More light bulb nostalgia

Today is Al Gore's big day back on Capitol Hill. Before we get the pleasure of watching the mental midget Inhofe question Gore about Pluto, let's take another brief dive into the ridiculous:

Going Against the Green
Will Europe wise up on global warming? ...

Take small effects first. Under the EU summit agreement, the familiar light bulb is to be outlawed in the next few years in favor of a more carbon-neutral one. Unfortunately, the new bulb is several times more expensive than the existing one and it sheds much less light. Those who can afford the (considerable) expense will use more bulbs to illuminate the same space. Poorer people will develop eye problems and push up health costs. Such are the unintended consequences of thoughtless legislation.

It's a freakin' light bulb that lasts longer than traditional bulbs--thereby saving consumers money--and is only less luminous in the first few seconds after you switch it on. We're supposed to mourn the loss of incandescents? W. T. F. But this one's mixing in another essential ingredient to the silly message:

The British economy accounts for only 2 percent of global carbon emissions. If it were to close down entirely, it would have little or no impact on the world’s total carbon output — and even less impact on the willingness of the Indian and Chinese governments to cut back on building power stations that they consider essential to their nation’s prosperity but that are now the main drivers of increased carbon usage.

Since Western democracy and respect for human rights is costly and cumbersome and only affects a minority of the total world population I suggest we give up on it.