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by Jim Salmon
The biggest money grab on the planet right now is this absolutely ridiculous idea to get rid of the incandescent light bulb! Previous to this latest hogwash, was the invention of the 1.6 gallon flush toilet, and the phasing out of Freon gas, which was in nearly every piece of refrigeration equipment in the world. Freon was, and is, the very best refrigerant by ten times over than the stuff we are forced to use today. The amount of water on the earth has not changed in 25,000,000,000 years, and the difference between a 3.0 gallon flush toilet, which flushes just fine, and those aggravating 1.6 gallon flush toilets you have to flush two times or more to get the same result, is not much. I’m not very good with math, but the last I checked 1.6 plus 1.6 is more than 3.0 gallons! The staggering cost of the Freon money grab is between 20 and 25 billion dollars and the toilet mess between 8 and 13 billion dollars. Who benefited from these idiotic changes which were jammed down our throats? Not us, that’s for sure.
Why do we let these things happen to us? Remember the phrase, “You get what you pay for?” If you buy a CFl bulb (compact fluorescent light bulb) you have spent five times more than an incandescent bulb. It takes a long time to “light up”, and is very susceptible to damage and leaking mercury all over the place when it’s broken. But, the most important aspect is, and why I display utter hatred for the new CFL’s is, they are not bright enough! It’s all about the quality of light, which in my opinion stinks! It is simply not the government’s business dictating what kind of bulbs a citizen can buy. If the CFLs along with other types of energy saving devices are really that effective, consumers will naturally gravitate in that direction. Edison would climb out of his casket if he could see what the global warming folks have done to his light bulb!
We are naturally gullible sometimes. We want to believe what our government is telling us or what we hear from a very large company with a storied history. The truth is, these CFL bulbs do not last as long as they are touted to last.
The whole country is thinking backwards. Let’s invent new ways of making electricity and make it an individual thing for all Americans, unique to their own homes. Can you imagine an America where no electrical grid exists or is needed? Twenty years from now every house in the country will have some kind of local wind powered electrical generating device such as the WindTamer Turbine. Also, the research and development of photoelectric arrays has been huge. Every home currently has 3 main mechanical systems, electrical, heating & air conditioning, and plumbing. Why not fit every home with its own power generating systems? An array of WindTamer Turbines at the peak, a large photovoltaic array facing south, and a fully automatic back-up generator for insurance, would make every home self sufficient. Let’s think outside of the box!
The tree hugging, spotted-owl-loving, snail-darter saving, global-warming-scamming money-grabbers, that try and tell us at every turn, the things we love like our big cars, our occasional bon fire, and now our light bulbs, has to go. You are constantly told to sacrifice quality for the environment. It’s not really for the environment; it’s for the great money grab. The following press release may help explain what some folks in Congress are thinking.
PRESS RELEASE
Barton, Burgess and Blackburn Introduce Bill to Repeal Light Bulb Ban
September 16, 2010
WASHINGTON – U.S. Reps. Joe Barton, R-Texas, ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Michael Burgess, R-Texas, ranking member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., today introduced H.R. 6144, the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act.
The BULB Act repeals Subtitle B of Title III of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which is a de facto ban on the incandescent light bulb that has its origins in Thomas Alva Edison’s laboratory.
“The unanticipated consequence of the ’07 act – Washington-mandated layoffs in the middle of a desperate recession – is one of many examples of what happens when politicians and activists think they know better than consumers and workers,” Barton said. “From the health insurance you’re allowed to have, to the car you can drive, to the light bulbs you can buy, Washington is making too many decisions that are better left to people who work for their own paychecks and earn their own living.”
“Thousands of American jobs have been shipped overseas as a direct consequence of this light bulb provision in the Democrats’ 2007 energy bill,” Burgess said. “Further, I have stated all along that exposing our citizens to the harmful effects of the mercury contained in CFL light bulbs, which are being manufactured in China, is likely to pose a hazard for years to come. This light bulb issue is just the latest example of Republicans attempting to correct the mistakes of Nancy Pelosi’s misguided Democrat-controlled Congress.”
“If the American people needed another example of why it is time to roll back the hyper-regulation of the past four years, this is it,” Blackburn said. “Washington banned a perfectly good product and fired hard working Americans based on little more than their own whim and the silly notion that they know better than the American consumer. Now, hundreds more Americans are looking for work while assembly lines in China are churning out fluorescent bulbs for the US market. Tell me how that makes any sense at all.”
