Are California Big Screen TVs About to Go Extinct?

Local TV report on the move to ban televisions of a certain size and power in the Golden State.

Hat tip: Steve Vincent.

And remember incandescent light bulbs of various wattages, already banned in the European Union, and soon enough in the U.S.

Comments

[MJ]

California, you have got the government you deserve. A legislature of tireless puritanical busybodies. It's just what they are puritanical about is different than what is traditional.

Of course, as people leave the state as it becomes more and more unlivable, they probably won't put two and two together and change their voting habits.

[jtuf]

The ban in on buying big new TVs. This preserves them as status symbols for the early adopters.

[mitch]

Four small TVs hung on the wall next to each other is much more decorative, anyway.

[Some Guy]

Cold...Dead...Hand...

But oh well, I don't live there anyway.

[Johnny Longtorso]

Of course, as people leave the state as it becomes more and more unlivable, they probably won't put two and two together and change their voting habits.

And the vermin who leave won't change their voting habits either, infecting every state they move to.

[D-FENS]

I'm about to get out of here, and I'll take my (meaningless in CA) libertarian voting with me. I wish I had the seed money to open a Whole Foods...

[MJ]

Some Guy, California is the biggest single market in the US, which means they help drive standards. You think this does not affect you because you don't live there? Think again.

[DennisB]

The difference between the TV's and Incandescent light is:
The incandescent light has a few reasonable replacements. Florescent lights are now cheap and well developed.
Setting a arbitrary size limit is just stupid. They may come out with a TV tomorrow that uses much less energy.
Actually they have:
http://prometheusgonewild.word.....g-display/
It is not yet in production. Even so, the state of California is not in the power generating/ distribution business. It is not state controlled or regulated.
Even though the state has the right to outlaw big TV's, it is just stupid.
I see a huge surge in BestBuy.com TV purchases which go to Nevada and are "specially delivered" in unmarked vans.
If you live in Nevada, this will be better than bootlegging.
What judge is going to send you to jail for selling a 52 inch?

[Untermensch]

Even though the state has the right to outlaw big TV's?

The battle is lost when on a libertarian blog this statement is even made. Sad.

[Brandybuck]

Don't you understand? The Federal Goverment must be restricted, but the state governments can do whatever they want! It's decentralism. the goal isn't the elimination of coercion, but it's redistribution. There has always been segments in the libertarian movement that have made this argument.

Not that I agree with it, or even understand it, I just recognize that it is there. Many (most?) Ron Paulers were actually of this mindset.

[Michael Steele]

Anytime you get a body of individuals that go beyond me and my doctor who are going to make decisions about what kind of television I get, that's rationing of entertainment.

[@]

It's puzzling that the state which produces more cultural sewage than any other, and calls it "entertainment," would wish to limit its viewing size. Maybe they're embarrassed.

Naaaah.

[robc]

Even though the state has the right to outlaw big TV's

You sure? My reading of the 10th amendment clearly states that tv size decisions are reserved to the people.

Not to mention the general idea that states dont have rights, only powers.

Not to mention that "TV's" is possessive, not plural.

Yes, I realize I made a grammatical mistake somewhere above - it's the law.

[John Tagliaferro]

Wasn't this a topic here a few days ago?

[Jim Bob]

They're creating new "problems" to solve, because they can't work up the collective will to solve any of their actual problems. Because the legislature is a scrum of idiots.

[Mike Laursen]

And remember incandescent light bulbs of various wattages, already banned in the European Union, and soon enough in the U.S.

It's job creation! We'll be seeing folks engaged in entirely new occupations: light bulb thievery and black marketing.

[TP]

My 50" Pioneer Kuro plasma TV uses 440 watts (20w in standby). The standby seems a little high, but the 440 seems reasonable, for a big plasma.

So, the light bulbs again huh? Well, I bought a pair of "next gen" 100w replacement CFLs and I can't really see a difference. Please, go buy a pair of Sylvania Living Spaces 100 w replacements and see for yourself. I have a degree in Electro-Optics and have been a painting contractor for 30 years. I know a little bit about light. They're fine, and I am still using them.

I had the same doubts about R-134A until I had my car converted from R-12. It's fine, also.

[The Libertarian Guy]

"...general idea that states dont have rights, only powers"

Guess that Tenth Amendment thing is as outdated as liberals say it is, eh?

States should have the right to set their own agendas, short of reinstituting slavery and a few other common-sense limits.

[T]

So, the light bulbs again huh? Well, I bought a pair of "next gen" 100w replacement CFLs and I can't really see a difference.

Great plan. Now, shit me a 60W equivalent CFL bulb that's dimmable, has a intermediate base, and fits in my ceiling fan. Oh, wait, you can't because IT DOESN'T FUCKING EXIST. So what do you propose I do when the ban gets down to the 60 watt range? Buy a new ceiling fan?

