What a week! Between the Oscars screwing up my commute, Charlie Sheen’s inane rants leading to the cancellation of my favorite comedy, the fall of Libya and Kaddafi causing gas prices to skyrocket, my cold, and snow (in Burbank), it’s amazing I can still focus on work, let alone a blog. So, we have the new PLC Lighting’s Orbiter (Product Page: http://www.affordablelamps.com/plc-82366.html), a contemporary chandelier featuring nineteen goblets that have a cookie-cutter pattern on the rim that leads me to question the name choice for this. Why Orbiter? This is a lovely fixture, don’t get me wrong, but it has nothing to do with a flight simulator or orbital satellite. It uses nineteen 40 watt G 9 bulbs and comes with 10 feet of adjustable cable with a clear glass and a polished chrome finish. I think we should call this the Champagne Cookie Cutter Chandelier. You think that’s crazy? Obviously, you didn’t see the Oscars last night. There is a matching flush mount fixture available as well. So, find a new comedy to enjoy like The Big Bang Theory and get the Orbiter before it reaches escape velocity.

We would like to welcome LITON to affordabalelamps.com. For as along as I have been here, I have had requests for recessed lighting and finally, we have the company for you. Liton offers the most complete line of recessed lighting including low voltage, line voltage, fluorescent, HID and LED fixtures suitable for home, office, or manufacturing facilities. Liton offers a variety of trim finishes such as mocha, copper, natural and satin haze. In addition, Liton features a variety of sizes from 2” up to 6”, as well as shallow housing and trims suited for sloped ceiling models. These recessed lights are ideal for all new construction as well as re-modeling applications and are Energy Star compliant and well as California Title 24 approved, which means tax rebates for you. Liton has also received the Best Interior Product award for 2010, proof that they know what they are doing.
Now, there are a lot of options for Liton, specifically in the bulb department. It is good to know ahead of time what your lighting needs are to determine the bulb type or wattage requirements. Liton has 19 different bulbs and options, with LED’s, HID, MR 16, CFL’s and more.  Which one you select will be determined by the location and requisite illumination needed. For example, Liton suggest CFL’s for the shower to reduce heat and save on energy, low voltage downlighting for the living room is usually done with MR 11 or MR 16 halogen lamps although LED’s can be substituted as well should you wish to reduce the heat output. HID fixtures are very bright, and should be used for commercial or industrial applications, though I suppose if you are an artist and have a large loft, these would work for you.
Liton also has a complete line of track lighting fixtures, as well as pendants, spot fixtures, two circuit fixtures, track lighting and a huge supply of accessories, ballasts, transformers and connectors. Liton is truly a complete lighting manufacturer and with the addition of recessed lighting to our web site, they have completed us.

Tubular glass stands erect in this twelve light wrought iron chandelier (Call 1-800-MY-LAMPS to order) from Murray Feiss. This is what I would call modern Gothic, with angular geometric design replacing the traditional swirls of old Gothic. The candelabra style bulbs utilized are 60 watt, and this fixture has an adjustable height of form 28.125” to 70.125” that measures 26.625” in height by 30” in diameter. This will go perfect with your Ethan Allen furniture while you watch TV featuring stories of the American Revolution featuring Ethan Allen. Of course, if you’re like me, you’ll end up channel surfing and turn to an old episode of Lost featuring Ethan Rom. After that is over, My Name is Earl is on, featuring Ethan Suplee, or check out Training Day on Showtime with Ethan Hawke. Only then, under the basking glow of the Ethan Chandelier, will you be fully Ethanized.

Kichler Lighting has a new product in the semi-flush category called the Lacey which is part of a family of chandeliers, sconces, and pendants. This Kichler 42386- MIZ (Product Page: http://www.affordablelamps.com/kic-42386-miz.html) fixture features a mission bronze finish along with a cased opal inner diffuser and light umber translucent outer shade. In an effort to give Forecast Lighting a run for their money, this series is definitely a departure from their more nautical design forte.  These flush-mount lighting fixtures are ideal fixtures for new construction, specifically suburban style town homes and those integrated condo projects that keep popping up in the cities of California such as Glendale, North Hollywood, and Burbank. The ones that blend city living with movies theaters, restaurants, and tourist activities all right outside of your door. I don’t know about you, but frankly, I would be fed up living in one of those complexes after a week at best. Sure, convenience is great, but so is peace and quiet and you will not get that living in one of those environments unless you have total soundproofing. This fixture is for peaceful abodes, as it has a calming feel to it. Hey, what the heck? I just contradicted myself. No, wait a second now, if these are installed in new urban town homes, then maybe that’s the point; they provide a stark contrast to the cacophony right outside your door. So all you need now is a fixture named Cagney, and your sit-com décor is complete.

“Eh, what’s up, Doc?
“Do you have this lamp in stock?”
“Eh, what’s the item number, bub?”
“I don’t see an item number?
“Then how would I know if it is in stock, Doc?”
“What if I give you the name of the fixture?”
“What if you did?”
“Are you being a wise guy?”
“Heck no, bub. I’m a rabbit!”

Customer service is getting gamey lately, and the Chinese New Year only adds to the frustration. This is the time of year that production crawls to a halt overseas, factories shut down and people go home to be with their families. If you are in the lighting business, you already know this means back orders, delays, and production changes. Add to that the traditional February price increases ushered in after the Dallas market, and that makes the whole lighting field feel like a two-front war, if you are in sales or customer service.

The good news is that there are old items that are put on the clearance list, and prices drop drastically. This is the time for consumers to gobble up the bargains, as long as they are not to finicky. This week has been fast and furious, despite the obnoxiously cold weather, and I do not see a let up anytime soon. Sure, it is too cold to install any outdoor fixtures right now, but indoors is another matter. See the clearance section, and start picking up those lamps you have been dreaming about. But please do me a favor and call us first to check stock, as these are flying off the shelves like Pterodactyls after the asteroid hit the Yucatan.

I can be reached at 800-695-2677, until the next asteroid strike anyway.

Today, Feb 2nd, Groundhog Day, the lighting business is moving a tad bit slow. Several of our lighting manufacturers are shut down (Tech) or are on skeleton crews thanks to the nasty winter weather. Over 6000 flights have been canceled and so many people who wanted overnight or 2nd day shipments are out of luck thanks to old man winter. I have had more calls today for shipping quotes and stock checks then I have had in a while and I suspect that many people are snowed in and have nothing better to do.  That’s cool. That is why we have a toll free # - (800-695-2677); it’s a good time to shop online. Look on the bright side, you could be in Egypt or Australia right now. Still, it seems like this is one crazy week.

One of my favorite composers passed away on Monday; John Barry, who most people know from the James Bond scores. The very first album I ever bought was John Barry plays Goldfinger. I still have it, scratched though it may be. Barry also wrote scores for The Specialist, Midnight Cowboy, Out of Africa, The Lion in Winter ,Born Free and Dances with Wolves. He has several Oscars to his credit. Moreover, I listen to his music here at Affordablelamps.com on an almost daily basis. Too many of my favorites are shuffling off this mortal coil lately.