Compact Fluorescent Lights, Regular and Dimmable

November 27th, 2007

We moved into our current house several months ago and while most of the lights we use regularly are already fluorescent lights, there were still a few left that weren’t.

It’s been on my list of things to do.

Anyway, I was at Costco last week and they had the regular CFLs, 18Watts, on sale - 4 for $0.99! That’s less than 25 cents a light bulb. Actually they had the CFs at lower wattage, maybe 13W as well. Those were even cheaper something like 10 for $1.99.

Regular CFS, 4 for $0.99 at Costco

I bought 2 boxes. I came home and took them out of the box. That’s when I realized these CFLs cannot be used in dimmable lamps (it is stated on the bulb).

I searched on the web and was really surprised to see how expensive dimmable CFLs were. They are over $10 each!

Given the price and that I needed 6 for the dining room light fixture, I had pretty much given up on them and made a mental note to not use the dining room fixture too much.

So, I was really surprise when I walked into a Lions grocery store today and saw these dimmable CFLs, 23W, priced at 2 for $1.99!

Dimmable CFLs, 2 for $1.99 at Lions Grocery Store

I bought a box and tried them out. They work, granted they did make a sound when I first turn them on. So I’ll be going back to buy 2 more boxes.

CFLs used to cost much more than regular incandescent light bulbs so not everyone could afford them. Now that they’re so readily available and so cheap, there’s really no reason not replace the old bulbs with them.

They use less energy so they will save you money. Plus they last longer so you won’t have to keep on replacing burnt out bulbs.

Consider these facts:
- Every year Americans buy over 1 billion incandescent lightbulbs. That’s 3 acres of bulbs every day.
- If every American home replaced just one incandescent light bulb with a CFL, we’d save enough energy to light 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars.

By the way, I have also seen these CFLs sold at Ranch 99, 23W, at 4 for $1.00. They are placed at the cashier’s check out counter.

Photos from the bay

November 24th, 2007

Here’re some photos I took while driving around the bay area this week:

Spanish sign
I know what Tamales and Hot Dogs are but what are the others? I may have to stop and try some one day.

Peeping duck?
Is this a duck peeping out from the bushes?

End the IRS? I don’t think so…
End the war? yes… End IRS? I don’t think so…Who is Ron Paul anyway?

AZN TV has moved!

November 23rd, 2007

AZN tv disappeared today. Channel 69 was no longer in the menu. I frantically looked for it but it was no where to be found.
I thought I would not get to watch my Korean dramas anymore…horror of all horrors!

I then realized that I could look in my DVR scheduled recordings to see whether the dramas were still being recorded. It turns out that AZN tv is now on channel 240.

With that discovery, everything’s back to normal…;)

Shopping for Thanksgiving dinner

November 21st, 2007

Went to Safeway today and bought most of the stuff I need, I think…a 5.5lb turkey breast, onions, celery, oranges, thyme, cranberries, sweet potatoes, etc.

The only thing I couldn’t find at Safeway was fresh apple cider, you know, the refrigerated kind. I need it to make my cranberry sauce.

So, there’ll be some shopping to do tomorrow.

Turkey is currently defrosting. I’ll be brining it tomorrow.

Brining is key to a juicy turkey. Brining is putting the turkey in a salty solution for about 24 hours.

I never liked turkey before because it was always kinda dry. So, when I decided to make my own Thanksgiving dinner a few years ago, I researched to see how I should make the turkey.

I stumbled upon brining and decided to try it. And I will not make turkey without brining again. The resulting turkey meat is so juicy and tender that it’s worth the extra effort. Not like it’s that hard anyway.

I will post the brining recipe I use tomorrow…coz I have to go find it tonight ;)

Aliens in my backyard

November 18th, 2007

I just noticed these “aliens” and “space ships” in my backyard:

Papa alien

Space ship

Mother and child aliens

Grey’s Anatomy cutting in…

November 16th, 2007

Has anyone noticed that since this season started, Grey’s Anatomy has never ended on time? Yep, it has yet to end at 10.00pm this season. It’s been 10.01, 10.02 and even 10.07pm!

I have the Comcast DVR and it can only record 2 shows at once so when one show runs over, I can only record one show the next hour.

The 2 shows I want to record that starts at 10.00pm are ER and Without a Trace. But because of Grey’s unfair behavior, I have had to sacrifice the 1st few minutes of the other shows. It’s so frustrating.

Play fair, Grey’s!

Zoom Zoom Gas Prices

November 15th, 2007

I filled up my car on Tuesday at Costco and it was $3.299/gallon. Today, driving around town, I saw a Shell with $3.56/gallon and this 76 gas station with $3.53/gallon.

Ouch, it sure hurts!

Gas Prices San Jose 15 Nov 2007

Amazing Photo!

November 13th, 2007

National Geographic always has the best photos! Check this one out from today’s Photo of the Day:

happy-face-spider.jpg

It’s unbelievable, isn’t it? It looks like someone drew a happy face on this spider! It’s Nature that did it!

And that’s exactly its name. The Happy Face Spider, found in Hawaii. It’s supposed to discourage birds from eating it.

Truly Amazing!

AZN Tv messes up again!

November 13th, 2007

AZN Tv channel is showing a black screen tonight, saying it “will be available shortly” but it doesn’t!

This means I don’t get to watch Dae Jo Young tonight :( boo hoo…

Just a few weeks ago, instead of hearing the actors’ voices, we get what sounded like the local Comcast broadcast. It’s so annoying. Whoever works there should be fired!

Spiderman 3

November 11th, 2007

Spiderman 3 is now out on DVD and we finally watched it last night.

I thought it was pretty good, entertaining…we get to see the dark side of Peter Parker a.k.a Spiderman.

I don’t think I can ever get tired of watching Spiderman swing from one building to another ;)