Incandescent bulbs become illegal to buy 12/31/11 ...

Did you know that?  A lot of folks, including older folks, did not.  In 2012, you will only be allowed, by federal mandate, to buy CFL lightbulbs.  You know, the one's with mercury in them, so that, when they break, you have to call in the guys in moonsuits to clean up the hazardous mess you've got in your kitchen.

Bad news is that China has upped the prices of the rare earths used in the manufacture of CFL's, driving the cost of the bulbs to around $11 for the equivalent of a 6o-watt incandescent.  The bulbs are made in China because GM, the primary manufacturer, has moved all of the CFL industry out of the US.

The good news is that you can still buy incandescents in almost any wattage at good prices.  Every time I go to the grocery store, for example, I pick up a few packs of 60- and 75-watt bulbs.  They cost about forty cents each in multiple packs.  Incandescent floodlights are still available, too, at reasonable prices.  Buy now and avoid the $11/CFL bulb rush!

Stocking up is the American thing to do! Thomas Edison says so!