URGENT question on light bulbs

Ralph,

You have a good grasp of the technical issues for incandescent bulbs and energy. I live in the Southeast, where most of our energy money is spent on cooling buildings. Our situation is very different from yours in Washington state. Even though incandescents are wasteful here, a national ban on incandescent bulbs is just not right.

Also, the cheapest CFLs will not last. You have to buy the good ones in order to get good performance and long life. A curly light bulb with a throw-away ballast is a band-aid solution anyway. The better light is a florescent fixture designed as such. LED lights may be the future, but they produce a surprising amount of heat for the light they produce.

Ralph,

Basically we agree. I was pointing out a flaw in one set of arguments.

I do not like cfl bulbs because of the ugly green color and the problems with mercury.

I am concerned about what will happen to specialty bulbs - enlargers and projectors.

I do not like to see the legislation that is based on what the law makers either had for breakfast or on what the last right wing wacko, who is either a convicted felon or a certifiable nut case, said on the last broadcast.

Steve