Which are you dog or hydrant?
A few things in no particular order: a) Some CFL Lamps have clearance requirements as the ballasts give off a certain amount of heat. If those clearances are not met they can fail prematurely. b) No fluorescent lamp likes to be short-cycled. CFLs are no exception. c) CFL lamps do not tolerate low voltage well. Is it possible that their circuits are loaded sufficiently that when they all try to start at once there is a voltage drop followed by a mild surge? Low voltage at the start is hard on them. d) There are cheap-junk CFLs. Look for Philips, GE or Osram. These brands will also honor their warranties. Good luck with it.
I am not sure if it is illegal, but I would be careful about putting the footage on any websites such as youtube.
