Yesterday, the last American General Electric lightbulb plant in the US closed it's doors. Congress has mandated that by the year 2014 that all bulbs in use to be CFL's, you know those curly cued energy saving light bulbs that most of us are now using.
It's amazing in this day and age, that an invention created over a century ago is still in use today. Maybe old Thomas Edison was on to something there. Although it is surprising to learn that Tom didn't create the lightbulb, he only perfected the then 50 year old idea.
Edison's lightbulb was the first practical application that could be used in homes and businesses but first old Tom had a few hurdles to overcome...the electrical delivery system! Tom's first electrical power generating plant went online in 1880 providing power to a 1 square mile radius of it's location in Lower Manhattan. It serviced 59 customers at a cost of 24 cents per kilowatt hour. Old Tom's original idea and power company has long been sold and over the years his name was dropped from the company title and the company simply was called General Electric.
Besides being a way to light your home, incandescent lightbulbs are a staple in a painters stash...So it with much sadness to say goodbye to all those lovely incandescent bulbs....wonder how a painter is suppose to create a work of art using one of those new curly cued ones? Any ideas?
