January 24, 2012
Tuesday AM

I recently traveled to one of the building supply stores, found others making the same trip, and gathered standing in front of the same isle containing the items I traveled to obtain.

The light bulbs, which were used to apply spot heat to my water pumps, were not to be seen on the shelf. Then I remembered that the incandescent bulbs are not being made in the U.S.A. any more. It was a stroke of genius, two years ago, on behalf of the same party, which controlled the majority of the US Senate, and the House of Representatives, passing a law that only the Compact Florescent bulbs shall be used and furthermore, banned the manufacture of incandescent bulbs made in the USA. The same congress the President reports “not effective or working for Americans”.

What a stroke of brilliance, the energy saving bulbs are the only ones sold and used in Ketchikan. However, they forgot that the heat lamps that keep our water pumps and pressure tanks from freezing are not sold or manufactured in the US… Big government sticking their nose in the daily lives on the local level. What a picture of saving the world and energy. However, they failed to consider important aspects of their brilliant work.

CFL or Compact Florescent Lamps are hazardous to the environment and us. They use mercury in the curled part, also as reported on Sitnews, the ballast is a fire hazard. I am not surprised that the recent attempt to resend the bill of not being able to manufacture Incandescent bulbs in the US failed in the Senate that is controlled by the same party, which passed the law in the first place. Just how much is big Government affecting our lives? This is just a small spot of light showing we do not need the meddling of bigger government in the lives of Alaskans. We know what works and prefer to stay with what does work.

I hope this bit of news lights up your world, be sure to use Compact Florescent Light bulbs in your homes…. After all, they save energy and are made overseas thus doing so costing American jobs. NEVERTHELESS, Congress knows better. Bottom line; this must be the work of Drug using hippies of the 60’ s now working through their environmental pop culture movement effecting  our daily lives.

Don Borders
Ketchikan, AK

Representations of fact and opinions are solely those of the author.
The opinions of the author do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.