Alternatives to traditional incandescent bulbs have many drawbacks. They are all considerably more expensive. The most common alternative, compact florescent light bulbs have a number of problems:
Most CFL’s are not manufactured in the United States. A recent Washington Post story reported that GE is shuttering a plant in Winchester, Va., killing 200 jobs in the process.
CFL’s contain mercury and have to be disposed of carefully. The amount of mercury in one bulb is enough to contaminate up to 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe drinking levels. The EPA recommends an elaborate cleanup ritual, including throwing away any clothes or bedding that has come in direct contact with the mercury from the bulb.
CFL’s are not designed to be turned off and on frequently; the lifespan of a CFL may be reduced by up to 85 percent if you switch it off and on a lot.
CFL’s can raise your heating bills. They’re not great for interior use in a cold climate, because they produce less heat than incandescent bulbs. So you save on electricity, but have to pay more in heating costs.
People with certain health conditions can be harmed by CFL’s. Reactions range from disabling eczema-like reactions, to light sensitivities that can lead to skin cancer.
The Energy Star program warns that CFL’s can overheat and smoke.
By Carmen Santora
Carmen Santora, Executive Director of the Better Contractors Bureau (BCB) says, each year many of the so-called gypsy contractors hit town with one thing in mind and that is to rip off unsuspecting consumers, especially seniors. He said this year they have hit in full force and warns home repairs are at the top of their list, as they are the easiest to con people into doing by using many different scare tactics. Many homeowners have already been ripped off. The BCB offers the tips below to help protect you against these unscrupulous individuals.
* Steer clear of drive-by repairmen. The most notorious scam artists in home repair frauds are the repairmen who cruise neighborhoods and sell their services at your front door. When that happens the first thing you should do is to check to see if they are driving a vehicle with out of town license plates. If they are then you can be sure you are talking to a fly-by-night operator. The license plate check is especially important to prevent the most common ploy; an offer to seal your driveway or clean your gutters at bargain prices. Some scammers even use useless motor oil to recoat driveways.
* Watch out for bogus chimney improvements. Scammers may tell you that your fireplace is unsafe and needs a new chimney liner. But unless you have visible problems such as cracks, loose or missing bricks, they’re probably pulling a scam. They usually come to your house and offer to clean your chimney for $50.00, look down the chimney and say you need $3,000 to $4,000 in repair work for the fireplace to work safely. The work they do is usually unnecessary and it’s your money that goes up in smoke. Before agreeing to an expensive repair, hire an independent home inspector or a professional chimney sweep to do an evaluation.
* Avoid the waterproofing scare tactics. If your basement floods every time it rains, you may need to have it waterproofed. But consider this very expensive job only after you’ve ruled out cheaper options. Frequently, gutters are simply clogged or soil surrounding the home has eroded so it slopes toward your home, causing water to seep in. Anytime someone tries to scare or panic you that should raise a red flag! Things like damp proofing paints and sealants can help with minor problems, as well as extending gutter downspouts out 4 feet from the house. Sump pumps can sometimes be installed without ripping up the entire basement perimeter. However, should you need major work make sure you deal with a specialist and always get three estimates.
* Don’t fall for the gimmicks. “ I have some left over materials from a previous job and can give you a great deal”. Or “If you pay me cash I can give you a great discount”. These are just another version of phony dishonest scams!
* One of the worse scams. is when they have children with them, and a lot do. They will ask if their child can use the bathroom and while you are outside the child is trained to search for valuables and you will find items missing after they’re long gone. DON’T LET ANY PERSON IN YOUR HOME FOR ANY REASON, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE STRANGERS!!
You have decided to sell your home this spring. It is time to move on to a bigger space or smaller space. With spring approaching, the time to sell is now and now is the time to prepare your home for that quick sale.
Consider home staging. This does not mean a total redesign, it does mean however, a serious plan to make your home as inviting and desirable to prospective buyers.
So, where do we begin?
The first step to successful staging is to clean out and declutter. Remove all piles of newspaper, magazines, third class mail. Put all folders back into your office space. Clear off dressers and bathroom vanities. Clean up the laundry room. Rid the space of extra baskets and move extra bottles of soap into cabinets or down in the lower level on shelves. Neatly organize all closets, especially the master closet and main coat closet. Give prospective buyers the opportunity to visualize their belongings in large, clean spaces.
