules and regulations in the name of Energy Efficiency....Global Warming....Saving the Planet.
I eventually got  new lamps from Dunelm and they needed 100W candle bulbs...the screw in variety so I set off to B&Q and couldn't find 100W anywhere....mind you it didn't help that I forgot my specs.....so I went in search of an assistant.....what is it about that place....you can never find anyone to help and if you do happen to be lucky enough to spot a member of staff they are usually going in the opposite direction at 100mph.
Finally I located one and asked her if she could show me where I could find 100W bulbs......and this was the reply......hope you are sitting down for this one......it left me speechless and that doesn't happen very often....mind you only momentarily.

"Oh you won't be able to buy 100W bulbs.....they are now illegal... since 1st February"....
WHAT....well excuse me....but how can a light bulb be illegal.....for goodness sake...I can understand knives, guns, heroin and cocaine....but a bl**dy LIGHT BULB (oops it's Sunday....sorry shouldn't swear on Sunday)   Now I am worried.....is it illegal to own a 100W bulb because I have lamps in other rooms with 100W bulbs.....am I going to have the LIGHT BULB POLICE breaking down my door and dragging me off for interrogation and I will disappear from bloggy land forever or will they just confiscate them....is there going to be a LIGHT BULB AMNESTY.....when we have 3 months to hand in all our 100W light bulbs.   Just can't believe the thinking behind this one.....because hubby and I are going to be sitting of an evening straining our eyes to read the paper...or maybe we should invest in a torch each......and where does the energy saving come in.... having ONE LAMP with a 100W BULB  OR TWO LAMPS with a 60W BULB EACH ...do the maths folks....it doesn't add up....and to be honest....if I want my house to be lit up like Blackpool Illuminations......no silly little man is going to stop me.  Well like I said folks.....the whole place is going MAD........we are in the midst of a very serious recession....folks losing their jobs....their homes...business large and small going to the wall and some stupid government department are busying themselves with making light bulbs illegal......light bulbs today.....who knows what it will be tomorrow....you couldn't make it up.....COULD YOU.      Have been having a crafty fest over the weekend....back tomorrow with some cards to show you and a challenge or two.....so see you then  if I am not carted away and thrown in the slammer for being so naughty.
Hugs Kath xxxxxxx

30 comments:

  1. I totally agree with you Kath what is the world coming too!!!!Hugs pascale!

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  2. Don't get me going on the idiocy of the EU aided and abetted by the present Government! I have several antique lights in my house and although they're hardly ever on they would look ridiculous if, as they're threatening, we'll only be able to use low energy bulbs. Not only that but these low energy bulbs are impossible to dispose of cleanly and they only work if you keep them on all the time - turning them on and off means they don't last very long! I'm sorry but common sense went out of the window a long
    time ago.
    I'd better stop now before my blood pressure goes sky-high or I might be joining you in the slammer especially as they're going to be reading all our emails etc. before long!
    Mind you, it could be fun if we're in the slammer together as long as we're allowed a few crafty bits.
    Ali xx

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  3. I'm with you on this light bulb thing. I don't think they are outlawed here in the USA, but some stores are not selling the 100 watts any more....and as far as global warming, this has been one of the coldest winters on record here in the US! Guess our governments are very similar! Right now we have this huge "bailout" bill that passed that will put us in debt for generations to come! Its dreadful all the way around--Basically, its a "hobby horse" some of the politicians are riding, global warming. that is!!!

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  4. What??!! Ha ha!! That's just ridiculous! You might be able to find an energy efficiant one thats equivilent to 100w but I'm not too sure! Have a nice sunday! xx

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  5. You can blame Gordon Brown for this one Kath, it was his idea :( I found this article on Google :) Donna x

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/greenerliving/4128071/Traditional-100-watt-light-bulbs-to-be-phased-out-in-favour-of-low-energy-alternative.html

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  6. I feel your pain! I had a friend who was buying up a bunch before they became a black market item. I think she made it up to 30 light bulbs by roaming differnt stores!

