On 12/28/2010 12:32 AM, Sheldon Cooper wrote:

Now we're being forced to buy light blubs that are toxic,

Well, the fluorescent 4 foot tubes that we have been using for the last
fifty years contain waaay more mercury than than the CFLs, but
surprisingly, no one is wetting their pants over those tubes.

Finally, because the CFLs use way less electricity, the POWER PLANTS put
a lot less mercury in the environment. So looking at the big picture and
the total environment, CFLs add way less mercury burden.

more expensive,

Yes, they are more expensive -- newer technology, longer life (see
below). You get what you pay for.

fades artwork, furniture and wall paper,

Why? Same number of lumens output as the incandescents that they replace
and the same color temperature (in degrees Kelvin) of the incandescents
they replace. No scientific reason in the world why they would make
things fade faster. This "complaint" is pure hokum.

and tend to burn out at about the same rate as real light bulbs.

Not true unless you are buying the really, really cheap "Brand X" CFLs.
It is a -proven- fact that decent CFLs have a much longer life than
incandescents.