[TP]

I suggest you go to Lowes and LOOK! You'll find CFL dimmers and micro-mini CFLs, and adapters. Oh wait, you don't want to have to sacrifice anything, right? I suggest you start hoarding.

[The Libertarian Guy]

"Sacrifice"? For what?

[John Tagliaferro]

The children.

[TP]

I don't know. Conservation, maybe. I guess that's a dirty word. But not as dirty as all that damn coal they're burning in the Midwest. But no one should be "forced" to conserve. It's every American's God given right to pollute just as much as he can afford to. Come on over to NJ and I'll show you what pollution has done, and how much it's costing us to clean it the fuck up.

[T]

I got a better idea. How about you go? I've been. They're not there. Neither Feit, GE, Sylvania, or any other manufacturer makes the CFL bulbs I need. So, instead of making smart ass unhelpful suggestions, how about you shove a CFL so far up your ass you can see light through your nose?

And you're right. I don't need to sacrifice since I'm the one paying the bill for the electricity, not you. Take your idiot ass back to Jersey and help clean up the pollution caused by shit government decisions while you imagine more shit decisions by the government are going to help.

[TP]

Oh, a tough guy, huh? All that fucking pollution from your coal plant is drifting over to NJ, the same way all that fucking dust did because all those Homesteaders were too stupid to learn agricultural land management. If people are too fucking stupid to learn the lessons of NJ and other polluted areas, then you deserve to have it forced on you. I hope you have to buy a new fucking ceiling fan. I hope you get so pissed off, that you rip it down with your bare hands and throw it out your inefficient wood sash window, breaking it, and then be forced to buy a high efficiency vinyl replacement.

[T]

I sincerely doubt the pollution from any coal plants in my vicinity makes it to Jersey since I'm in Houston. Maybe if the government would let people decide what the best form of energy was instead of subsidizing coal and restricting nukes, we wouldn't be having this conversation, would we? Nah, too complicated. Pass another law! That'll fix everything! And make it all better!

And we did learn from Jersey. That's why we're not a festering cesspool of corruption.

[TP]

Just buy the damned bulbs would ya? Email me a picture of your ceiling fan and I'll see if I can match something up for you.
I am as just as stubborn as you are. I didn't buy any CFLs until last week. I figured, hell, I get most of my power from nukes. But, that waste has to go somewhere. I don't feel right that we send it to other states to be disposed of. There are many in my state that feel the same way. That's why there's 3800 Megawatts of offshore wind in development. So, I broke down and went out and bought the fucking things. And if Texas wants to secede, I certainly won't lose any sleep.

You're right that the government shouldn't have to do it, but they do. There are just too many stubborn old pricks in this country, and people who just don't give a shit. If most people gave half a rats ass, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

[T]

TP,

I don't have an issue with CFLs. I have them everywhere. I love them because I can take a 75 watt equivalent and put it in a 60W fixture. Hey, presto! More light and less energy! But I have the oddball applications (like my brand new ceiling fans) where nothing is made.

I need a 60W equivalent with an intermediate or candelabra base that's dimmable. That's all I'm asking for, and nobody makes them. I've looked. There aren't any. And it pisses me off that some jackass in an office somewhere has deemed I can't have a fucking light bulb, all to fix the results of a different fucked up policy some other jackass implemented. WTF? Why not fix the original mistakes instead of compounding them? And in the meantime, leave my light bulbs alone.

[TP]

Dude, I was just there and they have them, but they are not dimmable. You'll probably have to buy a separate dimmer switch. Like all those people that bought that low voltage halogen track lighting. Or, just wait, I'm sure eventually, they'll have them. They have dimmable full size. Christ, they even have big 300w equivalents. Don't forget, there's still 7 years until the ban. If they don't have them by then, I'll march with you.

[TP]

I love them because I can take a 75 watt equivalent and put it in a 60W fixture.

That is a nice feature. It seems more and more fixtures are only rated at 60watts. Cheap aluminum wiring.

[Slut Bunwalla]

TP, your handle has given me an idea. I think I'm going to print off all of your posts here and wipe my ass with them next time I take a shit.

[TP]

Reminds me of a poem:

Those who write on bathroom walls,
Roll their shit into little balls,
Those who read these words of wit,
Eat those little balls of shit.

Bon Appetite.

[JW]

Tell me again why people move or stay in California? This has to be the most masochistic state population in the country.

[R C Dean]

So, the light bulbs again huh? Well, I bought a pair of "next gen" 100w replacement CFLs and I can't really see a difference.

I suggest you check the receipt.

[TP]

Yeah, they were $11.00. With 12 times the lifetime (12,000 vs 1,000hrs)they pay for themselves just from not having to buy replacements. The 60watts were $7.00. These are "next-gen", and I expect those prices to come down as other companies begin producing them.