Depersonalize! Remove all family photos from tabletops and bookcases. Take a look at your fridge. Is it plastered with soccer schedules and coupons? Get rid of those too. Sort your child’s artwork into folders and store in bins that are out of sight. Sort your children’s shoes and donate outgrown hockey skates and soccer shoes.
Take a walk through your home and remove large pieces of furniture. The idea is to showcase the home, not your inherited, oversized secretary. Make the spaces in your home appear to be more spacious. Purchase new toss pillows and remove heavy draperies. Let as much natural light in as possible. If you have a fireplace, clean the bricks and remove any accumulations of ashes. Neatly place a few logs in a large basket nearby.
Think about painting. Paint your rooms a soothing, warm, neutral color. Choose a shade that will appeal to most buyers. So, if you have a wall in your great room painted red, neutralize it. Repaint your master bedroom in a soft color and then paint the master bath two shades deeper. Buy a new duvet in white or ivory and keep patterns limited. Have your carpeting cleaned and wash any throw rugs.. or just get rid of them. If your dining room is formal, set the table with your finest china. Your prospective buyers will want to see if they can entertain here. Remove large pieces of artwork too, so the new owners can imagine their artwork on your walls.
To sell your home quickly and get your asking price, you need to prepare. A few days staging will pay off in the end.
The day of your first open house, purchase fresh flowers for the dining room and another bunch for the coffee table. A large basket of apples or lemons should be placed on the kitchen countertop. Remember to make your home smell inviting, crumble chocolate in a glass dish and place in a very low oven. The take away here is appeal to all the senses. Put on a classic CD, make away plans for your kids and yourself. Hand your home over to your selling agent, and relax and wait until you will quickly hear the word….SOLD!
Mike Dana of Rochester Power Saver is our guest on Property Source Radio 2/19/11 (This show online now – Click here to listen) and shows us a truly cost effective way to reduce your electric bills. Tune in to get all the details!
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“A Showcase of Products & Services for Your Home & Garden”
If you’re thinking of building a new house or an addition, putting in new windows, remodeling your kitchen or bath or any other type of home improvement project, the Dome Arena and Minette Hall at the Fair & Expo Center will be the place to be the weekend of February 25, 26, 27, 2011. Instead of having to drive all over town to gather information, you can find it all in one place.
The Better Contractors Bureau, (BCB, as it is more commonly known) with headquarters at 1151 Titus Avenue in Irondequoit, is hosting its 27th annual Home Fair Expo. Carmen Santora, the bureau’s executive director and home show manager said, “This year’s show will be one of the biggest ever with over 285 exhibits”.
The show’s theme is “Everything for in and around the home”, “There surely will be”, Santora said, pointing to the 285 exhibits this year, everything from windows, doors, stand-by home generators, kitchens, alarm systems, financing, pools, landscaping, fireplaces, decks and more. Attendees are encouraged to bring their plans for their future projects to have the many contractor exhibitors review them. Also representatives will be on hand from the Attorney General, Monroe County Health department, NYSPSC and NYSERDA to answer questions.
Besides the exhibits there will be daily seminars given by industry experts including a special seminar on “how to save energy money in your home”, given by Lee Loomis of NYSERDA’s Energy Smart program. In addition this year Jim Salmon, Host of WHAM’s Home Repair Clinic will be appearing on Saturday and Sunday to answer all your home improvement questions.
Visitors to the show will have a chance to win a big screen TV compliments of Direct Buy and many other door prizes and giveaways donated by exhibitors. This year’s show will be sponsored by Family First Federal Credit Union and will help to benefit the charity CDS who will be holding a silent auction. Also a special feature of the show this year attendees will be able to bring their antiques (up to two items) to be appraised by Antiques & Old Lace for a $1.00 donation to CDS.
The show will be open from Friday, Feb. 25th. 3-8 PM, Saturday, Feb.26th, 10 am-8 PM and Sunday, February 27th, from 10 AM-8 PM. Seniors will get in FREE all day Friday. All other attendees will be admitted FREE on Friday and Saturday after 6 PM and Sunday after 3 PM. Regular adult admission is $6.00, seniors $5.00 (62 +) and children free (under 12). $1.00 off coupons will be available at all Wendys and discount tickets will also be available at all Wegman’s stores. Parking is FREE!
For more information on the Home Fair Expo or the bureau, you may go to the BCB’s web site at www.The-bcb.net/homefair or call the office at 585-338-3600.
By Lana Torre
Does your child’s room need a color change? Is the room boring, builder’s white? Has your son moved into your daughter’s room, and is stuck in an orange and pink palace?
