Since the government has already accepted the principle that it's okay to take an ownership stake in companies for the common good (GM, the banks, etc...) it should take a stake in companies where, with a little support, new products could be brought to market, giving the government a share of the profits to help pay down the debt. Buying a stake in a lightbulb manufacturing company and helping it develop the self-changing lightbulb is one example of how this could work.
The self-changing lightbulb would have a tiny Ferris Wheel of tungsten filaments in it. When one filament burned out then the bulb, sensing the connection had been broken, would simply turn the wheel until the next filament on the wheel was connected. We'd still have to change the bulbs now and then but much less often (10 times less frequently if there were 10 filaments on the wheel). I'd be willing to pay a little more for this kind of bulb because it's a pain changing the outdoor lights when they burn out. An added bonus from this particular idea would be its effect on the environment - the disposal problem posed by the newest generation of long-lasting bulbs would simply go away.
Note: The electricity supplied to the bulb is what would also be used to turn the wheel when required.
Comments (5)
There is already a law to eliminate incandescent bulbs by 2014.
Not only does the government not need to be involved in lightbulb development, they need to quit meddling, in the light bulb market.
They've already ordered the elimination of traditional lightbulbs, and now we have to fill our houses with mercury filled florescent bulbs.
Sometimes a little government involement can be good. If it never got involved we'd be driving down dirt interstate highways. As to it's meddling resulting in us having to deal with mercury-filled bulbs, this would get rid of that problem. It would also reduce the number of incandescent bulbs by a significant percentage.
We need lightbulbs with little directional arrows printed on top, so liberals will know which way to turn them.
I suppose there will be new hazardous waste legislation. I don't want to breath mercury fumes and I would rather the bulbs not be sold. I already have mercury toxicity from amalgam fillings (and probably childhood vaccines). Yet another project to allow someone else to stick their hand in my pocket! It's getting crowded in there! No money, lot's of fingers.