Look, I was just as skeptical as everybody else. I was sincerely surprised, not just with the quality of light, but all of the different sizes, price ranges, and options now available. But don't take my word for it, try it yourself you crusty old, stubborn fart 🙂

[bigbigslacker]

When you get home from work, write the purchase date on the plastic base so that 6 months or a year from now you will not think you are just imagining things. And, if not, you can tell me I was wrong (in the case of your particular bulbs in your particular installation).

[TP]

I won't need to write it down. I just bought a pair of 50w replacement small flood lamps for this shitty track lighting I have. Incandescents go about every three months. It's so bad, I've been thinking about replacing the whole damned thing. I'll see how long these last. But these aren't the Sylvanias. They are the Lowes brand "Bright Effects". They are rated at 8,000 hrs. If these don't last, I will be replacing the fixture with a nice halogen system. Fuck it.

I'll tell you what, my kitchen has two recessed traditional 48" fluorescent fixtures and one 24". The house is 8 years old and I haven't had to replace any of those, yet.

[R C Dean]

Yeah, they were $11.00. With 12 times the lifetime (12,000 vs 1,000hrs)they pay for themselves just from not having to buy replacements.

I've had CFLs in a number of our fixtures. If anything, they haven't lasted as long as incandescents, because, I suspect, that most household fixtures get turned on and off a lot, which seems to really shorten the lives of CFLs.

So, I'm very skeptical of the claims that CFLs will last many multiples longer than incandescents.

[TP]

That may be true. But there are other things to consider. How old is the fixture? How old is the wiring in the house? Are there a lot of vibrations in the house? I remember using 300 watt incandescent bulbs on a job site. The floor was so shaky, that one of the bulbs blew out just by walking past it. It was a brand new bulb. I'll be interested to see how long mine last. But my house is only 8 years old. Incandescents last an unusually long time here. The package claims I'll save $184 on two bulbs over 11 years in energy savings. In both cases, if it turns out to be half, I'll be happy.

I have a track lighting system that uses odd shaped bulbs, and they are always burning out. One just blew yesterday. I'm going to see if there's a CFL equivalent, and if there is, how long it lasts. Back to Lowes.

[Brandybuck]

Three answers: Oregon, Nevada and Arizona.

[Hacha Cha]

I thought individuals pay their own electric bill. I can see outlawing it if you are getting discount/subsidized electricity from the government but if you pay your own damn electric bill then you should be allowed to run whatever the fuck you want. there are appliances that use more electricity anyways and aren't being banned. this world sucks more everyday

[anonymous]

This shit irritates me. I have a light outside that turns on automatically at night, with a photosensitive switch. Problem is that it's a piece of shit (came with the house), so it flickers a lot before it gets it right. Now, it probably isn't good for any sort of light bulb, but I've had an incandescent out there for months with no problems. CFLs are dead the next damn morning. If I can't get incandescents then I either have to shelling out to the goddamn HOA or replace the fixture, and hope that it isn't such a POS.

And why? Fuck, a kWh is a kWh. You're going to inconvenience the shit out of people to get them to stop wasting something they're paying for. If they aren't paying what it costs to society, you need to curtail pollution permits. If they are, then where do you get off bitching? They're only hurting themselves. But maybe, just maybe, they have some reasons for making the decisions they do.

[anonymous]

I love the interview with the CA government douchebag in the middle where he claimed that they were "making more efficient TVs available to consumers", as if banning inefficient TVs magically makes better ones available.

I bet in his mind the evil TV companies have efficient TVs hidden away in a secret trap-filled labyrinth, because they just fucking hate the environment. Any moment now, Captain Planet is going to swoop in and return them to the good people of CA.

Is it too much to hope that TV manufacturers just say "fuck it" and stop selling in California? Let Californians buy their TVs out of state. Good luck collecting out-of-state sales tax from your citizens, you imperious shits.

While execution is probably too extreme for those utterly clueless comments, surely a Louisville slugger to the balls is appropriate to the offense?

[jay]

People this is the elite shoveling pit forks at you again.this has nothing to do with energy consumption at all but they just wanna see how many people care to even watch televison or still are.Do you not know they can manufacture just about anything that plugs in to be built using free energy requiring no plug at all.They just wanna gather your comments to see how they should attack you consumer wise.The thing is sometimes do not voice your opinion on some of these websites and they are using all this and collecting data to be further entrapment for us all.Are you not sick of this?

[Ben Dicosta]

These were the source for halogen track lighting Big department stores have used halogen track lighting designs to promote clothing, homewares or furnishings.

[Ben Dicosta]

These were the source for halogen track lighting Big department stores have used halogen track lighting designs to promote clothing, homewares or furnishings.