The quick and inexpensive fix is to paint it out. In one day, and one gallon of paint, you can create a fab, fun retreat for your kidlet.
Choose a fun color. I am all about creating fun spaces for children. Use your color wheel, add window treatments and accessories for a total look. Bright bold colors are back. Pure and fresh tropical color palettes are being painted to liven up children’s spaces. Always consider using combinations of warm and cool colors, like pink and green, orange and yellow with blues.
If you are moving your son into that orange and pink room, paint over the pink in a bright navy blue. Blue and orange are most complimentary because they are opposite on the color wheel. You can find sports accessories, and fill the room with basketball and football fun memorabilia. I have seen sports themed bed sheets printed with your son’s favorite team.
Choose beach color palettes for your daughter’s room. Paint sunny yellow, use accents of aqua blue and lime green. If your daughter is a diva, paint metallic paint in silver accented with hot shades of raspberry pink. Available at reasonable prices are night stands and dressers in mirrored finishes. For an unusual look, paint the walls a pastel pink and paint the ceiling a deeper, warmer tone.
Avoid character themed rooms. Your child will grow out of this in short time. Paint the room in a color story that will evolve and grow with your child.
Another popular paint is ‘chalkboard’ paint. It is a matte black and you can write on it with chalk. Tape off a pattern on your child’s wall, using blue painter’s tape then simply roll this special paint inside the pattern. You can get creative here, tape off circles or stars. Another choice of paint is magnetic chalkboard paint, your child will love it.
If you are having a baby, paint the nursery in gender neutral shades of green. You can accent in rosy shades of pink or navy blues. Your child can grow with green, just choose a lively shade.
Want to keep it neutral? Paint the room in shades of peanut butter. Lavender for a girl is a perfect accent color or deep red for a boy’s room. Charcoal grey is very popular. Accent the room with dusty powder blue and always select a bold white for the window treatments and trim color.
Your child’s room should be a fun retreat. Choosing the perfect colors for walls and accessories might be a daunting challenge, just remember to make it fun!
Fall is upon us. Now is the time to think about getting your home ready for the winter months. So, before you look for your woolies, mukluks, and flannel sheets, here’s your ‘to do’ list
One of the most important jobs to attack is cleaning the gutters and downspouts. It is the messiest, but most important, job on your to do list. If left full of debris, gutters can freeze up causing structural damage, leaving you with a bigger mess to deal with in the spring.
It is obvious to put all your flower pots and garden furniture away. If you don’t have room in your garage, clean the furniture with a pressure washer, let dry, then cover with a tarp and tie down with bungee cords. When storing flower pots, empty all the soil, and place plastic bags between them when stacking. Clay pots will crack if left filled with soil, and they are so expensive these days to replace. Drain your hose, coil it up and store it inside too. Push your garden tools into a bucket of sand and they retain their sharpness, and will be rust free in the spring.
Here’s a little hint, if you wish to winter over your geraniums. Remove the plants from their pots and shake all the soil off the roots. Bring the plants to your dark basement and hang them upside down. They will remain dormant until spring, then you can bring them out and replant with fresh soil.
If you use rock salt on your walk or driveway, now is the time to buy a couple of 50 pound bags. Empty one bag into a large bucket and buy a large scoop at the dollar store. You will kiss yourself when the cold January winds are blowing and you prepared.
The obvious prep is to check for insulation in your attic space. Go to a big box store, or ask a professional. When your home has proper insulation, you will save many dollars. When at the store, check out kits that utilize plastic window film insulation. These kits are very inexpensive and it’s so easy to apply the film {usually using a blow dryer}. Remember, most heat is lost through the window glass.
Have a professional check your chimney. Purchase a chimney cap to keep critters out. Have debris and nests removed so you are perfectly ready for that holiday fire, contained in the firebox.
Have your furnace cleaned every year and replace the filter. And while you are in the basement, check out your ductwork. Are all connections in tact? Do your ducts need to be vacuumed?
Here is a short list of jobs to do before winter
• Replace smoke detector batteries.
• Place an insulation strip under your door.
• Wrap your hot water heater in an insulation blanket.
• Install a programmable thermostat and keep it set at 68.
• Find your holiday lights extension cords and spotlights.
• Reverse your ceiling fan’s direction- when the blades turn clockwise, you are forcing the warm air down into your room.
You are now armed and ready for the cold weather. Replace your doormat with a fresh, new one that greets “Welcome… Winter”