Hello, the government can't run anything.

“Do New Bulbs Save Energy if They Don't Work?"
Article from the New York Times 03-28-09.

In today’s world of the open government assault on capitalism, I felt compelled to share the following article, with a humorous twist. The idea came from Rush Limbaugh, so I know it’s a good one and I give credit to him. My apologies in advance to the humor starved leftist radicals out there. For the rest of us, maybe I’ve shared some light.

As you read this article, substitute the words “government run” in place of “bulb”.….then take your pick from the list or add as you see fit.

· automobiles
· banks
· health care
· oil
· bridges
· day care
· mortgages
· mining
· space exploration
· cap and trade
· education
· real estate (my favorite)

The article goes like this.

“A lot of people these days are finding the new compact fluorescent BULBS anything but simple. Consumers who are trying them say they sometimes fail to work, or wear out early. At best, people discover that using the BULBS requires learning a long list of dos and don'ts. Take the case of Karen Zuercher and her husband, in San Francisco "
"Instead of having a satisfying green moment, however, they wound up coping with a mess. 'Here's my sad collection of BULBS that didn't work,' Ms. Zuercher said the other day as she pulled a cardboard box containing defunct BULBS from her laundry shelf. One of the 16 Feit Electric BULBS the Zuerchers bought at Costco did not work at all, they said, and three others died within hours. The BULBS were supposed to burn for 10,000 hours, meaning they should have lasted for years in normal use. 'It's irritating,' Ms. Zuercher said."
“Irritation seems to be rising as more consumers try compact fluorescent BULBS, which now occupy 11 percent of the nation's eligible sockets--with 330 million BULBS sold every year. Consumers are posting vociferous complaints on the Internet after trying the BULBS and finding them lacking. Some experts who study the issue blame the government for the quality problems, saying an intensive federal push to lower the price essentially backfired by encouraging manufacturers to use cheap components.”
“Consumers are supposed to be able to protect themselves by buying BULBS certified under the government's Energy Star program. But experts and some environmental groups complain that Energy Star standards are weak, permitting low-quality BULBS with too high a level of mercury, a toxic metal contained in all compact fluorescent BULBS….”


Wake up people.