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  7. YOu tell em Kath ! ... i had no idea you couldnt get them anymore .. i use daylight bulbs in my craft room , maybe one of them instead kath ?

    good luck with your mission to find one !

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  8. Oh Kath you are hilarious..you have really cheered me up this morning. Like you I had some new lamps delivered from 'Next' on friday....but I have an illegal stash of 100w...would offer your some but I might be arrested by the light bulb police for dealing!...:D
    You are absolutely right though....what is the worl coming too! I had put some cardboard boxes out for collection...but the bin man said he couldn't take that type of cardboard as it was too thick?...crazy..crazy times we live in!
    Have a great Sunday! Debbie x

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  9. Rofl ..... oh my goodness! You have really brightened my day up Kath! I do sympathise with you though we have had to change all our light bulbs to the energy ones. I personally dont like them cos they dont give instant light, you have to wait for them to warm up.

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  10. I didn't know you couldn't get them anymore!
    and can I ask, are day light bulbs worth getting for crafting?

    love teen xx

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  11. Oh My How flamin ridiculous!!!!!!!
    I feel a rant coming on for you Kath!!!!!
    Crazy Crazy .....
    Have a lovely Sunday:)♥

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  12. Oh My Goodness Kath, I am sorry you have just had me in hysetrics, I am sure you will have the whole support of blogland if the light bulb police arrive, this is one hairbrained idea, from that silly man who thinks he knows how to run a country, sorry if that offends anyone, but my gosh it makes you wonder whats next!!!. joey.xxx

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  13. OMG that is absolutely ridiculous! I can't believe it, although, I have to say, your rant did make me chuckle!
    Absolutely stupid idea to make a lightbulb illegal - you would think that there is more important things going on in the world wouldn't you?!
    Can't wait to see your creations you have done this weekend.
    Chin up chuck
    Leanne :o)
    xx

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  14. Hi Kath,fully sympathise with your plight. We have an energy saving bulb on our landing and its dangerous. You have to wait for it to warm up or go upstairs in the dark, not good when in a hurry especially when my stairs are full of the kids stuff waiting for them to take it up.
    Also energy savers are not good for those with poor vision as they give off a differnt kind of light.

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  15. Finally someone who makes sense!!! Thanks Kath! We were going through our house recently replacing all of the lightbulbs due to a power surge (thanks to the Electric Company!) and discovered the same thing here in the USA. I was absolutely shocked to find 57 watt bulbs for the 60watts, 95 for the 100, 15 for the 25, 36 for the 45, and 65 for the 75. So ridiculous! Of course, the new administration is pushing for everyone to use the compact flourescent bulbs
    in all of our lighting fixtures - too bad they
    have mercury in them and if dropped are a hazardous material! The packages all say 'leave
    the area and call in the Hazardous Material Removal team to clean any spills or breakage." Um, yeah, right. I really want *that* in my house!

    So - rant away, my friend! You are making lots of sense! Want to run for Government? ha ha ha (real people who actually have and use common sense don't do well in Government...)

    -Katherine/Csmoferret

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  16. Following previous comment take a look at www.lightbulbs-direct.com where you can still buy bog standard 100w bulbs.

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  17. I am the lightbulb police...any further of this anarchic talk, and I will come and forceably remove the lightbulb in your oven and your fridge too!
    Belt up and do as you're told!
    In the 'biblical' sense of course...'cause it is Sunday!
    Luv'n'Hugs
    Gayle x

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  18. Every time you turn around there is another silly rule.

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  19. Isn't it ridiculous - you can only buy those low energy things now that make you look as if you have jaundice. Poundland still do the old ones though
    hugs
    En x

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  20. I don't mind low energy bulbs but some of them are soooo expensive. And why are all the new lights the screw in type and not bayonet fittings ? I think it is a ploy to phase out our old lighting and make us use European fittings.

    We went to B & Q to look at a light for the porch and to make energy saving bulbs work with a night time sensor you have to pay an extra £10 for a convertor!

