The following reminds The Hound of something Mark Twain said long, long ago: "Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself."
Congress once again is meddling in our homes and President Bush is right with them on the decision to phase out incandescent light bulbs beginning in 2012. This is the same body which now regulates the water in our toilet bowls and will be giving every analog television owner a voucher to convert his or her TV to digital, if you're not hooked up to cable or a dish.
Congress cannot agree on funding a war most have grown weary of, nor can they get lower MPG ratings in domestic-made vehicles, but they can tell us what type of light bulbs to buy. President Bush on Dec. 19 signed a measure which requires in-home lighting to use "up to 30 percent less energy.'' That effectively ends the life of the bulb invented 125 years ago by Thomas Edison. That candlepower is being snuffed out.
Replacing an estimated four billion Edison bulbs will be energy-efficient alternatives --- compact fluorescent light bulbs, which theoretically will cut carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and
dramatically reduce household utility bills. The Hound's doghouse has a few CFLs lighting the way and they're OK. Not great, but OK.
But CFLs cost more, compared to about 75 cents for their incandescent counterparts. Also, let's not ignore how to dispose of the mercury inside CFLs. And, will we be satisfied with the dim light cast by CFLs? Or will they merely use more CFLs to boost the amount of light?
Who knows, but start hoarding those 60-watt incandescent bulbs now. Their replacements are coming, thanks to some dim bulbs in Washington.
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