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  21. Oh Kath - what a stupid rule - who thinks up of these things????? Like you said one 100watt or 2 60 watts - just too silly..
    There is no way you could possibly make that up....some people are obviously sitting behind their desk and thinking up these extremely stupid ideas - they obviously have nothing else to be doing. :)
    Hope the light bulb police don't come to my house either - if they do I may be meeting you inside some where...lol
    Keep calm - deep breathing...lol

    xxDebbiexx

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  22. happy happy birthday .candy fantastic!!! hello Patty from italy.
    Patty (no blog).

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  23. What the f... I mean, "what the Heck!"

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  24. Kath after i had picked myself up off the floor after pmsl, I realised just how serious this is, they are taking us over, soon it will be illegal to b****y think for yourself. I get so enraged with this Nanny State here is the man who spent spent spent, and cannot even say sorry for doing nothing to help the mess the country is in, trying to tell us we cannot use a 100w lightbulb, now I am going red with temper, I have always used 100 watt bulbs in my craft room as well as the daylight bulb in my lamp. What are all of us who have dimmer switches going to do when only energy saving bulbs are on sale from next year, they will not work with a dimmer switch as I know to my cost when I tried and had smoke coming out of the light fitting. We need a woman running this country. Has the world finally gone bonkers.
    Hugs Jacqui x

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  25. Bwaahahaha! You tell 'em, Kath! If they haul you off to jail, I'll be your prison penpal, OK? =D

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  26. Oh Kath I am totally feeling what you are saying! I went to tesco just after christmas to get some bulbs and they only do power save ones now and a lady explained this new rule/law! Its crazy! Without a 100w bilb i cant see properly when crafting! And i hate reading in low lighting - which is what these rubbish energy lightbulbs are - unless you pay the earth for a slightly and i mean ever so slightly higher wattage! Lol there may start to be underground sales of 100w bulbs - how funny! Oh better go the light bulb police might be reading this!
    love tasha

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  27. I am not aware of the 100 watt bulb not being legal to buy. i better be able to buy them. I use only 100 watt in my basement where my washing machine and dryer is. I live in an old old house and the basement is very creepy and spidery. I won't be able to see to go down there to do my laundry or anything down there. I am going to go to the store and buy me 100 watt bulbs in cases if I find them. thanks for the heads up.

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  28. kath i am sorry .. i couldnt do anything but laugh when reading your post.. you better watch out for the crack team of ligh checkers.... they will have bright yellow jackets on.. with a big light blub above there heads....lmao...
    kaz_za

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  29. Sjoe, I am glad to see that you are not in the slammer and your blogging buddies having to bail you out. I agree wholeheartedly, the maths doesn't add up. What about getting those mine lamps which has an elastic band to put around your head and you can angle the lamp at whatever you are reading, it works like a bomb. Hugs from Desire

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  30. The 'normal' lightybulbs last a very short time compared to energy efficient which means more landfill-glass and chemicals etc. They also use more electricity. If you want to be lit up like Blackpool you may think that's your choice but tell that to polar bears dying in the ocean or people in the Maldives seeing their home being flooded by waves caused by global warming. Many people have lost their homes already-they don't live in the UK so out of sight to some people means out of mind. They do count-we all do and a lightbulb compared to a life and a home and a living hardly compares. Some people want a drink and then to drive-why should Europe stop them-because it harms others. We are not alone-we are paty of a world and we need to stop being selfish and thinking of others whose voices we choose not to hear. Total exageration re: energy bulbs. my whole house has had them for years and I've not died yet. they are slightly slower to get to full capacity but it's not 5 mins before any light. Thank God we have Europe and the Gorvenment to make laws as clearly asking people to make decisions based on the world as a whole doesn't work-what about your grandchildren-already more skin cancers etc. It's happening now-we are facing serious harm & you moan about rights to light bulbs? No offence but watch the news/read a paper and see what is happening outside your home. Those people are Mothers and children too.

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